CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: GOU AND THE LACKEY

Perhaps because of the courtyard walls, the wild grass in this small building flourished much more than outside.

The weeds, green tinged with yellow, reached up to half a person’s height, forming a barrier between the courtyard gate and the small building.

Lu Xi’an and Yao Wei parted the wild grass to pass through and stood on the steps in front of the building’s door. Looking back, the parted wild grass had returned to its original position, not showing a hint of disturbance.

"Do you think there might be any bugs or snakes in here?"

Lu Xi’an asked.

Yao Wei shook her head, "I don’t know." She was not like those delicate girls from past lives; someone as fierce as her wouldn’t show a trace of fear at the thought of bugs or snakes potentially lurking in the wild grass.

On the contrary, after Lu Xi’an said, "It would be great if there were bugs and such, rich in protein and nutritious," this woman became interested, peering into the wild grass as if she intended to find some bugs to eat.

Lu Xi’an couldn’t help but laugh, saying, "Stop searching. If one day we’re in dire straits, it’ll be late to start eating bugs. Right now, we have rice, vegetables, bread, and compressed biscuits, no need to eat bugs."

Yao Wei was somewhat puzzled, "Shouldn’t we stock up on food whenever we find it?"

Lu Xi’an replied, "Bugs aren’t really reserve food."

"Oh."

Yao Wei felt a little disappointed. Upon finally knowing of an additional food source yet unable to collect reserve stock, she was quite distressed thinking of the potential lot of food in the weeds.

But the more she looked, the more she was suddenly stunned.

"What is it?"

Lu Xi’an asked.

"Look over there."

Yao Wei pointed to an area by the west wall where the grass was noticeably shorter. However, the weeds from the southeast and north directions encroached over, covering it up. Without close inspection, it wouldn’t be noticeable at all.

Lu Xi’an had initially failed to notice the difference, but Yao Wei’s indication brought it to his attention.

He exchanged a look with Yao Wei, both understanding what the other was thinking, then parted the grass and headed toward the small building’s west wall.

Reaching the base of the west wall, upon careful examination, there was indeed a rectangular patch where the grass was shorter and comparatively neater than elsewhere.

This was something only observable from a close distance; from afar without focus, it would be undetectable.

"Gou."

Lu Xi’an called, summoning the mechanical dog.

In this weed-filled field, the wheels of Gou were useless; it could only wobble through the weeds towering above it.

Lu Xi’an simply walked over, picked up Gou, and instructed, "Check if there’s something wrong here?"

Gou used its eyes to scan the suspicious area, then its eyes lit up, the wheels lifted momentarily before settling again.

Being held by Lu Xi’an, Gou’s paws lifted and dropped in a comical manner.

Yet, comic or not, it served its purpose.

Lu Xi’an observed the light from its eyes scan a corner, understanding dawning, then bent down to investigate, indeed finding the issue—

The ground was made of square bricks, with weeds sprouting through the gaps. Due to years of wild growth, many bricks were lifted and broken, appearing like undulating mountain ranges.

But as "mountains" reached the spot illuminated by Gou’s eyes, the bricks suddenly became more orderly.

The quality and color of the bricks seemed identical to others, but the gaps were much smaller, and fewer were cracked due to weed growth.

"Yao Wei, give me the Blade."

Lu Xi’an remained crouched but raised his hand.

Yao Wei immediately took out a blade she carried and handed it to Lu Xi’an.

Receiving the blade, Lu Xi’an inserted it into the brick gap at Gou’s pointed location, easily prying up a brick.

The brick lifted a large chunk of soil, still connected to grass.

Lu Xi’an pulled out the grass, lifting an even larger chunk of soil. He stabbed the blade downward, burying most of it before hearing a "ding;" the blade tip struck something hard.

As expected...

Lu Xi’an’s heart stirred; using the blade, he twisted and maneuvered repeatedly until an entire chunk of soil was cleared, finally revealing what lay beneath—

A rusted iron plate, apparently quite thick.

"There should be a basement here."

Lu Xi’an remarked, glancing at Yao Wei and smiling, "You’re really impressive, finding this place."

Yao Wei retorted, "You’re more impressive. Without you mentioning bugs, only Gou could have found this."

She acknowledged that discovering the area was inevitable because of Gou.

Without further words, Lu Xi’an continued excavating to make horizontal access easier. Then he pushed the blade along a parallel line with the west wall.

This thick iron plate surely had a handle; otherwise, how could it be lifted?

Even if it were electric, there should be a backup handle in case the control system failed.

As he sliced and dug, he soon encountered an obstruction.

It became apparent that the iron plate’s handle wasn’t recessed or mechanically fitted.

Following the obstruction, Lu Xi’an excavated and pulled weeds, revealing a slightly curved square handle welded on the iron plate.

He returned the blade to Yao Wei, cleared the grass from the iron plate, lifting more bricks and tossing them aside.

He then grasped the handle on the iron plate, pulling with effort.

With further exertion, the plate’s edge finally loosened, soil shaking as Lu Xi’an lifted a corner.

In doing so, the plate’s edge crack opened, its full shape visible: a rectangular iron door at least two meters long by over a meter wide with a solid thickness of at least three centimeters.

The remaining bricks on the iron door loosened, soil and weeds tilting haphazardly.

Lu Xi’an cleared it all, revealing another handle. He handed Gou to Yao Wei, grasped the handle with both hands, and pulled hard.

The Neo-Humans’ power showed again with extraordinary force as Lu Xi’an, miraculously, lifted the door.

"Zizz——"

A sound grating enough to affect one’s teeth filled the air.

Once the entire iron door was lifted, Lu Xi’an and Yao Wei peered beneath, discovering controlled metal rods holding it, uncertain if hydraulic or pneumatic.

Yet, it no longer mattered; the rods, linking both sides, caused Lu Xi’an extra exertion.

Without these rods, Lu Xi’an would have easily lifted the door.

Below the iron door was a wooden door.

Lu Xi’an opened it, greeted by a musty air.

"Gou."

Just two words from Lu Xi’an sufficed; Gou understood, sending a drone to scout below before following. Once assured safe, Gou signaled Lu Xi’an and Yao Wei.

Gou ironically possessed its own ’dog legs,’ preferring to send the drone into danger rather than go itself.