Millions of tons of lake water swirled overhead, and for a moment, Lynch felt as if he were witnessing the parting of the seas from ancient myths.
A mid-tier Soul Severer with level four authority could effortlessly part the lake as if possessing the power to move mountains and fill seas. Lynch dared not even imagine how formidable a high-tier or a true legendary Soul Severer might be.
He decided he had better consider what his own death might look like if these two mid-tier individuals turned out to be enemies and decided to use those abilities on him.
Lynch sighed and pushed those stray thoughts aside. He stood behind Judy... no, he bravely positioned his body to shield Judy from unseen dangers from behind, and together they approached the mist-shrouded entrance.
The opening was massive, at least five meters in diameter and plunging straight down. A thick, oppressive aura of death wafted from within, accompanied by a potent, foul sense of mystery.
It was a tomb, after all. With such powerful death energy, it was likely riddled with mysterious perils, but to Lynch, this was the perfect stage.
Rooney followed close behind Karl and Jenna, being the third to approach the pitch-black entrance. He cautiously glanced up at the lake water overhead and asked, "How long until we are submerged by the lake?"
"Don't worry. This is a trick; it will hold for a few hours without issue."
Dr. Jenna had already reached the entrance, and Karl Jones stood beside her, lifting his lantern in coordination.
The effect was far inferior to the Torch of Light, but it was enough to pierce the mist and see the situation inside.
Just like on the cliff side, a long corridor stretched out below. The floor and walls were constructed of heavy stone, the damp ground reflecting the lantern light. A rhythmic dripping sound echoed from the depths of the dark passage, the monotonous noise sounding particularly eerie and ominous in the gloom.
"Stop, little Karl." Dr. Jenna blocked Karl Jones as he attempted to reach his arm into the entrance. "We aren't certain if entering from one side is safe yet. Do not act rashly."
"Let me try."
Jack the bearded man whistled. A moment later, his clothes rippled, and a small gray mouse scurried out from his pant leg, circling his leather shoe and occasionally gnawing on it.
【Authority, Wildness, Ability, Command】
The little mouse suddenly stood on its hind legs, squeaked at Jack, and scurried along the edge into the hole. Its gray fur was instantly swallowed by the darkness, and only faint squeaking sounds could be heard rapidly fading away.
"It doesn't seem to have activated anything." After waiting with his eyes closed for a moment, Jack spoke slowly. "I didn't go too deep, but visually, everything inside seems normal. Perhaps our judgment was wrong; we may not need to enter from both sides simultaneously."
"Perhaps?" Dr. Jenna sneered. "You believe in 'perhaps' in the world of mystery?"
"It is indeed risky," Karl Jones added. "There is a significant difference between the soul of a mouse and that of a human; they cannot be compared. But at the very least, it proves there is no poison gas or ordinary traps inside. For the sake of safety, we should still enter from both sides together."
"How about this: we return to the camp first," Dr. Jenna said with a calm expression. "We will have the workers enter from both sides to set up light sources."
His, how ruthless. This was clearly a plan to use the ordinary workers as cannon fodder to scout the path. It was unscrupulous, no wonder she was expelled from the archaeological team.
Should I just watch this to keep my cover?
While his conscience was still battling, Rooney—the man suspected of being from the Lord's Church—spoke slowly:
"That won't do. One is already dead and six are missing. If an accident occurs and a few more die, the workers' already strained morale will collapse, and they will scatter and flee. If there is no one to help with the labor, how long would it take for us to explore such a massive ancient tomb on our own? Our resistance is far higher than the workers'. Rather than sending them to their deaths, we should scout the path ourselves. It may be a bit riskier, but at least it ensures everything proceeds smoothly."
Lynch had been secretly observing everyone's expressions, so he noticed that Dr. Jenna’s face turned gloomy and dissatisfied upon hearing Rooney’s suggestion. Yet, Lynch always felt there was a profound meaning hidden in her eyes. Before he could decipher her thoughts, she smoothed out her expression and nodded:
"Very well. If everyone agrees, we shall proceed this way. However, you must each bear the risks yourself."
Mentioning the risks brought a momentary silence to the scene, but it quickly faded. As Soul Severers with twisted souls, facing risk had long since become a part of their lives.
"Since I must support the lake water here, I will lead this team. Little Karl, you will be responsible for the cliff side," Dr. Jenna said, her gaze sweeping over everyone. "The two ladies will come with me. Since Ms. Selene is unfamiliar with tombs, we can look out for each other. You lot take the other side, and decide on specific actions based on the situation. If you encounter any problems, send someone back to the camp to leave a message for the other group. But you must ensure that not everyone from your team leaves the tomb."
They were all seasoned veterans, so no one raised any objections to this reasonable suggestion. The three men quickly withdrew from the lake area, leaving the three women behind to wait for the men's signal flare, ensuring they could enter both sides simultaneously.
