The Mysterious Resurrection at the Beginning of Infinite Terror

The icy groundwater, carrying the unique mineral scent of the desert depths, slid down his throat, nourishing his parched body and seemingly awakening his slumbering spirit. The "positive energy field" within the sacrificial well's stone chamber was far less grand than the main god's pillar of light, yet it was like a spring in the desert, carrying an ancient and resilient vitality, slowly seeping into Wang Lin's depleted spiritual essence, intertwining with the cool, nourishing power emanating from the millennia-old warm jade.

The night passed quietly amidst the alternating guard duty and the babbling of water. When the first pale rays of dawn struggled to pierce through the staircase entrance, casting blurry patches of light on the stone chamber floor, Wang Lin opened his eyes.

His headache had lessened considerably; though still a dull ache, it was no longer the excruciating pain that tore at his very soul. His mental energy had recovered to about 30%, far from its peak, but at least enough to support basic perception and mental connection, preventing it from becoming a mere burden. He glanced at Zhan Lan beside him; she had also awakened, sitting cross-legged, her brows slightly furrowed, clearly also struggling to recover. Their gazes met in the air, both seeing the weariness in each other's eyes, yet also a rekindled resilience.

"How are you feeling?" Zheng Zha was the first to notice that Wang Lin had woken up and handed him a compressed biscuit.

"Much better. I can fight now." Wang Lin took the biscuit, took a bite, and chewed it with difficulty, but he ate with unusual seriousness. Every bit of physical strength and every ounce of mental energy was crucial for the journey ahead. He looked at the others. Ba Wang and Li Shuaixi were checking their equipment, Lingdian was wiping his sniper rifle, Zhao Yingkong and Ming Yanwei were exchanging whispers, and Chu Xuan, with his back to the others, faced the mottled murals on the stone wall, his fingers rapidly tapping on the virtual keyboard of his portable terminal. The Guide 7341-ZJ stood quietly by the pool, its scarlet electronic eyes reflecting the water like a dutiful monitor. Evelyn and the old curator were huddled in a corner, seemingly not yet fully recovered from yesterday's terror. The three newcomers were huddled together, fast asleep.

"Chu Xuan, what did you find?" Wang Lin swallowed a biscuit and asked.

Chu Xuan didn't turn around, his voice calm as he spoke: "The content of the murals corroborates the records on the bone fragments. This place was not only a sacrificial water cellar, but also a small 'purification outpost.' Before embarking on missions related to death deep in the desert, ancient Egyptian priests would perform purification and prayers here, temporarily strengthening their resistance to the dead and curses through the 'holy water' and specific rituals. The prayers on the bone fragments are fragments of purification spells targeting 'illegal resurrections' (specifically referring to resurrections like Imhotep that violate the laws of nature), mentioning using the 'tears of the sun' (possibly referring to the yellow gem) as a medium to guide the purifying light of 'Ra' (the sun god)."

He turned around, holding the murky yellow gem in his hand: "The energy characteristics of this gem are very special. The compressed 'order' and 'purification' energy within it is extremely pure, but it is in a highly stable inert state, requiring a specific 'key' or 'resonance' to activate. The incantation on the bone fragment may be part of the 'key.' I tried to simulate resonance using some of the energy codes deciphered from the Zero Relic fragment, and there was an extremely weak response, but it was incomplete. Other conditions may also be needed, such as a specific environment (like under the sun statue inside Hamunaptra), a specific time (like noon), or... facing a specific target (Imhotep)."

"So, this thing might be the key to dealing with Imhotep, or at least offsetting some of the power of the Book of the Dead?" Zheng Zha's eyes lit up.

"The possibility is high. But how to use it is unknown. Forcibly activating it may damage the gem or trigger an uncontrollable energy backlash." Chu Xuan carefully put the gem away. "In addition, judging from the murals, continuing southeast from here, towards Hamunaptra, you will pass through an area called the 'Corridor of the Dead,' which was the place where prisoners of war and criminals were executed in ancient times. It is most deeply corrupted by the power of the dead. The murals warn of 'lingering evil spirits' and 'sand worms that devour flesh and blood.' The quicksand and negative energy traps we encountered yesterday may just be an appetizer."

"What about the Indian team? Is there any news about them?" Wang Lin asked.

Chu Xuan pulled up a rudimentary scan map on his terminal (modeled based on limited data and environmental parameters provided by the Guide): "The Guide's wide-area scanning range is limited, but it can be confirmed that from last night until now, at least four waves of negative energy fluctuations of varying intensity have been moving from Cairo towards Hamunaptra. Two of these waves are moving faster, suspected to be the main force of the Indian team or undead creatures under their control. The other two waves are slower, possibly carrying heavy supplies or carrying out some kind of ritualistic movement. They are likely already ahead of us, and may even have entered the outer area of ​​Hamunaptra."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get going! Don't let them beat us to it!" O'Connor gulped down a mouthful of water, wiped his mouth, and said urgently. His fear of the Indian team and Imhotep seemed to be overshadowed by his worry for the treasure (and Evelyn).

