The King

Bullet comments rolled enthusiastically across his retina.

[This place looks sketchy at first glance. Feels like a major boss is about to spawn.]

[Look at how relaxed Chen Guan is. This isn't an expedition; this is clearly a trip back to his hometown to visit relatives.]

[Is it possible that this ruin has some connection to the Guiyuan Group? Chen Guan is the Black Tortoise, after all.]

[Don't forget Hong Yuan also has the Black Tortoise bloodline. Yin Chen's background is a mystery, and Long Ao is also an official employee. If there really is a connection, they should all benefit from it.]

[Mama An is going to worry himself sick again. Aside from Su, everyone in this team is a handful.]

Chen Guan closed the comment interface and cast his gaze into the darkness ahead.

Long Ao was right; something was indeed approaching.

But those things had no breath, no heartbeat, and not even the tyrannical aura typical of regular demonic beasts.

They were like dancing robots from a televised gala. Because of this, the others' perceptions were dulled, only realizing something was wrong when the entities drew near.

The black panther stopped in its tracks, a low rumble echoing in its throat. It showed no fear; instead, it exuded an eager excitement.

Animals were the most sensitive. It could sense that the approaching things shared the same aura as its master.

The darkness on both sides of the stone-paved path seemed to come alive, slowly closing in.

The feeling of being watched became increasingly clear. It was no longer an illusion, but a tangible, oppressive force.

Everyone, back to back. Form a defensive circle.

An Changqing kept his voice low, but it reached everyone's ears clearly enough. He had already drawn his longsword and held it across his chest.

Hong Yuan licked her lips excitedly. She slammed her massive double-bladed axe onto the stone slabs, producing a dull thud.

Finally, some action! I thought we were just going to stroll around this godforsaken place until dawn. Whatever is coming, it's the perfect test for my axe!

Yin Chen ignored Hong Yuan's clamor. The frost crystal at the tip of the short staff in his hand grew a bit brighter, dispelling some of the surrounding darkness.

They move silently, with no footsteps. This doesn't match the characteristics of any demonic beast I know. Be careful, don't let your guard down and get taken out by a fluke.

Long Ao merely adjusted his stance silently, guarding the other side of the team to form a pincer formation with An Changqing.

His fists were already covered in a faint red glow, power ready to be unleashed.

From the darkness, something emerged.

They were not flesh-and-blood creatures like Baobao, but three-meter-tall stone statues.

They were carved entirely from a pitch-black rock, the exact same material as the stone path beneath their feet.

The statues resembled armored warriors, yet their joints were incredibly flexible. They made no sound as they walked, floating along like ghosts.

They had no facial features, only two deep, hollow sockets. Within those sockets flickered an eerie light that shared the same origin as the gray energy within Chen Guan's body.

Are they puppets? An Changqing's brows furrowed deeper. Autonomous guards made of stone? To still be functioning normally after an incalculable amount of time has passed... just how advanced must the ancient civilization have been to achieve this?

They are more than just simple puppets.

Su Yuehe stared at the stone statues, her breathing slightly ragged. Look at the engravings on their chests. Those are runes, and... they are still active. What a powerful civilization this must have been.

Hong Yuan did not care what they were. She only knew that these big guys looked like they could take a beating.

Who cares what they are? We'll find out once we smash them to pieces!

She let out a loud shout, the muscles in her legs bulging as she launched herself forward like a cannonball, charging at the foremost stone statue with her giant axe resting on her shoulder.

Don't be reckless! An Changqing called out to stop her, but it was already too late.

Yin Chen sighed and pointed his short staff forward, ready to release ice spikes for support at any moment.

However, at the exact moment Hong Yuan's giant axe was about to cleave into the stone statue, a bizarre scene unfolded.

All the advancing stone guards halted their footsteps at the exact same time.

The gray light flickering in their eye sockets unanimously bypassed Hong Yuan, who was charging at the front, and skipped over the fully prepared An Changqing and Yin Chen. Ultimately, all their gazes fixed on the person at the very front of the team, Chen Guan, who had not moved a single inch from the very beginning.

Chen Guan still had his hands shoved in his pockets, watching them with a calm expression.

Time seemed to freeze in that moment.

Hong Yuan stood frozen in place with her axe raised high. She could feel the icy killing intent radiating from the stone statues receding like the tide the moment they looked at Chen Guan, vanishing without a trace.

What... what is going on?

Hong Yuan looked back at the group, her face full of question marks.

Why aren't they fighting anymore? Could they have been intimidated by my domineering aura?

No one answered her.

Because everyone was too shocked by the sight before them to speak.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the stone guards that had previously exuded a terrifying, oppressive aura slowly and uniformly... dropped to one knee, as if on a pilgrimage.

They bowed their featureless heads and placed their clenched right fists horizontally across their left chests.

The stone joints emitted faint clicking sounds as they moved, ringing out exceptionally clear in the dead silent corridor.

It was an ancient and solemn gesture of fealty, filled with an indescribable sense of ceremony.

The object of their worship was none other than Chen Guan.

Are... are you kidding me?

Hong Yuan's axe nearly slipped from her grasp. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Are they... kneeling to Chen Guan?

Was Chen Guan's charm potent enough to conquer even these lumps of stone?

Yin Chen maintained his spellcasting posture, the blue light at the tip of his staff illuminating the look of sheer disbelief on his face.

This, this, this... Was he caught in an illusion again? Since when?

An Changqing wore a look of utter astonishment as well. He stared at Chen Guan's back, his mind in complete chaos.

Chen Guan, you...

Su Yuehe adjusted her glasses, her lips parted slightly. She managed to decipher even more information from the posture of the stone guards.

This etiquette... I've seen similar illustrations in the fragmented pages of an ancient tome about the Lost Era. In the ancient Black Wind civilization, this is the gesture of worship that Stoneborn Guards would only perform for the possessor of the highest bloodline. They... they are treating Chen Guan as their master, or rather, their king.

This place is a ruin of the Black Wind civilization.

King?

A crack finally appeared on Long Ao's perpetually stoic, iceberg-like face.

He looked at Chen Guan, then at the stone statues kneeling on the ground, feeling his worldview being challenged once again.

Aren't we all classmates? How did you suddenly become the king of a lost civilization?

Seriously, what dynasty are you from?

Faced with the gazes cast by the group, Chen Guan had no idea how to respond either.

Because even he didn't know what was going on right now.

Dead silence was the only melody left on this black stone path.

The oppressive feeling from earlier had vanished completely like the receding tide, replaced by an even more hair-raising eeriness.