158: The altar is both a safe zone and a prison.

Wang Dalong’s joke about “ascending the throne” was particularly jarring in the silent secret chamber.

Lin Feng rolled his eyes at him, suppressing the heavy sense of history in his heart.

He carefully wrapped the imperial seal with the decayed silk, placed it back in the box, and returned the four Golden Edicts to their positions.

“Stop joking around,” Lin Feng said, his voice laced with exhaustion. “This thing is hotter than a nuclear bomb right now.”

He closed the lid of the box, the faint ‘click’ sound like a myth being sealed once more.

Wang Dalong’s playful expression faded, and he asked softly, “Brother Feng, then... we’re not taking it?”

“Take it?” Lin Feng countered. “Take it where? Display it in the living room? It has only one destination: the National Museum of China. What we can do is let it see the light of day, not keep it for ourselves.”

“Our mission is complete.”

After Lin Feng finished speaking, he lifted the Golden Casket with both hands and placed it steadily back in its original position on the stone platform.

Wang Dalong looked at the golden glow, a flash of pain crossing his face, but it quickly turned into relief. He nodded vigorously. “I understand! We are discoverers of history, not grave robbers!”

“Let’s go, head up!”

The two scrambled up and quickly returned to the ground altar.

A blast of cold wind made both of them shiver, instantly pulling them back to the harsh reality.

Wang Dalong looked back at the pitch-black hole. “Brother Feng, shouldn't we push this stone slab back? What if the national treasure gets damaged?”

“We can’t push it back,” Lin Feng shook his head. “We used all our strength just to open it; we have no energy left. Besides, how would the archaeological team open it when they arrive? Wait for the next ‘Dipper Handle Pointing East’?”

He used broken stones to simply conceal the entrance so that, at least from a distance, nothing looked unusual.

“Let’s go! Before dawn, we must rush down the mountain!”

The two dared not delay and walked toward the edge of the stone platform.

As long as they left this altar, there was hope!

However, just as Lin Feng stepped off the stone platform onto the accumulated snow—

“Hiss—!!!”

An ear-piercing shriek burst forth from beneath the snow directly ahead!

The sound was filled with brutality and hunger!

“Holy crap!” Wang Dalong was so startled he fell onto his rear.

Lin Feng’s pupils instantly contracted to the size of pinpricks!

Less than twenty meters ahead in the snow, a hideous head covered in pale white bone spurs suddenly burst out!

It had no eyes, only a layered, chrysanthemum-petal-like maw that opened up, revealing teeth like a meat grinder!

A Death Worm!

A nauseating stench of gore rushed toward them!

“Run!!”

Lin Feng reacted lightning fast, grabbing Wang Dalong and dragging him back onto the stone platform with all his might!

The moment the two retreated back to the center of the stone platform!

“Boom—!!!”

The Death Worm's massive body shot out from underground like a subway train, slamming violently into the edge of the stone platform!

The hard rock let out a grating screech, and fragments of stone flew everywhere!

But the monster seemed extremely wary of the stone platform; it only circled the altar, crashing into it wildly and kicking up snow, yet never daring to cross the boundary.

The two huddled in the center of the altar, their faces pale with terror as they watched the monster, which was over ten meters long and as thick as a barrel.

Wang Dalong was shaking like he had Parkinson’s, his teeth chattering. “It... it it... it’s guarding this place?”

Lin Feng’s chest heaved violently. He stared intently at the monster, his mind completely cold.

He finally understood.

This altar was a double safeguard!

The stars in the sky were the lock, and the monster underground was the guard!

The stars determined who could enter, and the monster determined that no one could leave!

This was not a haven; it was a carefully designed tomb for the living!

“We’re done for…” Wang Dalong watched the monster outside, the flame of hope extinguished completely.

He plopped down onto the ground, his voice turning tearful. “We’re truly finished now... we wouldn't even be enough to stick between its teeth!”

Lin Feng remained silent, his brain working frantically.

The only way out... He looked at Wang Dalong. “Your phone!”

“Huh?” Wang Dalong was stunned. “Why? To take a posthumous photo?”

“Call someone!” Lin Feng roared. “Call Jiang Wanqing! Call the police! Call for rescue!”

Wang Dalong’s eyes instantly lit up!

That’s right! Signal!

He fumbled to unlock the screen, and seeing the weak but steady two bars of signal strength at the top, he was so excited that tears welled up.

“China Tower is awesome!!”

Trembling, he scrolled through his contacts and dialed the number.

The sky had changed from dark blue to the white of a fish belly.

At 5:30 in the morning, the call finally connected.

When Jiang Wanqing’s sleepy and worried voice came through, Wang Dalong nearly cried. He reported their location, the entrance, and the monster outside in the fastest possible speed.

On the other end of the line, Jiang Wanqing was suddenly wide awake.

Half an hour later.

“Vroom vroom vroom—”

The roar of rotor blades grew from distant to near.

A helicopter marked with rescue insignia appeared on the horizon!

“They’re here! They’re here!” Wang Dalong jumped up excitedly, waving his arms desperately.

The helicopter circled, spotted them, and began to descend slowly.

Hope was within reach!

However, just as the helicopter descended to less than fifty meters!

“Roar—!!!”

The Death Worm was enraged by the loud noise and shot straight up into the sky!

Its massive body, moving at a speed that defied physics, struck the helicopter’s belly like a battering ram!

“Bang—!!!”

An earth-shattering crash exploded in the valley!

The helicopter instantly lost control in mid-air, its fuselage tumbling, and parts raining down!

The pilot desperately wrestled the aircraft under control, pulled up, and fled frantically in the direction they had come from, trailing thick black smoke!

They didn't even dare to look back.

“...”

The smile vanished from Wang Dalong’s face.

The arm he had been waving dropped weakly.

The two stood dumbfounded in the center of the altar, watching the helicopter, a symbol of modern civilization, be heavily damaged by the prehistoric giant beast and flee in panic.

Silence returned to the surroundings.

A few pieces of metal casing spun silently as they landed near their feet.

Wang Dalong slowly lowered his head and glanced at his phone.

Battery: 23%.

The sky was completely bright.

But their world was darker than ever.