Chapter 179
Four hours later, Hebe's secret flight landed at a small airport built in Cathay.
The archaeological team dispatched by Cathay has also taken up their positions here. Before setting off, they were informed that a scholar from another country would lead the excavation.
"Come, let me introduce you to him."
The Grandmaster strode to the center and stretched out his hand.
"This man wearing a hat is the director of the office in charge of history and secret affairs at Cathay. We can just call him Old Li."
"Thank you for your trouble." The tall man removed his fedora and gloves and shook hands with Hebe. "We've worked together before."
In the sunlight, there were protrusions on the Old Li's forehead that resembled scales, and colorful scale-like things on his fingers and the back of his hands.
Hebe knew what he was talking about—the investigator Wuyou was working for Old Li.
In this respect, the two do indeed share a similar temperament. However, Wuyou, amidst his laughter and swearing, would inadvertently reveal a deep-seated hatred; while Old Li, on the other hand, had no flaws whatsoever, like a bottomless lake.
"This is Lin Qingyan, codenamed Jingzhe, who works at the procuratorate."
Lin Qingyan is a woman in her thirties with a serious expression and rarely smiles.
Her hair had a strange golden color—not the dyed golden color, but a pure, even dazzling, gold.
These are the two leaders of the Cathay Archaeological Team. When the Grandmaster introduced them to Hebe, they also looked Hebe up and down with an open expression.
--young.
This was their first impression of Hebe.
But youth is not a problem, because they will be dealing with secret history. In the face of history and time, there is no necessary distinction between young and old.
"...This is Ms. Metatron, Secret Councilor from the Blanckug Silent Bookstore," the Grandmaster said. "She will now lead you on your archaeological work."
"And what about you, Grandmaster?" Lin Qingyan asked.
"This area falls within the influence range of Cathay, and given the special nature of my achievements, it's alright," the Grandmaster replied politely. "I will maintain a certain distance from you then, in case of any unusual events..."
"—Just pull the alarm, stay where you are for ten seconds, and you'll be there soon," Old Li jokingly added. "Oh my, I can recite that from memory."
"It's good that you know." The Grandmaster pretended to be serious and put on a stern face.
The Old Li waved its hands repeatedly, and the air immediately became lively.
After exchanging a few jokes, the Grandmaster looked at Hebe: "Do you have any other plans? We can still mobilize resources now, but once we go deeper into the desert, this opportunity will be gone."
"There are no other arrangements," Hebe said, her hands behind her back. "But I do have a few questions I would like to ask you all."
"First, there's the question of whether you're Grandmaster. Does your achievement have any impact on culture or history?"
This issue isn't particularly sensitive, but it involves the Grandmaster's personal privacy.
In short, it was somewhat presumptuous of Hebe to ask this question, so she quickly added, "If it involves sensitive information and is inconvenient to answer, then forget it."
The Grandmaster sighed, "Yes."
Although he doesn't often use his achievements, as long as dusk exists, it will subtly influence the surrounding environment.
"In that case, you'd better stay even further away when we're conducting our archaeological work." Hebe shrugged helplessly. "Next up is this Mr. Old Li."
Old Li, who had just put on his top hat and gloves, smiled, indicating that he was all ears.
"Although it may be a bit direct to say this," Hebe said, "Your physical condition doesn't seem to be very good. Is it because of the effects of your cultivation journey?"
"..." Old Li fell silent for the first time ever.
"Everything has a price," Hebe said succinctly. "The Dragon Kind Path you are on will bring all sorts of wonders during the day."
But this path has been blocked. The reason is simple: Cathay killed all the dragon veins and cast them into the land of Kyushu.
Therefore, there are no dragons in Cathay.
This road is cut off.
Therefore, the scales on the head of Old Li will be damaged, which is the phenomenon of "a piece of wood with a defect".
Although he possesses the divine power of Dragon Kind and certain abilities to summon clouds and mist, as well as wind and rain, his lifespan is impaired, and he is completely unable to advance any further.
Old Li is now using gloves to conceal his unusual appearance, also in order to cover up this "flaw".
"Phew... you truly have discerning eyes." A struggle and bitterness appeared on Old Li's face. "Well then, in that case, I..."
