‘One of the thirty-two most dangerous weapons in the world?’
Han Su looked at the Bronze Armor Statue with some surprise, an indescribable shock rising in his heart. Similar things could be seen everywhere in the Ancient Castle.
If this was a Divine Weapon, then the monsters in the Ancient Castle, could they really be...
“Go, take it out, be careful!”
While Han Su's heart was entangled with complex fear and astonishment, the members of the Crystal Skull Organization had already begun moving. One of them, who stood beside the one called Professor—the leader of the Crystal Skull Organization—received the order, rolled up his sleeve, and slowly reached toward the Mechanical Fragment on the platform.
An unusual scene unfolded. As his palm approached the Mechanical Fragment, the flesh on his arm peeled off layer by layer, then turned into flying ash.
In merely two seconds, all the flesh on his arm had been eroded clean, leaving only the purest bone behind.
Yet, his crystal-like bones could still be controlled by him. Bit by bit, he continued to reach forward. The moment he touched the Mechanical Fragment, even the bones began to melt, but he still gripped the fragment and tugged out a portion of it.
When he could no longer bear it, a second person immediately stepped forward to continue retrieving the Mechanical Fragment.
‘Even the bodies and minds of the Crystal Skull members have mutated, yet they still have to relay the effort to retrieve it?’Han Su hid behind a pillar, watching with a slight chill in his heart. He pulled out the Low-Sensitivity Fiber Gloves he had received from the Disaster Management Bureau.
Holding his breath, he watched as those people alternated in a cycle—one took two centimeters, another three—until finally, one of them lost all flesh on both arms before they successfully moved the Mechanical Fragment to the edge of the platform.
Only then did a prepared person behind them bring forth a box, and the Professor carefully picked up the Mechanical Fragment and placed it into the box.
“Let’s go!”
The Professor gave a low command, his voice faintly tinged with excitement.
‘No, I need to create chaos—let them fight with Lilac Courtyard first...’
Han Su made his decision in silence.
Showing off wasn’t wise.
Leaving aside Fisherman’s Chant, he was merely an Investigator who had just come into contact with Mysterious Power. Facing six Crystal Skull members alone, the chances of stealing the Mechanical Fragment were slim, and the chances of getting beaten up were high.
After all, without Fisherman’s Chant, he wouldn’t even qualify to follow the Crystal Skull members in here.
Even with Fisherman’s Chant, it gave great burst power but lacked endurance. He still had little chance facing so many Crystal Skull members.
Taking advantage of chaos was his best option!
But just as he was contemplating how to stir up the chaos, he suddenly heard a Crystal Skull member speak in a strange and fearful tone: “Professor, it seems we can’t... leave…”
“Hm?”
Not only the Professor but even Han Su was momentarily stunned.
He immediately turned to look. The door connected to the corridor they entered from had astonishingly disappeared. That spot now showed only a smooth wall, seamlessly blending with the surroundings.
Looking in other directions, there were also only neat walls, without even a crack—as if the door they came through was merely an illusion.
The two members stationed at the entrance from the beginning rubbed their eyes hard and explained with difficulty:
“We—we were watching the door to make sure no one came in, but then suddenly, our vision blurred, as if stabbed by some light, and when we opened our eyes again, the door... the door was gone.”
“……”
“Do not panic.”
The Professor spoke in a low voice. Suddenly, a crystal-colored hazy light bloomed in his eyes. His gaze seemed to gain weight, looking toward the spot where the exit had been.
Han Su also pressed his palm against his left eye and focused his Spiritual Power on his right eye. In his vision, all things began to show multiple shadows. These shadows split and dispersed to both sides, and the scene before him decomposed like layers being peeled away.
The ability in Han Su’s right eye seemed of a high rank. About two seconds after covering his left eye and focusing, he saw through the strange power that filled this secret chamber—and he saw the vanished escape corridor.
The entrance had always been there—it had never moved.
It was just that patch by patch, the air had twisted and refracted, as if turned into mirror glass, blocking the door.
And within this mirror-like space, Han Su saw Wei Lan step forward.
She seemed to walk within a mirrored world. Her figure flickered and shifted, half-hidden, the surrounding space becoming indistinguishable between real and fake.
This time, not only was she wearing that Cat-Faced Mask again, but she had even deliberately worn an oversized outfit.
As she walked lightly forward, the Crystal Skull members’ eyes bloomed with crystalline light, clearly straining to locate the door.
But the crystal glow from their eyes was twisted and refracted by the mirrored space around her, making their vision even more chaotic. Taking advantage of this, Wei Lan calmly and gracefully approached the Professor holding the box.
