"Mr. Ying, what do you think?"
At this moment, Professor Li finally remembered that someone else was sitting beside him and asked Ying Chen.
Ying Chen did not answer but retorted, "What do you think I gathered you all here for?"
This question made Professor Li and Elder Dong momentarily stunned.
However, after a moment of reflection, they immediately understood, their eyes flashing with disbelief and surprise: "You mean... you already knew clues to a brand new tomb, which is why you gathered us and established this laboratory?"
"A brand new tomb might be an exaggeration, but it's close. Do you know about the Leitai Han Tomb?"
Upon hearing the words Leitai Han Tomb, Professor Li and Elder Dong exchanged glances, then nodded simultaneously: "Naturally!"
They were certainly not unfamiliar with such a famous tomb.
However, the Leitai Han Tomb had already been excavated, and it had been subjected to multiple thefts throughout history, making further excavation of little significance.
Most importantly, even if there were new discoveries, the attention generated would not be enough, nor would it be sufficient to prove the value of Elder Dong and Professor Li.
Moreover, it would easily allow people like Liu Bin to find fault, claiming that Elder Dong's new discoveries were built upon the excavations of the Institute of Archaeology.
Therefore, neither Elder Dong nor Professor Li were optimistic about the Leitai Han Tomb.
Ying Chen seemed to sense their thoughts and smiled slightly, saying, "You two may have misunderstood. I am referring to the true Leitai Han Tomb, not the part expanded by later generations."
"What?" Elder Dong and Professor Li exclaimed in unison.
Although they had not participated in the excavation of the Leitai Han Tomb, they were aware of the legends surrounding it within the industry.
It was said that when the excavation had progressed less than one-fifth, strange occurrences began to happen at the site.
First, during nighttime construction, eerie calls kept coming from deep within the tomb passage.
The sounds were piercing and chilling.
The workers on site were so terrified that they fled the construction area, refusing to go down any further.
Out of desperation, the person in charge at the time could only switch to daytime construction.
But unexpectedly, even with daytime construction, strange occurrences could not be avoided.
When excavating a tomb chamber, a worker dug out two large snakes coiled together!
The snakes were blood-red all over, as if their skin had been peeled off.
It was unclear whether the two snakes were dead or alive, as they remained motionless, with only their eyes fixed on the workers outside the tomb chamber.
The worker was so frightened that he collapsed on the spot and scrambled out of the tomb chamber on all fours without a word.
When the person in charge heard about it and arrived at the tomb chamber, the two large snakes had vanished without a trace.
Only a pool of viscous liquid was left at the scene.
If only these two incidents had occurred, they might not have been enough to stop the construction.
But that night, the workers who had heard the eerie calls and seen the large snakes fell ill simultaneously.
They were delirious, babbling incoherently, saying they wanted to kill all the construction workers and that those who had disturbed their slumber would be punished.
This caused the already uneasy workers to erupt in an uproar.
The workers packed their belongings overnight and abandoned the site.
Only a few archaeology professors remained.
The archaeology professors looked at each other. Although they were eager to continue the excavation and uncover the secrets buried deep within the Leitai Han Tomb, they ultimately chose to give up.
They only organized and submitted the excavated one-fifth of the tomb.
The remaining portions of the tomb were sealed.
And no one applied for further excavation afterward.
As a result, until now, no one knows where the true core part of the Leitai Han Tomb is hidden, nor whether the central tomb chamber of the Leitai Han Tomb is where Zhang Daoling's remains are buried.
"Mr. Ying, the situation of the Leitai Han Tomb is peculiar. Are you sure you want to excavate this tomb?" Elder Dong couldn't help but ask.
Clearly, the stories surrounding the Leitai Han Tomb had also frightened him.
Ying Chen chuckled and looked at Elder Dong, "It's understandable if others are afraid, but are you afraid too? Have you forgotten what you desire?"
Elder Dong's expression shifted slightly.
He finally remembered his original intention for joining the Xunfeng Laboratory.
Was it not for these "supernatural and strange" things?
The numerous peculiar phenomena at the Leitai Han Tomb precisely indicated that it contained what Elder Dong needed!
Therefore, Elder Dong should not be afraid, but rather anticipate and be excited!
With a change in perspective, Elder Dong's expression improved considerably.
A hint of eagerness also appeared in his eyes.
"After Mr. Ying's words, I am even more eager. However, my rational mind tells me not to be impulsive. We are still missing a Han tomb expert, especially one who participated in the excavation of the Leitai Han Tomb!" Elder Dong said.
Elder Dong then looked at Professor Li.
As if by telepathy, they both smiled simultaneously.
"You thought of him too?"
"You know me well, Elder Dong! That's right, I thought of him too!"
Faced with their veiled conversation, Ying Chen was too lazy to play guessing games with them and stated directly: "Regardless of who you have in mind, you both have lead authority in the Xunfeng Laboratory, so invite him over as you wish!"
"Mr. Ying, you might not know, but how to describe the person we have in mind? He's like a rock in a latrine – hard and smelly, never giving anyone a good look. Most importantly, he's been going through some difficult times recently, and might not be in the mood to accept our invitation," Professor Li explained.
Elder Dong also nodded, "Yes. Wang Zizai's foul temper is notorious in the entire archaeology circle. Even I am reluctant to provoke him. He is truly like a honey badger, snapping at anyone he dislikes, never considering the consequences."
"Most importantly, in the past two years, Wang Zizai has barely participated in any projects, dedicating all his energy to taking care of his sick wife. It's truly pitiful. His daughter died at the young age of five, and his wife, unable to bear the blow, also fell ill. She is said to have mental issues, fluctuating between madness and depression, and has attempted suicide multiple times."
"Alas, troubles always find the unfortunate. Wang Zizai's suffering is so pitiable even to outsiders. Therefore, people tend to help him, rarely deliberately opposing him because of his temper."
"I can try to invite him, but Mr. Ying, please don't hold out too much hope. The success rate is probably less than 1%..."
"It's a pity, as Wang Zizai is the best candidate for excavating the Leitai Han Tomb," Elder Dong said, shaking his head and sighing.
Hearing Elder Dong's words, Ying Chen's gaze flickered, "Excellent, excellent! I was afraid his wife wouldn't be ill!"
"..." Ying Chen's words instantly turned Elder Dong's and Professor Li's faces ashen.
What did he mean?
Did Ying Chen have such a peculiar taste, enjoying building his happiness on the suffering of others?
However, Ying Chen's next sentence left them utterly bewildered.
"Don't rush to invite that Wang Zizai yet. First, find a way to get his wife's medical records."
"I have a great use for them."