"No, we'll set off a little later." Chu Xuan adjusted his glasses, data streams flashing in his eyes. "Let them scout ahead, triggering the traps in the 'Corridor of the Dead' to deplete their strength. We'll use this time difference to rest and recover, then wait for their turn. Wang Lin, is your mental energy recovery sufficient to support a short-range, high-precision mental scan, focusing on energy gathering points and life signals within a radius of approximately five to ten kilometers ahead of us? I need a more accurate map."

Wang Lin assessed his own condition and nodded: "It's fine. But the scanning range will be compressed, the duration will be short, and it might reveal our location if the other side has someone with mental abilities."

"It's alright. We're here under the cover of a positive energy field, so our mental energy fluctuations aren't easily detected from afar. Besides, we need to know what's ahead," Chu Xuan said. "Let's begin. Zhan Lan, provide support and stability."

Wang Lin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Under his exquisite control, thirty percent of his spiritual power was no longer spread out over a large area, but condensed into an invisible, extremely thin yet resilient "probe," carefully extending southeastward from the sacrificial well. Zhan Lan transformed her remaining spiritual power into a thin "stabilizing membrane," enveloping the probe to reduce energy loss and help filter out excessively chaotic noise in the environment.

The mental probe seemed to be traversing through thick darkness. Dense negative energy, like a heavy fog, obstructed perception. Wang Lin "saw" distorted geomagnetism, unstable sand layers, and several energy nodes that oozed deathly aura like festering sores (possibly ancient battlefields or mass slaughter pits). He avoided these obviously dangerous places and extended the probe's "tentacles" deeper.

Five kilometers... seven kilometers...

Suddenly, an extremely eerie area appeared before the probe. The concentration of negative energy there was astonishingly high, almost solidifying into darkness, yet within this darkness flickered countless points of eerie green phosphorescence, like countless malevolent eyes. The moment the mental probe touched this area, it felt a chilling, piercing force, filled with resentment and hunger, engulfing it and attempting to corrupt and devour this intrusive "peeping." Evil spirits! Hundreds, even thousands!

Wang Lin immediately maneuvered the probe to avoid this "evil spirit's lair." Continuing forward, about nine kilometers away, he "saw" an even more horrifying sight—the sand undulated slowly as if alive, and enormous, train-car-like shadows writhed beneath the sand, exuding an aura of greed and savagery. Sand worms! And more than one!

At the end of the "Corridor of the Dead," the entrance to a vast canyon is faintly visible, shrouded in dense darkness and chaotic energy storms. Mental probes cannot penetrate it, but a terrifying will, larger, more ancient, and filled with majesty and malice than anywhere else before, resides there, like a slumbering dragon. The entrance to Hamunaptra, or rather, the first gateway to Imhotep's power.

The probe continued to extend, attempting to find a possible path around the "Corridor of the Dead." About two kilometers east of the "Hollow of Evil Spirits," he discovered a hidden, half-hidden, dry riverbed obscured by wind-eroded rock walls. The riverbed meandered, but seemed to bypass the most dangerous area, leading directly to the flank of the canyon entrance. However, just as the probe was about to be withdrawn, Wang Lin's heart sank.

In the middle of the dried-up riverbed, in a relatively sheltered depression, he "sensed" five powerful life and energy fluctuations gathered together! One of them, cold and lifeless, with a strange feeling of mixed Buddhist power and necromancy, was none other than the bald captain of the Indian team! Another was the bald woman he had fought yesterday, who had been severely injured but seemed to have recovered considerably! The other three were as fiery as fire, with the frenzy of a wild beast, possibly a new melee fighter; as cold and mysterious as a venomous snake, possibly a new assassin or sorcerer; and the last one... elusive, like smoke, impossible to grasp.

Indian Team! Instead of going directly into the "Corridor of the Dead," they chose this more secluded riverbed, which is also closer to the route the Central Continent Team might take! Are they lying in ambush? Or are they waiting for something?

Wang Lin immediately retracted the probe, opened his eyes, his face slightly pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. The brief scan was quite taxing, but the information it provided was crucial.

"How is it?" Chu Xuan asked immediately.

Wang Lin quickly shared what he "saw" with Chu Xuan, Zheng Zha, and Zhan Lan through the resonance of his newly recovered mental energy.

"Evil spirits, sandworms, the Indian team ambushing us..." Zheng Zha's eyes were grave. "We're surrounded. Going directly into the 'Corridor of the Dead' is a dead end, and going across the riverbed will lead us into the Indian team's ambush..."

