King of Tomb Raiders

Chapter 236

"Binding moisture into a stick" requires extremely strong internal energy, which I can barely manage. But how can a young Red Devil possibly break through the gradual truth of martial arts and become a hidden master of the martial world?

"I know you want to show off in front of everyone, but have you thought about it? When fishing for flying snakes in mid-air, you need fresh live bait. Can you find any?" The team members carried water, food, weapons, and bedding, but there was absolutely nothing fresh that could attract the attention of the snake formation.

Without batting an eye, he took a silver, oval-shaped metal box from his right pocket, opened the lid, poked at it with his little fingernail, and shook his head with a hint of regret: "Sigh, you must be tired after being locked up for days, right? Perfect timing to come out for some fresh air, and maybe do me a favor while you're at it—"

After the box tilted slightly, two golden beetles lazily crawled out and landed in the little red devil's palm.

I can no longer tell if he's pretending to be stupid or if he really is. In the midst of the chaos, he can still calmly grab the specimens, which is something that ordinary people cannot do.

Seven medium-sized blue fishing hooks were attached to the end of the fishing line, likely tools used by professional anglers for sea fishing. Red Devil hooked the beetle onto the hook, then suddenly swung his arms, causing his belt to stand upright—a technique from the Shaolin school known as "binding a wet staff." However, his internal strength was so powerful that he could generate force without the belt needing to be soaked.

"Here I come—" Red Imp chuckled strangely, waving his arms and sending the fishing line whistling through the air in an elegant arc before landing on the snake formation. Startled, the two beetles spread their wings and flapped rapidly, becoming more than ten times larger than the targets baited with flies.

Gu Qingcheng blurted out a compliment: "Good."

Things that others thought were impossible were accomplished step by step in an orderly manner under the little devil's hands, which even I found somewhat unbelievable.

Uncle Wei turned his head to look at the little red devil's face, his eyes constantly flashing with suspicion.

The fishing hook first grazed above the snake formation, about half a meter above the snakes lying at the top. Several startled snakes raised their flat necks, showing a fierce premonition of an impending attack.

"Hehe, come on, I've brought you lunch!" The fact that the little red devil could still make a sound while gathering his strength left Gu Qingcheng and Uncle Wei speechless.

Chinese martial arts emphasize "cultivating internal energy and strengthening muscles and skin externally." Almost all internal skills require wholeheartedly holding one's breath to perform. Once one opens one's mouth, the internal energy is immediately released and cannot be sustained.

“Mr. Feng, this child—no, this master, who exactly is he?” Uncle Wei approached me, his face filled with utter shock. “Binding wetness into a stick”—he couldn’t do that, and no one could speak while channeling their inner energy. The little devil’s actions had exceeded everyone’s understanding of Chinese Kung Fu.

"I guess he's probably the son of 'King of Arrests' Gui Luo. Mr. Feng, look, the three characters 'Red Little Devil' reversed are a homophone for 'Gui Xiaohong'. Gui Luo was able to become a model for Asian Interpol, a seven-time boxing champion, and the number one sharpshooter, until finally receiving commendation from his superiors and being crowned with the glorious aura of 'King of Arrests,' his strength was unfathomable. Therefore, as his son, he must also be a dragon among men, no ordinary person."

Gu Qingcheng didn't lower her voice intentionally, and it immediately reached Hong Xiaogui's ears. He turned around and laughed loudly: "Talking badly about people behind their backs is not a virtue that a chivalrous hero should have!"

Uncle Wei suddenly became agitated, clapping his hands: "Alas, the martial world is truly full of unparalleled strength and unmatched talent. I've been out and about for years; this old man is so out of touch. Young brother, your internal strength is so formidable, it's truly the best in the world. I'm impressed!"

The little red devil winked mischievously, tilted his chin up, and looked extremely smug.

The team members below the platform all looked exhausted, sitting in the jeep without even wanting to get out and rest. Tiger also returned to the vehicle, leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes to rest.

Behind them, the enormous white space resembled a vast movie screen, seemingly ready to transport people into a bizarre, treacherous fantasy world at any moment.

Red Devil's first attempt to catch snakes failed. When he cast his hook for the second time, his wrist flicked and the hook landed on top of the snake formation.

"With so many weirdos, surely one or two idiots will take the bait?" he muttered, craning his neck and staring intently ahead. Just as I predicted, the strange snakes circling the hook merely raised their necks and flicked their tongues frantically, but not a single one lunged forward to swallow the bait.

The little red devil looked a bit embarrassed and asked me sheepishly, "Wind, did they just eat their fill and not have enough appetite?"

