"Maybe you could take this time to research a pet beast evolution project with Professor Asher?", said Charlotte with a sudden idea.
Asher: "?"
What kind of overachiever is this, still thinking about giving him work at a time like this?
Asher: *Declined*
However, Professor Damien's eyes suddenly lit up. Fortunately, he still had some rationality left in him.
"I invited Asher here to research this ancient tomb together. Starting a new research project on the spot… without any preparation, we wouldn't be able to achieve any meaningful results. It would just be a waste of time," Professor Damien shook his head.
No, no.
That won't do.
Even if he was tempted, it was still a no.
Upon hearing this, Charolette's face showed an expression of wanting to say something but stopping herself.
She glanced at Asher, whose expression remained unchanged, then at Professor Damien, who genuinely meant what he said. The words of complaint were right at the tip of her tongue.
But obviously, how could she say it out loud in front of the person in question?
"…Alright then, Professor Damien, if you think it's not suitable, we'll drop it," Charolette sighed helplessly.
"But right now, the excavation of the tomb hasn't made much progress, and we didn't expect you all to arrive so quickly…," As she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer.
Alright, alright.
They really should have anticipated this.
After all—
Facing an ancient tomb that could very well rewrite the entire history of beast taming from its very origins, who could possibly resist?
Just look at the completely sold-out tickets to Graymont City.
Fortunately, Professor Damien and Asher were both easygoing people.
Charolette repeatedly assured them that they would be contacted immediately once there was any progress. Then, Professor Damien, just like when he arrived, strolled away slowly with his hands clasped behind his back.
"Well then, you all stay busy, we'll take our leave first," As he spoke, Professor Damien waved his hand.
Asher swept a glance at the deep excavation pit before retracting his gaze.
He followed Professor Damien, anticipation welling up inside him.
Just now—
Asher had secretly used his talent skill on the exposed parts of the ancient tomb.
[Eye of Insight]
It revealed nothing.
The skill's interface only locked onto some irrelevant beast tamers and their pet beasts.
Next—
Asher used another, less frequently utilized, talent skill—[Gifted Perception].
He hadn't expected much. There were too many pet beasts nearby; there was no way he would hear anything useful.
However—
Something completely unexpected happened.
Just as he said, there were many pet beasts around.
Close by were Charolette's Dream-Eating Cat and Thousand Machine. A little further away, there were the three Drilling Demon Dragons excavating the tomb's entrance, along with other staff members' pet beasts…
Scattered among them were about a dozen creatures. Their thoughts, mixed together, weren't particularly noisy. Most pet beasts had very simple minds and singular thoughts.
Their collective voices were like the meowing and barking of kittens and puppies—somewhat noisy, but bearable.
But after using his talent skill, the first thing Asher noticed wasn't the chaotic voices of the pet beasts—
It was a massive, deafening, all-encompassing—heartbeat.
Boom—
Boom-boom—
Boom-boom-boom—
One beat after another.
Steady, rhythmic, and deep.
As if some ancient behemoth was sleeping beneath the earth.
A living presence.
Asher had to exert immense willpower to keep himself from showing a strange expression.
Who could have thought?
What he initially mentioned casually—the possibility of an Beast inside the tomb—
No one had really believed it.
Even Professor Damien had only agreed to come along in hopes of finding the remains of an Beast within the tomb.
To study the differences between Beasts from two thousand years ago, twelve hundred years ago, and the present.
A living Beast… now that was a terrifying thought.
A being that had lived for two thousand years…
What could it be?
Not long after they started heading back, Professor Damien ran into Adam, who had come looking for him.
"Professor," Adam greeted, showing no awkwardness at the collision. Instead, he acted as if he had been accompanying Professor Damien the whole time, "The excavation work will take some time. The preliminary research team won't be arriving quickly either. I estimate we'll be staying here for at least ten days to half a month."
"Do you plan to take a break, or continue your previous research?"
Professor Damien: "…"
His face showed an expression of deep reluctance.
"Ah… that research…", Professor Damien glanced at Asher beside him, hesitating slightly before saying, "Maybe we should take a break for now…"
"Professor Damien, you don't have to worry about me. I don't mind," Asher quickly responded.
However… "Your latest research project?", Asher looked intrigued and curiously asked, "Didn't you complete your last project over a month ago?"
Since he had accepted Professor Damien's invitation, Asher had done his homework in advance, familiarizing himself with the professor's major research work over the past year.
