Ma Xiong asked listlessly, "Oh, so it was that slip of paper.

What about it?" Lu Sha exclaimed excitedly, "It turned out to be a treasure map!" "What? A treasure map? What treasure map, and what treasure is hidden?" Ma Xiong asked, suddenly energized.

Lu Sha said, "Actually, it's not exactly a real treasure map.

It’s just that the lines on it are very strange.

I’ve checked the recent religious beliefs in Europe and Asia, but I still haven't figured out what symbol this is.

However, the markings certainly resemble a treasure map.

If I put the paper under an X-ray, a complete set of lines emerges, clearly looking like a map, even indicating a location.

The problem is that those ancient characters are long lost, and it will take some time to decipher them.

I magnified the lines on this paper—guess what I found?" Ma Xiong sensed the gravity of the situation and quickly asked, "What did you find?" Lu Sha replied, "I discovered that if you take the starting point of this line as Lop Nur in Xinjiang—the place of our last expedition—and follow the route, the focal point is unexpectedly Anyang, Henan, precisely where Cao Cao's tomb was recently excavated." "Ah!" Ma Xiong nearly shouted.

He said to Lu Sha, "Lu Sha, please don't joke around.

This is not the time for jokes." Lu Sha cursed, "Damn it, I have more discretion than you.

This is absolutely the case." Hearing this, Ma Xiong suddenly recalled Lu Zong mentioning earlier that day the discovery of the Ice Crystal Jade Fetus in the looting tunnel of Cao Cao's tomb.

Connecting that with the map Lu Sha had found, his mind became bewildered.

Could this Queen have been involved with Cao Cao? No, one lived over three thousand years ago, the other less than two thousand years ago—how could they possibly connect? The more he thought, the stranger it seemed.

He hurried into the tent and coughed upon seeing the two figures locked in a tight embrace.

But it barely interrupted their fervor.

Helplessly, he gave a deeper, more resonant cough, which finally drew a look of grief and anger toward him.

Ma Xiong said with a pained expression, "Lu Zong, Han Chong, Lu Sha just called me.

Do you know what she told me?" Seeing Ma Xiong’s grief-stricken face, Han Chong tried to console him, "It’s okay.

There are plenty of women in this world.

Does she just want to break up with you? If she wants to break up, then let her." Ma Xiong couldn't bother joking with Han Chong and immediately became serious, saying, "I'd welcome a breakup! You two, look quickly! Han Chong just called me about discovering a relationship between the Queen and Cao Cao?" Upon hearing this, Lu Zong’s mind instantly fired up; he immediately thought of the Ice Crystal Jade Fetus from the tunnel that day, the Golden Layer the Fatty kept talking about, and the monster within.

He urgently asked, "What is the connection between these two? Tell me quickly." Ma Xiong then rambled on, "Actually, here’s how it is.

Do you remember that slip of paper we took from the Queen’s tomb? Do you know what it is?" Lu Zong scratched his head—of course he knew; wasn't it just a drawing? Ma Xiong said, "Actually, it wasn’t a drawing at all, but a map.

According to Lu Sha, if you take the beginning of that line as Lop Nur in Xinjiang, extending it according to the proportional pulse of the map, the focal point is Anyang in Henan, which is Cao Cao's tomb right here." Lu Zong was also a bit stunned.

How could this be such a coincidence? What did this mean? And the Ice Crystal Jade Fetus discovered in the tunnel earlier that day—all of it hinted at a connection between these two entities.

But then again, one was a Queen from three millennia ago, the other a ruthless warlord from two millennia ago; how could people separated by a thousand years be connected? Lu Zong urgently asked, "Ma Xiong, did the paper have any notes or explanations on it?" Ma Xiong thought for a moment and said, "Lu Sha found some rather ancient script on it, but it’s long been lost.

It’s currently being deciphered." Lu Zong collected his thoughts.

If there had to be a connection between these two, it must be that Cao Cao had looted the Queen's tomb.

He was amazed that ancient people possessed such excellent tomb-robbing skills.

But why would the Queen have a map leading to Cao Cao's tomb in her mouth? Clearly, the cunning old fox Cao Cao wouldn't do such a thing—drawing a map to his own tomb and placing it in a lady's mouth.

Moreover, Cao Cao must have robbed the Queen’s tomb first, dying later.

So why would the Queen also know about Cao Cao’s tomb? Could the Queen know everything that lies beneath the earth? All the questions swirled like a tangled fog in his head, making him dizzy, so he had to sit down for a drink of water.

It seemed the Queen’s power was truly uncanny; just thinking about it gave him a headache.

Han Chong said, "Sit down and rest first.

