"What is this thing? Why is it emitting such a glow?"
Captain Lin stared at the object opposite them, utterly astonished.
"We'll know soon enough."
Zhou Lin, hearing the question, remained remarkably calm. Standing at the forefront of the group, he observed the adversaries before them.
The ground and walls were covered in scattered red specks.
At this moment—
The foremost red glow, upon encountering the cinnabar and ochre, seemed to meet its nemesis and finally fell to the ground.
The remaining red starlight instantly halted. The red luminescence on their bodies flickered erratically, yet they did not advance a single step.
The sea of red stars stopped before everyone's eyes. Instead of shock or surprise, a sense of dread filled their hearts.
Old Tang crouched down, examining a creature on the ground. It possessed numerous legs, with red light emanating from the joints. A long antenna extended from its head, beneath which lay a pair of eyes.
Below that, venomous mandibles twitched slightly.
This creature was about fifty centimeters long, but it wasn't the largest.
"What kind of bug is this? It looks familiar, but I can't recall," Old Tang mused, frowning at the sight.
"Is this a centipede?"
The metaphysics professor, upon seeing the creature, seemed to recall something.
It bore a striking resemblance to a centipede.
"What centipede? This is a millipede, but millipedes don't glow. And this size, it's far too large," Professor Lin exclaimed, unable to believe his eyes.
What kind of millipede grows this large? What did it eat?
He then glanced at the red starlight opposite them and his entire demeanor changed. Were all of these millipedes?
He then looked at the things on the wall. The red bricks on the wall were emitting light from beneath, and these millipedes seemed to fear it.
Captain Lin and his team held weapons, their muzzles pointed at the millipedes.
"This isn't a millipede, but a centipede. It's a type of creature that resembles one, but is fundamentally different," Zhou Lin stated slowly after a moment of contemplation.
"A centipede on its body? How did this thing come to be?" Old Tang inquired, bewildered by Zhou Lin's words.
"Centipedes are creatures that guard tombs. They are malevolent entities, but their origin is unknown. However, they are poisonous; contact with the skin will cause it to fester."
"You all need to be careful with this thing," Zhou Lin said with a slight smile, noticing Old Tang still holding a centipede.
Upon hearing this, Old Tang hastily dropped the creature and stepped aside.
"So, you're saying these things are what's being suppressed by the walls?" Professor Lin asked, his heart filled with panic as he anxiously examined the cinnabar on the walls.
"You could say that," Zhou Lin nodded.
They were temporarily unable to move, but they couldn't maintain this stance indefinitely.
The mercenaries and archaeological team members behind them grew increasingly nervous as they witnessed the unfolding situation.
"What do we do? Are we just going to stand here frozen?" one of the team members asked nervously, watching the scene before them.
"No way. With the big shot here, nothing will happen. Don't worry," the mercenary reassured them.
Despite his words, a sense of unease began to creep into his heart.
In the livestream:
"Holy cow, what's going on? I've never seen anything like this before. How big are these things?"
"I've seen centipedes before, but never one like this. Oh my, it's truly terrifying."
"I just killed one a moment ago, but now I'm starting to regret it. Will this thing retaliate against me? Look at that centipede..."
"Damn it, don't say that. I just killed one too. But my biggest worry right now is the archaeological team. What should they do? Should they go or stay?"
"Oh, come on. The big shot managed to summon a Qīnglóng and a Fènghuáng. Don't worry about these things. The big shot will find a way. Just be patient."
...
In the dean's conference room.
The dean, along with other professors and experts, felt a jolt of unease as they observed the centipedes.
"How did these centipedes mutate?"
One of the biological researchers, upon seeing the creatures, found them fascinating, his eyes filled with excitement rather than fear.
The primary reason for his lack of concern was Zhou Lin's presence; any worry would be misplaced. He should be worried about the centipedes themselves.
"Judging by your expression, you want to study them?" the professor beside him asked, recognizing the look in the biologist's eyes.
"I do have such thoughts. But even if I didn't, the metaphysics professor certainly does. Look at his eyes; he's clearly eager." The biological professor then glanced at the metaphysics professor on the large screen, realizing he was already contemplating it. As long as the metaphysics professor could bring them back, they could be studied. He knew he would be called upon to assist. The thought alone made him giddy.
"Now is not the time for research. The question is whether Zhou Lin and his team can resolve this issue," the dean stated. He naturally hoped they could bring back some specimens for study, as it would bring hope to Dàxià. However, the immediate concern was how to proceed. The suppressing elements were only on the walls, but they couldn't just stand there indefinitely.
Professor Wen and Professor Hu looked at Zhou Lin, awaiting his next move. Perhaps his next step would be to ask for payment.
Inside the tomb:
Zhou Lin stood opposite the centipedes, watching them try to approach but unable to get closer, merely glaring at Zhou Lin and his team.
"What now, Professor Zhou Lin? Do you have a plan?" Professor Lin asked, hesitant to move with the 'river of stars' before them.
"Let's wait. We'll have to leave soon," Zhou Lin said calmly, sitting down on the ground with an air of leisure.
Professor Lin, Old Tang, and the metaphysics professor, having walked for quite some time, were indeed tired. Seeing Zhou Lin's lack of urgency, they also sat down on the ground. However, their expressions were far from Zhou Lin's relaxed demeanor; they remained fixated on the creatures.
"Professor Zhou Lin, are you sure just waiting is enough? Is your guess correct?" one of the archaeological team members asked, still uneasy.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Lin chuckled.
"Your professors only guess at what is right, not what is wrong," Zhou Lin replied with a faint smile, looking at the team member behind him, appearing quite composed.
"Ah? This..." The team member was at a loss for words.
"Look..."