The surroundings of the deserted island were deathly silent. Occasionally, mysterious sun totems could be seen hanging from tree branches. Beneath those totems hung iron strips like wind chimes, clattering whenever the wind blew, casting a mysterious shadow over the island once more.
"It feels like these ritual-related things are everywhere," Lara said, looking at the totems hanging from the branches with a hint of fear.
Before, she might not have minded these ubiquitous ritual totems, but ever since learning that supernatural powers truly existed on this island, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.
Humanity's deepest and most profound fear is the fear of the unknown, especially when it involves entities that have left behind legends.
"It's just an evil spirit trapped on an island, nothing to be afraid of!"
Xia Yu casually picked up a stone from the ground, aimed it at a totem hanging from a branch, and flicked his wrist. With a snap, the totem was shattered.
"Full marks. If this were a game, there'd definitely be a challenge mission to destroy all the totems on the island." Seeing that Xia Yu wasn't afraid at all and was even in the mood to joke around, Lara felt a bit helpless.
"Xia Yu, I'm only now realizing how big-hearted you are. Aren't you afraid? Even if you've awakened a magical inheritance, you've only just awakened. Himiko is an evil spirit who has existed for over a thousand years."
"The best way to eliminate fear is to face it, Au—cough, cough, almost said that out of habit." Xia Yu coughed twice, ignored Lara's strange look, and spoke again.
"We can't stop just because we're afraid. Maybe Himiko seems terrifying, but in reality, she can't even leave this island. Otherwise, Yamatai wouldn't have remained unknown for so long."
"Besides, our goal is to eliminate Himiko. Only by eliminating her can the storms outside the island be stopped so we can leave. You don't want to be trapped on this island forever, do you?"
Hearing this, Lara nodded seriously. She didn't want to stay on this deserted island forever, living a primitive life with Xia Yu.
Thinking of this, Lara's heart grew firm. For her future, she could no longer be so weak!
Seeing Lara's gaze grow resolute, Xia Yu nodded silently in his heart. At this moment, Lara already showed the first signs of the future Tomb Raider War Goddess.
Perhaps after a few more adventures, Lara would completely transform from a rookie explorer into the Explorer War Goddess of the future.
After walking for another half-day or so, a very dilapidated wooden house with rotting timber appeared before their eyes.
Moss grew rampantly on the broken house, and there were some WWII aircraft wrecks nearby. However, they were covered in rust, making it impossible to tell which country the planes belonged to.
The two decided to rest here for a bit—mainly Lara, who was already starting to pant. Xia Yu took out canned food and glucose water from his backpack and handed them to Lara, then tore open a pack of compressed biscuits and began to munch on them himself.
"Xia Yu, do you think we can really defeat Himiko?" Lara suddenly asked worriedly while eating.
"Everything is worth a try. Standing still won't get us anywhere," Xia Yu responded nonchalantly. "This doesn't sound like you, Lara. You were clearly looking forward to this expedition before."
"But at that time, I thought Himiko was just a legend."
"Legends always have elements of exaggeration. You don't need to be too afraid. You still have me, don't you? When we meet Himiko, I'll just catch her and keep her as a pet."
Xia Yu pointed to himself with his thumb, full of confidence. Hearing this, Lara was amused, and the worry in her heart dissipated quite a bit.
"Don't let Samantha hear you say that; she's always considered Himiko her ancestor," Lara reminded him with a smile.
"It's fine. If you don't tell and I don't tell, no one will know."
After a bit of joking, Lara regained some energy, and the two set off again. However, they hadn't gone far when the sound of music suddenly drifted over.
The ethereal music wailed and sobbed like the crying of a vengeful ghost, but it was clearly music produced by a machine; the sound with electromagnetic noise was quite obvious.
Even so, the sudden sound of music in a deep, quiet, and lush jungle was still a bit hair-raising.
Xia Yu and Lara looked at each other and continued forward, following the music.
Before long, a small river appeared before them, and the music was coming from a small house on the other side of the river.
The ethereal music, accompanied by the flowing sound of the river, composed a terrifying melody.
The two crossed the river hand-in-hand and arrived in front of the stone house from which the music originated. The stone house was covered in moss, blending perfectly into nature.
"Is anyone there?"
Holding Xia Yu's hand, Lara was the first to call out to the house. There was no response from inside, only the ethereal music drifting out.
Seeing this, the two walked in cautiously. The house wasn't large and was in a state of ruin. Empty cans and glass bottles were scattered around, and the roof was supported by tree roots that had grown inside, which was why it hadn't collapsed.
Inside the house, near the inner wall, stood a table. Although the table had rotted, the items on it were still intact.
"Is this a diary?"
Lara stepped forward cautiously. An old diary sat on the table; though covered in dust, it hadn't completely rotted away.
"Open it and take a look,"
Xia Yu suggested, picking up a branch from the side and using its tip to flip open the diary's cover.
As the cover opened, the contents of the diary came into their view.
This was the diary of a Japanese soldier from the WWII era, with the date and the soldier's name recorded on it.
The two of them had studied Japanese generally, so they could understand common Japanese text.
In the diary, the soldier mentioned "Oni" on the island. His traveling companion had completely disappeared in just one night, leaving only his helmet behind.
There was no blood on it, no signs of a struggle nearby—nothing at all.
The owner of the diary vented his fear in despair, stating that this island was a terrifying tomb and that they would all eventually be wiped out here; it was only a matter of time.
After reading the soldier's diary, the two gained a new clue: as early as 1940, the Japanese army had come to this island, attempting to study the cause of the storms to find a way to control them for use against the American forces.
But they had clearly run into trouble. Not only did they fail to research anything, but they were also attacked by the "Oni" on the island. The existence of the "Oni" kept them on edge, and eventually, they were wiped out.
"Xia Yu, there are actually ghosts on this island? Are they demons from Japanese legends? Could they be Himiko's subordinates?" Lara asked Xia Yu thoughtfully after reading the diary.
"Hmm... maybe. But don't be afraid; those ghosts probably aren't anything powerful," Xia Yu replied in a speculative tone.
"After all, so many years have passed; they couldn't possibly still exist. Even if they managed to survive, they must be living on as mere remnants."
Though he said this, he knew that those "Oni" hadn't weakened at all and wouldn't even die, because they were Himiko's Storm Warriors, an army of storms composed of undead spirits.
They had permanently guarded Himiko and her palace for at least a thousand years, and showed no signs of osteoporosis whatsoever. For an ordinary person, encountering them meant certain death.
There are risks in sports betting; one must bet cautiously. Those who bet on Argentina have already lost everything.
I didn't even take time off to watch the matches. I'm so dedicated; I'm moved by myself.