Chapter 4: Ancient Bronze Engraving

## Chapter Four: Ancient Bronze Carvings

Night had long fallen, and neon lights flickered along the streets. The city at night still exuded endless vitality, with skyscrapers rising in dense rows into the sky.

But viewed from space, all of this would appear insignificant, just a tiny speck.

It was an extraordinary night, destined to be anything but peaceful. Dozens of main control rooms on the ground had completely locked onto the dark sky.

In the desolate cosmos, nine dragon corpses shimmered with a metallic, chilling gleam. Their bodies were covered in black scales, each the size of a fan, reflecting a faint dark light.

Dragons, creatures of legend, should not exist in this world, yet at this moment, they truly lay across the sky.

The images captured from the dark reaches of space were breathtaking and awe-inspiring. Their massive dragon horns resembled ancient, branching trees, powerful yet mysterious. Their bodies were like mountain ranges, robust and imposing, with scales sharp as blades, shimmering with cold light, appearing grand and magnificent.

These nine colossal, lifeless bodies represented a tremendous shock to human understanding, overturning certain ingrained notions.

***

"Ye Fan, how has your life been these past three years?" Many expressed concern for Ye Fan, asking with genuine interest.

"It's been alright. My life is quite ordinary; nothing particularly special has happened in three years..."

Just then, people from Liu Yunzhi's table came over to propose a toast, offering many well wishes. Everyone clinked glasses repeatedly, creating a lively atmosphere.

Those who had earlier suggested penalizing Ye Fan did not approach him for a separate toast. It was only later that Lin Jia and Wang Ziwen came over, one after another, each having a drink with Ye Fan privately.

As time went on, many became tipsy, and then the group went to karaoke. The songs seemed to transport everyone back to their youthful student days.

"How many people have admired your youthful appearance, but who would bear the merciless changes of time? How many people have come and gone by your side, but know that I will be with you throughout your life..."

Perhaps genuinely drunk, a pair of classmates who had once been in love during their student days, only to part ways reluctantly upon graduation, looked at each other in silence. As the song echoed, the female classmate unexpectedly lost control, her eyes blurred with tears, and she broke into uncontrollable sobs. Everyone rushed to comfort her.

For various reasons, none of the several couples among the classmates managed to stay together after graduation. Although they had all carefully nurtured their campus romances, ultimately, none of them worked out.

Graduation often meant breaking up, perhaps a kind of curse, as the same tragedy unfolds for university graduates every year. Unfortunately, this tragedy is likely to continue for a long time, linked to youthful impulsiveness, employment pressure, societal realities... and perhaps other factors.

Almost everyone chose songs from three years ago. Some sang with great emotion, pulling everyone's thoughts back to three years prior, when scenes and events from their student days were still vivid.

Finally, a "microphone hog" appeared. A drunk classmate monopolized the microphone for a long time, but their singing was truly uncomplimentary, practically earth-shattering and wailing like ghosts. While assaulting everyone's ears, it also brought a joyful atmosphere, making everyone burst into laughter.

It was very late when everyone finally left Sea Moon City. There was another activity planned for tomorrow: a visit back to their alma mater. Most of the classmates who had traveled a long distance had booked rooms at the same hotel, and the few with cars were responsible for driving them there.

"Lin Jia, I'll take you back to the hotel." Liu Yunzhi parked his Toyota next to Lin Jia.

Some other classmates considered taking taxis, as the few cars nearby had very limited seating. They felt awkward about asking to ride with Liu Yunzhi and the others.

Just then, a Mercedes-Benz pulled up to the curb. Ye Fan got out and approached the haggard-looking female classmate, saying, "I'll give you a ride back."

Ye Fan felt sympathetic towards this female classmate. In university, she had been a happy, simple girl who enjoyed cheering for her classmates outside the football field, sometimes even shyly bringing them bottles of mineral water. But now, her unhappy life made her seem very melancholic. Her face was pale, and she looked unwell, having spoken very little all evening.

Suddenly seeing Ye Fan stop his car and invite her in, she felt both grateful and flustered. She hadn't been noticed all evening, and now she seemed unaccustomed to being watched by her classmates.

On the other side, Liu Yunzhi watched Ye Fan drive up, his expression startled, then it instantly darkened.

Around them, everyone's expressions varied: some showed doubt and confusion, others surprise and complexity. Everyone, consciously or unconsciously, looked at Liu Yunzhi. What they saw before them was completely different from what he had claimed.

At that moment, Liu Yunzhi felt a burning sensation on his face, as if he had been slapped hard. Those few classmates who had "lectured" Ye Fan with a condescending attitude also felt incredibly embarrassed. They wanted to say something but didn't know how to begin.

A few others showed amused and peculiar expressions, especially those who had toasted with Ye Fan at his table. They seemed to feel that this scene had undermined the prestige of Liu Yunzhi's small circle.

Just then, two other people came over, opened the car door, and got in. These were classmates who were very close to Ye Fan.

The Mercedes-Benz carrying a few people gradually drove away, while many were still processing what they had seen. Liu Yunzhi stood stiffly, feeling as if thorns were pricking his back under everyone's strange gazes...

At this very moment, in the distant reaches of space, aboard the International Space Station orbiting Earth, several astronauts maintained grim expressions, their nerves constantly taut; they were extremely tense.

In the dark and cold expanse of space, the nine colossal dragon corpses seemed to have existed since ancient times. Iron chains, as thick as bowls, stretched across the void, connecting to a gigantic bronze coffin, evoking a sense of endless desolation and antiquity.

Ground-level decision-makers had already agreed that should any major incident occur, they would immediately destroy the nine dragon corpses and the mysterious ancient bronze coffin. But no one wanted such a thing to happen. The Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin, originating from the dark and desolate depths of the cosmos, possessed immeasurable value and significance!

Suddenly, the main control room within the International Space Station detected a set of mysterious signals, an extraordinary type of fluctuation. The source was close at hand: the gigantic bronze coffin pulled by the nine dragon corpses. Mysterious waves emanated from the ancient and blurry patterns on its surface.

"Unbreakable..." The signals were transmitted back to Earth and analyzed by the most precise supercomputers, yet no clues could be deciphered. The ancient patterns on the gigantic bronze coffin were covered in verdigris, making them difficult to discern completely.

"Preliminary analysis suggests that these bronze carvings are related to ancient Chinese legends." Monitoring centers in various countries reached a similar conclusion: "The beast-shaped carvings on the gigantic bronze coffin resemble certain ancient ferocious beasts described in China's *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, while the figures in the bronze patterns are suspected to be deities..."

Although the origin of some of the bronze carvings was identified, the extremely faint mysterious signals remained indecipherable, offering no discernible clues.