Peces hundidos

Capítulo 21

“No.” Yin Li stood up. “The professor was scared to death.”

"Scared to death?" Zhang Yuanyuan shuddered. "Before the professor died... he called out to the sky not to kill him... Could it be... could there really be an evil god?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Even Xiao Tan, who was usually low-key, couldn't help but speak up. "There are no ghosts or gods in this world. The professor has been poisoned and is hallucinating!"

Yin Li had expected Zhang Yuanyuan to retort sharply, but to her surprise, Zhang Yuanyuan merely frowned, her face pale, and shrank back. Yin Li sighed. She had originally been a pampered young lady, but these past few days she had suffered so much in this desolate desert where even birds couldn't fly, witnessing so many life-and-death situations. It was understandable that she was afraid; she could only hope that Zhang Yuanyuan wouldn't break down.

The fourth brother stood beside Professor Li's body, holding a machete, glaring fiercely at the corpse, gritting his teeth, seemingly very unwilling. Situ Xiang walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "The dead are gone, fourth brother. Heaven has already given Shan Hu justice."

The fourth brother breathed a sigh of relief and put down his machete. Then he heard Jack sneer and say, "Brother Xiang, it's hard to believe that someone as kind as you has managed to survive in this line of work for so long."

As soon as they finished speaking, a strange glint appeared in Yin Li and Situ Xiang's eyes, vanishing in an instant. No one spoke again. The four members of the archaeological team carried Professor Li's body back to the camp and placed it in one of the coffins used to contain palace maids who had been buried alive with him.

The atmosphere in the camp became even more oppressive. Yin Li and Qin Wen had been on edge for the past few days, collapsing into bed as soon as they returned to their tents. But this night, Yin Li slept very restlessly, having strange dreams. The dreams were chaotic, like a spilled paint box, with all sorts of colors mixed together, distorted and deformed, tearing her consciousness to pieces.

In the final moments of the dream, the world turned into darkness again, a pure and suffocating darkness. She ran wildly through that darkness, trying to escape, but there was nowhere to go. It was as if she had fallen into some corner of the universe, where there were no stars, no life, nothing at all, only an endless, maddening darkness.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from the void and grasped hers. Overjoyed, she excitedly grabbed the large hand and cried out, "Are you Situ Xiang? Did you come to save me? Why did you only come now?"

A figure emerged from the darkness, smiling gently at her. Yin Li stared at the person's face and suddenly froze. That person... that person was actually Gongsun Liang!

42. Uncle Tian appears

She sat up abruptly. It was already broad daylight, and Qin Wen was still fast asleep beside her. The scorching desert sun shone through the thick tent fabric, making her feel dizzy.

She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, her mind filled with doubt. How could she have dreamed of Gongsun Liang? Even if... even if she was the reincarnation of Princess Zhaoling, she shouldn't be dreaming of Gongsun Liang, whom she had no feelings for.

She sat on the blanket, hugging her knees in deep thought. Didn't Situ Xiang say that Uncle Tian would arrive this evening? What would he do when he got there? Would he kill them?

She finally started to feel scared. In the heart of this desert, even if the entire archaeological team died, no one would find them for a while.

Yin Li suddenly felt a pang of sadness. If she died, her parents would be heartbroken. And what about her maternal grandfather, who appeared stern but actually loved her dearly? He had put so much effort into raising her, hoping she would inherit the family business and promote traditional medicine. Now, it seemed that all those hopes would be dashed.

Her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She tried her best to hold them back and prevent them from falling.

Suddenly, the sound of a car engine came from outside the tent. She was startled. Weren't the tires of the archaeological team's and Situ Xiang's vehicles all punctured? Could it be...?

Suddenly, her vision brightened, then went dark. Two men in green camouflage burst in, their massive figures almost blocking the sunlight from her view. They roughly grabbed her and Qin Wen by the arms and dragged them to the camp entrance. Several off-road vehicles were already parked on the open expanse of yellow sand. The members of the archaeological team, held hostage, anxiously and frantically scanned their surroundings. A dozen burly men in green camouflage emerged from the vehicles, all armed. In the distance, another vehicle slowly approached.

Situ Xiang, Lao Si, and Jack were also among them. All three of them had somewhat cold expressions. When Situ Xiang saw Yin Li and the sleepy-eyed Qin Wen, he couldn't help but frown.

The SUV was getting closer and closer. Yin Li thought to herself, "The famous Uncle Tian must be sitting in that car." She suddenly became curious about what this person looked like. Even Situ Xiang was wary of him.

