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He frowned. Had he just been overthinking things?

The three walked from the camp toward the princess's tomb, leaving a trail of footprints behind them. The sun hung high in the dark blue sky, its scorching rays creating a strange illusion, as if they had returned to the terrifying era when ten suns appeared simultaneously.

Qin Wen thought Situ Xiang was going to take them to see the newly discovered artifacts, but she was surprised to see him walk through the ruins and keep moving forward. In front of him, there were only endless yellow sand dunes.

"Hey, where are you taking us?" Qin Wen couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "We're all stuck in the desert right now, and water and food are very limited. Don't waste our energy!"

“Right here.” Situ Xiang stopped, his feet at the foot of a sand dune. The skeleton of some animal, its shape unknown, lay half-buried in the sand, its color an almost pure white. The wind swept through, carrying away the sand from the skeleton and leaving behind new sand, as if the meaning of life was being reinterpreted in this coming and going.

"You brought us here just to see this skeleton?" Qin Wen said with dissatisfaction.

“Of course not,” Yin Li interjected. “Mr. Situ probably doesn’t have the leisure or inclination for that. Mr. Situ, just say what you want to say, don’t keep me in suspense!”

When Situ Xiang heard her address him as "sir," he felt a lump in his throat, frowned, and his tone became noticeably colder and harder: "You're right, I'm not so bored as to let you come here to see something strange. There's something buried under this sand."

"Oh?" Qin Wen became interested. "What's buried there? It's not a corpse either, is it?"

Situ Xiang sneered: "You're right, what's buried under here is a corpse."

"What?" Qin Wen exclaimed in surprise, "There are corpses here too? Could there be a tomb down here?"

Yin Li's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly remembered something. Her expression changed drastically, and she lunged at the sand at his feet, quickly brushing away the soft sand with her hands. In less than a moment, she froze, standing up abruptly.

Qin Wen's pupils dilated instantly as she stared in disbelief at the things buried in the sand, muttering, "What, what's going on? Why, why are they here?"

From that pile of sand emerged a series of mummified corpses. Their faces were contorted, their bodies bound with hemp ropes, and jade pendants lay quietly around their waists.

Yin Li picked up the waist tag; the handwriting on it was very familiar: Lily of the Valley.

Lily of the valley! That Han Dynasty maid who was forced to be buried alive with the emperor!

Qin Wen turned her head and roared at Situ Xiang, "You really stole those mummies! You are shameless!"

“Xiaowen, if they really stole the mummified corpse, why did they bring us here?” Yin Li pondered. “There must be some hidden story here.”

“You’re right. Uncle Tian won’t take these mummies. They’re not of much use to us. In fact, they’re just getting in the way. There’s no point in stealing them.” Situ Xiang’s eyes showed a hint of appreciation. “Before entering the tomb passage, I happened to see a human skull sticking out here. I came to check last night, and sure enough, it was one of those mummies you lost. It seems you have a traitor among your men.”

Yin Li gave a bitter smile: "It's truly a case of internal and external troubles! I wonder who's so greedy as to steal even these corpses. But to be able to steal these three extremely fragile mummies without anyone noticing, this person is truly remarkable."

"I just find it strange." Yin Li looked up at Situ Xiang meaningfully and said, "We're complete strangers, why did you tell us this? Aren't your brothers trustworthy?"

Situ Xiang's expression changed, but he didn't answer, his eyes filled with even more complex emotions. Yin Li slowly stood up. She felt that there was something astonishing hidden in those icy green eyes, but she couldn't quite see through it. After a long while, she finally spoke, "Who exactly is that Uncle Tian? What exactly does he want from the tomb?"

Situ Xiang was startled, his face turning cold, as cold as the night sky over the desert: "Little girl, curiosity killed the cat." After saying that, he covered the mummified corpse with sand, turned and walked towards the stone forest. "Don't tell anyone that the mummified corpse was buried here. The people who stole the corpse are in the archaeological team. Be careful."

Yin Li stood in the sandstorm, watching him walk further and further away until he disappeared on the other side of the dune. Qin Wen asked, puzzled, "This man is really strange. Why does he seem to trust us so much? Xiao Li, could it be that he really likes you?"

"No, it's not that simple." Yin Li wasn't one to make unfounded assumptions. Her intuition told her that Situ Xiang was calm and collected, not someone who would be swayed by emotions; there must be a reason why he trusted them.