After finishing his collaboration with the official 'Extreme' project, Professor Damien had taken on a specific directive, "Research an evolution route for Beasts that grants them water purification abilities."
When Asher first saw this project requirement, his face was filled with so many question marks that he could've passed as an NPC.
Seriously?
This kind of directive felt no different from making a wish.
The client says they want a "colorful black" without considering whether such a thing even exists.
The researcher is then forced to rack their brains, mixing various pigments, to create this possibly nonexistent "colorful black."
Asher: "?"
Learned something new.
Didn't know this was possible.
"That project…", Before Professor Damien could speak, Adam adjusted his glasses and clicked his tongue, his dissatisfaction evident.
Asher: "…"
At first, he had thought such a directive was normal. But from Adam's reaction, it seemed it wasn't quite as reasonable as he had assumed?
"Exactly," Adam glanced at Asher's obviously puzzled face.
Knowing that Asher was still a newcomer in the field, Adam patiently explained, "Researching an evolution route for Beasts to gain water purification abilities isn't difficult."
"After all, some water-type Beasts already have a natural role in maintaining the environment of their water bodies."
Stellar Energy had various effects on ecosystems—both good and bad.
But with proper research, the beneficial aspects could be enhanced.
"For example, creatures like the Phoenix-Tail Blenny, the Cleaner Fish, and the Moss Turtle naturally improve the cleanliness of the water they inhabit due to the Stellar Energy they emit."
"Starting from this basis, with enough trials, we could definitely develop an evolution route that meets the directive."
"But the real problem is—what does 'not only purify the water but also increase its vitality to enhance the reproductive rate of lifeforms within by five to ten times' even mean?"
Adam actually laughed in frustration, "Do they think we're genies who can grant any wish they make?"
Asher fell silent.
'Ha!'
'That does sound a bit ridiculous.'
"The most infuriating thing is that they didn't lay out all these ridiculous demands at the beginning, but kept bringing them up bit by bit during our research," Adam rolled his eyes, "I sensed something was off right away."
"And then, when I dug deeper—oh wow," He spread his hands.
This was a straight-up targeted scam.
If the other party had dared to explicitly state a requirement like "purify the water to a level acceptable for a water dragon," they wouldn't have even glanced at this project.
"Sigh, that's why I prefer working with official institutions these days," Professor Damien looked resigned, "If all else fails, it's better to just focus on research topics we actually enjoy."
"For example, the one I'm currently working on."
Professor Damien was the type who could pick things up and put them down with ease—very open-minded.
After exhaling lightly twice, he started talking to Asher about his recent research, and his eyes lit up.
"I want to launch a new research series specifically focused on simple, convenient, and resource-efficient evolution pathways."
"Under these conditions, I aim to develop even more powerful Beast evolution forms."
Simple.
Convenient.
Low resource requirements.
The combination of these words instantly made Asher understand Professor Damien's true objective—evolution pathways that could be easily promoted to a wide audience of Beast Tamers.
Many powerful evolution routes weren't bad in themselves, but their resource costs were simply too high.
For an ordinary Beast Tamer, even taking out a loan might not be enough, let alone handling the subsequent nurturing and strength development.
Going broke raising a beast had never been just a joke in the Beast Tamer world.
Thanks to national and official support, no major disasters had occurred so far.
But given Professor Damien's age, he couldn't help but worry—what if something unexpected really happened?
It was better to research in advance and be prepared.
If there were potential risks, they would find ways to address them as much as possible.
High-level Beast Tamers were a measure of national strength.
But that didn't mean low-level Beast Tamers weren't necessary.
Only by increasing the number of low-level Beast Tamers could the number of high-level Beast Tamers also grow.
It was a process that had to be gone through.
Asher stroked his chin.
'Ah… this might be something I can help with.'
Considering his talent skills and all the evolution progress bars he needed to study for Beasts, 'Hmm, this might actually be a great opportunity.'
———
Five days.
For five whole days, Graymont City was caught up in a feverish atmosphere.
It was the New Year.
But the merchants of Graymont City had no time to rest.
They were back to work right after New Year's Eve.
A money-making opportunity had arrived.
Graymont City already had plenty of tourist attractions, and now, with the excavation of the ancient tomb… even though people weren't allowed to get close or take pictures, just seeing the progress from afar was enough to leave them in awe.
It was incredibly fast.
After pinpointing the tomb's exact location and range, they had uncovered a massive underground tomb complex spanning nearly 800 square kilometers—one-fifth the size of Graymont City itself.
