Exploring the Illusory Tomb Part 1 [Ancient Times Version] - Chapter 5: The Inn

Chapter 5: The Inn

“You…” 

I dragged the words. I was thinking whether to ask clearly about what just happened. From the beginning, this woman had been hiding things. She was hard to figure out.

Luo Shen saw I wanted to speak but stopped. And she said nothing more. Her thin lips were pressed together as usual, showing a firm curve. I had always had sharp senses. And I could hear her breathing had been a bit chaotic just now. I wondered, could it be that she had gone astray while practicing martial arts at midnight? Otherwise, how could there be such moaning and exhaustion?

After that, neither of us spoke. We stood stiffly like that. The candlelight in the room was dim and hazy. It cast flickering shadows.

“It’s nothing. I was mistaken. Rest early.” 

I paused for a long while. I was finally unable to endure the silent atmosphere. I greeted her briefly and was about to turn and leave. When suddenly, a shrill horse neigh came from the stables. The sound pierced the night sky. It was followed by the messy sound of hooves, particularly jarring in the darkness.

Before I could react, Luo Shen had already leapt down from the second-floor railing like an arrow. Her speed was shocking. In the blink of an eye, she had pushed open the front door and disappeared into the night. It left only two big red lanterns at the doorway casting ghostly red shadows on the ground. I hurriedly used my footwork to follow her. Just as I reached the stone steps at the entrance, a figure suddenly dropped from the sky. Perhaps he landed unsteadily—he stumbled and groaned in pain: 

“Oww! In the middle of the night—it hurts like hell!”

Judging from the voice, it was Xiao Jian.

Turned out he had heard the disturbance at the stables from the third floor. And he hurriedly put on his clothes and jumped out the window. But his lightness skill wasn’t good enough and he twisted his foot instead.

When he saw it was me, he shouted urgently, 

“Miss Shishi! Help me up, quick!”

I hated people calling me Shishi the most. In this world, besides my mother, no one else called me that. This damn lecher dared to be so presumptuous after only knowing me for a few days. I turned my head in anger and ignored him. I then ran toward the stables.

On the way, the mist was sometimes thick, sometimes thin. I could only make out vague shapes. The air was filled with a strong stench of bl00d and something foul. It made one want to vomit.

When I reached the stables, I saw messy footprints all around. We had a total of seven horses. But counting them, only six remained. The ground was stained with bl00d. It looked like some large beast had taken one of the horses. I looked around but saw no sign of Luo Shen. At that moment, aside from the panicked neighs of the frightened horses, there was no other sound. The more the horses neighed in despair, the colder I felt. And unknowingly, my palms started sweating.

I squatted down to carefully observe the bloody marks on the ground. Aside from hoofprints, there were also claw marks from some unknown beast. The claw prints were huge. And the bl00d marks showed that the beast’s paw had only two sharp claws. They were sticking out suddenly, which made me shiver inside.

I could almost imagine the ferocious beast standing right in front of me. As if it was breathing heavily with a foul stench, and in an instant could tear me into pieces.

While I was lost in these thoughts, I suddenly smelled a faint cold fragrance from behind. Instinctively, I glanced back. What I saw was a pale white and icy hand resting on my shoulder.

Startled, I stood up abruptly.

Turning around, I saw Luo Shen standing silently in front of me. Under her jade-white mask, her eyes were deep and cold. It sent a chill through me.

“It escaped,” 

Luo Shen said lightly. Her thin lips moved slightly, with a hint of regret in her voice.

“What was that thing?” 

I asked after a long while. My neck was still drenched in cold sweat.

“It was huge. I couldn’t catch up after a long chase and had to give up. Judging from the direction it fled, it seems to have gone toward the eastern mountain.”

“That mountain is called Whistle Ridge. Guests, you must not chase further there. Losing a horse is a small matter—losing your life is the big one,” 

Just when Luo Shen finished speaking, an old man holding a lantern walked up to us. He was trembling as he spoke.

I recognized him as the innkeeper, Manager Mu. Behind him were two people—one strong and sturdy. While the other was tall and thin but limping slightly. It was Cheng Yun and Xiao Jian. When Xiao Jian saw me, he joked and complained, 

“Miss Shishi, how cruel of you. You wouldn’t even help me up—it really broke my heart.”

