Tomb raiding live stream: Starting as the mute Zhang

Chapter 215 Six Years and the Visitor from Inside the Gate

When the stone pillar completed its 8,760th pulse, "Zhang Qiling" opened his eyes.

He did not get up immediately.

Simply extend your right hand in front of you, palm down, fingers slightly bent.

This action was repeated for six years.

I do it every time the pulse ends, like a ritual, or like checking my physical condition.

The bones are intact, the joints are flexible, and the muscles still exude a strong sense of power when tensed.

Time seems to have lost its corrosive power here.

Aside from the memories accumulating, my body is almost frozen at the moment I stepped through the bronze gate six years ago.

A soft rustling sound of clothes rubbing came from the side.

Zhang Qiling also stood up.

The two walked to the stone pillar and reached out to press their hands on it.

The pulse came through, a little faster than five years ago, but the strength remained steady.

Matsu Mitsunari's condition remained unchanged.

But the sense of oppression emanating from deep within was noticeably heavier.

"Soon."

Zhang Qiling withdrew his hand.

"Um."

Zhang Qiling walked to the back of the stone pillar to pick mushrooms.

The mushroom's shape changed again in its sixth year.

The dark purple had almost completely faded, turning into a somber dark gold.

The surface of the cap shows fine, spiral patterns resembling the eye patterns on a stone pillar.

I picked about ten flowers, walked back, and divided them in half.

This time, "Zhang Qiling" didn't make mushroom paste.

He collected half a bowl of water from the base of the stone pillar.

Place the whole mushroom in the bowl and tap it three times on the rim with your fingertips.

The water surface rippled with extremely fine waves.

The dark golden mushrooms swirl slowly in the water.

A few very faint golden strands emanated from the edge of the mushroom cap and dissolved in the water.

After standing for a moment, the water turned into a translucent pale gold.

He picked up the stone bowl and took a sip.

The water was refreshingly cool upon entering the mouth, and a subtle warm sensation lingered in the throat after swallowing.

It is easier to absorb than a paste, and the energy it provides is purer.

This is a method that Zhang Qiling tried out half a year ago.

Vibrating water with a certain rhythm can better stimulate the energy within mushrooms.

"Zhang Qiling" followed his actions and drank his own share.

Breakfast is over.

The two turned their heads almost simultaneously to look at the crack on the side of the stone pillar.

The crack is already two fingers wide.

The edges are rough, as if they were torn apart by a tremendous force.

At that moment, a dull, rhythmic thud was emanating from the depths of the crevice.

thump.

It wasn't like a heartbeat; it was more like something heavy slowly and stubbornly pounding against the barrier behind the door.

"They're here."

"Zhang Qiling" said.

"This time is different."

Zhang Qiling's hand was already on the hilt of the knife.

The crashing sound stopped.

The silence lasted for about ten seconds.

The crack suddenly bulged outwards.

Dark red mist surged out.

But this time it didn't disperse; instead, it rapidly gathered and condensed in the air.

The swirling, distorting mist outlined a rough human figure.

Then it solidifies and hardens.

A "person" stands in front of the crack.

He is nearly two meters tall and has a robust physique.

His skin was a deathly bluish-gray, covered with cracks, from which a dark red light shone.

It had no hair and its facial features were indistinct.

There were only two deep eye sockets, within which two clusters of dark red flames flickered.

He was covered in tattered fragments of armor whose age was indistinguishable.

He dragged a rusty, massive sword, almost as wide as a door, in his right hand.

It stood there, not attacking immediately.

It simply turned its ugly head slowly.

The flames in his eye sockets swept across the stone pillar, finally settling on "Zhang Qiling" and "Zhang Qiling".

A heavy, cold, and blood-stained aura of oppression spread out.

Zhang Qiling assessed the other party.

This is no longer the fragile shadow or inferior creature of the past.

This thing has a physical form and weapons.

The energy fluctuations they emitted were quite solid, roughly equivalent to about 60% of their current strength, which was restricted by the seal.

Zhang Qiling took half a step forward.

He stood half a step in front of Zhang Qiling.

"mine."

He said.

He reached back with his right hand and grasped the hilt of the Black Gold Ancient Sword.

Zhang Qiling did not object.

He simply nodded slightly and took three steps back to the side.

Make room and fix your gaze on that thing.

The zombie moved.

There was no roar, no warning.

He simply swung the greatsword he was dragging behind him, delivering a clean and swift upward slash.

The movements weren't fast, but the power they conveyed was terrifying.

