The faint golden light was particularly striking in the pitch-black lake bottom.

Zhou Huai's heart began to pound for no reason.

No way, no way?

Could it be that the pendulum of life, which could revive the dead, was found by him just like that?

He controlled Gandalf and, without hesitation, plunged into the clear lake water.

"Plop!"

The cold lake water instantly enveloped him.

However, the depth of this lake far exceeded Zhou Huai's expectations.

As he dove deeper, the surrounding light grew dimmer, and the water pressure increased.

It took him nearly fifty meters of descent before he finally reached the bottom of the lake.

The source of the golden light finally appeared clearly before his eyes.

It was an ancient-looking golden pendulum clock.

It was slanted into the soft mud at the bottom of the lake, entirely crafted from an unknown golden metal.

It had been submerged in the dark water for an unknown number of years, yet showed no signs of corrosion.

On the clock face, there were no scales to indicate time.

Instead, there were complex and mysterious golden runes that Zhou Huai had never seen before.

And in the center of the clock face, a slender pendulum swung back and forth at a constant frequency, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) ignoring the resistance of the water.

Each swing was silent, yet it seemed to resonate with Zhou Huai's heartbeat.

Four big words instantly filled Zhou Huai's mind.

pendulum of life!

This... this was the legendary Divine Artifact?

It was found by him so easily?

A strong sense of unreality welled up in Zhou Huai's heart.

This was too smooth.

Too smooth, even.

First, the monstrous beasts pointed the way for him in an almost crude manner.

Then, he just happened to find this small island.

The Divine Artifact was just lying quietly at the bottom of the lake, waiting for him to pick it up.

The entire process was as if the ruins were actively delivering this Divine Artifact into his hands.

Although his heart was filled with apprehension and doubt.

But with the Divine Artifact right in front of him, how could he not take it?

Zhou Huai controlled Gandalf and slowly moved forward.

He reached out and carefully grasped the cold clock body.

The feeling in his hand was unexpectedly light.

With a slight pull, he easily extracted the pendulum of life, which was over a meter long, from the mud at the bottom of the lake.

Zhou Huai's mind stirred, and he immediately tried to check the attributes of this Divine Artifact.

The next second, a virtual panel unfolded before his eyes.

【Item: pendulum of life】

【Type: Unknown】

【Attribute: Unknown】

Zhou Huai frowned.

Except for a name, everything else was unknown.

Did it require a special identification scroll to view its true attributes?

For some reason.

A slight disappointment suddenly welled up in Zhou Huai's heart.

Although the item's name displayed as pendulum of life, it was correct.

But this thing didn't seem to have the grandeur of a Divine Artifact that he had imagined.

It even felt inferior to a legendary-grade equipment.

Never mind.

Regardless, finding it was a good thing.

As for its specific function, he would leave it to the professionals in the military to study after he got out.

His mission this time was considered completed ahead of schedule.

Thinking of this, Zhou Huai subconsciously wanted to put this pendulum of life into his spatial ring.

However, the System sent a cold prompt.

【Ding! This item cannot be stored!】

Zhou Huai let out a soft "eh."

This was the first time he had encountered something that could not be stored in a spatial ring.

Was this the difference between a Divine Artifact and ordinary equipment?

If so, things would be a bit difficult.

If he were to wander around the ruins carrying a golden pendulum clock over a meter long.

It would be too conspicuous.

Once Thor, the God of Thunder, or other SS-rank powerhouses from other countries saw it.

It would probably be very difficult to bring it out safely.

Now, he could only take it one step at a time.

Zhou Huai, carrying the pendulum of life, quickly floated upward.

"Splash—!"

He leaped out of the freshwater lake and landed lightly on the shore. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Zhou Huai looked at the endless sea before him and was once again in a dilemma.

This damn ruin had no coordinates or map whatsoever.

After so many twists and turns.

He had no idea how to go back.

Just as he was pondering.

"Rustle..."

"Rustle..."

A series of dense, scalp-tingling rustling sounds came simultaneously from the jungle behind him and the surrounding seawater!

Zhou Huai suddenly turned his head.

He saw the calm sea surface churning violently again!

Countless densely packed marine monstrous beasts, like a black tide, surged madly towards the small island where he was!

Zhou Huai's eyebrows twitched.

No way?

Were these guys here to escort him back?

Pick-up and drop-off service?

That was too thoughtful.

However, this time Zhou Huai had clearly misunderstood.

Because the monstrous beasts that crawled out of the sea did not stop at the shore as before.

They swarmed onto the beach, their crimson eyes burning with bloodthirsty madness and greed.

They let out sharp roars at Gandalf.

"Roar—!"

Zhou Huai immediately felt that something was wrong.

Without hesitation, he slammed the eternal sanction in his hand to the ground!

"Arcane Barrier!"

Buzz—!

A translucent magic shield instantly enveloped him.

Almost the moment the shield formed, a heavily armored giant beast slammed into it fiercely!

"Boom!"

A loud bang!

The sturdy Arcane Barrier shook violently.

And the heavily armored giant beast was sent staggering back by the huge recoil force, letting out a painful wail.

However, its attack seemed to be a signal.

In an instant, all the monstrous beasts from all directions, as if Crazy, launched a fearless charge towards Gandalf's position!

Countless spells, claws, and fangs, like a torrential storm, poured madly onto the Arcane Barrier!

The clanging sounds were incessant!

...

At the same time.

On another island an unknown number of nautical miles away from this small island.

Thor, the God of Thunder, was suspended in mid-air, letting out bursts of unrestrained laughter.

In his hand, he also held a golden pendulum clock.

The style, size, and even the mysterious runes engraved on it were exactly the same as the one in Gandalf's hand!

"I didn't expect to find a Divine Artifact so quickly!"

Thor looked at the pendulum of life in his hand, his pride and arrogance undisguised.

"It's too simple!"

"It seems that the goddess of luck is still on my side!"

"I, Thor, am indeed the man destined by heaven!"

"Hahahaha!"