Volume Two – The General’s Tomb Chapter One – The Affairs of the Xu Family

Li Kun and I were both taken aback when Xu Tian finished speaking. The young woman in question looked even younger than Xu Tian himself, so the two of us couldn't help but exchange puzzled glances.

Xu Tian let out a bitter smile and said, "To tell you the truth, my cousin's family isn't simple either. Her father was also an expert tomb raider back in the day, with deep connections to my own family. But five years ago, after he set out on a trip, he never returned."

Li Kun and I exchanged another look. I asked, "Could it be that he was lost in a tomb during a raid?"

Xu Tian shook his head. "I really don't know. The only people who might know the truth are my cousin and my grandfather."

Li Kun spoke up then, "If your family is interested in something, it must be a treasure beyond compare."

Xu Tian replied, "Actually, I have my own doubts."

When Xu Tian said this, my curiosity was piqued. I asked, "Doubts?"

Xu Tian nodded. "Frankly, for decades now my whole family has been in the business of tomb raiding, going into all sorts of grand mausoleums, always as if searching for something. But my grandfather never told me what it was. He only instructed me to manage this antique shop, and whenever I came across any fine burial artifacts or the like, to bring them to him for inspection."

"And what makes me suspect something is this: our family has explored so many ancient tombs, yet never brought anything out from them—no rare objects, nothing at all."

At this point, Xu Tian fell silent, lowering his head in thought. Li Kun and I were both left confused. If things were as Xu Tian described, then his family must be after some extraordinary treasure. But what could possibly tempt a family as wealthy and powerful as theirs?

Xu Tian pondered for a long time, but found no answer. I wasn't the only one with such questions—even Xu Tian was thoroughly bewildered. He had asked his grandfather before, but the old man would only say, "You're still young. These matters are not for you to handle yet. When the time is right, I'll tell you everything."

And so, even now, Xu Tian's grandfather had not revealed the truth. Xu Tian could only keep the question buried in his heart, not knowing when, if ever, his grandfather would finally tell him.

Since Li Kun and I understood none of this, we felt it best not to comment. Xu Tian, seeing this, decided not to dwell on the matter either. He looked up at the two of us and said, "Old Liu, Old Li, why don't you both stay for a bite before you head home?"

I shook my head. "No, thanks. The old man at home is probably waiting for us. We'd better go back now—we'll keep in touch by phone later."

Xu Tian nodded. "Alright then. Once this business is sorted out, I'll give you a call."

"Very well. We'll see you next time."

After bidding farewell to Xu Tian, Li Kun and I made our way slowly toward my home. On the way, Li Kun asked, "Old Liu, what do you think of Xu Tian’s cousin?"

Thinking he meant her family background, I replied indifferently, "How would I know? You’d have to ask Xu Tian about that."

Li Kun paused, realizing I’d misunderstood. He clarified, "No, that's not what I meant. I was asking what you think of her appearance."

At this, I turned to look at him, raising my eyebrow. "Well, well, has our Commander Li taken a fancy to her?"

Li Kun scratched his head. "Don't talk nonsense. It's just that the young lady has such delicate features, and, well, I just..."

Seeing him so bashful, I couldn't help but laugh. "Old Li, if you’re interested, just say so. Why act shy—you’re not a young maiden yourself, you know!"

He gave me a playful slap. "You rascal, you’re never serious."

I glanced around us and said, "There’s no one else around. What are you worried about? If you like her, we’ll just visit Xu Tian’s shop more often. Maybe you’ll win her heart yet, and if that happens, your old man at home will surely be overjoyed."

I paused, thinking of Xu Tian’s cousin’s background, then lowered my voice, "Old Li, with Xu Tian’s family digging up so many tombs and never taking a thing, what do you suppose they’re searching for?"

Hearing this, Li Kun grew solemn. "Could it be something of immense value?"

I shook my head. "Impossible. If they were in it for money, they wouldn’t leave tombs empty-handed. Have you ever heard of a tomb raider who doesn’t take any burial artifacts?"

Li Kun nodded in agreement. "That’s true. If I went tomb raiding for money, I’d definitely bring back some treasures—not leave empty-handed."

I nodded. Then I recalled what Xu Tian had said about his cousin’s father dying in a tomb. I turned to Li Kun and asked, "Old Li, what kind of tomb could claim the life of a seasoned raider?"

Li Kun remembered Xu Tian’s story as well, and looked at me seriously. "Could he have run into a corpse that turned into a revenant?"

I nodded. "That’s possible, but I suspect it was more than just one revenant."

Li Kun asked, "Why do you say that?"

I explained, "There are a lot of rules in the tomb raiding trade. Usually, three make a team. One keeps watch nearby in case anyone approaches, one goes down to dig, and the third hauls the earth up. Each role is indispensable."

"Of the three, each is a master in their own right. First, there’s the geomancer who finds and marks the burial site—the brain and leader of the team, since it’s impossible to tell direction underground without such expertise."

"The second is the expert in traps and mechanisms. Tomb owners never wanted their resting places disturbed, so they installed all sorts of deadly devices. Without someone skilled in dealing with these, survival is unlikely."

"The third is perhaps the most crucial. This one must be quick-witted and broadly knowledgeable, familiar with antiques and porcelains from all eras. Tombs can contain countless rare artifacts, and if you don’t know what’s valuable, you may walk out with worthless junk and leave the true treasures behind—a failed expedition indeed."