Chapter 2: Encountering Zhou Jie in the Tomb

Wang Qing was highly skilled at surveillance, maintaining a significant distance from me—just close enough to keep me in sight. At the next intersection, she turned a corner. After confirming several times, I was sure she was heading back to the dormitory. My tense nerves finally relaxed, and I made my way back to the dorm a step ahead of her.

Just then, Feng Danyan emerged with a plate of fruit. Without warning, she picked up a slice of apple and pushed it into my mouth. The sudden gesture startled me, and perhaps because I hadn’t felt warmth in a long time, I couldn’t help but develop a fondness for her. She beamed at me with a mischievous smile.

Despite this, I kept a poker face and replied politely, “It’s fine.” After a quick glance around the dorm, I noticed Zhou Jie was absent, but felt it inappropriate to ask. At that moment, I received a message from Min Xiu, a member of the tomb-raiding team—likely seeking my help again.

Without a word, I turned and left the dorm, hailed a cab, and headed to the meeting place Min Xiu had specified. Tomb raiding was highly dangerous, riddled with deadly traps. I couldn’t wear a hat anymore, as it obstructed my vision, so I put on the mask I always carried with me.

Upon arrival, Min Xiu exchanged a few pleasantries before leading me to the burial site. As we walked, he introduced me, “This is the killer we hired at great cost—she’s truly formidable!” He gestured toward Zhou Jie, who was standing off to the side. My heart skipped a beat; clearly, my two roommates were anything but ordinary.

Min Xiu led the whole team to the entrance of the tomb. I noticed the person in front of me tread on a spot where the ground had slightly sunk—he had triggered a trap. Quickly, I dodged outside a five-meter radius from the center. Based on my past experience, most traps only inflict damage within five meters, so I made sure to move beyond that range. Zhou Jie immediately noticed my odd behavior and started toward me, but before she could reach me, the trap was triggered.

A barrage of arrows shot toward the team. Apart from Zhou Jie, Min Xiu, and a handful of seasoned veterans, everyone else fell in pools of blood. Zhou Jie quickly understood why I’d moved away—but it was already too late for the others.

No sooner had the arrows stopped than the stone slabs overhead were suddenly released, sending dozens, even hundreds, of massive stones tumbling down. The gaps between the stones were minuscule—one pressed tightly against another. Even the veterans struggled; both Min Xiu and my roommate Zhou Jie were hard-pressed.

As the slabs overhead swung open and the stones surged forth, I couldn’t just stand by and watch old friends perish. Without hesitation, I pulled a custom incendiary grenade from my sleeve and hurled it at the stones. With a loud bang, the bomb exploded, followed by the sound of crumbling rocks. Min Xiu and Zhou Jie stared at me in disbelief, but Zhou Jie, in particular, was most astonished—after all, Min Xiu and I could be considered old acquaintances.

Now, of the original team of fifty, only three remained: Min Xiu, Zhou Jie, and myself—a devastating loss. Still, it did not halt our advance. We pressed on with even greater caution.

Soon, we reached a massive stone slab, beside which stood an upright pillar inscribed with ancient ciphers. Incredibly, such an old tomb featured a combination lock—yet unlike modern locks, it bore neither numbers nor English letters, only symbols none of us could decipher. We scoured the area for clues. The walls were lined with murals, clearly connected to the code.

Although Zhou Jie was an assassin, I had to admit she was extremely clever. As soon as I uncovered the clues, she noticed them too. I pieced together the hints from the murals and the ancient script on the walls, forming a bizarre string of runes. Not wanting to waste time verifying, I walked straight to the pillar and input the sequence as calculated in my mind.

With a sharp click, the door began to rumble open—the code was correct. Min Xiu hurried inside, joking, “Jiu—your codename—impressive as always. I’ll be sure to tack on a bonus for you!” He quickened his pace, entering the next chamber.

As we entered the other room, the stone door crashed shut behind us, locking the three of us inside. With a soft beep, the sculpted figures on the walls—humanoid, ghostly—suddenly sprang to life and lunged at us. Zhou Jie, being an assassin, dispatched several puppets in a few swift moves. Min Xiu needed no help either; as a seasoned tomb raider, dealing with these constructs was effortless.

I simply stood behind them, motionless and indifferent.

Before long, they had taken care of most of the puppets. I stepped forward, donned my black rubber gloves, and felt the viscous fluid clinging to the remains. Turning to Min Xiu, I said, “The slime is still moist—there must be H2O nearby. We must be close to the destination.” Of course, by H2O I meant water; as a chemistry prodigy, it was second nature to express it that way.

We pressed on, and just as I had predicted, streams of water appeared ahead, all flowing toward the same place. The three of us rushed forward and, sure enough, arrived at our destination: a coffin, which matched the description of Min Xiu’s target.

Min Xiu immediately pried open the lid, but in the next instant, a sharp blade shot out. Thankfully, Zhou Jie reacted quickly, pulling Min Xiu aside—otherwise, he might have been skewered. I double-checked for any further threats. When I confirmed it was safe, Min Xiu cautiously retrieved the treasures inside, claiming they were worth hundreds of millions. Such riches didn’t interest me; I busied myself collecting the slime and ashes within.

Though they appeared insignificant, these substances were of great value to me. Having studied such things many times before, I knew their importance. I pulled several small bottles from my pocket, carefully storing each specimen as if they were treasures.

Min Xiu eyed my actions and, rolling his eyes, asked, “Jiu, what’s the point of collecting that junk? Why not grab something valuable for a change?” I ignored him and continued my work in silence.

We retraced our steps and finally made it out of the tomb. Afterward, the three of us went our separate ways. I returned to the dorm ahead of Zhou Jie, feigning ignorance about the day’s events.

Soon after, Zhou Jie arrived as well. Last semester, she and Wang Qing had grown quite close, often chatting together. Over time, my own relationships with Zhou Jie, Wang Qing, and Feng Danyan had deepened as well; none of us regarded the others as outsiders. Still, there remained a degree of healthy suspicion. We all knew Wang Qing sometimes assisted the police, and the two of them occasionally shared stories of their exploits.

The dorm was small, and with Wang Qing and Zhou Jie speaking loudly, I could easily hear their conversation from my bed.

I heard Wang Qing say, “Yesterday I helped the police out and ran into an incredibly skilled person—she made me look bad in front of everyone! But honestly, she was amazing—her observations were razor-sharp, and her logic was flawless.” No sooner had she finished than Zhou Jie chimed in, “I met an impressive person today, too. She was so observant—she dodged danger in an instant and fought brilliantly. She wore a mask, though, so I couldn’t see her face. But I heard her codename is Jiu.”

There was no doubt they were talking about me. Wherever I went, I used the codename Jiu—though I occasionally changed it.

Wang Qing and Zhou Jie’s friendship was exceptional; they knew each other’s identities, but not mine. Over the past few days, I had gradually pieced together who they were, but couldn’t be completely certain—after all, I had no solid proof.