"Boom!!!!!!!"
After the deafening sound, there was a constant earthquake. The trembling of the earth made it difficult for one to stand stably. Both Shiller and Deathstroke fell to the ground. It wasn't until the tremor subsided and they got up that they realized Joseph had disappeared.
"He runs pretty fast," Shiller shook his hand and looked once more out the window. The bright meteor was already gone, but the entire city of Cairo was awake. The direction of the meteor's fall was southwest, and everyone was looking in that direction.
"Isn't that the desert over there?" Deathstroke also looked out and asked.
The Nile River region in Egypt is relatively fertile, becoming more barren the further inland you go, with nothing but large expanses of desert and no decent cities. And the southwest direction of Cairo should also be desert.
"Let's go and have a look." Shiller took one last glance at the mural. The glow on the mural had vanished, appearing ordinary, but it should be the anomaly of the mural that attracted the meteor.
"It's sure a big trouble," Deathstroke said. "You didn't mention anything about a meteor."
"Neither did you say your son is a superpower user and would crazily target me. Without him, I would've long sent this troublesome thing back to America."
Deathstroke was left speechless.
Deathstroke and Shiller came out of the museum. Tonight's moonlight was very bright. At this moment, many citizens walked out of their homes, looking toward the direction where the meteor fell and discussing something.
Not everyone saw the meteor, but everyone was certain that the accident didn't happen in Cairo, it should be in some area on the outskirts of Cairo. The citizens' first reaction was that Cairo was bombed since the situation hasn't been peaceful lately. But since the city is fine, it's unlikely to be an enemy attack. Could it be the Egyptian authorities testing missiles?
People were talking all over. Shiller and Deathstroke walked through them without attracting attention. Deathstroke got into the driver's seat, and Shiller sat in the front passenger seat. As the car started, the warm night wind blew in. Deathstroke reached out and turned on the car radio, and the local channel was always playing Arabic-style dance music.
"It looks like I owe you a favor again." Deathstroke lit a cigarette, deeply inhaled, blew the smoke out of the window, and said with some emotion, "I've never seen Joseph like this. It's quite magical, can you imagine? A few days ago he was still a baby who couldn't walk, and now he stands up to say he wants to protect me, and he nearly succeeded."
"Yeah, by finding trouble with me." Shiller kept emphasizing this point.
"Isn't this what you wanted?" Deathstroke laughed and said, "Now you're not mentioning that you're one person?"
Shiller was also somewhat at a loss for words. He turned and glanced at Deathstroke, then said, "How about I call him over to chat with you?"
"No, he's not as brief as you," Deathstroke shook his head, took another puff, and then said, "I don't need you to respond; you just need to listen. Of course, you might not hear clearly; perhaps you can just take a nap."
It seemed that Shiller took his suggestion, folded his arms, leaned back on the seat, and closed his eyes for a nap. Deathstroke's voice kept echoing in his ears, murmuring and very hypnotic.
"I've thought a lot about what you said about social rules. I think you're right. New Orleans, although its law and order is much better than those coastal cities, its atmosphere is too conservative. We were originally outsiders, and I've been away from home for years. Who can they point to? If it were the 19th century, the era of rampant gunmen and outlaws, they might have been long gone. It's the law and social order that protect them."
"This destined that I can only appear before them as a good husband and good father. They don't accept other possibilities. But lies will always be exposed; someday they will know what their father does. I can't explain, and they will surely be sad and disappointed."
"They must have tried to understand me, understand how hard I work outside, understand how much effort it took to provide them with a prosperous life without worry, convincing themselves there's no perfect solution in the world, that wanting money means sacrificing companionship. Then when they discover it's all a lie, that the so-called hard work is actually wanton killing, they will of course collapse."
"The key is, those moments when they tried to convince themselves will become laughable. Because only those who live within social rules and restrictions and can still strive to create a beautiful life for themselves and their families can be called diligent workers. Making money through crime, no matter how hard it is, is deserved. Besides, I'm not even struggling."
"To defend their current living society, they'll go against me. This stems from their hatred toward me. But you showed another possibility. That is when I fall into crisis, hanging by a thread, their love for me will urge them to save me."
"How could they not love me?" Deathstroke muttered to himself in a low voice. "No matter how you put it, we've had many good times together. In the yard, on the lawn, by the Mississippi River..."
"I also love them. Although you said I'm inherently flawed, that many things are just acting. But people are always willing to believe what they believe. When I indulge in certain feelings, perhaps I briefly have some real emotions. Undoubtedly, I love my family."
"Go apologize," Shiller mumbled, "for your concealment and for involving him in this huge trouble."
"Of course, I will," Deathstroke said, "And much more. Like not following his advice to stay away from you."
"There's no need for that," Shiller said, eyes closed, turning his head to the other side, his voice growing fainter as if already falling into a dream, "You're not wrong on that."
