Chapter 1

"In a clear night, you gaze at the dense, twinkling stars, feeling a sense of disappointment that they are out of reach. Are we really so pitiful? No, never, we must conquer the universe!" The large screen in the hall was playing a video clip of the world-renowned scientist and aerodynamicist Qian Xuesen.

A young couple was swept along by the throng of people, almost floating on the tide of the crowd.

"I really don't understand why you would spend a precious weekend in such a boring museum," a pretty girl complained helplessly. The girl, though not flamboyantly dressed, had a charm that made her endearing, like a next-door neighbor.

"Visitors, good afternoon. This is the final announcement. The museum will close in half an hour. Please gather your belongings and leave as soon as possible..."

Wu Di, holding the girl's hand, lifted his wrist to check his watch: "Oh no, it's almost five o'clock." He mumbled to his girlfriend, "Yanan, I'm really sorry, but the Holy Lance of Longinus is on display today. You don't know how amazing it is!"

The girl pouted, wondering how she could have fallen for such a person.

The young couple were both in their early twenties, just starting their careers as interns in their respective companies.

They had finally managed to have a weekend off together, while other couples enjoyed cafes and cinemas, basking in the sweetness of love. But her boyfriend had brought her to a museum for a date, and the girl's eyes were already misty with disappointment and frustration.

Wu Di, however, was completely oblivious to his companion's feelings. He was still enthusiastically pushing forward. After all, the "Holy Lance of Longinus" world tour exhibition was only in their city for one day. He and his girlfriend had been queuing since early morning to finally get tickets and enter.

Actually, Wu Di wasn't particularly fond of history or museums. It was the immense fame and the many mysteries surrounding the "Holy Lance of Longinus" that had drawn him to the exhibition, willing to give up a romantic date with his beautiful girlfriend to broaden his horizons.

Like most young people of his generation, Wu Di came from an ordinary family, neither poor nor rich. After graduation, he started working at a small, ordinary company, doing mundane tasks. His life was a monotonous cycle, devoid of any excitement or surprises. If life could be represented by an ECG, Wu Di's would be flat-lined.

The only solace for his lonely soul was the various movies, anime, and novels popular on the internet. His interest in the "Holy Lance of Longinus" was sparked by these sources.

In any work of fiction, the "Holy Lance of Longinus" is always shroued in mystery.

According to legend, Longinus was originally the name of a Roman soldier who was the jailer escorting Jesus Christ to Golgotha. Judas Iscariot, one of Christ's disciples, betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, handing him over to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.

Pilate had Jesus crucified, but contrary to popular belief, after Christ was taken down from the cross, Pilate ordered the centurion Longinus to pierce Christ's side with his dagger to confirm his death.

The dagger, enveloped in the Savior's blood and flesh, became an invincible dark red spear, with a forked tip.

Because this holy spear was stained with the precious blood of Jesus, it is said to be indestructible and has miraculous healing powers, curing Longinus of the blindness he suffered from after piercing Jesus.

According to legend, anyone holding the spear can command all within a 120-foot radius and control the fate of the world.

However, anyone who loses it will die instantly. In ancient Rome, the spear became a symbol of power, and many victorious emperors wielded it to win countless battles.

For 2000 years, many great warriors have sought the secrets of the holy spear, leading to numerous legends.

Three hundred years after Jesus' crucifixion, the holy spear became the weapon of the first Christian knight, Saint Maurice. In the hands of the first Christian Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great, it changed the Roman Empire.

But after the decline of Rome, the spear's whereabouts were unknown for centuries until it reappeared with Charlemagne, who reunited Europe.

In the 19th century, the spear was smuggled out of the city, preventing Napoleon from obtaining it, which some say was the reason for his ultimate failure.

In the mid-20th century, another world conqueror claimed it—Hitler announced he possessed the holy spear in 1938.

The spear did not break Jesus' rib, fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy. Because it was used to confirm Jesus' death and was stained with his blood, it became a religious relic, also known as the Spear of Destiny.

The weapon used against Jesus later became a tool for changing the world, making the spear a divine artifact and a subject of unsettling prophecies.

After a thousand years of war, the spear that pierced Jesus' side has broken into three pieces. These fragments were reforged by successive rulers into three new Holy Lances of Longinus. The one on display today is one of them.

The museum was packed with people eager to see the real holy artifact. Unlike previous exhibitions, this one attracted mostly young visitors.

Wu Di grumbled to himself. His body was not strong, and his lack of exercise and sedentary work had already given him a potbelly. His height was also not impressive, and from his vantage point, he could see nothing but heads and backs.

The queue had taken too much time, and with only half an hour left before closing, Wu Di was unwilling to leave without seeing the holy spear. Fortunately, the visitors were well-behaved, forming an orderly queue. Wu Di could only grit his teeth and patiently follow the crowd.

The crowd moved slowly, each minute feeling like an eternity. Finally, it was Wu Di's turn to reach the display.

In a specially designed glass case, the Holy Lance of Longinus lay quietly, the dark red spear tip resting on a velvet cushion, like a sleeping beauty, captivating the eye.

This was the legendary artifact that could change the world, and Wu Di's eyes were fixed on the Holy Lance of Longinus.

In the depths of his mind, the Holy Lance of Longinus seemed to respond to his gaze, giving him a sense of familiarity, as if they were meant to be one.

This was something that belonged to him. Wu Di subconsciously let go of his girlfriend's hand and placed both hands on the glass case, reluctant to leave, as if he could hold the spear forever.

His girlfriend was at a loss, wondering if her appearance was less attractive to Wu Di than a cold, lifeless object. However, despite Yanan's reluctance to interrupt Wu Di's fascination, the queue behind them was growing impatient.

Just as Wu Di, in a daze, was dragged away from the display by his girlfriend and reluctantly turned his gaze, there was a sudden "crack" as the special glass case shattered, and all the lights in the museum went out.

"What's happening?" Wu Di was jolted out of his trance by the shrill screams. The sudden power outage plunged the museum hall into darkness, and people ran around in panic like headless flies.

No one knew what was happening. Wu Di, taking advantage of the chaos, tightly held his girlfriend, and Yanan's trembling body calmed slightly in his arms. It seemed that her boyfriend wasn't as useless as she thought, and women have all sorts of reasons for liking a man.

However, before Yanan could fully enjoy the moment, a gust of wind suddenly swept past them in the darkness.

Wu Di initially paid no attention, but as the person ran past him, he felt an extremely familiar sensation. It was the Holy Lance of Longinus, no doubt!

Wu Di's heart pounded. He knew this wasn't a random power outage but a planned theft of the Holy Lance of Longinus.

In the darkness, the person holding the Holy Lance of Longinus ran forward, stopping when he saw Wu Di and Yanan blocking the hall entrance. He growled, "Move, or die!"

As he issued the warning, he thrust the weapon forward. This was a highly trained international mercenary, and anything in his hands could become a deadly weapon.

Wu Di, though just an ordinary young man, found a surge of courage in this life-or-death moment. He turned his body, shielding his girlfriend, and the Holy Lance of Longinus pierced his abdomen.

The attacker, having struck successfully, tried to pull away. In the depths of Wu Di's mind, a strong sense of injustice surged, and he reached out, grabbing the Holy Lance of Longinus: "I'll haunt you to the end!"

The mercenary, taken aback by Wu Di's grip on the Holy Lance of Longinus, tried to pull it free. Suddenly, a storm swept through the museum, and the mercenary's hand was empty. The Holy Lance of Longinus and Wu Di's body vanished...