I am destroying the protagonist in the fantasy world!

Chapter 147: Ancient City Trap Appears, First Encounter in Danger

The shadow fell heavily to the ground, sending dust flying. Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli took a closer look, only to discover it wasn't a living person, but a puppet. Made entirely of metal, its joints flexible and lifelike, the puppet had lost its power and collapsed to the ground.

"A mechanical puppet?" Dongfang Liuli recognized the puppet's origins immediately. "It seems this ancient city is indeed full of mechanical devices. We must be even more careful."

Lei Yi nodded and was about to go forward to check the puppet, but he heard a cold laugh coming from behind him.

"Haha, I didn't expect you guys to catch up so quickly."

Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli turned around suddenly and saw Young Master Dark Night approaching slowly with an old man. The old man was short, dressed in a gray robe, with a shrewd smile on his face and a strange compass in his hand.

"Master of Mechanisms?" Dongfang Liuli recognized the old man. He was a well-known master of mechanisms in the martial arts world. It was said that no mechanism could stump him.

"It's me." The master of machinery smiled slightly, with a hint of pride in his eyes.

"Mr. Dark Night, what do you mean?" Lei Yi asked coldly.

Young Master Dark Night sneered and said, "Lei Yi, this ancient city is full of traps and dangers. If you want to get the treasure inside, you must first defeat the Master of Tricks."

As he spoke, he pointed to the palace gate and said, "See that door? As long as you can open it, I will let you in."

Lei Yi followed his finger and saw intricate carvings on the palace gate. These designs weren't just decorations, but rather intricate mechanisms. Lei Yi was secretly surprised. He knew Young Master Dark Night was deliberately trying to embarrass him, but he didn't show it. He simply said, "If that's the case, I'll give it a try."

A hint of viciousness flashed in Young Master Dark Night's eyes, and he sneered, "I hope you can come out alive."

Lei Yi ignored his provocation and walked straight towards the palace gate. He carefully observed the mechanisms, trying to find a way to break them. Dongfang Liuli followed him and whispered, "Lei Yi, be careful! These mechanisms look dangerous."

Lei Yi nodded, indicating that he understood the situation. He reached out and gently touched a mechanism on the door.

"Click!"

With a slight sound, the pattern on the door suddenly moved, constantly changing shape as if it were a living thing. Lei Yi's heart trembled, he knew he had triggered a mechanism.

Lei Yi ignored the sarcasm of Young Master Dark Night and the Master of Mechanics. He approached the massive palace gate with steady steps. Carved upon the gate were intricate patterns, depicting a variety of mythical beasts intertwined, as if engaged in a silent war. These patterns were not simply decorative, but crucial components of the mechanism. Any inadvertent contact could result in unpredictable consequences.

Lei Yi studied it intently, trying to discern some pattern from the chaotic patterns. He had seen many mechanisms before, and had cracked some simple ones, but this one was far more complex than anything he had ever seen before, as if it contained some mysterious power that was daunting.

"What's up? Are you scared?" the master of mechanisms said sarcastically. "I've studied mechanisms for decades, and I've never seen such a sophisticated mechanism. You, a young boy, want to solve it? You're just dreaming!"

Lei Yi turned a deaf ear, his gaze still fixed on the patterns. His fingers gently stroked the cold metal surface, sensing the ancient aura within. He believed that any mechanism had its own rules, and if he could find the key, he could resolve the crisis.

"Don't waste your energy," Young Master Dark Night said with a hint of sarcasm. "The mechanisms in this ancient city were created by a master of mechanisms hundreds of years ago. Even he might not be able to solve them. Why would you seek death?"

Lei Yi took a deep breath, blocking out all the surrounding noise. His eyes were focused solely on the ever-changing patterns, his mind rapidly deducing various possibilities. As time ticked by, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, but he remained oblivious, still immersed in his own world.

"Hmph, stubborn!" The master of mechanisms was displeased to see that Lei Yi hadn't given up. He snorted coldly and pointed at a pattern on the gate. "Boy, do you see that pattern? It's the hub of the entire mechanism. If you dare touch it, I guarantee you'll regret it!"

Lei Yi's gaze followed the Master's finger and landed on the pattern. It was an eye-like pattern, surrounded by countless tiny lines, as if connecting to the core of the mechanism. A sudden thought struck him, an inexplicable intuition telling him that the Master was right; this pattern was indeed the key to cracking the mechanism.

He slowly stretched out his hand, his fingertips getting closer and closer to the pattern...

"Stop!" Dongfang Liuli suddenly exclaimed, "Lei Yi, be careful!"

Dongfang Liuli's exclamation echoed through the empty hall, but Lei Yi seemed oblivious. He held his breath, his fingertips lightly touching the eye-shaped pattern. The pattern sank slightly, and a chill spread from his fingertips, instantly spreading throughout his body.

Almost immediately, the sound of mechanical mechanisms creaking echoed through the hall, and the previously stationary patterns on the wall began to shift, producing a grinding sound that made one's teeth ache. Dongfang Liuli's heart leaped into her throat. She wanted to rush over and pull Lei Yi back, but a firm look from Lei Yi stopped her.

"Trust me." Lei Yi's voice was soft, yet full of power. He felt that what he touched was not just a cold mechanism, but more like a sleeping beast, slowly awakening.

"Hmph, you won't cry until you see the coffin!" The Master of Machinery sneered, as if he had already foreseen Lei Yi's failure. Young Master Dark Night folded his arms, watching the scene with interest, a sinister smile on his lips.

Lei Yi ignored their taunts, his attention completely focused on the mechanism before him. He felt that as the pattern shifted, a powerful force was accumulating, ready to erupt at any moment.

He took a deep breath, and with his fingertips he pressed the pattern inwards again. Suddenly, there was a sharp sound of piercing the air, and several sharp arrows shot out from the hidden compartments on the wall, heading straight for Lei Yi's face.

Dongfang Liuli cried out in surprise, only to see Lei Yi had been prepared. He dodged the arrow with a quick movement. The arrow missed, hitting the opposite wall with a dull thud.

"That was a close call!" Dongfang Liuli was still in shock, but Lei Yi remained calm, as if everything was within his expectations. He knew that this was only the first test of the mechanism, and the real danger was yet to come.

He continued to observe the changes in the pattern, trying to find a way to crack it. Just when he was about to find the key, Young Master Dark Night suddenly winked at the Master of Mechanisms.

The master of the mechanism understood what he was suggesting, and calmly pulled out a black bead from his sleeve and secretly threw it into the mechanism. As soon as the black bead entered the mechanism, it quickly melted and disappeared.

Lei Yi felt his eyes flash before his eyes. The pattern that had been about to stop suddenly accelerated, and the entire hall began to shake violently. More mechanisms were triggered, emitting a deafening roar...

"What did you do?!" Dongfang Liuli noticed something was wrong, glared at the Master of Mechanisms, and asked sternly.

The Master of Machinery smiled sinisterly and did not answer. He just looked at Lei Yi with malicious eyes.

The smile on Young Master Dark Night's face grew even wider. He slowly walked up to Dongfang Liuli and whispered, "Don't be anxious. The fun has just begun..."