Chapter 31

Grave Robber

An hour later, Lin Qianyou, with tears in her eyes, knelt beside the sofa, using a wet wipe to vigorously scrub the water stains they had left behind.

She cried, partly because of the pain, and partly out of regret.

She had acted too impulsively earlier, and only afterward realized that she hadn’t used a condom.

“What, just because you forgot to put one on? Why are you crying?” Qi Shanglan had gotten dressed and squatted down next to her. He knelt on one knee, looked at her for a moment, and then reached up to wipe away a tear from the corner of her eye. Unexpectedly, Lin Qianyou pushed his hand away and turned her head, glaring at him, “How can you still say that? What if I get pregnant?”

Unfazed by her sharp rejection, Qi Shanglan didn’t get angry. He merely made a soft sound and continued, “Isn’t pregnancy a good thing? We could get our marriage certificate tomorrow. Ever heard of a shotgun wedding?” He gave her a mischievous smile.

Lin Qianyou’s anger grew even stronger because of his indifferent tone and careless attitude. She threw the wet wipe onto the sofa and snapped, “You clean it up yourself!” She then stood up to do her makeup since they had filming to do, and Director Sun had already been urging them in the group chat.

But as soon as she stood, Qi Shanglan, who had been half-squatting in front of her, suddenly rose and swiftly lifted her up, tossing her onto the bed.

He leaned down over her, his smile fading, replaced by an air of unyielding seriousness. He stared at her for a long while before speaking in a low voice, “Lin Qianyou, I’m serious. Let’s get our marriage certificate tomorrow, and you can decide when we’ll have the wedding.”

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Lin Qianyou’s pupils dilated slightly, her breath caught, and all she could hear was his low, steady voice echoing in her ears.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes, and a chill spread through her fingertips. Her mind went blank, as though every thought had been shattered by his words.

She opened her mouth but found herself unable to make a sound. Her heart raced, her chest heaving, as an invisible force seemed to pin her in place, rendering her motionless.

Her gaze fell on his face as she tried to detect any hint of jest, but in his deep eyes, there was nothing but unwavering seriousness.

The words “get our marriage certificate tomorrow” echoed in her mind, shaking her to her core.

“What are you staring at? Answer me,” Qi Shanglan’s voice rang out again, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure.

Lin Qianyou’s throat moved as she finally found her voice, but when she spoke, it came out trembling, “A-are you… serious?” Her voice was barely a whisper, as if she were talking to herself.

“Do you think I’m joking?” He raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone tinged with helplessness.

His hand gently caressed her cheek, and the warmth of his fingers brought an unexpected sense of comfort.

Lin Qianyou’s heartbeat quickened again, her face flushing. She instinctively tried to avoid his gaze, but he locked eyes with hers, leaving her no escape.

Her mind was a whirlwind, but deep down, an indescribable emotion began to stir—something like anticipation, mixed with panic.

“I…” She opened her mouth but didn’t know how to respond. In the end, all she could do was whisper, “Let me think about it…”

Upon hearing this, Qi Shanglan’s brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of displeasure flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a softer expression.

“Think about it?” He repeated softly, with a hint of helplessness in his voice. “Lin Qianyou, how much time do you think I’ve given you? Since we met, how much longer do you need to think? Or do you just see me as a casual fling?”

“I…” Her voice suddenly became choked with emotion, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around his shirt hem. “I’m just… a little scared.”

“Scared of what?” His voice remained low, but it was a bit gentler than before.

“I’m scared… this is all happening too quickly and rashly, scared that we…” She bit her lower lip, her voice growing softer and softer, too afraid to continue.

She was afraid that they might not have a future together.

Qi Shanglan let out a soft sigh, then leaned in close, pressing his forehead against hers. Their breaths mingled, and the warm air brushed across her cheek.

“Lin Qianyou,” he whispered her name. “When will you understand that I’ve never acted on impulse with you? From the beginning to the end, the only thing I’ve wanted is you.”

His words were like a warm current, instantly dissolving the hesitation and unease in her heart. Her eyes grew a little moist, and the emotional barrier she had built finally collapsed completely.

“Okay… then let’s get the marriage certificate, and after meeting my brother, we’ll set the wedding date.” Her voice was soft, but it carried an unprecedented firmness.

It didn’t matter anymore—if it was impulsive, then so be it. She had already decided that this life would be with Qi Shanglan.

Upon hearing this, Qi Shanglan’s lips curled into a slight smile, and a look of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.

Good, from now on, she could never escape.

He then lowered his head and kissed her lips, gently and lingeringly.

—

After leaving the hotel, the crew drove to a desolate area a few kilometers away.

This barren land was said to have once been a mass grave, with bones buried beneath, though there was another version of the story, claiming that it was full of gold, silver, and jewels.

“Director Sun, why are we coming to this mass grave in the middle of the night? It’s so eerie and gloomy.” The cameraman felt a chill run down his spine and couldn’t help but shiver.

“Mass grave? Who told you this was a mass grave? Beneath it are all gold and jewels. Otherwise, do you think there would be so many tomb robbers’ holes here?” Director Sun pointed to the various holes in the ground.

“Gold and jewels? That’s a lie, right? In such a deep mountain forest, how could there be gold and jewels?”

Director Sun chuckled. “You don’t know this, huh? I heard it from an expert. Apparently, in ancient times, a wealthy young master from a noble family fell in love with a girl from Lingchuan Mountain. He brought eighty-eight boxes of betrothal gifts to marry her—gold ingots, silver ingots, jewels, jade, silk, and brocade. He filled the boxes to the brim, and they couldn’t even close properly.”

“So those betrothal gifts are buried under here now?” Lin Qianyou, listening with interest, couldn’t help but ask.