Qin Wen was woken up from her sleep by someone. She was initially very angry, but now she was so shocked that she couldn't speak. She couldn't believe that such a Hollywood scene could be seen in China. It was truly an eye-opener.

The off-road vehicle finally stopped in front of the campsite. The door opened, and Yin Li suddenly felt a little nervous. Two young men got out of the car first. They were about the same age as Jack, wearing camouflage uniforms, and had strong muscles, but their faces were as pretty as a girl's. Qin Wen frowned, making an impure judgment about Uncle Tian's character, and finally concluded that he was a balding, pot-bellied, middle-aged, and unsavory man.

Just then, a tall man slowly stepped out of the SUV. He was wearing a white suit, his hair was neatly combed back, and he was about forty years old. He was not particularly handsome, but he had a dignified and aristocratic air about him. It was hard to imagine that such a person would be involved in tomb raiding.

When she saw his face, Yin Li almost screamed.

"Gongsun Liang!"

That's right, Gongsun Liang! Apart from the age difference, his appearance and temperament are exactly the same as Gongsun Liang, the lover of Princess Zhaoling in Yin Li's dream and illusion!

These words shocked everyone present. Those who knew who Gongsun Liang was looked at her with astonishment, thinking that she was hallucinating due to extreme fear and mental stress.

The man's sharp gaze fell on her face, and she immediately felt a chill run down her spine. Her surprise vanished instantly, replaced by overwhelming fear.

The man stared intently at her as he walked towards her. Situ Xiang was startled and quickly said, "Uncle Tian, she's just..."

Yin Li stared at him in disbelief. Could it be? He's Uncle Tian? He's so young, why does everyone call him uncle?

Uncle Tian raised his hand to stop Situ Xiang from continuing, but stared at Yin Li in front of him, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. After a long while, he narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Who are you? How do you know Gongsun Liang?"

“I…” Yin Li swallowed hard and said, “I…I’m from the archaeological team. Gongsun Liang was Princess Zhaoling’s lover, and Feng Yuan’s notes record it…”

"I'm asking what your name is," Uncle Tian interrupted her, his tone authoritative. "Why do you call me Gongsun Liang?"

"Because...because..." Yin Li was desperately trying to figure out whether she should tell him the truth. Even if she did, would he believe her?

"I don't want to repeat myself," Uncle Tian emphasized. "Answer my question!"

Startled, Yin Li bit her lip hard, deciding to go all out: "I... my name is Yin Li. Lately, I keep having the same dream, that I'm Princess Zhaoling, and I'm always with a man... that man... looks exactly like you..."

Everyone stared at her in confusion. What was she saying? Was she really so frightened that she had a mental breakdown?

Uncle Tian didn't seem to care how absurd her words were; instead, he became slightly agitated, his gaze burning: "What did you call me in your dream?"

"Huh?" Yin Li hesitated for a moment, then said, "Liang...Liang Lang..."

"Ling'er?" Uncle Tian grabbed her arm, his hand trembling slightly. Although he tried his best to hide it, Yin Li could still see the surprise and excitement in his eyes. "You...you are Ling'er?"

"Huh?" Yin Li opened her mouth wide, wondering if she had misheard.

"Uncle Tian," he called softly, staring at Yin Li without moving. The young man who got out of the car with him quickly replied, "Uncle Tian, please give your instructions."

"I need to have a proper talk with this Miss Yin. You and Situ will handle things here." With that, he pulled Yin Li into the tent without further ado. Situ Xiang's expression changed, and he said, "Uncle Tian..."

“Situ,” Uncle Tian turned his head slightly and said, “You did very well this time. I will not go back on my promise to you.”

Situ Xiang's expression froze, and he could no longer speak. He could only watch helplessly as Situ Xiang led Yin Li into the tent. His face turned pale and his brows furrowed. Jack leaned against the body of an off-road vehicle, watching him with interest. His gaze then slowly shifted to Qin Wen, his eyes as deep as an ancient well.

Yin Li was led into the tent by Uncle Tian. She stared at him in horror. What was he going to do? It couldn't be... it couldn't be... She dared not think any further. She felt every hair on her body stand on end, and goosebumps rose on her delicate skin.

"What...what are you going to do?" Yin Li struggled and asked tremblingly.

Uncle Tian did not let go of her, but gazed deeply into her face and said, "Ling'er, I have been looking for you for many years."

"What are you talking about?" Yin Li looked at him strangely. Could it be that he had been in the underworld for too long and was under too much pressure, causing him to lose his mind?

