Chapter 47: The Hanging Staircase

At that moment, I suddenly became certain that the person before me was Li Ling—the real Li Ling. I can't explain why, but I was seized by this conviction. Li Ling tossed me a tablet, saying it would calm my nerves and settle my mind. Without hesitation, I swallowed it with some water. Li Ling looked genuinely surprised, perhaps not expecting me to trust her so implicitly.

“What happened just now?” I asked.

Li Ling paused before answering, “Everything here is set up in a truly uncanny way. I've studied many ancient texts and found that people in antiquity were masters of psychological suggestion. They could manipulate the mind to create phenomena that defy scientific explanation.”

She went on to explain that many places here are permeated with psychological cues, drawing everyone into a private world of consciousness where frightening things can happen. Her expression betrayed a trace of fear, suggesting her experiences weren’t much different from mine. Li Ling pointed to the ground, then to the stone pillars arranged around us. She said, “Look at the floor—there are intricate patterns everywhere. As we walk, we naturally stare down, which draws us into a kind of hallucination. For example, you might suddenly see an extra person ahead—a trick of the eye. Or, you might find yourself unconsciously circling these pillars, unable to find your way out. It’s so dark here, and we only have our flashlights. The light reflects off the many bronze mirrors set up around us, and with all these continuous reflections, a person can lose their sense of hearing, sight—everything. I could be standing right next to you, and yet neither of us would realize it.”

Li Ling shook her head as she spoke, admitting that this was only her speculation. Although it was likely close to the truth, there were mysteries and phenomena she couldn't fully explain. In any case, this place was deeply sinister.

We discussed it further and agreed there must be a tremendous secret hidden here. Otherwise, why create such a complex environment—one designed to plunge intruders into endless darkness and induce such vivid hallucinations? Just recalling it made me uneasy.

I asked her where Old Ghost and his crew might have gone. Li Ling glanced around and replied, “That Old Ghost is no ordinary man. I can tell he’s a master tomb raider. I’ve even heard of him—he’s said to be the boss of the Ghost Sect, the last surviving sect among the Four Northern Factions. In the tomb raiding world, that’s a big deal. But from the way he behaves, he seems to be working for someone else. I really wonder who could be powerful enough to command the leader of the Ghost Sect.”

The Four Northern Factions? I looked at Li Ling in confusion. She explained that the tomb raiding world in China is incredibly deep and complex, like a parallel society with its own rules, factions, and territories, passed down through countless generations, spawning many legends.

The tomb raiders of China are divided into four factions and seventeen sects: the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Factions, plus the Central Sect. The Central Sect is the largest and has no sub-factions, always the leading force in the trade. The current leader is said to have ties with the old leadership—quite impressive. As for the other sixteen sects, most have vanished, with only five still active. The rest may have disappeared into history or gone into hiding; no one has seen them in years.

As for the finer details, Li Ling said, “There’s too much to tell, and I don’t know all of it myself. We can talk more another time. The main thing is, Old Ghost is extremely dangerous, and whatever he’s after must be of monumental importance. He wouldn’t act personally otherwise. We must be careful—these tomb raiders think nothing of killing.”

I laughed and said, “Do I look like I hesitate when killing?”

After a few more words, I stood up and stretched. After taking the tablet Li Ling gave me, my mind felt much clearer. Li Ling told me she’d also been lost in this place, falling into the same trap, but she quickly realized what was happening and managed to escape by shutting down her senses and slowly walking out of the illusion. The tablet was actually quite ordinary—just something to calm the nerves, readily available at any pharmacy.

This time, we followed Li Ling’s suggestion: one of us would lead while the other kept their eyes shut and held on, offering reminders if the leader faltered. The key was to hold hands at all times.

Though Li Ling was ten years older than me, I couldn’t help blushing when I took her hand—it was so soft that I involuntarily squeezed it. She jabbed me in the back and said, “Focus, you little rascal. Stop daydreaming.”

Shaking off distracting thoughts, I kept moving with the flashlight. Whenever I started to feel dizzy, Li Ling would pinch me. By now, my lower back was probably covered in bruises.

The space wasn’t actually that large, but there were many pillars carved with patterns. According to Li Ling, these designs served as psychological traps, so I avoided studying them closely. The abundance of pillars formed corridor-like structures, interspersed with bizarre statues of strange animals, making navigation even more confusing.

“By the way, how did it go when you chased the man in the black sunglasses?”

Until now, Li Ling hadn’t asked, and I hadn’t volunteered the story. Now that she mentioned it, I felt there was nothing to hide, so I briefly recounted what had happened.

“Spirit Blood Pill? A small red pill? Can I see it?”

Hearing this, I hesitated, but decided to trust Li Ling and reached for it. Before I could take it out, she interrupted, “Wait. Let’s talk about it once we’re out of here. First, let’s get through this place.”

For some reason, her words reassured me. At that very moment, I suddenly heard voices—Old Ghost and his crew, close by. I asked Li Ling if she heard it, and she nodded with her eyes closed.

I quickly pulled her along, heading towards the source. Oddly, no matter how far we walked, the voices always seemed just as distant, as if we could never quite reach them.

Before long, we both felt something was off. Suddenly, I spotted a suspended staircase. It was so steep that the flashlight couldn’t reveal its end—it rose into darkness. I realized this was the towering structure I’d seen from outside, but hadn’t imagined it would be so impossibly tall.

There were no handrails, making the ascent look perilous. Li Ling glanced at me, frowning. “Should we go up?”

I hesitated too. Who knew where such a high staircase led, or what unknown dangers might be waiting? This place was simply too strange.

After considering it, I decided we should climb. There was nowhere else to go, and Old Ghost’s voice was still clearly above us—they must be up there. I had to see for myself. Li Ling, however, was concerned about the rest of our team, who were still waiting below. We agreed to go up for a look, but if anything unexpected happened, we’d retreat immediately.

So, we began to climb. The stairs were sturdier than expected—not rickety wooden planks, but solidly built. The ingenuity of the ancients was truly astounding; even modern people would struggle to replicate such work. Li Ling and I climbed for about ten minutes. This time, there was no sense of endlessness. Above us, only darkness remained; the top of the staircase was near.

The voices of Old Ghost and his men grew ever clearer—they really were above us. At the top was a broad platform, supported by massive iron chains and stone pillars beneath. We stopped at the entrance, not daring to step onto the platform itself, as Old Ghost and his men were right there.

I cautiously peeked out. There were seven of them, Old Han included. By my count, minus the two I’d taken care of, there were still two missing—I had no idea where they’d gone.

The platform wasn’t cluttered with objects. Their many flashlights made the area bright and clear. At the center stood a black stone coffin, entwined by a thick vine that stretched upwards into the darkness. I didn’t shine my flashlight at it, not wanting to alert Old Ghost and his men and put Li Ling and me in danger.

“Let’s see what they’re saying,” Li Ling whispered from behind me. She pressed close, her scent enveloping me. Unable to help myself, I breathed in deeply, only to have her clamp my waist with surprising strength as she scolded softly, “Pay attention!”

I grinned sheepishly and turned my focus to eavesdropping on Old Ghost’s group.

“When will it open, Boss Ghost?”

“Wait a bit longer. What’s the rush? Aren’t you afraid of traps? This place is full of tricks. Have you forgotten how Shan Zi and Ah Si died so mysteriously? Stand still and keep quiet!”