The rusted giant sword sliced through the air with a muffled groan as it cleaved straight at the center line of "Zhang Qiling".

Zhang Qiling did not dodge.

Just as the greatsword reached its highest point, about to fall, he moved.

Use your left foot as a pivot and rotate your body to the side.

The greatsword, carrying a foul stench, grazed past his chest.

At the same time, he drew his sword.

The black gold ancient sword was drawn.

There was no dazzling flash of sword light.

There was only a straight, dark trail that seemed to absorb all the surrounding dark red light.

The blade sliced into the junction of the zombie's right shoulder and neck.

There was no loud clang of metal clashing.

There was only one dull, cracking sound, like rotten wood breaking.

The zombie froze, its sword-wielding motion halting.

Its ferocious head was slightly tilted.

A smooth, black cut appeared on the side of the neck.

The flame in his eye socket flickered violently, as if he hadn't yet grasped what was happening.

"Zhang Qiling" has sheathed his sword.

He took a step back, the tip of his knife pointing diagonally at the ground.

A second of silence.

The zombie's head slowly slid off.

It hit the ground with a dull thud.

The headless body swayed and then collapsed to the ground with a thud.

The bluish-gray skin quickly turned ashen, cracked, and turned into a pool of dark dust.

The giant sword shattered into pieces and scattered all over the ground.

From the moment the zombie brandished its sword to the moment its head was severed from its body, it took only three breaths.

Zhang Qiling flicked his sword and sheathed it.

I walked up to the puddle of dust, poked at it with my toe, and made sure there was no further movement.

"weak."

He said.

"Um."

Zhang Qiling walked over, squatted down, and carefully examined the dust.

Extremely faint energy imprints remain in the dust.

Chaos and violence share the same origin as the seal, but are far more complex.

"The 'training ground' behind the door is starting to have some decent stuff put out."

Zhang Qiling looked at the crack.

The sound of impact did not repeat.

The dark red mist surging in the crack also subsided.

It was as if the zombie had never appeared.

But both of them knew that this was just the beginning.

The presence behind the goal is probing, assessing the goalkeeper's ability.

Today we can send out someone with 60% of their strength.

Tomorrow or the day after, we might send out even more, or even stronger ones.

Zhang Qiling stood up.

Walk up to the stone pillar and place your hand on it again.

Close your eyes and concentrate, carefully sensing every fluctuation of the seal.

After a moment, he opened his eyes.

Three years.

He said.

"In three years at most, the seal will slide from 'Matsu Sansei' to 'Matsu Shisei'."

"By then, the gate will be too weak to hold."

Zhang Qiling nodded silently.

He walked up to him and placed his hand on the stone pillar as well.

The two stood side by side.

Like every day for the past six years, I silently share that heavy feeling.

Three more years.

Outside.

West of Lin'an City, Wushan Residence.

The autumn chill of the sixth year was even stronger than in previous years.

The leaves of the sycamore trees are beginning to turn yellow, and the wind carries a chill.

Wu Xie sat behind the counter.

They weren't carving wood or polishing antiques.

A thick, ancient book lay open in front of him, its pages brittle and yellowed.

It was sent by someone through Xie Yuchen last month.

He was having some difficulty reading, and he was wearing a pair of frameless glasses on his nose—they were fitted last year, as his eyes would get tired easily after reading for a long time.

Fatty Wang brought a fish in from the backyard.

Upon seeing him, I clicked my tongue.

"Reading this lousy book again? What's the point?"

"That's interesting."

Wu Xie didn't look up, his finger tracing a line of blurry writing.

"This mentions an ancient ritual that uses 'twin jades' as a medium to communicate between the realms of the living and the dead."

"It's a bit like the 'Yin-Yang Key' that Xiaohua mentioned before."

"You can figure it out yourself."

The fat man put the fish into the basin.

"By the time these guys come out, you'll be old enough to be a university professor."

Wu Xie smiled but didn't reply.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his temples.

Six years have passed, and time has left its mark on me.

His eyes are calmer than before, and his jawline is more defined.

It has lost some of its frivolity and gained more composure.

Only occasionally, when I glance at the ghost seal and wood carvings in the corner of the counter.

The persistent light deep in his eyes has never changed.

The levitating live-streaming ball floated quietly by the window.

The camera captured this moment.

The comments in the live stream were much calmer.

"Wu Xie is wearing glasses now."

Time flies.

"But everyone seems more composed now."

