Elements: The Ancient Tomb

Chapter 18: "Land of Gods“- part 6: "Unexpected things"

"...Toan showed his scary serious face when he said that seems to be making Yelena extremely shocked. She didn't want to believe that Linh was the mastermind of everything. Meeting her, being open and friendly with her from the first contact, and showing her documents, made her have great sympathy for Linh, but knowing that Linh was the one who hired people to follow and attack her, all just to fulfill the purpose of making Toan show his face, causing that impression in her to collapse. At this point, she has accepted that Toan's words are true, partly because she remembers that she once questioned how Linh knew that the person who was with Yelena when the attack happened was her uncle. and then received an unsatisfactory response from the female director.

'Yes... maybe you're right.'- Yelena replied- 'Everything seems to be very logical when put together. Now I trust you."

Yelena looked down, the corners of her eyes were slightly wet. The feeling in her right now could only be described with one word: 'broken'.

'Why… why did Linh do this to me? She was always open and friendly from the first time we met. I thought she wanted to help me because she liked the way I was. It turned out that Linh only considered me a tool to serve her purpose. My faith and feelings for her are sincere, but why would she...? What should I do?"

At this time, tears were rolling down Yelena's thin cheeks. She couldn't hold back her emotions and just burst into tears. Yelena's mind began to appear in a flash of happy memories of herself and Linh just two days ago. They hurt her even more.

Knowing that Yelena was hurt in her heart, Toan comforted her:

'I said one thing that disappointed you. But it's better to be heartbroken this time to motivate yourself to become stronger than to keep trusting untrustworthy people and regret it for the rest of your life.'

'You're right.'- Yelena raised her face and wiped her tears, asking: 'Please clarify your relationship with Linh and her true purpose in doing everything to make you appear.'

'Hmm...'- Toan sighed- 'Perhaps you'll want to hear the story I'm about to tell. Before we begin, I want to tell you one fact. I am not a god or a descendant of anyone. I'm just a normal person, I used to have a normal life like you. Listen, I was a colleague of Linh's in the US, it all happened when we had a long-term business trip in Vietnam.'

'What did you say? Were you… used to be Linh's colleague?'- Yelena exclaimed, her face surprised as if she couldn't believe what Toan had just said.

'That's right. As for the second thing you want to know, let me put it bluntly: She wanted to expose me simply to get something I was holding that was supposed to be important to her. She thinks owning it will make her try everything she wants.'

Hearing that, Yelena gradually realized many things.

'It seems that what she's craving has to do with that coffin and its legend, doesn't it?'

'Correct. All calamities stem from the 'dwelling' of that coffin - the ancient tomb of Savakaj, rumored to be...'

'...where 'the gods hide', am I right?'

'Exactly!'

'All the rumors about the ancient tombs mentioned that mysterious treasure. Everyone is extremely scared when it comes to it, so it is enough to know how its mystery and power were. At first, I didn't believe in such unscientific things. People only believe in things that have been proven by science.'

'Well, you know, I used to have the same thoughts as you when I heard about it, like: 'Wow, those superstitions only exist in movies, they don't exist in real life.' But you know, mysteries excite people's curiosity and imagination, even if only through rumors. Sometimes something that people always think they're fiction appears in real life.'

'You've been at that ancient tomb and witnessed everything, haven't you?' - Yelena said.

'You have a good sense. I am here now to tell you what happened there when I was an archaeologist. It happened two months ago...'

Toan was still passionately telling Yelena stories without knowing that under Yelena's bag, there was an eavesdropping 'bug' installed by someone she met in the parking lot. After attaching the 'bug', he immediately called his employer. The person who received the call from him was none other than Linh. She was sitting in her office, anxiously waiting for a reply from the name she hired to do everything she assigned. He confirmed to her that the job was done and confirmed the arrival of Toan.

'Have the job done?... I see, so the one talking to Yelena there is him. Then email me the entire conversation. And remember, don't take your eyes off those two until ordered from me. When she's in there with him, you just watch from afar, don't do anything to reveal our whereabouts, and interfere with their conversation. If there's anything, I'll report a new task to you.'- Linh hung up after finishing the call, then sat thoughtfully to calculate something.

On Toan's side, he began to narrate what he had experienced and seen to Yelena.

"… Linh and I knew each other when we were employees of the Yorky Archaeological Institute in the state of California in the US. The story started when we were working at Minh Vu Archaeological Institute in Vietnam as the form of two exchange researchers. The time working together there used to be quite fun. We used to be a very good and close couple, until one day, we were assigned a new mission that contained many risks and dangers."

Feeling that some of Toan's words seem to be a bit long, rambling, not at the heart of the story, and a bit emotional, Yelena began to feel quite impatient. She had to say her thoughts to Toan:

"Relax, don't let emotions affect the narrative, tell it objectively, honestly, and to the point."

"Sorry. I let emotions overwhelm me, making the story a bit lengthy. I will get to the main point of the story."

"I'm glad you understood."

