C30 Surrounded by Danger!

"What do we do now?"

Qin Sisi clung to Lin Hao's arm, terror etched across her face.

How could Lin Hao possibly know what to do in this situation?

"Dead weight, all of you!" Lin Hao spat the words at the group of old men.

Without hesitation, he seized Qin Sisi's arm and bolted.

They had no choice. The snakes had taken an interest in them, and if they were to strike en masse, escape would be impossible.

The old men witnessed the commotion and descended into panic, their screams echoing as they scrambled to keep up with Lin Hao.

"No, stay away! Get back, get back!"

"They're coming, from above, there's more above!"

"Someone think of something, I don't want to die, I'm not ready to die!"

"..."

Great, each of these old timers was a complete coward, thrown into disarray by fear. One of them collapsed, his legs giving out beneath him, and sat down hard on the ground.

Elder Sun, surprisingly spry for his age, had managed to catch up with Lin Hao and was now running alongside him toward the wolf-shaped statue at the altar's peak.

"Are we really running into the snake's lair? Isn't that suicidal?" Qin Sisi's voice trembled with emotion.

Lin Hao glanced back and replied, "We've checked everywhere else; only the center remains unexplored. We have no choice but to risk it all and see if the entrance is up there!"

With those words, Lin Hao reached the pinnacle of the pyramid.

He looked back again, noticing the snakes turning their gaze toward them. They were slow, but the threat of them turning back loomed.

"Keep an eye on the snakes. I'm going to search for an entrance!"

Lin Hao instructed, his attention shifting to the wolf-shaped statue before him.

The statue itself was unremarkable, save for a bronze dagger embedded in its back. The dagger was incredibly sharp, its perfect preservation through the years making it nothing short of miraculous.

"Come on, monitor, don't fail me now!"

Lin Hao whispered to himself, scanning the dagger for any clues. The craftsmanship, the material, the history—it all held potential answers.

After scrolling through several pages, a sentence finally appeared on the monitor: "Twist the dagger to open the stone door."

Upon reading these words, Lin Hao breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hurry, they're almost here!"

Qin Sisi seized Lin Hao's arm, shaking him vigorously.

The sudden move nearly turned Lin Hao's legs to jelly as he fixed his gaze on the seething mass of snakes beneath the altar, drawing in a sharp breath.

"Damn it!"

Lin Hao spat out a curse, grabbed the hilt of the dagger, and yanked it out at a forty-five-degree angle.

The dagger came free from the stone statue.

The ground beneath them began to shake, and the square altar's top slowly parted, retracting like a car's sunroof.

"Quick, get down!"

Lin Hao didn't wait to see how deep it was; he took a leap of faith into the darkness below.

He'd rather risk a deadly fall than be swarmed by venomous snakes. The thought of being smothered by them was revolting.

The elders exchanged glances, then, steeling themselves, they followed suit, jumping down one by one.

The cellar entrance seemed to have a mind of its own, closing slowly once everyone was inside. But it wasn't fast enough to prevent several snakes from slithering in after them.

Thankfully, once they landed in the tomb, ever-burning lamps flickered to life, casting just enough light to make out their surroundings.

"There, there, over there!"

Qin Sisi screamed, pointing to a corner.

A soldier squeezed the trigger, and the bullet found its mark, shattering the snake's head. The body writhed until it coiled up and lay still.

Gunfire echoed again, picking off the snakes that had made it into the tomb. The elders shook uncontrollably with fear. All except Ouyang Derong huddled together, their bodies quaking with every gunshot, presenting a comical sight.

"Stay alert, check the area!"

Ouyang Derong commanded in a stern tone.

On his order, two soldiers took position, their rifles equipped with powerful flashlights sweeping the area.

"Left wing clear!"

"Right wing clear!"

The soldiers reported, and the group finally relaxed.

Lin Hao's eyes stayed on Ouyang Derong, sensing that there was more to the old man than met the eye. His composure suggested he was no stranger to places like this.

"Senior, give it to us straight!"

Lin Hao advanced, locking eyes with Ouyang Derong.

A soldier at his side made a move to intercept Lin Hao, but Ouyang Derong waved him off.

Ouyang Derong met Lin Hao's gaze and offered a wry smile. "Hao, I know it's not exactly honorable, but..."

"You see, this place is fraught with danger. I need someone like you on my team. Of course... I never expected that out of all the people I brought here, you'd be the standout!"

"We owe a lot to you this time. If not for you..."

"Senior Ouyang!" Lin Hao cut him off. "Spare me the flattery. Just tell us, what's really inside this tomb? Normal tombs don't come with so many hazards!"

"I'm pretty sure you're more clued in about this tomb than you let on. You might even know who's buried here. So come on, spill it. Don't keep us tiptoeing around in the dark, led by the nose!"

Lin Hao's blunt words caught the old men off guard.

Elder Sun, in particular, hurried over and clutched Ouyang Derong's arm. "President, come on... the truth. What is this place? Out with it!"

Ouyang Derong managed a strained smile. "I'm not entirely certain myself. All I know is that this is the tomb of a minority tribe's sorcerer. But there's also intel suggesting it could be the burial site of a Kaiviel emperor!"

"You all know that while the Kaiviel Kingdom has a long history, the records they left are scant. Unearthing this tomb could be the key to unlocking the secrets of Kaiviel's past!"

"However, we've encountered numerous perils here, not to mention the array of traps and hidden passages. So, I enlisted a few experts in their respective fields. I may have downplayed the risks, but this could be the opportunity of a lifetime for fame and glory!"

Hearing this, Lin Hao gave a hollow laugh. "Fame and glory, huh?"

"Becoming a hero isn't as easy as all that. Besides, I doubt there's much glory in dying here. Even if we solve all the mysteries and make it out alive, I fear we'll just be footnotes in someone else's story."

Lin Hao seemed to see right through the charade. He was aware that their venture into this place was off the books, unrecognized by the outside world. So even if they perished here, they wouldn't be hailed as heroes.