Several team members surrounded Yan Shouyi, but they didn't attack directly. They merely cornered him in a tight space and provocatively jutted their chins at him.
A normal man couldn't withstand such provocation, so they were certain Yan Shouyi would make the first move. After all, in this era, who was right or wrong wasn't important; whoever struck first was in the wrong.
It was just that these were the rules of the ordinary world, and they didn't apply to Yan Shouyi. The concept of "striking first means you're wrong" simply didn't exist in his mind. He solely wanted to accomplish the task at hand while minimizing casualties. He didn't even believe himself that everyone entering the imperial tomb would be safe, so he had to start with the zodiac signs to reduce the risks as much as possible.
One of the team members spoke up, "Kid, make a move. I despise you charlatans the most, the ones who've swindled so many ignorant people!"
"Charlatans are charlatans, and I am me," Yan Shouyi replied calmly.
"I think you're a charlatan, and an inherited one at that. Your dad, your grandpa, your great-grandpa, your ancestors, they were all charlatans, right? Hahaha!"
Facing their mockery, a hint of anger flashed in Yan Shouyi's eyes. They could disbelieve him, they could joke about him, but they had insulted his family, especially his most respected father and grandfather. In that case, he couldn't be blamed!
Yan Shouyi let out a cold snort and casually threw a punch. The team member in front of him saw the punch as soft and lacking any force. He sneered inwardly, even considering taking the hit with his chest to show off his physical prowess. The other team members also watched with amusement.
However...
*Bang!*
"Ah!"
A muffled thud followed by a scream. The team member was instantly sent flying five or six meters away, landing awkwardly in a puddle of muddy water!
Everyone was stunned, their jaws nearly hitting the ground!
How was this possible! They were all professionally trained and knew how to throw a punch with more force. Yan Shouyi's punch just now didn't look like it used any strength at all! Yet, the result was that the 1.8-meter-tall team member was sent flying five to six meters. This was completely impossible for an ordinary person! Even if that team member had faked his fall, he couldn't have flown that far!
"Qiangzi!"
The other team members rushed over to check. With such immense force, their comrade's ribs might be shattered! Wang Sihui was also thoroughly frightened.
The team member, clutching his chest, grinned through the pain and said, "I... I think I'm okay."
"Really? I saw you fly quite far just now. Could you have internal injuries? Should we get an X-ray?" other team members asked with concern.
"I'm really fine!"
The team member quickly got up, looking lively but with a strange expression. "That punch just now felt like it had more momentum. My vision blurred, and then I flew out… but my chest doesn't hurt at all."
"This..."
The team members exchanged glances, completely unable to comprehend what their comrade was saying. Liang Yinqiu rubbed his temples again, and Li Yang couldn't help but cover his head. Another event defying the laws of science had occurred… It was truly taxing for them scientists!
Yan Shouyi gently waved his hand. His palm moved like a fish's tail swimming in water, appearing soft yet incredibly powerful.
"Tai Chi, fused with Bagua Palm. It looks soft, but its power is immense. However, I held back my strength, otherwise, you wouldn't be able to get up today."
The team member swallowed, gritted his teeth, and finally bowed his head to Yan Shouyi, "I'm sorry… I voluntarily withdraw from this mission."
The others might not have felt it, but the one who had been hit truly understood Yan Shouyi's prowess. With such a formidable master in the team, who else should they listen to but him? Seeing their teammate concede, the other team members understood the implications and also chose to withdraw.
Wang Sihui's expression was a mix of emotions. He finally sighed and said to Yan Shouyi, "No wonder Old Han and the experts listen to you. I, Wang Sihui, am convinced! Tell me, what other requirements do you have for our team members?"
Yan Shouyi said calmly, "Besides the Yin zodiac signs mentioned before, those born in March, May, and July also cannot come in. Those whose names are related to water or wood must also stay outside!"
"No problem!"
Wang Sihui looked at the team members. They consciously divided themselves into two groups, and those who didn't meet the criteria withdrew. The remaining members were then selected by Wang Sihui. Finally, twelve people were chosen, and along with Wang Sihui himself, that made thirteen in total.
These thirteen people began packing their equipment, while the remaining team members huddled together, discussing the recent events in hushed tones, occasionally glancing in Yan Shouyi's direction with admiration in their eyes. Some team members said that in their hometowns, when a relative passed away and was buried, the geomancer would also require certain people with specific zodiac signs or born on specific dates to be absent. Yan Shouyi's actions were, in fact, protecting everyone. Hearing this, the team members' lingering discomfort vanished, and their gaze towards Yan Shouyi was filled with gratitude.
Wang Sihui approached Yan Shouyi, holding an opened cigarette pack and asking, "Do you smoke?"
Yan Shouyi gestured towards Lin Zitong and shook his head. He only smoked on very special occasions, and today was not one of them, especially with Lin Zitong present. Wang Sihui nodded; he was just trying to get closer to Yan Shouyi.
"There are many rules for entering the tomb. When we go down, please cooperate with me, Captain Wang. This is for the safety of the team members," Yan Shouyi reminded him.
Wang Sihui, smoking, nodded, "Everyone is convinced by you. Once we are inside the imperial tomb, we will follow your command."
"No, no, no. For normal operations, we'll still listen to you, Captain Wang. But when some special situations arise, you must listen to me," Yan Shouyi said, waving his hand.
Wang Sihui was taken aback. Special situations? Ghosts? Or were there zombies like in those tomb-raiding novels? Suddenly, Wang Sihui felt that the opening of the imperial tomb, illuminated by the searchlights, appeared incredibly eerie and terrifying. Thinking of the three experts who had gone mad and the two cave explorers who had already died, Wang Sihui's heart pounded, but he didn't want to back out.
Yan Shouyi took out a stack of talismans and handed them to Wang Sihui, instructing, "Distribute these to everyone, one for each person. Keep them close. If one burns on its own, inform me immediately." These were exorcism talismans, drawn by Yan Shouyi himself. As long as everyone kept an exorcism talisman on them, it would activate when evil spirits approached or attempted to possess them.
Wang Sihui swallowed, not daring to be careless, and immediately followed Yan Shouyi's instructions. Another fifteen minutes of preparation passed. Finally, all personnel were ready, and the team was assembled. Yan Shouyi and his group were finally about to enter the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor...