C2

The middle-aged gentleman and company gathered together. A few meters away, the eight soldiers, led by Kevin, were seated. At this moment, they were whispering to each other without making a racket like usual, and Jack had his eyes opened from time to time as he looked at the young man.

The young man chewed his bread as he studied the stranger lying beside him. Like most of the other travelers in the desert, he wore a rough but sturdy canvas suit, and his entire body seemed to have been immersed in the sand. His body was covered with dust, and even his hair had turned the color of yellow. One could only vaguely make out the facial features. As for the appearance, there was no need to even mention it. His figure didn't look that tall, only about 170 cm or so, and his body looked very thin. There were only two things that stood out. One of them was a long cloth bag held tightly in his left hand, while the other was a green iron kettle with red paint stars. In his memory, this kettle was once very popular in the '80s in the New Z Country, but now it's in the museum. Is he also from Z?

A slight moan interrupted his thoughts, and the stranger said hoarsely, "Water." The young man quickly put down his bread and wrapped his right arm around the man's neck. His left hand placed the kettle on the man's chapped lips. Not long after, the man drank up all the water in the pot, but he still grabbed the canteen and poured the water into his mouth. The young man looked at him with a smile. It was obvious that saving a person's life was worth celebrating, not to mention the fact that they were both descendants of the Underworld!

Only when the last drop of water was poured did that person reluctantly put down the pot in his hands. He used his hands to support his swaying body and tried to sit up. The young man lightly patted him on the shoulder and also said in Chinese, "Your body is still very weak and you're still in the midst of transfusion. Rest in peace, just lie down for a while." Hearing this, that person's eyes flashed with a hint of joy, but he immediately shook his head. He pulled out the needle from his arm, sat up, and looked at the four people around him.

"Thank you everyone." The man spoke with a hoarse and somewhat stiff English. Because of this, his tone was especially sincere.

The four of them were very excited and smiled at each other. It seemed that the next sentence that the middle-aged gentleman said was a good way to express their current feelings. "What could be happier than saving someone's life?"

"My name is Omorse. You can call me Ben." The middle-aged gentleman extended his hand and shook it. This is my nephew, he's from Z like you, his name is Han Wenyue. Ben continued his introduction. " These two are my friends, Sammer and Philly, the racers. " The two pilots seemed so honored to be called friends that they trembled as they shook hands with strangers.

After shaking hands with everyone, that person introduced himself, "My surname is Zhao, and my full name is Zhao Zhiqiu. Everyone can just call me Zhiqiu."

"Zhiqiu, you mean One Autumn Leaf, right?" Ben asked in Chinese. "That person nodded his head. It seemed like he was someone who didn't have much to say." "Good name!" Ben praised.

Here, it was necessary to give a general idea of the situation: the middle-aged gentleman, whose full name was Kelicherr Benomedes, was forty-six years old and of British nationality, and who was the current heir to one of the world's six great consortia, the Omores Foundation. Like the other consortia, his assets had almost no one who could find out how many there were, and he had tens of industries. However, his character was extremely low key. Other than some people from the upper echelons of society and some high ranking officials, there were not many people who knew him. Personal hobbies are archaeology, collecting antiques. Master the Seven Languages. Visiting Professor, Department of Archaeology, several world-renowned universities.

The two pilots were truly public figures, winning many world championships. A convoy under the Omores Foundation would often provide transportation facilities, allowing them to venture deeper into desolate areas to pursue their personal interests.

Kevin's full name was Kevin. Howard, nationality M, age 32, rank Shangguan. Jack was relatively mysterious, everyone called him Jack, 27 years old. His individual combat ability was very outstanding, he was good at boxing, karate and other combat skills. At the same time, he was also a sharpshooter. The two of them and the other six soldiers were part of a group called Black Hole, and they were the best team in the group. At the beginning, Black Hole had been heavily assisted by the Omores Foundation and Han Wenyue's father. Although he had now become an independent force, he still had many connections with the Omores Foundation and Han Wenyue.

Young Han Wenyue, age 24, British and Chinese. His relationship with Ben seemed to be very close. His father and uncle, who had founded the Huanheng Group with the support of the Omores Foundation, had now become a multinational company. His parents both died in 1992 and were raised by his uncle. He, who was supposed to be the heir to Huanheng Group, suddenly left after graduating from university three years ago and started a detective agency in Z Country. Personal hobby: Chinese martial arts, metaphysics. He was fluent in four languages.

