https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-937-The-Secret-Repository-and-the-Heart-Part-I-/13146180/
Chapter 938: Secret Repository Core Extraction (Part 2)
Chapter 938: Secret Repository Core Extraction (Part 2)
The Taurus Director halted before a massive lockhole, half a person's height, and ran her fingers over the inscribed text within. She nodded slightly and inserted the key into the void, twisting it with an ethereal motion.
As she did so, the hollow brass lockhole began to rotate clockwise, and with each ninety-degree turn, a palm-sized recess appeared on the inner side.
After the fifth ninety-degree turn, when five recesses had formed, the Taurus Director paused and withdrew the key, continuing her explanation:
"The number of recesses inside this lockhole represents the number of directors whose approval is required to retrieve items from within. Apart from items of the caliber of the 'Thirteen Ant Nests' or the 'Wish Wheel,' only the artifacts of two or three directors are needed to unlock it..."
As the Taurus Director explained the rules and usage of the Secret Repository, she extended her hand, which continuously displayed different patterns. She lightly touched each of the four palm-shaped recesses with her ever-changing palm.
"As for the tokens of the directors, they are the corresponding engravings automatically obtained when chosen by the Star Palace. Communicating with the Star Palace will reveal them. Since you previously lacked the sixty Lyon points, the Amphora Engraving could not fully manifest, but now it should be possible... Go ahead and try."
"Alright."
Lyon nodded in agreement and took a step forward, imitating the Taurus Director's actions. While attempting to communicate with the Amphora Star Palace, he placed his palm on the last empty recess.
"Click!"
A cerulean Amphora engraving flashed briefly in Lyon's palm, and after obtaining the final key, a sound akin to a spring-loaded mechanism emanated from within the brass lockhole.
The massive lockhole then split open vertically, and before Lyon could discern its contents, an unimaginably potent bloody stench poured out.
Indeed, it was like a deluge of blood.
The mere essence emanating from the Secret Repository was akin to a thick, viscous blood rain, drenching Lyon and the Taurus Director's faces and garments, immersing them in sticky blood.
Countless semi-coagulated crimson droplets, resembling repulsive earthworms formed from pus and blood, crawled all over Lyon and the Taurus Director, dripping from their hair and clothing with a distinct 'plop, plop' sound, staining the surrounding ground crimson.
Damn...
Lyon's eyes, momentarily stained blood-red, glanced at the Taurus Director, who was also covered in sticky blood. He gazed at the world before him, now entirely smeared in red, and couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment:
"Is this just a heart?"
"Yes."
Wiping her face with her sleeve to remove the smeared blood, the Taurus Director sighed with a complex expression, "And it's a heart that has been separated from a corpse for thousands of years. Every three to five years, the Secret Repository is opened to drain all the residual blood from it. It's a shriveled heart, Lyon. Although I brought you here, the decision to take it away ultimately rests with you."
Hmm? Just as Lyon showed a puzzled expression, about to ask what she meant, he felt his heart suddenly pause, temporarily halting the pumping of blood throughout his body.
Simultaneously, the Crimson Ruler's heart, hidden behind the sticky blood rain, a giant heart over two meters tall, bizarrely replaced Lyon's heart, beating in an uncanny rhythm.
"Your body is quite remarkable."
After a heavy and powerful beat, a somewhat blurry will emerged from the shriveled giant heart, speaking slowly and deliberately:
"Based on your physical qualities, it will take approximately six minutes of complete cardiac arrest before irreversible damage occurs to your body. So, you have six minutes to gain my approval."
Gain your approval?
Lyon touched his quiet chest and, instead of responding to the shriveled heart, cast a perplexed glance at the Taurus Director beside him.
What the hell, this B-word has been dead for years, and it still has the nerve to act all high and mighty with us?
"Crimson is the color of blood, and the Crimson Ruler is the master of blood, bloodlines, and lineage... as well as many other corresponding things. Its heart inherently possesses the power to dominate these aspects."
Ignoring Lyon's gaze, the Taurus Director explained, "The Pillar Deities control truth, but they are also controlled by their own truths. So, even if the Supreme Four Pillar Deities were to clash with us, they couldn't act against their own truths. If you can gain the acknowledgment of its heart, it must serve you."
What kind of bizarre setting is this?
Lyon raised his eyebrows in surprise, then wiped the sticky blood from his face. He turned his head back towards the Scarlet Core, which had stolen his heartbeat, and asked, "So, how do I gain your acknowledgment? Do I attack you or pay a price for using you?"
"Neither. You just need to answer some questions."
The massive Scarlet Core pulsated strongly and spoke with a hint of arrogance, "The better your answers, the more intensely I'll beat. Your current heartbeat is fifty-two and a half times per minute. If, within three questions, you can make my beats exceed sixty in a minute, then you win."
So, all I have to do is make your heart beat faster? What an abstract assessment.
Lyon furrowed his brows slightly at the words but nodded, "Alright, ask away."
"Good. Although you're human, I don't dislike your confidence."
The withered giant heart spoke slowly, "The first question: Blood is the most precious liquid in the world, but I want you to name another liquid that is more valuable than blood, even if it means exchanging all your blood for it."
"That's easy."
After a moment of contemplation, Lyon grasped the style of this entity and replied without hesitation, "Tears are more precious than blood. For me, if it means Anna will never shed tears of pain again, even draining all my blood would be worth it."
"Hmph."
After hearing Lyon's answer, the withered giant heart quickly beat twice, and its voice carried a hint of disdain, "A mundane and boring answer. But your heartbeat tells me you're speaking the truth, barely worthy of two beats... Now, the second question: Why is blood red?"
Why is blood red?
Lyon hesitated for a moment. Since his previous answer only received a mediocre evaluation, he decided to change his answering style...
"Because of hemoglobin."
"?"
Lyon, with a serious expression, explained to the somewhat confused giant heart, "Hemoglobin molecules contain iron atoms, which can combine with oxygen to form oxyhemoglobin. The main color of blood comes from the combination of hemoglobin and oxygen. Oxyhemoglobin appears scarlet, while deoxyhemoglobin is dark red.
When arterial blood delivers oxygen to various tissues and organs in the body, as oxygen is released, hemoglobin changes to a deoxygenated state, and the blood color turns dark red..."
"..."
"I'm done answering. Why aren't you saying anything?"
"..."
It's not that I don't want to speak; I just don't know what to say...
Lyon stared at the Scarlet Core, which was still waiting for an answer, and his mind was filled with bewilderment. He couldn't help but smack his non-existent lips, feeling like his non-existent brain had glitched slightly.
Logically, shouldn't you have answered with something about life, vitality, sacrifice, or death? And what about those egg white proteins?
(End of Chapter)
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