“Patriotism!”
Professor Chen knelt beside Hao Ai Guo's body, weeping uncontrollably. The grief in his heart felt like it would tear him apart.
Ye Yi Xin and Chu Jian also cried uncontrollably.
Hu Ba Yi and Wang Pang Zi sighed in dismay.
Shirley Yang was also immersed in the sorrow of Hao Ai Guo's death.
It had been such a difficult journey. They were about to reach the ancient city of Jingjue, but…
Wang Pang Zi came to Lu Feng, his gun still pointed at the snake's head on the ground: “Lu Feng, what kind of snake is this? Why does it glow?”
“This snake is called Net-Seeing A-Han in the Demon Kingdom, also known as the Black-Eyed Monster Snake, the Giant-Eyed Snake. It is the guardian of the ancient city of Jingjue.”
“Guardian?”
“They are the messengers of the Demon Kingdom.”
An Li Man interjected, his face filled with fear.
“What guardian? Fatso, I don't believe in this stuff. It's just a few weird snakes. Don't go around spouting all this superstitious nonsense.”
Hu Ba Yi furrowed his brows and scolded: “Pang Zi, if you don’t speak, no one will think you’re dumb.”
“You, fine, I won’t say anything.” Wang Pang Zi said in a sullen tone.
Lu Feng swept his Tianmu around, confirming there were no other black snakes, then took one of the backpacks. He opened it and saw food and Mingqi (tomb objects) inside.
Hu Ba Yi and Wang Pang Zi’s eyes lit up.
Each grabbed a backpack and nearly blinded themselves with the handfuls of gold, silver, jewels, and jade. They quickly grabbed their backpacks and dragged them to Lu Feng.
Lu Feng opened the fourth backpack, revealing a dried corpse and some scattered Mingqi.
Lu Feng collected the Mingqi but didn’t touch the corpse.
“Why don’t you want this?”
Wang Pang Zi picked up the dried corpse, his face full of reluctance.
“It’s okay to take things from a tomb but you don't get to take even the bones?” Lu Feng simply didn’t want to sell human remains.
“I think Lu Feng is right. This is the deceased’s final dignity.” Hu Ba Yi shone his flashlight on Pang Zi’s eyes.
“Alright.”
Wang Pang Zi put down the dried corpse after hearing that: “Let's bury it then.”
Hu Ba Yi laughed at that: “Your change of mind is pretty fast.”
“I'll keep the stuff for now.”
“Of course.”
They couldn't carry all this stuff on them. If Professor Chen and the others found out, they would definitely demand they hand it over, leaving them with nothing.
Lu Feng collected everything and nonchalantly walked over to Shirley Yang.
Shirley Yang snapped out of her grief and looked at Lu Feng and the others: “Let's rest here for tonight, and we'll leave tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
Professor Chen, Chu Jian, and Ye Yi Xin were in no condition to continue their journey.
While resting, Shirley Yang noticed the dragged backpacks and casually opened one. She saw food and a few Mingqi inside.
This was intentionally left behind by Lu Feng.
An Li Man certainly knew these people were tomb robbers, and given the fact that the stone tomb was looted, it would be strange if the backpacks didn’t contain any Mingqi.
All four backpacks were opened, revealing eight Mingqi and one desert corpse.
“It’s outrageous! They don’t even spare the corpse.” Shirley Yang exclaimed indignantly.
Wang Pang Zi looked left and right, as if he hadn’t heard.
Hu Ba Yi was speechless.
What are you nervous about?
…
…
The sun rose from the east, illuminating the valley.
The ancient city buried beneath the yellow sand was suddenly revealed.
Professor Chen and the others decided to bury Hao Ai Guo in the valley, letting him eternally accompany this mysterious ancient city.
“Team Leader Lu, it’s a bad omen to have a companion die in the desert, and those black snakes are messengers of the devil. This proves a legend, you see.”
“This is a place abandoned by Heaven itself.”
“I can’t go any further with you.”
An Li Man’s expression was solemn, and his attitude was unwavering.
Lu Feng nodded: “Old man, how does Hu Da punish those who betray their trust?”
“He’ll turn their family’s money and salt into sand. In the end, they’ll starve to death. After they die, they’ll be sent to the Hot Sand Hell to endure 1,800 kinds of torture.”
“My tent has water. Wait for us to come back and regroup.”
“Alright.”
Seeing Lu Feng and the others depart, An Li Man went to Lu Feng’s tent. As soon as he entered, his jaw nearly dropped to the ground.
A large pit had been dug in the tent, with a one-meter-diameter, one-meter-deep water tank filled to the brim with clear water.
“How is this possible?”
An Li Man’s face turned red with excitement.
If this water was only for him, it would last him half a year!
Of course.
This water wouldn’t last that long.
…
…
The distance from the mountain pass to the ancient city was not far.
The city gate was completely ruined, the moat in front of it was filled with yellow sand, and the city itself was a desolate wasteland, eerily silent.
“It’s all sand, rotten wood, and broken stones.”
Wang Pang Zi was very disappointed. There was no gold, silver, or treasure.
“Legend has it that this city was destroyed by war. The Allied forces stormed the royal palace. At that moment, a black sandstorm buried everything in Jingjue under the yellow sand.” Shirley Yang said.
“Comrade Lu Feng, Comrade Hu Ba Yi, let's find the royal palace first.” Professor Chen said.
Hu Ba Yi stood on a high point, looking towards the Zagarlama Mountains: “The Zagarlama Mountains and the underground water veins form a still and moving dynamic. It is a geomantic treasure. There must be a water source under the city's royal palace.”
Shirley Yang said: “The royal palace should be in the center of the city, right?”
Lu Feng pointed to a building buried under the yellow sand: “That is the temple of the Jingjue Kingdom. We can enter the underground palace from there.”
“??”
Hu Ba Yi opened his mouth wide. Did you dream this up again?
“Are you sure?”
Shirley Yang was both surprised and delighted.
“Of course.”
Lu Feng had already used his Tianmu to see the inside of the temple.