The stranger's full name was Zhao Zhiqiu. He was 22 years old and was born in Hokkaido, a neon country. His mother died when he was three, and his father disappeared on his eighth birthday.

With the addition of a companion, the atmosphere became more lively. Unfortunately, Zhao Zhiqiu didn't talk much. From this point, it could be said that it was a pity. After a moment of almost formal introductions and pleasantries, he fell silent again. After seeing the melancholy in his eyes from time to time, Ben stopped asking the questions he had wanted to ask. It is very impolite to interrogate someone about the past they do not wish to talk about.

After a short lunch, the group set out on their journey again.

Zhao Zhiqiu's spirit had clearly improved by quite a bit. At this moment, he, who was sitting in the same row as Han Wenyue, was currently resting with his eyes closed. Of course, the addition of one or two people to such a large SUV was no different from before. Jack restrained himself quite a bit, but he still lazily leaned back in his chair. From time to time, he would look at Han Wenyue, who was sitting in the front row. It seemed like he had already heard from his colleagues what Han Wenyue had done to him.

As for Ben and Han Wenyue, they were chatting in Chinese. Other than Zhao Zhiqiu, the rest of the people in the car felt as if they were listening to a heavenly book.

"Wen Yue, Z Country's kung fu is indeed amazing." Ben fiddled with his pipe. "The last time I saw you, I thought Zigzag was karate. Why?" You found a new teacher? " Han Wenyue revealed an apologetic smile and didn't answer. The astute Ben, of course, understood the meaning of his smile and did not go on with the subject.

"Your agency didn't make any money, and now you even have to pay for yourself to maintain its operations, right?" Ben looked down at his beloved pipe.

"Yes, Uncle." Han Wenyue replied with a smile.

"Then." Ben slowly raised his head, raised his pipe to his lips, and looked at him. "If you don't like your home environment, you can come to me. Any of my businesses, electronics, IT, clothing, movies, and cars, if you like, you can choose whatever you want. What do you say?"

Han Wenyue's gaze was fixed in front of him, looking at the seemingly endless desert. "Uncle, I thank you for your good intentions. In fact, I have always treated you as my own uncle, but …" Speaking to this, Han Wenyue hesitated. The tradition of the Z Nation was to not reveal their family's infamy. Their family had already been made black by their two greedy cousins. But how could something like this be mentioned in front of them? Thinking about this, Han Wenyue continued, "But I really like what I'm doing right now. At the very least, in my opinion, being able to help and even save others is very meaningful. "Just like you like archaeology, it's far more important and meaningful than money, right?"

He had long heard of Han Wenyue's family affairs, but he could not ask. After a long silence, he said: "It's a good thing that young people have their own choices, if there's anything that they need my help with, feel free to ask. I mean everything. " After saying that, he looked meaningfully at Han Wenyue.

Han Wenyue silently nodded her head. The two of them once again returned to silence.

After a long while, Han Wenyue suddenly thought of something and asked: "Uncle, what is your destination this time? Is it related to archaeology? "

"Of course!" When it came to archaeology, Ben couldn't seem to hide his excitement. His eyes were shining. " This time it was a set of pictures that one of my satellites accidentally took, very similar to the one I used to write about in an old book, and I decided to come. "

"Oh?" Han Wenyue asked, "Can you tell me the details?"

"Hm!" about 1996, when I was going to publish a paper. " Ben held his pipe in one hand, his eyes bright. " The title of the paper was "The Impact of European Religion on the Arab World." Because I needed a great deal of information, I went through almost everything from Moses to the Crusades. On a fortuitous occasion, I discovered a book that had records of a tower called the Tower of Sleep. "

As he said this, Zhao Zhiqiu, who was sitting beside Han Wenyue, opened his eyes wide and stared at the narrating book. As he had been speaking in Chinese, other than Han Wenyue, only Zhao Zhiqiu could understand him.

