The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang

Chapter 5

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang, Volume One: Life's Encounters, Chapter Twelve: A Turning Point in Fate, The Devil Will Appear

Chapter word count: 2709 Update time: 08-02-29 17:44

Her classmates had just left, and Lu Xiangxiang was still lost in her joy. Gazing into the distance, the lights of the night were captivating for a fleeting moment. "If only life could be like this every day!" she thought. Suddenly, she felt someone gently tap her shoulder. Turning around, she asked, "Dad, Mom, aren't you resting yet?"

A noble yet gentle couple stood behind Lu Xiangxiang. The father smiled and said, "How was it? Xiang'er, did you have fun tonight?"

Lu Xiangxiang nodded, her face still bearing a happy smile. Her mother stepped forward, took Lu Xiangxiang's hand, and said, "Xiang'er, your father and I have something to tell you."

Lu Xiangxiang looked puzzled. It was so late at night, what important thing could it be? Why bring it up now when it couldn't be said tomorrow? Seeing her father's smile, Lu Xiangxiang felt relieved and they went back to their room together.

Her father's study was always elegant and solemn. This was the feeling Lu Xiangxiang had of her father's study since she was a child. Sometimes she would try to persuade her father not to bury himself in his work so much, since the country didn't only have her father and mother as archaeologists. But she had always wondered since she was a child, since both her parents were archaeologists, her mother should also have a study! Wasn't the reception room her mother's study? She remembered asking her mother this question when she was little, but her mother just smiled mysteriously and didn't answer. From then on, Lu Xiangxiang learned the importance of keeping secrets. Whether to tell or not was entirely up to her. At that time, Lu Xiangxiang was only eight years old.

With her mother's help, Lu Xiangxiang arrived at her father's study. The study was just as it had been before, with bronze-colored lights, stacks of books on all sides, a desk and a chair, a computer on the desk, and a long sofa against the wall at the far end. Lu Xiangxiang remembered that her father would rest on the sofa when he was tired from looking at documents. Unlike ordinary studies, her father's study had no windows.

The air in the study is fresh and circulating, and it doesn't feel stuffy or irritating. The study is a square and three-dimensional space, which seems to have been built by a scientifically designed architectural engineer.

To the average person, it's just an ordinary study, but if you look at it from a different perspective, it's more than just a study. This was a piece of advice her father gave her when she was old enough to understand, but even after growing from a short, chubby little girl into a graceful young woman at nineteen, Lu Xiangxiang still couldn't see through the mystery of the study.

Another thing is that Lu Xiangxiang has never seen her father and mother enter the study at the same time since she was a child. Lu Xiangxiang's doubts were temporarily forgotten as her father's actions came into view. She saw her father standing in the center of the study, raising his hands high. The glasses hanging on his nose suddenly released a dazzling light from the lenses. Then her father gently floated off the ground and hovered in the air. Lu Xiangxiang stared wide-eyed at what was happening in front of her. It was simply unbelievable.

Immediately afterward, Lu Xiangxiang's mother took a few steps forward and stood behind her husband. Instantly, a beam of light shot out from her mother's forehead and pierced through her husband's body. Lu Xiangxiang covered her mouth in surprise. An even more terrifying scene appeared before her eyes. Her father's entire body was transparent, with vein-like lines projected out. No! Those were not human veins, but rather the data cables of a computer robot. My God... how could this be?

Before Lu Xiangxiang could react, her father's eyes shot out two white beams of light, hovering in mid-air and instantly opening a white door. Feeling a strong pull, Lu Xiangxiang was sucked into the door before she could even prepare herself. Her vision blurred, and the speed was so fast that Lu Xiangxiang screamed with her eyes tightly shut and her mouth open. A wave of turbid force pressed down on her, and Lu Xiangxiang's head spun, and she fainted.

...

Lin Xiang returned home late at night and saw that his mother's room light was still on. "Mom!" he called twice from outside the door, but there was no response. He found it strange; why did his mother sleep with the light on? Was she waiting for him to come home? The thought filled Lin Xiang with guilt. He couldn't believe that even though he was so grown up, he was still making his mother worry. Sigh... Lin Xiang! Lin Xiang! He must never do this again. Lin Xiang kept telling himself this in his heart, then pushed open the door, intending to help turn off the light.

