“Ding, mission issued: Please complete the development of the Spring and Autumn Monarch’s Tomb as soon as possible. The earlier it is developed, the richer the rewards will be. Attached are the map of the Warring States tomb and the chamber distribution diagram; Upon completion, interstellar live streaming will be unlocked. Once the Points earned from streaming reach 500,000, the System mall will open, allowing you to exchange Points for goods.”
Qiu Yunzheng had just calmed her complicated feelings about being bound to 288 when she was shocked by the mission 288 issued.
“System!! You’re overestimating me! Besides, privately developing Ancient Tombs is illegal in China, illegal! You could go to jail for that! Haven’t you heard? The ‘tomb that keeps you jailed until you rot’! Are you here to harm me?”
“Host, the System will not interfere with any methods you use or anyone you find to develop it. There is only one requirement: the existence of the System must not be revealed. So, there are many feasible approaches.”
“Moreover, Host, you can simply establish your own archaeology department and apply for funding from China. After all, you must participate in the development because the System needs to collect relevant data, and you must be present for that.”
After hearing 288’s last sentence, Qiu Yunzheng’s initially agitated expression instantly calmed down, and she fell into complete silence.
Qiu Yunzheng propped her head with one hand while continuously rubbing her chin back and forth with the fingers of her other hand, her eyes flickering with uncertainty.
The serious expression on Qiu Yunzheng’s face relaxed at that moment as she made a decision—a major one.
Of course, as for the System’s suggestion of establishing her own archaeology department, that was simply a pipe dream. Never mind whether she had the ability, she didn’t have the qualifications or capital for it.
Qiu Yunzheng couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: As expected, this alien System is quite unreliable and doesn’t seem very bright—too idealistic.
The System, which accidentally overheard: … (Furious)
Qiu Yunzheng first organized all her belongings in the rented room and tidied up her messy clothes.
Before leaving, Qiu Yunzheng put on a distressed and irritable expression, then opened the door and walked out.
Qiu Yunzheng’s final destination was the capital’s police station—yes, the police station.
This move by Qiu Yunzheng instantly terrified the several hoodlums following her, and they quickly stopped in their tracks.
Then, the leader of the hoodlums took out a flashy phone from his pants pocket and called someone.
“W-Wang, it’s bad, Qiu Yunzheng, she.”.. she’s going to the police station to report us.”
“…Don’t worry about her. You all go back and wait near her rented place. We’ll see what happens next. What can she do even if she reports us? Did you do anything? Did I do anything?”
When Wang Wende first heard from the hoodlum leader that Qiu Yunzheng was going to report to the police, his eyebrows furrowed deeply, but then they relaxed.
He thought dismissively, Report to the police? What can reporting do? I haven’t done anything—naive.
“Alright, hang up. With so many of you, why are you so cowardly? Beep! Beep!”
After the call ended, the several hoodlums looked at each other and could only helplessly leave first.
Meanwhile, Qiu Yunzheng was about to reach the police station entrance when she calmly turned and walked right past it without changing expression.
Of course, Qiu Yunzheng hadn’t gone to report to the police, nor would she.
The reason she passed by the police station was also because of the System.
Only after receiving the System’s notification that the several people following her had left did Qiu Yunzheng depart through a small path beside the police station.
How could she possibly go to the police now? She wasn’t stupid.
Wang Wende also wouldn’t drive her to such extremes that she’d need to report to the police. When she first heard the System mention she could seek help from others, her initial thought was: of course she should turn to the nation for assistance.
But then she remembered something – Qiu Yunzheng had no opportunity or channel in this regard, so how could she reach out?
Initially, Qiu Yunzheng had considered simply going to the police, but she quickly dismissed the idea.
Report to the police? That would be ridiculous. Leaving aside whether they’d believe her or not, just the process of having the police verify everything would waste too much time.
