章節 14: Dead-end

We tried to open the coffin again.

"On the count of 3...2...1..."

With a loud thud, the coffin cover fell to the ground.

We stepped back to let any poisonous gas or particles dissipate first.

After a few minutes, we gathered around the coffin.

I peered into it, and there she was, lying there for a few hundred years, in Qing Dynasty attire, most of which had decomposed.

The curious thing about it was that the flesh on the bones was still intact.

I used my flashlight to touch the skin; it made a depression, and then the depression slowly disappeared.

It was as if the body was someone sleeping in her dream and would wake up anytime.

"They must have used special treatment on the body to preserve it.

"Don't think too much. Everyone, help look for the map," Amy Lee said to stop anyone from having any superstitious thoughts.

We then rummaged through what was inside the coffin carefully.

Nothing, not even a burial coin.

After trying everything, from lifting the coffin up to see if there were any maps underneath, to checking out the coffin cover, we still couldn't find anything.

I even tried knocking on the coffin to see if there were any secret compartments hidden.

It all sounded the same; no hollowed-out compartment.

I did the same to the walls of the chamber, and no, there wasn't any hidden compartment.

Amy Lee was visibly frustrated; it was the first time I saw her losing her cool. All this while, she had seemed to be in control of everything.

However, time was ticking, and it certainly wasn't on our side.

She looked at her watch and checked with Kurnawan using the walkie-talkie.

"Are we clear? Over?"

"We are still clear, but be quick; it will be first light soon. Over."

"Leaving now. Over."

We made our way out of the tomb, covered it up with the soil that was dug up.

Then we made our move back to Pontianak.

...

After arriving at the hotel, I quickly had a good old hot shower.

I hit the bed quickly; it was a long night, and I needed the rest.

However, it was not a good sleep. I dreamt of the Snooker Parlor boss, his face pale white and red blood dripping out of his eyes, coming for my life.

The rest of his party chimed in and called me a murderer.

I denied it, shouting at them that I didn't do it, I was not the one who caused their death.

They were at fault; the tomb was ours, anyone stopping me deserves to be dead.

And then I woke up, drenched in cold sweat.

What was happening to me?

A week ago, I was still in my Shifu's antique shop minding my own business.

What is to become of me?

I didn't want to stay alone, so I went to the nearby convenience store and bought some Bintang beer.

I came back to the hotel, went over to Bobby's room, woke him up, and asked him to drink with me.

"So generous of you. You struck the lottery?" Bobby asked, then he lifted his head and drank the beer.

"No, I just had a nightmare; the Snooker Parlor boss was coming for my life."

"You're just having trauma witnessing their deaths. Don't think too much about it.

"Everyone has their own destiny; we can only take care of ours." Bobby patted me on my back.

I nodded in silence, then proceeded to gulp down a mouthful of the beer.

...

Later in the day, we met in Amy Lee's room.

She was not her usual self.

Her hair was in a mess; she didn't bother with her makeup.

Most importantly, no one had any ideas.

We were stuck in our progress.

Sea Snake Fang was as usual, quiet with his shades on.

Kurnawan had his evergreen smile.

Firecracker Tan fondled with his glass jar.

I could only chain smoke, hoping to get a whiff of inspiration.

"Maybe there's another chamber hidden," Bobby broke the silence.

I shook my head, saying, "It's not likely. I knocked on the walls of the chamber; there were no hollowed-out areas."

"Argh..." Bobby gasped in frustration.

He knew what it meant: no money if we couldn't find the map.

I silently sighed, thinking what Shifu would do in this situation.

Just then, Amy Lee's phone rang.

She picked it up, went into the bathroom, and closed the door.

It must have been an important call.

I didn't waste time; I offered the rest of the team cigarettes.

After seeing what they could do, it would be great for me to be on good terms with them.

"Kurnawan, can you teach me some of your moves? It would be great if I could defend myself," I asked as I lit his cigarette for him.

"Me too. I didn't know they taught such deadly skills at University Indonesia," Bobby chimed in, but I gave him a look, warning him not to probe into Kurnawan's privacy.

University graduate? Most likely a cover.

It was years later that I got to know, Kurnawan was a veteran with the Indonesian Kopassus (Special forces).

"Sure, we can start anytime you want," Kurnawan smiled and replied.

"Don't waste your time. One bomb and everything will be settled," Firecracker Tan repeatedly threw his glass jar in the air and caught it with his hands as he said.

"Thanks, but some things are best left to the professionals."

"You are too scared, young man," he shook his head.

I thought to myself, of course I'm scared; one wrong move and it's game over.

Then the bathroom door opened.

"Bad news, I've reported to Huang Bao Kun about our progress; he is very disappointed in it.

"Another team will be here very soon to assist us," Amy Lee said with her head looking down.

She was feeling that she had let the team down.

Assist?

With more parties involved, that would mean less money for us.

After all this hard work and danger, I wasn't going to give up my share of the profit.

I looked at Bobby, and I got the shock of my life: there he was sitting beside Bobby, the Snooker Parlor boss.

Pale white and translucent like a spirit, pointing at me.