Zhang Xiao put away the parchment and turned toward the enormous bookcases, seized by an urge to pack up all the research materials and take them with him. In the end, he resisted.
Instead, he gazed deeply at the room, as though trying to commit everything to memory.
Then he turned and left. He had not forgotten that Vervidakis was still waiting for him at the entrance.
Neither the awe-inspiring Underworld beneath the ancient Egyptian Pyramid nor this divine realm above the clouds had any defenses against Apparition.
He had no idea whether the gods had deliberately left this way in and out, or simply knew nothing about Apparition.
His body dissolved into a wisp of smoke, leaving only an empty room behind.
Crack.
The faint pop startled Vervidakis, who was sitting obediently inside the circle, eating bread and drinking bottled water.
Seeing Zhang Xiao appear out of nowhere, he scrambled to his feet, his expression wary.
"Who are you?"
Zhang Xiao had been frowning, absorbed in his earlier discoveries. Vervidakis's question pulled him out of that state, leaving him looking puzzled.
"Before you went in, I told you an old Chinese saying. What was it?"
When Zhang Xiao failed to answer, Vervidakis grew even more nervous and involuntarily shrank back.
"If I learned the truth in the morning, I could die content that evening?"
"Phew-I thought some monster left inside had taken your form to trick me. I've read Journey to the West. There are stories like that in it."
Vervidakis let out a breath of relief.
Zhang Xiao chuckled despite himself and casually dispelled the circle he had drawn.
"It's safe here. There's nothing left but ruins. Come on, I'll show you around before we head back."
"You found a clue?"
"Yes. It was unexpected, but it's definitely