Director Ding finally ceased his actions, yet the astonishment in everyone’s hearts remained utterly unrestrained. No—

Zhong Shenxiu stepped forward to examine the Demon Worm, which was no longer capable of a single twitch, sensing that it harbored numerous secrets still unawakened within its shell!

It seemed like he would need to set aside time later for proper research!

Currently, Zhong Shenxiu did not wish to waste too much time on study, as countless treasures awaited him within the ancient tomb; putting everything else aside, just the small stone chambers alone contained a great deal of valuable loot!

Finally, Zhong Shenxiu instructed Robin to carefully stow the Demon Worm, then pushed open a stone door and stepped inside!

The others remained standing there, frozen in stunned silence. Only when Zhong Shenxiu emerged from that chamber and headed toward another did they snap back to reality!

Now that the monster was gone, they no longer needed to feel fear, and naturally followed Zhong Shenxiu to see what treasures lay within these stone rooms!

It was only upon looking that they were stunned anew: these chambers were, in fact, storerooms, filled with various items arranged with meticulous order—and every single one was an artifact from the War Era!

So much! This time, they had truly hit the jackpot!

The mercenaries were beside themselves with excitement, completely forgetting the terror they had just experienced, and lunged forward to claim their share of the good things.

However, before they could reach the items, they were halted by Angelia and the others!

What gives?

The mercenaries blinked in surprise, then immediately remembered: they had previously promised Zhong Shenxiu that every treasure encountered along the journey would belong solely to the 'Misty Mercenary Group.' This meant these mercenaries had the right only to look!

If one were to ask what true frustration felt like, observing these mercenaries would provide the perfect answer!!

Watching Kaine and Robin meticulously collect these 'War Relics' one after another, the hearts of these mercenaries chilled down to their very cores.

Though deeply unwilling, these mercenaries dared not utter a single 'no.' Forgetting that they depended on the 'Misty Mercenary Group' to guide them out of this tomb, the sheer power Robin had just displayed was enough to keep them from causing any further trouble!

Robin and Kaine worked with practiced swiftness. In but a few moments, they had swept the area clean.

The next room was an armory, where the weapons inside made everyone’s eyes water with longing. Despite the immense passage of time, the sheen on the metal was as good as new; sold today, these would fetch exorbitant prices!

No matter how much their eyes coveted the goods, these items were not for them. Kaine and Robin again joined forces, and in another few minutes, they had completely emptied that chamber too!

Now, a single question plagued everyone: where in the world were the two storing all these items? They had already stowed away a great quantity of goods previously. Even the most advanced magic rings must be nearing their spatial limits, yet Kaine and Robin clearly looked capable of holding even more. This baffled everyone!

They had made a rather elementary mistake: their gaze had fixed solely on the rings adorning Kaine and Robin’s fingers, causing them to overlook the identical—though vastly different in size—bracelets wrapped around their wrists.

Of course, it wasn't entirely their fault; after all, in this world, the concept of a Storage Bracelet simply did not exist!

The subsequent stone chamber was a room akin to a study, filled with books and various personal journals!

Drawing upon his prior experience, Zhong Shenxiu produced the specially refined potions he had prepared earlier and sprayed them over the books and manuscripts.

As Robin began collecting these literary works, Zhong Shenxiu casually picked up a notebook from the stone table. He flipped it open lightly and immediately frowned.

In that moment, he felt an almost overwhelming urge to punch someone!

The handwriting in this journal was utterly atrocious. Zhong Shenxiu stared, straining his eyes, but failed to decipher more than a few characters. It was comparable to Gandalf's notoriously scribbled notes!

Gandalf, standing nearby, watched Zhong Shenxiu’s expression with curiosity. Although he desperately wanted to know what the books contained, he dared not touch another until Zhong Shenxiu permitted it. All he could do now was gauge the value of these texts by scrutinizing the shifts in Zhong Shenxiu’s countenance!

Just as Gandalf wondered why Zhong Shenxiu was frowning, the latter suddenly looked up and fixed a gaze upon him.

Gandalf started, quickly averting his eyes, but at that precise instant, Zhong Shenxiu’s voice rang out: "Gandalf, come here!"

Gandalf had not expected Zhong Shenxiu to call him by name. While surprised, he couldn't help but feel a touch of confusion, wondering why Zhong Shenxiu summoned him over.

"Leader, what is it?" Gandalf approached.

Zhong Shenxiu held the notebook out before him and asked, "Can you read the script here?"

Gandalf’s gaze involuntarily dropped to the notebook, and the next moment, his body trembled, a look of sheer terror flashing across his face.

Not only could he decipher the writing in the journal, but he instantly realized this was no ordinary manuscript—it was undeniably a Death Note!

