I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

Chapter 46 There's one more underwater

Gu Wantang said there was a sound behind the wall.

Lin Ye held the phone, but his first question wasn't about who was on the other end.

"Did you turn on the lights?"

There was a pause on the other end of the phone.

"no."

Lin Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But as soon as he breathed a sigh of relief, it got stuck in his chest again.

If there's someone behind the wall, how can you rescue them without turning on the lights?

If there's something behind the wall, turning on the light might cause trouble.

But neither of these two possibilities seems fake.

It was very quiet on Gu Wantang's side, with only the sound of footsteps and the soft clatter of metal tools hitting the ground.

She said, "The maintenance workers heard the noise and stopped. The local police officer and Attorney Shen were there, recording the scene, and we won't break down the wall for now."

"Is there still any sound?"

"have."

As soon as she finished speaking, a very soft sound came from the other end of the phone.

笃.

The sound was soft, but it was real.

Like knuckles tapping on a thin wooden board.

Uncle Zhao leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"Is there really someone?"

Lin Ye didn't answer.

He stared at the few lines of text on the notebook.

There's wind inside the wall.

It's empty at the back.

Knock once, it makes a sound.

Don't turn on the lights.

It cracked after being photographed.

The words on the nameless tomb seem to have been soaked in water; not a single sentence is complete, yet not a single one sounds like random ramblings.

Lin Ye looked at the words "There's wind inside the wall" and suddenly asked, "Is there a ventilation opening in the tool shed?"

Gu Wantang did not answer immediately.

She turned to the person next to her and asked in a very low voice.

"Check the garage ventilation ducts."

I heard the sound of several people walking around over there.

After a while, she replied to him: "There is a section of ventilation pipe on the ceiling of the tool shed. The seal is fake. The pipe is connected to the wall."

Lin Ye sat up a little straighter.

"A breeze is coming in."

"Um."

"That knocking sound may not necessarily be from a person."

Uncle Zhao frowned.

"What is that?"

Lin Ye looked at the anti-floating bottle on the table.

Artificial flowers were stuck at the mouth of the vase, their colors ridiculously bright.

"There might be something inside the wall that's being shaken by the wind."

He said, "Wooden boxes, metal buckles, and hanging plates can all make noise."

There was a two-second silence on Gu Wantang's end.

"clear."

She didn't ask any more questions.

The call wasn't disconnected.

Lin Ye heard her instructing the site: "Use low-brightness lights, don't shine a flashlight directly on it. Take pictures of the exterior wall first. Mark the locations of hollow spots. Make the inspection holes small, and don't touch anything inside."

As these words were relayed, Lin Ye felt somewhat at ease.

At least it wasn't a group of people surrounding a wall and smashing it down with a hammer.

Ning Zhi's message popped up.

Jiang Cheng's car did not enter Genting Bay.

It was parked at the intersection outside.

The man in the black mask went inside.

My colleague couldn't get a picture of the inside; he could only take a picture of the entrance.

The photos followed.

A silver-gray minivan was parked on the side of the road outside Genting Bay.

Window tinting.

Jiang Cheng remained seated in the car, without getting out.

The man who got off the bus has disappeared.

Lin Ye forwarded the photos to Tao Shuang.

Tao Shuang glanced at it once, and her face darkened.

"Does Genting Bay have a second entrance?"

Gu Wantang overheard it on the other end of the phone.

"There is a fire exit, and the property management staff have already gone through."

Lin Ye asked, "Could that man be Liu Jiankun?"

"uncertain."

Gu Wantang's voice turned cold.

"But the fact that Jiang Cheng didn't get out of the car means that the person who went in was more suitable to handle things inside."

After he said that, no one answered in the guard booth.

Jiang Cheng is preparing documents.

Gu Mingyuan spoke.

Liu Jiankun runs errands.

The chain that Grandpa Gu mentioned before has now resurfaced in the water like an old rope.

