Chapter 006 Awakening (I)

Ryan picked up a piece of metal that had recently been removed from the corner. As the liquid evaporated, the metal surface had hardened again. He took a dagger from his clothing and struck the metal piece. With a clang, there was not a single scratch on the metal surface; instead, the sharp edge embedded itself into the blade of the dagger.

Bode nodded; he was an alchemist, and items from the ancient magical era were his favorites. Giving him several pieces of magical crystal materials would make him happier than giving him a large sum of money

Bode was somewhat perplexed: "The eternal bed left over from ancient times, if sold in the noble market, could fetch a substantial sum, enough to support several medium-sized mercenary groups, Your Excellency James Bond. Moreover, if we manage to extract the eternal bed, our current excavation may not yield much profit."

He stood for a while, then crawled back into the pile of rubble, making his way through the entrance into the underground

This metal wall stands at the end of the insight, entirely black and with an exceptionally smooth surface. However, in the middle, a large hole has been forcibly excavated, rendering what was originally a wall of substantial aesthetic weight particularly unsightly and jarring.

When most people had reached the surface, Bode asked in confusion, "Why not continue to push forward and break through this steel wall in one go"

Bode's condition is somewhat better, yet it resembles a dog on the verge of exhaustion, giving the impression of someone who is continuously struggling to catch their breath

Ryan and Bode exchanged a glance. If they were to give up the Heng bed, they would indeed lose many benefits. However, if an additional 10% profit could be generated, it might offset the losses from giving up the Heng bed, and perhaps they could even gain the goodwill of a deep thinker. This deal seems quite advantageous.

Ryan also smiled and said, "I think so too"

At this moment, a mercenary ran over and said to Ryan: "Captain, come over and listen; something sounds off. We think it's about to connect, would you come and take a look?"

Ryan said, "This is a tomb from the ancient magical era, and no one knows what kind of dangers lie within. Although most ancient ruins are quite safe, I have heard of cases where people were killed by strange attacks in these ruins, their bodies charred as if they had been burned by an invisible fire. Breaking into the tomb is just the first step; our goal is to bring the items back home alive. To prepare for the unknown situations, sufficient stamina is essential." Breaking into the tomb is just the first step; our goal is to bring the items back home alive. To prepare for the unknown situations, sufficient stamina is essential.

The resentment of a fallen nation is something that cannot be provoked; this is the most ordinary thought of all common people

Ryan chuckled, "There must be many materials for magical crystal shields in the tomb. I will share some with you then. I have heard that O'Hari steel and magical crystals are the most fundamental building materials of the ancient ancestors. How extravagant, truly extravagant."

Bode, Ryan, and Rose fell silent simultaneously. The three of them were also among those referred to by James Bond as "people who cannot communicate with souls." Although they were not of noble status, they nonetheless harbored the desire to attain the Eternal Bed. James Bond's words, though not directed at them, made them feel a sense of shame and unease.

Long live Captain Ryan! A group of mercenaries cheered as they surged out of the cellar, having nearly gone mad from being cooped up for so long

As you wish. Bod took the bag, letting out a slight sigh of regret in his heart

Bode then leaned down slightly and said to the *Book* child, "It is my honor to follow the teachings of those who contemplate the depths of the soul"

In front of that large hole, more than twenty men stood holding identical hooks, while a few others poured a dark liquid onto the metal wall. After pouring it several times in succession, the twenty men simultaneously thrust their long hooks into the metal wall, pulling down a small piece of black metal.

Six months later, the ruins of King Solomon's palace

My teacher has agreed to help us deal with other forces and the Scorpion Mercenary Group. James Bond's staff was re-embedded with a new red crystal, and he gently stroked the smooth facets of the crystal with his left hand, as if doing so could clear his mind: "However, he has put forward a condition: you must be extremely cautious during the excavation of the tomb and absolutely must not damage the eternal beds where the ancient ancestors lie in slumber. You must also not entertain any thoughts about those eternal beds."

Ryan smiled and said, "Our mercenary group is willing to heed the wishes of His Excellency James Bond"

Each piece of metal skin that is pulled down is collected by designated personnel and stacked together at the back. Ryan and Bode stand to the side watching, their hair and beards having grown long enough to nearly cover their entire faces. Rose stands behind Ryan; women are generally cleaner than men, but her hair is also greasy and shining.

The man held a glowing crystal as he walked through the dark, earthen passageway, arriving at a spacious underground cavern. Inside stood more than twenty people, and the air was permeated with a peculiar odor. The acrid scent of human sweat mingled with a sulfur-like stench, creating a rather pungent atmosphere. One becomes accustomed to this smell over time. He picked up an iron hook from the wall and inserted the glowing crystal into a small hole in the wall, then approached a metal wall.