The person who wrote this journal must have known their life was nearing its end, as they had recorded every significant event from that period!

This could very well be a record capable of inciting global upheaval, for the author’s identity was clearly linked to the War Era! This notebook likely held the true revelation behind the war's origins and consequences!

Zhong Shenxiu needed no further questioning; he had already gleaned everything from the changes in Gandalf’s expression and the complex look in his eyes that he could read the notes!

It seemed he hadn't chosen the wrong person! Zhong Shenxiu smiled, then carefully closed the notebook, saying something profoundly teasing to Gandalf: "You can look at this journal later!"

Gandalf paused, then a burst of joy washed over him. He knew Zhong Shenxiu always kept his word; if he said he could view it later, he absolutely would. He never imagined having the chance to glimpse the beginning and end of the War—it was enough to make one's blood boil!

What Gandalf didn't realize was that Zhong Shenxiu wouldn't just let him look for free; he expected Gandalf to transcribe the contents of the journal. Perfection in penmanship wasn't required, only legibility for Zhong Shenxiu! Luckily, Gandalf had experience with this exact task before! (Sigh!)

This stone chamber was quickly cleared out. In the subsequent rooms, almost every single one delivered a fresh surprise, and each time they entered, everything inside was emptied, perfectly embodying the 'Total Extermination' policy!

After every chamber was left completely bare, Zhong Shenxiu didn't immediately press on to the next path. Instead, he directed his gaze towards the 'Light Element Crystal Spheres' embedded in the ceiling. In the end, he took every last one of those spheres!

Then, Zhong Shenxiu pulled a mechanism, opening the massive stone door directly ahead. The group followed this path onward.

The journey proceeded with intermittent stops and listening; unexpected gains were constant, and occasionally, a few stray Magical Beasts would dart out, all of which Robin easily collected into his storage rings.

Without realizing it, five days had slipped by.

Five days felt like an eternity to these mercenaries. Although the journey was punctuated by danger but ultimately safe, their minds and bodies had suffered immense strain!

They had no idea how much longer this would last. Why did the path ahead feel perpetually long? Why did it seem to grow darker the further they went? Why were they encountering more and more Magical Beasts?

The mercenaries had begun to notice something: they didn't feel like they were walking out, but rather walking in.

During another rest stop, Haliman finally couldn't hold back and asked Zhong Shenxiu: "Young friend, how much longer until we reach the exit?"

The other mercenaries also perked up their ears. They, too, craved a definitive timeline.

However, Zhong Shenxiu looked up at Haliman and uttered a sentence that nearly caused everyone to choke: "Did I ever say I intended to leave?"

"What?" At that moment, Haliman’s eyes nearly bulged out; this statement was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue.

What did that mean?

They weren't fools; a brief moment of thought revealed the implication hidden in his words.

"You… you mean we aren't heading toward the outside now?" one mercenary finally asked the crucial question directly.

"Of course!" Zhong Shenxiu replied with a smile, seemingly enjoying their expressions of shock.

In that instant, the mercenaries desperately wished they could collectively strangle Zhong Shenxiu, but the fear of Robin intervening compelled them to stop their impulse.

"Then… where are we going?" Haliman suppressed the anger churning in his chest and asked.

"To the center of the ancient tomb!" Zhong Shenxiu stated calmly, and if one listened closely, a definite hint of anticipation and excitement could be perceived in his tone!

Indeed, if the periphery of the tomb yielded so many benefits, what wonders must await them at the very core?

"The center of the ancient tomb?" Haliman exclaimed in disbelief.

It wasn't strange for him to be so shocked, as the center of an ancient tomb was invariably the core of the entire structure. It would certainly be riddled with intricate traps and extremely difficult to locate; one wrong move could lead to being lost within it forever!

Thus, Haliman earnestly tried to persuade Zhong Shenxiu to abandon this notion with a barrage of careful reasoning. But his words had absolutely no effect; instead, they spurred Zhong Shenxiu to set off immediately!

Enough talk. Thus, the group traveled for another two days.

Since learning Zhong Shenxiu’s true objective, the mercenaries wore faces like wilted vegetables all day long—as if they were being marched to the execution grounds!

It couldn't be helped; they had no claim on the treasures, yet they were forced to endure the dangers alongside him. Any person in their position would feel unbalanced. If it weren't for the sheer might of Robin, they would have already staged a full-blown rebellion!

On this day, the passage ahead clearly changed its nature, beginning a downward slope, and the ground was slick with beads of moisture.

Though confused by this strange phenomenon, the group had no desire to stop and investigate, simply following Zhong Shenxiu onward.

After walking for about an hour more, the sight that greeted them caused the several ladies' faces to drain of color! Robin, however, was unaffected! (Sigh!)