I became a god through archaeology in the Wizarding World.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, but Professor Isaac's office was already bustling with activity.

"Rhodes! Where's my magnifying glass? And that roll of parchment for protection against moisture!"

The professor, like a child about to go on a field trip, excitedly weaved in and out of the piles of books, waving the specially approved document stamped with a bright red seal in his hand: "Hurry! We need to get the supplies out before that jerk Kane comes to work!"

Rod was inspecting two heavy canvas backpacks containing his list, an entrenching tool, rope, several bottles of cheap antidote, and two whale oil-fueled windproof lamps.

"Professor, the material requisition form says it's for drainage system maintenance."

As Rhodes tucked a sharp razor into his boot, he reminded him, "That's why we can't get the high-grade magic lights; we'll have to use these old-fashioned oil lamps. And, to avoid attracting attention, we'll have to go through the side door of the logistics department."

"No problem! I'll crawl through a dog hole if I can get down there!" Professor Isaac waved his hand dismissively.

The two arrived at the logistics and supplies department.

After making things difficult for Rhodes, Kane disappeared. Today, the person on duty is a fat steward with a fierce face, who is dozing off on the counter with drool dripping from his mouth.

"Cough cough!" Rod knocked hard on the counter.

The fat steward suddenly woke up, wiped his mouth, and looked at the old man and the young man in front of him with an impatient expression: "What are you doing? Go line up to get your supplies... Oh, it's Professor Isaac."

Seeing the badge on the professor's chest, the fat steward's attitude softened slightly, but he remained lazy.

He took the approval document, glanced at it, and immediately frowned.

"Maintaining the underground drainage system? That's a huge project."

The portly steward flicked the paper with his finger, making a crisp sound: "But Professor, as you know, the college is facing a tight budget lately. The high-strength alloy shovels and insect repellent powder requested here are in very short supply... We might have to wait until next month."

Professor Isaac was so angry his beard trembled: "This was specially approved by the Academic Affairs Office! To prevent groundwater from flowing back and flooding the History Department building! If something happens, will you take responsibility?"

"Oh dear, don't try to put me on display with such a grandstanding."

The fat manager gave a forced smile: "If we don't have the inventory, we don't have it. I can't conjure it up."

Just as the professor was about to explode, Rod gently pressed down on his shoulder.

Rhodes stepped forward, blocking the professor, a humble yet worldly smile plastered on his face.

"Thank you for your hard work, Steward."

Rod pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket, took out three silver coins, and, using his body as cover, quietly slipped them into the fat steward's hand.

"This is a small token of our history department's appreciation. Please have some tea."

Rod lowered his voice and said, "Also, while cleaning the warehouse, we found some... unregistered broken earthenware jars. If you're interested, I can help you take a few home to use as pickling jars; they're definitely antiques."

The fat steward squeezed the coin in his hand, and when he heard the word "antique," his beady eyes lit up instantly.

"Well... since it's a critical project, it really needs to be handled as a special case."

The portly steward quickly stuffed the silver coins into his pocket, pulled a large bunch of keys from under the counter, and tossed them to Rod: "C-sector warehouse, go get them yourself. Remember, don't take too many, it'll look bad on the books."

"Understood, we know the rules."

Rod smiled and took the key.

Professor Isaac, standing behind them, stared in disbelief. It wasn't until the two of them carried the heavy supplies out of the logistics department and reached the secluded entrance to the sewers that the professor finally couldn't help but ask, "Rhodes, when did you learn this trick? And weren't all those pottery jars supposed to be handed in?"

"This is the wisdom of survival, Professor."

Rod slung the heavy backpack over his shoulder without explaining much: "As for the pottery jars... they're all broken anyway, no one will care if a few are missing. Let's go, our adventure begins."

He pulled open the rusty iron gate.

A stench, a mixture of rot, dampness, and mold, hit me.

"Put this on."

Rhodes handed the professor a homemade gas mask.

