Chapter 132: The So-Called Treasure

The campfire crackled, casting a flickering light on Abu’s face, which was twisted with regret. Qin Feng remained silent for a moment before handing the water skin back to him.

"Rest assured, I will help you."

Abu jerked his head up, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes. "Really? Mr. Qin, are you willing to help me?"

"I may not be one to meddle in others' affairs, but I despise being used as a pawn even more." Qin Feng cast a cold glance toward Mr. Long, who was currently draped over Morey and his men, a cynical smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Besides, I’m quite curious to see what exactly this Mr. Long is truly up to."

Over the next two days, the team picked up their pace. Qin Feng appeared indifferent on the surface, but he kept a watchful eye on his surroundings. He had noticed a middle-aged man wearing glasses in the group who seemed to be a scholar of some sort. However, the man spoke very little; he would only respond when addressed, as if deliberately trying to minimize his presence.

"Brother Feng, do you think we’ll actually find it this time?" Zhang Hu leaned in close to Qin Feng and whispered.

"I don’t know, but we’re already in too deep to turn back." Qin Feng replied flatly, his gaze fixed on Mr. Long’s retreating back.

Finally, on the afternoon of the third day, the team reached a secluded valley.

"This is the place!" Abu pointed toward a dense forest deep in the valley, his voice filled with excitement. "According to my calculations, the entrance to the ancient tomb is right around here!"

Deep within the thicket, a heavy miasma hung like a thick blanket, blotting out the sky. It fractured the sunlight into scattered, shimmering spots that dappled the ground. The air was hot and humid, and the rustling sounds of unidentified insects in the grass added an eerie quality to the atmosphere.

"Brother Feng, can we really find an ancient tomb in this hellhole?" Zhang Hu complained, following behind Qin Feng as he struggled to push aside the tangled vines. His rugged face was slick with sweat, which, when mixed with the miasma, made it look as though he were smeared with grease.

"I don't know if we'll find the tomb," Qin Feng replied, his tone calm as he scanned the surroundings with sharp, observant eyes. "But I am certain that Mr. Long and that fellow named Mo are up to no good."

Abu trailed at the very back, his face deathly pale and his lips bloodless—it was clear that the miasma was taking its toll on him. He gripped the map tightly, stumbling along and terrified of falling behind.

"Abu, can you still hold on?" Qin Feng slowed his pace and turned to ask.

"I... I’m fine, I can keep going," Abu panted, forcing himself forward. "Mr. Qin, we... we have to find the medicinal herbs as soon as possible, otherwise..."

"Don't worry, I’ll help you." Qin Feng patted his shoulder; his voice was calm, yet carried a reassuring strength.

Just then, the bespectacled man who had been walking in the lead—the quiet, scholarly type—suddenly stopped. He pushed up his glasses and pointed ahead. "Mr. Mo, the terrain ahead is complex. I need to examine the geography carefully before I can determine the route."

"Please do, Mr. Liu. We could use a rest ourselves," Morey said, signaling his men to halt in a relatively open clearing.

Qin Feng observed this without a word, a cold sneer forming in his heart. This Mr. Liu had been silent since they entered the mountains, appearing entirely detached from the world. Now, it seemed he was the most dangerous character among them.

As expected, once Mr. Liu separated from the group, he deliberately led Morey’s men through the most treacherous paths, winding and twisting until he had quickly left Qin Feng and the others behind.

"Brother Feng, it looks like they’re trying to ditch us!" Zhang Hu exclaimed, his anxiety rising.

"What are you panicking for?" Qin Feng calmly took a compass and a map from his pack and cross-referenced them. "They want to use the terrain to trap us in this forest. But they’ve miscalculated; I’m not so easily toyed with."

"Brother Feng, you have a way out?" Zhang Hu’s eyes brightened, as if he had grasped a lifeline.

"Follow me!" Without further explanation, Qin Feng put away the map and led Zhang Hu and Abu in a different direction.

The dense forest was fraught with peril. Poisonous snakes, wild beasts, miasma, and hidden traps lurked everywhere. Several times, Abu nearly lost his life, and had it not been for Qin Feng’s quick reflexes and timely intervention, he would have long since become a wandering soul of the forest.

"Mr. Qin... are we... are we ever going to get out of here?" Abu’s face was ashen, his voice trembling; he was on the verge of a breakdown.

Qin Feng didn't answer; he simply pointed ahead. Concealed by thick branches and vines, an ancient stone gate lay hidden. It was carved with mysterious and complex patterns that resembled some sort of archaic script, exuding an aura of immense age.

"This... this is..." Abu stared, wide-eyed, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"It seems we have arrived." A faint, knowing smile played on Qin Feng’s lips.

Passing through the stone gate, they were hit by a wave of stale, decaying air mixed with the scent of damp earth, forcing Zhang Hu to cover his nose and mouth.

"Damn it, what is that smell? It nearly knocked me out!" Zhang Hu complained, waving his arms to clear the mist.

As the mist dissipated, the scene before them left everyone stunned. They stood in a massive cavern. The ceiling was embedded with countless night-luminescent pearls that emitted a soft glow, illuminating the entire space like daylight. In the center of the cavern stood an ancient altar cast in bronze, engraved with strange, intricate markings that looked both like ancient script and mysterious symbols. Surrounding the altar were various funerary objects—gold, silver, jewelry, ceramics, and jade—an array so dazzling it nearly blinded them.

"We’re rich! We’re rich! We’re finally fucking rich!" Zhang Hu’s eyes were fixed, his gaze filled with greed as he stared at the treasure, longing to throw himself upon it and claim it all.

Even Abu was shocked, having lived his whole life without ever seeing such wealth, and for a moment, he too was lost in a daze. Only Qin Feng remained calm. His gaze swept over the so-called "treasures," and a mocking smile curled his lips.

"Brother Feng, what are you waiting for? Start hauling it out!" Zhang Hu couldn't wait any longer; he rushed forward and grabbed a gold ornament, fondling it as if he couldn't bear to let it go.

"Careful!" Qin Feng suddenly barked, his body flashing forward as he yanked Zhang Hu back.

Just as Zhang Hu’s hand was about to touch the gold, the object suddenly shifted, transforming into a hideous, grinning skull with bared, bleached bones.

"Holy shit! What the hell is that!"