Zheng Zha chuckled inwardly, muttering curses under his breath. "Damn it, it was six feet, when did it become seven? Stop messing around, O’Connell, go find us some rope!" O’Connell’s voice drifted down from above the cliff edge. "How am I supposed to find rope up here? Should I go out to the cavalry and ask them?" Zheng Zha roared back, "Damn it, use your clothes and trousers to tie some strong knots! I can’t hold on much longer."

Immediately, a ripping sound echoed from above the two men. Before long, a thick strip of fabric dangled down toward them. Zheng Zha tugged it, then called up, "Wrap this around something sturdy up there! We’ll climb up ourselves—don't pull on it!" After a short wait, shouts finally came from above again. O’Connell and the other two had managed to secure the makeshift rope. Zheng Zha gave it a firm yank; it held fast. The rope, clearly fashioned from shirts and pants, looked surprisingly sound.

Zheng Zha hoisted Jonathan up with one hand, letting him take the rope first. Only after Jonathan was safely pulled over the edge did Zheng Zha begin to climb himself. Reaching the cliff top, he burst out laughing. Standing before him were three stark-naked men, illuminated by the light—thankfully, they were all wearing underwear, otherwise, the scene would have been comically archaic.

O’Connell inspected the rope, which was already fraying in places. He stood up abruptly. "Damn it, we might as well just fight the mummies bare-handed! But those strips of cloth still wrapped around them make us look utterly pathetic!" Zheng Zha grinned. "You've still got your underwear on. What about the Book of Life?" Everyone snapped back to attention. Jonathan urgently interjected, "The Sun of Ra has to be down here! Look at the base of this statue—it’s cast in solid gold! How could the Sun of Ra not be beneath it? I wouldn’t believe it even if you beat me to death!" "Is all you see is gold?" Zheng Zha shook his head with a wry smile. Only now was he beginning to process the searing agony that followed unlocking the Gene Lock.

Once that wave of pain subsided, he was drenched in sweat, though the others around him seemed to notice nothing unusual about him.

The museum curator spoke up. "The Sun of Ra is definitely down there, but retrieving it is proving tricky. It seems to be connected to a strange combination lock; the Sun of Ra must be dragged into a precise position to extract even a small portion. Forcibly moving it might destroy the artifact entirely. We are about two-thirds of the way there; just give us another two or three minutes to fully retrieve it."

Zheng Zha thought for a moment, then addressed them. "You continue retrieving the Sun of Ra here. I'm going to track that person we saw earlier. Be careful; I don't think Imhotep will let us have it that easily. His silence for so long worries me."

Jonathan was completely fixated on the immense, thick golden pedestal beneath the statue, replying casually, "What silence? Does gold make that much noise?" Before the words fully left his mouth, a colossal roar erupted from the depths of the tomb—a sound like a lion mixed with a tiger, but definitely not Imhotep’s. Zheng Zha and O’Connell exchanged a look. Without a word, Zheng Zha grabbed the rope, kicked off, and swung toward the opposite side of the chasm. Laughing and roaring, he sprinted toward the deeper recesses of the tomb. Suddenly, his vision cleared; without realizing it, he had run into the altar area deep within the tomb. There, Imhotep was delicately placing a mummy between Jan Lan and Eve, his expression akin to cherishing a lover.

The young monk instantly sighed in relief. Before he could speak, a fierce gust struck him, slamming his entire body violently onto the ground.

What he saw was a row of massive teeth.

A Sphinx! And this one’s human face sported terrifyingly sharp dentition. The enormous Sphinx, over five meters long, pinned the young monk down. Its face revealed lion-like, sharp fangs, and saliva dripped onto the monk’s face, making it seem as if it intended to swallow him whole.

The young monk, however, was not without power. With a slight movement of his hand, two giant cobras lunged from opposite directions, snapping the Sphinx’s head to pieces. The sheer force scattered the creature’s limbs across the altar. The monk used the opportunity to spring back to his feet.

