009: Fragments of Knowledge

Lynch raised his right hand.

"Clang!"

A pile of scattered bones loosened on both sides, and something buried beneath flew upward.

Lynch extended his hand and steadily caught the object that flew out from the pile of bones. It was a small metal box, its surface covered in intricate patterns. Despite the traces of dust and the passage of time, the box's exquisite craftsmanship was still discernible.

"Did I actually find something useful?" Lynch muttered with surprise.

After all, ruins like these had attracted countless explorers in the past, igniting waves of exploration multiple times. While not entirely excavated, areas near the surface should have been thoroughly picked apart already.

"This must be luck!"

Lynch wiped away the dust on the box and opened it. Inside were several delicate glass test tubes containing grain-sized crystals. They varied in colors—blue, red—with each test tube holding crystals of a distinct hue.

"What is this..."

"Hair dye?"