Chapter 1

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Jiangsu Province, Taizhou City.

This is a city where the rain is rampant during the plum rain season. In June, at the South Bus Station, a white Chevrolet Cruze stood out among the many reckless taxis, but the mud-covered body and the accumulated mud in the wheel wells told people that it had traveled through countless days and nights.

A young man with short hair got out of the car. Of medium height, he wore a black leather jacket and white flat shoes, and his steps were hurried as he walked toward a corner of the station. He pursed his lips, having long grown accustomed to such days and nights.

Xiao Yi tightened his grip on the black notebook in his hand, a black pen tucked between the pages, which were slightly curled, a masterpiece of his own. In the same hand, he held a black digital camera, pressing against the notebook.

Xiao Yi was a journalist, having been in the field for two years. Most of his days were spent in the car, covering fires, explosions, suicides, and 110 calls. Many places had seen his presence, but such a life left him deeply exhausted. Often, he wondered what his future would be like. Two years ago, his senior colleagues told him to cherish the last days, but he didn't understand then. By the time he was fully immersed, he no longer wanted to understand.

"Xiao Yi! Hurry! The car is about to leave, we're waiting for you!"

Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted his thoughts. Xiao Yi looked up and saw a young man with a dark blue shoulder bag waving at him from a distance. Beside the young man, a white Dongfeng Citroën started up, with the words "News Interview" in large letters on its body.

The young man was Qin Chuan, Xiao Yi's colleague. At 27, he was very capable and had three years more experience than Xiao Yi. Qin Chuan was leading this interview, and he waved at Xiao Yi with a smile, even as he urged him on.

"Xiao Yi, hurry up, we don't have much time left for the appointment with Professor Han."

Xiao Yi opened the car door and got into the interview vehicle. Inside, besides Qin Chuan, there were a man and a woman, both veteran journalists. The man, Qi Yong, was in his early 30s and slightly overweight. The woman, Shu Jing, was also in her late 20s, but she looked slender and well-maintained, though her gaze was indifferent. Perhaps it was because she wasn't familiar with Xiao Yi, or perhaps it was her personality, but Xiao Yi didn't mind. It was just one interview, and there was no need to be too particular.

The interview vehicle sped down the highway. This interview was quite interesting. An archaeologist had discovered a dinosaur skeleton in a water town called Zhen Tong in Taizhou, along with an ancient cave. According to initial examinations, the skeleton might have been buried and preserved from the late Triassic period of the Mesozoic era, about 230 million years ago.

As a journalist, the most important thing was to grasp the leads and obtain the most advanced information before the public. Over the past two years, Xiao Yi had focused all his attention on this. After each day of interviews, he would always think about the next day's topics, a cycle that had left him numb and accustomed. Life was like this, and often, one had no choice. Courage was not something everyone possessed; it came at a cost.

Zhen Tong Town was a famous tourist town in Taizhou, with a 5A-level wetland park that attracted a large number of tourists every year. It was also known for the "Zhen Tong Boat Festival." For Xiao Yi, who was born in Zhen Tong, the most memorable thing was the thousand-year-old locust tree that was said to have witnessed the love story of Dong Yong and the Seventh Fairy. People used to say that a thousand-year-old snake spirit lived in the tree, and over time, it became a place of worship, with many people praying for their wishes to come true, though no one knew how many actually did.

"This time, the dinosaur skeleton was discovered on a small island in the wetland of Zhen Tong Town. Professor Han said on the phone that it was a complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, dating back to the late Triassic period, or even earlier. This might prove that dinosaurs appeared earlier than the late Triassic period."

The news interview vehicle was on the move, and Qin Chuan explained excitedly, "This is big news, perhaps it will shock the nation!"

Xiao Yi pondered. After receiving the news last night, he had thoroughly researched the information. Dinosaurs were believed to have first appeared in the late Triassic period of the Mesozoic era. The Mesozoic era was divided into the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. Dinosaurs lived until the late Cretaceous period before going extinct, along with the Mesozoic era, spanning nearly 160 million years. In contrast, human civilization has only been recorded for about ten thousand years, and earlier, humans lived in a primitive, almost animal-like manner.

Tyrannosaurus Rex, also known as the Tyrant Lizard, was considered the strongest known carnivorous animal, appearing in the late Cretaceous period. If the findings were confirmed, it would be a major shock to the domestic and international archaeological community. A Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton from a period earlier than the Mesozoic era would reveal how much unknown history still lies hidden in human knowledge.

