Chapter 40

The workers who received the gold ingots were overjoyed, each of them beaming with delight. They bit the gold to test its authenticity, wiped it clean with their clothes, and then happily put it away. Some clutched it tightly, staring at it as if afraid it would vanish, while others placed it in their pockets, cupping their hands around it, almost as if they were about to announce to everyone that they had something good in their pockets.

Seeing the workers' tense expressions, Lin Xiao found it amusing. He had not been too concerned about this unexpected wealth, and had distributed the gold ingots with the mindset that sharing joy was better than keeping it to oneself. Witnessing the various reactions was worth the price of admission.

Turning around, he saw He Pingji still in a daze, staring at the cutlery as if he were a statue. Lin Xiao mischievously took out his phone and, unnoticed, secretly took numerous photos from different angles.

Ha ha ha, what would Brother He's reaction be when he saw these photos? Lin Xiao chuckled to himself, finding it quite amusing. This mindset quickly took over, and he began to find amusement in the crowd. "Uncle, your expression is great; you're almost laughing so hard you'll lose your teeth. With a voiceover about a pie falling from the sky, I wonder if it would make people laugh. Hey, young man, you're drooling already. Stop daydreaming and wipe it off. You're still young; be careful, or someone might think you need to be taken to a mental hospital."

Lin Xiao was the only one thoroughly enjoying himself, moving around and taking photos of the rare moments with his phone.

As time passed, the people who had been absorbed in their own worlds by the gold slowly came to their senses. However, Lin Xiao had already finished his photography and was quietly enjoying himself on the side.

Seeing everyone come to their senses, Lin Xiao loudly addressed the crowd, "This treasure is just a surprise to me. The gold is not essential; it merely satisfies my desire to explore and discover. That's why I gave everyone a gold ingot, but with one condition: I don't want to see any fighting over it. If that happens, I'll confiscate all the gold. Do you understand?"

"Understood," the response was louder than any slogan, even surpassing the enthusiasm of the soldiers. It was a powerful and moving response.

Lin Xiao had the confidence to say this because his martial prowess far exceeded that of the workers combined. He had nothing to worry about.

Turning to He Pingji, he said, "Brother He, don't look so eager. Since there are three sets of cutlery, I'll keep two—one for collection and one for personal use—and give you the last set. How's that? I'm treating you well, right?"

"Really? Good kid, you truly live up to being my sister's brother. You're so good to me. I've always wanted to collect a set of silver cutlery, but they're either too expensive or fake, so I've never been able to fulfill my wish," He Pingji said, delighted.

"Alright, don't be too formal. Just have someone come and take the set away later. Let's continue to the next chamber," Lin Xiao said as he walked.

The group approached the last chamber, and Lin Xiao didn't hesitate, kicking the door open with one foot.

A musty smell hit them, and the young man who was the first to explore recoiled at the sight of many rusted swords and skeletons, fleeing without a second glance.

"Cough, cough, cough," the crowd was choked by the dust, covering their mouths and coughing violently.

Everyone except Lin Xiao and a few at the back was affected, the room filled with coughing.

After the dust settled, the chamber was fully revealed. It was several times larger than the previous two, with rows of wooden racks holding swords and knives.

The most striking feature was the twenty or so skeletons in armor, divided into two groups. They had died from being pierced by several swords and knives. The two most prominent skeletons, likely leaders, were still standing, with swords through their vital organs. They had died standing, a testament to their courage, though their identities remained unknown.

The rest lay in various positions, starkly contrasting with the two standing skeletons. Each fallen skeleton had multiple swords or knives embedded in them, a testament to the brutal battle.

The skeletons were encased in armor, some of which had separated from their bodies due to the weight of the helmets. The hollow skulls, visible through the helmets, were eerie, resembling scenes from horror movies, but this was real.

However, after the experience with the gold, Lin Xiao's group did not show fear. Some of the bolder ones even went up to touch the skeletons, a testament to the power of the crowd. People are social animals; in a group, fear is lessened, but alone, one must be cautious of one's own heartbeat.

After examining the skeletons, Lin Xiao's group moved to the wooden racks holding the swords and knives. The weapons were heavily rusted, their former sharpness long gone. Time, it seemed, was the greatest killer, turning once-prized items into scrap.

After a thorough inspection, they found nothing else. This chamber was likely a weapons storage. They decided to preserve its original appearance and, if possible, notify a few archaeology professors to examine it. Lin Xiao entrusted this task to He Pingji, ensuring it did not interfere with the construction.

This was private land, and the items found belonged to Lin Xiao, a fact that was undisputed.

The small adventure was coming to an end. The workers, uninterested in the third chamber filled with swords and knives, had already dispersed, happily storing their gold ingots.

He Pingji, with a lot of work to do, also bid farewell to Lin Xiao and hurried away. The vast treasure was now left to Lin Xiao, the supervisor, and the site manager. Lin Xiao found a reason to send them away and then returned to the first two chambers.

He first made sure no one was around before moving the remaining two sets of cutlery and a dozen gold ingots. Of course, he did not forget the wine cellar. Wine improves with age, and the fact that it was still sealed, preventing the aroma from escaping, indicated that it was likely a fine vintage from ancient times.

He quickly moved everything into his spatial storage, then clapped his hands and smiled in satisfaction.

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