"Though we are descendants of the Pharaohs of the wealth civilization, the reality is that most of our people hover just above the poverty line. What can we do? This place is deep in the desert, offering no surplus land or conditions for production. I thank you, my friend, on behalf of the lineage of the Pharaoh's Guardians."

The bearded man in black, who adventured with Zheng Zha in The Mummy Returns, also arrived, and he had specifically brought several elders clad in long robes.

Upon seeing the nineteen-plus tons of gold, these elders’ eyes widened instantly. Following this, they unanimously agreed to Zheng Zha’s proposal to excavate the City of the Dead, guaranteeing that their kinsmen would protect the constructors and ensure the integrity of the supporting lines. If Zheng Zha hadn't been intimately familiar with the film's plot, knowing these men were capable of ultimate sacrifice, he might have mistaken these old men for a den of unscrupulous merchants.

The bearded man in black offered wry smiles and endless explanations, while Zheng Zha laughed openly: "I certainly understand; there’s nothing shameful about this situation. Furthermore, a significant amount of gold remains unexcavated in the City of the Dead. Once all the gold inside is unearthed, your Guardian clan’s living conditions will surely improve. Rest assured."

The bearded man in black shook his head with a bitter smile, and after a long pause, suddenly said, "I heard you already know the legend of the Scorpion King's treasure. I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?" Zheng Zha was taken aback. He couldn't imagine what good or bad news he might have in this world. Currently, only two matters related to the future held significance: one was the Scorpion King's treasure, and the other was digging open Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead. Beyond that,

even if the three major banks collapsed simultaneously, it wouldn't matter; he could simply exchange more gold. So, he immediately shook his head: "Brother, just say it plainly. I truly don't know what good or bad news I could have here."

The bearded man in black offered another bitter smile: "The good news is that our clan will be discussing whether to authorize you to search for the Scorpion King's treasure. After all, we can defend ourselves for a time, but not forever. As your Eastern proverb says, how can one guard against thieves for a thousand days? Therefore, the elders are highly likely to decide to resolve the matter of the Scorpion King completely. We don't wish to wait for a future where the Scorpion King might be resurrected under someone’s conspiracy. Compared to that risk, if your strength earns the elders' approval, and you even obtain the Spear of Judgment, then we will agree to let you seek the Scorpion King's treasure and finally eliminate this demon that has weighed on our hearts." Zheng Zha instantly became excited, proclaiming loudly, "If only that were true! It would be incredibly fortunate to have your assistance!" The bearded man in black continued with a pained smile: "The bad news is that even if the discussion passes, the Spear of Judgment has been missing for over two thousand years. Its last recorded appearance was during a battle between the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh and a certain invading African race. The Pharaoh used the Spear of Judgment to pierce the heart of that African chieftain, but the spear vanished immediately afterward. I apologize, my friend. Without the Spear of Judgment, I believe the elders absolutely will not agree to let you search for the Scorpion King's pyramid."

Hearing this, Zheng Zha's face immediately fell. Based on the plot of The Mummy Returns, the Spear of Judgment suddenly appeared in the hands of Imhotep’s brother, Jonathan, in the film, but the story never mentioned where he obtained it, or even the location of the Scorpion King’s armlet, which was in a subterranean tomb. In short, everything seemed rather ephemeral. He might be unable to find the Scorpion King's treasure. He also wondered about the side quest his counterpart supposedly completed in the first film regarding the Scorpion King's treasure—what was that all about?

"Alas, indeed. We don't even have the armlet, let alone the Spear of Judgment. It seems all of this might be impossible to achieve now," Zheng Zha murmured dejectedly.

The bearded man in black, however, smiled and said, "We do know where the Scorpion King's armlet is—it’s a hidden underground tomb. The pity is that we lost the key to open it, which is the very key to opening the Book of the Dead and the Book of Thoth. Otherwise, we could retrieve the Scorpion King's armlet first. Even if you couldn't find the Spear of Judgment, if we secured the armlet, we could safely conceal it. No one could easily obtain it, right?"