Lin Xiang pushed open the door. "Mom! What's wrong?" He saw his mother lying on the ground, her face contorted in pain, her eyes tightly closed, her hands clutching her stomach. Lin Xiang was shocked. He grabbed the money from the drawer, quickly carried his mother out, got into a taxi, and rushed to Fengzhicheng People's Hospital.

Outside the emergency room, Lin Xiang paced anxiously back and forth, glancing at the two closed doors every now and then. His heart was filled with panic, and he kept praying for his mother's safety.

The door opened, and Lin Xiang rushed forward, grabbing the doctor's coat and asking anxiously, "Doctor! How is my mother?"

The doctor looked at the person in front of him, then took off his mask and asked, "Are you a family member of the patient?"

Lin Xiang nodded vigorously and pressed, "Doctor! Tell me quickly, what's wrong with my mother?"

The doctor replied, "The patient's liver has necrosis and has invaded the brain, causing a coma. The patient urgently needs surgery. You need to pay the fees immediately." After saying that, he handed Lin Xiang a piece of paper with black and white writing from a nurse behind him.

Lin Xiang looked at the black and white paper, but couldn't understand what it said at all. It was all strange symbols. Lin Xiang quickly ran downstairs to the payment counter. When he printed out the bill, the cashier said: "Five million, thank you!"

"What?" Lin Xiang thought it was a hallucination, perhaps because he was too anxious and might have misheard. He asked again in surprise, "How much?"

"Five million!" the cashier continued, "Due to the large amount, hospital policy dictates that cash is not accepted. Please pay by bank transfer, thank you!"

"Five million?" Lin Xiang's head went blank. Five million was an astronomical figure, let alone for a family like Lin Xiang's. How long would it take to save up five million? Lin Xiang stepped forward and pleaded, asking if he could have the surgery first and then pay later. It was late at night, and they couldn't find that much money right away. No matter how much Lin Xiang begged or even knelt down, the doctor and cashier refused, saying that there were hospital regulations and they were powerless to help unless their superiors agreed.

So Lin Xiang rushed to the hospital office, where the relevant leaders also gave instructions that they were powerless to help because they had no money. Lin Xiang wailed as he watched helplessly as his mother was wheeled out of the emergency room and placed in the observation room. Lin Xiang felt a pang of heartache and quickly ran home to ask Yang Yingying for help. A series of urgent knocks woke up Yang Yingying and her family. When Lin Xiang mentioned five million, Yang Yingying's parents shook their heads, saying that the amount of money was too much and that they had no way to help her.

Yang Yingying stepped forward to comfort him, suggesting they go to Lu Xiangxiang, who might have a solution. So, Yang Yingying accompanied Lin Xiang to catch a taxi, which sped towards the wealthy area. Along the way, Yang Yingying held Lin Xiang's hand, constantly reassuring him, "Brother Xiang! Auntie will be alright, don't worry!"

Lin Xiang's eyes were red from crying. He arrived at the wealthy area and kept calling out Lu Xiangxiang's name outside the door, but there was no response. He dialed her number, but it said, "Sorry! The number you dialed is not in service!" Before he knew it, dawn was breaking. Yang Yingying said, "Why don't we go ask Li Tianxiang for help? I'm sure he has a way!"

Lin Xiang was already in a state of panic, not knowing what to do! After Yang Yingying's words, he nodded vigorously. Yang Yingying then took out her business card and dialed a cell phone. The other party was a computer secretary who replied: "Hello! President Li is not here. If you need anything, please leave a message. Thank you!"

Yang Yingying and Lin Xiang looked at each other, at a loss for what to do! It was already broad daylight, so Lin Xiang hurried back to school to ask his classmates for help. He blamed himself for not remembering his classmates' numbers. Lin Xiang kept blaming himself. If anything happened to his mother, he would be a sinner and would never forgive himself.

When the students saw Lin Xiang rush into the classroom, breathless, explaining the situation, they were astonished. Five million! Who had that much money on their person these days? Liu Qingfang frowned and said, "Lin Xiang, how about this? You take my card. Although there isn't five million in it, you can overdraft indefinitely!" She then took the card out of her bag, handed it to Lin Xiang, and whispered in his ear, "The password is my birthday..."

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang, Volume One: Life's Encounters, Chapter Thirteen: The Appearance of the Tenth Scroll, a Tremendous Secret

Chapter word count: 2306 Update time: 08-02-29 17:45

Lin Xiang took the gold card as if he had grasped a lifeline. He was so excited that he didn't know how to thank her. When he thought of his mother still lying in the observation room, he quickly said thank you and ran out of the school gate, took a taxi and rushed to the hospital.