However, Xiao Yi wasn't overly concerned. Compared to some of the dull interviews he had done in the past, this one was full of interest. A Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, the king of the dinosaur clan, was a first for the Taizhou region.

The interview vehicle arrived at the Zhen Lake Scenic Area in less than an hour, thanks to Qin Chuan's urging. They entered the wetland park without any obstacles, got off the car, and boarded a waiting speedboat at the dock. The engine roared, and the boat sped toward a small island in the center of the lake.

The lake was called Magpie Lake, with clear water. According to legend, every year when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl met, the magpies in the lake would fly up to form a bridge, connecting their fates for life. Xiao Yi's thoughts wandered, but he quickly refocused as they approached the island. At the dock, an elderly man in his 60s, wearing glasses, was already shouting excitedly.

"Great discovery! A cave, incredible! Hurry, follow me!"

The elderly man was Professor Han, a renowned archaeologist in China, ranking among the top three in dinosaur research. However, he was also somewhat out of character, and his two accompanying archaeologists tried to support him but were pushed away.

The speedboat docked, and Xiao Yi and the others quickly disembarked. Qin Chuan, excited, asked, "Professor Han, what cave? What did you find?"

"Come! Follow me quickly!"

Without a word, Professor Han turned and jogged, his work clothes covered in dust, but he didn't seem to notice. Xiao Yi was surprised; such a renowned expert usually had a composed demeanor, so for him to be so agitated, it must be a significant discovery.

The four followed Professor Han and his team into the wetland. The island had been completely sealed off, and tourism had been temporarily suspended, so the journey was quiet except for the calls of water birds. After about a kilometer, Xiao Yi saw a large pit on a flat, rarely visited wetland. The pit was about 40 meters square and nearly 10 meters deep. As they approached, a massive, grayish-white skull emerged from the ground.

A Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton!

Especially up close, it was a tremendous sight. The huge skull, with eye sockets as large as millstones, and a gaping mouth filled with sharp, menacing teeth, could easily fit three or four people.

"This is a Tyrannosaurus Rex, it's huge!" Qi Yong marveled, even with his experience, it was his first time seeing one.

Besides the skull, most of the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton was still in the pit. Calculating the size, the dinosaur was about 14 meters tall and nearly 30 meters long. The massive fossilized bones appeared before Xiao Yi's eyes, and the faint smell of decay filled the air. Xiao Yi estimated that such a large Tyrannosaurus Rex was unprecedented. Regardless of other factors, the completeness and size of the skeleton alone were enough to cause a global sensation. Additionally, he noticed a hole through the brow of the skull, as if caused by a sharp weapon.

Descending into the pit via a ladder, a sense of desolation filled the air. The earth here, nearly from the beginning of the Mesozoic era, smelled not of decay but of desolation. Even in the daylight, the pit bottom was dim, with the dinosaur bones casting shadows. The wet walls of the pit were damp, but strangely, there were no other scattered bone fragments in the pit.

"Professor, the cave entrance has been cleared. After air circulation and testing, it is non-toxic and will not cause any chemical reactions."

A voice came from behind the bones. A digger, covered in dust, was adjusting some detection instruments and walking toward Xiao Yi and the others. As they took a few more steps, they saw a dark, half-meter-wide cave entrance behind the bones. The cave was pitch black, and the sense of desolation grew stronger. With his keen sense of smell, Xiao Yi and the others felt the same way. The world of the Mesozoic era was vastly different from today, and it was clear that this place had been sealed for over 100 million years.

"Right here, do you know what we found?" Professor Han said, taking out several flashlights and leading Xiao Yi and the others to the cave entrance, shining the lights inside.

"Wow!"

Xiao Yi and the others were simultaneously shocked, drawing in a breath of cold air. They saw things that should not have existed, things that were utterly inconceivable for that period.

Under the bright yellow light, there were ancient bronze swords, broken stone spears, black iron shields, and many small, grayish-white stones, about the size of a baby's fist, translucent and dull. They also saw several dark red armors, cracked and worn, as if they would turn to dust at the slightest touch.

"At least from the Mesozoic era, this must be the so-called super-ancient civilization!" Qi Yong took a deep breath.

Xiao Yi was also focused. This might be the most valuable news he had covered in his two years as a journalist. A giant Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton and the suspected remains of a super-ancient civilization. Perhaps deeper exploration would reveal even more valuable discoveries.

{Piao Tian Literature}