King of Tomb Raiders

Chapter 234

“This road is blocked.” The little red devil spat out four desperate words through gritted teeth.

The venomous snakes coiled in the crevices of the rocks, as if separated by an invisible boundary. From a distance, they looked like an extremely avant-garde Spanish-style sculpture, but they were all alive, occasionally flicking out their bright red tongues and making strange hissing noises.

The tiger clutched at its hair, howling desperately, "I swear, I swear there wasn't a single snake to be seen here before. Back then, I walked side-by-side with Xiaoxin, encountering no creature for hours until we reached the cliff edge. Wind, believe me, it's all true, absolutely true, absolutely true..."

I believe Tiger, but Uncle Wei, Gu Qingcheng, Little Red Devil, and Kaku might not. They only believe the facts, regardless of what Tiger has done in the past.

This road is definitely blocked. After observing for a few minutes, I decisively waved my hand and ordered the convoy to step off the platform and temporarily form a battle formation with the front outside and the rear inside, in case the venomous snakes suddenly rush out and attack.

"Fire attack, explosives, machine gun fire?" Uncle Wei asked Gu Qingcheng for her opinion. Even for a seasoned veteran like him, the possibility of encountering such a thing seemed extremely slim.

Gu Qingcheng didn't answer, but Tiger quickly chimed in, "I'm afraid that won't work. This crevice is long, with many turns and branching crevices, so I'm afraid we can't completely eradicate it. Moreover, explosives would cause the stone walls on both sides to collapse, blocking the way, which would be even more troublesome."

He kept pulling at his hair, and dandruff fell like snowflakes.

"What do you think we should do?" Uncle Wei asked, his voice lacking confidence.

The tiger's answer was even more straightforward: "I don't know, but I do know that none of your methods will work."

Gu Qingcheng had been deep in thought when she suddenly looked up, smiled, and gestured to Uncle Wei: "Uncle Wei, there's no need to argue. Now, take the two cars and explore the remaining three passages to see what's inside. Remember, don't rush forward blindly; safety is the top priority. Go."

These words were spoken softly, but the expressions on all the team members' faces betrayed a hint of panic. Several of them looked up at the pale stone walls around them, a blank smile involuntarily creeping onto their lips.

"Okay." Without the slightest hesitation, Uncle Wei waved and ordered the team members to get into the car, and they drove one after another toward the nearby passage.

“Uncle Wei always listens to me, but this time, I’m afraid it won’t end easily.” As soon as Uncle Wei’s car drove away, the smile on Gu Qingcheng’s face disappeared.

“In those caves, there must be… there must be some strange poisonous insects. If you’re careful, you can’t be wrong. And everything she said comes from that book, the ‘Blue Heaven and Yellow Springs Scripture,’ and it’s all true.” The tiger’s performance was getting worse and worse, completely different from his former composure and calmness.

Perhaps this is the price of falling in love. He could humble himself and serve Tang Xin with utmost care, which also meant he was destined to be controlled by her every smile and gesture for the rest of his life. To be fair, Tang Xin was indeed an elegant, intelligent, and ethereal girl, a rare find in this world. However, the poisonous tendencies she carried were even more unprecedented. Therefore, my assessment of her is that her strengths and weaknesses cancel each other out, leaving me with neither praise nor punishment.

"So, you mean our expedition and rescue operation is coming to an end?" Gu Qingcheng smiled faintly, pacing in front of the jeep, her brows furrowed in thought.

The tiger nodded, then shook his head, and suddenly sighed, "Wind, you decide everything. I have no better ideas."

Faced with the unpredictable nature of the world, all his experience in the martial arts world vanished, and his confidence was utterly shattered.

"Mr. Tiger, what do you think is in the other passages? Is it another snake pit—" Red Imp jumped out to interrupt at the opportune moment, then laughed dismissively, "Haha, if all the wrong routes are teeming with venomous snakes, the person who designed this would be so uncreative, wouldn't they?"

"What is it? Why don't you go see for yourself?" Tiger was a little annoyed. He could show weakness in front of me and Gu Qingcheng, but he was unwilling to be mocked by a mere child.

"You're the one looking for your sweetheart, not me. Why should I go see her?" the little devil retorted, refusing to back down. As a boy, his extreme personality was hardly considerate, probably a result of his family's pampering and spoiling.

"Yes, I really should go take a look. Excuse me!" Tiger leaped into the jeep, roughly started the engine, and slammed the accelerator to the floor. The car roared off, following Uncle Wei and the others.

Red Little Ghost rolled his eyes, whistled lightly, and laughed self-deprecatingly, "Don't blame me, he was the one who wanted to scout ahead, it has nothing to do with me."

