The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in this world looked no different from the one she had seen in a documentary on television in the previous world. Both were equally awe-inspiring and magnificent, making anyone who beheld them involuntarily exclaim in wonder: was this truly a miracle created by mankind over two thousand years ago?
What she had seen on television and what she felt while standing within it were completely different experiences. At the very least, Chu Lian felt as though she had traveled through a thousand years, witnessing the Qin Dynasty of that era—the grandeur of the emperor who once ruled the world.
"You've come?" A dignified yet calm male voice sounded by Chu Lian's ear. She merely frowned at the sound but showed no other reaction.
At that moment, the teacher had already told the students where to gather, then let them disperse. Remaining by her side were only Chu Chu, Inori, and Li Xiu'er. Chu Lian noticed the meaningful look Ning Zhiyuan cast her before leaving.
"Hehe, still unchanged, I see." The voice chuckled, as if not displeased at being ignored, but even more intrigued. "So this is the you of now? Truly alike."
Chu Lian let the voice continue speaking without paying it any mind. Instead, she turned to Chu Chu and asked: "Chu Chu, do you know why, even after the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was discovered, no one dared to excavate it?"
"Big Sis, I think it's because there are a lot of mechanisms or traps inside. I'm not really sure. This isn't the kind of thing I like. I love traveling, mountains and rivers, and beautiful historical sites, but I don't love history itself." Chu Chu blinked her wide eyes blankly, not knowing why she was being asked this, and could only answer based on what she knew.
"And you, Xiu'er?" Chu Lian didn't seem to care much for Chu Chu's answer, turning instead to Li Xiu'er.
"Mm, there must be some special reasons. Even though the country is open about many things, some secrets are still strictly sealed." Li Xiu'er thought for a moment before answering.
"Inori, do you know?" Chu Lian asked again, disregarding the previous replies. Inori frowned slightly, her delicate brows knit in thought, and said uncertainly: "Every country has its deepest secrets. Perhaps this tomb holds many mysteries that have yet to be unraveled."
The world of Guilty Crown had very little in common with Chu Lian's world, but their histories before diverging still shared many similarities. And in Inori's memories, she had once heard that the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor held a mysterious power. That power was somewhat similar to the Apocalypse Virus, though not exactly the same.
Later, her planet had fallen into the trap of the Spacetime Traveling Merchant, thanks to the stubbornness of that tomb guardian, Da'ath. The entire world had been lost. Not only had countless secrets vanished, but she and her companions had also been left adrift.
Afterward, under the protection of the fusion of the world's consciousness and the mother form of the Apocalypse Virus, they traveled through countless times and spaces, until finally they were summoned to this world by some mysterious call.
The mysterious powers that Chu Lian and Chu Chu carried, along with the encounters with otherside races and alien lords, made Inori understand that this world, too, held hidden forces. And so, she answered Chu Lian based on the fragments of memory she retained.
"In truth, it is simply because this place still has its master." Chu Lian didn't respond directly to any of their words, but softly whispered this.
"Big Sis, you mean…" Chu Chu was startled. Combined with certain rumors she knew, she was immediately horrified.
"It still has its own master?" Li Xiu'er mulled over the meaning of this statement, the more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Unlike her cousin Chu Chu, she had never encountered any mysterious powers. Perhaps the only time was when Chu Lian had passed that warm energy into her when they first climbed the mountain. Thus, she had no idea what Chu Lian was referring to. Maybe her subconscious also rejected such an answer.
"Oh…" As for Inori, she had already encountered immortal beings before, so she accepted it far more easily.
What's more, in the world she once lived, Japan had endured the baptism of the Apocalypse Virus and later fell under the control of the World Alliance Army. She herself was an artificial being, born into the life of a rebel. Her opportunities to encounter such knowledge were extremely limited. That was why she had no idea what Qin Shi Huang truly meant to the people of China.
If she hadn't once heard rumors of a mysterious power within the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, she might never even have known of his existence.
"Mm." Chu Lian only gave a faint response, nothing more.
After that, Chu Lian and the others slowly wandered through the site, pausing here and there to look and study, appearing quite leisurely. After all, this was just a school trip. If not for the system, the quests, and her own circumstances, the journey should have been light and pleasant, not fraught with endless events.
After walking for a long time and seeing everything there was to see, Chu Lian went to a corner, spread out a white cloth, and sat down with her legs folded to the side. Inori followed her lead, sitting beside her, leaning lightly against her arm as she gazed across the vast expanse.
Chu Chu had no idea what the two of them were thinking, but since her big sister was already resting, she herself lost the interest to keep wandering. So she pulled along the already weary Li Xiu'er to sit with them.
