Furnal swore.
Even though he had unearthed the miracles of countless civilizations, never before had he been so profoundly shaken to his soul by what lay before him.
It was an open space comparable in size to a football field, with a ceiling more than a hundred zhang high. Square stone slabs, like pieces on a chessboard, filled nearly every inch of the space in a scattered pattern. Their surfaces were as smooth and level as mirrors, their edges as sharp as if carved with a blade, like exquisitely crafted works of art.
What was astounding was not the sheer scale of the project, comparable to the Terracotta Army, but the fact that billions of years had failed to wear down their edges or leave even the slightest scratch upon them.
"God... this is simply unbelievable."
With trembling steps, Professor Furnal passed the dumbfounded Scholze and walked up to the nearest stone slab. The elderly professor stretched out his shaking right hand and pressed his palm against the smooth, even surface as though caressing a work of art.
"This is a graveyard..."
His hand resting on the nearest slab, Professor Furnal murmured softly, "A graveyard belonging to a civilization... It is hard to imagine how they remained intact through such a vast passage of time, or who created this miracle, and for what purpose."
Finally recovering from his shock, Scholze swallowed and stepped forward to stand beside Professor Furnal. Looking at him, he asked in a questioning tone.
"...A graveyard?"
"Yes."
Professor Furnal nodded. After hesitating for a moment, he finally took out the multipurpose shovel he had picked up earlier and swung it down with all his strength.
After several crisp clanging sounds, the mirror-smooth stone finally failed to withstand the blows. Like a block of shattered tofu, it