Although some distance away from Shen Botian and without a close look at the reddish-brown bamboo slip he produced, Ye Feng recognized it instantly. It was the very reason he had come to Mech City: the Huo Zhong Lu.
"Ye Feng, this thing is called the Huo Zhong Lu. It's Mech City's greatest asset for becoming one of the Seven Great Powers and for standing tall to this day!"
At this moment, Shen Botian spoke again, extending the reddish-brown bamboo slip in his hand towards Ye Feng.
"You...this..."
Shen Botian's action left Ye Feng momentarily bewildered and hesitant to accept the Huo Zhong Lu. After all, this was their first meeting, and they were strangers. Yet, the other party was handing over Mech City's most crucial possession. Though Ye Feng truly desired it...
"Old... Old senior, this is our first meeting, isn't it? The Huo Zhong Lu holds immense significance for Mech City. Why are you giving it to me?"
After a brief pause, Ye Feng spoke, his expression full of confusion. Shen Yun Yao beside them was equally shocked, unable to fathom her grandfather's reasoning.
Shen Botian didn't answer immediately. He glanced at Shen Yun Yao, who stood beside him with an expression of confusion, and then at the Arcane Pointer on Ye Feng's wrist. He said sternly, "If you find the Ark of Doom in the future, I hope you'll take Yao Yao with you!"
"Wh...what? Ark of Doom? What's that?"
Shen Botian's words left Ye Feng utterly confused. He then frowned, looking at the Arcane Pointer on his wrist. "Senior, this Arcane Pointer seems to be pointing towards the Lamp of Creation... I heard someone say before that following the direction of the Arcane Pointer will lead to the Lamp of Creation!"
"Is the Lamp of Creation what you mean by Ark of Doom?" Ye Feng looked at Shen Botian with great surprise.
"No!" Shen Botian shook his head. "Or rather, I'm not sure. I don't know what the Lamp of Creation truly is!"
"This..."
Hearing this, Ye Feng's brow furrowed. "Then what's the deal with this Ark of Doom?"
"Hoo!" Shen Botian took a deep breath and looked at Shen Yun Yao again. "Yao Yao, remember I said before that not only Mech City, but also Desert Storm, City of Arcanum, the Maritime Restaurant... the other so-called Seven Great Powers, all have no future, right?"
"Mm-hmm!" Shen Yun Yao nodded. She had asked why back then, but Shen Botian hadn't explained.
"Because the final Judgment Day is approaching!" Shen Botian's tone was heavy, and his face showed clear helplessness.
"Grandpa, what is the final Judgment Day?" Shen Yun Yao asked, her large eyes filled with confusion. Ye Feng also looked at Shen Botian with a questioning gaze.
"Ye Feng, Yao Yao, if you had my strength, I would naturally tell you everything," Shen Botian said, shaking his head slightly at the two. "Knowing now would only bring you despair and no benefit!" He clearly had no intention of explaining.
"I once knew an elder whose strength far surpassed mine. After we learned about the final Judgment Day in those ruins, in his despair, that elder became a... a drunkard... perpetually muddled and listless..." Shen Botian paused, adding with a hint of regret.
"Then... what about the Ark of Doom? Why do you think I can find it?" Ye Feng voiced his doubts. "Before you mentioned it, I didn't even know it existed, nor did I have any plans to search for it. Are the Lamp of Creation and the Ark of Doom related?"
"Young man, you don't intend to make this old bone stand here indefinitely, do you?" Shen Botian glanced at the hallway and chuckled.
"Oh, my apologies, please come in!" Ye Feng, realizing his oversight, blushed slightly and invited Shen Botian and Shen Yun Yao in.
Soon, Ye Feng, Shen Botian, and Shen Yun Yao were seated around a round table. Xiao Xiao poured a cup of coconut juice for each of them.
"I don't know much about the Ark of Doom. I only know it was built by the ancient Heavenly Craftsmen, a legendary vessel, and humanity's last hope when the final Judgment Day arrives!" Shen Botian drank some coconut juice and spoke slowly, but he didn't explain why he believed Ye Feng could find the Ark of Doom.
"Ancient Heavenly Craftsmen? What's that?" Hearing Shen Botian's words, Ye Feng became even more confused.
"Oh, right, Ye Feng, Yao Yao mentioned your arcane energy is rather peculiar. Can you show it to me?" Shen Botian clearly didn't want to dwell on the topic and changed the subject.
"Arcane energy?" Ye Feng was slightly surprised, then slowly, a soft white glow appeared on his hand.
Shen Botian examined it intently, then frowned slightly, his expression showing a mixture of certainty and uncertainty.
"Uh... is there something wrong with my arcane energy?" Seeing Shen Botian's reaction, Ye Feng couldn't help but ask.
"No, it's just me being an old man's idle curiosity!" Shen Botian laughed it off. Then, with a flash of light, a video recorder appeared in his hand.
Seeing the somewhat scratched and familiar video recorder, Shen Yun Yao's face showed surprise. This was the same recorder Shen Botian had shown her before, the one that recorded Shen Lang's final moments. As Ye Feng and Xiao Xiao watched, Shen Botian turned on the camera.
"Whoa!" Ye Feng exclaimed, seeing a face in the recorder that was not only familiar but striking. It was Shen Lang, the person in the photo by Shen Yun Yao's bed, or rather, the one who looked exactly like Shen Lang but possessed a much more sinister and cunning demeanor - Mei You...
"His name is Shen Lang. He is Yao Yao's father, and my son!" Shen Botian pointed at the person on the screen and explained.
"I see..." Ye Feng understood and continued watching the recording.
On the screen, Shen Lang was leaning breathlessly against the base of a tree, his body covered in blood. His left arm and much of his shoulder were gone. His face was as pale as paper, and his eyes were filled with fear and hatred as he stared at something directly in front of him. Soon, his body went limp and still...
Seeing this scene again, Shen Yun Yao couldn't help but cover her mouth!
The image froze for a moment. Then, an arm and shoulder from the direction Shen Lang had been staring appeared on screen. Judging by the clothing, it was Shen Lang's severed limb. The arm and shoulder were facing the recorder, bloody, and it looked like they were being held by someone or something, moving towards Shen Lang...
Finally, a blurred black figure slowly appeared. Shen Lang's severed arm was being held by this figure. The blurred black figure in the recording was indistinguishable, and its entire body was a hazy black mass. Falling leaves passed through it as if it were incorporeal. As Shen Yun Yao and Shen Botian watched, the blurred black figure gently placed Shen Lang's arm on the ground and began to press down on Shen Lang's body...
The black figure writhed on Shen Lang, eventually merging into his body... The screen remained still for a moment, and then Shen Lang, who had closed his eyes and was motionless, suddenly opened them... His eyes were now filled with swirling black mist. He moved his body like a robot and then stood up from the ground.
"Shen Lang" moved his limbs again. Once his movements became less mechanical, he walked over to the nearby severed arm, picked it up, and pressed it against the bloody wound on his left side. Dark mist immediately appeared from "Shen Lang's" left arm wound... In a short while, the severed limb was reattached. He even flexed his arm and wrist... The scene was extraordinarily bizarre!
Subsequently, "Shen Lang" walked around the vicinity for a bit, then walked away somewhat mechanically...
"This... this is?" Ye Feng looked at Shen Botian with a bewildered gaze, not understanding the purpose of being shown this recording.
...