…
‘Why is she here again?’
‘First the Ghost Truck scene, now the Lilac Courtyard’s secret chamber—so fond of drama?’
Watching her, Han Su couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation: ‘Seriously, with such a prominent figure in oversized clothes, maybe just give up on stealth?’
“You think this trick can block our vision?”
The Professor seemed to have some peculiar intuition. He suddenly stepped back and said in a low voice, “Since you also sneaked in, you must not be the owner of this place, right?”
As he spoke, his gaze, which had been fixed on the distance, sharply refocused.
His eyes subtly shifted and precisely locked onto the spot where Wei Lan now stood.
Not just him—every other Crystal Skull member instantly turned their gaze toward the same location.
‘This is bad—Wei Lan’s in trouble…’
Han Su, observing from the sidelines, immediately sensed the danger.
Wei Lan’s technique appeared skillful, but the Professor had clearly guessed her location through intuition. Pretending ignorance, he waited for her to approach before all of them simultaneously acted, turning their gaze toward her.
The Crystal Skull members seemed able to transmit instructions without words.
He didn’t need to speak to pass on the command to everyone.
Now their gazes converged. Layers of crystal halos overlapped, as if forming a prison within the secret chamber.
And at the center of that prison—was Wei Lan.
But beyond expectations, Wei Lan, under the sudden barrage of gazes, remained composed. She lightly snapped her fingers, and the mirror-like space around her dissolved.
It was as if, just as countless arrows were about to pierce her, she suddenly discarded her shield.
In that instant, she became fully exposed to everyone’s sight—especially since these gazes were reinforced with Crystal Power, seemingly possessing a mysterious force.
“This isn’t good...”
What followed was unexpected—a sound of crystal shattering echoed as all their gazes landed on Wei Lan.
Even Han Su, who was also looking at her, felt a faint sting in his eyes.
He instantly understood: Wei Lan herself was dazzling. Her beauty had formed an eerie offensive power—catching a glimpse of her meant being attacked, like unknowingly stepping on a nail hidden beneath a paper bag.
The Crystal Skull members had focused too hard on locating her. As a result, their eyes had already been harmed.
And that was even with her wearing a mask and oversized clothes.
Until now, he had only heard Secretary Cui Qiao describe how powerful the person who assisted during the Ghost Truck capture was. Now, he truly grasped it.
Wei Lan’s level in Mysterious Power must be very high—and she hadn’t even received the title “Queen”?
…
In a flash of thought, the Professor also narrowed his eyes, retreating quickly until his back reached the platform. At the same time, he shouted:
“She’s from the Queen Organization—do not try to look at her!”
“They carry a distinct fragrance—discern it carefully, and you can find her position…”
“…Seal the space!”
“……”
The first sentence was a warning. The second pointed out the key. The third was a special order. The Professor’s reaction at this moment was far beyond expectation.
“For a Professor, you sure teach your students to sniff women’s scent?”
At that very moment, Wei Lan’s figure was exposed, and she simply laughed aloud.
Apparently, her original plan was to walk directly up to the Crystal Skull Professor and snatch the box. But since the opponent was alert and retreated, she couldn’t reach him. Instead, she raised a leg—her long, elegant leg seemingly longer than others—and kicked the box in the Professor’s hands into the air.
But immediately after, countless crystalized arm bones shot toward her from behind.
Though their flesh had dissolved, their arm bones remained functional—like swords and pincers.
The Crystal Skull Organization members were surprisingly formidable.
Even with their eyes harmed and unable to open, they reached toward her position from memory with their eyes closed.
At that moment, Wei Lan agilely flipped back. One foot stepped on a reaching crystal arm bone, and she leapt up, snatched the box into her arms, then lightly stepped forward with her toe.
“Crack.”
A spiderweb-shaped crack echoed through the air—as if a nearly invisible sheet of glass stood before her. Using it as a springboard, she flipped backward.
Directly toward the entrance.
Only, the others couldn’t see where the door was. Even those who forced their eyes open and saw Wei Lan’s motion assumed she leapt toward a side wall. With steady formations, they fanned out to intercept her while closing in.
“There’s a chance!”
Han Su also awakened at this moment. His heart instantly recited Fisherman’s Chant.
Regardless of Wei Lan’s stance or why she wanted the Mechanical Fragment—he absolutely couldn’t let it go. In terms of skill, he might not match her. What he could gamble on now was the spell boost brought by Fisherman’s Chant!
【Gods descend with their divine decree——】
【——I shall enter the abyss!】