161: Insect-repelling beads

"Going down again?"

Wang Dalong was devouring an energy bar and almost choked upon hearing this. He gulped down a large mouthful of ice-cold mineral water and asked indistinctly, "Brother Feng, haven't we seen everything down there? Aside from that gold box, there's nothing else!"

"We missed something," Lin Feng said with a certain tone.

He had already put on a thick down jacket; the cold was dispelled from his body, and his brain's operation returned to clarity.

Wang Dalong glanced at Lin Feng and didn't ask further. He knew Lin Feng would never say something without reason.

The two slid down the opening once more and returned to that secret chamber.

It was still that dry, stale smell mixed with strange spices.

In the center of the secret chamber, that gold box emitted a dark and mysterious glow under the light of the phone, as if it were a silent Witness of history.

This time, Lin Feng didn't even give it a glance.

His target was the simple stone platform supporting the gold box!

"Kublai Khan placed the imperial seal of china here, first to offer sacrifices to ancestors, and second to weld the 'Mandate of Heaven' into the Golden Family's bloodline. But this place is also the core of the entire altar's mechanisms."

While analyzing as if talking to himself, Lin Feng reached out and carefully felt every corner of the stone platform, inch by inch.

"This stone platform is not just an altar table; it's very likely... also a safe."

His fingers slid across the cold stone surface, passing over those ancient carved patterns.

Wang Dalong held the phone, nervously following behind, even lightening his breathing.

Suddenly, Lin Feng's fingers stopped.

In an extremely well-hidden groove at the bottom of the stone platform, his fingertips touched some cold, rounded objects.

The position of that groove was very tricky, covered by a thick layer of dust that had almost merged with the stone platform. If not for Lin Feng's carpet-style search, it would have been impossible to find.

He carefully used his fingers to pick the objects out bit by bit.

Clatter, clatter.

A few marble-sized, dusty-grey beads fell into his palm.

Seven in total.

They looked unremarkable, like a few ordinary stone beads covered in thick dust, without any luster.

"What... what is this?" Wang Dalong leaned in to look, his face full of disappointment. "I thought there was some mechanism or hidden compartment, but it's just these few crappy beads?"

Lin Feng didn't speak.

At the very moment his fingertips touched these beads.

The system's notification sound suddenly rang in his mind!

[Ding!]

[Detected special functional historical item: "Qinian Valley Insect-Repelling Bead"]

[Item Information: Refined over forty-nine days using a secret method by a Yuan Dynasty court Shaman, using the unique "Yinshan Stone" from Qinian Valley mixed with dozens of types of grassland insect-repelling herbs. The special scent it emits can effectively interfere with and drive away the perception of underground insectoid creatures.]

[Special Note: This item has limited effectiveness against the "Mutated Mongolian Death Worm." It can only ensure that the wearer is not actively attacked for a short time. The effective range is extremely small, and the duration is unknown. Please use with caution!]

Found it!

Lin Feng's heart gave a fierce thud!

There really was one!

This was the "safety pass" left by the ancients!

"Brother Feng? Brother Feng, are you spacing out again?" Seeing no reaction for a long time, Wang Dalong waved a hand in front of his eyes.

"It's nothing." Lin Feng returned to his senses, suppressing the wild joy in his heart.

He looked at the seven beads in his hand and fell into deep thought.

The system prompt was very clear: limited effectiveness, single person, short duration.

Moreover, these beads being placed here likely served another purpose—using their scent to prevent that Death Worm from approaching this secret chamber where the imperial seal was hidden.

This was a double insurance.

Wang Dalong urged, "Brother Feng, what use does this thing actually have? If it's useless, let's hurry and go up; it's creepy down here."

"It is our hope for survival."

Lin Feng said in a heavy voice.

Looking at the seven beads in his hand, he made a decision.

He took only one of them, clenching it tightly in his palm, then carefully put the remaining six back into that hidden groove.

"Eh? Brother Feng, what are you doing?" Wang Dalong got anxious. "Since they're treasures, why not take them all? Wouldn't the safety factor be higher if we each carried a few?"

"No." Lin Feng shook his head. "I'm afraid if we take them all, that big guy will charge in here without any hesitation. When that time comes, forget about us—even this box won't be saved."

Wang Dalong was stunned, instantly understanding Lin Feng's concern.

He was using the remaining beads to leave behind one last line of defense for this secret chamber housing a national treasure.

"Let's go, up!"

The two quickly returned to the surface.

The cold wind was still biting, and that Death Worm was still tirelessly circling the altar.

Lin Feng stood at the edge of the stone platform, taking a deep breath of the freezing air. Behind him was a nervous Wang Dalong. Before his eyes were the snowfield symbolizing death and that massive monster.

He opened his hand; that dusty-grey bead was lying quietly in his palm.

No hesitation.

No delay.

Under Wang Dalong's horrified gaze, Lin Feng clenched the bead, lifted his foot, and stepped out of the stone platform's range!

His foot landed steadily on that snow that symbolized death!

At this moment, everything around went silent.

In the distance, the cruising Death Worm's massive body paused!

Its terrifying, chrysanthemum-petal-like mouthparts instantly turned toward Lin Feng's direction.

But—

It did not launch a thunderous, fatal strike as it had before.

It just stopped there.

Its huge head lifted slightly, sniffing something in the air.

It was an expression... one Lin Feng had never seen before, a mix of tyranny, hunger, and a hint of confusion and wariness.

It... did not dare to come forward!