Somewhere deep in the distant mountains, the wind blows through craggy cliffs, with biting chills that cut through even the thickest jackets. Lin Yuhan let out a shivering sigh while adjusting her backpack straps, her boots crunching over loose stones as she stepped down from the jeep that brought her to the excavation site.
She has dreamed of this exact moment for years. And now, she's finally there, at a site that might reveal secrets of the legendary Xuanyuan Empire. Her pulse quickened with anticipation.
"Yuhan! Over here!"
A familiar voice broke through the chilling wind. Then the mist revealed a familiar figure, a pale-looking boy around her age with thick glasses, smiling widely to welcome her. Jin Wei ran towards her, nearly tripping over a rock in his clumsy steps. His short, dark hair was messy, his cheek flushed amid the cold weather, but his face gleamed with excitement. "I can't believe you're finally here! You're going to love this place! Just wait until you see what we've already discovered!"
Yuhan couldn't help but smile at her friend's unrestrained enthusiasm. The two had been friends since childhood, both sharing dreams of becoming top archaeologists. Well, mostly her dream. Jin Wei had followed along, devoted, loyal, always a step behind her brilliance. Sometimes she wondered if he had other reasons for staying by her side.
"Be very careful! It's very slippery here. Try not to fall into a crevice before the professor sees you," he warned her gently.
Soon, they reached their destination. The small team gathered under a large tent at the entrance of the excavation site. The fabric flapped in the cold mountain breeze, as if welcoming the two best friends as they went inside.
Inside the dark tent, which was lit only by a few oil lanterns, it smelled faintly of muddy earth, charcoal, and old parchment. Professor Chen, a man in his fifties with sharp eyes and a calm demeanor, was already addressing the group.
"Lin Yuhan, glad you can finally join us," he said with a nod. "Welcome to the Xuanyuan Excavation Site. This project may very well redefine our understanding of the Xuanyuan Empire," he said excitedly. He had been delighted that his most brilliant student, who had been enthusiastic about the Xuanyuan legend, had finally joined his team. When Yuhan approached him with the ancient scripture she had found from the archive building, he had initially doubted it, thinking that the newly discovered scripture was just a myth or, at most, a folk tale, as there was no evidence of the Xuanyuan kingdom's existence in the history books. However, after further research and his student's countless nagging, he had finally concluded that the folk tale might be a true story after all.
He pointed at the surrounding rocky hills. "According to historical texts, the Xuanyuan Empire was once a mighty kingdom, ruled by Emperor Yuan Ren. He was known as a wise and benevolent ruler, bringing Xuanyuan to its most prosperous era." He said in admiration, "Records state that Emperor Yuan Ren ruled for a few decades until he finally died, leaving the kingdom to his adopted son. Unfortunately, a catastrophic disaster buried the kingdom a few years after that, and much of its location was lost to legend."
Professor Chen then paused, pulling out an old map and several relics from a small wooden box. "We've found artifacts that confirm these legends. Today, we hope to uncover more, perhaps even parts of the kingdom or other treasures that survived the centuries.
Yuhan leaned forward, captivated. Smiling as she checked the relics her professor showed her. "Do you think the emperor's tomb, his final resting place, might be somewhere around here?"
Professor Chen shook his head. "We don't know for sure. That's why we need to explore more."
After finalizing their excavation plan, Professor Chen then divided the team into smaller groups. Yuhan and Jin Wei, along with two other students, were assigned to explore one of the recently uncovered caves.
"Yuhan, you and Jin Wei can try to explore this site. However, be very cautious as this cave appears fragile, and many passages were untouched until a recent earthquake revealed them. Therefore, I do not want you to venture deep into the cave. Instead, just study the entrance area and report your findings. I have contacted a cave expert, and once they arrive, we can determine if the cave is safe enough for us to explore further."
The two students nodded in confirmation, stating, 'We understood, Professor."
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The professor was right. The cave's entrance was narrow, jagged, and covered with vines, making the entrance almost invisible.
As they stepped inside, the air grew cool and damp, carrying the musty scent of stone and earth. Yuhan instructed her team to light up the torch they carried, and shadows started to flicker across the cave walls.
"Whoa..." Jin Wei muttered, eyes wide in wonder. "It's like no one has been here for hundreds of years."
"450 years to be exact," Yuhan smiled, showing off her knowledge of the legendary kingdom. She had been obsessed with this kingdom for months, not knowing why she was so drawn to it ever since she found the ancient scripture.
