While those matters are certainly important, I have no interest in hearing about them. Getting out, returning to the surface, is what truly matters!

So I said, "No, the priority right now is figuring out how to leave."

Before Tang Minghao could answer, Yanzi interjected, "I know—the exit is in a small side room next to this main chamber." She looked at Tang Minghao, waiting for his nod. He merely grunted noncommittally, offering no endorsement.

Yanzi faltered, clearly uncertain herself, and added in a softer voice, "That chair, the treasure is beneath that chair."

The chair was typical Han style, made of wood. The sides were carved with red lacquer dragon motifs, centered around a circular longevity character—simple, imposing, yet undeniably exquisite. I only recognized it as ancient furniture; as for its specific use, I was utterly ignorant.

But Xu Zhiwu suddenly gasped, "This! Isn't this a Lacquered Incised Dragon Holding Longevity Throne?" His tone was one of extreme surprise, tinged with alarm. "How can this be here? This is something an Emperor would use!"

As soon as his words fell, Yanzi instantly jumped up with delight. "Something the Emperor used?! Then it’s a real treasure! Zaxi was right, there is treasure here!" Laughing unrestrainedly, she couldn't contain her joy.

Yet, this area was historically a remote and uncivilized frontier. How could an imperial throne possibly appear here? This suggested something amiss, much like finding a tomb belonging to a Qing Dynasty High Commissioner on Mount Qomolangma; it surely carried deep significance. "Old Xu, you... what do you make of this?" Unease settled in my stomach.

Xu Zhiwu looked with distaste at the layer of insect corpses on the floor, now forming a white crust. He hesitated to approach for a closer look, only managing to say hesitantly, "This... this appears to be from the late Ming or early Qing dynasty."

If that was the case, the treasure was real. Didn't Zaxi take away a string of priceless prayer beads back then? Those were also imperial property. A sudden surge of elation made my heart pound wildly. I swallowed hard, then asked Xu Zhiwu with cautious uncertainty, "Does that mean... this whole place is filled with treasure?" I glanced around the room. Besides the so-called Lacquered Incised Dragon Holding Longevity Throne, everything else consisted of Tibetan-style tables, chairs, and tea sets—all dusty and unremarkable. Still, these counted as antiques; they could certainly fetch a sum if sold. I knew nothing of archaeology, and nothing about these items struck me as particularly special, leading to a fresh wave of disappointment.

Xu Zhiwu carefully considered his reply, "My research did not extend to ancient Tibetan furniture; I’m not very knowledgeable about these items either."

Yanzi beamed, "See, see! We Tibetans wouldn't lie to you. Zaxi really didn't deceive me." As she spoke, she checked Old Li's expression, but he was deep in conversation with Tang Minghao, discussing matters related to the army. It seemed he was verifying Tang Minghao’s identity. Judging by Old Li’s expression, there likely wasn't a major issue this time; Tang Minghao’s answers seemed satisfactory.

Tang Minghao truly was an unpredictable time bomb. Seeing Old Li relaxed eased a great weight from my shoulders.

Xu Zhiwu picked up on Yanzi's sentiment, "We can discuss these things later."

My mind remained fixed on the treasure. I was calculating just how much gold and silver we might unearth, only to immediately regret not bringing sturdy bags. How much could two hands carry? Frustration welled up.

Old Li finished his cross-examination with Tang Minghao and approached me:

He came over and said, "Minghao checks out. But we can’t explain why he suddenly knows so much."

I nodded. There were many questions we couldn't answer; one more wouldn't matter. "Then does he know about the exit... and... and the treasure?" I asked.

Old Li replied, "Regarding the exit, his account is similar to Yanzi's—it's in a side room here. But the treasure, he's not entirely clear on it. He has only a vague impression, saying there should be a monumental secret here, one tied to the survival of the entire Guge people."

"The Guge people?" I thought I misheard. "How could it be the Guge people, here??" Instantly, I thought of Zhuoma Yangjin. She was the Guge Princess, and also the current Guge sovereign. No wonder Doctor Tshering had asked about Princess Yanzi, even using her Tibetan name, Bianzhen. It turned out—it turned out they were all descendants of Guge, all conspiring together!

A wave of anger, the feeling of being utterly fooled, washed over me. I recalled the tender words Zhuoma Yangjin had whispered to me, contrasted now with her calculating deception. I felt ready to explode, clenching my fists until they cracked. I hated being manipulated, especially when the manipulation was cloaked in such deep affection!

My expression must have been frighteningly dark, as Old Li quickly asked with concern, "Are you alright, Engineer Luo?"

I kept my lips tightly sealed and shook my head. Old Li knew about Zhuoma Yangjin's involvement with me, so he likely grasped the situation. He sighed, "Didn't the High Priest say it was destined to be impossible?"