Zheng Zha offered a wry smile and took out the circular disc used to open the books from his storage ring. He muttered, "I do have the key, but without the Spear of Judgment, I doubt even ordinary bullets can defeat the Scorpion King. Ah, never mind. Let's first discuss how to arrange the excavation of Hamunaptra."

The truth was, the Guardian clan had long desired to open Hamunaptra, but the expense was simply too enormous for them to bear independently, which is why the matter had been continuously postponed. Previously, the Guardians feared the curse of the high priest Imhotep and would absolutely not set foot inside the tomb of the City of the Dead. It was only after the smooth unfolding of the events in the first film that the Guardians learned there truly was a vast amount of gold within the City of the Dead, as legend claimed. But by then, it was too late; the entire Hamunaptra had already completely collapsed, and the gold within was buried and lost. Thus, when the Guardians realized Zheng Zha was willing to act as the fall guy to excavate the City of the Dead, they were naturally overjoyed. Because of this, they gradually became more forthcoming regarding the situation of the Scorpion King's treasure.

Zheng Zha grasped all of this from the candid words of the bearded man in black. He immediately began to reflect on this world, concluding that it truly was a world where wealth reigned supreme—at least, the power of money was greater than imagined. And the one thing he lacked was nothing but gold. This truly felt like finding a pillow when he was sleepy.

Regardless, with the Guardians’ assistance, that very day he sent telegrams to O’Connell and the others. Simultaneously, operating under the guise of this civilian organization, he began recruiting laborers in Cairo and several major cities. Their treatment was among the best for that era’s working conditions. After all, Zheng Zha lacked many things, but he certainly did not lack vast amounts of gold waiting to be spent. Finally, within a week, the recruitment and logistical arrangements were completed. These trivial matters were managed in coordination with the Guardian clan. Then, over three thousand laborers, plus more than a thousand camels, carrying a large quantity of tools and a small amount of machinery, began their grand procession towards Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead. Moreover, since they were still in the desert, the continuous need for logistical resupply amounted to an astronomical figure, causing expenses to flow like running water. Zheng Zha had to exchange for another three cubic meters of gold, entrusting this massive sum to the museum curator to manage the logistics system in Cairo, while he himself, along with the bearded man in black, headed for Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead.

The bearded man in black watched the vast procession ahead and said with a bitter smile, "You certainly are lavish. There was no need to go to such extremes. My clan and I have extensive experience excavating such ancient sites. A team of one or two hundred laborers only needs a few months, perhaps half a year at most, to clear out ruins. Even if Hamunaptra is slightly larger and the collapsed section is a bit deeper, you really didn't need to hire so many people; this expense is far too wasteful."

Zheng Zha chuckled twice and spoke earnestly, "What I lack is time. I believe the curator must have already told you: my companions and I are not from this world. They all died in another mission; only I survived. Therefore, I cannot afford to relax on time. I must pay a price to be in this world, and because the cost is so high, I can only stay for three months. This is the absolute limit I can manage. No matter what, Hamunaptra must be successfully excavated within three months. I must obtain the Book of Thoth that fell off the cliff—and I absolutely must have it—so I can use it to resurrect my companions. That is why I humbly requested your help; my own strength is too weak. I need you, partner." The bearded man in black gritted his teeth and replied, "Understood! Men of the desert are not ungrateful wretches! I will use my influence to sway the elders' decision. Some of our kin mentioned that the Spear of Judgment appeared in a few small African countries, but the spear seems to have been stolen. I will have our people investigate this matter immediately. In any case, let us focus on the task at hand first. Rest assured, partner, we will certainly secure the Book of Thoth within three months. If the progress lags, I will have my people pitch in as well. Be at ease! Men of the desert never forget a partner they fought alongside!" Africa... stolen... For some unknown reason, a hazy inference suddenly surfaced in Zheng Zha's mind. Although this inference seemed somewhat ridiculous or absurd, coincidence sometimes shaped reality. Could the affairs of the world truly be so coincidental? "I hope so. I pray Heaven will also protect me," Zheng Zha murmured to himself, gazing at the boundless blue sky.

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