Chapter 7: Stirring Up the Archaeological Community!

Zhang Lin saw everyone waiting tensely for what came next, anxious to know whether the Wu family's patriarch lived or died.

He smiled silently to himself, preparing to reveal something that would turn the Archaeological Community upside down!

"After the Wu family's patriarch realized he might have been poisoned, in his daze he saw not far away that his second brother's severed hand seemed to still be clutching something!"

"The Wu family's patriarch strained to look closely, and it turned out to be a piece of silk!"

"At that moment he thought, this was something his second brother had risked his life to send out from the tomb — it had to be extraordinary!"

"He had to keep it safe, so with his last bit of strength he stuffed the silk into his own sleeve."

"By then his ears had begun to ring, his eyes felt as if covered by a layer of gauze, and his hands and feet were turning cold."

"His mind began to spin out of control with random thoughts, and at that moment he started faintly hearing the strange clicking sound he had heard at the cave entrance."

"The Wu family's patriarch instantly sensed something was wrong — why did this sound differ from the one he'd heard in the tomb shaft?"

"He reflexively tried to raise his head, and saw a huge grotesque face leaning down at him, two eyeless eyes utterly devoid of life!"

At this point Zhang Lin abruptly stopped.

This left the audience below, who had been waiting to hear the rest, dissatisfied.

Everyone clamored, "Go on, keep talking!"

Zhang Lin merely smiled and said: "Gentlemen, it's not that I don't want to continue, but everything I've told about the Wu family's patriarch in my 'Tomb-Raiding Legends' is based on real people and real events!"

"What you just heard about the Bloody Corpse Tomb at Biaozi Ridge is excerpted from the notes of the Wu family's old patriarch."

"The old patriarch never recorded how he survived afterward, so naturally I can't make it up for you!"

The audience wasn't buying this explanation and began to shout noisily.

"You can't put it that way, Mr. Zhang! We paid for tickets to hear the story — you can't just leave us hanging halfway!"

"Exactly! How are we supposed to sleep tonight?"

"Besides, what on earth was that blood-red thing? What did it look like? You didn't even explain clearly — isn't this just stringing us along?"

To these questions, Zhang Lin replied: "Anything not recorded in the notes, naturally I can't say more about."

"However, I've heard there are many skilled folk archaeologists out there. Since we have this lead, why not take on the challenge of that Bloody Corpse Tomb?"

At these words, the hall instantly fell silent.

Some people had already begun to scheme!

Right — at the very beginning Zhang Lin had said that Biaozi Ridge was a small mound some dozens of li outside Old Changsha.

Although he'd been vague, wherever there's an ancient tomb, the soil, water, and vegetation are all different.

And the Wu family's patriarch going down into the Bloody Corpse Tomb happened over fifty years ago, so the geography wouldn't have changed much.

As long as you search carefully, you'll definitely find it!

Those who had just been making noise all began quietly discussing with the people beside them.

Among today's audience were quite a few professional folk archaeologists who made their living at this.

The information Zhang Lin had given them was very valuable.

Zhang Lin glanced up at the private box on the second floor — he knew the real big clients of his storytelling venue were up there.

Then Zhang Lin cleared his throat lightly and said: "Gentlemen, although I don't know how the Wu family's patriarch escaped, I can tell you what became of him."

At this, the crowd immediately fell silent, eyes fixed intently on Zhang Lin.

Zhang Lin, unruffled, said: "Because of this incident, the Wu family's patriarch's nose was completely ruined."

"His ability to sniff out ancient tombs by the smell of earth was lost."

"But the Wu family is a tomb-raiding dynasty — even if the ability was lost, the trade couldn't be."

"So the Wu family's patriarch raised a dog, trained it to sniff the soil for him."

"Those close to him also called him Wu Laogou!"

Hearing this, Tianzhen in the private box shot to his feet.

Giving Fatty beside him, who had been listening with great interest, quite a fright!

"What's up, Tianzhen?"

After Fatty asked, seeing Tianzhen's face shifting uncertainly, he immediately caught on.

In a tone of disbelief he said: "No way? Your grandpa really raised a dog and got called Wu Laogou?"

Tianzhen nodded with some difficulty. "Not just one — our Wushanju has a dedicated dog kennel, with lots of dogs."

"I've known since I was little that my grandpa loved dogs, but I never imagined there was such a story behind it."

Now it was Fatty's turn to be shocked. He pointed down at Zhang Lin and said: "This... something even you didn't know — how does this Mr. Zhang know it?"

"Could it be that your grandpa really did write a notebook, and this guy got his hands on it?"

Whether his own grandpa had a notebook, Wu Tianzhen didn't know either.

Who keeps a diary if they're a serious person?!

He never expected his grandpa to be So Unserious!

Just as Wu Tianzhen was about to say a few words to Fatty, he suddenly heard Zhang Lin's voice drift up again.

"As for that piece of silk Wu Laogou picked up — it was actually a Warring States silk manuscript!"

"This Warring States silk manuscript contains an earth-shattering secret!"

"But sadly, this priceless cultural relic, not long after Wu Laogou obtained it, was swindled away by an American!"

Boom—

Hearing this, everyone in the audience exploded!

Old Lady Huo in the private box even stood up directly.

Slamming the table, she said: "That Wu Laogou! How dare he lie to us!"

…….