The whole world was quiet, and I could hear my heart beating rapidly due to nervousness. Wu Zipei and I were huddled in the corner close to the stone wall, not daring to move.
I don’t know how much time passed, but nothing fell from above my head, no hidden arrows were shot from the stone wall, and the ground did not collapse. It seemed that the purpose of this mechanism was not to kill people, so I felt relieved a little.
"The copper pipe at the back is open." Wu Zipei said softly.
I raised my head, and sure enough, the copper pipe opened from the gap, like a thick layer of skin being peeled off the sugar cane. I quickly stood up, and a layer of brown-yellow stuff, like wax, was exposed inside the copper pipe.
There was a rope standing on it at regular intervals. I carefully picked out a little of the brown stuff inside and put it on my fingertips, rubbed it carefully, and then smelled it.
Wu Zipei asked: "What is this?"
I said, "Whale oil."
“Essential oils!”
Wu Zipei asked doubtfully: "Is it for facial skin care?"
I also use it for health massage! Wu Zipei rolled his eyes and said: "Whale oil is the oil boiled by whales. Its subcutaneous fat and internal organs are boiled in a pot. It is similar to the lard we usually eat.
A truth."
Wu Zipei opened his mouth in surprise: "Goldfish are so cute, why should they be used to extract oil?"
Okay! I didn't pay attention this time and explained again: "The whales I'm talking about are whales in the sea, blue whales, killer whales, etc., very big ones. They are not kept in fish tanks for viewing.
Goldfish, do you understand?"
"Oh...can you make it clearer!"
Wu Zipei frowned and asked, "What is this whale oil like?"
I pointed to the rope standing on it and said, "It's for lighting. Look, those rows of small ropes are actually wicks."
"Then let's light it quickly."
Wu Zipei urged: "It's so big and dark here, it's scary to death."
I said: "There is no problem with whale oil being used for lighting, but it has other uses, did you know!"
"What is it used for?" Wu Zipei asked.
"For use in the cemetery."
I said: "In ancient times, there was whale oil in some cemeteries. It is also called an everlasting lamp. It is extremely resistant to burning. After the tomb owner died, the everlasting lamp would be lit. Firstly, it was to keep the lights in the cemetery brightly lit.
It is as magnificent as the house he lived in when he was alive. Secondly, the ever-burning lamp can burn the air in the cemetery and then automatically extinguish due to lack of oxygen. In this environment, the things in the tomb can be preserved longer and more intact. Only
However, in ancient times, it was very difficult to catch whales in the sea to boil oil, so whale oil can only be seen in the tombs of some extremely wealthy merchants and emperors."
Wu Zipei said: "You mean, we are in someone else's grave now?"
"Why didn't you understand my point?"
I was speechless, "What I want to say is that this is a relatively closed space. If the whale oil is ignited, we may suffocate to death."
"oh……"
Wu Zipei nodded, "But there were quite a few bats on the way we came here. Does that mean that this place is not completely closed, and the air is actually circulating?"
This seems to be the truth! This place was built during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, more than two thousand years ago. If it were completely closed, there would be no way there would be so many bats here, he said: "Yes! How about... let's try lighting it up."
"Okay!" Wu Zipei was very excited.
For the sake of safety, I did not try it rashly. I carefully pulled the rusty iron chain, and the mechanical friction sound of "click click" came again above my head. In less than a minute, the sound stopped, and the copper on my shoulder
The tube closes automatically.
Seeing this, I feel even more relieved. Even if the air circulation speed is not as fast as the burning speed, I can close the copper tube in time. When the copper tube is closed, the wick inside will definitely go out automatically and no oxygen will be burned.
Pulling the chain again and opening the copper pipe, I subconsciously touched the lighter in my pocket, only to realize that I was only wearing a pair of shorts and a pair of shoes.
Recalling it, after entering through the so-called door, I fell into the water and was soaked all over. The lighter in my clothes pocket was put into the side pocket of my backpack. I quickly took out the lighter and pressed it several times in succession, but there was no response.
Damn it! It must have been flooded.
"How about it!"
Wu Zipei kept urging, "Are you ready?"
I held the lighter and kept flicking it, "It's flooded, but it should be fine. Just flick it and it'll be fine."
"Pap..."
A string of blue fire finally came out. I quickly protected it with my hands, fearing that it would go out.
In fact, there was no wind in this damn place, so the flames carefully approached the wick inside the copper tube and finally ignited the wick.
The first wick was lit, because the wicks on both sides were closer, and the second and third wicks were automatically ignited... A fire snake appeared, starting from my shoulder and circling the wide platform in a full circle
, and then spiraled up to the second layer of copper pipes above the head, then to the third layer, the fourth layer...
"Wow... so beautiful..." Wu Zipei raised his head and looked at the fire snake that was still climbing above.
Not only is it beautiful, it is also very spectacular. Countless flames are leaping, connecting in a line, and coiling into a circle above the head. More than ten minutes have passed, and the fire snake has still not stopped spreading. The space and height of this platform exceeds my ability.
imagination.
"There's more over there!"
Wu Zipei pointed to the place where we came from and said, "It turns out there were copper pipes on the way we came here too!"
The fire snake not only extended upwards, but also extended towards the bottom of the steps we came from. At that time, we were walking along the underground river, and the copper pipe was fixed on the stone wall on the other side, so we didn't notice it. Even if we saw it at the time, we couldn't do anything.
, because the control mechanism is here.
"There's a table over there!" Wu Zipei pointed to the middle of the platform.
I also saw the table, but what attracted my attention most now was not the table in the middle of the platform, but the top of my head. The fire snake was still extending upward. Countless flames lit up wisps of green smoke, gathering above and lingering. Look.
It looks very hazy.
"There seems to be something up there?" Wu Zipei saw that I kept raising my head and looked at the top of my head.
"It seems like there is something."
My neck was a little sore, but I kept holding on, waiting for the flames to keep burning, saying, "Be careful, it might be something deadly!"
Wu Zipei grabbed my arm and looked at the top of my head carefully and nervously.
The flames finally stopped spreading and must have reached the top. Although the smoke was a bit dense and the top of my head seemed to be filled with clouds, I could still see the things above clearly.
"thump……"
Wu Zipei and I sat on the ground at the same time, staring blankly above our heads, motionless.
"Dragon...dragon, dragon, dragon..."
My whole body couldn't stop trembling, "Big! Big! Big! Uncle... there really is... a dragon..."