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At that moment, a young nurse approached and looked at Zhang Qi, asking, "Are you a family member of the patient? Don't worry too much; the doctors are doing their best to examine him."
Zhang Qi lifted his head, his eyes filled with anxiety. "Nurse, my brother's condition is very strange. He was touched by a shadow in an ancient tomb, and now his arm has turned black. Have you ever seen anything like this?"
The nurse showed a look of surprise. "An ancient tomb? That's hard to say; we'll have to wait for the test results."
Time seemed to pass exceptionally slowly, each minute of waiting tormenting Zhang Qi. Finally, the doctors came out with the test results, their faces filled with confusion.
A middle-aged doctor said to Zhang Qi, "Your friend's condition is quite unusual; all his indicators are somewhat abnormal, but we can't determine the cause of the illness. We can only arrange for him to be hospitalized for observation. You should go pay the hospitalization fee first."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Qi felt a buzzing in his head. He didn't have much money on him, but he couldn't think about that now and hurried off to pay.
After paying, Zhang Qi returned to the ward and looked at the monkey lying unconscious on the bed, pale and lifeless. It felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on his heart.
He gently pulled back the monkey's sleeve and saw the arm that had been scratched by Zongzi; the blackness had spread significantly and emitted a faint odor of decay. Zhang Qi's brow furrowed even tighter; he had no idea what kind of sinister thing this was and felt utterly helpless.
An elderly man in the same ward noticed Zhang Qi's expression and couldn't help but say, "Young man, looking at your brother's condition, it seems he has attracted something unclean. The Daxing'anling forest is very sinister; there are places you shouldn't wander into."
Zhang Qi forced a bitter smile but did not respond.
He knew deep down that this was likely the consequence of Tomb Raiding, but he couldn't just stand by and watch the monkey remain in a coma.
Zhang Qi stayed by the monkey's bedside, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at the monkey's colorless face.
From time to time, he would use a damp towel to wipe the monkey's forehead, hoping to make him feel a little more comfortable. However, there was still no sign of improvement; the monkey lay as still as a stagnant pool of water, showing no signs of awakening.
Zhang Qi's hands trembled slightly as he felt an unprecedented fear and despair.
In the cold hospital room, his loneliness and helplessness were magnified infinitely, with only the faint sound of the monkey's breathing providing a glimmer of hope.
Just as despair began to settle in, A Ling appeared. She entered the room with light yet mysterious steps, her gaze sweeping over the monkey and Zhang Qi before she slowly spoke, her voice deep and magnetic: "I know what’s happening to him and how to save him, but I have one condition."
Zhang Qi grasped at this lifeline, eagerly asking for more.
A Ling slightly raised her chin, a hint of barely perceptible pride in her eyes: "Take me into that ancient tomb. The secrets hidden there are closely related to his plight. Only by finding the source within the tomb can we lift the curse upon him."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Qi was filled with shock and confusion. He couldn't understand why this stranger knew about the tomb, and he was deeply skeptical of her claims regarding the "curse" and the "method of rescue."
He watched A Ling warily, trying to glean the truth from her expression.
A Ling remained unfazed, simply standing there quietly, waiting for Zhang Qi's response.
Noticing his doubts, A Ling sighed softly and spoke slowly: "This matter goes back to an old legend from Daxing'anling. Long ago, it was said that a powerful evil force was sealed within that ancient tomb. This force is like a ticking time bomb—quiet most of the time, but once disturbed, it causes great chaos. Your brother's unfortunate state must have come from accidentally provoking it."
As she spoke, A Ling gently played with a strand of hair, her eyes fixed on Zhang Qi as she observed his reaction.
Zhang Qi frowned, disbelief etched on his face as he shouted: "Don't just spout nonsense here! How do I know you're not just trying to fool me?"
A Ling remained calm, merely smiling slightly as she pulled out a small object from her pocket and handed it to Zhang Qi. It was a uniquely shaped wooden carving adorned with strange symbols that looked ancient.
"Take a look at this," A Ling said. "This isn't just any trinket; I found it near the ancient tomb. The symbols on it are related to that evil force. If I can understand these markings, it proves I know what I'm talking about."
Zhang Qi took the carving and examined it closely, still feeling skeptical.
At that moment, the door to the hospital room suddenly swung open, and in walked Lao Hu.
Lao Hu, dressed in a tattered military coat with a scruffy beard, burst through the door and exclaimed, "Zhang Qi, I just heard about the monkey. What's going on?"
Zhang Qi quickly explained the situation to Lao Hu, who widened his eyes and turned to A Ling. "You girl, can we trust what you're saying?"
A Ling met Lao Hu's gaze and replied calmly, "Listen, brother, I understand your concern for your friend. I have no reason to lie here. I do have the means to save him, but this tomb business is too complicated. Without Zhang Qi taking me inside, I'm at a loss."
Lao Hu scratched his head and turned back to Zhang Qi. "Brother, this might sound unbelievable, but we don't have any other options right now. Why not give her a chance?"
Zhang Qi bit his lip, feeling an inner turmoil akin to being clawed by a cat.
After pondering for a while, he reluctantly said to A Ling, "Alright, I'll trust you this time, but you must guarantee that you can save the monkey."
A Ling nodded confidently. "Don't worry. As long as we can find the key items in the tomb, I can definitely bring your brother back."
With that, A Ling led Zhang Qi to a secluded little house on the outskirts of the town.
The small house was surrounded by overgrown weeds, its walls covered in moss, exuding an air of age and desolation. Inside were various oddities that emitted a faint herbal scent mixed with a mysterious aura. Dusty ancient herbs with twisted roots and bizarre shapes lay scattered around; yellowed talismans inscribed with runes hinted at secrets long forgotten; and peculiar ancient tools of unknown materials suggested purposes that were hard to decipher.
As A Ling meticulously organized these items, she began explaining some basic knowledge about witchcraft and tombs to Zhang Qi.
She picked up a herb and said, "This herb is called 'Lingxi Grass.' In ancient witchcraft, it was considered a treasure for warding off evil spirits. Bringing it into the tomb can help fend off those malevolent entities."
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