I am a Big Player
Chapter 271 - 269. Ghost Blowing Lights (Third Update)_1

Chapter 271: 269. Ghost Blowing Lights (Third Update)_1

Just when everyone was laughing, a sudden thunderclap resonated through the night. The sound was neither particularly loud nor soft; Ren He immediately sat up. This noise didn’t sound like thunder from a storm but like something had exploded.

It seemed far away, but the sound travelled far in the empty valley.

What sort of thing would explode in the middle of the night? There isn’t even electricity here, so it couldn’t be a transformer.

What could it be then?

Ren He suddenly woke up to the realization: This couldn’t possibly be tomb robbers, could it? On their way here, they had seen some deep holes in the wilderness, and Liu Bing had been curious about what they were. Ren He couldn’t answer her because he hadn’t seen anything like it before either.

However, that explosion suddenly reminded him of a news piece from his past life: tomb robbers were increasingly rampant, directly using explosives to blast open holes.

Piecing it together with the holes they saw earlier, could those not be the robbers’ tunnels? In his past life, he had also seen news reports about a thousand large tombs in northern Shaanxi being completely looted by tomb-robbing gangs.

Fuck, he had only read about tomb robbing in novels, and this was his first actual encounter. To be honest, Ren He was somewhat curious, but he also knew very well that tomb robbers weren’t as mystical in reality as they were in novels.

Popular movies, TV series, and novels have misled audiences into believing that tomb robbers are history buffs equipped with high-tech devices and tools. In reality, tomb robbers aren’t as formidable as depicted; they simply target burial sites, especially large tombs, to dig up. This is not a job that requires high technical skills or educational attainment; any ordinary person could grasp the lay of the land below ground after a few attempts.

The main tool used by tomb robbers is called the Luoyang Shovel. It’s a probing shovel that brings soil from underground to the surface. By analyzing the soil quality, color, and texture, robbers can determine if there are tombs below, from which period they are or if there are other types of relics. The Luoyang Shovel is also used by archaeology teams, who originally borrowed or, shall we say, directly introduced it from tomb robbers.

After the economic reforms, there was a period when tomb raiding was rampant. A saying among them went, "To be rich, dig up ancient tombs, and become wealthy overnight." Initially, most tomb robbers worked alone, but eventually, they organized into gangs with increasingly clear and detailed divisions of labor. Those who actually dug up the tombs might be at the bottom of the theft chain, with others waiting on the surface to collect the artifacts, which were then quickly passed through illegal channels.

Greedy tomb robbers would often strike when least expected, wielding their probing shovels everywhere, causing not just one grave to be compromised but damaging entire sites. It was like poking a person’s body with a needle over and over; one swipe of the shovel could disrupt the preservation environment of the artifacts below. After probing, they wouldn’t even refill the holes, leading to further damage from rainwater or irrigation seeping in, affecting the underground cultural heritage.

In recent years, the principles behind making explosives have become more accessible, allowing tomb robbers to skip the step of digging tunnels and just blast their way in! Moreover, since they’re working in gangs and are armed desperados, even villagers known for their toughness don’t dare to provoke them.

The reason Ren He doesn’t think tomb raiding is as mystical in real life begins with the tale of Ghost Blowing Lights. After descending into a tomb, robbers would light a candle in the southeast corner. If the candle went out or changed color, they would leave. Scientifically, this indicates that the tomb chamber has been sealed for a long time, and the phosphorous content increases in the air, making it unsuitable for human respiration.

Of course, there are many things in this world that science can’t explain, but from a metaphysical perspective, consider this: if robbers crack open a tomb and the tomb’s owner gets upset, they just bow three times and leave, and then everything is fine.

Is that normal? It’s not, okay?

You’re asleep at home, and suddenly two thieves dig a big transparent hole into your house and tell you: "We’re just having a look, not taking anything."

"Will you let them go? Hell no, Ren He would probably beat them to death."

"It’s the same with this tomb chamber, man. These folks are sleeping, and you drill a transparent hole in their ceiling, making it not waterproof anymore. Do you think they’ll forgive you after just three kowtows? Even ten wouldn’t cut it; Ren He would leap out and slaughter their entire family."

It’s like ancient people praying for rain. A bunch of them go to the riverside with three pig heads for the Dragon King and then just expect him to bring rain? Does the Dragon King care about your three pig heads, or what? Aren’t you underestimating the dragon?"

So no matter how others view it, Ren He tended to believe in the scientific explanation for this matter, setting other concerns aside for now.

But this didn’t quell his curiosity about tomb robbing because he indeed had never seen others rob a tomb. Ren He got up, put on his clothes and said, "You guys stay in the room and don’t go anywhere. I’ll go have a look."

"Where are you going?" Jiang Haoyang asked, confused.

"It might be someone robbing a tomb. I want to see what it’s like," Ren He explained.

"Damn, I’m going too. I also want to see the tomb robbery!" Jiang Haoyang hollered. How could he miss such an interesting event? This is the fearlessness of a calf facing a tiger; when curiosity kicks in, who cares about danger?

"No way, you guys keep calm and stay here. The other side might have weapons," not that tomb robbers necessarily have guns, but now their industrial chain is starting to get organized. Some lay explosives, some clear the tunnels, others go down while some keep watch above.

These are all desperadoes, people willing to take human lives. How many of them are cowards? What if he got these high school students into trouble? How would he ever explain it to their parents if something happened?

However, Jiang Haoyang, Liu Bing, and Li Yifan had already started to dress...

Ren He’s face darkened: "All of you get back into bed right now."

"No way, we’ll just watch from a distance. If anything happens, we’ll run. They definitely can’t catch up to us!" Jiang Haoyang shamelessly said.

Ren He raised an eyebrow. He thought about it and realized that he only planned to take a distant look anyway, and he had even dealt with foreign assassin organizations before; these tomb robbers wouldn’t be more dangerous than that nor would they have better firearms. So, he stopped trying to prevent them and said, "I’m serious this time. These people are all ruthless. If anyone disobeys me, they can leave the Qinghe Club."

"Sure, sure, what you say goes," those three didn’t take it to heart, thinking only about hurrying to see what tomb robbing was really like.

...

Extra update for the Silver Alliance’s Sea Spirit Garments