When the two returned to the camp, they ran into Guo Tong. His face immediately turned cold upon seeing them, and he asked in a harsh tone, "Where have you been?"

"Do we need to report to you where we go?" Qin Wen didn't like him much and was only responsive to gentle persuasion, so she said coldly, "Since when did it become Mr. Guo's place to be in charge of the archaeological team?"

"You!" Guo Tong blushed, glaring angrily at Qin Wen, speechless for a long time. Qin Wen rolled her eyes and said, "Are you done? If you're done, we're done."

Guo Tong sneered, as if suppressing a surge of anger, and said, "I don't know what's gotten into young girls these days, they just love bad men. Is it really true that women don't love men who aren't a little bad?"

"What did you say?" Qin Wen snapped. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't what I mean very clear?" Guo Tong said through gritted teeth, "You young girls would better be more reserved. Don't let those tomb raiders' handsome looks and good physiques make you fall for them. You'll regret it later!"

"You, you try saying that again!" Qin Wen roared in anger, throwing a punch before she could finish speaking. Just then, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm. She turned around, saw Yin Li's cold face, and exclaimed, "Xiao Li, let go! I'm going to teach this bastard a lesson! How dare he spout such nonsense!"

"Xiaowen, don't be impulsive. We are guests after all." Yin Li's face was cold and stern. When his icy gaze swept across Guo Tong's face, Guo Tong couldn't help but shiver.

“Mr. Guo, where we go is our own business, and you don’t need to worry about it. However, we can assure you that we will absolutely not do anything to betray Professor Li and the archaeological team.”

She exuded an aura of authority that made Guo Tong dare not look her in the eye. He gritted his teeth, turned around, and said, "Fine, I'll trust you this once."

"Thank you," Yin Li replied coldly, turning and leaving. Qin Wen didn't forget to huff at him. Guo Tong watched their retreating figures, her expression softening, her eyes filled with complex emotions, standing there in a daze.

He heard soft footsteps behind him, and a soft white hand rested on his shoulder. Startled, he turned around and saw Bai Yun Ning's all-too-familiar beautiful face.

"Xiao Guo, why do you also like to meddle in other people's business?" Bai Yun Ning maintained a calm and composed smile throughout.

"Could it be that even our Xiao Guo has fallen for those two girls? Do those two girls really have that much charm?"

Guo Tong's face immediately turned red, and she quickly said, "Sister Bai, don't talk nonsense."

"See? I was right." Bai Yun Ning laughed. "Xiao Guo, this isn't a wise move. Those tomb raiders are interested in the two girls, which is actually beneficial to us. At least we don't have to worry about them killing us to cover their tracks. But if you interfere, those ruthless people might do anything. Even if you're not afraid of death, think about your elderly grandmother. If something happens to you, who will take care of her?"

Guo Tong frowned: "Sister Bai, you've really misunderstood. I was just worried..."

"Alright, no need to say anything more, Sister Bai knows." Bai Yun Ning patted his shoulder with a kind smile. "You need to know your limits. Aren't there enough good girls in this world?"

Guo Tong fell silent, a dull ache throbbing in the deepest part of his heart.

He didn't notice that a strange smile appeared on Bai Yun Ning's lips.

34. Swallows Flying

When Situ Xiang returned to Shilin, Lao Si and Shan Hu were sorting through the treasures they had brought out of the tomb, their eyes gleaming with greed. Situ Xiang seemed uninterested in these things and was about to return to his car when he heard a voice say, "What? Brother Xiang, is your rendezvous over?"

Situ Xiang's eyes turned cold as he turned around. He saw Jack leaning against the car, wearing a hooded T-shirt and with his hands in his pockets. Anyone who didn't know him would assume he was just an ordinary college student.

"What are you saying?" Situ Xiang said coldly.

"Didn't Brother Xiang just go to see that woman named Yin Li?" Jack said with a sneer. "It seems that the famous Liu Xia Hui, Brother Xiang, is really moved. That woman is indeed capable."

“Jack, you’re getting bolder and bolder.” Situ Xiang narrowed his eyes slightly, his icy green pupils reflecting a chilling light. Jack remained unmoved, only smiling meaningfully, and said, “Brother Xiang, I’ve already informed Uncle Tian.”

