Hao Ren's response was swift and decisive. After a barrage of explosions and gunshots, the entire stone platform and golden sarcophagus were completely shrouded in dust and blue crystal powder. To be honest, Hao Ren had even considered throwing out an annihilation bomb—but he was worried the place might collapse...
Heiserana hadn't even processed what had happened after the explosion. She stared blankly at the sarcophagus, which had been blown away along with the platform halfway through opening. Only after a long while did she speak hesitantly: "Why did you just blow it up...? Normally, shouldn't the adventurers stare dumbfoundedly as some thousand-year-old boss resurrects, then both sides stand frozen for the duration of a BGM, with all kinds of off-screen narration mixed in, before finally fighting for three hundred rounds...?"
Looks like this little Bat Spirit watched plenty of television whenever she had nothing to do.
Hao Ren blew on the muzzle, which wasn't smoking at all, and shot Heiserana a sidelong glance. "Nonsense. If I didn't blow it up immediately, was I supposed to wait for it to slowly resurrect? Anyone who lies in a coffin for hundreds or thousands of years, waiting until someone digs up their grave before getting up to vent their anger, clearly isn't a good person... Er, Vivian, don't take that personally. I wasn't talking about you..."
Vivian: "...I know. I was going to tell you—the thing seems to be alive."
Hao Ren's expression froze in an instant. He looked toward the still smoke-shrouded stone platform as though he had seen a ghost. (At this moment, less than a third of the stone platform remained; its upper half had been completely vaporized or annihilated.) Within the smoke above the platform, wisps of black-and-red aura were gathering at a visible speed. The temperature throughout