Ben paid no attention to all of this and continued, "The records in this book are written in ancient script, which is rather awkward to speak of. It probably means that this tower is the witness to the war between the angels and the devils a long time ago, and the devils sealed in it by the sacred relic of the angel Michael, and so on. There are some descriptions of the shape of this tower in the book, but at that time, I searched through all the geographical and historical information, but didn't find any record of its location. Although I was very interested in this kind of thing, I couldn't find it at all, so I gave up. Ben was quite excited when he talked about it, a smile on his face, and he didn't notice the surprise in the eyes of the two people beside him.

"It seems that I have the same destination as you." Han Wenyue continued.

"Oh?" Ben looked at Han Wenyue in surprise and then made a face of realization, "I almost forgot. You are very interested in the field of metaphysics."

Han Wenyi smiled apologetically, "It's not true this time. It's because I've accepted a request to go there and do something. In fact, the client only told me that the tower was about 150 kilometers east of a village called Hammer and refused to provide any other information. At that time, upon receiving your invitation, I took a lift. "

Han Wenyue's job nature was rather special, so a gentleman like Ben wouldn't be so rude as to inquire about the background.

Han Wenyue continued, "Originally, I was planning to leave after reaching Hammer City because my client said that this job was dangerous. However, seeing that you've made so much preparations, it seems like my worries are unnecessary."

"How did you find this tower, sir?" Zhao Zhiqiu suddenly asked. Although his tone was polite, his tone seemed to be cold, as if he was a thousand miles away.

Apparently, Ben didn't care about this at all. He thought for a moment, then replied, "I caught a commercial satellite by chance. It's not an exaggeration to say that this satellite is no less functional than a spy satellite. However, there are some places I find it strange. In the past, I didn't get anything strange in this region, but a while ago, I suddenly got a bunch of vague pictures. It seems like the tower is in the middle of a small town, perhaps a relic?

Zhao Zhiqiu lowered his head in thought. After a moment, he said, "The reason I was able to bid is because the power of the sword is getting weaker and weaker." His voice was not loud, as if he was talking to himself, but it also sounded like he was speaking to the two people beside him.

"Michael's Sword?" Han Wenyue and Ben shouted out at almost the same time. However, the tone of their voices was one of doubt.

Han Wenyue's shout startled everyone in the car. Jack and Kevin, who were behind her, immediately turned to look at her. Even the pilot in the front row turned to look at her. It was clear that no one understood what had happened.

Ben waved his hand to indicate that it was all right. He glanced at Han Wenyue in astonishment. He didn't understand why she was able to make this calm and composed young man lose his composure so easily.

"That's right." Zhao Zhiqiu's tone was still cold as he said, "The book that I read was true."

Some people said that Sahara was a place where one had to go in their entire life. Although they didn't understand the meaning behind these words, at least standing here, one could feel the minuscule life force reflected in this place. If humans were the spirits of all living things, then naturally, they had to be the masters of all living things.

The two Land Cruisers drove at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour, raising a long salon behind them.

Ben looked out the window at the desert and the sand dunes moving back quickly. His mind was still thinking about the conversation he had just had with Han Wenyue and Zhao Zhiqiu.

"The records in the book that I have seen are true." Zhao Zhiqiu's tone was filled with unquestionable certainty.

Ben's eyes narrowed, as if he were re-examining the enigmatic young man. Going deep into the heart of the desert, even if it was a highly developed society, was tantamount to playing for one's life. From this point of view, he was either courting death or had a goal he had to accomplish. One had to know that there were many tourists in the desert, but no one had the courage to venture in here without conditions. His personality was cold and eccentric, and he didn't talk much. His firm gaze revealed his stubbornness and stubbornness that surpassed others. This kind of person would not seek death, so the first reason was excluded.

Thinking of this, Ben made up his mind and smiled, "Mr. Zhao, can I ask you a few questions?"

Zhao Zhiqiu nodded and added, "I'm not used to being called that."

Ben smiled knowingly, then asked, "I would like to ask, what is your purpose in coming here?"

"I'll go there and look for one... "Human." After a moment of hesitation, he said, "This person is related to my background." Zhao Zhiqiu answered without hesitation. He thought these people would not have the same goal as him, whether it was tourism or scientific research. He would take his leave after resupplying at the oasis and continue with his business. Only after hearing the conversation between Ben and Han Wenyue did he realize that these people had the same goal as him.

The other side replied in such a straightforward manner that it caused him to be startled. Before he could even ask the next question, Zhao Zhiqiu continued as if he knew what he wanted to ask.

