Chapter 22: Seven Stars: Eight-Layered Treasure Box

The purple-gold box felt very heavy. It looked a bit like a smaller version of the silver-ridged, roof-shaped box from the eight-treasure casket (the set of eight boxes holding relics), only much smaller. Since Buddhism hadn't been introduced to China at that time, what was inside certainly wasn't relics. I shook it but heard no sound. I thought to myself: Could it be that inside is the ghost seal Fatty mentioned? The key was in the female corpse's mouth. I steadied myself, took a deep breath, inserted two fingers under her tongue, clamped the key, and carefully pulled it out. Just as the key was about to leave her mouth, I saw an extremely thin silk thread tied to the key handle, leading all the way down into the corpse's throat. I suddenly realized something was wrong—something else seemed to be tied to the other end of that thread.

Grandpa once told me that during the Shang dynasty, Chinese craftsmen could skillfully install crossbow mechanisms inside human corpses, triggered by a gold thread. As soon as a tomb robber removed a jade plug or pearl from the corpse's mouth or anus, the mechanism would activate instantly, firing crossbow bolts through the body. Since the grave robber would be very close to the corpse at that moment, there was no way to dodge. Countless tomb robbers had died to such traps.

I pressed the female corpse's abdomen and indeed felt several hard objects. I thought to myself: Lucky I was slow; if it had been Fatty or Panzi, they would have already triggered it! Thinking that all this setup seemed designed specifically for tomb robbers, I couldn't help but feel a chill.

The silk thread behind the key was gold wire—it could stretch but not bend. I snapped it easily with my fingernail and took out the key. I matched it with the keyhole on the purple-gold box, and it fit. But I had no idea what tricks this box might hold; there might be another trap. After considering, I decided it was best not to open it for now.

Just then, I suddenly noticed that the female corpse hanging on me had become hideous. I was deeply shocked. Her face withered like a spoiled orange in an instant, and her throat made an indescribable sound. In a matter of seconds, right in front of me, she turned from a lively beauty into a dried corpse. With just a shake, her withered arm snapped off, and her desiccated body fell onto the stone platform, still contracting.

I was terrified. It seemed the gem on the key really had a preservative effect. I didn't dare to think any more nonsense, shoved everything into my bag, told myself this was no place to stay, and went to carry Fatty on my back.

Fatty was really beaten up by me; I tugged several times but got no response. I thought: It can't be that I killed him, could it? At this point, I couldn't worry about that. I grabbed one of his arms, shouted, "Up!" and with a push from my lower back, swung him onto my back. Fatty was very heavy, almost making me spit blood. I shook my head inwardly, cursing Fatty's ancestors as I walked.

Fortunately, the stone corridor wasn't very long. I soon reached the middle section. Once I exited the area tangled with vines, I saw the cliff. Third Uncle and Panzi weren't up there; it seemed they had gone back to find a way out. I walked to the altar at the end of the stone corridor, put Fatty down on it, and wanted to rest for a while. Then I suddenly saw Third Uncle crawling out of the cave closest to the ground.

He was very familiar with things like the Eight Gates and hidden formations. With him around, that maze was nothing. Afraid he might not see me, I waved and shouted, "Third Uncle! I'm here!"

When Third Uncle saw me, he started to smile, but then his expression changed instantly. He pointed behind me. I turned around and saw that Fatty had somehow sat up, and the blue-eyed fox corpse was lying on his back, staring coldly at me.