With three Drilling Demon Dragons working in shifts to dig continuously for 24 hours a day, the general outline of the tomb had finally been revealed, and the entrance had been located.
Excitement.
Thrill.
A mix of emotions surged as teams of researchers, exhausted and covered in dust after five days of work, were now impatient to enter the tomb.
And then…
As expected, the unexpected happened.
The tomb entrance… ahem, was inaccessible.
Ten teams had tried to enter. Yet no matter how they walked in, they were spat out the same way half an hour later.
When asked what happened, everyone had the same baffled expression, knowing nothing.
They couldn't remember.
They couldn't recall.
They blacked out.
They walked in, and then somehow walked back out.
All their answers were roughly the same.
Charolette: "…"
"There has to be a solution," Charolette rubbed her forehead, looking quite exasperated, "We've found the entrance but can't get in… could it be caused by an Beast's ability?"
Beast Tamer tombs.
Especially those of powerful Beast Tamers, did sometimes feature strange setups.
But most of them were easy to bypass.
They rarely caused much trouble for tomb exploration.
But this? No one even knew what kind of Beast was responsible for this effect… This was a first.
Charolette and Evan, who had been dragged along, looked at each other.
"Should we try going in together?"
"…Fine."
Trying might lead to dying.
And as it turned out, even Charolette and Evan couldn't figure out what was going on at the entrance.
Charolette started feeling anxious.
The tomb was right there.
Yet they couldn't even step through the door.
Is this reasonable?
Just tell her—is this reasonable?
"Getting worked up won't help," Although Evan hated working, when he had no choice, he'd at least put in the effort.
The sooner he solved this, the sooner he could go back to being a slacker.
Anything standing in the way of his leisure had to be eliminated.
Including this entrance setup.
After confirming multiple times that this wasn't the effect of some Beast's ability, the team buried themselves in research. Finally, after three days and nights of studying, they found a clue.
"Machinery? Or maybe alchemy?", Asher listened to Charolette's explanation, his face unconsciously showing confusion and doubt.
Wait a second.
'Isn't this a fantasy setting?'
'Why does it suddenly feel like I have crossed over into a magic setting?'
Machinery was barely understandable as a different school of thought.
But alchemy… that was pushing it.
"It's not the kind of alchemy you're thinking of… Sigh, though if you really want to see it that way, I guess it's not entirely wrong," Charolette started to refute but halfway through, gave up and rubbed her forehead helplessly.
Professor Damien, however, looked thoughtful and took the initiative to explain.
"Alchemy actually existed a thousand years ago, but due to certain special circumstances we can't fully investigate, it was lost."
"And it wasn't as mystical as legends make it out to be. Some ancient texts contain traces of records describing alchemy as an equivalent exchange of materials."
"If you ask me, I think so-called alchemy was just the ancient humans' basic application of materials. Because they didn't understand the principles behind it, they collectively referred to it as alchemy."
Charolette winced.
"No, no, no… The alchemy we've found is not the same as that alchemy."
Professor Damien: "?"
Professor Damien gave Charolette a startled look, "You're not suggesting that this is the kind of alchemy that turns stone into gold or grants immortality, are you?"
"Do I seem like that kind of person?"
Charolette's voice was weak, but she finally got to the main point, "We suspect this alchemy is another way of utilizing Stellar Energy."
Professor Damien: "?"
Adam: "?"
Asher:
Surprising.
But somehow, not that surprising.
Ever since he heard the steady, powerful heartbeat echoing from within the tomb, Asher had a feeling—this tomb was far more exciting than he'd imagined.
In every way.
Asher originally thought he'd have to wait until they entered the tomb and saw the living, unknown Beast inside before being shocked.
He didn't expect that just getting past the entrance was already making him feel the weight of history across two thousand years.
Alchemy?
Legendary alchemy?
Another way to wield Stellar Energy?
Professor Damien felt like his heart wasn't quite ready for this.
"You're sure?", Professor Damien asked urgently.
"I'm not sure," Charolette's expression was grim, "It's just a hypothesis based on the entrance's special conditions, but if it's true…"
The future will change.
It's really about to change.
Humans awakening beast-taming abilities and gaining Stellar Energys had only happened in recent years, and never before had they applied these Stellar Energys to external materials.
So what exactly was the deal with the design of this ancient tomb's gate?
Thinking of this—
Professor Damien could no longer sit still.