"Ling'er, I am Gongsun Liang." Uncle Tian's eyes softened. "Don't you recognize me after you've been reincarnated?"

"Gongsun Liang!" Yin Li exclaimed again. No... could it be? He really is Gongsun Liang? The reincarnated Gongsun Liang? This... this is too... too outrageous!

“Ling’er, I’ve had strange dreams since I was very young.” Uncle Tian finally calmed down, releasing her arm, his tone becoming steady and calm. “I dreamt that in an ancient Chinese garden, there was a very beautiful girl. She was wearing a quju, a style very popular in the Han Dynasty. I watched her grow up day by day. At first, she called me Liang-gege (Brother Liang), and later Liang-lang (Young Master Liang). Originally, we were engaged. The King of Chu—who was also her father—promised to marry her to me. But he was later caught up in a political struggle, and the emperor ordered his execution. She was originally to be exiled to the frontier, but then another decree came, pardoning everyone in the King of Chu’s mansion, but she had to marry into the Western Regions as a princess of the Han Dynasty.” As he said this, a fierce glint appeared in his eyes. “But I was not willing. She was my wife. Why should she be forced to marry into this barbaric land by a single imperial decree?”

"So you followed west Ye?" As Yin Li listened to his story, countless images flashed through her mind. She seemed to be no longer afraid, but a trace of sadness welled up in her heart. "But she is already someone else's wife. What you did was completely meaningless, and you even killed her. This is the worst decision you have ever made."

Uncle Tian frowned, a trace of vicissitude and pain flashing across his face: "It seems you've remembered everything, Ling'er. It's my fault. I thought you just committed suicide, but who knew it was that vile woman Feng Yuan's poisonous scheme! Do you know how I felt when I saw your body? You were strangled by a bowstring!" He suddenly flew into a rage, punching the simple wooden table next to him, which immediately shattered in two. "At that time, my mind went blank. I slapped that vile woman, but who knew that the tomb had been poisoned with 'Linglongqiao'? I was also poisoned. They sealed the tomb, and I committed suicide in front of your coffin."

Yin Li recalled everything in her dream; Feng Yuan's crazy actions still terrified her to this day.

Women who are obsessed with love are cruel and terrifying.

“I visited Yecheng once after I turned twenty, hoping to see you again, and I even ventured into the heart of the desert.” Uncle Tian sighed softly. “But two thousand years have changed the geology and landscape of this place a lot. Relying on my memory, I was unable to find your tomb. I had no choice but to return to America.”

Yin Li listened intently, and then, as if enlightened, said, "No wonder Situ said you really like Han Dynasty artifacts, so that's why."

Uncle Tian's face darkened, and he asked, "What else did he say about me?"

Yin Li was startled and quickly said, "He...he mentioned you to the fourth brother...I...I overheard it..."

"I see," Uncle Tian said casually. "You're quite familiar with him?"

"No," Yin Li quickly denied, "We don't even know each other, he just saved me, so..."

"He saved you?" Uncle Tian grasped her wrist. "Very good. You are my woman. Saving you is saving me. I will thank him properly."

"What?" Yin Li was so shocked she almost fell to the ground. "Your woman?"

“You are the reincarnation of Ling’er, so of course you belong to me.” Uncle Tian gently brushed the bangs from her forehead and said, “My name in this life is Tian Qiliang, so you can call me Qiliang.”

43. Temptation

Situ Xiang stared at the tent that Tian Qiliang and Yin Li had entered, his brows furrowing deeply, and veins bulging on his forehead.

Jack walked over, patted him lightly on the shoulder, and said sarcastically, "Brother Xiang, you have good taste. That girl is indeed charming. Even Uncle Tian, who is usually indifferent to women, was so infatuated with her on their first meeting, and..." He smiled playfully, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "And she's so impatient... inside... it's probably been twice, right?"

Before Situ Xiang could respond, a silver needle pierced through the air. Jack felt a chill on his face as the needle pierced his cheek and stuck into his tongue.

He cried out, covering his face and bending over. At the same time, two low shouts rang out, and two men in camouflage uniforms retreated, clutching their wrists. Qin Wen leaped forward like the wind, rushing towards the tent.

Ang came to his senses, drew his gun, and fired at her. A series of bullet holes appeared in the area she ran through, from which white smoke billowed.

As soon as the gunshot rang out, the tent flap opened, and Yin Li and Tian Qiliang walked out together. Qin Wen was startled and forgot to stop. Unable to brake in time, she crashed heavily into Yin Li. Both of them let out a scream and fell to the ground together. Qin Wen's nearly 100-pound weight landed on Yin Li, who felt dizzy and as if his whole body had fallen apart.

