When Ai Li turned to look at the two men behind her, one of the guards smiled at her, while the other nodded in acknowledgment.
Everything was normal, and their surroundings were exceptionally quiet.
Ai Li scanned the area expressionlessly, her gaze shifting from the two guards to the foot of the wall, where some dust had fallen onto the ground.
Although the walls here were very old, under normal circumstances, that much dust could not have fallen off on its own.
Someone must have touched it.
Could these two guards really have been bored enough to scrape dust off the wall? And even if they had, why hadn't there been any sound?
"What is it?" Xu Le looked at Ai Li.
"Nothing. Just carry on with your research."
"Oh."
They turned back around. Xu Le continued his research, while Ai Li went on alert.
Her muscles had begun to tense, and fine fur slowly grew on the skin beneath her clothes.
Just then, some strange sounds came from behind them.
Gurgle, gurgle, cough, cough, ah!
"What was that weird sound just now?"
Xu Le also looked at the two guards behind them, but neither showed anything unusual. They were simply standing guard as normal.
One of the guards smiled at Xu Le and said:
"You have excellent hearing, sir. It's nothing, really. I just ate too much this morning and was burping. Carry on with your research. I won't make any more noise."
Ai Li said nothing. She found it strange. The guards here were usually the unsmiling sort, most of them with personalities much like hers.
After all, their work involved certain Guyinduo taboos. Speaking less and doing more was an important qualification for becoming a guard here.
This particular guard was talking rather a lot today, and