Zhou Lin glanced at the talismans above. They indeed resembled talismans, but their purpose was not what one might expect.
This talisman was not for achieving eternal life.
"Indeed," Zhou Lin said, deciding not to reveal everything prematurely.
"Then what is this talisman for?" Professor Lin asked eagerly.
"I'm not entirely sure of its purpose. The inscription isn't very comprehensive," Zhou Lin replied, shaking his head. He then walked over to the bookshelf and casually picked up one of the bamboo slips.
They were all rudimentary forms of talismans, their markings blurred by the passage of time. However, based on the models, this talisman was not a benevolent artifact. It was merely a form of forbidden art, though the details were unclear.
Elder Tang and Professor Lin examined the bamboo slips in their hands, beginning to study the inscriptions of the tomb.
"These appear to be Jurchen characters. Could this be a tomb from the Jin Dynasty?" Professor Lin exclaimed, looking at the bamboo slips.
"Don't jump to conclusions. These characters only tentatively suggest the Jin Dynasty; we can't be absolutely certain yet. Let's examine other items later," Elder Tang advised. He then looked towards the bookshelf near Zhou Lin and walked over.
Captain Lin of the mercenaries and the other archaeology students surveyed their surroundings. They were particularly curious about the screen at the back.
"Do you want to go take a look? That screen looks like it's made of jade, doesn't it?" one archaeology student's eyes gleamed upon seeing the screen, recognizing its immense value.
"It's so strange in here, appearing out of nowhere in a boudoir. I'm worried there's something wrong, especially after what we've encountered before. Let's just forget it..." a team member quickly objected. He was already terrified by their previous experiences and feared what might appear next. If something terrifying were to happen, they wouldn't even have time to scream.
"You're such a coward. If there were danger, it would have manifested earlier. It's been this long, and if anything were to happen, it wouldn't wait until now," the other team member chuckled, mocking his teammate before intending to investigate behind the screen.
The mocked team member wanted to retort but, intimidated by the darkness behind the screen, let out a cold snort and decided to follow the professors. However, as the team member approached the screen and peered into the dark space, they picked up their flashlight. As soon as the light illuminated the area, a ghastly face suddenly appeared in the darkness. It was pale, with a bright red mouth and eyes filled with blood. It held a wooden box containing something that looked like red blood and was touching its lips.
The team member's face instantly turned ashen. They dropped the flashlight, and the light shifted, changing the ghost's perspective. This only amplified the eeriness. The team member tried to scream, but their voice felt choked, as if something was blocking it, preventing any sound from escaping. Instinctively, they clutched their chest with their right hand, their mouth agape in sheer terror as they stared at the female ghost.
Finally gathering the courage to move, they saw the woman suddenly flash a sinister smile. Her head then moved with unnatural speed, binding the team member's legs. It then coiled around them, and a horrifying head stopped at their shoulder. Unable to move, the team member glanced sideways at the head on their shoulder.
"Young master... do I look beautiful? I am the most beautiful princess on the prairie," the woman asked slowly, her mouth opening and closing, with occasional drops of red blood trickling out. The team member was so terrified that sweat poured down their face, unable to utter a coherent word.
Seeing the man's silence, the woman seemed displeased. Her bloodshot eyes were now completely filled with red. The whites of her eyes were replaced by blood.
"Ah..." The team member's fear overwhelmed them, and they collapsed to the side. The jade screen also fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Those studying the texts on the bookshelf and surveying the surroundings, upon hearing the noise, turned towards the sound. They saw the archaeology team member lying on the ground, with a head on their shoulder and a slender neck tightly wrapped around them.
"Professor Zhou... help me!" The team member suddenly looked up, facing Zhou Lin. The sudden cry sent a shiver down everyone's spine. When the head on the archaeology team member's shoulder lifted, everyone gasped. Professor Lin, the metaphysics professor, and Elder Tang instinctively took a step back. The mercenaries immediately shielded the archaeology students behind them, drawing their weapons and aiming at the woman's head.
In the live stream.
"Holy crap, I'm scared to death! What the hell is that?"
"Is that a person? Or a ghost? Whose ghost has such a long neck? Is that a neck or a snake?"
"Oh my god, I'm going to pee myself. What is that? I don't even dare to look in the mirror or go to the toilet anymore. I'm really worried that when I look in the mirror later, a female ghost's head will also appear on my shoulder."
"I find it terrifying just watching. This team member must be feeling incredibly distressed and broken inside."
"Big shots, ward off evil!"
...
In the dean's conference room.
All the professors and experts gasped in unison upon seeing the scene. They exclaimed with horror.
"What... what is that?" Professor Hu's eyes were filled with uncontrollable terror as he looked at the entity.
"Is this a ghost? But that neck..." Professor Wen's hairs stood on end as he looked at the neck. He was truly...
The dean and the other professors felt unwell seeing this sight. Their fingers trembled slightly, though they managed to control it, not overtly showing it.
Inside the tomb.
The archaeology team member looked at Zhou Lin, their fear no longer containable. Their vision darkened, and they lost consciousness.
Zhou Lin looked at the woman, his gaze deepening. She seemed somewhat familiar.
"Professor Zhou... what is this thing?" Professor Lin and Elder Tang quickly stood by Zhou Lin's side.
"This..." Before Zhou Lin could finish speaking, he saw the head on the long neck release the archaeology team member.