It’s only by using both of these energies that I can deploy the ‘Explosion’ and ‘Annihilation’ skills; otherwise, relying solely on my physical energy to use them at such a high drain would, at most, turn me into a zombie or a skeleton within seconds.

Zheng Zha smiled and continued his explanation: “The same logic applies. A life form—uh, let’s tentatively assume that monster is a life form, just one that far surpasses our imagination—a life form cannot possess an infinite source of energy.

The Bloodline energy and internal energy within me will also run out. Therefore, for such a life form, especially without the aid of Bloodline energy and internal energy, relying only on its own cellular energy—even if those cells can continuously absorb external life forms to provide power.

But what if I don't even give it time to absorb? Once it reaches the intensity of the ‘Annihilation’ state, it will be instantly drained by the sheer, terrifying consumption of energy. Furthermore, as it said, its body cells evolve simultaneously. In other words, even the cells embedded within Alex’s body would undergo this same evolution.

In just a matter of tens of seconds, or even less, its cellular energy would be exhausted, and then all of its cells would instantly wither and die, all at once, leaving absolutely no residue behind...” “I suspect the mask monsters from the Mayan civilization were destroyed for much the same reason.

Because evolution is irreversible and non-selective, if everything evolves solely based on achieving maximum power, eventually, the species will inevitably become unsuitable for survival. Undeniably. This life form might indeed be incredibly strong, surpassing human imagination.

It might be nearly unkillable, but as it continues to evolve, the only possible outcome for such an almost perfect species is that its cells can no longer bear the excessive power, leading to death. I merely expedited that process into a matter of tens of seconds.”

This was happening in one of the best hospitals in New York City. With money being no object, the group had naturally booked the best private rooms for their recuperation. During the battle that night, not only was Zheng Zha severely injured, but the others also sustained injuries to varying degrees. The most seriously wounded of all was O’Connell; he had forcefully dragged his wife and... Jonathan away to protect them, resulting in one of his arms being dislocated by a zombie strike. He was, consequently, the most heavily injured among them.

The reason the others suffered relatively minor injuries was entirely due to Chu Xuan’s incredibly timely and dramatic actions. He hadn't led the group to the plaza as Zheng Zha suggested; instead, he directed them through the hotel to the top floor. From there, he commanded Wang Xia to set timed explosives that utterly demolished the stairwells. This effectively prevented the zombies from reaching the top floor, save for a few massive ones that managed to climb up the exterior walls, but they were quickly shot down to the ground, allowing the group to hold out until Imhotep returned. Remarkably, not a single person suffered a fatal injury.

Subsequently, the group settled into the hospital, while those who were relatively unharmed began searching the area where the monster had been located for the Golden Mask.

Zheng Zha asked Evy, “Is Alex alright? This kid is going to be a great explorer when he grows up; he went through this danger with us at such a young age, ha ha ha...” Evy’s eyes reddened slightly, but she replied with a smile, “Yes, there are virtually no lasting side effects. I managed to remove the implanted monster cells from his chest; the area where they were lodged has completely necrotized and drained out as pus. At the time, we thought he had turned into one of them... but thankfully, the cells necrotic speed was too fast; they didn't have time to infect him. Zheng Zha, thank you...” Zheng Zha laughed heartily, “Why say such things? Aren't we comrades who fought side-by-side? Do we need to be so polite to comrades? Ha ha ha... All we need is for you to join us in searching for that Mayan civilization ruin in a few days.”

Evy nodded repeatedly; the adventuring spirit within this woman had been reawakened. Her eyes shone as she exclaimed, “Yes! Last time we went, we were rushed; this time, we must examine that ruin thoroughly this time...” “Exactly, exactly!” Jonathan added, his eyes also shining, though the light in his eyes was distinctly golden.

“Right, we must examine everything in that ruin carefully. I heard the wall carvings were covered everywhere with the word ‘Gold’!” O’Connell said impatiently from the side, “They wrote ‘Golden Mask,’ okay! You always omit the word ‘Mask’ from the beginning!” Jonathan merely laughed, “Relax, relax, a golden mask and gold are both gold, aren’t they? Relax, relax...” Zheng Zha quickly interjected, “Well... that seems slightly different, doesn't it? In any case, let's all go to that Mayan ruin together...” Evy’s eyes continued to shine with particular intensity. She went on, “Speaking of which, my mentor once told me about a Holy Grail hidden somewhere in the United States. Legend says the substance contained within that Grail can also evolve humans into higher life forms, and the simplest benefit is eternal life. My mentor heard this story from someone named Indiana Jones. I don’t know if it’s true... I wonder if you’re all interested? Why don't we go search for this Grail too...”

Everyone around involuntarily shivered, though they weren't sure why. The mere mention of ‘higher life form’ sent a chill down their spines, so they started chatting and laughing amongst themselves, completely ignoring Evy’s anxious expression.

Imhotep, standing nearby, asked curiously, “Did your teacher really say there was a substance that could grant eternal life? Inside an artifact called the Holy Grail? Are you certain that item is located in the country of America?” Evy nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, that’s right. Even if I don't know if it’s true, I will follow the clues my teacher gave me to find this man named Indiana Jones, and then I’ll ask him where the Grail is. Even if it turns out to be false, at least we’ll know it’s false, right? What? Are you very interested in this Grail?” Imhotep nodded, “I have indeed become somewhat interested. If we can truly find this Grail, I would like to test if it can truly grant eternal life...”

Zheng Zha sighed and asked, “Imhotep, does this mean our agreement is void? You aren't planning to enter the ‘Main God’ space with us?” This handsome bald man hesitated for a long time.

He finally resolved himself and said, “Because once I enter the ‘Main God’ space, I don't know if Anck-su-namun will enter with me during combat. If the terrifying worlds you encounter are as dangerous as this one, then I have no intention of going in right now. I will first search for the Grail’s location. If the Grail cannot grant Anck-su-namun eternal life, then I will wait for you in Egypt and enter the ‘Main God’ space with you. But do you swear there is truly a drug in there that grants eternal life?” Zheng Zha nodded and said, “Yes. I swear that there is indeed a drug for eternal life in there, but it requires a lot of reward points and sub-plots. For example, after we defeated this monster this time, I only received one B-rank sub-plot and 5000 reward points. That’s nowhere near enough to buy the drug you want. But I imagine, with your immortal body and magic, entering there should allow you to easily acquire those reward points and sub-plots, right? So, are you truly certain you won’t return with us?”

Imhotep hesitated for a moment before firmly nodding, “Yes. To ensure her safety, I must test everything here first. If that fails, only then will I consider entering the ‘Main God’ space. How about this: three years. I will give you an answer within three years...”

Zheng Zha calculated silently. A horror movie world, relative to the time in this world, was almost a year to nearly two years. This meant that after at most two horror movies, he could allow Imhotep to enter the ‘Main God’ space. Although it was a longer wait, having such a powerful individual join the Central Team would undoubtedly boost their strength. Even if he possessed the Resurrection Sutra, Zheng Zha had the Book of the Dead to resurrect him, so there was no need to fear his death.

“Then it’s settled! I will wait for your news in three years!” After saying this, Zheng Zha lay down on the soft hospital bed. He stared at the white ceiling in a daze before slowly drifting off to sleep... That battle had exhausted him completely; first the ‘Explosion’ skill, then the ‘Annihilation’ skill; he still felt lethargic and sleepy now...

“Then... once we find the Golden Mask, we’ll head to those ancient Mayan civilization ruins! Jump to