Old Qian could only manage a wry smile when Ma Xiong asked him that, cursing softly, "How should I know? But don't worry, this method of burial is very specific. You don't need to fret, because the tomb's occupant won't waste such an offering; she will savor it thoroughly. So, Lu Zong's danger isn't immediate. Besides, worrying now is useless. I suggest we rest properly; it’s getting late."

Hearing this, Ma Xiong hammered twice against the wall. Seeing no reaction, he gave up on trying to break the door down. He stared blankly at the tent for a while, then looked at Old Qian snoring soundly on the ground, shook his head helplessly, and lay down beside him. Truthfully, he hadn't wanted to lie next to Old Qian, but Ge Mei, scared, had settled close to the old man, so Ma Xiong ended up there too. That faint fragrance hovered persistently at the edge of his nose. Looking up at the expanse of stars, he mused that if he ever made it out alive, he would certainly marry a wife, have children, and never again pursue such dangerous and arduous work for the rest of his life.

Yet, his thoughts shifted. Life itself was a process of struggle. If everyone stopped striving, what would the world become? Suppose he hadn't come out now—how would he have met so many friends, how would he have met Lu Zong? If it weren't for him, Lu Zong would have died countless times. What did that imply? It meant he still held significant value for survival in this world. Therefore, he couldn't die now; he must fight for the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Lost in thought, he drifted off to sleep unknowingly, and because he had been so exhausted these past few days, slumber claimed him quickly and deeply.

However, in the depths of his sleep, he vaguely sensed a dark shadow darting past him, flying over his head. He initially dismissed it as part of a dream and turned over to continue sleeping.

But moments later, another dark shape swooped past his head. The whoosh of cool air slipped right into his collar, causing him to stagger instantly awake. His hazy eyes suddenly spotted a dark figure sprinting rapidly ahead, and he snapped fully alert, realizing that what had just happened was likely more than just a dream; it felt real.

The realization sent a tremor through him—something that shouldn't have happened must have occurred. He scrambled upright, but the shadow had already vanished. He glanced toward the tomb, wondering how Lu Zong was faring. He stood up; the night here was indeed quite chilly. He shivered slightly to generate some warmth, then hurried in small steps toward the tomb, knocking lightly. Still, there was no response from inside.

A wave of disappointment washed over him. He turned back toward Old Qian and was astonished to see a dark figure kneeling beside the old man, his hands fumbling for something on Old Qian’s person. Old Qian, however, seemed utterly unaware, still sleeping soundly. Ma Xiong’s heart trembled; he forgot what he was supposed to do and could only watch in silence.

After a moment, he clearly saw the dark figure extracting something from Old Qian's chest. A shock jolted him, and he hastily shouted, "Old Qian, wake up! Someone is stealing from you! Old Qian, wake up!"

But Old Qian was the type of man immune to thunderclaps; he was deeply asleep and couldn't be roused by Ma Xiong’s cries. He continued sleeping soundly. Ma Xiong shouted several times to no avail. Finally driven to desperation, Ma Xiong rushed toward Old Qian, but it was too late. The moment Ma Xiong shouted, the shadow had noticed him and fled instantly, leaving only Old Qian and Ge Mei sleeping blissfully on.

He reached Old Qian's side and felt a bit relieved when he saw neither of them injured. He looked at Old Qian’s ashen face, suddenly worried if this old frame could withstand such ordeal. He shook Old Qian a couple of times, asking, "Old Qian, Old Qian, wake up quickly! Tell me where we are! Did you see someone stealing from you just now? Old Qian, wake up!"

But no matter how he shook him, Old Qian remained unconscious. He glanced at Ge Mei nearby; she, too, seemed to be sleeping soundly—he guessed even a sudden surge of beastly impulse wouldn't wake her. Too bad he wasn't that much of a rogue, so he decided to ignore her for the moment.

He looked at Old Qian beside him and struck his chest hard with both hands, cursing as he hit him, "Old Qian, Old Qian, wake up! Look at this! I see beautiful women! Lots of them, and every single one is naked!"

