Tomb Raider: I Am Hu Bayi's Cousin

Chapter 611 The Real Passage!

It's worth mentioning that, whether out of the designer's quirky sense of humor or necessity, the passageway in front of us is extremely narrow and low, barely wide enough for one person to crawl forward.

"This hole is way too low! Do we really have to go through here?"

Young Li Cu, straightforward and outspoken, expressed his disdain.

Indeed, the passage before us was far worse than the one we had passed through before!
If the previous passage was a four-lane highway, then the passage in front of us is a narrow and cramped alley, or even worse!
This metaphor is not an exaggeration at all; in fact, it is slightly inadequate.

"There are plenty of empty spaces on the walls around here. If you want to stay, I won't stop you. There are plenty of beds for you to lie down in."

Hu Ming pointed to the square dents, about half a meter deep, that were scattered all over the wall and said casually.

With that, Hu Ming went inside without looking back.

Now it's too late to talk about going back the way we came. The way back has been completely blocked, and there is no way to retreat. There is no choice but to take this uncertain passage.

Although Li Chu was somewhat rebellious, he was also a quick-witted and intelligent person who clearly recognized this point.

Subconsciously glancing back at Wu Xie, and receiving an encouraging look, Li Chu took a deep breath and followed Hu Ming inside.

Heaven knows what Wu Xie and Li Cu talked about before, but now Li Cu clearly regards Wu Xie as a pillar of support.

Although Li Cu was brought here by Wu Xie...

Perhaps this is one manifestation of the so-called "Stockholm Syndrome"?
Hu Ming gave Li Chu, who was following closely behind him, a strange look, but didn't say anything.

Hu Ming knew that Wu Xie was meticulous and liked this young man very much. Li Chu was also very similar to the young Wu Xie!
In terms of understanding others as one would oneself and communicating with them from the heart, Wu Xie likely possesses unique skills in psychological counseling, which is not something he can easily replicate.

……

"This"

Apart from Hu Ming and Wu Xie, who had expected it, everyone stared in astonishment at the layout of the main hall that appeared before them.

It's practically identical... no, it's not just unsuitable, it's downright identical!
Aside from the cardinal directions, the internal layout is exactly the same as the previous Qingliang Hall!!!
Everything inside, including the jade walls and the locked stone box surrounded by four bird-beaked elephants in the center, was meticulously crafted.
Hu Ming clicked his tongue and walked up to the stone box under the strange looks of the others, stroking it with one hand.

None of the people who have survived to this day are fools!!!
Hu Ming's ability to conjure and vanish knives out of thin air had already aroused suspicion among the crowd...

Clearly, there was a reason why the box that Lao Cheng had opened earlier was empty.
"As I said... the structure here is a complete mirror image of the previous main hall, in other words..."

"Get ready..."

Hu Ming glanced around and saw that the group had instinctively stood on the wooden planks along the central axis. He smiled strangely, and then a black blade appeared out of thin air, swiftly severing the lock in two!
Upon seeing this, everyone's expressions tightened, and they stood neatly and efficiently beside Hu Ming, right in the very center!
Boom!!!
Sure enough, the next moment, the main hall began to collapse!!
Amidst the swirling dust, the main hall was instantly riddled with cracks the size of fists, and countless pebbles and tiles began to fall.

Before long, the enormous Mirror Cool Palace completely self-destructed. "...Tsk, it really is empty. Hu Ming, don't you have anything to say?"

After regaining her balance, Su Nan looked at the stone box she had carefully preserved. Sure enough, it was empty. With a strange expression, Su Nan looked at Hu Ming.

Once could be a coincidence, but twice... well, that's hard to say!
Surely we can't say the owner of this place was so stingy as to use an empty box to fool future generations and themselves, can we?
Who would believe that if I told them?
As for the collapse of Qingliang Hall, they had already experienced it once, so they were relatively calm.

"How so? Maybe the owner of this place is actually a penniless wretch?"

"I've rarely seen anything like this. To be able to build such a magnificent underground palace, the owner must have been incredibly poor. Did he use all his savings to build it?"

Hu Ming looked at Su Nan with a genuinely bewildered expression.

"Third-rate acting, ninth-rate dialogue!"

Li Chu, the least scheming among them, spoke for everyone.

"I always thought my acting skills were amazing, and that if I went into acting, I could easily become a top star!"

Hu Ming grinned, completely unconcerned about this.

Even if they realize something, what good will it do?
Where's the evidence!?
Sir, it's the 21st century now. Everything needs to be based on evidence. Fabricated charges won't work!
"...Let's end this boring talk here. We've been down here for a long time, it's about time to get down to business!"

Wu Xie sighed and rubbed his forehead, quickly bringing the topic back on track.

"That's right, Guan Gen—no, Wu Xie is right. All these arrangements here mean that what I want is right in front of me!"

"Professor Hu, you said this is a mirror structure, in other words, the path to the real tomb is right there, isn't it?"

As they got closer to their destination, Mr. Ma became increasingly unable to control himself. With Eleven's support, he excitedly looked at the direction obscured by the seesaw.

"Oh!!!"

Hu Ming chuckled lightly, his face expressionless.

Miraculous objects that can give disabled people a new lease on life do exist, but...

A ruined royal tomb in the desert?
That's not how you do it in a daydream.

However, Hu Ming had no intention of being a good person.

As always, Hu Ming used the same method to send everyone into the path below the seesaw.

The different structures are finally here!!!
The passage here is a rough excavation from the underground rock strata, without any superfluous embellishment, simple and crude.