"Legend has it that this sword has the power to exterminate all demons, and can even tear apart space." Zhao Zhiqiu crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked forward. All I know is that he will definitely go there and take advantage of the sword's weakening strength to obtain that sword. "

Ben's mouth was slightly open, his hand holding his pipe frozen in the air. Obviously, the other party's words were too unbelievable. If he wasn't a religious fanatic, then he was a lunatic! However, the calmness and calmness shown by the young man did not seem like he was joking. He was an atheist, moreover, because of his hobby, whether it was a mysterious pyramid, an uninhabited temple, or even thousands of ancient tombs, he had seen many strange things. Coming back to discuss them with a few of his academic friends, he immediately understood what had happened.

Han Wenyue, who had been silent all this while, suddenly spoke, "Zhi Qiu, how do you know all this?"

In reality, he had wanted to ask this question for a long time. However, he was used to following orders. Who knew that Zhao Zhiqiu's few words would cause a scholar who firmly believed that science was the truth to be at a loss.

Zhao Zhiqiu turned his head and glanced at Han Wenyue. Actually, he had a good impression of this gentle and elegant young man from the moment he saw him. In fact, other than people like Jack, who were a bit extreme, Han Wenyue was still very 'lethal' to most people. Of course, it was especially true for females.

After pondering for a moment, he replied, "An old monk told me."

Ben and Han Wenyue were startled at the same time, and then immediately started laughing out loud. This time, without saying anything, it attracted the attention of the people in the front and back rows. Han Wenyi fell silent again. This young man was too mysterious. It seemed like he understood the background of this matter much better than she did. Although his expression was always cold, his firm and tenacious gaze gave others a sense of calmness.

Ben's laughter lasted for nearly half a minute, until he noticed that almost everyone in the front and back rows were looking at him. He coughed to hide his embarrassment, then waved his hand to those who didn't understand Chinese. It seemed like Zhao Zhiqiu didn't care about his rude behavior.

"Please forgive me for losing my composure earlier." Ben's expression was sincere. This was the most proper form of etiquette for a gentleman.

"It doesn't matter." Zhao Zhiqiu answered.

"Although I am an atheist, archaeology is directly related to a lot of religions. I believe I still have a certain level of understanding. "Michael's Sword is a Christian or Catholic item. Monks are Buddhist cultivators. How could it be …?" He did not say anything else, obviously afraid that his questioning would arouse the other party's displeasure.

"People who tell me these things don't lie to me. Atheists can't accept such things." Zhao Zhiqiu frowned as if he was anxious, "You are all my saviors, so I can only advise you not to go. It's very dangerous."

Originally, he wanted to say something, but at this moment, Han Wenyue raised a question that, in his opinion, was a bit off the top of his head.

"In your opinion, how weak is Michael's Sword?" As she said this, the smile on Han Wenyue's face disappeared without a trace. She had a serious expression.

Zhao Zhiqiu thought for a while and said, "Since I can't hide its position anymore, I'm afraid its power will disappear very soon."

"You mean, its sealing power?"

Zhao Zhiqiu nodded.

In just a few short sentences, Han Wenyi had countless thoughts running through her mind. He turned back to Ben, his face grave. "Uncle, you can't go any further. Go back now!"

He opened his eyes wide and stared at Han Wenyue. Could this child have suffered heatstroke?

"Uncle, I'm not joking. The information I got was exactly the same as what Zhiqiu said." Han Wenyi wrinkled her brows, "I don't think we need to think about where Zhiqiu would get the news, but it's still better for us to prepare for such a life-threatening situation."

Life and death are in danger?! Ben had no idea where the danger was coming from. It was so exaggerated! Seeing that Han Wenyue still wanted to explain, Ben waved his hand, "Wait a moment, I didn't understand what you two were talking about. Give me some time to digest this, okay?"

Seeing Han Wenyue nod her head, Ben turned and looked out the window. The car fell silent again.

That was the whole scene of the conversation.

Ben looked away from the window. Seal? Danger? It obviously meant that there was a devil inside?!

Ben couldn't help smiling bitterly in his heart. His IQ, which he was so proud of, was actually able to think about it for such a long time. It seemed like the atheist's association ability was rather bad.