Three years ago, this rope dragged Liu Changhai to his death.

Today, they finally managed to get a little hold on the other end of the rope.

3:12.

Gu Wantang's side finally started to move the wall.

She didn't let the repairman disassemble it directly.

The property management first confirmed that the wall was not a load-bearing wall, the local police officer filmed a video nearby, and Attorney Shen recorded a video from the side with his phone. The repairman only drilled a thumb-width inspection hole in the corner of the wall.

Gu Wantang sent a video.

The screen is very dark.

The lamp was covered with a white cloth, and the light was as dim as on a cloudy day.

As the camera zoomed in on the cave entrance, it was initially completely dark inside.

A few seconds later, a piece of metal can be seen.

The thing hung on the side of the wooden frame, swaying gently in the wind coming from the ventilation duct.

笃.

It rang again.

not human.

Uncle Zhao let out a long sigh.

"That scared the hell out of me."

Lin Ye, however, did not relax.

Just because someone isn't human doesn't mean everything is alright.

If the place behind the wall is indeed where things are hidden, then the trouble will only be greater.

The video shook again.

The camera zoomed in a little.

There is a wooden frame inside.

Next to the wooden frame was an old wooden box.

A half-piece of iron buckle was hanging from the corner of the box.

The sound we just heard was from it crashing into something.

Gu Wantang sent a message.

There is a hidden compartment behind the wall.

One wooden crate, two black rolling suitcases, and one canvas bag.

Do not move for now.

Lin Ye looked at the screen, his palms slightly damp.

It was at this moment that Grandpa Gu's voice rang out.

It's very quiet in the East District.

His voice wasn't loud, as if it slowly seeped out from the earth.

"Gu Mingyuan is the best at using shiny things to blind people."

Boss Wei immediately asked, "What's that shiny thing?"

Grandpa Gu ignored him.

"Money and gold are displayed outside. Whoever goes in, their eyes will look at that first."

Old Li perked up.

"How much will that cost?"

Grandma Zhao said softly, "Old Li, you certainly had your hands on money when you were alive."

Old Li snorted.

After a moment, Old Master Gu continued, "Don't put the tent up there."

Lin Ye lowered his head.

"Where's the account?" Boss Wei asked.

Grandpa Gu said, "Keep it at the bottom."

Lin Ye wrote in his notebook:

Money blinds them.

The tent is at the bottom.

He didn't relay the exact words, but only sent Gu Wantang a judgment.

Don't get distracted by cash and gold bars.

Look for the bottom layer, inner layer, and bottom board of the bag/box.

Gu Wantang didn't ask why.

Only reply:

receive.

3:18.

A small section of the false wall has been removed.

The repairman cut along the edge of the back wall bit by bit, moving very slowly.

The video cut out twice.

When the message came for the third time, a corner of the space behind the wall was finally revealed.

The hidden compartment wasn't large, but it was a bit deeper than a regular storage room.

A moisture-proof board was placed on the ground.

There were two black suitcases on the left.

In the middle is an old military green canvas bag.

At the very back, against the wall, stood a wooden box.

The wooden box wasn't properly sealed; only a small piece of red paper was stuck to the corner.

Before opening the suitcase, we took photos of its appearance and location.

The police officer wore gloves, Attorney Shen stood beside him recording the video, and the property management staff retreated outside the door.

The first suitcase was opened.

It contains cash.

They were stacked in bundles.

Both the old and new versions are available.

Some were sealed with bank seals, while others were simply wrapped with rubber bands.

The second suitcase contained small gold bars.

Each piece was wrapped in a transparent plastic bag, stuffed full.

Uncle Zhao watched with wide eyes.

"This is fucking..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

It's not that I'm afraid anyone will hear.

The portion was so substantial that it made my throat dry.

Lin Ye was also startled.

But with Old Master Gu's words preceding them, the cash and gold bars didn't seem so appealing anymore.

Money blinds them.

The tent is at the bottom.