When Shiller woke up, he felt like he had had a long dream, but he had only slept for a short while. He seemed to hear Deathstroke say something but had already forgotten. When he woke up again, the car was already driving into the desert.
Some shadows swept across the horizon. When Shiller looked over, they seemed familiar, but the car was moving too fast for him to see clearly. It wasn't until they got closer that the shadows grew bigger—that was the Pyramid.
Shiller finally recalled that southwest of Cairo was the famous Giza Pyramid Complex.
Speaking of the Giza Pyramid Complex, perhaps many haven't heard of it. But the Hufu Pyramid is one of the Giza Pyramid Complex. If you haven't heard of this, the "Sphinx" crouches in front of the Hufu Pyramid.
The Giza Pyramid Complex in the night didn't look terrifying; instead, it appeared even more sacred, perhaps because the moonlight was exceptionally bright tonight. The entire Desert was illuminated silver-white like snow. The pyramids standing in the Desert had each face brightly lit. Such straight and orderly shapes didn't resemble creations of Ancient Egypt but rather the product of modern industry, filled with a supernatural sense of technology.
"This is my first time seeing the pyramids too," Deathstroke said, looking at the pyramids on the high ground, he remarked somewhat emotionally, "How the hell did the People of Ancient Egypt build this thing?"
Shiller stood there for a while and suddenly realized: If a Meteor did crash into the Giza Pyramid Complex, would they lose a pyramid forever?
"Damn it," Shiller cursed, "Let's quickly go check it out!"
The two of them ran towards the center of the pyramid complex. But halfway there, Shiller stopped because he realized something was wrong. He turned back, and a sandstorm had enveloped their car. It disappeared just like that, and there was no one here.
Deathstroke realized it too. Logically, many should have witnessed the Meteor falling towards the southwest direction. There should've been loud noise and tremors, proving that the Meteor had struck down. Someone would surely come to investigate. Being Cairo's most important sight, Egyptian authorities would be more concerned about the safety of the Giza Pyramid Complex than anyone else. If it got hit by a Meteor, it wouldn't just be a loss for Cairo or Egypt, but a loss for the entire Human race civilization.
The place should have been surrounded by police and cordoned off, and experts should have rushed in already. But until now, only the two of them were here, and their car had mysteriously vanished.
"I told you this is a huge trouble," Deathstroke said, "Looks like we've been pulled into a magic event. Do you understand this?"
"I'm probably the least knowledgeable about this," Shiller said, "Otherwise, we wouldn't have stepped into a trap so easily. I didn't think in this direction at all."
But neither were the type to complain. Deathstroke continued to walk towards the pyramids. As they moved forward, Shiller gradually felt something was amiss, he said: "Do you feel like we're not making any progress at all?"
Deathstroke turned to look at his footprints, but behind them the sandstorm continued and their footprints were long gone. The pyramids ahead hadn't gotten any bigger either. This proved their progress was ineffective, likely they were pacing in place.
"Seems like this is a puzzle," Shiller said, "If we don't solve it, we'll never be able to reach the pyramid, we might not even be able to leave."
"Alright, have you figured out the key?" Deathstroke was observing earnestly, "I feel like the pyramids we see look a bit off. They seem too orderly. I don't know what the real Giza Pyramid Complex should look like, but I know these aren't normal."
Shiller didn't really know what the real Giza Pyramid Complex should look like either. Although he'd been to Egypt before, he obviously wouldn't go sightseeing. Moreover, the experience of visiting the pyramids wasn't great. Outside of taking photos, there wasn't much to see; inside was cramped and claustrophobic, making the visit uncomfortable. Better to skip it.
But this puzzle likely has nothing to do with the original Giza Pyramid Complex, those pyramids still standing on the horizon appear to have a certain pattern. What could it be?
Shiller didn't choose to move forward or backward; he moved sideways. Then he discovered that part of the pyramids in the distance would move along with him. Shiller walked left, it moved left; Shiller walked right, it moved right.
Deathstroke obviously noticed the anomaly too. As Shiller moved left, he moved right. Thus, part of the pyramids followed along with his movement. Clearly, this was a game testing synchronicity.
"What are we supposed to make these things do?" Deathstroke asked, "Make them line the way to welcome us?"
"Why not?"
So they started trying. But it wasn't easy. Some pyramids were fickle; Shiller moved left, they'd move left, Deathstroke moved right, they'd move right. They had to constantly adjust the positions of these pyramids to ensure they stayed where they should.
"Oh my god!" After taking half a step too many again, causing misalignment, Deathstroke roared, "Why the hell are we playing Desert crabs in the middle of the night?"
"What do you have to be mad about?" Shiller looked at him coldly and said, "I've never seen a crab as clumsy as you."
He took out his Revolver. "We'll try one last time."
"And then you'll shoot the pyramids?"
"Then I'll shoot you."