"Black Tiger? White River?"
Captain Zhao and the others rushed over to check, but both men were still unconscious.
"I've released them. Now, immediately put out these flames."
The painter's voice was filled with displeasure as he questioned loudly.
"Released? What about the souls? What use do I have for two bodies? Give me the souls immediately, or else..."
Zhou Lin unhesitatingly burned the two portraits, and the third portrait was also on the verge of disappearing.
The painter was already furious.
"Do you think I can't do anything to you?"
As soon as the painter finished speaking, the portraits began to move and tremble. The creatures behind the portraits came to life and emerged from the paintings.
The mercenaries behind them shielded the archaeology students and professors, their hands tightly gripping their knives.
A battle was imminent, ready to break out at any moment.
Song Lin scanned the creatures one by one. These were the same creatures they had encountered on their journey, the ones that had killed their comrades. Among them was the witch.
These were the very people they had just seen.
"Professor Zhou Lin, are you really willing to put the safety of the archaeology team in danger for two people? Have you not considered these students and professors?"
Song Lin's words carried a hint of emotion, and a touch of jealousy in his heart.
Why could Zhou Lin put them in danger for two mercenaries?
While his own brothers had to die tragically here?
Everyone looked at Song Lin in disbelief upon hearing his words.
"Song Lin, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Zuo Lin glanced at Zhou Lin, whose expression was unreadable at the moment.
"Nonsense? What are we facing now? Everything we encountered on our journey has returned, and our men have all failed and died at the hands of these creatures."
"We are very grateful for Mr. Zhou Lin's life-saving grace, but... for two mercenaries."
*Slap—*
Before Song Lin could finish speaking, Zhou Lin's figure appeared before him, and he slapped him.
Slapping a man was a profound humiliation.
Huo Qi, the metaphysics professor, and the mercenaries were all stunned that Zhou Lin would do such a thing.
"Listen to me. It was I who saved your lives. I am the leader of Great Xia, and my word is law. Your brothers died because you are incompetent, because your leader is incompetent."
"Your leader doesn't value your lives, but I do. Do you think money is enough? Let me tell you, compared to money, you are nothing in my eyes."
"I only pity you. Don't babble in front of me, or I will deal with you personally. Do you understand?"
Zhou Lin's words tightened Song Lin's heart.
Zuo Lin beside him was equally shocked.
It would have been better if these words had not been spoken, but now that they were, it made him feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
It was as if his self-comforting words had been ruthlessly exposed, leaving him feeling uneasy.
"I will save my people. You have no right to comment."
Zhou Lin turned to face the approaching creatures, his eyes sharp as he looked at the portraits.
Zhou Lin's words warmed the hearts of Captain Zhao and the others.
Huo Qi and the metaphysics professor felt the same. They had to admit that Zhou Lin's words were incredibly satisfying.
In the livestream.
"Holy crap, what the big shot said is spot on. Even I feel great listening to it. They don't treat mercenaries as humans, but we do!"
"These mercenaries don't even value their own lives, so how can they expect anyone else to?"
"You people from Sakura Country are truly pathetic. Big shot is right, you are indeed pitiful."
"Hmph, you brought this upon yourselves. We've seen what kind of trash Inoshita is. I truly pity you."
...
Inside the tomb.
Zhou Lin looked at the scroll behind him, a smirk playing on his lips. He waved his hand.
"Sea of Fire Funeral."
An invisible pressure and intense heat began to bear down on their position.
"Samadhi True Fire..."
The painter looked at the golden-yellow flames, unlike normal fire, and his voice was filled with shock and a hint of dread.
"Stop! I'll give you the souls. Stop! If you insist on this, these souls will also vanish."
The painter panicked, not just panicked, but terrified.
These were all portraits of the Queen. If they were all gone, how would he express his longing in the future?
No, absolutely not.
Zhou Lin didn't want to waste any more words. The Sea of Fire Funeral continued to press down.
Then, two black soul bodies emerged from the portraits, two phantoms returning to their bodies.
Captain Zhao saw this, brought his brothers to the rear, and then stood behind Zhou Lin.
"I've released their souls. Now, leave this place. I won't interfere with you anymore, but you must leave immediately."
The painter continued to speak.
"Give up? That's you, not us. If we leave you here, won't you harm others in the future?"
Zhou Lin scoffed.
He increased the intensity of the Sea of Fire Funeral.
"You dare to go back on your word?"
The painter roared in fury.
"I never said I would give up."
Zhou Lin waved his hand, and the flames instantly ignited the portraits.
"No..."
The painter cried out with heart-wrenching agony, as if his treasures had been harmed.
As the flames consumed the entire portraits, the Jiaofang Hall became significantly brighter.
Huo Qi and the metaphysics professor watched as the creatures on the ground were engulfed by the flames, writhing in pain.
"I must say, I like Zhou Lin's personality. He's a bit greedy, but otherwise, he's flawless," Huo Qi whispered.
"No one is perfect. Greed is normal. Aren't you the same? But Zhou Lin has the ability to earn money, unlike you," the metaphysics professor found it quite normal.
Huo Qi felt that this guy was subtly insulting him.
Captain Zhao and the others were equally moved.
This was all for them.
As the flames consumed the portraits, Zhou Lin saw a faint blue light appear before him.
It stood in front of him, then transformed into a human form.
The man wore plain white Han Dynasty attire, his black hair tied up with a hairpin.
His eyebrows were thick, his lips red and teeth white, and his eyes, which should have been beautiful, were filled with anger and hatred.
"I thought you wouldn't come out. You look so effeminate, truly a pretty boy. No wonder the Queen likes you," Zhou Lin scoffed.
"You... you actually destroyed my artwork. You deserve to die."
A touch of red appeared at the corner of the painter's eyes, looking remarkably like rouge at first glance—