Chapter 3: The King of Bargain Hunting

“Because…”

A-Chai slowly leaned in, the sharp dagger in his hand already pressed against Wen Wan’s throat.

The cold light reflected by the blade fell into Wen Wan’s eyes, turning her face pale with fright.

“Because these mountain bandits don’t deserve to know of this tomb’s existence!”

What happened next was completely beyond Wen Wan’s expectations.

After A-Chai finished speaking, the few young men in the corner stood up simultaneously, all holding short blades, daggers, or similar weapons.

While keeping Wen Wan under control, A-Chai issued an order.

“Signal the others to attack! We’ll coordinate from the inside and outside to wipe out this bandit den in one fell swoop!”

Well, Wen Wan caught the drift of that order.

This youth named A-Chai must represent the authorities, right?

Judging by his actions, he had gone undercover to suppress the bandits?

When they were being held as hostages and brought up the mountain, the main force of the authorities must have been following behind, ready to strike at any moment?

Wen Wan felt so much regret. If she had known this was the case, she would have just waited to be rescued by the authorities. Why did she have to volunteer to offer advice and bring trouble upon herself?

“Uh… Big Brother, I was just joking about there being an ancient tomb under the temple. I’m a law-abiding citizen through and through. It was wrong of me to joke, but it’s not a capital offense, right? You agree… don’t you?”

Wen Wan’s attempt to forcibly clear her name was strangled by A-Chai’s mocking, half-smile gaze.

“Joke or not, we’ll know once we dig. You agree… don’t you?”

Just how nasty is this person’s personality?

He’s actually mimicking her to mock her?

Someone like this deserves a life sentence!

When the authorities take action, it really is extraordinary.

After only half a cup of tea’s worth of clanging and banging outside the room, the battle ended. The result was obvious: the official forces had won with an absolute advantage.

A-Chai stood on the steps, holding Wen Wan, and listened to his subordinates report on the cleanup of the bandits.

“A total of seventy-three bandits. Forty-six killed on the spot, twenty-seven captured alive.”

In just this short time, they killed dozens?

Although these bandits deserved to die, human life in this era was truly worth less than grass.

Wen Wan subconsciously shrank her neck.

She heard A-Chai issue another order: “Send ten men to handle the bodies, twenty to escort the bandits back to the city for trial, and the other five to send the hostages down the mountain.”

The men acknowledged the order and began to act in an orderly fashion.

After the bandits and the other hostages had left, A-Chai organized his men to start digging at the spot Wen Wan had previously pointed out.

Wen Wan watched helplessly as the other hostages were helped onto carriages, completely out of danger, and another wave of regret washed over her.

“Big Brother… I’m a hostage too. I feel like I’m qualified to take a carriage home as well…”

A-Chai glanced at her sideways. “Heh, if there’s no ancient tomb down there, forget about a carriage—I’ll let you ride my warhorse home!”

“That’s really not necessary,” she said, her mouth stiffening. She then asked, “And if there is an ancient tomb?”

A-Chai’s light gray pupils darkened. “If there is… didn’t you say you wanted to help me make a fortune? Then you’ll have to help me dig out all the treasure first, right?”

Wen Wan: “…”

I only offered to help you make a fortune because you looked good!

Who knew you were a spider spirit from the Cave of Silk, wearing a handsome skin just to lure in prey?

A knife hangs over the head of lust—the ancients never lied to me!

Before long, a youth carrying a hoe ran over, beaming with joy.

“Boss, we found it! There really is an ancient tomb!”

Wen Wan’s heart turned to ash as she was dragged back into the side room.

Seven or eight young men pried open the heavy stone slabs, revealing an underground tomb chamber of a few square meters.

A-Chai’s gaze was sharp. When he looked down at Wen Wan, the cold light in his eyes was even colder than the blade of his dagger.

“It really is an auxiliary chamber of an ancient tomb! You actually have some skill.”

She wanted to say it was just luck, but such an obvious excuse certainly wouldn’t fool this man.

Wen Wan held up two fingers to gesture. “Uh… it’s a family secret. I only know this tiny bit of the basics.”

A-Chai didn’t commit to an answer and pushed Wen Wan into the tomb chamber. “You said this place is full of traps. Go on, you lead the way.”

Wen Wan: “…”

With a dagger at her throat, she had no choice. She had to swallow the bitter fruit she had planted herself, tears and all.

She sighed and nagged as she walked, “Big Brother, money is just an external possession. Especially things dug out of these tombs—they’re spiritual and not good things. If you turn them over to the state, the national fortune will naturally neutralize any negative effects, but if you keep them privately…”

“Is your nonsense always this endless?”

A-Chai suddenly interrupted.

Wen Wan curled her lips and spouted more nonsense.

“I’m just worried about you, Big Brother. Your forehead is dark, which clearly shows you have a streak of bad luck.”

He mimics her to be snide, so why can’t she add a little frustration to his day?

She was spouting nonsense with a straight face. A-Chai glanced at her with a half-smile.

“If I were you, knowing full well that there are traps inside and that you’d need us to save you if you ran into danger, I wouldn’t be so sharp-tongued.”

That makes a lot of sense!

“…” Wen Wan reacted quickly. When it was time to yield, she yielded, putting on a flattering, fawning expression. “Big Brother, I was wrong!”

“Heh,” A-Chai let out a cold snort and mocked, “Look at how little ambition you have.”

Wen Wan didn’t blush at all. “I’m just a concubine. No matter how much ambition I have, I’ll never be the head wife. Compared to ambition, my life is what matters.”

While they were talking, Wen Wan had already opened the mechanism to the main tomb chamber.

As the stone door opened, the room full of gold and silver treasures dazzled their eyes.

The youths following behind let out gasps of surprise. Although A-Chai didn’t shout, his eyes were also shimmering with light.

“The treasure is all here. I’ve fulfilled my task obediently, right?” Wen Wan asked in a low voice.

A-Chai didn’t respond. He first arranged for the men behind him to move the treasure, then bent down and picked up a jade pendant from the ground next to the coffin.

He tossed the pendant into Wen Wan’s arms.

“Take it. Consider it your reward for leading the way.”

After saying this, he put away his dagger.

Wen Wan held the pendant, stunned for a moment, before realizing what he meant.

In the tomb-raiding business, there was a rule: never leave a tomb empty-handed. Entering an ancient tomb and leaving empty-handed was considered a very bad omen.

A-Chai might look young, but he had plenty of experience.

“Alright, if you’re a law-abiding citizen, I won’t make things difficult for you. Once the items are moved, you’ll follow us down the mountain.”

Wen Wan realized belatedly: was all his previous intimidation just to scare her?

She hadn’t expected this minor frontier general to have such depth.

However…

What a pity, he doesn’t know the value of goods!

Wen Wan calmly tucked the jade pendant into her clothes, pretending to be indifferent, while her heart was already bursting with joy.

If this general knew what a priceless treasure the pendant he had just tossed away was, he would probably be regretting it until his intestines turned green.