"The door is open?", Professor Damien asked the most crucial question on his mind, "If there are no problems, we should be able to enter too, right?"
Charolette nodded, "That's why I came here today."
"But the situation inside the tomb is a bit complicated…"
Professor Damien waved his hand dismissively, "That's nothing!"
As long as they could enter—
Who cared if it was complicated or not?
There wasn't a single researcher who could resist the allure of a two-thousand-year-old historical treasure.
"Then let's have a meeting first."
Charolette made the final decision.
———
Asher also personally attended this meeting, but as for what exactly was discussed and the entire process… Asher didn't really want to recall it.
Just leave it at that.
Anyway, the final outcome was favorable for him, for Professor Damien, and for the professors studying pet evolution.
They would enter the tomb together.
Everyone was given a pre-prepared backpack.
"There are lights, water, food, and other essential survival supplies inside. They can guarantee basic survival for three days if separated or trapped. If you're a beast tamer, you can last even longer," Charolette looked at the lineup preparing to enter the ancient tomb, his expression serious.
"The entrance to the tomb has been successfully opened after our research, but entering through the same entrance does not mean we will be transported to the same location."
"If you find yourself alone inside, don't panic or rush," Charolette carefully explained the possible situations they might encounter based on their initial research and exploration.
"Keep track of time, ensure your own safety, and try to study the materials, documents, and overall situation inside the tomb as much as possible."
At this point, Charolette paused, "If you sense danger and aren't confident in handling it, don't try. Understand?"
Charolette had considered excluding non-beast tamers from the expedition.
But after much deliberation, she chose not to.
The danger level of this ancient tomb was still within a controllable range.
The maze at the entrance was mild, posing no threat or harm to their lives or bodies. Whether beast tamers or ordinary people, those who couldn't proceed were simply sent back safely.
Since that was the case—
Let ordinary people and beast tamers go in together and give it a try.
There was strength in numbers; maybe they'd discover useful clues.
Not everyone agreed with Charolette's decision, but the non-beast tamers willing to enter the tomb were prepared to take responsibility for the risks.
Compared to the possible dangers, they were far more interested in the tomb itself.
This was firsthand information.
No one could stop them from accessing it.
Asher walked alongside Adam beside Professor Damien, "Professor Damien, please be careful once you're inside."
"Professor, you really shouldn't go. If something happens to you…", Adam looked at Professor Damien with a worried expression, clearly wanting to talk him out of it.
"I know. But this is very likely the tomb of a beast tamer from two thousand years ago. There may be many unknown extraordinary biological records or related materials inside. If I don't see it with my own eyes…", Professor Damien pursed his lips mid-sentence—he would regret it for life.
Danger?
He had considered it.
Without Beasts present, as long as he could regroup with the main team or at least a couple of people, the danger wouldn't be as severe as imagined.
Adam let out a long sigh.
He knew he wouldn't be able to persuade his professor, but he had to at least try.
No use… Adam turned hopeful eyes toward Asher.
Like—was there a chance Asher could help?
Asher nodded, "If we run into each other."
He would certainly protect Professor Damien.
But Adam still didn't feel at ease.
Random teleportation… Just thinking about it made his brows furrow again.
That was the issue—otherwise, why would he be worrying about so many things?
"We're here."
While Adam was lost in thought, they had arrived at the entrance of the tomb.
It wasn't as grand as imagined.
Just a passage wide enough for one person to walk through. Peering inside, it was pitch black.
"Go in together?", Adam looked at Asher, then at his professor.
Not far away, Charolette overheard and turned to look at them, "You can go in together or separately. The teleportation is random; even if you enter together, you won't necessarily end up in the same place."
She hesitated for a moment, "Though… not necessarily? We could test it again."
Whether it was just a psychological effect or something else, testing was always an option.
Adam nodded without hesitation, standing right next to Professor Damien. Asher didn't resist either and followed along.
Most people entered in groups of three to five.
Taking just a few steps forward, their figures disappeared.
Soon, everyone had entered the cave, leaving only Asher, Professor Damien, and Adam.
"Let's go."
The three of them moved forward together. Adam clung tightly to Professor Damien's hand.
Professor Damien rolled his eyes at him several times, but Adam remained unfazed.
'Roll your eyes all you want—'
His professor's safety was most important.
Asher watched from the side, the corners of his mouth curving up.
This master-disciple pair, both quite old, were truly amusing.
