Tomb robbing: I was Buried alive in the Mausoleum of the First Emperor, I Get Stronger by Looting Corpses

Chapter 3: A Chance Encounter with the Woman Who Wept Down the Great Wall?

After looting the corpse, Yang Yi left with an indifferent expression. The others, seeing his empty hands, paid him no mind. Some even looked at him with mocking eyes, as if he were a fool. He kept his face emotionless, but inside, he sneered. They had no idea. The atmosphere in the corridor had become even more oppressive. The first murder had shattered any illusions of order. This was just the beginning.

As time passed, as their rations depleted, as thirst gnawed at their throats, this underground tomb would become a slaughterhouse. And when that happened, he could loot corpses freely.

“Huhai and Zhao Gao… truly ruthless.”

“If they wanted to silence us, why not just order a swift execution?”

“Instead, they forced us into endless despair.”

Yang Yi sighed as he walked, shaking his head. But then again, this was the same Huhai who had brutally executed his own siblings. Nothing was beyond him. The man had no bottom line.

……………………………………………………………………………

Soon, Yang Yi found a secluded spot to rest. Being alone was dangerous, an easy target for hunters. Most prisoners had realised this by now and stayed close to the larger group, despite their mutual distrust.

Yang Yi, however, was different. He welcomed conflict. If someone was foolish enough to attack him, it would only accelerate his growth.

“System, allocate attributes.”

The moment he gave the command, his physique soared to sixty-seven, and his mental strength surged to seventy-two. He smirked. A few more corpses, and he would break past one hundred.

Still, something lingered in his mind. “System, do you have any functions besides corpse looting?”

Ding!

[As a Tomb-Robbing System, this system’s primary function is to assist the host in tomb raiding. When the host acquires valuable treasures from ancient tombs, rewards will be granted based on their worth. Additionally, there is a chance to trigger a ‘Ten-Thousand-Fold Critical Reward.’”].

Yang Yi’s eyes flashed with excitement.

“Treasures, huh?”

Deep within this underground palace lay Qin Shi Huang’s burial chamber. His funerary goods must be unimaginably valuable. His anticipation grew. If he could strengthen himself quickly, he could cut through the tomb guards and reach the Emperor’s resting place. However, he couldn’t rush in blindly. Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum was riddled with deadly traps. Even with his growing physical strength, a single mistake could mean death.

“Patience. I need to take my time.”

Calming himself, Yang Yi settled into silence. He could afford to wait.

……………………………………………………………………………

Just then, he sensed movement. His enhanced physique and mental strength had sharpened his perception—someone was approaching. Narrowing his eyes, he slipped into the shadows, blending seamlessly with the darkness. A moment later, a small figure crept into view. The person moved cautiously, glancing back with every step, as though terrified of being followed.

Yang Yi’s curiosity was piqued.

Why is this person so tense?

Observing closely, he noticed the delicate features hidden beneath the grime. The figure was petite, with smooth, fair skin, and though covered in dust, the contours of their face were strikingly refined. Something felt off.

A woman disguised as a man?

His thoughts raced. As he examined further, he confirmed his suspicion—no Adam’s apple, a slightly unnatural chest binding.

A conscripted version of Hua Mulan?

Muttering to himself, Yang Yi’s eyes suddenly widened. A translucent status screen appeared before him.

[Special Character: Meng Jiangnv

Age: 18

Physique: 56

Mental Strength: 57

Cultivation Level: Ming Jin (Beginner Stage)

Techniques: Medical Breathing Method

Skills: Medical Arts

Status: Weak

Experience: Traveled to Mount Li in search of her husband, mistakenly captured and buried in the First Emperor’s tomb.].

[Meng Jiangnv (孟姜女) – A legendary figure in Chinese folklore. She is said to have traveled to the Great Wall to find her husband, only to discover he had died of exhaustion while working on the wall. Overcome with grief, her wailing was so powerful that it caused a section of the Great Wall to collapse.].

Yang Yi froze.

Meng Jiangnv?! The legendary woman who wept down the Great Wall? And what was this ‘cultivation level’ nonsense? Ming Jin? Did ancient martial arts truly exist in this world?

[Ming Jin (明劲) – A stage in traditional Chinese martial arts, often associated with internal energy cultivation. It represents the beginner stage of developing controlled force through breathing techniques and body mechanics.].

The amount of information he had just received was overwhelming.

Wait. If she’s here, does that mean the story of her collapsing the Great Wall is false?

Yang Yi quickly regained his composure. It made sense. Meng Jiangnv’s story was likely a fabrication, a tale created by later generations to demonise Qin Shi Huang’s rule. After all, was Qin’s rule truly as cruel as they claimed?

Yang Yi remembered something—recently unearthed Qin legal texts stated that conscripted laborers were paid wages and their service had fixed durations. The real oppression likely came not from the laws themselves, but from corrupt enforcers.

Still, he wasn’t here to debate history. What mattered was that Meng Jiangnv was real, and her search for her husband was real. But she had never wept down the Great Wall.

“Perhaps her story was simply exaggerated for dramatic effect.” Or maybe, this wasn’t even the same Qin Dynasty he knew from history.

“A parallel world, perhaps?” Yang Yi whispered to himself, deep in thought. Then, suddenly—he stiffened. Meng Jiangnv had found a secluded spot, fumbled with her waistband, and squatted down.

Oh.

Understanding dawned on him. Moments later, the soft splashing of water filled the silence. Yang Yi smirked.

“As a physician and a martial artist, does she not realise that in a survival situation, urine is a valuable source of hydration?”

His curiosity deepened. But then, he realised something else. She likely had no intention of surviving.