Tian Qiliang was furious and shouted, "Who fired the shot!"

Seeing his anger, Onte trembled and said, "It was me."

"Who gave you permission to fire?" Tian Qiliang asked coldly, his face turning grim.

“She… injured three of our brothers in a row…” Ont’s voice gradually faded away.

“You know what to do if you fire without my permission.” Tian Qiliang’s voice was devoid of any emotion. Ang’s face darkened, and he picked up the gun, pointing it at his arm.

Yin Li was helped up by Qin Wen. Seeing this situation, she quickly tugged at Tian Qiliang's arm and said, "Qiliang, Xiaowen isn't hurt. Why don't you let him off the hook?"

“No,” Tian Qiliang said, though his tone was less harsh. “My rules cannot be changed.”

“Qiliang, this is the desert. If he gets shot, it will be hard for him to recover. Wouldn’t he become a burden to you then?” Yin Li said with a smile. Tian Qiliang was slightly taken aback, but he also laughed and put his arm around her shoulder, saying, “You’re very thoughtful. Onte, I’ll let you off this time. If there’s a next time, the price you’ll pay won’t just be an arm.”

Ang lowered his gun, letting out a long sigh of relief; his forehead was already covered in cold sweat. Qin Wen, staring at the two so intimately, was momentarily stunned, and stammered, "Xiao Li, he...he didn't do anything to you, did he?"

Yin Li gave her a bright smile, reached out and took Tian Qiliang's arm, and said, "Xiao Wen, let me introduce you, this is my boyfriend, Tian Qiliang."

This almost made Jack fall to the ground. He was struggling to pull the silver needle out of his mouth when she startled him, causing his hand to tremble and the needle to pierce even further, making him gasp in pain.

Situ Xiang's face was so sour it could swarm flies; his fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, almost dripping with sweat. Qin Wen's mouth was agape, wide enough to swallow a chicken. She couldn't believe her best friend would say such a thing. Even if age wasn't an issue, they... they had only just met.

"Xiao Li... are you alright?" Qin Wen couldn't believe her ears.

"Of course nothing's wrong, what could possibly be wrong with me?" Yin Li affectionately hugged Tian Qiliang's arm. "Xiao Wen, I have a boyfriend, aren't you happy for me?"

"Xiao Li! You need to think this through," Qin Wen said urgently. "You've only just met, and..." She glanced at Tian Qiliang, "He's old enough to be your father."

“No, Xiaowen.” Yin Li laughed, and Qin Wen felt that her smile contained some kind of profound meaning that she could not understand. “I have known him for two thousand years.”

After saying that, he turned around and said gently, "Qiliang, I'll take you to see Princess Zhaoling's body."

As Situ Xiang watched the two figures disappear into the distance, his heart felt as if it were being violently rubbed by a hand; the feeling was truly excruciatingly painful.

"Brother Xiang." The fourth brother couldn't stand it anymore and patted him on the shoulder, wanting to say something, but he was stopped by him raising his hand. His icy green eyes reflected the light of the sun. The fourth brother's heart skipped a beat. It was that feeling again. Whenever Brother Xiang showed such a look in his eyes, he would have a strange feeling. He always felt that Brother Xiang was from another world.

"Brother Xiang, don't be impulsive," the fourth brother said worriedly. "It's just a woman, isn't it? Everyone in the underworld knows how ruthless Uncle Tian is. If you betray him..."

Situ Xiang followed Tian Qiliang toward the large tent, remaining silent throughout.

Yin Li lifted the curtain of the large tent and looked at the three house-shaped coffins lined up to the side. One of them was covered, and inside was Professor Li's body. She was somewhat surprised that the body hadn't decomposed in this weather; it seemed that the airtightness of these coffins was astonishing.

"Qiliang, look, that's Princess Zhaoling's body." Yin Li walked over and slowly lifted the white cloth. Princess Zhaoling's stunningly beautiful face appeared before Tian Qiliang's eyes. A trace of sadness and helplessness suddenly flashed in his eyes, just like the young man who gave up everything to chase after Xiye back then.

He walked up to Princess Zhaoling, reached out his hand, his large hand trembling as he gently covered her face, his fingers tracing her cheek. Two thousand years had passed, yet she was still so beautiful, even the feel of her skin was exactly the same as it had been back then.

But... she has no soul anymore; now she is just a beautiful, lifeless shell.

For him, a mere shell meant nothing.