Lu Xiangxiang screamed incessantly, as if having a nightmare, "No! No! No!" Her cries grew louder and louder until she suddenly sprang to her feet. When she opened her eyes, Lu Xiangxiang was covered in cold sweat, her chest heaving, panting heavily, her mind still a little fuzzy. She could only hear voices calling, "Xiang'er... Xiang'er..." in her ear.

Lu Xiangxiang closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to calm herself down. When she opened her eyes, she found her parents anxiously standing beside her. She asked, puzzled, "Dad, Mom, what happened to me just now?"

The middle-aged couple exchanged a glance, then breathed a sigh of relief. "Zhongqi, you should say it!" the woman said, shifting her gaze to her husband's face. She then sighed again, stood up, and stood aside.

Lu Xiangxiang's bewildered gaze fell on her father's face. Her mother's words were strange, making Lu Xiangxiang feel uneasy. She didn't understand what had happened. Seeing her father's embarrassed expression made Lu Xiangxiang even more uneasy.

Lu Xiangxiang vaguely remembered... Yes! She felt a sudden jolt in her heart and realized that she was lying on a soft bed. Looking around, she saw instruments, computers, flower pots and books everywhere. There were no windows, just like her father's study. The only difference was that there were instruments and flower pots here, and Lu Xiangxiang had never been here before.

"Where am I? What kind of dream did I just have? It was so real and terrifying!" Lu Xiangxiang was trying to recall her memories, but she felt a little dazed, and then a headache came over her.

"Zhongqi, since you won't tell me, I'll tell you!" The woman saw her husband's deep-seated thoughts and thought for a long time. She decided that Xiang'er should know about this. After all, she had kept this from Xiang'er for more than ten years. Sooner or later, Xiang'er would find out, and it would probably be too late to explain by then.

Seeing that her husband did not respond, the woman stepped forward and gently said to Lu Xiangxiang, "Xiang'er, do you remember? When you were little, didn't you always ask where your mother's study was?"

Lu Xiangxiang didn't know why her mother would suddenly ask such a question, but she nodded after hearing it.

The woman gently stroked her daughter's hair and smiled, "Now I can tell you, this is my study."

Lu Xiangxiang turned her head and looked around. It was indeed a study. The fragrance of her mother's favorite flowers was still wafting through the room. It was clear that this was a study used for both experiments and research. However, the floral scent gave it a more feminine feel. Of course, that's why it was called her mother's study.

"Yanmei, stop talking, let me say it!" Lu Zhongqi suddenly raised his head and said abruptly, as if he had made a great decision. Before his wife could reply, he said directly, "Xiang'er, actually your mother and I are already dead."

"Dad, what are you saying? Are you feeling unwell?" Lu Xiangxiang felt that her father shouldn't be joking with her like that.

"Xiang'er, actually your mother and I are already dead," Lu Zhongqi suddenly said loudly.

"What?" Lu Xiangxiang was surprised. She felt her head go blank and her hearing was temporarily impaired. She could no longer hear what her father was about to say. Her vision was blurry. She seemed to see her parents beside her, concerned and shaking her body.

Lu Xiangxiang returned to reality and threw herself into Lu Zhongqi's arms, crying incessantly: "Dad, what nonsense are you talking about? Aren't you and Mom standing perfectly fine in front of me? Dad, don't scare me."

Tao Yanmei glared at her husband, Lu Zhongqi, then gently stroked Lu Xiangxiang and said, "Xiang'er, you're not a child anymore. We can't always have your parents by your side, right? Xiang'er, you have to learn to be independent. No matter what happens in the future, you have to live strong, understand?"

"Mom, what exactly happened? Please tell me." Her mother's words stirred up Lu Xiangxiang's memories. She remembered seeing a terrifying scene before entering the study. Lu Xiangxiang really couldn't accept this reality. Although she was born into a family of scientific archaeologists and received good education, no one could accept the reality of losing a loved one.

Tao Yanmei reached out and wiped away Lu Xiangxiang's tears, then smiled and said, "This is the good daughter your father and I have. Don't cry!" Lu Zhongqi also comforted her from the side.

Lu Xiangxiang held back her tears and looked at her parents in front of her. What exactly happened?

