Chapter Four: Behind the Mural

That sudden, cautious shout sent a chill through both their hearts. Perhaps it was the ancient, mysterious aura of the island, or perhaps it was simply human nature to feel awe in the face of the unknown. But whatever the reason, since they had already come this far, there was no turning back without uncovering the truth.

The captain had already gone to the other end of the island, so even if something happened, there would be no turning back. However, as if anticipating trouble, the captain had left them a walkie-talkie and a note before leaving, instructing them to contact him if anything happened and to open the note only in the face of danger or something inexplicable.

They circled the corners of the Golden Throne Hall again and again, marveling at its glittering splendor, yet something still felt off—though they couldn’t quite say what. At this moment, Danzi, wary of startling anything, carefully gestured and whispered, “Longzi, take a look at this golden throne. Doesn’t it seem different somehow?” Danzi glanced at Longzi, then turned back to the throne.

“What’s different? Isn’t it just like the one in the Forbidden City in Beijing? Stop being so jumpy—it’s creepy enough as it is! Honestly, with the way you keep startling me, my heart’s still pounding. If anything scares me to death, it’ll probably be you, not some ghost!” Longzi gave Danzi a glare, still unsettled by the earlier sense of mystery.

Danzi ignored the complaint. “Look at this throne. It’s all gilt and silver-plated, covered in jewels—except they’re all fake!” He tapped at the throne here and there, checking it from all angles.

“Fake? Are you sure?” Longzi was startled, stopping in mid-motion, unable to raise his voice.

“I’m not kidding. It’s definitely a fake. My family’s not exactly rich, but I’ve seen enough antiques from my ancestors to be pretty sure. I’d say there’s an eighty percent chance this is a Tang dynasty forgery—maybe even deliberately made as a fake. Who knows what purpose it served?” Danzi mused that whether it was real or fake, it was still an antique and worth something. All the captain’s warnings had evaporated from his mind the moment he started contemplating the value. Truly, as the saying goes, “Men die for wealth, birds die for food.”

A sly smile crept onto Danzi’s lips as he moved closer, wanting to test just how fake it was. He tried to lift the throne, but it was as heavy as if it were bolted to the earth. Longzi couldn’t help but laugh. “You idiot. Can’t you tell it’s carved from stone and coated with gold? Stop wasting your energy dreaming of getting rich. Focus on staying alive instead!”

“Stone? Really?” Danzi ran his hands over it, a cold chill seeping into his skin. “What a shame, what a shame,” he muttered.

“It’s real stone, and you’re not going to carry it off anyway,” Longzi remarked offhandedly.

“Let’s ask the captain—he’s got more experience. He’ll know for sure,” Danzi said, eager to give up hope on something he couldn't obtain. He reached for the walkie-talkie, but Longzi grabbed his hand. “Wait. We need to save the battery for emergencies. What if something really happens?”

“Then what do you know about this fake throne?” Danzi sounded dejected.

“You probably only have fakes on you anyway. Better off tossing them,” Longzi said, still studying the throne.

Danzi rummaged through his belongings, reluctantly pulling out various gilt trinkets, unable to part with them. In a fit of frustration, he tossed the last piece onto the throne, wanting to see if it would break.

Suddenly, a clattering noise rang out—not clear if something had shattered or if the throne itself had moved. To their astonishment, the throne slowly shifted backward, revealing a square opening just large enough for a person to descend.

Startled, Danzi and Longzi jumped back, unsure if they should fear falling in or were simply spooked by the movement. Humanity’s instinctual fear of the unknown is perhaps a boundary set by the creator.

“Could the main palace be below?” Danzi exclaimed with excitement, grabbing Longzi and preparing to go down.

“Who knows what’s down there. We need to be careful,” Longzi urged, still uneasy. This was uncharted territory, after all.

“It’s still early—we should go down now and get back to the boat as soon as possible!” Danzi pressed impatiently.

“Fine. But whatever happens, we stick together. No splitting up for any reason. And we’ll need to eat once we’re down there; we’ve been burning energy non-stop,” Longzi insisted.

“Now that you mention it, I am feeling a bit hungry. Maybe that shadow I saw earlier was just me hallucinating from hunger,” Danzi said, sidling up to Longzi in mock misery.

“Let’s eat as we explore,” Longzi replied, pulling a rope from his backpack.

“Just lightening the load!” Danzi quipped, munching on chocolate and flashing a black-toothed grin at Longzi.

