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

Chapter 7: A Single Hairpin—Liu Bang Loses His Wife!

Meng Jiangnv had been silent throughout the entire fight, only snapping back to reality once all three intruders had been slain. She didn’t scream or panic—she had seen far too many deaths in these chaotic times to react dramatically. But one thing still shocked her.

Yang Yi had suddenly produced a knife out of nowhere.  Her brows furrowed slightly. How could he possibly be carrying a kitchen knife inside the First Emperor’s tomb? What’s more, she could sense his immense strength, something that seemed beyond ordinary human capabilities.

“Where did that knife come from?” she finally asked. Yang Yi grinned. “I conjured it. Neat trick, huh?” He didn’t elaborate further, instead crouching down and calmly looting the corpses.

Ding! 

[Congratulations, host! You have successfully looted a corpse.].

[Rewards acquired: 10,000 jin¹ of millet, 10,000 jin of bracken.].

[Bonus reward: One year of intense cultivation and five additional years of lifespan.].

Although the bodies held no material possessions, the rewards were still incredibly generous, making Yang Yi extremely satisfied. Without wasting time, he placed his hands on the second corpse.

Ding! 

[Congratulations, host! You have successfully looted a corpse.].

[Rewards acquired: 10,000 jin of millet, 100 jin of pears.].

[Bonus reward: One year of intense cultivation and ten additional years of lifespan.].

Yang Yi smirked to himself. “This is too easy.”

At this rate, achieving immortality was just a matter of time. He had already accumulated forty years of lifespan, something that Qin Shi Huang had spent his entire life chasing. And yet, here in the First Emperor’s tomb, Yang Yi had obtained it effortlessly. With hundreds—if not thousands—of trapped souls still awaiting death, he estimated that if he looted every single corpse, he could easily secure several thousand years of lifespan.

His hands moved to the third and final body—the leader of the three men. As he rummaged through the man’s belongings, he pulled out several flatbreads.

Ding! 

[Host has looted Great Qin Flatbreads.].

[Item deemed of low value. Awarding host: One tael of gold.].

Yang Yi raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? Even worthless things give out gold?” The system was more generous than he expected. Then, his hand brushed against something small and smooth. Pulling it out, he saw a wooden hairpin.

Ding! 

[Congratulations, host! You have looted a Great Qin Wooden Hairpin.].

[Item deemed of low value. However, it carries deep sentimental significance.].

[Special Reward: Owner of the Hairpin.].

[Ding! Congratulations, host! You have obtained Lü Zhi. She has been placed in the system’s storage space.].

Yang Yi froze on the spot. “What the hell? The system just rewarded me a living person?” And then realization hit him like a thunderbolt. “Wait… Lü Zhi? Lü Zhi? As in Liu Bang’s wife?!”

His heart pounded as he immediately accessed the system’s storage space. Inside, resting in deep slumber, was a woman of stunning beauty. Her features were exquisite, her figure graceful, and she radiated a natural elegance that even time itself couldn’t tarnish.

But what truly shocked him was her attire. She was dressed in an elaborate red wedding gown.

Yang Yi’s expression turned complicated.

“Don’t tell me… this was supposed to be her wedding day?”

“Did the system just intercept her from marrying Liu Bang?”

He nearly burst out laughing. Liu Bang had just lost his wife because of a hairpin.

He glanced back at the corpse of the middle-aged man. So this guy had secretly loved Lü Zhi.

That explained why he had stolen her hairpin and kept it close to his heart.

Yang Yi chuckled. “What a twist of fate. Because of one man’s hidden love, history has been rewritten.” Without Lü Zhi’s support and political cunning, Liu Bang’s rebellion might not have gone as smoothly as it had in recorded history. How would this affect the fate of the Qin Dynasty?

Yang Yi smirked. “This system keeps getting more ridiculous.” Then, a wild thought crossed his mind. “If someone here secretly admires Consort Yu or possesses an item belonging to her, does that mean I could loot her too?”

A wicked grin spread across his face. “If I keep lying low in this tomb… I might just collect all of history’s most beautiful women.” For the first time, he felt no rush to leave.

……………………………………………………………………………

Pushing those thoughts aside, he returned his consciousness to reality and resumed looting. Now wasn’t the time to wake Lü Zhi. The underground palace was still too chaotic, and he wasn’t sure how she would react to suddenly being transported here. As his hands brushed against another corpse, the system’s voice rang out once again.

Ding! 

[Congratulations, host! You have successfully looted a corpse.].

[Rewards acquired: 10,000 jin of millet, 100 jin of mutton, 100 feet of silk fabric.].

[Bonus reward: One and a half years of cultivation and ten additional years of lifespan.].

Yang Yi raised an eyebrow. “This guy must have been rich.”

It was rare to loot fine silk fabric in a place like this. This had been a massive haul. Not only had he acquired an incredible amount of resources, but he had also gained twenty-five more years of lifespan, three and a half years of cultivation, and… a future Empress.

He stood up, dusted himself off, and turned to Meng Jiangnv. “Got some good stuff this time,” he said with a smile. “I’ll hold on to the flatbreads, but here—take this.”

He extended the wooden hairpin toward her. Meng Jiangnv’s face flushed. “This… isn’t appropriate.” She hesitated, her fingers twitching. In this era, a man gifting a woman a hairpin was a clear gesture of love.

“Just take it,” Yang Yi said lightly. “You’re the only one here I can give it to. Besides, the underground palace is getting more dangerous. Who knows? Maybe this hairpin will turn out to be a good self-defense weapon.” Without giving her another chance to refuse, he firmly placed it in her hand.

Meng Jiangnv’s face burned as she slowly closed her fingers around the hairpin. “Thank you…” Her voice was barely a whisper. At the same time, her loyalty level increased to 85. Her gaze toward Yang Yi softened. In this dark, hopeless world, she had found someone who protected her, provided for her, and treated her with kindness. For a woman in her situation, it was all too easy to fall.