The Informal Tomb Raiding Diary: She is the occupant of the tomb!-Chapter 37: I’m Just a Scummy Zongzi

We ascended to the surface, and beside the cave, there were temporary tents. The wind and snow at the foot of the mountain were slightly less than those on the peak, at least preventing people from being blown away.

The tool used by Boss Lu’s men for excavating the hole was very special, clearly high-tech; it was a metal cylinder with a pointed front and no visible drill components.

I mentioned how Boss Lu seemed so confident; if using ordinary earth-drilling tools to make a few-meter-deep hole in the rocky layer, it’s not something that can be done ’instantly.’

But ultimately, this expedition is funded by Miss Scream’s father, and being able to purchase ultra-high-end equipment somewhat reflects the financial strength of the Cheng Group.

Boss Lu left a team at the foot of the mountain, which Qinghan and Wen Jing definitely knew about, hence their numerous concerns earlier.

The person who pulled us up asked me for Boss Lu’s belongings. I took out the communicator, and he asked where I had picked it up.

I said it was inside the door, just a few steps away from the gate. It’s unlikely Boss Lu deliberately dropped the communicator. After picking it up, I suspected she was attacked by unknown creatures, and, in panic, dropped it.

Not encountering such creatures doesn’t mean they aren’t inside. Maybe some kind of bird took Boss Lu to feed its chicks.

"Until we find the boss and Miss Cheng, no one is allowed to leave," the man said unequivocally after receiving the communicator.

Wen Jing and Shunfeng both looked at me, and I blinked, saying decisively, "Alright."

The man noticeably paused, probably surprised. If he thinks more deeply, he would understand. With Qinghan seriously injured, even if they kicked us out, we wouldn’t leave.

I counted, and Boss Lu still had twelve subordinates left. After acquiring the communicator, they went into the large tent for a meeting.

We stayed in a small tent beside them. Qinghan lay on the camp bed; this small tent had no heating equipment, so Wen Jing and Shunfeng took off their coats to cover Qinghan.

"Professor Chen needs to go to a hospital. Little Fu, why did you agree so readily just now?" Wen Jing asked in confusion.

"Regardless of whether they let us leave or not, they won’t give us a car, and with the wind and snow so strong outside, it’s unrealistic for us to walk hundreds of kilometers to the hospital carrying him." I’m quite familiar with these tomb robbers like Boss Lu, so instead of relying on them to be kind-hearted, it’s better to think of our own plan.

"Right, what do we do if they don’t find the Lu fellow?"

"Are you stupid? The senior said to think. If they don’t give us a car, we can steal one!"

"Hey, alright, if they send someone down, we’ll seize the opportunity to steal a car and escape. That weird creature is still inside, and whether they can come out is uncertain. Let’s do it!"

Seeing the two of them so naïve, I felt a slight pity. If they could always maintain this innocence, it would be better.

After the meeting ended in the next tent, someone came over to inform us that we must contribute when they go down to find people.

Wen Jing and Shunfeng wanted to argue with the messenger, but I pulled them back. This was an outcome I had anticipated, so I wasn’t surprised.

Boss Lu’s subordinates are like her, always scheming, so how could they let us stay in the tent and enjoy idleness?

If we anger them, then Wen Jing, Shunfeng, and even Qinghan could be at risk of being silenced and eliminated.

Once again, I stepped forward and straightforwardly nodded, "Alright, no problem, I’m going down with you!"

The man, satisfied with the response, immediately turned around and left, giving Wen Jing and Shunfeng no chance to object.

A person living for too long inevitably becomes numb to many things, and for me, the most evident is a numbness toward death.

Even facing the death of tomb robbers I had some interaction with, internally I remain undisturbed, occasionally feeling a bit regretful, but that’s all.

Perhaps it’s coldness, yet rational. I’m clear in my mind that taking charge of the job of finding people isn’t because I care about their survival; it’s simply the most appropriate arrangement.

If the two of them descend and die inside, then taking Qinghan to the hospital falls on me, leading to a heap of subsequent troubles.

Leaving them at the surface, we might all survive, because there is an ace card in my backpack.

I didn’t originally want to use up all the good things in one go, but as one challenge after another comes crashing down, using it seems unavoidable.

I dug out a small bottle from my backpack; this item is called a nose snuff bottle, originally there were two, with one used by their owner inside an ancient tomb.

But this tomb robber did not use it against me or the beasts inside the tomb, rather against his accomplices.

I have personally witnessed the power of this item; once someone inhales its scent, they immediately lose their mind.

The user must hold their breath for a minute after opening the stopper, waiting until they exit the safe zone before breathing.

Former tomb robbers always brought some peculiar things down; as times became closer to modernity, technological products increased, yet these odd items disappeared.

Honestly, I’m somewhat reluctant to use it. The outside world is dangerous; simple and effective ’self-defense weapons’ like this, that can pass through security, are very rare.

With determination, I passed the bottle to Wen Jing, explaining its usage and precautions.

Boss Lu’s subordinates left four people at the surface; I suspect they split into pairs, two guarding those expensive high-tech devices, and two watching the tent where Qinghan is.

This arrangement is apt for Wen Jing’s team to strike. If the four are too scattered, perhaps only two would be affected while two remained clear-minded.

"Little Fu, you’re impressive, Brother knows, but you must also be cautious and take care of yourself."

"Senior, don’t worry, we will complete the task."

"Remember, once the guards are affected, hurry to drive Professor Chen away; don’t wait for me. I have my own way to handle them coming up. I’ll meet you at the hospital; don’t delay his injury, act promptly."

"Okay."

"Understood."

Feeling satisfied, I nodded, thinking I had succeeded in persuading them. While rummaging for the nose snuff bottle earlier, I hid some small, valuable items on me, leaving larger items that are harder to carry in the backpack for them.

This is a perfect opportunity; after crossing paths, there must eventually be a moment of separation. By deceiving them, I can set off on my own.

Wen Jing and Shunfeng believe I’ve sacrificed my safety for their sake, securing their survival.

This isn’t incorrect, but my underlying motive is to part ways with them.

The fewer people know my identity, the better. If attention from authorities is aroused, life thereafter might lack freedom.

Qinghan is a good person, but unfortunately, he might hand me over to the state.

Wen Jing and Shunfeng escorted me to the cave entrance; before descending, I waved goodbye to them. Though perhaps in the long course of time, I’ve lost more than memories; my understanding of emotions remains imperceptibly numb, so there’s no sadness at leaving, only anticipating their quick departure.

Ah... I’m truly a scoundrel, hoping they’d live a few more years to keep me company when I believed I couldn’t leave the tomb, but eager to see us go our separate ways once out of it.