Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1166 - 566:

"Quit gawking, Wendi, you all head indoors and fetch some crates of beer. The meat's all grilled up! Bring it out!"

Lin Chuqiao's sharp shout rang out, and soon a bunch of golden-brown, crunchy meat skewers appeared on platters across the table.

The group settled into their chairs, and the yard's vibe hit a high note, filled with whoops and chuckles echoing around.

Fang Cheng claimed the head spot, with Lin Chuqiao sliding right beside him as expected.

She skipped the chopsticks at first, grabbing a wet wipe to clean her hands.

Afterward, she snagged a roasted chicken wing, neatly cut away the burnt bits, and softly set it on Fang Cheng's dish.

The move was smooth and effortless, no extra chatter needed, but it showed the quiet harmony and care of someone running the show.

Beside her, Xiao Shuai was sharp and jumped up quick to pour wine into Fang Cheng's empty cup.

"Chairman, this rice wine's warmed just right, give it a taste."

He gripped the cup with both hands, leaning forward a bit, then busily topped off the glasses for Lin Chuqiao, the Professor, Li Dingjian, and the rest in turn.

It painted him perfectly as a devoted right-hand man.

Over at the other table, things looked totally opposite.

"Cheers, one more round!"

Pan Wendi had a foot propped on a beer crate, clutching a pint, his cheeks flushed from the booze.

This spoiled scion ditched his typical polish, spraying spit as he bragged to the chubby Hu at his side:

"Brother Hu, no exaggeration, in this East Capital, I know every corner like my own backyard?"

"Once the buzz dies down, I'll show you the top night spots, the girls there are fire..."

"Heh, I'm not into girls, give me skewers and beer any day."

Fatty Hu's lips gleamed with grease, his left hand snatching a wad of skewers while the right nursed a beer bottle. He devoured it all with wild abandon.

Pan Wendi's schemes didn't catch his eye, but he was over the moon with the barbecue spread.

Across from him, Xu Hao was another laid-back type, abruptly banging his glass down and belting out, fueled by the liquor:

"Young Master Pan, Hu Zi, Ah Fei, we're sworn brothers from here on out!"

"With the boss backing us in the Illuminati, in East Capital, we strut like kings! Whoever steps to us, I'll smash them first!"

Fei Ying kept quiet, just tuning into their tall tales, now and then toasting, a easy grin playing on his lips.

Against that rowdy bunch, Old Chen, Eagle Eye, Big Hammer, and Monkey at the next table showed the steady vibe of seasoned guys.

All four hovered around middle age, no wild yelling from them.

They nursed their rice wine steadily, grabbing peanuts here and there, munching a skewer or two, and casually swapping old stories.

The mood stayed chill, radiating a laid-back warmth.

The loosest and happiest crew was the ladies' table.

Bai Ling buzzed like an endless chirper, nibbling a bit of toasted bread while eagerly poking at the hamster perched on Bean's shoulder.

"See, it's gripping its snack with tiny paws!"

Bai Ling squealed with delight.

Bean cracked a smile at her antics, still a tad reserved, but her posture had softened since the start.

She clutched the juice Jiang Yun passed her, taking gentle sips, her eyes forming happy half-moons.

Jiang Yun now and then loaded Bean's plate with more eats, all while murmuring softly to Xiao Ya.

At the same time, the hamster called Xiao Bai lounged happily on Bean's shoulder, munching away at a cookie with gusto.

After a couple drink cycles, Fang Cheng lifted his cup, glanced over at Li Dingjian next to him.

"How's everything at home lately?"

Li Dingjian set his chopsticks aside, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and replied evenly:

"Ah Cheng, no need to fret."

"Wanghu Town's just a quiet backwater village, pretty isolated, and with me keeping an eye, nothing's gonna stir up."

He halted for a beat, his face growing serious, then continued:

"Your mom and grandpa are both doing well health-wise, Ah Cheng, chase your goals without fretting over family stuff."

Fang Cheng gave a nod, stretching to pour more wine for him:

"In a few days, I'll send Big Hammer and Monkey to install some cameras around town and weave a info web. Any issues pop up, I'll hear right away."

"Sounds good."

Li Dingjian didn't push back, hoisting his cup for a swallow:

"Extra watch never hurts, their support lets me relax more on site, and you can focus easier on your endeavors."

Their glasses touched, a silent pact sealed.

Setting his cup down, Fang Cheng swiveled, his gaze landing on the Professor across the way, who was methodically peeling edamame.

"Professor."

Fang Cheng said.

The Professor looked up at the call, his eyes flicking over the rims of his specs, patiently awaiting the follow-up.

"You've got tons of experience, got a question for you."

Fang Cheng straightened up, then spoke deliberately:

"About the 'Super Ancient Civilization Ruins,' what do you know?"

The phrase hit, and the Professor's fingers halted mid-peel on the edamame.

Behind those heavy lenses, his eyes sparked with a mix of memory and lingering dread.

"Chairman, you're referring to the 'Otherworld' the Masked Guest brought up on the Roof Terrace, correct?"

The Professor popped the peeled edamame into his mouth, munching thoughtfully:

"Truth is, Old Chen filled me in on this yesterday evening."

"You picked the best guy to ask—in East Capital, outside the Special Search Team or high military ranks, not many grasp it like I do."

"How come?"

Fang Cheng had to inquire.

The Professor grabbed a drink of rice wine from the table, like the booze was steadying his nerves, then let out a long breath:

"See, over a decade back, I was lucky... or cursed, to step inside one."

Here, he fiddled with his glasses, his voice dropping to a grave weight:

"Back then, I'd escaped to the Southern Ocean just a few years prior, tagging along with an international mercenary group scraping by in a war-torn land."

"The group was a mix of rough types—ex-soldiers, outlaws, all stained with violence. My smarts in geology and old languages helped me hang on."

"Once, we snagged a huge gig from local warlords, pay through the roof for one mission: guarding an archaeological squad into Borneo's thickest jungle to hit some ancient temple site."

The Professor's stare grew distant, like it cut past the glowing coals ahead, diving into the steamy, gore-soaked jungle depths.

"That jungle was pure evil, we dropped three men in the first three days inside."

"Some fell to miasma poison, weird sores erupting on their skin, eating through to the bone and beyond, or unseen beasts yanked them into the brush, bodies gone forever."

"The archaeologists stayed zipped, just claiming they hunted the 'Jungle Kingdom of Ancient Remains,' end of story."

"We pushed to the ancient temple spot at last, but it screamed not the work of any old civilization."

The Professor stopped, lost again in that era's jolt:

"The whole temple was carved right into the cliff face, forged from dark massive rocks, looming skyward beyond belief."

"The entrance featured twin enormous stone doors, carved with menacing beast designs, radiating a heavy, wordless pressure."

"Life-sized stone statues flanked the path on both sides, each face snarling, like they tracked every intruder."

"We trailed the archaeologists deeper, walls crammed with bizarre carvings all along, nothing like familiar ancient scripts."

"I could make out a couple marks tied to 'sacrifice' and 'passage.' The floor was scattered with bones, calcified stiff, no recent kills—at least a millennium old."

"We wound through multiple stone halls with the archaeologists, landing at a colossal stone dais buried in the temple's heart."

"The dais was hewn from one giant rock, dozens of meters tall, its top inscribed with motifs matching the walls, a crystal sphere the size of a fist sitting smack in the middle."

"The sphere spun steadily, giving off a soft blue light, and getting close left you woozy, like an invisible force bored into your skull from the front."