"Actually, the risk to the workers is not that high," Dr. Jenna suddenly chuckled once the others had left, shaking her head. "I am not a cold-blooded archaeological machine. Since I dared to let the workers enter, it means I am quite confident that no issues will arise."
Lynch gazed toward the direction of the cliff and replied with a faint smile, "But what if something does go wrong?"
"Pfft, if it happens, it happens. Is there any archaeological expedition where no one has died? If one cannot treat these as reasonable losses, it is better not to lead teams. Otherwise, one might find that the entire team never makes it out."
Lynch asked with interest, "Was it because of these 'reasonable losses' that you left the Archaeological Association?"
"Quite the opposite. It was only after that incident that I understood the meaning of reasonable losses," Dr. Jenna said with a mocking smile. "Unfortunately, Rooney and the others do not understand this principle. Perhaps one day they will. Heh, I hope they still have the chance."
"Hmm? Then why were you expelled from the Archaeological Association?"
"Because the reporters caught wind of that incident and kept printing it in the papers. To avoid being affected, the association had no choice but to abandon me. I didn't like the association anyway, so I took the opportunity to leave. It was quite satisfying to give them a piece of my mind before I went, ha ha ha. Although I technically left, I still kept some connections with them. After all, everyone in this business has some ties to the association, and they are no different."
That didn't explain why they weren't carrying any relics from the association or maintaining external contact.
Lynch sighed. The current information was insufficient to determine their identities. Although he didn't harbor any ill will toward this woman, for the sake of his life, he had to remain as vigilant as possible.
After all, the unexplained death of Salin was a precedent.
"Return to the association? That is impossible, and there is no opportunity left."
Hearing Lynch’s question, Dr. Jenna waved her hand lazily, a look of longing appearing on her face:
"As long as I complete this mission, I can earn a beautiful future for Louise. When that time comes, I will retire, settle down in Rhine, and live a good life with her, watching her grow up."
No, how can you say such things without feeling guilty? And why is this happening so suddenly, like a runaway train? Lynch was startled and quickly changed the subject. "Is that your daughter?"
"Yes, she is only this big."
It was the first time Lynch saw a soft smile on her face. Just as he was about to say something, a burst of colorful light exploded in the sky.
The cliff team was in position.
The smiles on both their faces vanished instantly. Lynch pulled Judy up, and Dr. Jenna fired a signal flare in response.
"Follow me. Don't worry, at least this initial section will be fine."
Dr. Jenna left a cryptic remark before jumping into the passage with her lantern. Lynch gripped the round fan in his hand and jumped down, pulling the dazed Judy with him.
The surroundings were indeed filled with heavy, uniform stone blocks. The environment was cold and damp, and a long corridor stretched forward and backward, with corners occasionally leading off in other directions. The air was relatively normal, whether because the other end had been open for hours or because the ancient tomb was simply like this.
The mist here was thicker than outside. Through the beam of light, one could see it surging outward from within. A suffocating aura of death rushed toward them with the mist, making Lynch feel a wave of oppression.
Once his eyes adjusted to the light within the passage, Lynch noticed Dr. Jenna leaning against the wall, her gloved fingers gently stroking the stone. Lynch mimicked her, touching it as well, but he only felt the roughness of the wall.
"This way."
Jenna seemed to have identified the direction and walked straight toward a corner.
"Hmm? You know the way?"
"I made some preparations. After all, I truly intend to complete Howard's mission for the sake of Louise's future." Jenna smiled and pointed toward the cliff. "So you don't need to stare at me. We have a common goal. Now, there are two things you need to pay attention to. First, someone among those three does not want to see the ritual completed and intends to sabotage it. And the method to sabotage the ritual is..."
Lynch held his breath, listening intently.
"The true ritual can be completed by a single person, so sabotaging it means killing everyone else until only the most reliable self remains."
Lynch's face stiffened. The credibility of this statement was quite high, which meant the other party might indeed kill everyone indiscriminately, regardless of stance, friend or foe.
"The second thing you need to pay attention to: it is not only the dead who sleep here, but also the servants of Glaaki, the dweller of the lake. They wander the dark tomb day and night, serving their terrifying master."
"So, on the outside, you must face the threats of the servants of Glaaki and the tomb itself. On the inside, you must guard against the secret schemes of one of those three. I can only ensure that you two are absolutely safe. How about it? Will you consider forming an alliance with me to survive this mission and see the ritual through to completion?"
"Alright, as long as you truly believe the two of us are not a problem." Lynch offered a subtle smile, feeling a pang of guilt inside. "I agree to the alliance, and I agree on Judy's behalf as well. What do you need us to do now?"
Jenna grabbed Lynch's hand. "Take her, don't get lost in the mist, and follow me."
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