As they ventured deeper, the wide passage narrowed into a dimly lit way. They moved slowly, carefully picking their way over uneven ground. The cave walls were covered with streaks of minerals, and faint carvings appeared in some places. Yuhan carefully observed this possibly ancient marking with curiosity and excitement.
The first discovery came after she touched the wall, feeling a slight, sharp bump that revealed a crumbling pottery shard, etched with unfamiliar characters. Yuhan brought her torch closer to examine it, tracing the markings with her fingers. "This... might be ceremonial. Definitely part of Xuanyuan craftsmanship," she said.
The team paused, marveling at the shard. But a subtle tremor rattled the ground, causing dust to fall from the ceiling, and they realized they may have been too far from the entrance area and too deep into the cave, where they had promised not to go.
"Maybe we should go back," one of the students whispered fearfully.
Yuhan hesitated at first, but shook her head. "No. The placement of these shards… they're pointing toward something deeper. We can't leave now."
The path became narrower, forcing them to crawl over jagged stones. They came upon the second discovery: a small human skeleton, partially buried under the rubble. One of the other students whimpered and took a step back as he accidentally stepped over the remains.
"Is..is that.." she stammered. "This is too much. We should leave!"
Yuhan shook her head. "No. Look at the arrangement—the bones, the pottery shards—they're pointing to something deeper. We can't leave yet."
Yuhan glanced at Jin Wei. He hesitated, "I think we have come too deep into the cave," he finally said quietly. "Professor Chen warned us that this is too dangerous. I think we should go back."
The remaining students agreed. "I can't do this. I'm going back." Before Yuhan could argue, they crawled back toward the cave entrance.
With a low groan, the third student followed. Within moments, only Yuhan and Jin Wei remained in the dimly lit passage.
"Yuhan, let's go back," he said, trying to persuade his eager friend.
"No, I have come this far, I can't go back now," she stubbornly insisted, "you can go back if you want, but I'm staying."
Torn between caution and loyalty, Jin Wei let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll stay," he unwillingly agreed, "but please be careful," he pleaded once again
The path narrowed again. The third sign came as the cave trembled again beneath them. Dust fell from the ceiling, and a subtle rumble shook the ground. The torchlight revealed a small jade pendant, nearly blackened with age. Yuhan held it up carefully. "It's exquisite… Whoever lived here must have been wealthy."
Yuhan's gaze never wavered. "We're almost there. Don't turn back now. Follow the clues."
They continued, stepping over the debris and navigating tight passages. The ground began to tremble again, slightly stronger this time. Dust kept falling from the ceiling.
Yuhan knew her friend was still frightened and unsure. "We're so close, Jin Wei. Look at the clues we've found. This is leading somewhere important."
He hesitated, weighing the risk. But in the end, he stayed rooted. "Alright… I'm staying. But promise me you'll be careful," again, he tirelessly reminds her.
At last, the passage ended in a narrow wall, with no apparent way forward. It seemed they had come to a dead end. But as they finally thought their venture might come to an end, Yuhan's sharp eyes noticed a tiny crack above the wall.
"There's a crack ahead!" she exclaimed, approaching the new finding. The crack was barely large enough for a person to squeeze through.
"Be careful!" Jin Wei cried out in desperation.
She reached out her hand to test it gently. Her fingers slipped into the hollow wall, and she felt cold air. "I think there's a room inside."
Yuhan examined it carefully, then turned to Jin Wei. "I can fit, but you can't. Wait for me outside!" she whispered commandingly.
"You're crazy!" Jin Wei opened his mouth, hesitated, but then nodded. "Be careful." Worry furrowed his brow.
With determination, Yuhan carefully crawled through the small opening. The torchlight she carried revealed a hidden chamber, graced with a view unlike anything she had seen or imagined. Gold-painted vases, jade jewelry, and gilded carved relics littered the floor. Her heart raced with excitement.
"This... this is incredible!" she exclaimed, stepping even further in.
But then, another tremor shook the ground. Even stronger than they had experienced before. Stones shifted, more dust fell from the ceiling, and the crack through which she had passed began to close. Yuhan froze. The chamber, once a promising discovery, now felt like a trap.
The faint rumble of the mountain seemed to echo through the walls. She jolted into realization - the entrance had sealed itself.