In Egypt at the end of the 10th century, during the Fatimid Caliphate which had its capital in Cairo, known in Chinese history as the Green-robed Caliphate.
Fang Er and his entourage flew for six to seven hours each day, covering nearly six thousand kilometers, and arrived over Cairo in less than four days.
With the map provided by Motorola as a guide, finding the pyramids did not take much effort.
The pyramids before him looked different from those seen online in later generations. They were covered with a layer of white limestone, though much of it appeared to have been deliberately removed.
Where the limestone was missing, the exposed rock was a yellowish-brown sandstone.
Standing at the foot of the pyramid and looking up, Fang Er became curious about how such a structure could have been built.
Later generations offered theories, such as using sheepskin bags to transport massive stones via waterways, but this explanation always felt somewhat lacking.
The colossal stones used to build the pyramids, each weighing nearly two tons, how many sheepskin bags would be needed to ensure they wouldn't sink in the river?
Furthermore, the idea of using mere hydraulics to transport massive stones to the top of a pyramid over a hundred meters high seemed utterly fantastical.
"Boom!"
Following an explosion, Ge Luoyang approached to report the situation.
"My Lord, the exit has been blasted open."
The pyramids were too mysterious; no entrance could be found by the naked eye, so explosives had to be used according to Motorola's instructions.
Upon reaching the blasted entrance, the interior was pitch black.
After turning on his flashlight, Wang Xuance and Ge Luoyang flanked Fang Er in the middle as they entered one by one, while the others remained outside to guard.
As soon as they stepped inside the pyramid, the system's voice sounded in Fang Er's mind.
"System: Kid, this pyramid has a secret!"
Fang Er was taken aback. A secret?
He quickly said to the two beside him, "Search thoroughly, perhaps we'll find something!"
"Yes, my Lord."
Wang Xuance and Ge Luoyang glanced around, confirmed there was no danger, and then began to scan the interior with their flashlights.
A moment later, Fang Er sniffed the air, sensing something different.
"System, this place has been sealed for years, yet the air is not stale at all!"
"System: Not only is the air quality good, but the internal magnetic field is highly beneficial to the human body. Living here permanently could extend one's lifespan by at least three to five years!"
Fang Er: ???
What the heck?
Weren't pyramids said to be tombs of pharaohs?
If they didn't focus on extending life while alive, why build such an elaborate tomb? Were they out of their minds?
"System: Idiot, who told you this was a tomb?"
Fang Er was momentarily speechless. His understanding of pyramids was limited to what he learned in history class.
Previously, when Motorola mentioned finding a golden sarcophagus there, and even a mummified pharaoh, he had instinctively taken the pyramid as a tomb.
Could it be that pyramids served other purposes?
"System: That wild motorcyclist was just a greedy fool who didn't properly study the furnishings inside!"
Hearing this, Fang Er's interest in the pyramid deepened.
If this was not a tomb, and judging by its structure, it didn't seem to be a palace either, then what was the purpose of the pyramid?
And who built it?
"My Lord, there's an oil lamp here!"
Wang Xuance's voice came from the side. Fang Er walked over and discovered a row of circular lampstands fixed to the wall, with some unknown oil still in them.
After lighting the wick with a lighter, a faint, indescribable fragrance spread with the burning of the wick.
"System: It's whale oil with ambergris added!"
"No way, System, you can tell what that smell is?" Fang Er asked in surprise.
"Sister can't smell, but she can analyze it from the electrical signals transmitted by your olfactory nerves."
The system's voice was rather haughty, as if such a matter was beneath her.
"Hiss~~"
Fang Er gasped, a thought flashing through his mind.
"Sss~~"
As soon as his thought formed, a jolt of electricity surged through his body, which was quite… electrifying.
"Kid, I'm warning you, I have no interest in experiencing the feelings you get during *that*."
Fang Er chuckled. Was it really disinterest, or a lack of permission? Heh heh heh.
He tossed the lighter to Wang Xuance, telling him to light the other oil lamps, and Fang Er began to examine the lamp before him.
The history of the pyramids was ancient, and it was remarkable that oil still remained in the lampstands after such a long time.
After studying it for a while, he realized that the lampstand and the wall were connected, not just placed next to each other, but rather, the lampstand and the wall seemed to be one integral piece!
Furthermore, as the oil lamp was lit and the temperature rose, the oil within the lampstand began to melt.
Only then did Fang Er notice that beneath the oil, at the point where the lampstand met the wall, there was a hole with a diameter of less than five millimeters.
Looking at the other lampstands, they all had similar holes.
There was something behind the wall!
This oil was being replenished through these holes!
Fang Er instantly had a guess. He drew his pistol and gently tapped the wall with the gun barrel. The echoing sound confirmed his suspicion.
"My Lord, there's a passage here~"
Ge Luoyang's voice came from another direction. Fang Er turned and saw a doorway illuminated by the lamplight.
"Let's go in!"
The three of them entered through the doorway and found themselves in a passage.
The passage was long, and after a few minutes, they encountered a bifurcation, resembling an upside-down letter Y, with one path going up and the other going down.
Motorola had discovered the golden coffin underground, so they chose the downward path.
Exploring the pyramids could be done slowly; if they couldn't figure it out here, they could study it back in the Great Tang. For now, getting their hands on the gold was the priority.
The passage sloped downwards, and after several turns, they arrived in a large hall.
The hall was vast, filled with many wooden chests. The passage of time had not caused the wood to rot.
"Damn! My Lord, we're rich!"
Ge Luoyang casually opened one of the chests and exclaimed in surprise at the sight of the gold, silver, and jewels within.
"Look at you, keep searching for other discoveries!"
Fang Er scolded him with a smile, then casually picked up a gold ingot from a chest and tucked it into Ge Luoyang's embrace.
"Heh heh heh, thank you for the bounty, my Lord~"
Ge Luoyang excitedly swept his flashlight around the hall.
There were similar lampstands here as well, but after lighting them, they found no other exits.
In the hall, apart from the chests of treasures, there was no sign of a golden coffin.
"Rustle~~ rustle~ rustle rustle~~"
In the silent hall, a strange sound suddenly broke the stillness.
Fang Er's spirit perked up. He remembered Motorola mentioning being attacked by countless scorpions at the same time as finding the coffin!