Asher took the lead and stepped into the cave.
One step.
Two steps.
Darkness.
Asher didn't take out his flashlight.
Three steps.
Four steps.
He continued walking.
Five steps… The darkness vanished.
For a brief moment, Asher thought he saw golden galaxies flash across the black void.
Before he could determine whether it was an illusion or reality—
The next second—
His body was weightless.
And then—
His feet landed on solid ground in a completely different space.
Asher steadied himself and opened his eyes, surprised to find—
Huh?
The surroundings weren't as dark as expected?
A faint glow, like fireflies in the night, dotted the space—not bright, but enough for his eyes to gradually adjust and make out his surroundings.
Then Asher, both surprised and unsurprised, realized—
The place he had arrived in didn't resemble a two-thousand-year-old tomb.
There was no one else around.
Professor Damien and Adam hadn't been teleported with him.
He had no idea where the others were.
Asher tightened his backpack straps. The supplies inside were one of his few sources of confidence for exploration.
Asher didn't rush to start his exploration but instead released a few little ones.
Little Raven.
Cat-Worm.
Little White Snake.
Little Jellyfish.
The moment Little Raven spread its wings and flew out, Asher seemed to hear his heart pounding again, as if it had become even more rapid.
Little Raven's golden-red eyes were especially striking even in the dim light.
"Meow?", Cat-Worm stood on Asher's shoulder, looking left and right, making a questioning sound.
'What kind of place is this?'
'It feels kind of weird!'
Little White Snake also tightened its grip around Asher's body, as if it had been frightened.
Only Little Raven and Little Jellyfish remained completely unaffected.
Asher had a reasonable suspicion—Little Raven's lack of reaction was likely due to the gradual awakening of the Three-Legged Golden Crow bloodline within its body, making it fearless.
As for Little Jellyfish… maybe it was just naturally thick-skinned and oblivious, so it also felt nothing.
Little Jellyfish: "?"
The little jellyfish, which Asher suspected of being too slow-witted to feel fear, tilted its head, using its movements to express its confusion.
"Ahem," Asher clenched his fist and lightly coughed into it, decisively changing the subject, "Everyone, don't run around. This place… isn't very safe."
Seeing Cat-Worm and Little White Snake instinctively act fearful, Asher had a thought.
If they weren't scared by the atmosphere of the ancient tomb,
then the only other explanation was that they were frightened by that Beast—one whose location was unknown, but whose heartbeat Asher could hear clearly the entire time.
If it could make Cat-Worm and Little White Snake tremble from such a distance… Asher seriously doubted the safety of this tomb.
He stroked Cat-Worm and Little White Snake's heads, offering a simple comfort.
The two little ones quickly relaxed.
They had just been startled out of the blue.
After recovering, Little White Snake still didn't dare to move around too much, but Cat-Worm had already returned to its usual energetic, bouncing-around self.
It looked eager to make a name for itself in this unfamiliar place, eager to showcase its strength.
Cat-Worm: "Meow! Meow!"
'This dragon was just caught off guard earlier!'
'Watch this dragon take the lead now!'
'This dragon fears nothing!'
Cat-Worm was full of energy, determined to redeem itself.
And then, Asher effortlessly subdued it.
"Be good."
Asher held Cat-Worm's head down with one hand and patted the obedient Little Raven with the other.
"Right now, just stay close to me and don't go causing trouble, or I'll lock you all in the little dark room," Asher's smile was gentle, but the underlying threat in his words… Cat-Worm understood. Cat-Worm knew that this time, Asher was really serious.
Cat-Worm finally settled down.
Silent.
Obedient.
Cat-Worm: *Admitting defeat*
Little White Snake, with its beautiful golden eyes, curiously watched Cat-Worm.
Cat-Worm: "…"
It turned its head away.
Pretended not to see anything.
'As long as the dragon doesn't see it, then it doesn't count as losing face in front of its little brother.'
Asher: "…"
'Fine, fine.'
'As long as you're happy.'
Asher waved at Little Jellyfish, which obediently pulsed and floated beside his ear, looking like a decorative ornament.
It was actually quite pretty.
Little Raven remained vigilant, following closely behind Asher as he finally began to explore the space.
Why did he say earlier that this didn't seem like a two-thousand-year-old tomb?
Because the materials beneath his feet and surrounding him weren't bricks, jade, or gold—materials that would align more with the era. Instead, they were a reddish-brown substance that, at first glance, looked like it had been fired in a kiln.
