Regarding the matter of awakening lightning abilities after transformation

The girl's words were incisive, and Su Wanxi felt a burning sensation in her lungs. She couldn't help but cough a few times, and her left hand reached up to her chest and gently stroked it back and forth.

Qin Kexin stared at Su Wanxi, waiting for the other to cough lessen before continuing, "But later I heard Chengzi explain that you had other things to take care of that day, and besides, you were no longer a member of the team the moment the Hermit Bureau disbanded..."

Qin Kexin pinched her fingertips hard, her voice low and hoarse: "What right do I have to criticize others? I'm the one who's always been taken care of and always dragged down by everyone."

There's nothing to complain about. The girl had already figured it out; Zhou Li's death was simply because she hadn't tried hard enough and couldn't help.

Su Wanxi's throat felt dry, and her long hair, draped over her shoulders, naturally fell down, covering her ears.

"If Sister Xi really wanted to shirk responsibility, she could have simply not joined the Hermit Bureau in the first place."

Miss Su from Kyoto, if you put yourself in her shoes, most people wouldn't risk their lives to work for the Hermit Bureau. Being a socialite, where you only have to think about how to spend your money every day, isn't that better than a week of fixed training and a job that's available 24/7?

Qin Kexin pouted slightly and said in a soft voice, "Sister Xi has done very well."

......

The air seemed to freeze for a moment as Qin Kexin heard the clock ticking away, accompanied by the crisp sound of high heels hitting the ground.

The girl closed her legs, took a sip of coffee from the can, and rested her chin on her hand.

"Are these all your own thoughts...?" Su Wanxi frowned slightly, momentarily dazed, her slender white fingers twisting the paper until it crumpled.

Qin Kexin shook her head and explained sweetly, "Not entirely."

“Many of these things were told to me by Chengzi. She said that Sister Xi is just used to taking on everything herself, and she easily feels sorry for herself when something goes wrong.”

"What else did she say?" Su Wanxi's curiosity was suddenly piqued, and the oppressive atmosphere in the room eased considerably.

Qin Kexin seemed to have read Su Wanxi's mind and continued to steer the conversation towards Gu Cheng: "Chengzi also said that Sister Xi is the best person she has ever met. Although she looks aloof on the outside, she is actually super gentle. She can play the piano, read French, remembers to bring fruit to the children at the orphanage, and remembers the dates to buy them red dates and candy..."

"Chengzi herself admitted that being able to win over Xi Jie is the happiest thing for her, without exception."

Huh? Wasn't it me who pursued her?

Su Wanxi tentatively asked, "She doesn't blame me either?"

Having single-handedly facilitated her lover's retirement, and not immediately siding with him on the issue of revenge, Su Wanxi always believed that Gu Cheng harbored at least a little bit of disappointment towards her.

Seeing this, Qin Kexin quickly explained, "How could Chengzi blame you? She even complained that she sometimes spoke too harshly and didn't take Xi-jie's feelings into consideration at all."

The girl swore to God that she had never lied.

Wanwan just wanted her to live a peaceful and healthy life, but the method was not satisfactory. These were indeed Gu Cheng's original words.

Su Wanxi felt a warmth in her heart after hearing this, and her eyebrows and eyes gradually relaxed.

Qin Kexin seized the opportunity to say a lot more, about Gu Cheng and about what happened after they left Lanjiang.

"How long are you planning to stay this time?" Seeing that the coffee was finished, Su Wanxi took the initiative to get up and pour two cups of hot tea.

"I don't know. The initial plan from my superiors is for me to keep watch for more than two months, but I'm not sure about the specifics yet."

Qin Kexin slumped onto the table, saying weakly, "It seems like we have to go through some underground tunnel. It all sounds so troublesome..."

"Then you need to take better care of your health."

Qin Kexin took the teacup and responded weakly.

"it is good."

Chapter 251, Section 256: The Other Side of the Door

A full week had passed since the explorer team began surveying the ruins. They still had more than half of their water and food left, and their clothes had been dried over the campfire, making them quite comfortable to wear.