"It’s not about that!" I retorted in anger. Frustration choked my words. I had genuinely cared for her, only to realize it was all a trap she had set from the beginning. I even began to suspect that every action she took toward me was meticulously planned beforehand.

Yanzi approached cautiously, first glancing at Old Li before turning to me. "Zaxi ordered me to protect you no matter what, but he never explained why. From your tone, you know about the Guge people?"

My mind filled with rage, my head spinning, I felt intensely annoyed knowing she was Zhuoma Yangjin's accomplice. I shot her a cold glance and remained silent.

Yanzi muttered to herself, "I always heard the Princess was interested in a Han man, but I didn't know who. Zaxi strangely told me to take special care of you, and I found it odd... why care for a Han man? Now I see... so that’s why."

Old Li, sensing my distress, quickly cut Yanzi off: "Stop talking nonsense!"

Yanzi widened her eyes and looked innocently at Old Li, "Why not talk? How else would he know about our Princess’s affection for him? Do you think I would have produced medicine centuries old to save him for no reason?"

Old Li fell silent immediately.

Yanzi looked genuinely upset and resentful. "That medicine is exclusive to the royal family. Zaxi went to great lengths to procure just a little bit, saying it was a gift from the spirits. It was meant to save my life if we encountered a monster..."

Before she could continue, Tang Minghao quickly interrupted, "Let’s discuss these things later. If we dawdle any longer, who knows what might happen. Come on, you few, hurry over and help me move that chair. There’s something vital underneath it."

I hesitated, staring at the pale, creamy layer on the floor. Truly, no one wanted to step on those corpses to move the Lacquered Incised Dragon Holding Longevity Throne. We stared at each other; nobody was willing to move first.

Yanzi grew impatient. Seeing our inaction, she stomped over, her steps making the white bugs crackle noisily underfoot. When she tried to push the chair, she lacked the strength and could only look to us for help.

Ultimately, the lure of wealth proved stronger. After a long pause of hesitation, we finally moved forward. The four of us strained together, and the throne slowly shifted aside. During this, Xu Zhiwu kept warning us to be extremely careful not to damage the chair, mentioning that if we found no treasure, the fact that it was made of purple sandalwood with Ming dynasty craftsmanship meant it could still be worth a considerable sum.

Once the throne was moved, a splendid, square, two-foot-wide lid of pure, dazzling gold was revealed beneath, painfully bright in the dim light. Gold! My heart hammered. Was this entirely gold? I knew the Tibetans traditionally adored gold ornaments; by the look of it, this was likely a mound of bullion underneath. Everyone’s breathing grew ragged. We all stared at the small lid, none daring to lift it, terrified that opening it would shatter the beautiful dream.

After a moment, I slowly collected myself, looked at the small lid, and knelt down. I tapped it first with my dagger; the crisp metallic sound was pleasant, and I could tell the space beneath was empty. The "knock-knock" sound, combined with the unique gleam of gold, renewed our excitement.

Old Li knelt to assist and then called for the others to stand back a bit, cautioning, "This was set up by the ancients; there might be mechanisms inside. We don't want anyone getting hurt." Xu Zhiwu and the others, aware of the danger, also retreated.

I had intended to take preparatory measures, perhaps like those in wuxia novels—tossing a stone onto it to test the waters—but Old Li was too impatient. Without a word, and I don't know how, he suddenly forced the lid open.

"Ah!" Upon seeing what was inside, I shouted and leaped back. Old Li quickly pulled away too. Xu Zhiwu repeatedly demanded, "What? What is it?"

I pointed at the small pit and told him to look for himself. Xu Zhiwu, Tang Minghao, and Yanzi all crowded forward simultaneously, only to recoil at the same instant. Yanzi’s face turned deathly pale, disbelief etched on her features. "How is this possible! How can this be! Zaxi... Zaxi clearly said there should be a massive pile of treasure here! How could..." By the end, her voice was laced with tears, though she likely didn't yet know what the object was; her reaction would surely have been much stronger had she known.

Old Li and I remained silent, unable to see our own faces, but judging by Old Li’s, mine must have been just as bloodless and ashen. Because underneath the golden lid was a scorpion—black, yet so translucent you could see its internal organs! A Crystal Black Scorpion!

Tang Minghao, though clueless, was astonished. "What is this scorpion-like thing? I clearly felt there should be a huge secret here, but what could a single scorpion represent?"

Xu Zhiwu said dejectedly, "A Crystal Black Scorpion... This... this only has some minor utilitarian value. I heard in Beijing that the Japanese were researching this specifically. It's still in the experimental phase, and I haven't heard that it holds any great worth. This... this isn't a treasure, is it?" He directed that last sentence toward Yanzi.

Yanzi drooped, completely defeated, unwilling to speak further.

Geng Wei suggested from the side, "Why don't we just split the lid? We can take it out to sell; it should fetch some money. We can split it equally as compensation for our efforts. How about it? Of course, I won't take my share; I don't want it."