This was once a fertile land, but since the fall of the Solomon dynasty, it has gradually transformed into the desolate Gobi we see today. The sky is filled with yellow sand, gravel, and the howling of the wind. The once luxurious and splendid palace walls have now become low, chaotic, and buried rock formations covered in yellow sand

Through repeated processes akin to peeling, they managed to carve out a large hole in the thick metal wall

At the center of the ruins, there is a rather chaotic area, as if someone had thrown scattered wall fragments from the ruins all into this place, piling them up into a bizarre yet spacious heap of "walls".

After a while, James Bond's emotions settled down, and he apologetically said: "Gentlemen, I was rude just now, and I apologize to everyone. Please do not take it to heart. The teacher understands that this request may be somewhat difficult, so he has decided to give half of his four shares of profit to the two of you. Upon completion, the teacher and I will each take two shares, while each of your mercenary groups will receive three shares. What do you think of this arrangement?"

Three days later, at the old place of the Blackstone Hotel, four individuals gathered once again. This time, Ryan and Rose appeared to be full of energy, while James Bond and Bode looked utterly exhausted. In particular, James Bond had dark circles under his eyes, and his pupils were filled with red veins, which significantly detracted from his handsome appearance

James Bond nodded, then pulled out a small white cloth bag from the pocket of his robe: "This is the elemental impact bomb developed by the teacher, and the specific usage instructions are also in this bag. Lord Bode, after your mission is accomplished, please seal the entrance to the ancient tomb, and then use the items in this bag to set up traps to deter those who wish to enter and steal the Eternal Bed. As for the confidentiality measures afterward, the teacher and I will take them seriously, so you two can rest assured."

Bode shrugged and said, "It seems you have extensive experience in this area, Ryan. Collaborating with you appears to be my greatest fortune thus far"

Bode sighed behind: "Those dragon clan members are only willing to lower their proud heads before the civilization of our ancient magical ancestors and the servants of the Sun God. They look down on ordinary humans like us. In order to collect the saliva of these black dragons, I even parted with my only treasured magical crystal shield, and nearly exposed our plan this time. Fortunately, the black dragon clan has always underestimated us, which allowed us to barely cover it up."

He took a deep breath: "Everyone put down what you're doing and come to the ground. Find a piece of red elemental crystal for yourselves, absorb it fully, and then come back. After that, rest until tomorrow morning. Rose, take out half of our stored food and water, so everyone can have a good meal soon."

Lyndon was immediately filled with joy. He carefully placed the metal piece he held into the corner, then walked to the large hole in the metal wall. After the black dragon's saliva had evaporated, he tapped it with his hand and indeed felt that the sound was noticeably different from before, sounding much more hollow.

"Oharite Steel..." Ryan sighed in reverence: "The ancestors of the ancient magical era were truly remarkable. How did they create such resilient metal? Even the black dragon's saliva, which is said to corrode all materials, can only soften Oharite Steel for a short time. Moreover, the effect of the black dragon's saliva quickly diminishes, and the Oharite Steel soon regains its toughness. Those dragonfolk boast daily about being an excellent race, yet they still madly pursue the magical relics of our human ancestors. In the face of the civilization of our human ancestors, they surely wouldn't dare to make a sound."

This place lacks water sources and is sparsely populated. Originally, there were occasional itinerant merchants passing through, seeking refuge in the ruins and leaning against the remaining broken walls to escape the onslaught of wind and sand. However, ever since rumors of ghostly apparitions emerged three months ago, and indeed some travelers reported hearing strange and peculiar sounds, the itinerant merchants have taken to avoiding this area altogether.

Ryan and Bode both understood clearly that this was James Bond subtly reminding them: manage yourselves and your subordinates well, and do not think about secretly seeking to excavate the eternal bed. I and the teacher have ways to trace whether you have tampered with that item

A shadow emerged from the rubble, first looking around before pressing an ear to the gravel ground, listening for quite a while before crawling out. It walked over to a distant broken wall, unfastened its pants, and released a puddle of yellow liquid. Stretching lazily, it raised its head and squinted at the hazy sun, muttering to itself: "I haven't basked in the sun for a long time; it feels good"

James Bond scoffed, saying: "Do not mention those false nobles; their desire for the eternal bed is merely for their corpses to retain the appearance they had in life. They take the remains of ancient ancestors from the eternal bed and discard them carelessly, which is a profound disrespect to their forebears. Those who cannot communicate with the souls will never understand what truth is. They bear the title of nobility yet act in a barbaric manner..." James Bond struck the table with his wooden staff, declaring: "I am ashamed to be associated with them!"