"But there is a solution," Hebe said.
"Oh dear, you're breathing so heavily..." Old Li's drooping eyebrows instantly rose.
The Grandmaster also showed a surprised expression.
The Dragon Kind Path is unique to Cathay and is not limited to any particular set of rules. Although it has lost the possibility of advancement, it still possesses a mystical quality that is unimaginable to other paths.
Although it will shorten one's lifespan to some extent... as long as one doesn't overuse magical abilities, the lost years won't be significant. Timely medical attention can replenish the lost lifespan.
The Old Li was trying to break through the "Dragon Gate" because it didn't believe in superstitions, but it got stuck, which is why this "controllable" mutation is happening now.
Now that Hebe has only met him once, she's already saying she has a "solution"?
"Every path has its corresponding imagery and symbols. These imagery and symbols come not only from those in power, but also from history and civilization," Hebe said. "In other words, the more powerful, ancient, and prosperous a country is, the more people will rise to high positions."
"The Dragon Kind Path has been severed by Cathay, but you might as well look to history," Hebe said. "Cathay must have a legend of 'willing people taking the bait,' right?"
You mean...?
"Once Dragon Gate, there is no turning back. But what if we use the legend of 'willing fish' and the symbol of the 'Fisher King' to cast you back to the level of a 'fish'?" Hebe said calmly. "You should also have the corresponding secret methods and rituals for the Dragon Kind Path, so you can do this, right?"
"Yes," Old Li nodded, "But then the mutation would become uncontrollable..."
"Then we take the imagery of 'the Kun Transforms into Peng,'" Hebe said succinctly. "From this moment, the sea leaps into the other side of the sky, which also perfectly aligns with the requirements of the Principle of the Wing."
While she was saying these words, Old Li hadn't yet reacted, but the Grandmaster's gaze towards Hebe became one of astonishment and uncertainty.
Who among us is a native of Cathay?
Both Old Li and Lin Qingyan turned their attention to the Grandmaster.
Their understanding of principles, paths, and imagery is too shallow and their attainments insufficient to discern the feasibility of what Hebe says.
But as Grandmaster in the Twilight Realm, he is bound to be able to make a judgment.
"Absolutely." The Grandmaster took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Hebe. "Thank you for continuing the path of the Dragon Kind Path in Cathay."
If it works in terms of imagery, it means that the path is feasible. As long as one person achieves success in practicing it, it can become the path for countless others to climb.
Just like the secret path of the Heavenly Fox in the Higashi... it didn't exist at first; it was Tamamo-no-Mae created it.
Hebe's words were enough to reopen a path that had been cut off, and enough to save those struggling ascensioners in Cathay.
Moreover, this path will be bound to the Fisher King... In other words, the moment the Fisher King recovers, this path may very well give birth to a new twilight.
Thinking of this, the Grandmaster almost lost control of himself. He took a deep breath and gazed earnestly at Hebe.
"From now on, Cathay will be your closest partner and your most trustworthy support. No matter when or where, as long as you say the word, Cathay those who have been elevated by your grace will go through fire and water for you."
"It's really inconvenient to talk here right now," the Grandmaster said. "Once everything has settled down, Cathay will send you a special gift. Please be sure to accept it then!"
Hebe blinked.
She did say these things with the intention of showing kindness, but she did not expect the reaction from the Cathay side to be so strong.
Hebe's gaze swept past the Old Li, who was suppressing his elation, and landed on Lin Qingyan, who was filled with expectation. He shook his head under her somewhat regretful gaze.
"Lightning Law is different from the Dragon Kind Path, and it has no flaws... Moreover, I don't know anything about Lightning Law, so I can't give you any guidance. I'm sorry."
Although she can change the weather by snapping her fingers or hitting a drum, this is clearly unrelated to Lightning Law.
Lin Qingyan's Lightning Law focuses more on self-cultivation.
After enjoying a final, sumptuous Chinese meal, Hebe and her group began their drive to their destination.
Mohenjo-daro was not discovered at this time, but it is indeed described and mentioned in the Four Vedas of the Bharata.
The Four Vedas are the oldest scriptures of the Bharata to date.