As I approached him, I noticed the silver light shimmering on the straight, outstretched belt. I immediately understood: the little devil didn't possess the skill of "binding wetness into a stick" at all. This was a soft whip woven from silkworm silk, black gold silk, and aviation steel wire. While it appeared as soft as a belt, it was actually made of countless tiny steel rings interlocked together. With just a slight exertion, the rings would stretch and lock, automatically connecting to form a long rod.

"Brother, your inner strength has stunned everyone." I patted his shoulder and secretly winked at him.

Red Devil knowingly twitched his eyebrows and chuckled gleefully.

The snake wouldn't take the bait. The little red devil swung the bait five times, and the two golden beetles flapped their wings with less and less strength.

"I have no choice but to catch a few frogs to hang on the hook. Hey, Uncle Wei, you said there are scorpions, toads, and centipedes in the other passages. Why don't you bring a few back for me to use as bait?" The little devil's joke was too much, and Uncle Wei's face immediately darkened like a block of ice that would never melt.

"Where did their spirituality come from? Was it also due to the massive radiation that harmed Guiluo? But why didn't they die, instead undergoing inexplicable mutations? What about Big Brother? Was Big Brother's life ended forever, or has he become unrecognizable, or perhaps turned into some kind of monster?"

My thoughts were in turmoil. After all, for humans, extremely strong radiation was tantamount to ultimate death. Anyone harmed by a radiation source, regardless of the severity, would eventually die a gruesome death. When faced with radiation, the human body was like an ant trapped in a mothball's coil, tragically heading towards death without any resistance.

If my fears come true, my elder brother Yang Tian, the "King of Tomb Raiders," might already be—I forced myself to abandon this question; all the facts would only be clear after we passed through the crevice. Now, the most appropriate course of action is to retreat immediately.

"Huh? Alright, a snake has taken the bait!" Red Devil suddenly shouted, straining his arms to grip the fishing rod even tighter.

Sure enough, the fishing hook had already been swallowed by one of the snakes. Red Devil muttered excitedly, "Alright, baby, come up here so everyone can see. I'm going to make you into a beautiful specimen and sell you to the Xi'an Biological Museum. Come on—" When he was sure that the hook was firmly in the snake's belly, he immediately took three steps back and raised his hand to reel in the line.

Since his methods have worked, it seems my thinking was wrong; the snake's thinking ability is not strong enough to see through human tricks.

"Feng, is it enough to bring one up for research?" He took another step back. The fishing line was being tightened. At the other end of the line, the hooked snake was incredibly strong. Red Devil tried to pull the hook back twice, but couldn't manage it.

“One is enough, but it doesn’t seem willing to come up willingly.” I moved closer to him, gripped the bar with one hand, and helped him.

The two people were strong enough to drag a snake more than a meter long, but this time the fishing line was taut and the long rod began to bend like a bow, but the snake that had taken the bait did not move.

"Hmm? Its body is entangled by other snakes; you're fighting at least ten snakes. Mr. Feng, be careful—"

Gu Qingcheng's voice distracted me a little. In just a tenth of a second of lapse in attention, the pull on the fishing rod suddenly increased, and the long rod flew out of my hand, bouncing towards the snake formation.

The little red imp shouted, "My 'Dragon-Binding Whip'!" Then, he bent his knees and lunged forward.

Now we can be 100% certain of his close relationship with "King of Catchers" Gui Luo. The Dragon-Binding Whip is Gui Luo's life-saving weapon and a treasure that has been passed down in the martial arts world for hundreds of years. It would never be left to outsiders.

In his desperation, Hong Xiaogui's instinctive reaction plunged him into an abyss of peril. As his body sank, he tapped the steep slope at the bottom of the platform once more, then leaped up again, completely forgetting the deadly venomous snakes that lay ahead, all for the sake of the Dragon-Binding Whip.

Uncle Wei jumped up in shock: "This—oh no, this is terrible!"

Gu Qingcheng rushed towards me: "Mr. Feng, don't be impulsive, don't be impulsive!" Only she could see through my heart, but I had no other choice. I followed the little devil and flew over his head, grabbing the Dragon-Binding Whip first.

The swarm of snakes surged and roared, like a layer of dark green waves rolling up on a raging sea. In an instant, every part of my vision was filled with raised snake heads and slithering, twisting forked tongues. There wasn't a single safe place to stand atop the snake formation.

Fortunately, I still had the Dragon-Binding Whip. With my left hand I grabbed the little devil's shoulder, and with my right hand I used the Dragon-Binding Whip as a crutch, I pressed down hard, piercing through the bodies of more than a dozen poisonous snakes, and flipped into the air towards the slope.