We can think about it later when we have time; we have plenty of time anyway, no need to rush this.

It’s getting late today.

We’ll come back tomorrow.

I’ve requested a pass from the Captain so I can take you tomorrow to see the magnificent scenery inside—it's truly spectacular." Lu Zong had initially wanted to crowd into the tent with them, but upon seeing Han Chong’s gaze that could kill with gentleness and the look on Ma Xiong’s face, he decided to leave, choosing not to stay in that tent.

Before leaving, he specifically sought out the Fatty and instructed him, "Fatty, absolutely do not make a move tonight.

Until Lu Sha translates the characters on that paper, do not make any moves.

And don't enter the tunnel.

Just stay here and guard the entrance to make sure nothing inside comes out.

Got it?" The Fatty nodded impatiently, "Hurry up and go back.

You don't need to worry about this place; I have my own judgment." Lu Zong looked at the Fatty's impatience and feared he might do something extreme, so he cautioned him again, "Don't do anything stupid! You know this tunnel isn't for common folks.

There are many buried with the deceased inside, and the zombies must be running rampant in there.

No one will be able to save you then." The Fatty looked at Lu Zong’s concerned admonition beside him and couldn't bring himself to be harsh, so he said, "Alright, alright, I won't go in tonight.

Go home with peace of mind." Only then did Lu Zong leave, feeling slightly uneasy.

For some unknown reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something would happen to the Fatty and Ma Xiong.

He tried to tell himself to relax; constantly worrying that things would go wrong might turn into a curse.

He dared not dwell on it further and went straight home.

He slept soundly that night, waking up to find the sky around him stark white.

Checking his watch, he gasped—it was already eleven o’clock.

He looked at Han Chong beside him, resting happily in his embrace, curled up like a frightened little sparrow.

He gently moved Han Chong’s head off his shoulder, immediately feeling a sharp ache.

He grimaced for a moment, then quickly dressed, woke Han Chong, and they headed toward Cao Cao's tomb together.

They soon arrived in front of Ma Xiong's tent and immediately felt a chill as they saw a crowd gathered near it—it seemed the Fatty was in trouble.

He quickly pushed through the onlookers and found the Fatty standing among the spectators, seemingly detached from the event.

He followed the crowd's gaze forward and was astonished to see that the hole they had sealed the previous day had been opened again.

He pulled the Fatty into the tent and asked, "What's going on, Fatty? Didn't you say you wouldn't touch that tunnel? Did you open that hole?" The Fatty shook his head, a hint of panic on his face, "I didn't open it, I swear I didn't touch it yesterday.

I slept until dawn.

When I checked this morning, there were so many reporters gathered outside, and that’s when I realized the tunnel was open.

It really shocked me." Looking at the Fatty, he didn't seem to be lying; after all, for such an experienced tomb robber, he understood the seriousness of the matter.

He and the Fatty went back outside.

Seeing that the opening had widened again, and noticing a couple of long ropes dangling outside, his mind went blank, almost exploding.

Someone must have gone in.

Lu Zong asked anxiously, "Lu Zong, someone went in there?" Ma Xiong nodded helplessly, "I had no choice.

I warned them several times, but they simply wouldn't listen.

Just now, two intern graduate students went in." Lu Zong's temper flared, and he cursed, "How can two graduate students handle what's in there? No, I have to go in and stop them!" Without another word, he grabbed a rope from a nearby guard, tied it around his waist, and slipped inside.

Seeing Lu Zong go in, the Fatty let out a wry smile.

How could these scholars handle such affairs? He reluctantly took another rope from the guard, saying, "When I shout for help from inside, pull me out." He didn't go directly into the hole.

Instead, he went back to the tent to fetch a Black Donkey Hoof, took a swig of chicken blood, sprinkled some on himself, and then slowly crawled inside.

Ma Xiong followed closely behind, presumably to offer assistance if needed.

Seeing the Fatty trailing closely, Lu Zong felt somewhat reassured and climbed in without hesitation, shouting, "Those two grad students! Kids, where are you?" The tunnel was only wide enough for one person to crawl through, so finding them wasn't difficult.

They crawled and shouted as they went.

Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed from ahead—it seemed the two interns were in trouble.

Lu Zong’s nerves tightened, and he rushed forward to see what was happening.

After just a few steps, he saw two figures crouched ahead.

One was staring blankly at the girl in front of him, apparently paralyzed with fear.

The little girl's neck was being squeezed by the monster Lu Zong had seen yesterday; she was seconds from suffocating.

At that moment, the creature raised its bloody, mutilated face and stared blankly at Lu Zong.

Lu Zong instantly felt a wave of nausea.