"What is this?"
"Why don't we press it and see?"
"Hold on, don't rush into anything."
Duan Chen found the box rather peculiar. It was pitch black, and upon closer inspection, the patterns on it were actually depictions of fierce beasts. He wasn't sure if pressing the button would trigger something uncontrollable.
"Eye of Truth!"
"Eye of God!"
Duan Chen soon gave up. He couldn't see anything. Even activating his two major ocular techniques yielded no different results than what he could see now.
It seemed this place had blocked his ocular abilities.
What if... he pressed it?
Duan Chen looked at the others, and they looked back at him. They exchanged glances, unsure of what to do.
Pressing it might be dangerous, but not pressing it would feel like a wasted trip. After all, their objective was to come to Ping Han Ridge and find the person in the photograph.
After a moment of hesitation, Duan Chen gritted his teeth.
"Press it!"
"Are you sure?"
"If we don't press it, what are we even here for?" Mi Le, for once, showed a flicker of bravery, though he still hid behind Mi Xue'er, his face full of trepidation.
"I'll press it."
Duan Chen placed his finger on the button and let out a soft exhale.
"Hey, if you're going to die, don't take me with you," Hai Ren clutched Duan Chen's neck, also feeling a bit nervous.
"Maybe you should wait outside?"
Hai Ren shook her head, "What if something even more terrifying comes? I'd rather stick with you. Even if we encounter danger, there's still a chance of survival."
"I'm really grateful to you!"
Her antics made Duan Chen less tense.
His index finger brushed against the button; its texture was slightly rough. After a mental struggle, he decisively pressed it!
"Click!"
The button sank deeper and deeper. When it reached its lowest point, Duan Chen released his finger.
It was directly embedded, not springing back.
"Rumble!"
The ground suddenly began to tremble!
It felt like an earthquake. Duan Chen quickly grabbed onto the trunk of the nearest tree. The others did the same, fearing they might fall if they weren't careful.
The tremors intensified, and the thick wall before them gradually parted in the middle, revealing the scenery within.
Duan Chen squinted as he looked.
"Bang!"
With a heavy thud, the trembling stopped. The group immediately crowded forward to investigate.
"What... it's just a door?"
Indeed, all that appeared before them was a door.
A very simple, very plain little door.
Duan Chen took a deep breath, not daring to relax even a little.
The Wang Qi within him seemed to be on the verge of leaving his body?
This was clearly a hidden Boundary Gate!
Inside it was sealed the soul of an evil god.
If that were the case, everything would be explained.
After the Boundary Gate appeared here, it had transported the heretics to Ping Han Ridge to protect itself. It was also the power from a wisp of the evil god's soul that had attracted the Blood Pupil here.
"Ah... so scary."
Hai Ren shivered.
"What's the purpose of this door?"
Qi Qing, unafraid of death, stepped forward and examined the small wooden door.
"Don't go near it!"
There were no outsiders present. Duan Chen briefly explained the situation.
"It's a Boundary Gate? Captain, are you sure?"
Duan Chen nodded firmly, "I'm sure!"
The vibration of the White Qi within him was the best explanation!
"So, what do we do now?"
Duan Chen looked at the dark red button on the box. It had already sprung back. He placed his index finger on it and pressed again.
"Rumble!"
The ground trembled once more, and the thick wall slowly closed.
Duan Chen pondered for a moment.
From what he had just seen, anyone could press this door. After pressing it, the walls on both sides would separate, revealing the Boundary Gate. The appearance of the Boundary Gate just now might have already alerted the Apostles. If they left and the Apostles came here and opened the Boundary Gate, what then?
At this moment, Mo Er Ben Si's voice sounded in his mind.
[I believe you can take the box with you directly.]
[What did you say?]
Duan Chen was startled.
[Well... because this box seems capable of containing this door.]
[You're not joking?]
[No, do you remember Yue Ling Village?]
Duan Chen recalled that when Zhao Yuan told them the anecdote, he had mentioned that Wu Suo Wei had given the village chief a bronze cauldron. Could it be, as Mo Er Ben Si suggested, that this box could seal this Boundary Gate?
[But let me remind you of one thing.]
[What?]
[Containing the door in the box is easy, but suppressing this terrifying aura is not.]
[What should I do?]
[Place your Chess Pieces with us. I, Jin An, and Mo Er Ben Si will help you suppress it together.]
Duan Chen nodded. The two of them had already signed a contract with him, and he trusted them on this matter.
[However, even if it can be suppressed, it will only last for a day or two at most. Within these two days, you'd best hurry and find that deity named Wu Suo Wei.]
[Okay!]
With this in mind, Duan Chen no longer hesitated and reached out to take the pitch-black bronze box.
"Captain?"
"I'm taking this thing with me. Otherwise, if the Apostles discover the Boundary Gate, it will be too late."
Duan Chen sighed. Following Mo Er Ben Si's instructions, he slowly pulled the box out from the gap. The process was smooth, without any unexpected incidents.
[What do I do now?]
[No need, leave it to us.]
[You really know how to give me work, don't you?] Jin An's sarcastic voice echoed in Duan Chen's mind.
[Oh, well, I'm just bored anyway. It's good to stretch my muscles once in a while.]
Mo Er Ben Si chuckled, and a blue light erupted from his hand, enveloping the pitch-black bronze box.
The box instantly disappeared, reappearing before Mo Er Ben Si and Jin An.
"Your turn."
"Mmm..."
Jin An reluctantly opened his mouth wide, and golden light spewed forth, directly onto the box.
"Buzz buzz!"
The blue and golden lights intertwined, forming something like a seal on the box.
[Alright Duan Chen, you guys should hurry back and find that deity.]
[Okay!]
Duan Chen briefly explained the situation to the others. They didn't dare to delay and immediately returned the way they came.
The journey back was much smoother. With the suppression of the Boundary Gate, no anomalies dared to approach them. They descended Ping Han Ridge and returned to Ping Han Village. After a brief greeting to the stunned village chief, they hurriedly got into the car and rushed to Su Cheng without stopping.
It was only after getting into the car that Duan Chen realized Hai Ren hadn't disappeared and was still perched on his shoulder.
No wonder the village chief's gaze had been so peculiar.