"What?" Situ Xiang frowned. "Isn't there no cell phone signal here? How did you notify Uncle Tian?"

“I have my own way of doing things.” Jack revealed an unfathomable smile and said slowly in a lazy tone, “Uncle Tian’s needs have been found, and he’s very happy. He said he wants to come and pick them up himself. It just so happens that our tire was punctured by someone, so wouldn’t it be better if Uncle Tian came to pick us up?”

Situ Xiang stared coldly at him, his mind racing. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Our tires...were they stolen by you?"

"Brother Xiang, there's no need to say things without evidence." Jack's smile remained unchanged, but his tone had clearly turned cold. He turned to leave, but paused, then turned back and said, "Brother Xiang, I advise you not to betray Uncle Tian. When Uncle Tian arrives, just talk to him, and you won't have to worry about not getting that woman."

"You've talked too much today." A flash of anger suddenly appeared in Situ Xiang's eyes, his clenched fist tightening rapidly until his knuckles turned pale. Jack laughed loudly, "It seems men in love are just as foolish as women." After laughing, his face gradually darkened, and the woman's cold and beautiful image reappeared before his eyes. The woman who taught him Chinese Kung Fu—after all these years, he still couldn't forget her. She was like a sharp knife etched into his heart, perhaps forever indelible.

He gave a self-deprecating bitter laugh. "Stanlia, you want me to be myself again. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I'll never have that chance in my lifetime."

The desert night is desolate and cold, the heavy sky like a deep blue curtain. The bright moon hangs high on the curtain, casting its cool light on the rolling sand dunes, adding to the chill.

Yin Li sat on the ruins of the tomb, gazing up at the night sky. The atmosphere in the archaeological team had been maddeningly oppressive all day; apart from Qin Wen, who chattered incessantly, almost no one spoke. The vast desert seemed to shrink, like being huddled in a cabinet, making it hard to breathe.

After everyone had fallen asleep, she came alone to this desolate ruin. Sitting among the towering, decaying trees, gazing up at the sky, she finally felt a sense of liberation, as if her heart had suddenly broadened.

The world was quiet, so quiet that all you could hear was the howling wind and your own breathing. The sand whipped up by the wind stung my face, but I didn't feel any pain; instead, I felt a strange sense of comfort.

At that moment, she suddenly thought of the princess who had been married off to a distant land. Where was her hometown? Was it a place of beautiful mountains and clear waters or a barren wasteland? Was it a land of outstanding people and abundant resources or a place of poverty and hardship? She must have been in great pain when she left her hometown. She knew that once she left, there would be no turning back.

It's unknown what she felt when she left Chang'an. The wedding procession that had appeared in Yin Li's dreams remained deeply etched in her heart like a brand. Princess Zhaoling bid farewell to the bustling city of Chang'an and the desolate yellow sands beyond, heading to this unfamiliar place. At that moment, did she feel love or hate for the homeland that had abandoned her?

Love and hate, everything has been swallowed up by the river of history, never to be seen again. In the end, all that remains is a lonely grave, a wisp of a beautiful soul, and a love story that is almost like a fairy tale.

Yin Li suddenly felt like singing, so she raised her head and began to sing loudly.

"Swallows fly, their wings fluttering. My beloved is going home, I see her off to the distant fields. I gaze after her, but cannot reach her, my tears fall like rain. Swallows fly, soaring and fluttering. My beloved is going home, I take her far away. I gaze after her, but cannot reach her, I stand and weep. Swallows fly, their calls rising and falling. My beloved is going home, I see her off to the south. I gaze after her, but cannot reach her, my heart is truly weary. Zhongshi Renzhi, her heart is deep and profound. Gentle and kind, she is virtuous and cautious in her conduct. The thoughts of my late lord encourage me."

Her voice, tinged with loneliness and a touch of melancholy, held a hint of feminine tenderness. Singing this song, her voice was mournful and lingering, like a lament, a yearning, a sob, a plea, evoking a deep sense of pity in the listener. The woman who left her hometown to marry her lover far away—her life, like that ancient well, never again stirred by a ripple.

If only I could forget, if only I could forget my past love, my past lover. Everything could start anew, and maybe I could even fall in love with a husband I've never met and live happily ever after.

But Zhaoling couldn't forget, so her life was destined to be a tragedy.

