Hu Ming heard Professor Chen and waved his hand before continuing. "Jingjue Ancient City was once the Demon Country. After the Demon Country fell, a sect called the Samsara Sect fled with the Demon Country's Ghost Mother to the area near the Ghost Cave, where they built Jingjue Ancient City. The Jingjue Queen was the Demon Country's last Ghost Mother."
Hu Ming looked at everyone. "That's how the Jingjue Kingdom came to be."
Professor Chen and the others nodded when they heard this.
Just then, Yang Xueli spotted a button. It was made of plastic and resistant to corrosion. As long as it wasn't subjected to severe damage, it could last a very long time.
She picked it up and examined it closely. Her pretty face changed, and her breathing grew quick.
It was a professional button used by a famous American clothing manufacturer. She remembered that her father's shirts had buttons just like this.
There was a river ahead. If someone wanted to cross without getting their clothes wet, they'd have to take them off. A button had been left behind here. What, exactly, had happened?
Splash~
A ripple spread across the hundred-meter-wide river. Yang Xueli was distracted and didn't notice.
Hu Ming, however, glanced toward the water, sensing something. He didn't see anything, but he frowned.
Just then, Hu Bayi spoke up. "We've been here for a while. Let's keep moving."
Everyone nodded, packed their things, and prepared to cross the river.
Walking ahead, Hu Ming heard Xiao Sa say, "Wow, this water feels so nice!"
The Fatty agreed. "Right?"
Hu Ming turned and lowered his voice. "Let's cross quickly. Pick up the pace. There's probably something in this river."
Hu Bayi nodded. "Exactly. If it feels nice to us, it'll feel nice to whatever else is in there. Let's hurry."
Professor Chen nodded and addressed his students. "You heard them. Let's cross."
Nothing went wrong as they made their way to the opposite bank.
But as Hu Ming crossed, he kept feeling that something was watching him. Hu Bayi had the same feeling.
Once they reached the bank, they exchanged glances. They knew there had to be something nearby. Hu Ming and Hu Bayi had both honed their sixth sense on the battlefield, and in recent years it had saved their lives more than once.
Hu Ming and Hu Bayi scanned their surroundings several times, but found nothing.
The Fatty couldn't help asking, "What's with you two? Why do you keep looking around?"
"Fatty, Old Hu and I both feel like something nearby is watching us."
Professor Hao popped up again. "Well, comrades Xiao Hu and Xiao Ming, did you find anything?"
Hu Bayi hesitated. "Mingzi and I didn't see anything."
"If you didn't find anything, then stop frightening everyone for no reason. Hmph!"
Hu Bayi was about to say something, but Hu Ming stopped him and shook his head.
Hu Ming looked at the others. "Let's keep moving."
After packing up, everyone continued on, following Hu Bayi and Hu Ming.
They crossed the river and hadn't gone far when crackling and rustling sounds came through the radio. Hu Bayi checked it, then told everyone, "There's no signal here. We won't know what's happening above ground."
"Miss Yang, once we find what you're looking for, we'll leave right away." He looked directly at Yang Xueli as he said it.
He couldn't shake the feeling that Yang Xueli was mysterious and had some hidden agenda. Had she really come all this way to fund the archaeological team out of the goodness of her heart? Though he felt some affection for her, he still had to be careful. There was more to her than met the eye.
Seeing how serious Hu Bayi was, Yang Xueli gave a slight nod.
She had once hoped to win over the three brothers, but now she seemed to have given up. Those three were sharp as monkeys. They weren't people she could control.
For all she knew, they might turn the tables on her, and then she'd have nowhere to go and cry about it.
They continued ahead and rounded a bend. The path sloped upward. When they climbed to the top, everyone was stunned, their breathing quickening. Hu Ming was no exception.
It was the kind of beautiful, wondrous sight no one could ever dream of seeing. A vast natural cavern stretched before them, glowing with a deep blue light. It looked almost like hell itself, waiting for the souls of the dead.
"The Nine-Story Demon Tower," Hu Ming murmured, entranced. In both his lives, he had never seen anything so beautiful.
Professor Chen exclaimed again and again. "This is the greatest gift heaven could have given us. The mysterious Demon Country will turn a new page and reveal itself to the world in a way that will astonish everyone."
He seemed almost delirious as he raised both hands high.
It was as if he were welcoming the Demon King. "Professor Chen, are you all right?"
"What are you doing, Gawa?" Hu Bayi had just asked Professor Chen when he saw Gawa kneeling and bowing toward the glowing blue light, speaking in Tibetan. No one could understand what he was saying.
"Gawa, that's feudal superstition. Get up."
The big man lifted Gawa up by the collar, exasperated. "You're in uniform. You can't do this. Haven't you been taught to free your mind?"
"This is my faith."
"We should hold fast to the Party's principles. Other beliefs don't matter."
Hearing that, the big man turned toward Hu Ming and smiled. "Comrade Hu Ming's ideological principles are solid. Comrade Gawa still needs some educating."
Hu Ming smiled and nodded. They were all soldiers, and they shared the same faith: loyalty to the Party, the country, and the people.
Gawa really did need some educating. How could he kneel before this so-called ruler of the Demon Country while wearing his uniform?
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