I didn't intend to blame him. In this situation, there was a question that urgently needed to be clarified: "What kind of mutation process did those snakes undergo to grow wings and change their habit of swallowing food and spitting out bones?"

Anyone with basic biological knowledge understands that a snake's fangs are only used to inject venom into its target; they cannot be used to chew food. Every time they eat, it's a tedious cycle of swallowing, digesting, and spitting out bones, relying on the highly corrosive liquid in their stomachs to obtain food and satisfy their hunger.

"Perhaps we can catch a snake and study it to see what changes have occurred in its body, wouldn't you say, Miss Gu?"

My words had a deeper meaning, because the snake that broke into the tent at the camp was very strange, and I suspected that Uncle Wei had deliberately brought it to provoke me.

Gu Qingcheng smiled again, lightly tapping her nails: "Mr. Feng, there's no need to beat around the bush. I admit that the snake was a provocation by Uncle Wei, just an ordinary mountain snake in disguise, so of course no one in the camp would be bitten to death. Now, without giving orders, Uncle Wei will catch a snake to experiment on. His experience is much richer than others."

She was wise enough to consider the bigger picture and not get bogged down in minor issues; a few words from her completely calmed my dissatisfaction.

Red Imp chuckled lightly: "Catch snakes? I'm afraid you're willing but unable, aren't you? Didn't you see those guys? They all seemed to possess some kind of spirituality. After biting people into skeletons, they actually wanted to merge with the skeletons." Mentioning the terrifying scene in the snake pit, his face involuntarily turned pale again.

I understand that further theoretical debates are futile. If we cannot dispel the venomous snakes blocking our path, we must retreat. There is no need to linger here any longer.

Gu Qingcheng suddenly sighed, "Mr. Feng, what are you thinking about?"

I only said five words: "Azure Blood Night-Shining Toad".

She blinked her beautiful eyes, her thick, dark eyelashes fluttering, and her dimples deepened: "Very good, we've come to the same conclusion again. To clear the way, we must use the Azure Blood Night-Shining Toad."

The Five Poisons Sect has made raising venomous insects and refining poisons for generations the primary means of killing. Their skill in extracting venom from animals is comparable to that of the Tang Clan of Sichuan. The Crimson Blood Night-Shining Toad is a sacred object of the sect and, without a doubt, the most effective remedy for snakes in the martial arts world. Therefore, the only feasible plan is to return to the ancient village, borrow the Night-Shining Toad from He Jishang, and thus drive away the venomous snakes.

The little devil puffed out his cheeks, about to interrupt again, but I quickly pressed down on his shoulder, signaling him not to speak.

“No one is confident that they can borrow the Night-Shining Toad, Miss Gu, we all know that. Last time, we stayed overnight in the ancient village, and it proved that He Jishang is wary of everyone. It is the only thing she still has after betraying the Five Poisons Sect, and she probably won’t lend it to others easily—” I still hesitated a little.

Thinking of He Jishang's deep affection for her elder brother Yang Tian, I couldn't bear to hurt her. Even harming anyone from Donggu Village would damage her reputation. If she were her elder brother's woman, I would have a duty to protect her from being bullied by outsiders.

"Do we have any other options?" Gu Qingcheng asked immediately, not giving me time to think.

I shook my head: "No."

"Then, is there any point in thinking about it any further? You know, Miss Suren might be trapped somewhere behind the crevice. She's separated from us by this wall of poisonous snakes. Mr. Feng, now is not the time to consider whether to do it or not, but when to make a move."

She made a "stop" gesture and raised her voice: "If you have any concerns, I can order Uncle Wei to take action. The explosives, rocket launchers, and long-range sniper weapons on the jeep can easily flatten the ancient village. Just nod your head, and we'll withdraw and begin the operation immediately."

Red Devil finally couldn't help but interject: "Alright, anyway, we're deep in the mountains, so even if we fight like crazy, no one will care. Besides, the ancient village is right on our retreat route, and it might become our enemy at any time."

I stroked his head, looking at his jubilant, trouble-seeking expression, and couldn't help but smile wryly: "Killing people and destroying strongholds are things anyone can do. Think about it, the Southwest Caravan is the most powerful force in these mountains. Why would they tolerate the survival of the ancient stronghold? It's a truth everyone understands: you can't tolerate someone else sleeping soundly next to your bed. This is enough to prove that the ancient stronghold and He Jishang are not to be trifled with."

“If there’s no other choice, this is the only choice. Actually, I don’t want to start a massacre, but we have to get through this crevice to the Heavenly Ladder. Look, so many people have already died along the way. Are you willing to give up without even getting a result?” Gu Qingcheng’s smile gradually faded.

