Time slowly wore on, and the group finally arrived at the downstream port. This was purely a commercial harbor, teeming with merchant ships from top to bottom. Occasionally, a passenger liner would disembark people here, but boarding one at this location would undoubtedly be a difficult feat—that is, for ordinary people.

Zheng Zha still had two gold bars left, along with numerous gold grains. He casually tossed out a few grains, easily securing passage for the group onto a passenger ship. Moreover, he even selected several deluxe cabins for them. In short: money makes the world go round; with enough of it, you could probably make the devil turn the millstone.

Following the river upstream, the group was expected to return to Cairo by dusk the following day. There, unknown destinies and unseen enemies awaited them... Would it be life, death, or a desperate struggle toward hope? Zheng Zha took a bottle of tequila and lay down on the deck. Since arriving in this world of gods and phantoms, he had seldom enjoyed a period of quiet leisure like this evening. To prevent a recurrence of the Buddhist Scripture incident from the previous horror movie, he kept the Necronomicon close to his person at all times. Even if someone needed to look at it, or if Qi Tengyi needed to translate the text for him, it had to remain within arm's reach. No one, not even the combined forces of Zero Point and Zhao Yingkong, could defeat him nearby and seize the Necronomicon. This, he supposed, was the source of his greatest confidence.

“Drinking?” a male voice called out from the far end of the deck. It was Zhang Jie.

Without turning his head, Zheng Zha retrieved another bottle of tequila from his Spatial Ring. Zhang Jie made no ceremony of it; he sat down on his own accord, opened the bottle, and took several long swigs.

“Are you… already feeling weary?” Zhang Jie downed half the bottle in one go and then stretched out flat on the deck beside him.

“Uh? Well… yes, I feel tired,” Zheng Zha admitted.

Zheng Zha exhaled a breath and also took a deep swallow. The liquor hit his throat and quickly turned into a searing, hot current, warming his entire body.

“Is it because death could strike at any moment?” Zhang Jie asked after a moment of silence.

Zheng Zha drained the rest of the tequila in his hand in one go, tossed the empty bottle casually off the side of the passenger ship, and stated plainly, “Everyone could die at any moment. In fact, after lingering on the edge of death for so long, other than the bonds that make one want to live, most of the time you start to view life and death with indifference. Take me for instance; I could never have imagined being so dismissive of other people’s lives before, or taking them so easily… What truly tires me is having to fight while constantly guarding against the companions beside me. If you can’t even trust the person behind you, that is the real reason for my exhaustion.”

“If… if only…” Zhang Jie also finished his bottle in one swift motion, then murmured, “…Brother, aren't you curious why the Indian Continent Team is stronger than our Central Continent Team? The names of the continents are assigned by the ‘Main God’ based on ancient continental divisions. The Indian Continent generally refers to the area encompassing modern-day India, the Indonesian archipelago, and those Arab nations bordering the Dead Sea that lean towards India. The Central Continent, conversely, is a collective term for the lands extending north from the territory of modern China. Regardless of the land size or population, the number of people who enter the Central Continent Team is absolutely the largest among all the Reincarnation Teams. So… why is our Central Continent Team weaker than the Indian Continent Team? Are you truly not curious?” Zheng Zha pulled out yet another bottle from his Spatial Ring and said calmly, “That’s why I’ve been waiting for you to speak…” “If… give me some time. If you survive this confrontation with the Indian Continent Team, I will tell you everything. Then… no, there is no ‘then.’ Want a cigarette?” Zhang Jie finished his fractured speech, then pulled a pack of cigarettes from his coat. He tossed one to Zheng Zha before lighting one for himself. Taking the offered cigarette, Zheng Zha felt a flicker of disorientation, as if he were instantly transported back to the first time he met Zhang Jie in Resident Evil 1—that slightly cold man, that lit cigarette…

Cairo. After leaving, the group returned, but each person's mood had subtly shifted. They now knew of the Indian Continent Team’s existence and that they were superior to their own side, yet they had to kill at least one of them… Under these circumstances, the presence of the Necronomicon offered them a sliver of hope. Simply put, their feelings were incredibly complex.

As soon as they disembarked, Imhotep immediately turned to Zheng Zha and said, “Then, according to our agreement, we go retrieve the Mummy… and you are responsible for eliminating that ghastly thing. We will handle securing the Book of Life… but during this time, you must ensure our safety. Agreed?” Zheng Zha nodded. “Agreed. We will protect you… from a distance. When you retrieve the Mummy, we will contact you. Oh, and you should carry a cat with you at all times; it will help prevent the Mummy from attacking you…” The three Egyptians stared blankly as Zheng Zha’s group walked further away. Imhotep quickly called out, “Where are you going? How will we contact you? Hey…” “We will naturally come to find you. Do not stay too close to us; people will die… Also, Imhotep, thank you for all your care during this time. Farewell.”

Meanwhile, in a hotel somewhere within the city of Cairo, several figures sat quietly in a large room. Suddenly, a girl with closed eyes stirred slightly and murmured, “The Central Continent Team has returned to Cairo. Their location is approximately near the port.”

These figures were gathered around a young monk sitting cross-legged. The monk asked, “Who is nearest to that location?” A tall, thin man with pale skin took out a palm-sized device, checked it, and then reported, “Imani and Muhammad Yussuf are the closest…” The monk frowned. “Imani’s muscle bursts are too strong; he risks causing unnecessary commotion. Muhammad Yussuf’s high-tech weaponry is also unsuitable for fighting within the city… Just instruct them to probe the Central Continent Team according to standard procedure. Also, have Aroth hurry over. If those two get injured, Aroth is to preserve their lives; with his medical skills, it shouldn't be too difficult… That will be all. Test the strength of the Central Continent Team—see if they are prey, or if they are enemies capable of conversing with us as equals!”