Director Sun nodded. “Yes, they’re buried right under here. Not only that, but it’s said that after the tomb robbers stole the Huoyuan Sword from the Land Temple in Yangcheng, they tossed it into one of these tomb robbers’ holes here.” Director Sun walked over to one of the holes, signaling the crew to set up cameras nearby. “But with so many tomb robbers’ holes here, it’s hard to say exactly where it’s buried. And I’m not sure whether the tomb robbers took the sword. But those gold and jewels are probably all gone. If the tomb robbers were willing to give up the Huoyuan Sword, whatever is buried here must be worth quite a lot.”

The crew walked over to the hole to start setting up the equipment, while several of the actors took the opportunity to rehearse their lines before the filming began.

Just as they were about to start, a few muffled male voices suddenly echoed through the silent night, as if coming from underground.

When they first heard the sound, everyone exchanged doubtful glances. Lin Qianyou, frightened by the eerie atmosphere, instinctively leaned closer to Qi Shanglan and even grabbed his arm without caring about the surrounding eyes.

Qi Shanglan glanced down at her. “Are you scared? Don’t worry, there are no ghosts in this world.”

But as soon as he finished speaking, the sound came again, clearer than before.

This time, everyone could hear it clearly—it was definitely coming from underground!

The scene fell into complete silence as everyone held their breath in unison, not daring to make a sound.

Lin Qianyou stared wide-eyed at Qi Shanglan, but she saw his furrowed brows and the strange black aura surrounding him.

Of course, there were no ghosts in the world. So, the sound coming from underground could only mean one thing: it was made by a person, most likely a tomb robber.

What a coincidence, they had run into them here.

“Brother Lei, what’s going on with this sword? Why is it moving on its own?” In the tomb hole, one of the tomb robbers whispered in a panicked tone. He was holding a sword tightly in his hand. Despite the dirt on it, it still glowed coldly, its sharpness unmistakable.

“Don’t talk nonsense! There’s no such thing as ghosts! Once this job is done, we’re done with this stuff, no more tomb robbing. Hurry up! Get moving!” The man called Brother Lei impatiently urged his two companions, Lao Si and Gui Shou.

Lao Si held the slightly trembling sword, confused but not thinking much of it. The three of them had just been released from prison a few days ago, planning to pull off this big heist and make enough money to retire back home. They just hoped nothing went wrong this time.

The night was dark as ink, quiet and still. The filming crew hid behind a nearby mound, holding their breath and watching closely.

But Lin Qianyou wasn’t focused on the tomb robbers. Instead, her attention was on Qi Shanglan, whose black aura around him had intensified, emanating an unsettling, heart-pounding pressure. She lowered her voice to ask, “Qi Shanglan, are you okay?”

Qi Shanglan’s mind was almost overtaken by an invisible force, leaving only two words echoing relentlessly: “Kill them.”

He tried hard to suppress the agitation within him, forcing himself to speak in a calm tone, “I’m fine.” He then turned to the others. “You stay here. I’ll go get the car and follow them.”

“Follow them? Are you going to capture them?” Lin Qianyou grabbed his wrist, her eyes filled with anxiety and worry.

Qi Shanglan nodded, the veins in his arm visibly bulging. He explained in a low voice, “We must follow them. We can’t let them take the relics. These people have a well-organized support system. Once the relics are taken out of the country, retrieving them will be almost impossible.” After speaking, he gently pulled his arm away from Lin Qianyou’s grip and turned to run toward the roadside.

“Wait!” Lin Qianyou grabbed his shirt again. “I’m coming with you.”

Qi Shanglan looked back at her, hesitation flickering in his eyes, but eventually, he nodded. “Alright, let’s go together.”

The two moved quickly and got into the car. The tomb robbers’ vehicle had already driven a distance, so Qi Shanglan pressed down on the accelerator, and the car shot forward like an arrow.

Lingchuan Mountain had a complicated terrain, with rugged roads and many ravines. One wrong move, and both the car and people could fall off the cliff.

Qi Shanglan drove at high speed, and Lin Qianyou glanced at him. The black aura surrounding him had become even more intense, as if he might lose control at any moment. She was afraid he might do something impulsive again, so she quietly asked, “Qi Shanglan, can you drive a little slower? It’s too dangerous.”

“If I slow down, we won’t catch up.” His voice was calm, and the car’s speed didn’t decrease in the slightest.

Lin Qianyou pursed her lips and suddenly had an idea. “Why don’t we just teleport directly into their car?”

Qi Shanglan glanced at her. “What are you thinking? They have three people, two guns, and a bunch of sharp tomb robbing tools. How much of a chance do you think we have?” There was no way he was going to risk that.

“Guns?! How do you know?” Lin Qianyou was startled.

“I just saw them.” He answered briefly, the veins on his arm growing more prominent and frightening, silently expressing his suppressed frustration.

At the same time, inside the tomb robbers’ car in front, the sword suddenly started to shake violently.

“Help me hold it down! This is really insane!” Lao Si, sitting in the passenger seat, shouted to Gui Shou, who was sitting in the back.

“Isn’t this a ghost showing itself? Shouldn’t we just put it back? I don’t want to be haunted by a ghost.” Gui Shou looked disgusted, clearly not wanting to get involved in this bad omen.

“If you keep saying this kind of depressing stuff, get out of the car!” Brother Lei turned around and shouted at him. He glanced at the sword, and a hint of unease spread through his mind. It was really strange—had a ghost actually possessed it?

However, as he turned, his gaze fell on the black car behind them.

Brother Lei furrowed his brow. “Why is there a car in the mountains at this time of night?”

He quickly pulled his gaze away and thought rapidly, then his expression changed as he muttered a curse under his breath. “Damn it, someone’s following us!”