Severing ties with family to marry the young marshal, his whole family chases me to the crematorium.

His eyes flashed with anger, and his already tense lips were now pressed into a tight line.

"Madam, out of consideration for Young Marshal Si, I will not argue with you. However, I solemnly declare that under no circumstances will I allow anyone to wantonly damage these precious cultural relics!"

Secretary Chen gritted his teeth and spoke each word with unwavering resolve, as firm as steel.

Just as the two were talking, Secretary Chen rushed forward and stood firmly in front of Shen Qingyao, spreading his arms wide like an indestructible barrier, completely blocking her way. He showed no intention of moving aside and resolutely refused to let her get any closer to the slightly protruding stone.

In an instant, Shen Qingyao's originally calm face turned gloomy, her beautiful eyes burned with rage, her fists clenched tightly, her knuckles turned white from the excessive force, and even the veins on her forehead began to throb uncontrollably.

She could never have imagined that this seemingly kind old man would be so stubborn, even though she had clearly and explicitly told him that the protruding rock was very likely the key clue for everyone to escape from this place.

But he ignored her like a deaf person, not only disbelieving her words but also rudely preventing her from continuing her investigation.

Does he really want to watch everyone present get trapped and die here before he'll be satisfied?

Thinking of this, Shen Qingyao's anger flared even more. If it weren't for Si Jingnian's sake, she probably would have already thrown a punch.

To avoid a direct confrontation with Secretary Chen and putting Si Jingnian in a difficult position, Shen Qingyao had no choice but to suppress the anger that was about to erupt within her.

Shen Qingyao took two deep breaths, trying to calm her turbulent emotions and forcefully suppressing the strong urge to hit someone.

Meanwhile, Si Jingnian, who had been closely observing the situation, naturally noticed Shen Qingyao's unusual behavior.

When he saw the look Shen Qingyao cast at him, his heart skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong.

Oh no! Ah Yao is really angry this time, and she's furious! It's all that damned Secretary Chen's fault, he's a complete idiot and a bastard!

He not only successfully provoked A-Yao, causing her to be so angry, but he was also innocently implicated.

What's even more alarming is that he dared to be so audacious as to anger his own Ah Yao to this extent; it seems he really doesn't want to leave this ancient tomb alive.

“Secretary Chen, my wife isn’t damaging cultural relics; she’s searching for clues to leave. Have you forgotten the mission you were given? Do you want to be trapped here forever?”

Si Jingnian's voice was icy cold, and it also contained a suffocating calm before the storm.

His deep, pool-like eyes were now flashing with a chilling light as he stared intently at Secretary Chen before him.

He never imagined that Secretary Chen, who was always known for his composure, would make such a foolish mistake on such an important matter.

The moment Si Jingnian's cold, ruthless voice, which seemed to penetrate the heart, entered Secretary Chen's ears, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his body trembled violently.

Secretary Chen finally snapped out of his daze. At this moment, his eyes became incredibly complex, showing both regret and self-blame for his actions, as well as deep entanglement and struggle.

Yes! He shoulders a great mission and task. Is he just going to be trapped here and die, unable to move forward even half a step?

If he fails to complete the tasks assigned by his superiors, how will he explain it to them?

However, what lies before him are the nation's most precious cultural relics! Each relic carries a profound historical and cultural heritage, and if they were to be damaged or destroyed by the slightest carelessness... what a huge and irreparable loss that would be!

Secretary Chen stood there, caught in a fierce internal struggle.

On one hand, there's the mission assigned by superiors: to find that mysterious item and bring it out safely.

On the other hand, there is the responsibility and obligation that a scholar should fulfill in protecting cultural relics.

What should he do?

Secretary Chen wavered between these two difficult choices, unable to make a decision for a long time.

While Secretary Chen was hesitating, Shen Qingyao, who was standing to the side, had already reached her limit of patience.

Shen Qingyao rolled her eyes impatiently, sneered, and walked past Secretary Chen without hesitation, striding straight toward the protruding rock.

Because she knew very well that the yin energy in the tomb was becoming increasingly intense at this moment, and if this continued to drag on, no one knew what terrible things might happen next.

Therefore, she simply did not have the extra time to leave Secretary Chen to be indecisive and hesitant.

"Eh... Young Marshal's wife, you..."

Before Secretary Chen could even speak up to stop her, Shen Qingyao swiftly pried the protruding stone away with force, and it was easily pried out.

However, Shen Qingyao did not stop what she was doing immediately.

After hesitating for a moment, she carefully placed the stone she had just pried off the mural into a groove next to her.

Everything seemed to be going exactly as Shen Qingyao had predicted. When the stone taken from the mural was slowly placed into the groove, it fit perfectly, so perfectly that there was not a single gap.

This time, without Shen Qingyao even needing to speak, Si Jingnian, who was standing to the side, understood perfectly and naturally stretched out his hands, steadily lifting Shen Qingyao high up.

Shen Qingyao did not show any coyness or affectation. Instead, she gracefully used Si Jingnian's help to accurately place the stone she was holding into the groove of the mural.

At that very moment, something magical happened! The seemingly ordinary mural suddenly seemed to come alive and began to undergo astonishing changes.

The previously chaotic and uneven carved lines now seemed to be guided by some mysterious force, adjusting their positions and shapes on their own.

Although each mural itself has not undergone any substantial change, the entire picture has become clear and complete in an instant simply because of the clever placement of this stone.

Today, anyone who glances at this mural can clearly discern that it depicts a ferocious and majestic beast, the Taotie.

The Taotie opened its mouth wide, revealing its gleaming teeth, and its sharp eyes, seemingly alive, stared intently at everyone in the tomb.