“This is a videotape that our police found at the site of the ruins in the Adirondack Mountains.”
In the conference room, Johnny Stone took out a previously backed-up videotape: “At the same time, it’s also the only remaining item from this tragedy.”
“So...did the other members of the archaeological team...all...die?”
“Yes.”
Johnny Stone nodded with a heavy heart: “According to the forensic scientists, the members of the archaeological team were all killed on the spot.”
“Even though we were partners, we hadn’t known each other for very long...”
Upon hearing this tragic news, Gwen’s face immediately turned pale, and even her slender eyebrows were tightly knit together at this moment.
“By the way, what exactly is recorded on that videotape?”
Noticing Gwen’s sadness, Reed took over the conversation and asked about the videotape.
But this time, it was Johnny Stone who fell silent. After a long pause, he spoke with a hesitant tone.
“I don’t know how to describe it, so I’d rather you all watch the videotape together. Of course, if you feel uncomfortable at any point, we’ll immediately stop the playback.”
As he spoke, Johnny Stone turned off the lights in the conference room and then played the content recorded on the videotape.
“Aaah!”
As soon as the image on the screen appeared, it was filled with piercing screams and terror.
Then the camera shifted to the deepest part of the ruins, where a stone sarcophagus seemed to have been violently struck, causing it to tilt and fall. This resulted in the male corpse within, dressed in greyish-white clothing, falling out.
Then, a mysterious figure clad in flowing robes slowly stood up amidst the terrified cries of the crowd, and with a full heart of anger, picked up the stone belt from the ground, letting out a roar like a beast.
“KUUGA——”
With that undeniable roar of anger, the mysterious figure clad in flowing robes slammed the stone belt onto the ground, then turned around and walked toward the archaeological team members also present at the ruins, with an unspeakable rage.
The final shot of the footage showed those once familiar faces now shattered, their lives extinguished one by one under the mysterious figure’s claws.
Facing such a brutal scene on the screen, Gwen lowered her head, unable to bear watching anymore.
But the grief in her eyes could not be concealed.
Seeing this, Reed gently patted her shoulder, offering silent comfort.
During this time, the videotape also ended playback, and then Johnny Stone turned on the lights in the conference room and said.
“At present, the true identity of that mysterious figure is still unknown.”
“However, the fact that he threw the belt-like ornament onto the ground with rage at the end made me think, so I wanted to ask Dr. Stacy to help us identify this belt, see if we can find any clues from it.”
“Of course, you don’t need to worry about the relevant procedures, I’ll figure something out.”
As he spoke, Johnny Stone opened the briefcase containing the stone belt and placed it in front of Gwen and Reed.
This… isn’t this the belt I saw at the ruins this morning!?
At a glance, Reed recognized this as the belt that had previously caused him hallucinations in the ruins.
“Yes, because this artifact unearthed from the Adirondack Mountains is involved in the case, it’s currently being handled by our police,” Johnny Stone nodded and explained.
At this moment, a police officer pushed open the door to the conference room with a panicked expression, approached Johnny Stone and whispered.
“Mr. Stone, something has happened, there’s a...at the Third Street Building...”
“Yes, I know.”
Upon hearing the officer’s words, Johnny Stone frowned and immediately turned to Reed and Gwen Stacy.
“This artifact will be in your care for now, I appreciate it!”
“Excuse me, I have to leave!”
After saying this, Johnny Stone left the conference room with the officer.
As for Reed, after watching Officer Johnny leave, he picked up the stone belt from the briefcase, pointed to the mysterious symbol on it, and asked.
“Gwen, do you know what this symbol means?”
Facing Officer Johnny’s departure and Reed’s question, Gwen briefly recovered from her sadness, then pursed her lips, looked at the mysterious symbol on the stone belt, and explained.
“This symbol can be interpreted in several ways, but considering the shape of the belt and the content of the video playback, I am more inclined to believe that it means ‘power’!”
“Power?”
Reed unconsciously repeated the word.
But he didn’t notice that when his hand touched the mysterious symbol on the stone belt, the belt inexplicably emitted a faint silver light.
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