After the roll call, she confirmed that everyone on the attendance sheet was present.
This fiery chocolate-skinned hot girl fumbled a pendant from between her peaks, then unfastened it and held it high. Sunlight streaming in from the window enveloped the pendant, casting a dazzling golden glow.
"Before we begin class, I'd like to ask if anyone here can identify what this is?"
Durin looked intently; even with the dazzling sunlight, he could clearly see the pendant held by Instructor Shureya: a golden-yellow cat coin with obvious signs of wear, strung on a thin black cord. Around the coin was an outward-extending golden layer, in the center of which was embedded a green gem the size of a cat's eye. The golden layer was etched with complex and obscure ancient script and strange patterns, emitting a faint sacred energy.
But those complex and obscure ancient characters felt very familiar to Durin, seemingly Ancient Shurima script. Within the range of his extreme vision, he could barely make out a few words: "Sun," "Ascension," "Glory."
Of course, Durin immediately started wondering how much this thing was worth.
It felt a bit like a magic item, but also like an antique. Was it more expensive than an enchanted weapon?
At this moment, the atmosphere in the room fell silent, and the old man who had been observing frowned slightly, revealing a look of disappointment.
"…No one can identify it?" Shureya also observed the students present and asked again.
Durin vaguely felt that this pendant was very similar to a certain item in the game, but he wasn't sure, so he tentatively said, "It's a bit like… Shurima's Nomad's Seal."
As soon as he spoke, the eyes of the sparse-haired old man, which had been slightly lowered, immediately lit up. He looked at Durin, and upon confirming that the speaker was an Ionian from the mysterious East, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
"Very good, it seems some of you do have some knowledge. In Shurima, there's a saying: 'Under the sun's gaze, the seal radiates a glory containing a thousand voices.'"
Shureya exhaled slightly, nodded with satisfaction, and continued, "The course of Archaeology is never about sightseeing, nor is it as refined as leisurely strolling. This is a very rigorous discipline. We excavate ancient tombs, restoring past history to inform everyone. This is a very sacred course, and I hope everyone takes it seriously!"
"From the classical era, nobles built tombs and would go to great lengths to prevent outsiders from entering, using every conceivable means to set up various mechanisms and hidden weapons in the burial chambers," Shureya stated calmly.
At this moment, a Mage Apprentice raised his hand and asked, "Teacher, what kind of mechanisms and hidden weapons would there be?"
"Boulders, quicksand, poisoned arrows, venomous insects, pitfalls, and countless others. Some large tombs even used eight-treasure rotating heart mechanisms, especially the imperial tombs of the Ancient Shurima Empire, which are masterpieces integrating thousands of years of anti-theft technology. And our task is to find every possible way to decipher these mechanisms and enter the tomb to uncover treasures and excavate the history of the classical era, all without damaging the burial chamber," Shureya picked up the teacup on the podium, took a sip of ice water, and said indifferently.
"Teacher, how should we find these ancient tombs?" another student raised their hand and asked.
The classroom atmosphere was improving, and Shureya was pleased with the students' enthusiastic participation. She nodded with satisfaction and said cheerfully, "You've hit on a good point. Finding ancient tombs is more difficult than how to excavate them. Large tombs with obvious structures like burial mounds and steles on the surface have mostly been excavated already. If we want to find ancient tombs that have been hidden underground for ages without any surface markers, that requires certain skills and special tools."
"Of course, some Archaeology masters don't rely on tools. Some find ancient tombs by searching for clues in ancient documents. There are even some earth element mages who communicate with the spirits of mountains and rivers through geographical perception to locate tombs."
"To inform everyone, a qualified archeologist's treatment in Piltover usually entails a monthly salary of 10 silver lun coins. If noticed by one of the six great families in the Council and hired for exclusive service, the annual salary is 12 gold cogwheels. So, everyone, study hard!"
"Strive for a good life!"
The subsequent course content mainly discussed how to discover ancient tombs, repeatedly mentioning the need to master the academic skill of observing celestial phenomena. By frequently observing the sky and studying the changes in stars, and then using positioning, one could find the desired location.
However, there are many schools of thought regarding celestial observation, each with its own methods, and some are even contradictory. For example, for ancient ruins buried in the vast sand sea of the south, after a thousand years, there's only a two to three percent chance of finding them.
Furthermore, Shureya, this chocolate-skinned hot girl of ordinary appearance, also mentioned in class that Professor Aita, who had long researched the classical era, had applied to the Council to form an archeological team to personally lead an expedition to the Great Sai Desert on the Shurima continent to excavate ruins.
Only recently did the Council approve funding to support Professor Aita's trip to Shurima, but currently, this archeological expedition team is still in the preliminary preparation phase. They still need to find a local Shurima native or a guide with survival experience in the Great Sai Desert. Additionally, they lack a capable person who understands stargazing, and they also need several translators who understand Ancient Shurima script and the currently circulating Shurima language.
After all, the true horror of the Great Sai Desert is not natural disasters, but human calamities.
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