Lu Zhongqi pondered for a moment, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, before slowly revealing the unknown inside story:

Twenty years ago, on the second day after Lu Zhongqi and Tao Yanmei's wedding, they both received a Class A recall order from the state, saying that there had been a major ancient research discovery and they were to rush back to the National Archaeological Research and Security Office.

When Lu Zhongqi and Tao Yanmei returned to their research office, they learned that the country had decided to carry out the second phase of the archaeological excavation of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum. The Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum is the first imperial mausoleum in history, and for archaeologists, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a lifelong dream. Thus, Lu Zhongqi and Tao Yanmei joined the national archaeological team, along with several other archaeologists. At that time, due to state secrets, they did not know each other's names, but Lu Zhongqi and Tao Yanmei's acquaintance was an exception.

During the second phase of the excavation of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum, a large number of bronze chariots, terracotta warriors, arrowheads, and exquisitely crafted bronze artifacts with intricate designs, similar to those from twenty years prior, were unearthed; jade and gold artifacts were also found. However, when the tomb of the general was about to be unearthed, Lu Zhongqi was surprised to find that the general in the front row was holding a scroll with a dragon and elephant totem. After three years of deciphering by historians who gathered at the National Grand Ceremony, the strange characters on the scroll were finally deciphered, and it was named the Tenth Scroll.

Lu Zhongqi paused for a moment. Lu Xiangxiang, who was listening intently to this historical event, murmured to herself, "The tenth scroll? How could it be the tenth scroll? And not the Search for the Gods?"

Lu Zhongqi and Tao Yanmei exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what Lu Xiangxiang was talking about. Lu Zhongqi then drifted back into his memories, speaking with fear:

"The content translated from the tenth scroll is astonishing, simply unbelievable!"

Lu Xiangxiang looked up at her father and saw the distorted and fearful look in his eyes. She grabbed her father and asked, "Dad, what's wrong with you?"

Without looking at his daughter Lu Xiangxiang, Lu Zhongqi said fearfully, "The tenth scroll is a prophecy of the outcome, recording that humanity is doomed to extinction!"

"Ah?" Lu Xiangxiang listened in astonishment to this enormous secret, her voice trembling as she spoke:

"Impossible! Impossible!"

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang, Volume One: Life's Encounters, Chapter Fourteen: The Nation's Most Advanced Intelligent Modified Human

Chapter word count: 2042 Update time: 08-02-29 17:45

Lu Xiangxiang couldn't believe such a prophecy. Shaking her father's body, she asked, "Dad, you're an archaeologist. You value scientific evidence. How can you believe such nonsense?"

Tao Yanmei knew that her daughter wouldn't believe her if she said this, but she felt that time was running out, and even if she didn't believe her, she had to tell her what the future would be like. No one knew.

Tao Yanmei comforted her daughter, telling her to stay calm and listen attentively, because she knew that her husband, Zhongqi, had a lot more to say.

Lu Zhongqi looked up at his daughter and said with a sad smile, "The deaths of your mother and me are part of the prophecy in the tenth scroll."

"Ah..." Lu Xiangxiang was surprised. The unavoidable topic had returned to the negotiating table. Lu Xiangxiang muttered to herself, "How is that possible?"

“Actually, your mother and I are now the country’s most advanced intelligently modified humans.” Lu Zhongqi stared at his daughter without blinking.

"Intelligently modified humans?" Lu Xiangxiang asked, puzzled.

"Yes! Intelligent cyborgs are robots with the most realistic feelings and simulations. In fact, apart from their physical structure, they are no different from real people. They have thoughts and feelings and can control their own thinking."

Lu Xiangxiang couldn't believe a word her father said. It sounded so absurd, especially since the person who said it was someone she had admired since childhood, and a highly respected archaeologist. Heavens! How could this be? Lu Xiangxiang looked up at her mother, hoping she could give her a different answer.

However, Tao Yanmei nodded, confirming that it was all true.

Lu Xiangxiang felt a pang of heartache. She had never imagined that her biological parents had passed away, and that the parents who had always been by her side were two cold, lifeless robots manufactured by the state.

Lu Xiangxiang asked, distraught, "When did my parents pass away?"

“Your mother and I passed away when you were seven years old,” Lu Zhongqi replied sadly.

Lu Xiangxiang suddenly screamed wildly, as if she had gone mad: "No! You are not my parents, you are not..."