"No, this is actually our opportunity." A cold, sharp glint flashed in Chu Xuan's eyes. "The fact that the Indian team chose to ambush us in the riverbed shows that they are also wary of the dangers of the 'Corridor of the Dead,' and want to wait for us to trigger the trap or weaken us before taking advantage of the situation. But they don't know that we have already discovered them, and... we know their exact location and general condition."

"You mean... we'll ambush them instead?" Wang Lin immediately understood Chu Xuan's idea.

"Yes. Let's turn the tables on them." Chu Xuan quickly drew a simple topographical map on the ground with pebbles. "This is the sacrificial well, this is the 'Corridor of the Dead' and the area of ​​evil spirits, this is the sandworm activity area, and this is the dried-up riverbed and the Indian team's ambush point. The Indian team believes we will come from the direction of the 'Corridor of the Dead,' or at least be forced closer to the riverbed by the 'Corridor of the Dead.' We can split into two groups."

"First team, the decoy. Composed of Zheng Zha, Ba Wang, Li Shuaixi, Zhao Yingkong, O'Connor, Evelyn, and the curator. Carrying a small amount of supplies, make a big show of it, creating the illusion of trying to forcefully break through the edge of the 'Corridor of the Dead.' We don't need to actually go deep, just create enough noise to attract the attention of the evil spirits and sandworms, while letting the Indian team confirm the direction of our 'main force'. Remember, the priority is to move around, create chaos, and survive. Once the evil spirits or sandworms are alarmed on a large scale, immediately retreat in the predetermined direction, leading some of the monsters towards the riverbed."

"The second route, the main force. It consists of myself, Wang Lin, Zhan Lan, Lingdian, Ming Yanwei, the guide, and three newcomers. We carry most of the supplies, key items (yellow gems, bone fragments), and heavy firepower. We will quietly maneuver along a wind-eroded gully further west, which Wang Lin discovered (another hidden path Wang Lin noticed during his scan), to the flank and rear of the Indian team's ambush point. When the decoy team creates chaos, drawing the Indian team's attention, and they may even be partially distracted by the monsters they attract, we will launch a surprise attack from behind, coordinating with the decoy team to attack from both sides, aiming to severely damage or even annihilate the Indian team's main force! Then, using the chaos, we will quickly break away and head straight for the entrance to Hamunaptra!"

The plan was bold and risky, but it was intricately linked and made full use of information advantages and terrain.

"Newcomers..." Wang Lin looked at the three newcomers who were still asleep.

"They'll follow the main force, responsible for carrying some supplies and... if necessary, serving as secondary targets to draw fire." Chu Xuan's tone was cold and ruthless, but this was the most efficient arrangement. In this kind of team battle, the role of newcomers is limited; surviving is a matter of luck.

"That bald woman from the Indian team has a very strong mental ability. Even if she's injured, she might be able to sense our mental connection or large-scale personnel movements," Zhan Lan said worriedly.

"So, after the decoy team sets off, Wang Lin, you need to use your mental energy again to create a temporary, one-way, extremely weak mental 'background noise' between the decoy team and our main force. This will simulate the illusion of large-scale personnel movement and emotional fluctuations, masking our true intentions. At the same time, Zhan Lan, your mental barrier must completely block the mental fluctuations of the main force. This process will be very strenuous. Can you two do it?" Chu Xuan looked at Wang Lin and Zhan Lan.

Wang Lin and Zhan Lan exchanged a glance and nodded emphatically: "We can try. But it won't last long, and once we launch the attack, the mental shield will fail."

"That's enough. As long as you're not detected before engaging the enemy, you're fine." Chu Xuan looked at Zheng Zha. "Zheng Zha, the decoy team's mission is the most dangerous. You'll be facing evil spirits, sandworms, and possibly even the Indian team directly. If things go wrong, immediately retreat along the predetermined route. Don't linger in battle. Your mission is to create chaos and draw attention, not to annihilate them."

"Understood! Leave it to us!" Zheng Zha grinned, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. Ba Wang, Li Shuaixi, and Zhao Yingkong all nodded in agreement. O'Connor, though pale-faced, gritted his teeth and said nothing. Evelyn and the old curator looked terrified, but had no choice.

"Alright. Distribute supplies immediately and check equipment. The decoy team will depart in one hour. Main force, wait until the decoy team has created enough noise before proceeding quietly." Chu Xuan gave the final order.

Tense preparations began. Water bladders were refilled, and compressed biscuits and jerky were carefully distributed. Ammunition was checked, and weapons were cleaned. Wang Lin and Zhan Lan seized the last moments to engage in deeper meditation, gathering every last bit of strength for the mental battle to come.

