Chapter 699: Splendid Civilization

Chapter 699: Splendid Civilization

On the shore of the Bay of Poli, at the southwestern foot of Mount Vesuvius.

In the 8th century BC, this was Pompeii—the second largest city of the ancient Roman Empire at its peak, second only to Rome itself.

It was 186 miles south of Rome, bordered the famous Sicily to the west, and connected to Greece and North Africa to the south.

The magical Temple of the Sun, the massive Colosseum, the grand theater, the mystical fortune-teller's hall, and the novel entertainment venues in Pompeii attracted countless wealthy merchants and nobles from city-states around the Mediterranean.

Because of the natural volcanic soil, volcanic rock, and geothermal hot springs here, bathhouses were everywhere.

Over time, this place became a famous spot of luxury and indulgence along the Bay of Poli.

Brothels, prostitutes, and bath girls could be seen everywhere.

A paradise of animal desires for the rich, a living hell for the poor.

However.

One day in 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius, standing on the north side of ancient Pompeii, suddenly erupted violently.

Volcanic ash poured out like a blanket, instantly blocking out the sun.

Then came scorching lava rolling down like a raging river.

The residents of Pompeii tried to escape, only to find this disaster was completely unstoppable.

Because with the air currents, large amounts of toxic gases and sulfur vapor from the volcano had already covered all of Pompeii.

Mount Vesuvius erupted for eight days and eight nights straight.

Volcanic ash kept falling like rain, and when the mud flows dried, they became hard as rock, forming what geologists call pyroclastic rock.

This layer of "stone shell" covering the entire city of Pompeii wrapped up everything here.

Pompeii's 25,000 residents were frozen in that instant.

Later, this site was discovered.

In the ancient city of Pompeii, brought back to light, you can clearly see scenes of life suddenly interrupted.

Unfinished eggs and fish on dining tables, unbaked bread in ovens, coins on shop counters, and hunting dogs tied to posts.

And.

Tens of thousands of human remains wrapped in pyroclastic rock, preserved in their final poses before death.

This event.

Is called by modern people the Last Day of Pompeii.

Today.

This has become one of the world's most precious archaeological sites, because this land has preserved almost 100% of ancient Roman life from BC.

Modern-day ancient Pompeii.

Has been fully excavated, with large areas of ancient Roman buildings completely exposed—Roman columns, houses, the Colosseum, and huge bathing pools.

This ancient city has also been divided into different areas, managed by different organizations.

Among them.

The most complete and magnificent Odeon Colosseum in the center of Pompeii received full sponsorship from the Argos family, oil tycoons from Zephyria.

It was isolated separately for archaeological research. On the first floor of the Colosseum, the iron door of a cell used to hold small wild beasts was pulled open. A masked man in a black suit roughly threw a woman in a red dress inside.

The woman in the red dress was seriously injured, blood continuously flowing from her mouth.

But she immediately crawled to the depths of the cell.

There was also a hospital bed here, with a white-haired, skeletal old man lying on it, being given some unknown medication through an IV.

The old man's eyes were tightly closed, his breath barely there—it looked like his days were numbered.

The woman in the red dress was Trinity!

She had been injured earlier by the giant bronze figure and was now extremely weak.

She gripped the white-haired old man's weathered arm, tears in her eyes: "Father, are you okay?"

The old man's eyes moved, and unclear sounds came from his throat as he said with difficulty: "Trinity, why didn't you escape..."

No one would have imagined.

The old man on the bed was Hall, one of Zephyria's top tycoons, an oil magnate, and Trinity's father.

The outside world knew he was seriously ill and imagined he was lying in his private hospital receiving the best treatment.

But the truth was, more than ten days ago, he had been imprisoned by his own brother in this gloomy, dilapidated ancient Colosseum, and the medication he was using only kept him temporarily alive.

"My dear brother."

"Your precious daughter doesn't seem willing to help me complete my mission."

The culprit, hawk-nosed Fabio, now stood outside the cell with a gloomy expression. "My niece Trinity, I think your father's life won't last more than three days. You'd better quickly consider my suggestion and use some special means to subdue that man for me!"

Thinking of how that man in white had gained terrifying combat power just by eating a few hamburgers.

Fabio's body trembled inexplicably.

He waved his hand, and a masked man in black immediately installed a cyborg limiter at the cell door.

The moment the machine started.

Trinity felt another wave of weakness and could barely stand.

"Fabio, as a servant of god, remember, we don't stoop to using shady methods."

This voice came from behind Fabio, from the center of the huge Colosseum.

In the distance.

A white-bearded old man wearing what looked like ancient astrologer robes and a wizard's hat slowly approached.

Beside him was a sexy woman in revealing clothes, her hands tied behind her back and her mouth gagged with a leather strap.

Fabio quickly turned and respectfully said: "Moon Priest, sir."

The white-bearded old man slowly nodded.

He walked past stone platforms in the center of the open-air Colosseum.

On top of the platforms were human figures wrapped in pyroclastic rock, excavated from beneath ancient Pompeii.

The white-bearded old man slowly passed by, reaching out to touch them.

The first was a beggar crouching in a corner, with a ceramic jar for begging in front of him.

Looking at his expression, in the instant before being covered by volcanic ash, he had been dozing off.

The white-bearded old man looked sad.

He continued walking.

Ahead lay a man with his hands reaching toward the sky, seemingly calling for help. Under the hardened mud, you could still see his desperate, suffocating expression of pain.

Further ahead was a couple who, in their final moment before death, had held each other tightly.

"My dear people..."

The white-bearded old man surveyed the statue-like human figures, his expression growing more sorrowful.

Then he came to a huge stone platform.

This appeared to be a luxurious bed, with bodies tangled together, their genders unclear.

Of course, now they were just a pile of terrifying fossils.

Seeing this hair-raising scene, the white-bearded old man actually showed a lustful expression.

He squeezed the buttocks of the woman beside him hard.

He sighed toward the sky: "Pompeii used to be a paradise, but sadly, it was destroyed by that unfair disaster!"

"Why?"

"Why did heaven destroy my Pompeii?"

"Why destroy such a brilliant civilization?"