In the passageway illuminated by a vibrant green phosphorescence, all of our attention was drawn to a yellow diamond in the corpse's hand.
In the antique trade, diamonds are a rather niche category.
However, ancient China imported diamonds from India and Persia. It wasn't until around the 17th century that some small diamonds were discovered in China. Moreover, due to the backward cutting technology in ancient times, the diamonds were far less dazzling than those of today.
Because of its poor plasticity, diamonds were not considered precious in ancient China; their value was entirely inflated by modern diamond scams.
With the development of technology, diamonds can now be synthesized artificially, causing prices to plummet. However, diamonds weighing over 100 carats remain priceless treasures.
Compared to the diamond rings sold in jewelry stores, this kind of diamond is like the ceramic vase we use for flower arranging at home, and the difference between it and the Qing Dynasty Kangxi Langyao red glaze straight-mouthed vase with straps displayed in the Palace Museum. Although both are porcelain, one is just an ordinary item, while the other is a national treasure.
Although I don't know much about diamonds, I do know that their value and allure are closely related to their size, color, and clarity.
The yellow diamond in the corpse's hand was clearly a rough diamond blank, but its shape was an unusual oval, which meant that after cutting and refining, its shape would not be much smaller than it is now.
Just as Song Laosan said, this diamond truly deserves to be called a priceless treasure.
Old Song recognized a huge yellow diamond embedded in the stick, and his eyes widened. He squatted down next to the corpse, raised his knife, and prepared to pry the diamond off.
"Song Laosan, don't move!"
I was startled by Song Laosan's actions and instinctively rushed over and grabbed his arm: "Don't move. Look closely at the thin film on the surface of this corpse. Although it looks uneven in thickness, it covers it very evenly, perfectly sealing the corpse inside. That's why these corpses have been preserved until now and haven't turned into skeletons. If you cut open this film and let the corpse come into contact with the air, there might be problems."
"We're here to raid tombs, are we going to just watch our cooked duck fly away because of the danger?"
Song Laosan struggled for a moment, trying to pull his arm out of my grasp: "If you're scared, then leave first. I'll stay here and unload the goods after you leave. People die for money, birds die for food. You've come here for no other reason than to ask for something!"
"This place is inherently eerie, don't do anything reckless!"
I looked at Song Laosan seriously: "Duan Jinyan, as the leader of the Black Robes, has much sharper eyes than you. They couldn't have missed what the corpse was carrying on their way here, but they've already walked through this place and haven't taken anything with them. That's enough to explain the situation!"
"Duan Shenxing is right. This thing might be a trap in itself. We should be careful."
Qu Ruilin added, "If you really can't let go of this diamond, you can brave any storm, but you can't touch it now!"
Qu Ruilin's use of "wind and waves" is a term used in tomb raiding, referring to a tomb raiding team being like waves blown by the wind, crashing into rocks and then rolling back into the river.
In the context of tomb raiding, this refers to a team that senses something amiss in a tomb. Instead of tackling anything along the way, they first reach the main burial chamber and then circle outwards from the inside. This way, even if they accidentally trigger a mechanism or get into trouble, they can escape quickly without getting trapped or returning empty-handed.
"Duan Jinyan and his men have set up booby traps everywhere we've come. Whether they'll ultimately choose this route to turn back is still unknown! If we encounter any problems while moving forward and our way back is cut off, I might miss out on this incredible fortune!"
Song Laosan ignored my and Qu Ruilin's advice and said with a serious expression, "You two should know that the reason I was willing to reunite the four sects was because together we could get the tomb raiding business back on track! Tomb raiding is a profession where you live on the edge at night and face death at dawn. Every time you enter a tomb, there is an added risk of losing your life. You three sects came here with deep hatred, but I entered this business to make money! This stone is enough for me to retire and no longer live such a life of fear. Now that the opportunity has come, I will definitely not let it go!"
"Song Laosan, you can't do anything reckless!"
Seeing that Song Laosan was determined to go his own way, Wei Shengnan also tried to persuade him, "When we formed the alliance, we all agreed to advance and retreat together! Since we came together, I can't just watch you take this risk, and I can't gamble with everyone's safety! So you absolutely cannot touch this thing!"
"Bullshit! I'm in the same boat with you guys, all for the money. Now you want me to give up?"
Song Laosan struggled in my grasp for a moment: "Xiao Duan, let me go!"
I shoved Song Laosan aside and stood in front of the corpse: "Even if we let you go, what are you going to do?"
"The ropes are still there, and our ferry is tied up in the river! After I get what I need, I can easily return the way I came. I can even lower the inflatable boat for you then, so nothing will be delayed!"
Song Laosan paused for a moment: "If you manage to get out of here alive after you've finished your business, I guarantee you'll get your share, every single penny. How about that?"
"Don't forget, the cave we came in through has been blown up! Even if you go back, you might not be able to get out. And even if the cave is opened up, the people who come in might not be from our side."
Looking at the greedy Song Laosan, I said in a deep voice, "Even if you can take this yellow diamond out, whether you can keep it is another matter! Legend has it that the Miao Jiang Immortal Palace is full of treasures. We've only come this close and we've already seen a yellow diamond. Who knows what else is waiting for us inside!"
Lin Que stared intently at the yellow diamond: "Brother, such a valuable thing, are we really just going to give it up?"
"This thing is worth enough to buy our lives outside, but that's the price in the eyes of outsiders. For us, no amount of money would make us choose to die! Duan Jinyan is not touching this thing, there must be a reason for it. Although we can't see the trick, we can't knowingly go for it when we know it's extremely dangerous!"
I looked at Song Laosan seriously: "The incense outside is almost burned out. Since we are all in the same team, when we encounter problems, we must obey the majority. Right now, everyone's opinion is that no one should touch this thing. We must evacuate!"
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