"Waiting for you to come back"

In the northern part of the city, the study in the old Xie family house has been transformed into a small library.

Xie Yuchen stood in front of a huge, hand-drawn diagram of relationships, his brows furrowed.

The map is densely marked with nodes such as "door", "eye", "key", "seal", "Wu Xian", and "Zhang family".

Connected by lines of various colors, it is as intricate as a spider web.

Huo Xiuxiu brought in coffee.

Seeing his expression, I asked, "Stuck again?"

"Um."

Xie Yuchen rubbed his temples.

After six years of dedicated work, fine lines appeared at the corners of his eyes.

His demeanor had become increasingly profound and reserved, but his eyes remained as sharp as ever.

"The Yin key guards the gate, the Yang key opens the gate..."

"We are basically certain that the guys are 'Yin Key'."

"Or rather, it is part of or wielder of the 'Yin Key'."

"But the 'Yang Key'... remains a mystery."

"It could be a person, an object, a method... there are no clues."

Huo Xiuxiu handed him the coffee and looked at the relationship diagram.

She has changed too.

Her long hair was neatly tied into a bun, and her clothes were simple and capable.

Her long-term immersion in ancient books and historical materials has given her a scholarly and serene air.

"Perhaps, the time is not yet right."

"Or perhaps the 'Yang Key' is inside the door?"

Xie Yuchen shook his head.

"There are too many possibilities."

"But we don't have much time left."

"I have a feeling that the changes behind the door are accelerating."

Donghai Port, wharf.

Captain Chen's hair had turned quite white, but his back remained straight.

He was directing two young men to replace the navigation chip on the fishing boat with the latest one.

The ship has just undergone a comprehensive overhaul, the engines are brand new, and the equipment has been upgraded.

"Uncle Chen, this boat is better maintained than our new boats!"

One of the guys sighed.

Captain Chen gazed at the shimmering sea without saying a word.

He simply patted the side of the ship.

Four more years.

The ship must always be ready.

In the villa's courtyard, Aning planted a row of lush bamboo, which was growing very well.

She had just come out of the basement.

He held a tablet in his hand, displaying updated weather model predictions for the island.

She has lost weight compared to six years ago.

His skin is a wheat color from years of outdoor activities.

His gaze was calm yet sharp, and his movements were swift and precise.

She entered the latest data into the master plan.

The timeline has been detailed down to what preparations should be made for each quarter of the next four years.

The picture frames on the coffee table in the living room were spotless.

The smile in the photo remains the same.

In a small noodle shop on the outskirts of the city.

Hei Xiazi and Jiang Xun Gu sat facing each other eating noodles.

Black Bear looks... almost unchanged.

He still had that lazy, slightly mocking look.

Time seemed to stand still for him.

He slurped up a big mouthful of noodles and sighed contentedly.

Jiang Xun Gu has changed significantly.

Six years of pursuing and eliminating the remaining enemy forces have etched the marks of time and hardship onto his brow.

Its temperament is colder and harder, like a military knife fully sheathed.

Only when he occasionally glanced at his companions did a faint warmth appear in his eyes.

He ate politely, but quickly.

"What are your plans next?"

"Black Bear asked."

"wait."

Jiang Xun's words are concise and to the point.

"Yes, wait."

Black Bear stirred the noodle soup in the bowl.

The nonchalance on his face vanished for a moment, revealing a deep, still calm beneath.

"Soon."

Inside the bronze door.

After cleaning up the zombie's dust.

"Zhang Qiling" and "Zhang Qiling" sat down again in front of the stone pillar and meditated to regulate their breathing.

The brief exchange just now had almost no effect on their health.

However, maintaining daily vigilance and the seal's sensitivity requires sustained mental effort.

【Ding. 】

The system's voice sounded.

[Host, that was a one-hit kill. Awesome.]

Zhang Qiling responded faintly in his mind, "Mm."

Those guys outside weren't idle either.

Wu Xie is almost a scholar, Xie Yuchen is turning his study into an intelligence center, and A Ning's plans can be used as a military operation guide...

The system kept rambling on.

Everyone's working hard to prepare.

"Know."

Are you nervous? There are still three years left.

"No."

[Yeah, that word doesn't even exist in either of your dictionaries.]

The system paused for a moment.

However, the appearance of that thing just now means that the "probing" behind the door has escalated.

[Next, things might happen more frequently, or something even more "interesting."]

"Wait."

"Zhang Qiling" ended the conversation and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The pulse of the stone pillar could be felt through my palm.