Boer merely "looked" at the black metal gate with its intricate grooves for a few seconds. In his Extrasensory Vision, the exquisite meshing of gears and complexity of the linked mechanisms inside that seemingly ancient lock represented the pinnacle of ancient mechanical artistry.
Yet the primed self-locking spring at its core, and the thin chain connected to a heavy counterweight somewhere deeper inside, laid bare the true nature of that artistry-an elegant and deadly self-destruct timer.
"The designer was quite 'considerate.'" Boer's voice rang out at the silent entrance, carrying a trace of cold mockery.
"Solve the puzzle normally and trigger the mechanisms in the correct order, and the gate will indeed open. But at the same time, a hidden mechanism will silently begin counting down. By my estimate, after about half an hour, whether the intruders have come out or not, the counterweight will fall and pull the chain. The complex levers inside will force this gate shut and lock it, sealing them inside completely."
He shook his head. "Rather than waste effort solving a lock destined to betray you, why not..." He paused, raising his right hand slightly and curling his fingers.
"Simply make it cease to exist?"
There was no dazzling light, only a deep rumble that seemed to come from underground.
Centered on the black metal gate, a square section ten meters on each side, together with the several meters of soil, rock, and grass roots above it, was cut free and steadily peeled away from the earth in one piece by an invisible yet immense force!
The severed surfaces of soil and rock were disturbingly smooth, as though an enormous laser had sliced through them in an instant. Wrapped in an azure magnetic glow, the enormous mass, weighing who knew how many tons, slowly rose.