"So, what do we do now?" The moment Bai Erlaizi realized they were inside an ancient tomb, he instantly panicked. According to the country folk, intruding upon a mausoleum and disturbing the peace of the deceased was sure to bring about retribution.

Tian Guoqiang smiled and said, "Alright then, you stand right here and don't move. That way you won't disturb the master of this tomb's serenity. We'll take a step ahead!"

"No! No! No!" Bai Erlaizi, terrified, grabbed Tian Guoqiang’s clothes.

Liu Dashao sighed, "It's impossible to go back now. We have no choice but to move forward one step at a time."

Zhang Enpu nodded. "There might be an escape route inside this ancient tomb."

What did he mean by that?

Zhang Enpu explained, "The ancient feudal ruling class, in order to safeguard the secrets of their tombs, would often bury the artisans who constructed the mausoleum alive when it was completed. Some clever artisans would secretly dig a secret passage while the tomb was being built, so that when they were to be buried alive, they could slip out through that hidden tunnel."

Liu Dashao asked, "Can you be certain this ancient tomb has a secret passage?"

Zhang Enpu replied, "Even something as rare as a human-skin lantern has appeared. I imagine the master of this tomb was no ordinary person. Precisely because they weren't ordinary, such a tomb is more likely to possess an escape route!"

Zhang Enpu's words solidified everyone's resolve to press forward. Liu Dashao brandished his bird-gun and declared with fervor, "The revolution is not yet complete; comrades must still strive! Charge!"

Tian Guoqiang rolled up his sleeves, intending to check the time on his German watch. Unexpectedly, the watch had malfunctioned in this place; no matter how much he tapped it, it wouldn't react, the time perpetually frozen at the moment they went underwater.

Liu Dashao aimed his flashlight down toward the platform below. This wasn't an ordinary flashlight; it was a spotlight, one whose beam didn't scatter but condensed into a single, focused shaft. Not only was it brighter than a regular torch, but its range was also much further. It was said that Village Chief Tian had gone to great lengths to procure it from the People's Liberation Army.

What they saw below the platform were stone steps sloping downward, stretching out endlessly like a coiled, long serpent. Strangely, there were no stone walls flanking the steps, only a chaotic void of darkness. When one reached out to touch it, the edge could not be found. The sensation was akin to traversing a suspended ladder in mid-air, chilling the heart and filling them with dread, as if one slip might send them tumbling over that edge of nothingness.

The four of them trod carefully upon the stone steps. A chilling wind roared along the edges of the chaos, sounding like countless tormented spirits screaming their anguish.

Innumerable delicate white threads drifted out from the enveloping darkness, swirling and dancing around them.

Bai Erlaizi's legs gave way from fright. He clapped his hands over his ears and shrieked, "Mother! Ghosts, there are ghosts!"

These white, ethereal strands were intangible, impossible to grasp or brush away. With his shout, the threads swirling around him multiplied. Bai Erlaizi, his face ghostly pale, collapsed onto the ground, his eyes glazed over, trembling like a sieve, ceaselessly crying out, "Don't come closer, don't come closer!"

Liu Dashao said to Tian Guoqiang, "Hurry and help him!"

Tian Guoqiang grumbled, "This fellow is truly troublesome!" He muttered, walking over to brush away the strands, and hauled Bai Erlaizi to his feet. "Look at you, usually so bold, but you freeze up at the critical moment. Keep up!"

Meanwhile, Liu Dashao engaged Zhang Enpu in conversation, asking what these strange things were.

Zhang Enpu also shook his head, saying he didn't know, perhaps they really were spirits.

When Bai Erlaizi heard that the threads might be ghosts, he let out a yelp and collapsed again.

It took considerable effort for Tian Guoqiang to drag the coward back to his feet.

The group descended slowly along the stone steps. After walking perhaps ten meters, they reached a turning point. Suddenly, they saw a figure standing right at the bend. Liu Dashao and the others immediately stopped, staring intently at the silhouette.