I snorted coldly, 

“Aren’t you laughing and walking just fine? Isn’t it good that Brother Cheng is helping you?” 

Then I didn’t bother with him and asked the innkeeper, 

“Innkeeper, is there something strange about Whistle Ridge?”

The innkeeper looked a bit ashen. And under the red lantern light, his face looked even more terrifying. He said in a low voice, 

“Whistle Ridge is the only way from our county to Qihua Mountain. Except for one tunnel, the surroundings are all cliffs. The county people use that tunnel to go to Qihua Mountain. You guests may know that our Botian County’s tea is quite famous. Especially the tea branches grown in Qihua Mountain’s soil. But two months ago, heavy rain caused a landslide on Qihua Mountain, exposing a cave. A few tea farmers went up the mountain to pick tea and ran into trouble. Only one family from East Street made it back, with one arm lost. Since then, Botian County hasn’t been peaceful. Look now—every household has to hang big red lanterns at night to ward off evil. Almost no one dares walk the streets after dark.”

Hearing this, I thought I had a lead. Qihua Mountain—that’s the very mountain where the general subordinate under the Prince dug up gold pieces, isn’t it?

At that moment, Xiao Jian suddenly shouted, 

“Oh no, could it be the zongzi (zombie) from the tomb is out attacking people now? That’d be terrible!”

The innkeeper looked puzzled, 

“Zongzi? Young man, how could a zongzi (rice dumpling) attack people? Don’t joke like that.”

“Zongzi” is tomb-raiding slang referring to corpses in tombs. People unfamiliar with tomb-robbing wouldn’t understand it.

I feared Xiao Jian would keep talking nonsense and reveal our real identity. Though we were acting under the Prince’s orders, if the authorities found out, it wouldn’t end well. To avoid trouble, I quickly gave Cheng Yun a look. Cheng Yun got the hint and helped Xiao Jian up. He said, 

“Xiao-zi (Bro Xiao), your foot’s twisted. Why insist on coming out? Come, let brother take a look back inside.” 

Before Xiao Jian could say anything, Cheng Yun had already dragged him away in a few quick steps. He practiced a powerful external martial art called Steel Hand and was very strong. Xiao Jian, like a chick, was easily carried off without being able to make a sound.

Luo Shen remained calm at this scene. She then continued, 

“May I ask, sir, what is the name of the survivor? Where does he live?”

The innkeeper replied, 

“That man’s name is Xie Zhu. We all call him Old Third Xie. His house isn’t far—just in Apricot Blossom Alley. You’ll find him easily.” 

Then he added with concern, 

“You’d best return to the inn quickly. Better not stay out too late. This old man doesn’t know how many more scares he can handle.”

Luo Shen nodded, bowed to him, and handed him a silver piece. 

“Sorry to trouble you tonight, sir. Please accept this.”

The innkeeper repeatedly declined,

“Oh no, that won’t do! You just lost a horse after entering my inn—how can I take money on top of that?”

“Just treat it as a deposit for staying here. We’ll have to trouble you for a few more days.”

Hearing that, the innkeeper finally accepted it. He thanked her many times. He then held the lantern and staggered away.

I was a bit surprised. This woman was usually cold and indifferent. But toward this old man, she was rather courteous.

“Then, are we going to Apricot Blossom Alley tomorrow to gather information?” 

I asked her.

“Of course. But for now, I have something else to do. Miss Shi, don’t you think something was off tonight?” 

It was the first time she had called me Miss Shi, which surprised me.

“Off? A wild beast appeared, isn’t that clearly off already?”

“That’s not what I meant.” 

Luo Shen paused. She then looked up toward the third floor of the inn and asked, 

“Who’s staying on the third floor?”

“Xiao Jian, Cheng Yun, and Qing Songzi. Xie Long and we are on the second floor.” 

As I finished speaking, I suddenly realized something. I then said in surprise, 

“The horse was screaming so miserably that even the innkeeper came out. It’s understandable that ordinary guests were too scared to come out. But Qing Songzi and Xie Long came with us—and they’re tomb-raiders too. Why didn’t we see them?”