"Your voice was injured when you saved us, so you shouldn't sing anymore." A familiar male voice came from behind. Yin Li was startled and quickly turned around. She saw Situ Xiang standing not far away, leaning against a decaying pillar, his expression surprisingly peaceful—something she had never seen before.

"It's you?" Yin Li stood up, looking wary. "When did you arrive? What are you doing here?"

"Is this tomb yours?" Situ Xiang felt a little awkward as soon as he said it, and changed his words to "Whatever you come here for, I will do the same."

Yin Li was taken aback. Could it be that he also came to see the stars because he was bored and couldn't sleep? But would a grown man do that? She had always thought that only little girls would run out to see the stars when they couldn't sleep.

"That song was really nice, where was it from?" Situ Xiang suddenly asked.

“This piece of music comes from the Book of Songs, specifically the section on Beifeng,” Yin Li said, sitting down again. “It tells the story of a woman who was married off to a distant place. This is a song her lover sang for her when he saw her off at her wedding.”

"If you love her, why would you stand by and watch her marry someone else?" Situ Xiang said.

Yin Li sighed: "There are too many disappointments in this world, and he had no choice. In the face of the country, the feelings of young lovers are nothing but a mirage."

Situ Xiang didn't answer, and silence fell again. A slight awkwardness seemed to hang in the air. To break the silence, Yin Li looked up at him and said, "Tell me about yourself. Why did you choose this line of work?"

Situ Xiang remained silent for a while, and only when Yin Li had given up hope on him did he slowly say, "Actually, I don't want to be a tomb raider. But as you said, there are too many disappointments in this world, and when there is no choice, one can only submit to fate."

These words deepened Yin Li's doubts. His manner of speaking was definitely not that of someone who hadn't received higher education, so how could such a person be willing to become a tomb raider and live a life of danger?

At that moment, she was filled with curiosity about him. Perhaps he was right; curiosity killed the cat.

"And what about you?" Situ Xiang revealed a gentle smile, one that Yin Li had never seen before. She realized that he looked very handsome when he smiled.

"You're definitely not an ordinary person."

“No, I’m just an ordinary person,” Yin Li said. “I grew up in the mountains with my maternal grandfather, who was almost obsessed with traditional Chinese medicine. He lived in the deep mountains for thirty years to study ancient medicine. When I was three years old, my mother took me to visit him. He said I had a talent for medicine, so he kept me by his side. My maternal grandfather was my mentor. I spent my whole life in the mountains before high school and learned a lot there.”

"If that's the case, why don't you apply to medical school?" Situ Xiang asked curiously.

Yin Li scoffed and said, "My grandfather said that the teachers at the medical school don't understand traditional Chinese medicine at all. They use Western medicine methods to teach traditional Chinese medicine, which is misleading students!"

Situ Xiang laughed and said, "What a unique old man."

"Yes, I think so too." All of Yin Li's wariness vanished in that instant. The fact that Situ Xiang could praise her grandfather in this way meant that he wasn't a bad person.

"It's very late now," Situ Xiang suddenly said with a smile. "Aren't you going home to sleep?"

"I can't sleep." Yin Li shrugged. "It's better to stay here and look at the stars."

"Since that's the case, I'll risk my life to accompany you."

The desert sky seems especially bright tonight.

Thirty-five, The First Victim

"Xiao Li! Xiao Li! Something terrible has happened!" A roar like a lioness suddenly pierced her ears. Yin Li practically jumped up from the ground, all sleepiness gone.

"Fa, what happened?" Her mind seemed still reeling from the chaos, and she looked around blankly. This was the ruins of Princess Zhaoling's tomb. She had just been lying on the sand dunes, covered with a thick coat.

Yin Li had never seen this outfit before, but last night Situ Xiang seemed to be carrying a large travel bag on his shoulder, so perhaps…

She bent down and sniffed the scent on the clothes; sure enough, it was exactly the same as his. It seemed he was a meticulous person.

"Okay, stop smelling it!" Qin Wen hurriedly slapped the clothes off her hand, her face pale. "Something terrible has happened!"

"What's the big deal?" Yin Li asked impatiently. "Has the sky fallen?"

"The sky hasn't fallen, but it's almost there." Qin Wen shivered as she said this, her face turning even paler. Yin Li sensed the seriousness of the situation and quickly put aside her distractions, saying seriously, "Xiao Wen, don't panic. Tell me slowly, what happened?"