Chapter 164 - 22 Real History? Ulterior Motive!_2
Task 2 “Mapping the World,” Tasks “Collect Water Samples, Analyze Components,” Task4 “Collect Soil Samples, Analyze Components,” Tasks “Make Various Plant Specimens,” and Task 6 “Make Various Animal Specimens” were all progressing steadily during Link’s search for Jasmine.
Task 7 “Searching for a Sustainable Development Strategy for the World” is closely connected to side tasks 2, 3,4,5, and 6.
How can one talk about sustainable development without understanding the world’s ecology?
Looking back now, side task 7 is also closely related to main task 3.
If one saves the world, shouldn’t we give it a strategy for sustainable development, to avoid its near destruction again?
Thinking this way, everything adds up.
Therefore, the key to everything is figuring out how to save the world.
Coming back to his senses, Link said, “In front of our tasks, personal preferences don’t matter. Completion of the tasks is the priority, don’t entertain wild thoughts.”
“Yes, boss.”
Buck scratched his head, his voice somewhat embarrassed.
He just now let his emotions take the lead, and did not consider how such words might shake the team’s morale.
“What do we do next?”
Jasmine then asked, “Do we continue to the area behind the Bronze Door or not?”
“Of course.”
Link gave an affirmative answer without hesitation.
The secret tunnel and mural are clearly appetizers, pre-meal desserts.
The main dish must be waiting ahead.
“You all first leave the tunnel.”
Link, once again, commanded the team members to move to a safe area. He stood beside the iron door, ready to shut it immediately if things go awry.
Of the thirty-six strategies, retreating is the best one.
With a thought, he summoned the Thorns Whip.
This wood system Zero Ring witchcraft, originally used for attack, has been serving various miscellaneous tasks in Link’s hands.
A few sturdy thorns climbed up the Bronze Door, tightly entwining the door handle, and then forcefully pulled it open.
The creaking sound echoed in the tunnel.
The Bronze Door slowly opened.
Link focused, ready to react at any time.
However, other than the air becoming slightly heavier, nothing unexpected happened.
The open Bronze Door revealed a simple round burial chamber.
There were no gold, no gems, and none of the valuable funeral goods.
In the center of the chamber, a thin wooden coffin lay.
A bony skeleton sat at one end of the coffin, its left hand resting above the coffin, and its right hand gripping a black great sword.
The skeleton’s pose suggested that even in death it was guarding the person in the coffin.
Given the content of the mural, everyone guessed the identity of the skeleton and who might be lying inside the coffin.
As for the great sword, the moment Link saw it, he used the secondary Misty Rain Technique, creating a heavy fog to obscure it from view.
The reason for doing so was simple.
The great sword was constantly emitting devilish whispers.
As soon as one’s eyes fell on it, they cannot help but want to pick it up, slash with it, kills with it,
Resisting the temptation, Link relied on the Mind Closure Technique at its highest realm.
The others did not have any mental defenses.
They all unconsciously moved closer.
They regained their calm only after Link obscured the great sword with thick fog-
jasmine was particularly startled.
Fortunately, she resisted the urge to explore beyond the Bronze Door alone the day before.
Otherwise, she might have already become a puppet of the great sword.
Heaving a sigh of relief, Jasmine states her fearful feelings, “We should not go in.”
“Hmm.”
Link stored all details of the burial chamber into the Hall of Memories and closed the Bronze Door without hesitation.
Inside the chamber, apart from the great sword and probably the God Slayer’s skeleton, there was nothing unusual.
It seemed the whole purpose of the burial chamber was to validate the content of the mural.
To make one believe, that the content of mural is the truth why this world is on the verge of destruction.
Of course, these were only Link’s guesses.
Perhaps entering the burial chamber, touching the skeleton, opening the coffin, and picking up the great sword may trigger a different scene.
For instance, a God Slayer who, resurrected and furious, that outsiders had disturbed his daughter’s peaceful slumber?
Grave robbers never die peacefully!
Link preferred stability over the potential clues that come with unnecessary risks.
If they were not exploring the burial chamber, should they leave this place?
“Let’s dig a bit in the other directions.”
Link chose to work the team members possessing the Earth Element Affinity hard to see if they could unearth any other relics.
They spent a whole hour on this task.
Apart from a lot of dirt, they found no gains.
There were no mentions of relics, not even a single hair found.
This phenomenon, in a way, validated Link’s guesses about the purpose of this tunnel, mural, and burial chamber.
They might just be the “props” for the background of the task that the academy deliberately left behind.
“Take a break, whatever it is, we discuss it tomorrow.”
After all this exhaustive activity, night fell. Link halted the exploration and let everyone rest.
Everyone returned to the place they had rested earlier.
“How is it going?”
Signaling the others to set up their camp and rest, Link approached Dalton and Linn, raising a question.
“Lanny Taylor’s team caught up again. After spotting the leftover rope, they left.”
Dalton reported this rather unusual event.
Linn supplemented, “Before leaving, Lanny looked over here several times. It seems she guessed that we’ve landed on the sandbar.”
“Good. You’ve done a tough job. Take a break. I’ll keep an eye on the surveillance.”
Link mentally noted this detail, briefly comforted the two, and then called the duo, “Buck, Ezio, come over here.”