The hissing sound of the snake flicking its tongue was incessant, like a high-pressure airbag bursting open with countless pinholes, sharply piercing my eardrum.

"Wind, Dragon-Binding Whip, I have to get it back—" Red Ghost only managed to shout half a sentence before the martial arts treasure disappeared into the snake formation, merging with thousands of snakes.

Part 5: The Blade of Distance

— Chapter 8 — A Summoning from Beyond the Serpent's Lair —

"Let's go back. No matter how precious the treasure, it's not as important as our own lives. Brother, just because we were lucky this time doesn't mean we'll be so lucky next time." The entire rescue took only three seconds, but it contained the essence of all my martial arts skills. After slowly returning to the platform, I realized that my back was already soaked with cold sweat.

Uncle Wei stared at me, his expression a mixture of shock and admiration. He suddenly gave me a thumbs up: "Mr. Feng, I'm truly impressed!"

Red Ghost rolled his eyes at him: "Who asked you to submit? You usually look like a swaggering gang leader, but when it really matters, all you do is sit on the sidelines and watch the show."

The raging snake formation returned to calm. With such a massive number of snakes, the deaths of a few dozen did not diminish the scale of the attack; they still firmly blocked the crevice in the rock.

Gu Qingcheng's eyes were reproachful, but since both Hong Xiaogui and I were fine, she didn't say anything more.

“Miss Gu, let’s withdraw first. We can discuss the matter of the Crimson Blood Night-Shining Toad back at the camp.” I let out a long sigh, feeling a chill down my back; it wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

Compared to the last time I rescued Tano Shenzhi from under the Tu Liehan Pyramid, this time I was completely unprotected, which was even more dangerous. But Hong Xiaogui was recommended by Xiao Yan, and since Xiao Yan is my brother, Hong Xiaogui is naturally considered my brother as well.

Brothers are like hands and feet. No matter what, I cannot stand by and watch my brother die tragically. This is a principle for a person to walk in the world, just like how my elder brother once saved the life of the scalpel several times.

Gu Qingcheng stared at the snake formation with a melancholy expression, seemingly not listening to me.

I raised my voice: "Miss Gu—"

Suddenly, a deep voice called out in my ear: "Come on, come on, I'm waiting for you here, come on, come quickly."

It was a man's voice, full of longing and anticipation, and brimming with a deep sense of warmth, like the heartfelt familiar accent of a family member staying behind in their hometown calling out to their wanderer.

"Who is it?" I couldn't help but respond. Without a doubt, the voice came from the other side of the snake formation, extremely far away. Only someone with profound internal strength could effortlessly make their voice travel so far, unaffected by other external factors.

In the distance, only venomous snakes wriggled and slithered, their heads shaking and tails swaying. The crevices in the rocks were deep and winding, and not a single human figure could be seen.

"It's me, it's me. The person you're thinking of is me. Come to me, and you'll find the answer to all your questions." The voice continued, completely drowning out the strange noises coming from the snake formation.

I was thinking of my eldest brother, Yang Tian, and then Su Lun. Could it be that it was my eldest brother who was calling me?

“Listen, listen to everyone—” Gu Qingcheng began slowly, but her expression was hesitant and her gaze was blank.

"There's music, incredibly beautiful music, like the warbling of orioles and the murmuring of a spring. I've never heard such a wonderful performance before. No, I have to go in and see who's playing here." She took a few steps forward and walked to the edge of the platform.

At the same time, Uncle Wei and Little Red Ghost also turned around, staring blankly ahead, as if trying to listen to something.

I took a large step forward and quickly grabbed Gu Qingcheng's wrist, because the situation seemed a bit strange. I heard a summons, but she heard the sound of a zither.

“Someone’s there, calling me from there. Mr. Feng, I feel something’s not right, but… but, that voice sounds so warm and kind, I can’t control myself, help me, help me…” Uncle Wei murmured, staggering as he stepped off the platform.

Actually, the sound was still ringing in my ears, but after taking three deep breaths in quick succession, I calmed my mind and cleared my head, completely washing away the disturbance from the sound.

That was just an illusion. There was a power behind the snake formation casting a bewitching spell, luring people into the snake formation only to be devoured by the snakes.

I made the clearest judgment and felt that Gu Qingcheng's pulse was becoming increasingly erratic. I immediately used one hand to pull her up and turned to order the team members below the platform: "Pull up your ears, pull Miss Gu and the others into the car, and retreat."

By the time Gu Qingcheng and Hong Xiaogui were dragged onto the jeep by a flurry of hands, Uncle Wei had already walked seven or eight steps down the platform. Everyone was intimidated by the fierce aura of the snake formation and looked at each other, not daring to go down to rescue them.