"Our team has 6 people including me, Linh, and 4 more people who were assigned the task of discovering and excavating the Savakaj ancient tomb. We received news that the place had been buried by a layer of rock piled on top of each other, no one had set foot and gone deep into it, so everything was still intact. In other words, we had to destroy that rock with mines or something that could explode if we wanted to get in. Before leaving, Linh whispered to me:

'I will distract the others and go there secretly with you. It is better not to let them come along.'

I asked:

'Why? This is a mission, not a game, you can do whatever you like. Wouldn't it be safer and more efficient for everyone to go there together? We're a team, aren't we?'

Linh was still adamant with her words:

'You don't understand anything. You and I are the two most knowledgeable people about that area on the team, why drag more people to do it instead of the two of us going there secretly.'

'Even so, but…"

'I'll tell you a secret, don't tell anyone, I heard that inside there is a very mysterious secret that the temple guard has spent his life to hide from the outside world. outside. Honestly, I've been curious for a long time. If we find it, our fame will rise like a kite in the wind.'

'So that means you're going to exclude others from the path of advancement at the Institute?'

'Right.'

'Don't tell me you're pYelenaning something to hurt them...?'

'It's not like it's anything that endangers their lives. I just need you...'

'Don't drag me into this. You gave me goosebumps. Do you know how much trouble we've had because of your recklessness and indiscipline? Whatever you're trying to do, stop it.'

'Fuck off. Stop criticizing me. Are you still my friend? You said as if you understood me so well. You always raise your voice to criticize and teach others. If you don't encourage me, then stop... Since that time, he has never listened to me. You bastard.'

'I told you, you are never the person made everyone completely trusted. What a shame. I didn't know what you were going to do, but I refuse to cooperate with you to do it. Tomorrow I will arrive 30 minutes before, just stand in front of the gate waiting for me, when the car of the group comes and then go together. Just like that. The debate should end here.'

After that, I just left her alone. It was our first big fight as friends. In my heart, I know that I couldn't ignore her, I believe that something needs to be done to stop her because I'm Linh's friend and I worried that she would do something stupid. Even so, I still decided not to tell the other 4 and did not interfere in her decision because of the hesitation and guilt of raising my voice to her during the argument.

On the day of departure, before dawn, 30 minutes before the appointment time, I walked from the inn to the front gate to wait for other people to come, because, in the group, I am the only one who's been living outside by renting a house with cheap rent and near the office, not moving to the Institute to work and live like everyone else. I guessed they were sleeping after a long night of hard work. I still often have the habit of coming earlier than usual on the occasions when I go to explore the ruins with everyone. It's so convenient for me, making me more initiative in waiting until the others gather fully and get in the group's car to start the journey. After waiting for about 15 minutes, I saw Linh's car speeding toward me. She opened the car door and said:

'Get in the car. Now you come with me.'

Startled I asked:

'Why? Aren't we going to ride the group car? The other four...'

'You get in the car, then talk. It's not convenient to talk here. Now it's just the two of us.'

'What...?'

Linh kept urging me to get in the car. I'm worried about the others, I don't know how they are now. Then I still got into Linh's car.

After walking for a while, I asked Linh: 'How are the others?'

Linh tried to ignore my question: 'Are you hungry, I have a sandwich. Eat some.'

'Where are they? What happened to them?' I yelled.

'I put them aside, literally. I brought the tray of water cups to each of them at dawn, after I had put the anesthetic in each cup of water. They'll have a very deep sleep until the afternoon as I expected.'

I was shocked to hear every word Linh uttered. I was even more surprised by Linh's indifferent attitude after doing those things.

'Are you crazy? Yesterday I thought you were joking with me."

'Come on, does my attitude and words yesterday look like a joke?'

'Unexpectedly… you were blinded by fame and money. How can you do such a thing?'

'Do you think I want to do it?'- Linh shouted, pounding on the steering wheel- 'Think, with what they find, they will probably bring a report to the boss and be promoted like so many low-level employees. other. Then what do they get in return? Merit? Salary increase? And anything else? I'm not like them. I want more.'

'You are an ambitious person. Do you think people will leave you alone after this? What exactly are you craving? Fame, money, or even power you say? You are too greedy and blind. Then you will be betrayed by greed for power. You've heard the quote of Salida Foke: 'If you get too deep into a quagmire, it will pull you down and you won't be able to get out', haven't you?'

'I thought you would understand me. You're the one who wants those things more than I do. Stop there, your hypocrisy. To get results, you have to trade what you have, including career and personal happiness. You should understand it...'

'But you need to exchange your moral character to get everything, don't you?'

'Bingo! That is my view of life.'

The atmosphere gradually became tenser than ever. I stared dumbly at Linh with a look full of contempt and pity. Linh that I knew before is gone, I imagined the one sitting next to me was just a stranger being 'swallowed' by greed and selfishness. The car was still rolling on the highway, in the sky, the dark clouds were pulling to a gray day and the raindrops began to fall. I could hear the rain falling clearly on the roof of the car. My mood was as gloomy as the scene that day…"