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Chapter 371, let's go first!

The room remained quiet for a long time.

Nie Qingcheng's expression didn't change much. She wasn't the type to panic.

She asked a question.

"You believe it?"

Zhang Yan said, "I don't believe it."

"But you can't let go."

"I can't let go."

Nie Qingcheng nodded. "Why?"

Zhang Yan held up three fingers.

"First, the Ruins have no reason to help humanity before the seal is placed. It doesn't make sense for it to do so unless that thing is also a threat to it."

Nie Qingcheng said, "So it's not helping you, it's protecting itself."

“That’s right.” Zhang Yan raised his second finger. “Secondly, the term ‘the first gate’ has never appeared in the three-hundred-year archives of Guantian Pavilion. If it were a fabricated lie, there would be no need for it to create a concept that is completely unverifiable.”

Nie Qingcheng asked, "Third?"

Zhang Yan brought up the system interface and projected the line of small gray text.

"Unknown protocol remnant - Source: Not from this dimension".

Nie Qingcheng looked at the line of text.

"What does this mean?"

"This means the information attached to those coordinates wasn't forged by the Ruins," Zhang Yan said. "The system's protocol library covers all known energy formats of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Heart. This thing isn't in the library."

Nie Qingcheng stared at that line of text for more than ten seconds.

Then she said, "Let's go see."

Zhang Yan shook his head. "I'll go. You're not going."

Nie Qingcheng looked up.

"You agreed last time, and what happened?"

Zhang Yan said, "This time is different."

"What's different?"

"Last time it was a seal, so I knew who the opponent was. This time it's unknown. Completely unknown."

Nie Qingcheng said, "Since it's completely unknown, you definitely can't go alone."

"I'll bring Qin Xiao."

"How can Qin Xiao help you?"

Zhang Yan did not respond.

Nie Qingcheng stood up.

She walked to the window, her back to him.

"Zhang Yan, do you know what I was thinking the night you lost consciousness on the night of the sealing?"

Zhang Yan watched her retreating figure.

"I was thinking, what will I do if you don't come back?"

She turned around.

"I've thought about it for a long time."

The conclusion is that I don't know.

Zhang Yan stood up.

"A beauty that could topple empires..."

"So don't make me think about this anymore." Nie Qingcheng's voice wasn't loud, but every word was heavy. "Wherever you go, I'll go. If you won't let me down, I can wait up here. But you can't leave me thousands of kilometers away."

Zhang Yan looked at her.

Nie Qingcheng walked back to the table and picked up her phone.

"and."

She turned the screen towards Zhang Yan.

The above is a geological exploration report. The date indicated is three days ago.

Zhang Yan frowned.

"This is……"

"Shennongjia, 1200 meters underground," Nie Qingcheng said. "There is an inexplicable cavity structure there. The official explanation is instrument error."

Zhang Yan looked at the report.

"When did you adjust it?"

Nie Qingcheng put her phone away.

"Starting from the night you were sealed, you wake up once every day between three and four in the morning."

Zhang Yan remained silent.

"You think I don't know?"

Zhang Yan remained silent.

Nie Qingcheng sat down.

"I don't know what you dreamed about. But I know you're thinking about something very important."

She looked at him.

"That's why I checked beforehand."

Zhang Yan looked at her.

After a long time, he said, "You won."

Nie Qingcheng did not laugh.

I'm not trying to beat you.

"I know."

"I want you to remember one thing."

"What?"

Nie Qingcheng's gaze was steady.

You can't hide it from me.

Zhang Yan looked at her.

Then he nodded.

"I've got it."

Nie Qingcheng then picked up the bowl.

"The soup is cold."

Zhang Yan said, "I'm going to get hot."

"No need." Nie Qingcheng took a sip. "Cold is fine too."

Zhang Yan sat back down.

The two of them quietly finished their breakfast.

After finishing her meal, Nie Qingcheng pushed the bowl aside.

"Let's get down to business now."

"Um."

"That cavity structure is 1200 meters deep and about 40 meters in diameter," Nie Qingcheng said, pulling up more detailed data. "The surrounding rock strata have an abnormally high density, making it impossible for conventional drilling equipment to penetrate."

Zhang Yan looked at the data. "When was it discovered?"

"Seven years ago, a geological team accidentally discovered it while conducting deep exploration."

"And then?"

"The report was returned by the higher authorities after submission, marked as equipment error. That geological team was later transferred to another project."

Zhang Yan asked, "Where are they?"

Nie Qingcheng said, "They're all here. No one's missing, nothing unusual."

"Then that's not Xu's doing."

"That's right," Nie Qingcheng said. "If it were a ruin, that team wouldn't have survived intact."

Zhang Yan nodded.

He looked at the three-dimensional model of the cavity structure.

Forty meters in diameter. 1200 meters deep.

It is encased in extremely dense rock layers.

It looked like it was being deliberately protected by something.

"The first door," Zhang Yan said in a low voice.

Nie Qingcheng looked at him.

"When are you going?"

Zhang Yan said, "Let's go back to China first."

Nie Qingcheng nodded. "I'll change my flight."

She picked up her phone and quickly swiped her finger across the screen.

There is a direct flight to Jinghai this afternoon.

Zhang Yan said, "Let's place the order."

Nie Qingcheng is already in the process.

Zhang Yan looked out the window at Lake Toya.

The sunlight shone on the lake, making it sparkle.

He said, "I'm sorry."

Nie Qingcheng didn't look up. "I already told you, don't apologize."

"Hokkaido Itinerary -"

"Come again later." Nie Qingcheng said without looking up. "It's not the last time."

Zhang Yan looked at her.

"Okay. I'll come again later."

After booking her flight, Nie Qingcheng put down her phone.

"There's one more thing."

"What?"

"Have you inquired about the Guantian Pavilion?"

Zhang Yan shook his head. "Not yet."

"Ask," Nie Qingcheng said. "If that thing really exists, an organization that's been around for three hundred years couldn't possibly have no clues at all."

Zhang Yan took out his phone and sent a encrypted message to Guan Xing.

Is there any record of a 'gate' in the Guantiange archives?

After sending the message, he put his phone down.

Nie Qingcheng began packing her luggage.

Zhang Yan also stood up to help.

The two walked around the room, occasionally brushing against each other's arms.

Nie Qingcheng folded his coat and put it into the box.

"Zhang Yan".

"Um."

"Next time you need something, just say so."

"it is good."

"Don't wait for me to ask."

"it is good."

"Don't feel like you're causing me trouble."

Zhang Yan stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

Nie Qingcheng did not turn around.

"Your business is my business."

Zhang Yan remained silent for a moment.

"understood."

Nie Qingcheng zipped up the suitcase.

"Let's go."