The white cloth spread out to about three square meters. It was more than enough space for a few slender girls to sit together. Leaning against one another, they gradually closed their eyes and drifted into slumber.
Strangely, this place normally didn't allow such behavior, yet no one came to disturb them. It was as though no one could bear to, or perhaps they were separated by an invisible force—sharing the same world but placed in a different space, unseen by others.
"I'm here." Opening her eyes, Chu Lian saw before her a young man in a dark imperial robe, strikingly handsome. She spoke softly.
"It's been a long time. Your temper hasn't changed. Come, drink a cup with me." Seeing her appear, the man wasn't surprised. Instead, he offered her the wine in his hand with a smile.
"Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng…" Chu Lian did not take the cup of wine he handed over. She only locked eyes with him, whispering his name as if in confirmation, or perhaps as a question.
The man smiled without answering. He set the cup before her, then lifted another goblet from his table and drained it in one go. "Fine wine, rich flavor, and a beauty to accompany it—such is life's delight."
"Oh? You actually called me a beauty? Don't you know I'm only thirteen?" Chu Lian looked at herself. Her figure was the same, her voice still soft and childish. Apart from her white hanfu being replaced by a long red palace gown, there was no change. At best, she was a super-cute girl, not a beauty. That was why she asked in puzzlement.
"Haha, though years pass unnoticed in the mountains, I have witnessed the tides of history and the changes of the ages. Of course I understand your meaning. But do you know, in my time, even at ten years old, many had already become wives. At your age, most were married with children. So, in my eyes, you are indeed a beauty." The man laughed heartily, giving his explanation.
"So you mean people back then were all lolicons? Ugh, lolicons are truly detestable creatures." Chu Lian wore a look of disgust, not caring that her words insulted the man before her.
"You're not wrong to say so. But it was a chaotic age, with endless wars. Without early marriages, how could there be enough people to serve as soldiers? It was a cruel time—so cruel that people today could never adapt to it." The man did not take offense, instead sipping tea calmly as he spoke.
"I may not understand fully, nor know why, but I do know—it's an era I'd never want to live in." Chu Lian fell silent for a moment before speaking coldly.
"Have you not already lived through one?" The man chuckled leisurely. "Do not be startled. Here, in Mount Li, in Chang'an, if I wish to know, there is nothing hidden from me."
"So that means… you've also seen us when we were bathing?" Beneath the table, Chu Lian's fists clenched tight, her eyes flashing with a bewitching violet light as she waited for his reply.
"No, no, no. At that time, I was resting. I had no time to watch you. After staying in this place for so long, what beauty have I not seen? Though you are the most perfect person I've laid eyes on, your figure simply doesn't stir my interest." The man shook his head, took another sip of wine, and finally replied.
"So you really are a pervert, secretly peeping at other beauties! And what's wrong with my figure? I've got a face, a waist, legs, feet, a voice, and grace—why can't any of that spark your so-called interest?!" His earlier words were tolerable, but the latter ones made Chu Lian snap. She shot to her feet, glaring coldly into the man's eyes—eyes level with hers even while he remained seated. Her smile twisted into a sneer.
"Don't be upset. My harem had three thousand beauties of every kind—round or slender, I had them all. Why would I need to peek at anyone else? I was merely commenting on the famed beauties of different eras. That's a man's nature, not peeping." The man seemed rather amused, clearly enjoying her reaction. He swayed his head lightly, offering his explanation.
"Oh? Is that your attempt at changing the subject?" Chu Lian's voice was still as cold as ice, her gaze sharp as blades. The man was certain that if she could act here, she would already be chasing him down with a weapon.
"Ahem, someone as perfect as you couldn't possibly lack a figure. What I said just now was merely a slip of the tongue. Don't be angry, don't be angry." Weighing the pros and cons, the man knew if he spoke the truth, things would turn ugly. So he cast aside his imperial pride and admitted fault bluntly.
"I knew you must have misspoken." The instant he said that, the ice on Chu Lian's face melted like snow beneath the sun. She smiled gently, elegantly sat back down, picked up the wine cup before the altar, and without a thought, drained it in one go.
"Eh? Why do I feel a little drunk?" The moment the wine entered her throat, Chu Lian knew something was wrong. Her constitution was one that couldn't handle alcohol at all. Yet the wine he had given her was the finest under heaven. Even though the cup was less than ten milliliters, downing it in one swallow left her dizzy. Her body swayed, and she could only press a hand against the table to keep from collapsing.
"Ah, you truly resemble the you of back then, the Overlord of Western Chu…" Watching Chu Lian's adorable drunken state, the man seemed to recall something, his voice filled with emotion.
"What did you say?" Chu Lian glanced at him in confusion, but at last she couldn't hold on. Her body slackened, and she slumped to the floor, drunk and unconscious…