There were only three of us there, appearing even smaller in the white halo. Looking up at the mountain pass, everything was quiet; we couldn't hear the hissing of the snakes, making us wonder if what we had just witnessed was just a nightmare.

"I'll go up and take a look. You can think about it again." Gu Qingcheng walked towards the mountain pass, her back looking somber and weary, her boots making a monotonous clattering sound on the stone ground.

I love looking at her from behind, because her waist is as slender as Su Lun's, and her long, bouncy hair makes me think of the first time I met Su Lun at Villa No. 13.

"She's very pretty, isn't she?" Red Devil sighed sourly.

"right."

Gu Qingcheng stood on the platform on the other side of the mountain pass, her hands on her hips, her body ramrod straight. Girls are naturally afraid of snakes and insects, but she was definitely an exception, able to calmly face those extremely ugly and terrifying reptiles.

"She's prettier than Guan Baoling, isn't she?" Hong Xiaogui's tone became increasingly strange.

If he hadn't asked, Guan Baoling would have almost disappeared from my mind; only Su Lun and occasionally Gu Qingcheng would enter my thoughts.

"What else do you know?" I don't like people digging into my privacy, which is also the reason why the public dislikes hackers who are so intrusive.

“You misunderstood, Feng. I was actually referring to Suren. I obtained a small amount of information about you from Xiao Yan, and Scalpel is also one of the underworld veterans I greatly admire…”

I interrupted him: "Brother, I don't want to discuss this issue right now. The most urgent thing is to deal with this group of inexplicable vipers."

Gu Qingcheng turned around gracefully on the platform and looked in our direction, like the protagonist taking a final, frozen moment at the end of a movie.

“I know someone who can cross the snake pit as if it were flat ground—” Red Imp touched the tip of his nose, squinted his eyes and grinned mischievously, making me unsure whether he was joking or not.

He quickly continued, "Feng, I'm not kidding. Right here in this mountain, there is a person who can not only move freely through the snake formations without getting hurt, but he can also enter that ancient underground palace, the place you call the 'Second Epang Palace'."

I was stunned. I never imagined that Little Red Devil was hiding such a shocking secret. How credible is it?

"Who is that person? How do you know about the underground palace? Perhaps you came here to help me with your own personal motives?"

One problem after another, it's really a headache. Fortunately, it was just me and Little Red Devil on the scene. From any perspective, I could easily control the situation and prevent anything serious from happening.

“Yang Tian, that’s his name. Of course, in our time, only one person is worthy of the name ‘Yang Tian,’ and he must be preceded by the famous title of ‘King of Tomb Raiders.’ Moreover, he is in this mountain, perhaps behind a crevice in the rocks, or at the bottom of a cliff…” Hong Xiaogui opened his arms, facing the mountain pass, a blush rising on his pale cheeks.

The shock I felt upon hearing that name was beyond words, but I maintained a calm smile, revealing no emotion whatsoever. My brother certainly should have been here, but the important question is: what was his purpose in coming here? What did he obtain? Is he still here?

"That's a very long story. If you want to hear the whole thing, you have to promise me one thing first—" Red Devil's eyes and brows were full of excited smiles, he was just short of scratching his ears and cheeks like a little monkey to express his excitement.

"What is it?" I had to be on guard, lest he propose some strange condition.

“I turned around, I want to see your back.” He looked uneasily toward the mountain pass.

I was puzzled, but I still turned halfway back towards the way I came.

Red Ghost muttered to himself, "That's right, your profile is exactly the same as that person's. It seems my deduction was completely correct."

He took a step forward and placed his hands on my left shoulders. I could feel his emotions were in turmoil.

“Feng, now I should tell you the story.” He withdrew his hands and looked around, probably looking for a place to sit down, but unfortunately, there wasn’t even a stone to sit on; the ground was smooth and white everywhere.

"I only want to hear the truth. If there are any embellished or legendary elements involved, it's best to skip them." I've heard too many stories about Yang Tian, the "King of Tomb Raiders," most of which are fantastical and exaggerated, offering no real reference value. Time is too precious for me to waste.

"The story takes place twenty years ago. A gang of armed robbers and murderers fled into these mountains and successfully evaded four large-scale manhunts. Thinking they could get away with it, they fled southwest and crossed the border. As a result, their arrogance alarmed Gui Luo, the 'King of Captures' of that year. He signed a pledge to his superiors and went into the mountains alone. With only two knives, one long and one short, he killed all eleven bandits, bringing his final act in the mountains to a perfect end."

