Chapter 994 - 996: Clues Triggered by the Mole_1
Jiang Yichun’s face was so cold it could almost freeze, and his jaw had come off. How had they ingested the poison to commit suicide?
Yao Yuxuan saw his confusion and explained, "The poison was hidden in the gap between the chin and teeth. Removing the jaw would also burst the poison sac."
Shocked and ashamed, Lightning bowed and said, "Master, this subordinate was reckless."
Jiang Yichun waved his hand, not intending to blame Lightning, "It doesn’t matter, at least we still have one alive."
These two were clearly devoted agents, two agents who, after seven years of service, were still willing to sell their lives for someone else. Wasn’t that ironic?
Unless from the very beginning, they were raised with some special method, such as being controlled by drugs.
"Lightning, go check the one who died." Jiang Yichun ordered.
Lightning was the most skilled at inspecting corpses. Soon, he had found a sheepskin scroll on the body of the deceased and handed it to Jiang Yichun.
The deceased traitor did not have anything special on him, as if there were no clues, until Lightning discovered an unusual mark on his lower back. It looked as though it had been struck by something.
"Master, look at this." Lightning pointed to the mark, which had turned a greenish-yellow color. It seemed to have been there for a few days and was likely to completely fade in two or three more days.
The mark was strange, as if something had stamped it, but looking closely, it wasn’t a complete pattern. Jiang Yichun thought for a moment and felt he had no clues to follow.
"Make an impression of it. We’ll investigate it thoroughly once we’re back!" Jiang Yichun said.
Because they still had to find what was marked on the map, Jiang Yichun could only command his men to carry on with the still-unconscious traitor. Now was not the time for interrogation.
Soon, Jiang Yichun figured out why the two had triggered the mechanism. It was because they had seen a stone coffin. He glanced at Yao Yuxuan, and both of their faces revealed an uneasy expression.
Ancient people did not use stone for coffins in burials. If this stone coffin actually contained a body, it would be quite peculiar.
"Opening the coffin is tantamount to grave robbing, which offends the heavens. Let’s look elsewhere instead," Yao Yuxuan said with a furrowed brow.
Jiang Yichun nodded and ordered his subordinates to search carefully, but after a whole night passed, they found nothing else of note.
He returned to the stone coffin, staring blankly at the hefty object. If it was before, he would not have hesitated at all since he had no family ties that concerned him. But now, with a wife and child, he truly did not want to do anything that would offend the heavens, fearing the retribution would fall upon his family.
Standing behind him, Lightning said, "Master, this is the only place left unchecked. Shall I open it?"
Yao Yuxuan also came over, sighing helplessly. He understood that having received the imperial decree, Jiang Yichun couldn’t leave the coffin unopened.
"Perhaps it’s just for show, with no body inside at all." Yao Yuxuan managed a smile, trying to make Jiang Yichun feel a bit more at ease.
After thinking it over, Jiang Yichun decided to open the coffin. The stone coffin was extremely heavy, and Lightning certainly couldn’t open it alone. The others immediately went to help, and after a lot of effort, they finally managed to push the lid off.
At this moment, a gas wafted out from the stone coffin, invisible and odorless, unnoticed by everyone. Yao Yuxuan was also preoccupied with the contents of the coffin, neglecting this detail.
In fact, everyone was on edge, fearing the sight of a decaying or withered corpse, or worse, a zombie jumping out. Although all present were martial artists, they too revered ghosts and gods.
Fortunately, there was no corpse in the coffin. Indeed, the stone coffin was merely a distraction. In its center lay a wooden box, its material indistinguishable, only giving off a dark and lusterless appearance.
One could not tell how many years the stone coffin and wooden box had been there, but the fact that the box was neither rotten nor riddled with bug holes was already remarkable.
Lightning, wearing protective gloves, picked up the wooden box and then carefully opened it.
Contrary to expectations, there was no trap activated. Instead, a sheepskin scroll lay inside the box.
Jiang Yichun had seen the sheepskin scroll from Batianzhai and recognized at a glance that it must be from the same source! It seemed that the map was indeed marking this particular item!
Just as he was feeling elated at having completed the task, Yao Yuxuan’s face suddenly changed as he shouted, "The stone coffin is poisoned; we need to get out quickly."
Everyone was startled. Jiang Yichun ordered Lightning to close the wooden box and move out. However, as they walked, everyone noticed something amiss—their breathing became increasingly labored, and their steps progressively heavier...
Thus, one by one, the treasure hunters fell to the ground. Jiang Yichun took the Detoxification Medicine given by Bai Ruozhu and swallowed it, but still collapsed.
Before losing consciousness, Jiang Yichun recalled Bai Ruozhu’s words, saying her Detoxifying Pill could only neutralize common poisons and delay the onset of more intense poisons, but would be useless against the deadliest. It appeared he had encountered a much more potent poison.
While everyone lay unconscious, a shadowy figure appeared outside the cave chamber. His eyes fell on the fallen group, and he couldn’t help but show a grave expression.
Not daring to get too close, he eventually took out a grappling hook from his bosom and threw it toward the wooden box near Lightning.
His grappling hook was specially made, but after several tries, it failed to pierce the wooden box. Puzzled, he could only drag the box toward him little by little, which took up much time.
Jiang Yichun felt dizzy and groggy as he regained consciousness. Hearing someone’s footsteps leaving, he hurriedly got up and scanned the area; all his men and the captured traitor were there, but the wooden box was gone!
Recalling the sound of footsteps, he dashed out like an arrow, soon catching up with the person who took the wooden box. He threw several copper coins, striking the person’s leg and causing him to fall, dropping the wooden box to the side. Jiang Yichun leaped forward, pointed at his acupoint, and held his sword to the man’s throat.
"It is you after all; the whole act was a deception, you never died," his voice as cold as the bitter winter wind. The captured man had followed him for seven years, how could he not know his temperament? If it weren’t for the acupoint being pressed, he would surely be shivering uncontrollably.
"Speak, who sent you?" Jiang Yichun demanded.
The man clenched his jaws, refusing to say a word. Jiang Yichun shifted his sword, severing the man’s tendons in both hands and feet without mercy for such a traitor.
Screams echoed through the cave as the man writhed in agony, still declining to speak.
Jiang Yichun didn’t ask further. He took out some Poison that Ruozhu had given him and poured it onto the man’s wounds, saying coldly, "Enjoy it."
Suddenly, he remembered the impression he had taken earlier. He retrieved the paper from his person, turned the traitor’s agonized face to it, revealing the paper. Indeed, the man’s expression drastically changed, his eyes filled with panic.