Qiu Yunzheng preferred to rely on her own methods. She wanted to first find the location provided by the System and confirm it. If it truly was an Ancient Tomb, then she could report to the police afterward.
That way she could catch them red-handed—no, with complete evidence. Then the police would believe what she had to say later, and she could find a way to contact higher-level officials.
Having decided, she immediately acted. With the System’s help, Qiu Yunzheng first shook off her pursuers. As for who was following her, Qiu Yunzheng could roughly guess—it must be that bastard.
Outskirts, wild mountains and desolate hills.
A slender woman dressed in black pants and a long coat, carrying a backpack, wearing a mask and a black hat, stepped out of a taxi.
The moment she steadied herself and closed the car door, the taxi driver swiftly drove off, disappearing in the blink of an eye at an astonishing speed.
If not for the remote location and lack of speed cameras on the road, the driver might have received something unfortunate tomorrow.
“Host, the drivers on your planet are amazing! They can drive so fast in this kind of vehicle. Though he was a bit chatty at first, I don’t know why he stopped talking later. I even detected his heartbeat was somewhat fast—so strange.”
“Ahem, that’s called being enthusiastic, not chatty. That driver was being professional, focusing on driving. You wouldn’t understand.”
Indeed.
The person who got out of the taxi was Qiu Yunzheng and the System. After her pursuers left, Qiu Yunzheng had disguised herself.
Perhaps the disguise was too strange and eerie—Qiu Yunzheng recalled how the driver had initially been very curious about her, thinking she might be some internet celebrity doing a roadshow or something.
Actually, she hadn’t wanted to dress like this, but it was midsummer, and the bright sun easily tanned the skin. Moreover, she was afraid of being spotted by Wang Wende’s people.
Later, as they approached this area and the surroundings grew increasingly desolate, with even graves visible, the driver fell silent and stopped observing her.
He just stared straight ahead, driving faster and faster.
While chatting casually with the System, Qiu Yunzheng watched the map projected by the System and walked forward step by step.
To say that in such a remote outskirts, with no signs of human activity for dozens of miles around under the System’s scan, Qiu Yunzheng wasn’t afraid would be a lie. However, the System had assured her there was no danger, and with the System chatting away, she really didn’t feel too scared.
Finally, after a grueling trek of about an hour or so, Qiu Yunzheng reached the location the System had indicated.
This place wasn’t just a little desolate—it was an extremely barren wilderness with very little green vegetation.
Aside from a few crooked-neck trees in the distance, there were only some sparse, yellow weeds on the ground.
“Caw—caw—”
Oh, and there were two crows perched on the crooked-neck trees, staring at Qiu Yunzheng with curious eyes. Nothing else.
But this made it even creepier, didn’t it? It only emphasized how desolate and uninhabited this place was!
No matter how Qiu Yunzheng looked—up, down, or any which way—the area didn’t seem like a place where an Ancient Tomb would be. But in the distance, perhaps?
Hmm?
If she wasn’t mistaken, Qiu Yunzheng thought she could even see a lonely, desolate grave?
Yes, Qiu Yunzheng wasn’t mistaken. If she weren’t absolutely certain—with the System still chattering away in her mind and the transparent screen displayed before her eyes—she would have thought she was hallucinating.
“Are you sure your map scan is correct? You’re not messing with me, are you?”
Qiu Yunzheng voiced her uncertainty. This place could easily be used to film a movie about reckless college students exploring a desolate graveyard and meeting a gruesome end. It was the perfect setting for a horror film, with no sense of incongruity at all.
Well, she was that reckless college student.
Qiu Yunzheng was internally frantic. Even though she was a history major and a materialist of the new era, she was still a delicate young woman, okay?
“No mistake, Host. Just walk a bit further. Almost there, almost there. You have to trust 288.”
288 ignored its host’s doubts and, seeing on the map that the destination was just a couple of steps away, hurriedly urged Qiu Yunzheng on.
Qiu Yunzheng: W(￣_￣)W