Kaku, who was closest to me, cried out in a panic, "Mr. Feng, what is he going to do? What is he going to do?"

His ears were stuffed with strips of torn cloth, and the sounds coming from his mouth were hoarse and shrill, making my eardrums buzz.

I jumped off the platform and patted Uncle Wei on the back of the neck and his right temple. My movements were swift and light, and I applied no more than three kilograms of force. The shock to his blood vessels instantly restored his mental capacity to normal.

"Huh? How did I get here?" He stopped abruptly, raising his hand to cover his nose to block out the stench emanating from the snake formation.

I gestured, and the two of us slowly retreated back to the platform, thankfully without serious injury. If I had also been bewitched by the illusion and unable to break free, all four of us would probably have perished.

Kaku was peering into the depths of the crevice through his sights. I'm sure he couldn't see anything, because the hot breath exhaled by the venomous snake would condense into mist in mid-air, obscuring everything in his vision.

The only way to explore the world behind the crevice is to obtain the Crimson Night Toad and dispel the snake formation.

"Mr. Feng, I think I saw a masked person, the same one from the cave last time. He disappeared in a flash." Kaku exclaimed with lingering fear, reattaching his scope to his sniper rifle. His words, mixed in with the retreating crowd, went completely unnoticed. Everyone's face was filled with relief at surviving the ordeal, and they wished they could get out of the cave in a second.

The jeep's speedometer kept swinging in the red zone. If it weren't for Uncle Wei's repeated reminders, the drivers would probably have floored the accelerator and sped off without slowing down.

My mood grew increasingly gloomy. Although the strange stone pillars in the tunnel had been removed, the eerie venomous insects had become an even greater source of anxiety. Snakes, scorpions, toads, and centipedes are among the most venomous creatures on Earth, something to be avoided at all costs. Who on earth could have kept such an astonishing number of venomous insects within these five-pointed star arrays? Had someone truly opened Pandora's box?

As soon as they emerged from the tunnel entrance, the team members couldn't help but cheer, as if they were death row inmates who had finally been released.

"What a humiliating defeat. There's nothing we can do; human strength is simply too insignificant in the face of nature," Red Devil sneered self-deprecatingly.

Uncle Wei and Tiger spoke up almost simultaneously to correct him: "That's not the power of nature at all, but something created by humans."

These two are both very knowledgeable and experienced people, and they have a surprisingly similar view on issues.

"Man-made?" Red Devil turned his head to look at the dark tunnel. "Is it possible? Those smooth grounds and mountain walls cannot be cut by human hands. Even with the best axes and chisels in the world and the most precise rulers, could it be done?"

The tiger shook its head: "No, but ever since I first entered the tunnel, I've had a doubt about one thing. Earthlings certainly couldn't build such a strangely shaped cave, but what about aliens? With their power and knowledge, wouldn't it be an easy task for them?"

The little red devil laughed twice, neither confirming nor denying.

The tiger slapped his forehead and smiled wryly, continuing, "Young man, if it wasn't done by aliens, do you have any other explanation?"

Attributing all inexplicable phenomena to extraterrestrials is a very opportunistic way of drawing conclusions, but in the current situation, conclusions alone are not enough. What we need is to uncover the truth and rescue people.

Red Imp retorted sharply, "I can't explain it. What about your brother? It's said that the 'Blue Heaven and Yellow Springs Scripture' encompasses all the inexplicable things in the world. You came here under the guidance of the scripture and even fought with the masked man. Did you see aliens in the cave? Were they three-headed and six-armed or had wings on their ribs? Or were they just super biological weapons like the 'Alien' from science fiction movies?"

The driver couldn't help but chuckle. In his mind, the real world was far removed from the space monsters in Hollywood movies, and those terrifying images that only appeared in computer special effects could never possibly intrude into reality.

It was already two o'clock in the afternoon, and the sun was setting in the west, soon to be blocked by the mountains. Emerging from the sunless tunnel, smelling the faint fragrance of withered grass in the north wind, and seeing the blue sky and white clouds, a sense of comfort welled up from the bottom of my heart.

No one is born liking to take risks; most of the time, we do it out of necessity, when the people we care about most are in danger, we can't help but stand by and do nothing.

"Sulun, are you really alright?" This is the thing I'm most worried about. Ever since I received Li Kang's call for help and set off, this endless concern has been lingering in my heart.

Upon hearing the name "The Scripture of the Netherworld," Uncle Wei, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn't hide the twitch on his shoulders. People die for wealth, birds die for food; for a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person of the martial arts world), the desire for treasure is the sole driving force behind his struggles. Therefore, I don't want to blame his greed.