A Woman Who Digs Up History Has a Taste for the Macabre

"This mummy seems a little off, doesn't it? I've never seen one so... so fresh!"

As an expert on Ancient Egyptian culture, Evelyn had seen mummies of every shape and size, but never one this strange.

Unfortunately, Evelyn's words once again fell on deaf ears. Jonathan was busy reaching into the coffin and rummaging around, hoping to find some grave goods.

Hao Shuai, meanwhile, was looking the mummy up and down. Unlike Evelyn, who was focused on how fresh it was, he sensed that it was filled with an astonishing amount of resentment and deathly energy.

As for O'Connell, he'd listened quite attentively, but as a rough-and-tumble sort, this was the first time he'd ever seen a mummy. What could he possibly have to say about it?

"And it looks like he died in terrible agony, too!" Evelyn said, baffled as she studied the mummy's twisted jaw, gaping mouth, and hideous expression.

After all, Evelyn understood that mummies were made after a person died. How could a dead person have an expression like that?

Hao Shuai thought she was still too young and had seen too little of the world.

Not only had Imhotep been sealed inside the coffin alive and subjected to the most vicious punishment imaginable, the same expression could be found on any number of sacrificial victims in the tombs of ancient nobles and emperors, back when live burial was in fashion.

Once Evelyn had excavated a few more large tombs and opened a few more coffins, she'd get used to it.

"Evelyn, come take a look at this." O'Connell, ever the observant one, had spotted the scratches on the coffin lid.

At his words, Evelyn crouched beside the lid and ran her fingers over the marks. "Good heavens! These were made by fingernails. This man was