He sent Gu Wantang a message:

Let's not count it yet.

Look at the bottom.

Gu Wantang replied:

The location has been fixed.

The police took photos first.

Next, the military green canvas bag was pulled open.

There was no money inside.

It's a stack of documents.

Kraft paper bags, old contracts, photocopies of receipts, and several account books.

The corners of the account book were badly worn, and the cover was yellowed.

The first book's cover reads:

A17 Maintenance Expenses.

The second book is written as follows:

Temporary exhibition transfer fee.

The third book is a black hardcover notebook with no title.

Lin Ye stared at the words "temporary exhibition transfer fee," and his heart tightened instantly.

Qingcheng Museum.

Temporary exhibition to be dismantled or replaced.

Red tokens can be exchanged for white tokens.

Hongyun Cold Chain.

These words finally collided.

Gu Wantang called.

Lin Ye picked up.

She said in a low voice, "The account has been found."

"How many?"

"Three books. Also, contracts, receipts, cash, and gold bars."

"Where's the wooden crate?"

"Not open."

"Don't open it yet."

"Know."

Gu Wantang paused for a moment.

"The first page of the ledger bears Liu Jiankun's signature. The copy of the contract contains records of Jiang Cheng's involvement. Gu Mingyuan did not sign directly, but several payments were made through shell companies under his control."

Lin Ye did not speak immediately.

Uncle Zhao, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but ask, "Surely they'll catch them this time?"

Tao Shuang glanced at him indifferently.

"The chain of evidence won't be that quick."

Uncle Zhao disagreed.

"The money's all hidden inside the wall, what's the rush?"

"The money won't reveal who put it there."

Uncle Zhao choked.

After a few seconds, he said in a low voice, "That's true."

Lin Ye didn't interrupt.

He stared at the account book photos that Gu Wantang had sent him.

One of the pages was turned.

The photo wasn't very clear, but you could make out a few lines of text.

Hongyun Cold Chain.

A17.

Qingdao Museum Temporary Exhibition.

Container number.

The next part is a string of numbers.

Only the first half of the number was photographed.

QBM-17...

Lin Ye zoomed in on the picture.

He didn't recognize the prefix, so he forwarded it directly to Lu Zhixia.

Lu Zhixia replied after more than ten seconds.

This doesn't look like a shipping container number.

It's more like the circulation number of old collections from the Qingdao Museum.

Lin Ye's heart sank.

She sent another message:

Let Gu Wantang take the complete number.

Don't open the box.

Lin Ye changed the subject.

Gu Wantang quickly sent a clearer photo.

The page in the ledger reads:

QBM-17-0429.

Note at the end:

The Mountain and Sea Night Banquet, a bronze zun with animal mask design, is a substitute.

Lin Ye stared at the last word, "substitute".

Lu Zhixia called directly.

It's very noisy over there; she's probably still outside the side gate of the Qingdao Museum.

"This is not the shipping container number."

Lin Ye asked, "Is it the exhibit number?"

"right."

Lu Zhixia speaks very quickly.

"QBM is the prefix for a batch of early collections of the Qingdao Museum. 17 may correspond to an old numbering sequence within the museum. If I'm not mistaken, 0429 points to the bronze artifacts category."

Lin Ye asked, "The one in the display case?"

Lu Zhixia did not answer immediately.

After a two-second pause, she said, "If the account book is genuine, the bronze beast-faced zun currently on display at the Qingdao Museum is very likely a substitute."

Lin Ye looked towards the western district.

The long-interrupted sentence about the nameless tomb seems to have finally been half-finished.

The one in the display case is fake.

fake.

Don't take it away.

He asked, "Really?"

Lu Zhixia lowered her voice.

"It might be on A17."

Lin Ye looked at the video screenshots sent by Gu Wantang.

The wooden box in the hidden compartment leaned against the corner of the wall.

A red seal was still visible on the corner of the box.

News of Gu Wantang also arrived.