"Wen Yue." Ben returned to his usual composure, "Are you talking about the devil sealed inside?"

"Yes." Han Wenyue replied.

"Then, why have I entered so many ancient tombs, and the temple has never seen such a thing?"

Han Wenyue smiled bitterly, "I really don't know how to explain it. Let's put it this way. A dozen years ago, scientists thought that ghosts were the product of people's fantasies. What about now? The science recognizes the substance of the soul, right? "

Ben frowned. "Yes."

"From this point of view, are the backward ancient people right, or are the progressive modern people right?"

Ben opened his mouth, speechless. Indeed, this is a very simple example. Modern science ascribes the matter of the soul to free brain waves, and interprets some situations such as possession or the upper body of a ghost as occurring at the same frequency as the brain waves of living people. This could not be said to be a huge advance in science. After all, it did not acknowledge the existence of the 'ghost' more than ten years ago. Now, many scientists have come up with the bold hypothesis that death is not the end, but rather the survival of brain waves in another space. But this hypothesis is not new at all, because religions have made this hypothesis hundreds of years ago.

Han Wenyue didn't seem to expect the answer and continued, "To deny the existence of something you haven't seen before is a mistake on the part of humans. Of course, from another perspective, this is also a process of human knowledge. In fact, many unknown creatures fill the space in which we live. Some lived ordinary lives like humans, while others were dangerous. To tell you the truth, the main business of my agency is to deal with these 'dangerous incidents'. As for the reason why you have never encountered such a thing, it is because, to a large extent, such a situation requires a specific environment and a specific moment. "

Zhao Zhiqiu, who was standing to the side, did not have any reaction at all. It seemed as if he had expected this. Ben sized him up as if he were seeing Han Wenyue for the first time. "How come I've never heard you mention it before?"

"Of course." Han Wenyue smiled and shrugged, "To deal with this kind of thing, the more low-key it is, the better."

Ben fell silent again. Han Wenyue had practically watched her grow up. This kid never told lies, let alone boasts. Calm and prudent, his ability to respond far surpassed his two children. This was also the reason why he liked him so much. Since he said so, there must be a reason. However, it was still very difficult for him to believe this kind of absurd thing. As he thought of this, Ben's curiosity got the better of him. Since he had never seen such an opportunity, as an archaeologist, he should at least meet her once more.

"Wen Yue, if it's really as dangerous as you say, do you still want to go?"

"Yes, this is a very important mission. I must complete it." Han Wenyue replied.

"Then I'll go too." Ben seemed to be in high spirits as he fiddled with the pipe in his hand.

Han Wenyue was speechless. Indeed, his uncle's curiosity was strong. Otherwise, his hobbies would not be archaeology.

Just as he was about to say something, Ben seemed to know what he was going to say and said, "First of all, whether or not it is really that dangerous remains to be confirmed. Secondly, aren't you an expert on such matters? Wouldn't it be a pity if I didn't open my eyes when such a good opportunity presented itself before me? And I still have my doubts about that, at least for the time being. "

Han Wenyue bitterly smiled and turned to Zhao Zhiqiu, "Zhiqiu, in your opinion, how bad is the situation?"

"I don't know." Zhao Zhiqiu answered very straightforwardly, "We'll understand when we get to Hammer Trading."

Yes, Hammer was the closest place to the Tower of Sleep, after all, and if there was a problem, the people there should have seen something. Even though it was already scorched earth, it was too late to turn back now. Plus, his uncle was extremely energetic and curious. Even if he didn't go this time, it would be hard to protect himself from going to some dangerous places the next time. He would really regret it for the rest of his life. With me by his side, no matter how bad the situation is, I believe that it's not impossible for me to protect him with my own abilities.

Thinking of this, Han Wenyi wrinkled her eyebrows and nodded. She didn't forget to add: "Uncle, when the time comes, I'll have to trouble you to listen to me temporarily."

Ben smiled.

At this point, the pilot in the front row reported in the direction of this report: "Mr. Omorse, arrive in Hammer in about one hour and thirty minutes."

This sentence made everyone in the car excited. Jack, who had finally calmed down for a while, started to dance again as he sang a rap song. Even the indifferent Zhao Zhiqiu was looking out of the window.

Ben looked at his watch. 13: 50.