Tomb raiding: A mere 20 is nothing!

After visiting West Lake, it was nearly noon.

The fat man confidently declared he would show off his skills, and Shen Mingchao, upon hearing this, was in for a treat and hurriedly followed the tender beef Wu Fang back to Wushan Residence.

First came West Lake Vinegar Fish, then Fatty's Sweet and Sour Fish.

After taking a bite of the latter, Shen Mingchao couldn't help but exclaim that although they were both dishes, the tastes were worlds apart.

"Now that this fish is dead in Fatty's hands, I can finally rest in peace."

After a simple lunch, Shen Mingchao finally realized the true value of the chef in the Daomu Biji series.

She showered him with compliments, making the fat man laugh heartily. He kept saying, "As expected, a daughter is a warm cotton-padded jacket. I've cooked for Wu Xie and the others so many times, but she's never said as many nice things to me."

Wu Xie, sitting to the side, coldly remarked, "Fatty, if I praised you like that, are you sure you could sleep at night?"

When Wu Xie said that, the fat man actually imagined it for a moment, and then he shuddered.

"Forget it, we're both getting on in years, let's not be disgusting to each other. If you really praise me like that, I just feel creeped out."

Wu Xie thought to himself, "That solves it."

On the other side, after finishing his meal, Shen Mingchao put a rope around San San, slung a backpack over his shoulder, and greeted everyone.

In the afternoon, she wanted to wander alone by West Lake, sit on a lakeside bench, daydream, read a book, feel the breeze, and enjoy some rare time alone.

As for San San, she's a restless cat, very intelligent, and not afraid of strangers. She and her family used to take San San for walks all the time, and passersby always praised her for her good temperament.

"Are you coming back for dinner?" Xie Yuchen asked.

"No need, I can handle it myself." Shen Mingchao, afraid they would worry, gave them a definite answer: "Don't worry, I won't go too far, probably around Xiling Bridge. After watching the sunset and having dinner, I'll be back."

After stepping out the door, Shen Mingchao turned back and waved to the people at the door. The man and the cat then slowly disappeared into the crowd.

With the only girl gone, Wushan Residence suddenly dimmed a bit. The group exchanged glances, knowing that another round of conversation was about to begin.

This time, in addition to the Tender Beef Five-Square, a newcomer named Wang Meng was added as an auditor.

Xie Yuchen spoke first: "I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

If it were the Wu Xie of the past, he would probably choose the good news, but now he is more interested in knowing what the worst possible outcome would be.

"Let's start with the bad stuff," he said.

When Wu Xie spoke up, the others followed suit.

Xie Yuchen: "The bad news is that the researchers did not find any problems. Her research results showed that everything was normal, which means that it was not due to a physical cause."

Wu Xie chuckled lightly; he had indeed hit the nail on the head.

Black Bear, standing to the side, casually remarked, "Is the end of the world really just a mystery?"

"Good news." Zhang Qilan remained calm as always, and his words hit the nail on the head.

"Yes, yes, there's more good news!" the fat man quickly reassured them. "Don't give up hope too quickly."

When this was mentioned, Xie Yuchen's expression became even more subtle than when he was delivering bad news.

"The good news is that researchers have discovered that each batch of our blood samples is different, and our cells are undergoing a rare reverse growth. The reason for this is still unknown, but it is simply an anti-human miracle."

The fat man was completely baffled, feeling that Xie Yuchen's words had an academic hurdle to overcome.

"Brother Hua, please speak in plain language. Don't make things difficult for me."

Hei Xiazi, who had studied in Germany and had double degrees in music and anatomy, understood it immediately.

After suppressing his shock, he explained simply: "What Master Hua means is that not only are our old injuries healing, but our bodies are also becoming younger."

"In other words, in the end, it is very likely to become..." Hei Xiazi paused for a moment.

He looked up and met Zhang Qiyu's gaze, then spoke softly, finishing what he hadn't said before.

"The one who lives long."

The three words are like opening Pandora's box.

These are three words that have drawn countless people to follow in their footsteps and stirred up all sorts of bloody storms throughout the long river of time.

Everyone suddenly realized something: Shen Mingchao's abilities far exceeded their expectations.

Now that this treasure, comparable to a miracle, has fallen into their laps, they should be overjoyed, but at this moment they are more bewildered and at a loss.

The fat man let out a howl, as if he had suffered a great injustice, and shouted, "Good heavens! If you all turn back the clock and I'm left all old and frail, how am I supposed to face people? They'll say we're brothers who've traveled all over the country for years, and everyone will say we're friends despite the age difference."

Wang Meng timidly chimed in: "Boss, do you mean that people influenced by the Ming Dynasty can achieve immortality like eating Tang Sanzang's flesh?! That's too fantastical."

"That's how it seems at the moment." Xie Yuchen didn't know whether to be happy or worried; he had a feeling that things weren't so simple.

"So what do we do now?" Black Bear asked.

Milky white smoke swirled, gradually blurring Wu Xie's vision. Over the years, whether by choice or not, he had been drawn into becoming the anchor point for this group. Xiao Hua said that when they encountered a dead end, it would be his domain, and he would always find a way.

His thoughts began to wander, and his mind started racing. This was one of his strengths; he was the kind of person who always liked to overthink.

Various figures of the girl emerged: a forced smile under the setting sun, a charming smile under the moon... and that unique touch of green in West Lake.

Various images flashed through Wu Xie's mind, and he was surprised at how clearly he remembered them.

It seems that it wasn't just influenced by that ability.

Finally, from the myriad threads of his memory, he inexplicably extracted four words.

"Let nature take its course."

"It won't harm us, will it?"

It's just that it comes with some addictive side effects, which is normal; every medicine has its side effects. Even the Zhang family's immortality isn't perfect.

The world is fair; they gained immortality and rejuvenation, so it's normal to pay a price. And upon closer examination, it's clear that they actually benefited from this price.

What Wu Xie was thinking, others could also think of.

"Can things really continue like this?" Xie Yuchen remained cautious.

"What else can we do but cut ties completely?" Wu Xie smiled faintly. This was the simplest solution, but if they could really cut ties, why would they be agonizing over it?

Sometimes, hesitation is the answer.

So let nature take its course; time will tell.

"So you're just going to keep it a secret like this?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Xie looked at Hei Xiazi and said irritably, "Master, if you're willing to speak up, then go ahead and say it. I respect you as a man."

One sentence silenced Hei Xiazi.

What can we say about this situation? If we really tell them, will Shen Mingchao believe us? If they do, they're crazy.

And even if she really believed it, she would probably leave them overnight, and then they wouldn't even be able to remain friends.

Just thinking about this outcome made Hei Xiazi's vision even darker.

Xie Yuchen, who was standing nearby, chimed in, "Have we been hiding our identities all along too?"

Wu Xie looked up at the sky: "Let's keep it a secret for now. If we tell her all at once, she might not be able to accept it."

There's one more thing Wu Xie didn't say.

Shen Mingchao was an upright man, and he was afraid that if he confessed, the first thing the other party would do was call the police. This was understandable; after all, who wouldn't call the police if they encountered tomb raiders?

So let's hold off for now.

The conversation ended there. Zhang Qilan, who had been silent the whole time, glanced around, and his previously relaxed lips quietly drooped. He couldn't quite describe what kind of feeling this was.

There's a kind of discomfort that's hard to pinpoint, and there's nowhere to vent it.

He lived a secluded life, silently watching the leaves fall. He thought this must be called fate, a domineering force that swept everyone along, a fate from which no one could escape.

Wu Xie might be right; the best way to face fate is to go with the flow.