The Informal Tomb Raiding Diary: She is the occupant of the tomb!-Chapter 162: The Blocked Door

"Does... an undersea civilization really exist?" Cong Zhibo gazed outside at the glowing stones in astonishment.

"Obviously, it exists." The team leader interrupted us, "We have to find some freshwater."

He raised the most pressing issue that the water they brought from the White Jade City had run out two days ago.

People can go hungry for a week, but can’t go thirsty for a week.

Everyone present exchanged glances. The person who goes to find water must be someone everyone trusts. We can’t all leave the ship because someone needs to watch the dry corpses.

The ones staying also need to be trustworthy; the Beauty Snake is excluded.

I suggested Chen Qinghan stay on the ship; he’s the most trustworthy person, and I feel at ease with him watching over the dry corpses.

The team leader asked Cong Zhibo and Guan Hai to stay as well, instructing them to keep an eye on the Beauty Snake.

Bi Shi planned to go with me and the team leader to find freshwater. Before leaving, she reminded those staying behind not to touch the big light bulbs at the bow and stern of the ship.

Those are the Shell Ship’s lighting equipment, which we’ll need for our return trip. Her redundant reminder only aroused suspicion.

After being stared at by me for a while, she couldn’t help but ask, "What are you looking at? Finally realized I’m prettier than you?"

"I discovered your face is missing. Where’d you lose it? No, why did you bring up the light bulbs, what’s your purpose? Come clean!" I almost got sidetracked by her, glaring at her and asking with a serious face.

"Reminding those fools, if anyone touches those two bulbs, stop them."

"They’re lighting lamps. Who would touch them?"

"You’re silly too. They’re the dust avoidance bead and Water-Repelling Pearl!"

"Pff~ Where did you read this story? Journey to the West?"

"Believe it or not, I can’t be bothered with you..."

The team leader couldn’t get a word in with us beside him. When we both refused to talk to each other, he finally spoke, "You two, there’s a staircase there."

He pointed to the wall ahead on the right side. There was an entrance to a staircase that extended downwards, resembling a subway station’s stairs, particularly deep, deep enough that without an escalator, people would be reluctant to walk down.

The air here was ample, with no odd smells, much like being by the sea.

In the White Jade City, there were wells, and they were freshwater wells, indicating that the Undersea People drank freshwater.

In their city, they surely had water collection facilities, though they might be defunct now.

Hopefully, the water source hasn’t dried up. As long as it’s freshwater, it can be boiled to drink.

I had several water bottles strapped on me. Bi Shi refused to carry water for them, the team leader’s physical condition had deteriorated, having him carry water might hinder his escape speed, so this labor falls on me.

Bi Shi led the way, stepping onto the staircase first, the team leader followed in the middle, and I was at the end.

The staircase was quite wide, allowing three people to walk side by side, but for safety reasons, we lined up to avoid three people stepping on something and causing an accident.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, we encountered a large silver-white metal door, untouched by rust, with no decorative patterns on it.

The door bar was lowered from the outside, with a thick rectangular metal piece, one end against the door seam, the other end supported on the ground.

This door-blocking method is similar to the automatic stones of ancient tombs, but its purpose differs entirely when used in a city instead of a tomb.

In tombs, it’s to prevent the opening of the tomb door. In a place that once had living people, it’s to prevent those inside from coming out.

Seeing this, I let out a hiss, "Have you thought it through? Do you want to go in?"

This also reflected Bi Shi’s thoughts, having heard some things about the Undersea People from He Su. If anyone knows whether this place is safe to enter, it’s most likely her.

The team leader, experienced and calm in leading through the jungle, fell silent in this place, looking at us, letting us two decide.

"What is there to fear?" Bi Shi raised an eyebrow and asked.

"I’m without a weapon." I emphasized the word ’weapon,’ implying I wouldn’t use Karmic Fire.

"A several-thousand-year-old Ancient City, whatever crisis occurred back then, it has passed now." Bi Shi said casually.

"What if it’s a contagious disease? Bacteria can go dormant." My mind flashed through several disaster films about influenza viruses.

"It’s not. Rest assured, it’s safe." Bi Shi said confidently, then kicked away the metal bar propping the door, and opened the door bar.

I pulled the team leader behind me, signaling him to step back onto the stairs, urging him to turn back immediately if anything seemed wrong.

I also backed up a few steps, Bi Shi giving me a sidelong glance before pulling open the metal door.

Dozens of skeletal, claw-like dead hands suddenly lunged from the doorway. I quickly retreated to the stairs, and although Bi Shi backed away too due to the proximity, she got scratched several times by those dead hands.

The dead were truly dead. Their bodies, heavy against the door slab before death, fell out when the door opened.

The expressions of these corpses were filled with hopelessness and terror. They were well-preserved mummified bodies, but they quickly decayed into bones after being exposed outside the door for just a short while.

They weren’t killed by weapons. Their dying actions suggested they were forcefully pushing or pounding on the door at the time of death.

They were full of life, but in the following second, all their actions got paused.

Several dozen bodies tumbled out with a clatter. Yet, behind the door lay a long corridor, filled with bodies pressed together, and those that fell out constituted just a fraction.

I glared at Bi Shi in frustration; with so many people dying instantly in this corridor, this place was anything but safe!

Bodies piled against each other, all jostling for the exit, some even mounted on another’s shoulders.

Some skeletons tightly held young children; none turned back, all faced the door, leaning forward.

So, they knew what was lethal, no need for confirmation, just an urge to escape.

"Your courage shrank!" Bi Shi brushed off the dust on her clothes and stepped inside the door.

The skeletal remains in the corridor crunched under Bi Shi’s feet as she walked in.

Dead bodies decaying in an enclosed space produce toxic gas; I pushed the team leader up the stairs, urging him to keep a distance from the door.

My courage didn’t diminish; I’ve merely started caring about certain lives.

Bi Shi didn’t wait for us, walking back and forth inside as if the corridor was her private cornfield.

"You should head back; the two of us are enough in there. There’s possibly toxic gas inside, no time to ventilate."

The team leader didn’t protest; he had also seen the corpses. We didn’t have gas masks or medications; inhaling toxic gas wouldn’t be resolved by dialing 120.

"But you... be careful, both of you." The team leader initially intended to say something else but changed his tone.

After warning us, he turned and climbed the stairs, staying close enough for us to call him if needed.