Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty-Four: The Disappearing Power
Piro disappeared from view as the truck slowly pulled away from the old district.
Zhao Lun drove ahead, leading the way, with the large truck following him toward the siheyuan in Chinatown.
Due to the fainting incidents, Zhao Lun was concerned about the coffin in the truck, so he made sure there were no delays this time and successfully arrived at the courtyard.
The people in the courtyard were already aware of his return and were waiting for him; the door was open even before the truck arrived.
Zhao Lun drove into the courtyard and then into the garage, with the truck following closely. As the vehicles came to a stop, the people in the truck eagerly jumped out, rushing toward the sunlight outside while shedding their biohazard-like suits.
Nicole and Mulan, who had just entered the garage, encountered these individuals. Seeing their pale faces and the dazed expressions in their eyes startled the ladies, causing them to pause.
The workers seemed oblivious to their presence, heading straight to a designated spot in the courtyard.
Under the blazing sun, they shivered slightly as a stream of black, translucent smoke began to seep from their bodies.
"Ah! Ugh!"
As the black smoke escaped them, they felt a chilling rush of air, prompting involuntary cries of surprise.
The black smoke dissipated, and their previously pallid faces gradually regained color, their dull eyes becoming lively once more.
At this moment, Zhao Lun also emerged. Seeing their condition, he chose not to interrupt, exchanging an excited glance with Monica. She understood his meaning and quietly guided Nicole and the others back to the living room.
In the living room, as soon as they entered, everyone gathered around the somewhat lively Zhao Lun, their spirits lifting. Although they were happy, they still checked on one another.
"How are you? Is everything alright?"
"I'm fine."
"And them? What happened?"
"They encountered something foul; it was far too powerful and needs sunlight to recover."
"Ah? Did the talismans not work?"
"They did, but their effect was too weak."
"What about the items?"
"They've all been secured."
"If everyone's okay and the items are safe, that's good."
After a brief discussion to confirm everything was in order, they felt relieved and asked for more details.
The individuals outside had suffered spiritual harm and significant energy depletion; mere sunlight wouldn't truly resolve the issue. If they wanted to recover, ordinary treatment wouldn't be effective. Zhao Lun had anticipated this, so he had distributed some potions during their mission, which, combined with sunlight, would yield better results.
Soon, the group emerged from the sunlight, and Zhao Lun stepped forward: "First of all, congratulations! You've completed your mission."
"These are your evaluations and additional rewards—potions to improve your vitality."
"I hope you make good use of these precious substances."
These individuals were well-prepared, and even if they were irresponsible, it didn't matter. Now, Zhao Lun not only took responsibility but also showed genuine concern for them, prompting a surge of goodwill toward their young employer. At that moment, they began to see hope for their future.
With a swift salute, they returned to the truck, quickly starting up and leaving the premises.
Zhao Lun nodded in satisfaction. These individuals were reliable, remaining calm under pressure, and displayed commendable qualities. If there were no issues, they were worth cultivating further.
"Brother! Where's the treasure? Show us quickly!"
"Yeah! Boss! We want to see these treasures too!"
"I heard there's the Qin Emperor's sword, the Great Buddha from the A3 country, and the Pharaoh's coffin!"
Everyone was eager to see Zhao Lun's haul, curious about what could possibly make him so joyful.
Zhao Lun replied, "Just in time, I haven't had a good look at these either. Let's all check it out together."
At Piro's house, Zhao Lun had only verified their authenticity and hadn't had the chance to appreciate these artifacts.
The courtyard also had a basement, and while it had been privately excavated, it was spacious, equipped with top-notch decor and facilities, and safety was not a concern at all. If Piro were to see Zhao Lun's basement, he would surely be overwhelmed with emotion, having painstakingly dug his own without such luxury.
The basement simulated sunlight, making it feel like daytime, while remaining quite empty.
"Be careful, everyone!" Zhao Lun instructed them to keep a safe distance, and they complied.
Creating a clear space, Zhao Lun looked at everyone and said, "Alright, be cautious!"
With a wave of his hand, various items appeared in the open area—these were the treasures he had collected from Piro.
This time, Zhao Lun had thoroughly cleaned out his basement, even bringing over non-antique wooden cabinets and boxes. Altogether, the haul looked quite impressive.
"So much!"
"Is this the sword? It looks rusty."
"This is the Great Buddha! It's massive!"
"This is the Pharaoh's coffin! It doesn't seem particularly special!"
However, when they saw the sword and the Buddha statue, disappointment washed over them, as these items didn't seem as extraordinary as Zhao Lun had implied.
"Really?" Zhao Lun noticed the changes in the Buddha statue and quickly approached for a closer look.
To his surprise, the statue was already covered in cracks. When he touched it, the statue crumbled like sand, disintegrating into a pile of fine grains.
"Uh, what's happening?" Zhao Lun was stunned.
The statue had seemed perfectly fine when he collected it, and now it had turned to dust, leaving Zhao Lun bewildered.
Nicole, Angela, and the others stared at the pile of sand, their expressions strange as they turned to look at Zhao Lun.
Even with Zhao Lun's thick skin, he felt a hint of heat on his face, embarrassment creeping in. "By the way, what about the Pharaoh's coffin? It seems off too!" Zhao Lun turned to the coffin, inspecting it closely, and indeed, the power within it had also dissipated.
Zhao Lun closed his eyes, pondering. When he opened them again, he had formed a hypothesis. He reached out to his divine realm, and an image flooded his mind.
When the Buddha statue and the coffin were transported to his divine realm, a sudden suction force emerged, instantly absorbing the malevolent energy released from the coffin. The nearby statue, which had been resisting the coffin, also got affected, losing its golden light.
The golden light ascended, merging into a cluster of golden clouds, while the black smoke shrank like thick ink, sinking underground, integrating into the depths of his divine realm, forming a small, distinct area that settled into stillness.
The divine realm shook and then returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.
"So that's how it is."