The silhouette was only half the height of a man, standing motionless, its arms raised as if cradling something.

Liu Dashao decisively raised his bird-gun, summoning his courage to demand, "Hey! Who goes there? State your name! Hey, I’m talking to you! If you don't answer, I’ll blow your head off with one shot!"

Zhang Enpu stepped forward. "May I ask your honored name, Sir, and why you stand here?"

Liu Dashao interjected, "Master, stop wasting time with him. These wicked specters are never benevolent. Let me just take care of him with one shot!"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Tian Guoqiang cautiously stepped forward. Gradually, the figure came into the illumination range of the flashlight. At first glance, he was startled so badly that he nearly dropped the flashlight.

Liu Dashao nervously asked, "Qiangzi, what is it?"

Tian Guoqiang waved him off. "Nothing, it’s a child!"

A child?! How could a child be standing here out of nowhere? Whose child was this, wandering around in an ancient tomb for no reason?

The others cautiously approached. Liu Dashao shone the flashlight beam directly onto the child. "Look!"

The child was about waist-high, kneeling on the ground, arms extended upward, holding a bronze disk in his palms. On the disk rested half a candle stub. The child had symmetrical features and was neatly dressed, his limbs perfectly intact. His young eyes were wide open, as if he hadn't yet had a chance to truly observe this colorful world. His face was so lifelike it appeared as if he were still breathing.

Liu Dashao poked the child with the muzzle of his gun. The metal striking the body produced a crisp dong-dong sound, suggesting the child’s insides felt hollow.

Doubt filled him. Why would this child be here? Was he also a burial offering for the tomb's master? Damn it, if that were true, the tomb's owner was utterly depraved!

Zhang Enpu stepped up to examine the child closely. "You were right. This child is indeed a sacrificial victim for the tomb's master. It is recorded in the Zhengyi Fu Zuan that this type of child corpse is called a Mercury Infant Corpse!"

Mercury Infant Corpse? Liu Dashao felt his hairs stand on end just hearing the name.

Zhang Enpu explained, "The Mercury Infant Corpse was a common type of burial offering used by ancient feudal rulers or high-ranking nobles. Because a child’s soul is very pure, untainted by the world, they were considered the most pristine sacrificial item. Generally, children selected as offerings had to be handsome and clever. The feudal rulers would select these children, confine them together, and feed them the finest delicacies. Initially, these children were quite happy, enjoying rich food and drink every day, living merrily, but they didn't know they were approaching the end of their lives.

After three days of feasting, the rulers would give these children a specific medicine. Once ingested, everything in their stomachs would be violently expelled. After they had completely emptied themselves, the rulers would feed them mercury, drop by drop. As the mercury accumulated in their bodies—a process taking about seven days—the children endured immense agony. This mercury would slowly corrode their internal organs, seeping into the marrow of their bones until finally, their very bloodstreams flowed with liquid mercury. At that point, these children would die. The rulers would then place these mercury-fed children into a steaming kiln to be steamed for three days and three nights. Those poor children would be transformed inside that kiln into grotesque works of art. Three days later, the child corpses emerging from the kiln would become genuine Mercury Infant Corpses, appearing as lifelike as living people!"

As Zhang Enpu finished his description, Liu Dashao felt his stomach churn violently, unable to suppress the urge to vomit up the steamed bun he had just eaten. As he retched, Tian Guoqiang and Bai Erlaizi followed suit. The Mercury Infant Corpse was too horrific; thinking about the children being forced to swallow poisonous mercury made Liu Dashao’s stomach feel like it was being twisted.

Bai Erlaizi wiped his mouth. "Damn their ancestors! Are these rulers even human? To conceive of something so perverse—they are absolutely not human!"

Liu Dashao nodded. "These children truly are pitiful. Master, why didn't their parents hide them? Did they just let the rulers take their children away?"