#498 - Chapter 498 The Secret Passed Down
“Okay, even if it's as you say, the buried artisans weren't layered. But the passage spirals downwards, it's not a flat surface.” Old Qin still didn't agree.
Dongfang Chen knew Old Qin was talking nonsense as soon as he heard these words.
His willingness to compromise on the viewpoint meant he hadn't actually seen the real underground palace.
Then the claim that the underground palace had been excavated naturally fell apart.
However, Dongfang Chen didn't argue with him, and continued to follow his train of thought:
“Alright! As you said, these artisans were locked in the passage. Even if this passage leading to the underground palace is on average 5 meters wide, do you know how long the passage would need to be to accommodate so many artisans?”
“Okay, stop calculating, it's completely meaningless!” Old Qin waved his hand to stop him.
“35 kilometers!” Dongfang Chen announced the answer directly, regardless of whether he wanted to hear it or not.
Old Qin didn't speak.
“Of course, the actual passage couldn't be built this wide, so the length would naturally increase exponentially.” Dongfang Chen added.
“Pfft~”
“Hahaha, Xiao Chen, your math is good. But your analysis is based on hearsay and has no factual basis. Okay, there's nothing you're looking for in the underground palace. Listen to me, don't investigate further.” Old Qin teased.
“I can stop investigating, but Old Qin, tell me, what exactly are you hiding?” Dongfang Chen asked.
“Nonsense! What could I be hiding? You don't think I have some connection to the First Emperor from thousands of years ago, do you?” Old Qin pretended to scold him.
“In my opinion, you are hiding something. I don't know the reason, but it's very likely related to the secrets of the underground palace.” Dongfang Chen stated his speculation.
“You kid, I've said so many nice things, why won't you listen?” Old Qin was speechless.
“I can tell that you just want to protect this place. As long as you give me a convincing reason, I can stop investigating.” Dongfang Chen made an appropriate concession.
“Alas! To tell you the truth, I am actually a tomb keeper.” Old Qin sighed and said.
“Here we go again!” Dongfang Chen was speechless.
It had to be said that Old Qin's ability to make up stories was truly unmatched.
One layer after another, one ring interlocking with another.
Each layer had its own secrets, and each ring was unique.
He had just said he had no relationship with it, and now he had instantly become a tomb keeper.
“What, you don't believe me?” Old Qin asked rhetorically.
“Oh, I believe you, I believe you! Please continue!” Dongfang Chen couldn't help but laugh, signaling him to continue.
Let him speak slowly, maybe by the time he finished, the Queen Bee would have completed her investigation.
“After the First Emperor ascended the throne, he began to build his imperial tomb, which took 39 years. In 220 BC, the second year after the pacification of the six kingdoms, he began his first inspection tour. Accompanying him on this tour were 99 pairs of virgin boys and girls.”
“……” Dongfang Chen inexplicably wanted to laugh, but he held it back.
“These 99 pairs of virgin boys and girls were all selected from the direct descendants of important generals in the Qin army at that time, and were scattered in the Longxi area during the inspection tour.”
“The boys among these 99 pairs of virgin boys and girls were the tomb keepers.”
Old Qin spoke with great earnestness, and a look of reminiscence appeared in his eyes.
“Old Qin, let me interrupt, since they are tomb keepers, shouldn't they be stationed around the Mausoleum of the First Emperor? Why were they taken to Longxi?” Dongfang Chen asked.
“The so-called tomb keepers are not to guard the tomb, but to guard the secrets of the imperial tomb.” Old Qin replied.
“That's not right either! Since it's to keep the secret, the fewer people who know it, the better. Why do the opposite and send so many people out?” Dongfang Chen found another loophole.
“Because this is a secret that needs to be passed down.” Old Qin replied.
“A secret to be passed down…?” Dongfang Chen found it difficult to understand.
“That's right. Buried in the underground palace of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor, in addition to the bones of a generation of emperors, there is also an important thing.” Old Qin replied.
“What thing?” Dongfang Chen asked.
“A meteorite: the Phantom Stone.” Old Qin replied.
“Is there anything special about this meteorite?” Dongfang Chen asked.
“Anyone who comes into contact with this stone will experience various strange phenomena. At first, they are particularly excited, like they've been injected with stimulants. Then they become incredibly powerful, able to fight ten men single-handedly. However, soon, bad things happen. Their bodies and faces will gradually be covered with blood纹, the color going from light to dark, from thin to thick. Later, their eyes gradually turn blood red, and eventually they lose their minds and explode.”
“This is radiation, right?” Dongfang Chen guessed.
“From our current perspective, that's indeed the case. It's just that people at the time were limited by their knowledge and believed that this stone must have come from hell and was very ominous.” Old Qin nodded.
“So this imperial tomb is actually to bury that Phantom Stone?” Dongfang Chen asked.
“That's right!” Old Qin nodded.
“Then why did the First Emperor send 99 pairs of virgin boys and girls out?” Dongfang Chen asked.
