C14 Doing Charity for Other People(1)
From the depths of hell to the heights of heaven, the transformation couldn't have been more stark. As Shih Wen, with his superhuman ability, carved a lifeline through the half-meter-thick wall of rare magic metal, the soldiers' exhilaration was palpable. Each one emerged from the glowing metal passageway with a salute for the weary-faced Shih Wen, a spontaneous tribute to a great Alchemist with extraordinary powers. Now, every soldier was aware of Shih Wen's unique gift: he was a grand Alchemist with the rare ability to control metal. Though such a power was scarce, in this world of constant wonders, it was just another day at the office. Take, for instance, Shih Wen's current location—a wellspring of miracles known as the War God legend. According to the tales, the mightiest War God of forty millennia possessed this same metal-controlling ability. Here, at this fount of the miraculous, the troops once again bore witness to the fabled metal-controlling Alchemist, who was also their direct or acting direct commander. Their excitement was irrepressible.
For Shih Wen, the officer who ceaselessly wrought wonders, the soldiers unanimously yearned to present their finest selves. Standing tall and straight, the soldiers, arrayed in three precise rows, demonstrated their exceptional discipline, silently affirming to Shih Wen that they were indeed the elite.
The journey resumed through the luminescent tunnel, bright as a thirty-watt energy-saving bulb, stretching ten meters high and seven meters wide, entirely composed of the precious magic metal alloy. Shih Wen was well aware of the metal's value, easily a hundredfold that of Earth's gold.
Seated on a stretcher, Shih Wen manipulated the radar, which effortlessly and clearly revealed over a hundred secret chambers lining the tunnel walls. Roughly every twenty meters, another chamber awaited. Descending from the stretcher, Shih Wen approached one such chamber. Without the radar's detection, the room would have remained concealed, its entrance blending seamlessly with the smooth, mirror-like metal wall—a testament to the chamber's cunning concealment.
Despite prolonged attempts with the remote control, the secret room's door remained shut. Shih Wen concluded that the remote was ineffective, suggesting alternative methods for entry. Scanning the room with the radar, he noted its considerable size—over a hundred square meters—but it was barren. An empty chamber offering no rewards, even if one managed to breach its confines.
Shih Wen scrutinized the display screen as he continued his descent. He had passed by over a hundred secret chambers, all of them empty, until he encountered a door or wall that was seven meters thick, severing the passageway. He examined the screen closely and quickly pinpointed a spot that seemed indistinguishable from the others. However, Shih Wen detected complex circuitry at this location via radar, including an A.I. chip, and more astonishingly, dense Spiritual Force Runes and mini formations that comprised a compound formation. None of these formations were familiar to Shih Wen. This intricate compound formation safeguarded the wall or door, thwarting any attempts at brute force destruction.
The display showed streams of flowing energy, signaling that the compound formation was still active and operational. Shih Wen marveled at the construction of the War God Ruins; it was a mystery how such elaborate mechanisms continued to function after all this time.
Pressing his hand against the wall, Shih Wen allowed a special energy to seep in slowly. He was intent on analyzing the sole chip, a clear control hub. Cracking this chip was the key to unlocking the passage. But as the special energy began to infiltrate, the energy from the active compound formation surged into Shih Wen's body like a deluge. He tried to withdraw his hand, but it was stuck fast to the wall. He attempted to call out for the soldiers to pull him free, but he couldn't utter a sound; his body was no longer under his command. Shih Wen 'saw' an energy torrent flow from his hand into his body, then course through his meridians and directly into his head, plunging into the churning sea of clouds beneath the transparent light ball. In that moment, Shih Wen truly grasped the proverbial wisdom: "You only die if you seek death."
Immobile, Shih Wen's hand remained pressed against the wall, while behind him stood the soldiers, their faces etched with awe. An hour ticked by without a single cough from any of the three hundred men, who stood as still as terracotta warriors behind him.
Despite being paralyzed and mute, Shih Wen's mind was active. Aside from the relentless energy flood that showed no signs of abating as it poured into his body and into the ocean of spiritual force, Shih Wen felt like a mere observer, unable to wield the special energy and facing no immediate danger to his life. With time on his hands and no threat looming, he began to cultivate. Though he couldn't assume the proper stances, cultivation was still possible, albeit less effective. But Shih Wen reasoned that not cultivating at all would be a day wasted, regardless of the diminished results. As he engaged in cultivation, time stretched on. Eight hours passed with Shih Wen and the three hundred terracotta-like soldiers behind him remaining motionless. He couldn't help but admire their discipline; their commitment was truly exceptional.
After completing thirty major cycles of cultivation, Shih Wen exhaled deeply. At last, he could breathe freely; the torrent of energy had vanished without him noticing, and his hand effortlessly withdrew from the wall.
The sound of heavy breathing echoed from behind Shih Wen, indicating that the terracotta soldiers were still catching their breaths, yet they remained in their precise formation. As Shih Wen turned to face them, he was met with their expectant gazes, full of hope that he would unlock the door they could never open themselves and lead them out of this doomed place.
With a nonchalant shrug, Shih Wen quipped, "Looks like I nodded off for a bit there."