The Rigveda (Praise of Wisdom) is the oldest and most important collection of Bharata literature, mainly praising the virtues of all natural forces; the Samaveda (Song of Wisdom) is a collection of songs sung by Brahmin priests during libations.
Yajurveda (the teachings on sacrifice) consists of prayers for offerings; Atharvaveda (the teachings on warding off evil) consists mostly of ancient incantations and rituals.
Of these four Vedic Scriptures, the first three belong to roughly the same period and are very ancient; the last one is from a much older period.
It is a great pity that the Bharata has no specific history, and the Mahabharata, which is a combination of epic and myth, does not exist.
Their destination was in the southern part of Larkana District, Sindh Province, in south-central Pakistan.
Larkana District is a small county town with a population of around 100,000. In the desert near the county town, there are many tombs and ancient ruins.
But for Pakistan, the most urgent task is to counter the growing infighting in Bharata with the support of Cathay.
As for archaeology and scientific research... well, for most countries in the world, it's beyond their capabilities.
Although Hebe had some knowledge of the archaeology of Mohenjo-daro in her previous life, she had never been there in person. This time, she could only define the general area. As for a more precise location, she would have to rely on time and effort... That was her original thought.
But Lin Qingyan stopped Hebe: "We have a more convenient way."
The woman who practiced Lightning Law put on specially made heat-resistant gloves and placed her palms directly on the ground.
In her other hand, she held a thick charging cable, the other end of which was a high-powered generator.
Hebe's eyelids twitched: You're not going to do something amazing that's powered by electricity, are you?
All that could be heard was a crackling sound coming from Lin Qingyan's body. His golden hair became fluffy and curly, and a vertical line of bluish-white lightning could even be seen in the air.
A moment later, Lin Qingyan stood up. Although he looked tired, he was very excited.
"Your prediction was indeed correct. There are indeed city ruins below, but it's about two hundred meters ahead."
Now it was Hebe's turn to clap and praise.
Damn it, no wonder the field of archaeology in Cathay is booming; it turns out it's all thanks to you bunch of "elevators" using rudimentary methods.
When she excavated the Crete ruins before, she spent a lot of time just locating and determining the pit locations. Now, Lin Qingyan only needs to hold the wire to act as a human detector, and her efficiency is far superior to that of the Albion Archaeological Society.
Which archaeologist wouldn't be envious after seeing this?!
However, Hebe soon realized that she had praised her too soon.
An hour later, they had roughly marked out the pit location. Then, Old Li took off his hat and gloves, revealing the scales and horns that symbolized the mysterious Dragon Kind Path.
He single-handedly took on the task of excavating a hundred people, and the loose soil above the pit disappeared rapidly at a visible speed.
What the hell is this human tunnel boring machine?!
Hebe was thrilled—if she could have twenty people like Lin Qingyan and Old Li under her command, she was confident that she could excavate every famous archaeological site in the world within a year.
"No, I need to rest first. You guys keep digging."
The two archaeological team leaders said they had no objection.
To be honest, they were also eager to show off their abilities in front of Hebe.
Otherwise, if it is said that Cathay is helping, but in reality it is all the guests who have come from afar who are doing the work, what kind of thing is that?
Seeing the astonishment on Hebe's face, Old Li and Lin Qingyan regained some confidence.
Inside the tent, Hebe sat on a blanket and turned on her phone.
On the dark green desktop of the Secret History Simulator, lines of text appeared, along with a brand new Lostbelt card.
The background of this card is a city that is partially hidden under the shade of lush green trees.
"Secret History Simulator 1.3, welcome to log in, [The Knower]."
"The Side Gate to Lostbelt [Kashyapa, the Pure Land of the Extinction of the Dharma] has been successfully located. Please proceed to Mohenjo-daro the Side Gate and enter the Lostbelt."
"The current Lostbelt extremely special; once entered, there is only one opportunity to log out midway!"
"You can freely choose any identity to simulate before logging into the Lostbelt."
Please confirm.
254 How come I'm so big? (Please refresh in half an hour)
Hebe sat in the tent with her eyes slightly closed.
Over this period of time, everything has been strung together like beads, one by one, eventually forming a complex and beautiful curtain.