Tao Yanmei quickly grabbed her agitated daughter and scolded her, "Xiang'er, calm down. Although Zhongqi and I are not your biological parents now, we have always treated you as our daughter all these years. Think about it, Zhongqi and I are your parents' children. Shouldn't you call us Mom and Dad?"

Lu Xiangxiang gradually calmed down and cried, "Dad, Mom, tell me, what exactly happened?"

Lu Zhongqi held his beloved daughter and said softly, "This is what happened!"

It turns out that the tenth scroll was deciphered back then, predicting the fate of mankind. The authorities and scientists were shocked and said that the person who saw the scroll on the first day would die eight years later.

At first, no one believed this unfounded prophecy. After verification, scientists unanimously concluded that it was a masterpiece of the ancients fooling future generations.

However, as the strange script in the tenth scroll was gradually deciphered, it was astonishing to discover that the prophecy mentioned that a giant tsunami would occur in Japan two years later, and that a massive tectonic shift would occur in the United States five years later.

When this shocking news was discovered, just as scientists were meeting to verify its authenticity, the meteorological bureau suddenly issued an emergency report that night: the Sea of Japan was abnormal, with a giant wave and tsunami sweeping towards the Japanese mainland. The giant wave and tsunami lasted for seven days and seven nights, destroying everything in its path. The United Nations authorities immediately launched rescue operations, and the scene before them was extremely tragic.

The incident startled scientists. In the spirit of humanitarianism, regardless of whether the ancient prophecy was true or false, the national leaders decided to notify the United States. When the American leaders received the news, they sneered. At the demonstration meeting, the Americans thought, "How could this be? It's utter nonsense." And so the news was blocked by the top leadership.

Three years after the Japanese tsunami, one night, the continental United States was suddenly struck by a massive earthquake. High-level tectonic activity triggered a powerful volcanic eruption! In an instant, twenty-five cities across the continental United States were transformed into a living hell—it was absolutely terrifying…

The prophecies of the tenth scroll have all come true. The world's top archaeologists have to sit down together again, because what follows is the lives of archaeologists, and then the fate of humanity. The International Emergency Disaster Research Council has been officially established, with its headquarters office located in the United Nations building, while its subordinate research institutions are located in the city of Xiyuan.

Three years passed without any results, and no amount of argumentation could provide a solution. Thus, eight years had passed since the discovery of the tenth scroll. The archaeologists who had seen the tenth scroll all died mysteriously overnight. According to the international forensic examination, they died of natural causes and no abnormalities were found.

Lu Xiangxiang's parents, Lu Zhongqi and Tao Yanmei, were also among them. At the time of the incident, Lu Xiangxiang was only seven years old. Because these scientists were the first to discover the tenth scroll, which was particularly important, the International Innovation Technology Company accepted the United Nations' request to transform the bodies of these deceased archaeological scientists into state-of-the-art intelligent robots to continue working for human scientific research.

During the first phase of the excavation of Qin Shi Huang's tomb, there was another incident that neither the country nor the United Nations knew at the time: Li Xiaochao, the founder of Wind City Space Technology Co., Ltd., used money to obtain an imprint plate from the tomb. After research by scientists under Li Xiaochao, it was discovered that the imprint plate left in Qin Shi Huang's tomb was a time connector that could travel through time and space. After deciphering and experimentation, the first time machine in human history was finally invented.

Li Xiaochao successfully sent a monkey back to ancient times using a time machine and brought it back safely, achieving this major feat. At the time, Li Xiaochao was only twenty-five years old, and his lifelong dream was to travel through time. So, the next step was for a real person to travel through time back to the Qin Dynasty to film a historical documentary about Yin Zheng's ascension to the throne. However, the computer program malfunctioned during the time travel, and he disappeared without a trace. The person who traveled through time at that time was G4 agent Xiang Shaolong.

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang, Volume One: Life's Encounters, Chapter Fifteen of the Tomb Across a Thousand Mountains, Volume Five: The Devil's Key

Chapter word count: 2212 Update time: 08-02-29 17:45

Lu Xiangxiang listened quietly. When she heard about her parents' deaths, she felt her heart bleeding. How could things be like this? The tenth scroll was simply a devil, a demon that killed without shedding blood. It was too terrifying.

Lu Zhongqi continued, "Since we cannot solve all the mysteries, the final prophecy is about to begin."

"Humanity's extinction?" Lu Xiangxiang looked up in surprise.