The two followed the slippery stone steps and descended into the underground.

As we went deeper, the overhead light gradually disappeared, replaced by the dim, flickering glow of the windproof lamps.

The sewers here were built in the early days of the Plantagenet dynasty and are wide enough for two carriages to pass side by side.

The walls were covered with slippery moss, and the sewage underfoot flowed slowly, making a gurgling sound.

"According to the map..."

Professor Isaac held up his lamp and brought it close to the yellowed parchment: "We need to walk three hundred meters north, and then turn left at a fork in the road with a lion head relief."

Rod walked ahead, gripping the entrenching tool tightly in his hand.

He was highly focused, with his "danger perception" fully activated.

"stop."

Rhodes suddenly stopped and reached out to stop the professor.

"What's wrong?" the professor asked anxiously.

"Don't step in that puddle up ahead."

Rod pointed to a seemingly calm puddle of water in front of him.

In his perception, there were several palm-sized creatures lurking underwater, emitting a faint red glow.

Those are bloodthirsty leeches; once they attach themselves to a person's leg, they can burrow into the bloodstream within seconds.

"Go around it, walk close to the wall."

Rhodes carefully led the professor around that area.

Along the way, Rhode used the abilities granted by the encyclopedia to avoid two collapsed traps, bypass a stagnant pool of water emitting deadly swamp gas, and even discovered a nest of hibernating mutated giant rats in advance, allowing the two to pass through silently.

Professor Isaac followed behind, his surprise growing as he watched Rhodes's tall and wary back.

This teaching assistant, who usually only organizes documents, turned out to be like a seasoned and experienced hunter in this harsh environment.

"arrive."

After walking for about an hour, Rod stopped in front of a stone wall that looked completely seamless.

This place is deep underground, where the air has become thin and stuffy.

"This is it!"

The professor excitedly rushed forward, stroking the marks on the wall almost worn smooth by time: "Look! These patterns! This is a locking mechanism from the pre-magical era! The entrance to the Decapitated Corridor is just behind this!"

But this wall is a broken stone gate weighing several tons.

"No magical reaction, purely physical mechanism."

The professor studied the mechanism for a while, his expression turning grim: "But the bearings are rusted shut. Even if we find a way to open it, the two of us can't move it."

"Let me try."

Rod put down his backpack and stretched his shoulders.

He walked to one side of the stone gate, where there was a slightly recessed handprint.

"Rhodes, don't waste your energy, this will require at least one cow..."

The professor's words were cut off before he could finish speaking.

Rhodes took a deep breath and placed his right hand on the stone door.

In the dim light, the professor couldn't see clearly that Rhodes's arm skin had instantly turned grayish-white, with rough rock texture covering his entire right arm.

[Stone Skin] Full power on!

Muscle fibers tighten under high pressure, producing a slight sound.

"open!"

Rhodes let out a low growl, and the stone bricks beneath his feet instantly shattered.

A terrifying, monstrous force erupted from his arm.

"Glara~~!!"

The stone door, sealed for hundreds of years, emitted a grinding sound that made your teeth ache.

The rusted bearing was forced to turn under the violent ravages, and the stone door slowly slid inward, revealing a dark and deep crevice.

A musty, dry air, carrying a metallic, rusty smell, blew out from under the door.

Rhodes withdrew his hand, and the petrification on his arm quickly faded, leaving only slightly trembling muscles.

He turned to the dumbfounded professor and calmly said, "It seems the mechanism isn't completely shut down. Professor, we're going in."

Professor Isaac swallowed hard, looked at Rhodes, and then at the stone door that had been pushed open.

He suddenly realized that the teaching assistant he had recruited probably harbored even more secrets than this underground ruin.

But he's a smart man, and smart men know when to play dumb.

"Ah...yes, good luck."

The professor adjusted his glasses, concealing the shock in his eyes, and raised the oil lamp: "Let's go, let's see what's buried beneath the dust of history."