I was dizzy and my head was swimming. I don't remember too many details.

All I remember is Liang grabbing my arm and pulling me out with all her might.

I followed Liang, stumbling along the tunnel. Because it was uphill going back, and the tunnel was wet and slippery, I tripped and fell to the ground after only a few steps.

Liang held on to me tightly, repeatedly urging me, "Get up! Chen Rongsheng, get up! Hurry!"

I gritted my teeth and scrambled up from the tunnel, using both hands and feet. Together with Liang, we moved another few dozen steps outwards.

Once we were far away from the burning straw figures, I gradually felt able to breathe, but my vision was still filled with stars, and things looked blurry.

Liang didn't stop. She dragged me by the arm, pulling me along until we had gone a good distance, almost back to the entrance of the tunnel.

A cool breeze blew in from outside, and I took a deep breath. Finally, I could breathe again, and the stars in front of my eyes disappeared.

Liang stopped rushing outwards. She halted, supporting my arm, and gasped for breath.

I looked back and saw Hu Wazi, Lao Wei, and the others emerging one after another. I counted, and no one was missing.

Once I had recovered, I turned to Liang and asked, "Liang, what exactly happened just now? Why couldn't I breathe all of a sudden?"

Liang said, still shaken, "We fell into a trap! We were tricked by Liu Huangshu!"

"Tricked? Was there something strange about the straw figures?" I asked. "Did that bastard Liu Huangshu poison them?"

Liang shook her head. "There was no need for poison. Liu Huangshu counted on us burning the straw figures. The tunnel is narrow and the air is thin, which makes breathing difficult in the first place. When we lit the straw figures, we burned up all the oxygen. Furthermore, incomplete combustion of straw produces carbon monoxide. Inhaling it causes carbon monoxide poisoning. We were just experiencing mild carbon monoxide poisoning."

Liang was a cultured person. Her explanation made everything clear to everyone.

Hu Wazi, Er Jun, and the other gang members had little education, and neither did I. We didn't understand what incomplete combustion or carbon monoxide poisoning meant.

Lao Wei explained, "Carbon monoxide poisoning is what people commonly call gas poisoning. It's thanks to Liang's quick thinking that she got us out in time. If we had delayed a few more minutes, we probably would have all died underground."

Looking back, I felt a wave of fear, and my hatred for Liu Huangshu intensified.

"Damn it, that bastard Liu Huangshu is too insidious! Last time he hired a dump truck to run me over, and this time he plotted against us with straw figures. That's two scores to settle!"

Hu Wazi was also furious, clenching his fists as he said, "Damn it, when I catch that Liu Huangshu, I'm going to make that son of a bitch wish he was dead!"

But even though we all wanted to catch Liu Huangshu as soon as possible, we couldn't go back down into the tunnel.

Liu Huangshu's trick with the straw figures was indeed clever. It not only almost killed us but also blocked our way.

Because the tunnel was very deep and the air didn't circulate, the oxygen inside had been used up by the burning straw figures and couldn't be replenished quickly.

Without oxygen, we couldn't pass through. The tunnel had become a dead end.

I asked Liang, "Liang, when will the tunnel return to normal? When can we go back in?"

Liang shrugged and said, "It will take at least two or three days. We'll have to use an air detector to make sure the oxygen level inside is back to normal before we can go back in."

"Two or three days?!" Before I could speak, Lao Wei objected anxiously, "If we wait that long, Liu Huangshu will have moved all the artifacts out!"

Liang said helplessly, "Liu Huangshu's move is indeed brilliant. It's practically blocked the tunnel without any effort. But if we can't get in, Liu Huangshu and his men can't get out either, unless they have another exit."

Lao Wei thought for a moment and said, "Fine, I'll have men guard this tunnel, and send others to search the surrounding area for other tunnels. We absolutely cannot let Liu Huangshu and his gang escape."

Hu Wazi immediately volunteered, "I'll go with you. Damn it, I have to catch that son of a bitch Liu Huangshu!"

Although I also wanted to catch Liu Huangshu as soon as possible to avenge myself, Uncle Mei, and Da Yong, I wasn't in a hurry.

What's more, Liang's foot was injured. If she walked all the way to the tomb, her wound might get worse. It was a good opportunity to bandage her wound.

I said to Lao Wei, "Lao Wei, Liang is injured. I'll take her back to bandage it."

Lao Wei nodded and said, "Yes, yes, you should go back and rest. I'll call you next time we go to the tomb."

After saying that, he arranged for a Xiaoling Guard to drive Liang and me to the hospital for treatment. Liang quickly said that we didn't need to go to the hospital. It wasn't a serious injury, and she could bandage it herself at the hotel.

So I helped Liang, limping, out of the tunnel.

When we came out, the sky was already faintly bright. We had been in the tunnel for nearly three hours.

I hadn't felt tired at all in the tunnel because I was so tense, but as soon as I got into the car, I felt sleepy and could barely keep my eyes open. I slept all the way to the hotel before waking up.

I helped Liang to the front desk of the hotel, wanting to ask the owner for some gauze, iodine, medicinal alcohol, and other disinfectants.

I asked the owner, "Boss, do you have any sanitary supplies? I need them urgently..."

The owner probably misunderstood me and said with a smile, "Of course. For both of you, right?"

He reached under the counter and took out a box of condoms for couples, introducing them to me, "Ribbed, twenty-five a box, cheaper than outside!"

My face flushed red. I felt like my face was burning.

Liang's face was even redder than mine. I could feel her breathing quickening.

I quickly waved my hand and said, "No, no, boss, you misunderstood. I mean sanitary supplies like gauze, iodine, cotton swabs. My friend cut her foot, and I need to disinfect it for her."

The owner realized he had made a mistake and said apologetically, "Oh, I misunderstood. I have those things too. Wait a moment, I'll get them for you..."

He scurried away.

Liang and I were left there, even more embarrassed. Neither of us spoke for a long time.