“You and your bright ideas. Even if you eat it, it’s still on you. But you’re right, we should lighten our gear before heading down. Carrying all this stuff will just exhaust us,” Longzi said, dumping out the contents of his pack and grabbing Danzi’s bag for a thorough emptying.

Danzi’s greed was evident; even after tossing out various trinkets, he still had a small gilt crescent moon hidden away, which Longzi examined closely.

Reluctantly, Danzi handed it over. “I got rid of everything else. Just let me keep this one—it’s light, even if it’s a fake.”

“Give it here,” Longzi demanded. “You can have it back later. It just looks familiar.”

Danzi, still uneasy, handed it over. Longzi scrutinized it before declaring, “This is a Gold-Seeking Talisman! It’s valuable—not for its price, but for its power to ward off evil. It could come in handy.”

Danzi perked up instantly, spewing crumbs as he talked. Longzi shoved a water bottle into his mouth to stop the onslaught.

“Really? Let me see!”

“I can’t say for sure yet, but judging by the weight and craftsmanship, it’s probably authentic,” Longzi speculated. Perhaps a Gold-Seeking Officer had dropped it in the past, or maybe it was placed here intentionally to confuse intruders.

“All right, we’re about set,” Longzi said, popping a piece of chocolate in his mouth. Strangely, as soon as he tasted it, his energy seemed to return.

Danzi tied one end of the rope to the throne, stashed their discarded items behind it, and declared, “We’ll need these when we get back. Chairman Mao said not to waste even a penny!”

With that, he slung his pack, donned his gloves, and shimmied down the rope. Danzi was always the athletic type, ever eager to show off his muscles to young women.

“Yoo-hoo!” he called, flashlight flickering as he descended.

Suddenly, Longzi slapped his forehead, realizing his oversight. He tore off a length of toilet paper, lit it, and tossed it down, shouting, “Danzi, watch your head!”

Danzi, just having landed, glanced up in alarm as the flaming wad tumbled down. He dodged frantically, narrowly escaping.

“You bastard! Are you trying to burn me alive?” he yelled up, furious.

Longzi peered down; the flame burned for a while, sending out glowing embers—there was clearly enough oxygen below. He rappelled down and had barely landed when Danzi kicked him in the back.

Longzi let it go—no plan is ever truly foolproof. He surveyed the surroundings by flashlight. The cave was not very large; the walls were visible all around. It was more like a room, about ten meters square and six meters high. They stood in the very center.

The walls were covered in carved murals. Longzi approached to study them more closely.

“Strange. This room looks like it was built up, not carved out,” he muttered, examining it further.

Danzi came over and ran his hands along the walls, searching for anything unusual. “Looks like just a big room to me. Any other exits? Maybe there’s a secret mechanism—let’s look!”

But Longzi, deep in thought, kept studying the murals. He paced back and forth, then suddenly slapped his thigh. “I get it! It’s incredible!”

“What?” Danzi was baffled, scratching his head.

“These murals—each wall tells the entire story of how this palace—no, the whole island—was built. It’s a new wonder of the world!” Longzi pulled Danzi over, pointing to one mural.

“Look! This one is the first. It’s dated the twentieth year of the Kaiyuan era, showing Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Consort Yang, full of love and longing for eternal spring. He ordered the construction of this island paradise!” Longzi exclaimed in awe.

Before he could finish, Danzi let out a shriek. “We’re doomed! There really are ghosts!” He stood frozen before another mural.

“Nonsense, there’s no such thing as ghosts!” Longzi said, following Danzi’s gaze, only to be taken aback himself. He murmured, “How can the mural change? From different angles, you see different scenes, but the wall is perfectly flat—there’s no way this is just a trick of perspective!”

Danzi, too excited to care, began poring over the murals, caressing them as if they were old friends. Since there was nowhere else to go, he figured they might as well enjoy the show. He ran his fingers along the reliefs, reluctant to move on.

Longzi wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words. Instead, he kept searching, hoping to find a hidden mechanism.

Half an hour passed as they examined the murals from every angle, as if watching a silent film. Slowly, they pieced together the story of the island and the palace’s construction.

“Truly a miracle—a masterpiece!” Longzi nodded in admiration. As they discussed the grand architecture, Danzi mused, “With a palace this vast, we must be in just one part. Surely there are other connected chambers, don’t you think?”

“There are! There must be!” Longzi replied with conviction.