The only drawback was the tactical flashlight that Jiang Xuewei had placed in her weapon belt. Its bulb was broken by a group of red-eyed bats with sharp fangs, and it couldn't light up even when plugged in.

After patiently trying, Jiang Xuewei realized that the item in her hand could not be repaired, so she threw the light bulb and the residue into the trash bag.

"It's about time we headed to the core area today." The two had only explored the outer perimeter of the ruins for some time, but they still encountered many supernatural creatures. The red-eyed bats were just cute little ones among them; the truly troublesome ones were the cave spiders and the slippery mutated leeches.

Gu Cheng put on black riding boots and tied her long flaxen hair back with a small blue rubber band.

"Now that we've entered the core area, should we change camps?"

The girl touched the cold wall, turned around and looked at Jiang Xuewei, who had just finished packing her sleeping bag and then hung a military dagger on her waist.

"Depending on the situation, try to rest away from the ruins."

Following the route planned a few days ago, the two walked steadily through the densely packed residential area. The black fog grew thicker and thicker. Since the walkie-talkie was malfunctioning, Gu Cheng and Jiang Xuewei could not separate. They could only proceed cautiously, one in front of the other, as they explored the area.

This method of exploration is extremely inefficient, but it is safe, and you can provide support or run away together if you encounter danger.

The core building complex of the Beidu underground ruins is distributed radially, with ancient buildings scattered on both sides of the street. The blue stone steps are covered with bright red moss, and the reliefs and decals between the buildings are either damaged or buried by dust, leaving only the bird-shaped eaves pointing straight to the sky.

The ground was muddy and slippery, with underground currents seeping in mud and sand through cracks of all sizes. Gu Cheng tried her best to slow down, but each time she lifted her boots, they still made a continuous hissing sound.

Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. The insulation properties of the damp sand are greatly reduced, leaving an excellent path for the lightning current to pass through. A blue current surrounded the girl, some of which drilled into the ground, while the rest spread out invisibly.

"Use it sparingly."

Jiang Xuewei whispered a reminder, and Gu Cheng nodded. Once all the juvenile leeches nearby had been killed by the electric current, she took the initiative to stop transmitting her power.

A few drops of water fell from the cave ceiling, mixing into the woman's long, glossy black hair. Jiang Xuewei frowned, vaguely feeling a chill on her scalp.

"The bio-electric radar covers a radius of five meters and no anomalies were detected," Gu Cheng explained, taking a sip of his tea.

Jiang Xuewei adjusted her collar and said calmly, "Let's move forward."

......

Standing on the pier overlooking the entire site, Gu Cheng immediately spotted the slender tower in the center of the ruins. Covered in lush green vegetation, it resembled a towering tree from afar.

The young woman walked with a tense mind. Jiang Xuewei did not pick up any cultural relics along the way, a stark contrast to her previous days when she would collect everything she saw.

"Have you collected everything?" Gu Cheng asked her.

Jiang Xuewei shook her head, exhaling a puff of white mist as she spoke: "Those patterned objects are just used to determine the age, and I understand them pretty well now."

The only answer could be found by entering the tower. The woman sighed silently, forcibly concealing her inner turmoil.

The closer she got to the truth, the more nervous she became, with various tiles placed in the shadows reminding her of the dangers ahead.

"The architectural style of this site is generally in the style of the Southern Song Dynasty, but from the layout and some details, it can be seen that someone has carried out a second reconstruction of the site."

Gu Cheng's gaze fell on Jiang Xuewei's palm, where a black CZ75 sniper rifle gleamed coldly in the flashlight. She spoke up, "You mean, the builder was that feathered serpent named Ying?"

It could speak human language and transform into human form; the ouroboros pattern engraved everywhere in the ruins seems to corroborate this.

Jiang Xuewei hesitated for a moment, neither confirming nor denying, but answering uncertainly, "It's possible..."

"Then what exactly is it? An Awakened One, or a Descended Being?"

Gu Cheng spoke very softly. So far, all the creatures she had encountered were violent and manic, feeding on human life and negative emotions. They seemed completely at odds with the identity of "builders".