When I think of Gui Luo, the "King of Arrests," I can't help but feel a deep sense of respect. He was a pinnacle figure in the Asian Interpol system and was highly regarded by Scalpel.

Part 5: The Blade of Distance

— Chapter 6 — The Underground Adventure of Capturing Wang Guiluo —

"After finishing that case, Gui Luo immediately submitted his resignation and retired to the countryside, disappearing from the martial arts world. Many people thought he had retired after achieving great success, wanting to maintain his invincible 'King of Catchers' title, but in reality, it was an event that happened in the mountains that completely changed his life—"

I heard the sound of a jeep engine, getting closer and then farther away. It was probably Uncle Wei and the others entering the second passage after exploring one.

"What happened? Did he run into Yang Tian, the 'King of Tomb Raiders'?" I wanted to remind him to get to the point quickly.

Red Imp shook his head vigorously: "No, he fell into a mysterious place, a bottomless abyss from which there is no escape—"

When my gaze swept across the platform again, I suddenly realized that Gu Qingcheng had disappeared. A cold sweat broke out on my back. Without even saying goodbye to Hong Xiaogui, I gathered my strength and ran towards the mountain pass.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Little Red Devil was engrossed in his own story and wasn't quick to react, just passively following behind me.

Within five seconds, I stepped onto the platform, only to realize it was a false alarm. Gu Qingcheng was slowly approaching the crevice, not being devoured by any monster.

"Miss Gu, be careful, don't get too close," I warned her loudly.

Currently, the snakes appear very quiet, but who can predict whether they might suddenly launch an attack in the next second? It's conceivable that a large number of venomous snakes gathering here would cause enormous harm to humans with their saliva and exhaled venom.

Gu Qingcheng stopped and crossed her arms: "Mr. Feng, in your opinion, how did these mutant snakes come about?"

Red Devil followed breathlessly, eager to answer: "I think only extremely high doses of radiation can cause gene mutations in animals. Within the scope of human knowledge, this explanation is the most reasonable."

“Radiation? This is a mountain that has been silent for thousands of years. Where would the radiation source come from? Could it be a secret weapons factory—” Gu Qingcheng stepped back, but her eyes remained fixed on the terrifying snake wall.

I immediately refuted her point of view: "If the cause of such a peculiar mutation in snakes really came from radiation, the dosage and the method of radiation must be unimaginably high. It couldn't be an arms factory, otherwise the people working inside would have all died from the radiation long ago."

Red Imp raises his hands: "Gentlemen, perhaps my story can answer some questions. Please listen carefully, okay?"

His expression had become extremely serious, breaking Gu Qingcheng's reverie. He stood beside me, smiling and nodding: "Please speak, we are all ears."

When she mentioned the word "we," her gaze swept across my face, like a gentle spring breeze, completely easing my slightly tense mood.

The following is Red Little Devil's account. All the events were personally experienced by "King of Catchers" Gui Luo, without any personal speculation. The incident occurred on the seventh day after Gui Luo went deep into the mountains at dusk. He discovered the bandits' tracks, sped up to chase after them, and suddenly lost his footing and slid down into the ground.

The jungle contains caves, crevices, and animal traps set by generations of hunters. Gui Luo's adaptability was sufficient to handle these, so when he fell, he did not panic. He simply gathered his energy and channeled the power of the "Shaolin Iron Shirt" throughout his body to avoid being pricked by the bamboo sticks stuck at the bottom of the trap.

Gui Luo's free climbing skills and jungle survival techniques are top-notch. If he weren't an exceptional expert, he wouldn't have been awarded the supreme title of "King of Catchers" by Interpol Asia. He even thought about getting a good night's sleep in this trap to avoid being attacked by the bandits when they were cornered.

He was wearing a state-of-the-art Seiko multi-function chronograph on his wrist, capable of instantly detecting altitude, atmospheric pressure, and orientation. However, when he looked down at his watch, all the hands, including the luminous sapphire second hand, froze. Therefore, he lost all data support during the entire descent and could only roughly calculate the depth of the fall by relying on his pulse readings.

Finally, he landed in a soft white light and received a terrifying number: he had been falling for nearly forty minutes without stopping.

Gui Luo, confident in his steely will, stepped out of the white light without a trace of panic, only to find himself standing in a quiet, ancient courtyard. Everywhere he looked, there were gray-blue, antique-style buildings, pavilions and corridors of varying heights and distances, and clay horses and bronze bells on the roof ridges and eaves, all reminding him of his current surroundings.

"An underground palace, an ancient tomb?" Gui Luo's adaptability was first-rate; he quickly adjusted his thinking and began to look for a way to escape.