Chapter 5, Strange Sounds

This, this can't be the blood-red soil from around Yanling back in the day, can it!" Wu Jiayi's voice trembled slightly, and her face grew increasingly pale.

Wu Jiayi glanced at me and pointed below, saying: "Your grandfather isn't buried right here, is he"

I exerted all my strength to dig out the first shovel of soil. But before I could make sense of what was happening, I heard Wu Jiayi let out a sharp scream: "You have to see this!"

When she called out to me like that, I was so startled that I almost turned and ran away, but fortunately, she caught me just in time. Using the bright beam of the flashlight, I hurriedly looked at the pile of soil we had just dug up. This glance was alarming, sending a chill down my spine. The excavated soil was actually blood-red! It seemed that stepping on it would cause it to ooze blood, and the clay-like texture felt even more like the stickiness of blood itself.

Wu Jiayi looked at the somewhat eerie grave at this moment, took a deep breath, and said: "What era are we in now, still being suspicious and paranoid! It must be something like a rat making that noise. Have you finished knocking your head?"

The two of them paused intermittently for nearly three hours before finally removing the thick layer of rubble above. According to Wu Jiayi, if they dig down about half a meter further, they should be able to reach the coffin. However, since their grandfather passed away in a hurry, it is uncertain whether there is a coffin. If they accidentally damage their grandfather's remains, it would be an unforgivable, heinous act that defies natural justice.

"It is a coffin!" Wu Jiayi said excitedly, "Now we don't have to worry about hurting your grandfather, and the things inside can be preserved."

Well. I still have some concerns, as I always feel that the ground beneath this grave is not safe, and moreover, there is no longer that sense of closeness.

That's enough, that's enough. Anyway, there's no way to escape, so let's just dig! I spat into my palm and swung the hammer with a flurry of strikes. Wu Jiayi was right; the graves on this mountain are indeed not very deep, and because of these stones, they were already broken during burial, making it quite easy to dig them up now

"Do not hesitate; the more peculiar it is below, the more likely it will be useful to us." Wu Jiayi seemed to sense my concerns and hurriedly urged, "Alas—truly unmanly!"

However, looking at that decayed coffin lid, I always feel that something is amiss. Those of us in this profession possess a certain sensitivity towards antiquities. Although ancient tombs do not fall under the category of antiques, it seems that the same feeling towards antiquities has also extended to this m.hetushu.com.com.

Wu Jiayi widened her eyes and hurriedly crouched down to listen: "Hmm? No, not at all..."

I also find it somewhat strange, but the more I fear, the more I want to dig and see. It is no wonder that over the years our family has been in such dire straits; even our ancestral grave is soaked in blood. Can things get any better? It seems that even if Wu Jiayi no longer insists on continuing today, I must still move my grandfather's coffin out; otherwise, our family's situation will continue to decline.

Knowing that there is a coffin protection below, my speed has increased significantly. Before long, the entire coffin lid was exposed, smaller than an average coffin buried in the plains. Its width is approximately less than one meter, and its length is close to two meters. Due to years of being in such a damp place, the coffin boards have rotted beyond recognition, lacking any firmness. If this were someone else's grave, I would have smashed it with a hammer long ago, but now it is different; what lies beneath is my grandfather.

Thus, I hurriedly reminded Wu Jiayi, "Be extremely careful; when my grandfather passed away, he might not have even prepared a coffin."

I took the shovel head and smelled it; I didn't detect any metallic scent, and it didn't seem to be real blood. However, the color always left both of us feeling somewhat alarmed.

"Miss Wu, just stand beside me and hold the flashlight," I instructed Wu Jiayi, then swung the shovel to start digging. After about an hour, when I struck the ground again, a muffled sound suddenly emanated from below.

Wu Jiayi nodded and said, "Yes, I understand"

I hurriedly raised my body and gestured to her, "There is a sound below!"

The mountain forest at night is particularly silent. The strange sounds made by summer insects, the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind, and the swaying shadows of bamboo under the setting sun all send shivers down my spine. Growing up in a bustling metropolis filled with books and distractions, I have never experienced such a scene. The two of us exchanged glances for a moment, and finally, feeling a bit anxious, I asked, "What... what should we do?"

Wu Jiayi fell silent, found a gap, and stepped down on the shovel. At the moment the shovel turned over the stone, a sudden cold wind swept through with a whoosh, causing both of them to shiver uncontrollably

"What’s wrong?" Wu Jiayi asked me, puzzled by my strange behavior

The two of them took a brief rest and then picked up the shovel from Wu Jiayi's hands to start digging. As soon as the shovel went in, I felt something was off! Given that so many years had passed, and considering the steep slope here, it was impossible for there to be any standing water. So why did the shovel sink in as if it were inserted into mud?

No, it's impossible, I—" I lowered my voice as much as I could, but before I could finish speaking, I saw Wu Jiayi wave her hand at me. After a moment, she stood up, her face pale, and said, "I heard it."