Spitting out sand, the monk asked coldly, "Imhotep! Do you wish to attack an ally? Your lover isn't resurrected yet, is she?" Imhotep watched the giant cobras circling the monk with apparent interest, sneering, "You look quite disheveled. Rest assured, my ally. I still require your strength against those 'Zhongzhou Team' members. How do you feel about my guards?" The monk suddenly heard the sound of sand scraping behind him. He turned back just in time to see the Sphinx gradually reconstituting itself—its body was composed entirely of sand, allowing it to reform instantly after being shattered. In moments, the Sphinx had completely returned to its solid state from the sand.

The monk stared in astonishment at the vast hall. There were seven or eight Sphinxes surrounding the area, each with a body over five meters long—monsters that had never appeared in the Mummy films. Their power was terrifying, and crucially, they could self-regenerate. The monk felt a mixture of shock and delight. He quickly urged, "They are down there digging for the Book of Life! You must stop them! If they manage to unearth the book, I fear your magical power could be stripped away by it. Aren't you worried?" Imhotep laughed heartily. "Don't worry, I’ve already sent tomb guardians after them. I’m just waiting for that man named Zheng Zha to hurry up. Once I obtain the Scroll of the Dead, I can resurrect my beloved Anck-su-namun." As he spoke, he tenderly stroked the mummy’s body once more.

Just as the monk was about to urge Imhotep to send these Sphinxes to attack Zheng Zha and the others, a blood-soaked figure suddenly burst into the altar hall from the opposite end. It was Lamb, clutching his chest where blood flowed ceaselessly. He staggered in, screaming, "Save me, Captain, save me! I'm dying, Captain, use your Dharma Wheel to save me!" The monk’s Dharma Wheel could both heal injuries and protect its wielder, making it a rare Buddhist artifact, costing a B-rank side mission plus substantial bonus points to acquire. However, its usage was limited, much like internal energy or power reserves. While it could regenerate, excessive use would eventually deplete its energy, causing the protective light to fail.

The monk only had one arm remaining. He quickly supported Lamb. "You were shot? Did a member of the Zhongzhou Team hit you? It looks like it struck your lung." Lamb wailed, "Yes, Captain, I have no strength left. I only managed to run this far by taking a marching pill. Captain, please save me."

The monk’s face twisted savagely. "The Dharma Wheel’s energy is too low! I have to fight them later; I can't go without the protection of the Dharma light! I can’t give the Zhongzhou Team even a single extra point! Rest in peace!" He lifted Lamb and hurled him upward. The twin-headed cobra instantly caught Lamb. The man’s scream barely escaped before he was torn into pieces by the two massive serpentine heads. The gory sight made even Imhotep wrinkle his brow.

The monk began to laugh maniacally. "It doesn't matter—it’s just losing one point! As long as I kill their captain! And then slaughter the rest of them, I’ll still gain massive scenario points! Bonus points are easy to earn! Hahaha!" As he finished speaking, the monk’s gaze fell upon the blood-soaked sack lying on the ground and on Jan Lan resting on the altar. Uncontrollable greed and killing intent filled his eyes.

"What if you died?" A cold female voice echoed from the passage Lamb had used. Zhao Yingkong stood there, holding a dagger wreathed in flame. The little girl’s eyes were utterly devoid of emotion; she seemed the embodiment of darkness, her gaze locked solely on the monk's heart.

Imhotep appeared deeply wary of the flaming dagger. As he prepared to command the Sphinxes to attack Zhao Yingkong, another voice drifted in from the same passage the monk had used: "That's right, what if the person who dies is you? So what? Captain of the Yinzhou Team?" Zheng Zha ground his teeth and spoke coldly. He emerged from the passage, a flicker of relief and solace crossing his face upon seeing Zhao Yingkong. When his eyes fixed on the monk, however, an uncontrollable killing intent surged—so potent that even dozens of meters away, the monk shivered. Recalling Zheng Zha's previous relentless pursuit, the fear erupted uncontrollably within him.

Zheng Zha and Zhao Yingkong exchanged no more words. Their eyes glazed over momentarily, and they surged forward, feet pounding toward the nearest Sphinx. In an instant, Zheng Zha’s left fist and Zhao Yingkong’s flaming dagger struck the closest Sphinx simultaneously, piercing straight through and shattering it! Jumping forward—