An hour later, Zheng Zha, leading the bait team and carrying several rather ridiculous flags hastily made from rags and branches, swaggered out of the sacrificial well and headed towards the "Corridor of the Dead." They deliberately made quite a lot of noise, even having O'Connor fire a shot into the air every now and then, while loudly cursing the desert and the damned mummies in various languages.

Wang Lin stood at the entrance of the stairs, watching them disappear behind the sand dunes. Then, he closed his eyes, mobilized his recovered mental energy once more, and, following Chu Xuan's instructions, began constructing the covering "background noise." This was a meticulous and tedious task, requiring him to evenly distribute his mental energy across a vast area between the decoy group's route and the main group's hiding place, simulating the chaotic movements, conversations, and even emotional fluctuations of fear and excitement of dozens of people. This was more energy-consuming than concentrated reconnaissance, but required less mental control; it was more like creating a mental "mirage."

Time ticked by. The blazing sun rose high in the sky once more, baking the desert like a furnace. The main force remained hidden inside the sacrificial well, waiting silently.

About two hours later, from the southeast, faint sounds of gunfire, explosions, and some kind of inhuman, sharp hissing and growling could be heard! The sounds were initially scattered, but soon became dense and chaotic, and there was even a rumbling sound of the sand shaking violently!

The evil spirits and sandworms have been alerted! Zheng Zha and his team succeeded!

"Now! Main force, move out!" Chu Xuan shouted.

Wang Lin immediately stopped releasing "background noise" and, together with Zhan Lan, did their best to erect a mental barrier, enveloping the main group. Ling Dian led the way, followed closely by Ming Yanwei, with Chu Xuan, Wang Lin, and Zhan Lan in the middle, and the guide 7341-ZJ and three trembling newcomers (who were instructed not to make a sound) bringing up the rear. The group slipped out of the sacrificial well like ghosts and entered the narrow, wind-eroded ravine on the west side, which Wang Lin had previously explored with his mental power, resembling a maze.

The ravine was much cooler, but the path was rugged and difficult to traverse. The group moved silently and quickly, the only sounds being their suppressed breathing and the tumbling of sand. In the distance, the sounds of battle from the decoy group's direction grew increasingly intense; they could even see dust billowing into the sky, with faint glimpses of eerie green phosphorescence and massive pillars of sand churning about.

"The Indian team should be drawn there..." Chu Xuan looked at the simplified situation diagram simulated on the terminal based on sound and energy fluctuations. "Speed ​​up! Get behind them!"

About half an hour later, they finally circled around to the upper side of the dried-up riverbed. Hiding behind a wind-eroded rock pillar and looking down, they could clearly see five figures on high alert in the depression of the riverbed below. It was the Indian team! The bald captain stood in the middle, his hands clasped together, his body surrounded by a mixture of dark gold and deathly gray light, seemingly fighting against the violent negative energy fluctuations in the distance, and trying to control or appease the disturbed evil spirits. The bald woman sat cross-legged behind him, her face pale, the cinnabar between her brows flashing intermittently, clearly trying her best to maintain some kind of mental defense or detection. The beast-like giant (a new face) and the cold, black-robed man guarded the flanks. There was also a blurry figure, like smoke, drifting around the group, vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

Their attention was completely drawn to the fierce battle and chaotic energy fluctuations in the "Corridor of the Dead" to the southeast. Even some sporadic, disturbed evil spirits began to drift towards the riverbed, barely blocked by the bald captain's golden Buddhist light.

"A good opportunity!" A cold glint flashed in Chu Xuan's eyes. "Lingdian, Ming Yanwei, prioritize sniping the bald woman and that elusive assassin! Wang Lin, Zhan Lan, use Mental Shock on the bald captain to interrupt his spellcasting! Guide, provide real-time analysis of the enemy's energy weaknesses! Everyone else, prepare to focus fire on that giant and the man in black! Heed my command—"

However, just as Chu Xuan was about to issue the attack command, another unexpected event occurred!

On the opposite bank of the river, from an inconspicuous crack in the rock face, a gigantic claw covered in black scales and with sharp fingertips suddenly emerged without warning! Then, a terrifying head, larger than any sandworm they had ever seen before, with a head resembling a magnified centipede's mandibles and covered in rings of sharp teeth, smashed through the rock face and opened its jaws wide enough to swallow a truck, aimed at the Indian team in the riverbed! A foul stench filled the air, carrying the strong smell of sulfur and decay!

It's a sandworm! And a king of sandworms, lurking in the rock wall, undisturbed, perhaps even attracted by the chaos of the "Corridor of the Dead"! Its target is none other than the bald captain, whose energy fluctuations are the strongest and most "delicious"!

"hiss--!!!"

Amidst a deafening roar, the Sandworm King's gigantic maw snapped down on the unsuspecting Indian team!