He was absolutely certain that something possessing such powerful allure, something perhaps more important than life itself, would surely capture Old Qian’s attention. Unexpectedly, Old Qian remained unresponsive on the ground like a dead pig, seemingly deaf to Ma Xiong's shouts. Ma Xiong finally abandoned the plan to wake him and decided he wouldn't sleep tonight; he would simply sit up and keep watch.

Finally, he watched the stars gradually dim until the blood-red sun began its slow ascent. Hope began to rise in his heart, and under his persistent calling, Old Qian slowly stirred awake. He blinked his soft, hazy eyes, looked at Ma Xiong, and asked, "Zhi Xiong, what is it? Why are you awake so early?"

Zhi Xiong managed a bitter smile and replied, "Awake early? I haven't slept at all. I’ve been sitting here keeping watch the entire night."

Old Qian chuckled: "Keeping watch? Don't you look around and see where we are? Do you think thieves would come here? Besides, what valuable possessions do the three of us even have? Haha, you’re just making trouble for yourself."

Ma Xiong countered, "Old Qian, don't dismiss it. I really did see a thief last night, which is why I was standing guard. Seeing you two sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to disturb you, so I just kept watch alone."

Old Qian continued to laugh loudly, "You saw a thief? You must be joking. How could there be thieves in this place? Besides, the only thing we own is our few remaining wretched lives; who would bother stealing those? Ma Xiong, you worry too much."

But Ge Mei, who had been sitting quietly beside Old Qian, suddenly spoke up, "Oh, right, our lives are the most precious things, so everyone must take good care of them, hehe. Our lives are the most important." With that, she sat up and looked at Zhi Xiong.

Zhi Xiong suddenly sensed a deeper meaning in Ge Mei's smile; he noticed an element of cunning and slyness within it, as if she were deliberately showing it to him. But then he dismissed the thought, reminding himself that Ge Mei was such a pure and delicate girl; she couldn't possibly harbor so much calculation. He slapped his own forehead, deciding he was overthinking it.

He walked over to Ge Mei. Her fragrance was still as captivating. He seemed to recall something suddenly, quickly glancing at Old Qian before saying, "Old Qian, I saw a dark shadow rummaging around your chest last night, searching for something. When I called you from the tomb area, you didn't respond. I saw him take something from your chest. Quickly check if you've lost anything."

At this, Old Qian frantically touched his chest. His face suddenly darkened. He spun around abruptly, pulled open his clothes, and turned his back to the other two to look at his chest. Finally, he let out a terrifying scream.

Ma Xiong shivered violently and hastily asked, "What's wrong, Old Qian? What was stolen from you?"

Old Qian stammered, "Nothing, nothing! Don't worry about it. Just a small thing."

At this moment, Ge Mei suddenly let out a cold laugh from the side, saying, "Old Qian, you didn't happen to lose your conscience, did you?" It was clear she spoke in a joking tone, but Old Qian’s body trembled momentarily. However, he quickly regained his composure and replied in a similar jocular manner, "What? Didn't you already eat my conscience? Why worry if it’s lost now?"

After saying this, both of them laughed.

Only Ma Xiong didn't laugh, because he suspected there was something serious beneath the surface.

But seeing them both so cheerful, he stopped dwelling on it and burst out laughing too, though he couldn't quite pinpoint what he was laughing about himself.

After some time, he gradually began to feel a bit warmer. He looked up at the sky, then said to Old Qian, "Old Qian, now that it’s daylight, can you rescue Lu Zong for me? I want to see Lu Zong more than anything right now. What should we do?"

Old Qian stroked his beard and said with a show of sincerity, "Yes, it is time to save Lu Zong."

But Ge Mei, who had been standing silently behind Old Qian, said coldly to him, "Old Qian, don't forget, I already ate your conscience. So this time, you absolutely must bring Lu Zong out alive."

Ge Mei stressed the word alive heavily, causing Ma Xiong to look at her with suspicion.