Chapter 7: The Ancient Tomb Beneath the River

This prehistoric giant lizard was likely the ancestor of crocodiles. It resembled a crocodile in appearance, but its size was several times greater, and its temperament was violent and exceptionally fierce.

Xueya seemed to be bewitched, her expression dull and her gaze vacant, struggling several times as if she wanted to leap into the underground river. The prehistoric giant lizard, jaws agape, repeatedly surged out of the water, trying to attack Xueya.

Just then, the white jade coffin floating on the river began to move slowly across the surface, as if it were a boat being steered. With its movement, the human oil lamps placed in the holes of the surrounding stone walls began to flicker wildly.

The burning human oil released a rich and peculiar fragrance. The flames within the lamps danced continuously, like sprites in the night. Judging by Xueya’s behavior, she had likely lost her senses due to the rosemary mixed into the human oil lamps.

From my ever-present treasure pouch, I took out a secret, ancestral Soul Revival Pill and, without waiting for Xueya to react, pressed it straight into her mouth.

Completely unguarded, Xueya swallowed it in one gulp. The prehistoric giant lizard, perhaps enticed by the scent of human flesh, swam restlessly across the water’s surface, becoming ever more agitated.

The white jade coffin, drifting on the river like a wandering soul, gradually moved toward the shore, slowly approaching us.

“Jiang Yuan, where are we?” After taking the medicine, Xueya finally regained her clarity. Her deep, dark eyes were filled with terror.

“We must have accidentally stumbled into an ancient tomb beneath the river,” I told her quietly.

Xueya raised her powerful flashlight and scanned the surroundings, exclaiming, “An ancient tomb under the river? That’s impossible!”

Before she could finish speaking, the prehistoric giant lizard swimming frantically in the underground river suddenly opened its massive jaws and began to roar wildly!

Its roar was deep and powerful, intensely penetrating. I felt as though the membranes in my ears had been shattered, a sharp pain radiating through them.

“Oh no, this creature wants to—”

Before I could finish, the prehistoric giant lizard, like an arrow released from a bow, suddenly leapt from the water, charging straight at Xueya and me.

I had no weapon for self-defense. Facing the lizard’s ferocious attack, I could only dodge, unable to counter. In the first round, the giant lizard instantly separated Xueya and me.

Xueya refused to back down. She drew her pistol from her waist, aimed at the lizard’s head, and fired a barrage of bullets. Yet, ordinary handgun rounds couldn’t penetrate the thick scales of the giant lizard.

Each bullet that struck its body was as though tickling it. Its two golden eyes bulged like lightbulbs, jaws agape, roaring incessantly. Its thick, blood-red tongue flickered in and out of its mouth, and its sharp fangs glinted like steel spikes.

The giant lizard, snake-like, raised its head high, fixing its gaze on Xueya. Without warning, it lunged at her again.

Xueya executed a move known as the “Scallion Pull from Dry Land”—her entire body sprang up, flipping through the air, and in the blink of an eye, she landed behind the giant lizard.

Her movements were fluid and graceful, like flowing water. Watching this scene from the side, I was utterly stunned.

Failing to catch Xueya, the giant lizard turned its attention on me, repeating its previous tactic and rushing toward me. Knowing my own limits, I realized I lacked Xueya’s astonishing agility. So I twisted around, greased my heels, and broke into a mad dash.

But after running only a short distance, I realized I’d made a grave mistake. The prehistoric giant lizard was the ancestor of all reptiles—the skill of running was practically invented by this creature.

It had four legs, while I had only two. Even if I scrambled on all fours, rolling and crawling, it was nothing more than a dog chasing a rabbit—a swift and inevitable defeat.

When pushed to the brink, people can unleash unimaginable potential. I lowered my head, panting desperately as I surged forward, barely maintaining a relative distance from the giant lizard behind me.

But as the saying goes, misfortune seldom comes alone. To my utter shock, a medium-sized stone suddenly appeared in my path.

When I saw the stone ahead, it was already too late to brake as I was running at full speed.

My foot struck the stone, and I instantly lost my balance, flying forward in a most undignified manner and crashing heavily to the ground.

The impact made me feel as though my internal organs were about to spill out, my whole body aching as if I’d just been beaten mercilessly.

Behind me, the giant lizard ran with its tail and rear swaying steadily, its posture as stable as a chicken. Seeing it about to pounce, I gritted my teeth, summoned all my strength, and tried to get up, but every attempt ended in failure.

The lizard’s strange roaring grew nearer and nearer. I thought, “This is it, I’m done for.” Like an ostrich burying its head in the sand at the first sign of danger, I steeled myself, closed my eyes, and lay flat, waiting for death.

“Hey, Jiang, what are you doing? Lying there with your butt in the air—are you hoping for a romantic encounter with someone?”

Such is the way of the world: until the last moment, no one knows what the outcome will be. At that most desperate instant, a familiar voice rang out.

I suddenly opened my eyes and shouted, “Yueban? You brat, is that you? Wang Yueban, is it really you?”

“Jiang, stay calm! Your closest comrade, your beloved partner, has arrived!” Wang Yueban appeared before me as though he had risen from a crack in the earth.

The sudden development seemed to bewilder the giant lizard as well. It rushed over, then executed an emergency stop not far from me, its two golden eyes wide, mouth ajar, staring at Wang Yueban and me in utter confusion.

Wang Yueban raised his hand, pointed at the giant lizard’s snout, and shouted, “Hey, little gecko, your grandpa is here! Behave yourself!”