Jiang Xuewei stroked the gun handle a few times, her gaze complex as she looked at the ancient tower less than a hundred meters away from them.

"The answer may lie inside."

After saying that, Jiang Xuewei suddenly quickened her pace, and Gu Cheng hurriedly followed, the tactical flashlight at her waist wobbling slightly.

As time passed, the two finally approached the tower. The bio-electric radar could detect fewer and fewer creatures, and even small insects such as spiders and ants were hard to find.

Upon ascending the steps, a wide archway comes into view. It is about two people tall, with silvery-white stones that faintly glow with fluorescent green, and roughly estimated to be several centimeters thick.

Gu Cheng was about to ask Jiang Xuewei how to get in when she caught a glimpse of a long, pale white mark on the edge of a boot.

The girl crouched down to observe carefully, her pupils slightly contracting.

"This door...has been opened recently..."

Chapter 252, Section 257: Ying

As spiritual energy was continuously transferred, the ancient stone gate dissolved in the middle, creating a small hole large enough for one person to pass through. Jiang Xuewei was the first to crawl through, followed closely by Gu Cheng.

The inside of the spire was pitch black, with only the sound of dripping water and footsteps. Gu Cheng subconsciously lowered his center of gravity and pointed the gun at his back, making a few feints.

"No signs of life detected." Consistent with the scan results outside the door, Jiang Xuewei immediately took out several incendiary sticks, lit them, and threw them into the distance.

The orange-yellow flames lit up, illuminating two pretty faces. Jiang Xuewei bent down and pulled out a box of signal flares from the bottom of the girl's boot.

"It's colder here than outside."

There was no wind or damp mist, yet the temperature inside the tower was much lower than outside. Gu Cheng pressed the cylinder of his pistol against his cheek and rubbed it lightly, using the cold touch to stimulate his mind.

"Stay on the ground floor for a while. I'll go gather data from the surrounding area. You'll be responsible for a second scan of the spire, making sure it's accurate."

Jiang Xuewei spoke calmly as she walked into the tower with a dagger and a gun. Gu Cheng followed slowly behind her, observing the environment while receiving feedback from the mental realm.

The information the woman mentioned was the colorful oil painting on the wall. Because the black fog had a special effect similar to EMP, digital cameras could not be used properly, and old-fashioned film would be exposed for unknown reasons. They could only record the patterns in the oldest way.

Jiang Xuewei sat cross-legged, holding a pencil and a stack of white paper, sketching quickly by the dim light.

About half an hour later, several paintings that were eight or nine parts similar to the oil paintings were freshly produced. Jiang Xuewei used the technique of applying thick and light layers of paint instead of color, and planned to compare and memorize them again when she got back.

Still nothing?

"Mmm." Gu Cheng responded softly. Strangely enough, the giant snake she scanned that night seemed to have vanished into thin air, with only the viscous liquid remaining on the boardwalk as proof that it had ever existed.

It slipped away through some underground tunnel, or perhaps... Gu Cheng frowned, her fingers unconsciously gripping the metal baton.

Jiang Xuewei put away her pen and paper, stood up, and slapped her thigh: "Do you think there were this type of buildings in ancient China?"

She pointed to the spiral staircase above, where thin, withered lamp wicks were placed on iron hooks.

"...It looks a bit like a medieval European castle?" Gu Cheng asked tentatively, as she did feel that the interior furnishings didn't quite match the outside world.

Buddhist pagodas during the Song Dynasty were particularly known for their rational construction. Staircases were typically made of solid wood and ascended in a square shape, rather than the stone steps that clung to the pagoda like a coiled snake, as they saw before them.

Jiang Xuewei's mood sombered slightly as she walked forward in her leather boots: "We have no choice but to go up and take a look."

......

Amidst the dilapidated bricks and tiles, and the flickering, dim lights, Gu Cheng deliberately treads lightly, but the low heels still relentlessly tap at her heart.

I don't know when, but the continuous murmurs started to ring in my ears again. It sounded like the tolling of bells from a distant shore, mixed with the nun's rambling prayers.

"Gu Chengyan, I heard it." Gu Cheng's steps faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Is it...calling me?"