But stepping on it, he realized it was a hard, steel-like refined material.
Asher: "?"
'Did people two thousand years ago already have such advanced steel refining techniques?'
'Or did possessing Stellar Energy truly make anything possible?'
Asher was shocked.
He wandered around the space.
He even saw several large machines, occupying vast areas. At first glance, he couldn't tell their purpose, but after careful observation, they resembled modern scientific instruments.
However, most of their circuitry was mechanical.
Asher circled around the largest machine in the center—the one with the most mechanical components—several times.
His expression became increasingly shocked and incredulous.
"This is just…", Unbelievable.
Even though two thousand years had passed and these machines were completely broken, no longer functional, and their true purpose unknown…
Judging by the precision and complexity of their components, Asher could imagine how spectacular they must have been when in operation.
It suddenly had a steampunk vibe.
"These spots here should be where the energy source was placed, right?", Asher walked around the machine again, nodding thoughtfully.
On the massive machine, five vacant slots stood out conspicuously.
They were completely empty inside, with no structural remains.
But looking at their condition, it didn't seem like parts had been corroded away by time.
That left only one possibility—the machine's power source was something extraordinary.
'Perhaps… energy crystals from Beasts?', Asher thought uncertainly.
He casually took out five energy crystals and placed them where he thought the power source should go.
Then he waited quietly.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Five minutes.
Asher sighed.
"Sigh, as expected, it's not that simple. The experiment failed."
The energy crystals didn't power the massive machine, nor did they bring the two-thousand-year-old mechanism back to life.
Shaking his head, Asher put the energy crystals away.
"Meow! Meow!"
Cat-Worm looked at the energy crystals in Asher's hand with a drooling expression.
Asher: "...It's not like I ever starve you. I've never seen you not crave something."
Helplessly tapping Cat-Worm's forehead twice, Asher still fed it two energy crystals that suited its attributes. He also distributed some to Little Raven and Little White Snake. Finally, for Little Jellyfish…
"This is a water-attribute energy crystal. You should be able to absorb it. Want to try?", Asher held up a water-blue crystal, unsure.
In theory, it should work.
But Little Jellyfish was a special case!
Little Jellyfish didn't mind.
'Food?'
'Let's try it.'
Little Jellyfish opened its bell and swallowed the energy crystal whole.
'Chew chew chew—chew chew—'
Little Jellyfish tilted its head, then suddenly raised two tentacles toward an empty space—
Zzzzt!
A wrist-thick jet of water sprayed out.
And then…
The water mysteriously disappeared into the void.
Asher: "?"
Little Raven: "!"
Cat-Worm and Little White Snake dumbly tilted their heads, as if they hadn't processed what had just happened.
Instead, it was Little Jellyfish—who had just performed the water-spraying act—that remained as calm as ever, pulsing contentedly back to Asher's side, happily waving its eight tentacles.
'Eat!'
'More!'
Little Jellyfish precisely conveyed its desire.
Asher: "...I don't have any more. I only brought a few."
"I do have other food, though."
Since the card storage could only hold what he drew, these energy stones were all ones Asher had brought in himself.
There really weren't many.
Luckily, Little Jellyfish wasn't picky. As long as it was edible, it was happy.
As Little Jellyfish feasted joyfully, Asher and Little Raven remained fixated on the water's disappearance.
Having Little Jellyfish do it again wasn't an option, so Asher turned to Little White Snake, "Try spraying some water?"
Little White Snake hesitated.
Unlike the fearless Little Raven, the reckless Little Jellyfish, and the prideful Cat-Worm—who had already recovered—it was still trembling, tightly coiling around Asher.
Seeing this, Asher dropped the idea, gently stroking Little White Snake's head and saving the mystery for later.
Having explored the room thoroughly, Asher took out his phone, snapping over a hundred photos and recording a video.
Twenty minutes later, he put his phone away.
Then, looking at the dozen or so branching paths outside the door, he was left bewildered.
'Seriously?'
'A tomb maze?'
'No deadly traps, but a maze meant to drive me crazy?'
Asher wasn't in a rush.
He closed his eyes and listened carefully.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
The heartbeat continued, slow and steady.
He walked near the entrances.
'Not this one, too far.'
'This one seems closer, but the one beside it sounds even nearer.'
Asher's footsteps moved little by little. Among several very close intersections, he closed his eyes and chose the direction where the heartbeat was the most intense, stepping into that passage with one foot.
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