False evidence

Chapter 179 Nightmare Strikes
Xiao Shen San found a rag and wiped all the gold, silver, and jewels clean. Seeing the mountain of wealth piled on the table, he couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
"Would you call this making a fortune?"

Pidan immediately said, "The stuff belongs to Uncle Cheng's family. Even if they get rich, it won't be your turn."

She turned to me and said, "Should we call Uncle Cheng and tell him?"

I was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously shook my head, went inside to get my backpack, and stuffed all my things inside.

"Don't tell Uncle Cheng about this for now, and definitely don't tell Sister Ling."

Pidan frowned upon hearing this, but knowing my character, she didn't say anything more.

Xiao Shen San, however, asked with a stern face, "What? You're tempted by the money? Want to keep it all for yourself?"

Lu Zelin countered on my behalf: "All these things combined don't seem to be as expensive as Mao Zangjin's birdcage, do they?"

I patted him on the shoulder, pointed to the 'small stove' and asked, "What exactly is going on?"

Lu Zelin thought for a moment and said, "When I said that I was half in the same profession as the person who built this 'furnace for the dead,' I didn't mean that he was a tomb raider. On the contrary, I was a tomb raider, while the person who built this 'furnace for the dead' specialized in building tombs for people."

The most important thing in constructing a tomb is to ensure it is sturdy and won't collapse. This requires expertise in the tomb's structure, the bricks, and the rammed earth. The inner walls and brick joints of this "death furnace" weren't made with ordinary mortar, but with a mixture of glutinous rice paste and toad blood!

Pidan gagged as he listened: "Who uses toad blood and mud?"

Lu Zelin said, "The mud mixed with glutinous rice paste was almost as good as modern cement. The toad blood mixed in was actually a mechanism to prevent tomb raiding."

Everything has its natural enemy. Using toad blood to tampe the soil around a tomb will attract a large number of snakes to build nests nearby! Any inexperienced bandit who tries to raid the tomb could easily be bitten to death by these venomous snakes!

Shen San pointed to my backpack: "And what about all this gold and silver jewelry?"

Lu Zelin pointed to the 'small stove' and said, "This stove is called the 'Dead Man's Stove,' but it's actually for the living. However, it's not for late-night snacks; it's a mechanism specifically used to hide valuables."

As I just mentioned, the chimney was originally blocked because when the stove was built, there was a special structure near the chimney opening where a pair of rare venomous snakes were placed!

Those venomous snakes are incredibly resilient and possess potent venom; they are the guardians of treasure, hiding valuables within them!

"Wait a minute!" Pidan couldn't help but interrupt him, "This house has been built for at least several decades. No matter how strong a snake's vitality is, how could it live for so long?"

I've figured it out. "Silly woman, didn't you see those birds on the roof just now?"

“Yes!” Lu Zelin nodded. “The chimney opening and its accessories contain a special medicine. If the medicine is mixed purely, its effects will not dissipate for one or two hundred years. This will continuously attract birds to build their nests here.”

He pointed to the furnace again: "Snakes are afraid of smoke. When exposed to smoke, the venomous snakes inside the mechanism become agitated and will push out the hidden treasures. The reason it is called the 'dead man's furnace' is because unsuspecting people see treasures falling out of the chimney and, out of greed, will try to be clever and keep adding smoke. In the end, the venomous snakes will have no choice but to break through the mechanism and fall down. Even in their dying moments, they will deliver a fatal blow!"

A chill ran down my spine as I listened, yet I was puzzled: "This 'death furnace' looks no different from an ordinary stove. Wouldn't someone who doesn't know any better easily discover something amiss?"

"Guess why this stove has three layers? A stove is for cooking, so who would light a fire on the top layer? The bottom layer uses another flue inside the wall, so it has nothing to do with the top layer!"

With a sigh, Xiao Shen asked me, "If Fang Cheng is an ordinary person, then who is the owner of this house?"

"I'll find a chance to ask him after Sister Ling recovers from her injuries."

My phone vibrated as soon as I said something.

The call connected, and Meng Chao's sobbing voice immediately came through the receiver: "Sanqi... I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..."

My heart sank: "What's wrong? Don't cry! Speak properly!"

"Uncle Cheng... Uncle Cheng is gone..."

……

In the hospital, everyone stood silently and solemnly in front of the hospital bed covered with a white sheet.

Uncle Cheng is dead.

He died without warning, shortly before I received Meng Chao's call.

The doctor said it was a sudden myocardial infarction. Meng Chao was right next to him at the time, but he still couldn't be saved.

Uncle Cheng was eventually sent to the morgue.

During this period, my mind was in a state of chaos and utter confusion.

The scene when I first met Uncle Cheng;
From initially being constantly on guard against my intentions towards Fang Ling, to later showing her fatherly care;

I thought back to what he said to me at lunchtime; it seemed like he had a premonition and was telling me what his last wishes were.

I felt increasingly confused. As I walked, it felt like I was stepping on cotton. Suddenly, my feet went soft, and then I knew nothing more.

When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed.

Pidan and Pidan's mom stayed by my side.

The bright sunshine outside the window told me that it was already the next morning.

Pidan told me, "Sister Ling has been transferred to a regular ward. Her condition is stable. She... doesn't know about Uncle Cheng yet."

The ward door opened, and Meng Chao walked in carrying two plastic bags. "Twenty-one, I bought breakfast. Eat it while it's hot..."

Before he could finish speaking, I shouted, "Go! Go away!"

Meng Chao put down his breakfast, lowered his head, and said in a tearful voice, "I'm sorry..."

I shook my head: "I'm not blaming you, this has nothing to do with you, you've already done very well. But... I don't have the energy to explain to you right now. Just listen to me, go back to school first. Don't contact me during this time, and definitely don't come to Sanfen Street to look for me. I'll call you back later... after I've finished what I'm doing."

Meng Chao paused for a moment, nodded, and turned to leave. Then, as if he had thought of something, he turned back and walked up to me, took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to me: "As soon as I arrived, Uncle Cheng asked me to buy envelopes and stationery. This is for you. He said that no one but you can see it."

After Meng Chao left, Pidan's mother said softly, "Child, don't think too much about it. Your health is the most important thing. Be good, have some breakfast first."

"Auntie, thank you, I'm alright now."

Even though I say that, I still feel lingering fear when I think about the terrifying scenes in my dream.

I asked Pidan, "Has Mengniu ever met Fang Ling?"

"I don't know. You fainted, and I was in a panic too. Fang Ling was probably transferred to a regular ward around that time. I..."

I sat up abruptly.

"what happened?"

"We absolutely cannot let Meng Chao and Fang Ling meet, otherwise..."

Realizing that Pidan's mom was nearby, I didn't say anything more.

After checking the time, I ate breakfast with the mother and daughter first.

After Pidan's mom left, I immediately picked up my phone and called Liping. I was relieved to learn that Meng Chao had returned to school.

After hanging up with Li Ping, I hesitated for a moment, then dialed another number.

Yes, I had dreams again while I was in a coma.

The scene I dreamt of was extremely bloody.

In the dream, the one who committed the bloodshed was none other than Meng Chao!

Uncle Cheng's death, and the entire content of the dream, left me in utter confusion.

Now, I need to find a clear-headed, yet not illiterate person like Shen San who occasionally has sudden whims, to help me analyze things...

(End of this chapter)