Chapter 019: Little Schemes

Anck-su-namun glared at the curator with some displeasure. Although she had awakened her past life memories, she still had feelings for O'Connell, so deep down she harbored a bit of selfishness.

She wanted to return the Book of the Dead.

To pretend nothing had happened. If Imhotep failed, she could go back to being Karen, continue living with O'Connell and her son Alex.

So she didn't want O'Connell to notice her change.

Perhaps before, Anck-su-namun wouldn't have cared, because she knew Imhotep well—he was powerful and couldn't fail. But now it was different.

O'Connell's friend, that man named Wang Bo, had too mysterious an origin.

A man who could freely travel between worlds, a man who knew the Goddess of Death.

Compared to him, Imhotep's strength and chances of victory didn't seem as great as imagined. So she had to prepare a fallback and absolutely not fall out with O'Connell.

Of course, she was willing to help Imhotep and resurrect him because she had feelings for him.

But those feelings weren't to the point of recklessness or dying for each other.

Thousands of years ago, when her affair with Imhotep was exposed, she agreed to murder the Pharaoh with him and then commit suicide to cover his escape because she knew Imhotep was the Keeper of the Dead.

He had the Book of the Dead and could resurrect her. So she didn't hesitate to kill herself.

After all, death wasn't the end.

She originally thought it wouldn't be long before Imhotep resurrected her and they would be together, but unexpectedly Imhotep failed and was imprisoned for three thousand years.

In a sense, Imhotep was rather useless.

To be honest, the reason she, as the Pharaoh's most favored concubine, had an affair with Imhotep was precisely because Imhotep could resurrect people.

You see, when she married the Pharaoh, she was still young and beautiful, about the same age as the Pharaoh's daughter.

But the Pharaoh was already old and decrepit.

Perhaps in a few years, the Pharaoh would die.

Then she would surely be buried alive with him, since the Pharaoh doted on her so much in life, he would certainly take her to the underworld after death.

But the problem was, she didn't want to die.

She was still so young, hadn't enjoyed enough wealth and glory—why should she accompany an old man to the underworld?

So she secretly got involved with Imhotep, bewitching him completely. Once the Pharaoh died, Imhotep could secretly resurrect her.

Then she could continue enjoying earthly riches and honors.

After all, in Egypt, Imhotep's status was second only to the great Pharaoh.

But who would have thought their carelessness would expose them, forcing them to kill the Pharaoh, ending with one dead by suicide and the other imprisoned for three thousand years.

Of course, that doesn't mean Anck-su-namun was entirely using Imhotep without any feelings. If she had no feelings, she wouldn't have secretly had the Book of the Dead stolen to resurrect him.

But she also had to think of herself.

However, the curator wasn't her subordinate but Imhotep's; he could completely ignore her orders. Helpless, Anck-su-namun said, "Where is Imhotep?"

She decided to persuade Imhotep first.

The curator said slowly, "The master has obtained the map and is heading to the Oasis of Ahm Shere."

Anck-su-namun said with some displeasure, "He plans to go alone and leave me behind?"

The curator said, "The master said your identity is inconvenient to reveal now. You can go to the Oasis of Ahm Shere with O'Connell and the others, and at the critical moment, help the master turn defeat into victory."

Anck-su-namun said, "Without the Book of the Dead, my identity is easily suspected."

The curator comforted her, "Rest assured, the master has made preparations. No one will suspect your identity."

Anck-su-namun: ...

She knew she wouldn't get the Book of the Dead today. Imhotep had probably already left London with it. Helpless, Anck-su-namun had to leave the museum.

Afterward, she went straight home.

Wang Bo withdrew his gaze and rubbed his temples. To be honest, Karen being Anck-su-namun was indeed a shocking turn of events.

For a moment, he really didn't know how to tell O'Connell.

Could he just tell O'Connell, "Actually, your wife was Imhotep's lover three thousand years ago. She secretly stole the Book of the Dead and resurrected Imhotep. Every time she disappears, she's sneaking off to meet him."

Wang Bo really couldn't bring himself to say that.

Maybe he could be more tactful.

"Congratulations, O'Connell, you cuckolded Imhotep. But after he was resurrected, he cuckolded you."

Hmm... that sounded like mockery.

"To get through life, you have to wear a little green on your head!"

Wang Bo felt that if he actually said that, even the good-tempered O'Connell would turn against him.

After all, it was all because he had broken up O'Connell and Evelyn.

If not for him, O'Connell wouldn't have met Karen and ended up cuckolded.

Wang Bo hesitated and decided to find someone to discuss it with.

So he found Evelyn, who was researching in the library, brought her back to the villa, and made her a cup of black tea.

Evelyn held the tea and said, "What do you want to see me about?"

Wang Bo asked, "What do you think of Karen?"

Evelyn was surprised, not understanding why Wang Bo brought her up. She thought for a moment and said, "O'Connell's wife, a very beautiful woman. What's wrong?"

"Don't you think she looks familiar?"

"Familiar?" Evelyn shook her head. "I've never seen her before."

Wang Bo wasn't surprised by this. Although in the plot, Anck-su-namun's reincarnation looked exactly like her past self, Wang Bo knew that was just a plot device, what the director needed.

For example, in the third Mummy movie, Evelyn's actress was replaced.

But the problem was, reality wasn't a plot. Unlike the plot, Evelyn wouldn't suddenly change into a different person after a dozen years, and Anck-su-namun's reincarnation might not look exactly like her past self.

So it was perfectly normal that Evelyn didn't recognize Karen as Anck-su-namun.

Wang Bo asked again, "Then do you feel a sense of déjà vu about her?"

Evelyn's eyes widened, and she asked, "How did you know?"

"So you do have that feeling."

"Yes, I do have that feeling, as if I've seen Karen somewhere before, but I can't remember where. Maybe we've met somewhere before."