Huang Liang watched as Itjenetjer's hand reached out, but he was powerless to stop it; he had no strength left.
He glanced at Hong Kui and saw that he was pale and closing his eyes to regulate his breathing. It was clear that he was finding it very difficult to resist such mental pressure, let alone fight back.
He hoped Hong Kui could recover quickly. If he hadn't suffered mental damage while retrieving the Soul of Ice, Hong Kui could have controlled Soul of Ice better. Perhaps he was indeed a descendant of the Chayak Family that the Mummy monster had mentioned, capable of mobilizing the power of the Holy Land.
Even if he couldn't, with Hong Kui supporting him against Itjenetjer's mental pressure, Huang Liang could free up his hands and use his most proficient scalpel to cut Itjenetjer. Even if he couldn't kill him, he might be able to cut off his disgusting-looking hand.
Of course, Huang Liang knew that they couldn't win no matter what. If it was just Howard, Huang Liang believed he could put up a fight. Even if the opponent had three Howard, he and Hong Kui combined wouldn't necessarily suffer a crushing defeat. Obtaining the Soul of Ice wouldn't be easy for them.
But this Itjenetjer was simply too strong, so strong that without the aid of the Soul of Ice, he couldn't even move an inch. And Itjenetjer was clearly not using his full strength; he looked so calm, as if what was in front of him wasn't his opponent or enemy, but merely two ants.
Huang Liang was powerless to stop Itjenetjer's hand from touching the Soul of Ice. But at that moment, Itjenetjer's hand suddenly stopped in mid-air, as if it had been struck by a pressure point, and remained motionless.
Huang Liang's mental pressure suddenly eased as he sensed a third Mental Power intervene, helping him block Itjenetjer's mental attack.
Then he heard a voice say, "Old man, how dare you snatch things from a bunch of kids?"
The sound was just as unpleasant as a saw cutting through rotten wood.
He looked in the direction the sound came from and saw another person wearing a trench coat and cloak. However, this person's trench coat and cloak were both red, making them stand out like a bright flame in the snow and the surrounding books.
Itjenetjer withdrew his hand and turned to face the newcomer. His expression changed drastically, his muscles contorted, blood flowed rapidly through his capillaries, and a layer of bluish-black mist rose from his skin.
" Horemheb, it's you!" Itjenetjer said in a deep voice.
Huang Liang saw anger on his face.
Horemheb walked slowly forward, his red cloak fluttering on the icy plain.
He made a sound that was neither a laugh nor a smile, like the croaking of a night owl:
"It's me, old friend! How long has it been since we last met? 3,000 years? Or even longer?"
"Hmm..." Itjenetjer took a deep breath, "You're still alive!"
Horemheb said, "Of course I'm alive. You're not dead, so how can I be? Don't think you're the only one in the world who knows the Pharaoh's secrets."
Itjenetjer angrily retorted, "You usurper! You stole my throne and destroyed everything! If it weren't for you, my plan would have succeeded 3,000 years ago! Gaia would have already returned to the earth, and I wouldn't have needed this broken body to be resurrected!"
Horemheb sneered, "The usurper?! You are the usurper! You deceived the Pharaoh's trust, bewitched Akhenamun, made him abandon his faith in the God Amun, break the oath of Itza, carry out large-scale religious reforms, convert to the God Aten, and even changed his name to Akhenaten."
You controlled the court and manipulated the young Tutankhaten. As Tutankhaten grew older and became unwilling to be controlled by you, he changed his name back to Tutankhamun and reverted to the faith of God Amun. Then you began plotting to usurp the throne. You stole his scepter, killed him when he was 19, and ascended the throne yourself. What right do you have to call me a usurper?"
Itjenetjer said, "Yes, I control the entire dynasty, but I have forgotten you—General Horemheb!"
I thought you were just a warlord who had led troops into battle year after year, with no other merits besides your command of troops and the deep trust you enjoyed with Amenhotep. But I never expected that you were also Awakened, and it seems that you and Akhenaten have some unusual relationship...
Hmm, let me think... Your father used to frequent the harem, and we happen to have a philandering queen mother Tiye... I've heard that Amenhotep has another son, so... you and Akhenaten are brothers? You're Tutankhamun's uncle!
Ah, that's right! That's right... I should have killed you back then!
"You can't kill me," Horemheb said. "Do you think there are so many wars to fight? I've been preparing for this all these years while you were in power."
"So you were deliberately delaying the war," Itjenetjer said.
"I'm only doing this to protect myself," Horemheb said. "As long as there's fighting, I can survive. As long as I don't go back to Thebes, you can't kill me."
Itjenetjer nodded and said, "Indeed, you are the dynasty's most skilled general. But how could you know the secrets of the Itza Holy Land and the Awakened? Even if you are Akhenaten's brother, you shouldn't know these things. In the dynasty's succession, the Guardian's secrets must be kept absolutely confidential; only the pharaohs and their successors are qualified to know them."
Horemheb said, "Although you have controlled Akhenaten, he is, after all, the heir of the Pharaoh, the biological son of Amenhopte. The blood of the Itza People flows in his veins, and the soul of the Awakened resides within him. Akhenaten and the Tushu left me a will before their deaths, revealing your true identity and your conspiracy. He granted me the title of Guardian and commanded me to go to the temple to repent on his behalf."
"I understand..." Itjenetjer nodded. "So that's why Tutankhaten suddenly wanted to change his name and religion. It turns out you were the one instigating him."
"This wasn't instigation," Horemheb said. "I simply told him the truth. I know your power, and the entire court is filled with your henchmen. You've controlled the government for so many years, I couldn't touch you at all. I could only find an opportunity to tell Tutankhamun the truth; he has the right to know. I told him to be patient and take it slow. As long as the Soul of Fire remains in his hands, once he's fully cultivated, and with my army, we can destroy you. Unfortunately, he was too impatient."
Huang Liang listened to the two strange men's conversation, completely bewildered. His meager historical knowledge prevented him from determining the origins of the somewhat familiar names Itjenetjer and Horemheb, but he did know Tutankhamun and Akhenaten— the names of pharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt.
Listening to their earnest conversation, which covered palace coups and dynastic struggles spanning two eras, I was certain they hadn't picked up from some local bookstore or online novel.
Could these two monsters be from Ancient Egypt dynasty more than 3,000 years ago?
This completely overturned Huang Liang's understanding. How did people from thousands of years ago survive? Even if the spirit could live forever, how could the body be resurrected?
Fortunately, the new guy seems to be here to help. Now the situation is 3 against 3, and the outcome is uncertain.
Hong Kui, who had not yet fully recovered, secretly gave Huang Liang a wink. They both knew that the opportunity to fight was fleeting.
With a thought, Huang Liang conjured the invisible, sharp scalpel in his palm once more.