This museum hadn't been particularly impressive before, but the artifacts unearthed just days ago from Mount San Juan Teotihuaca had changed everything. Practically overnight, it had become one of the most artifact-rich, high-value museums in the country—maybe even the world.
After making a full round through the exhibits, William didn't find anything else that caught his interest. He could tell now—about eighty percent of the items from his tomb had ended up here.
"Done looking?" he asked casually. Today's visit was really just a chance to see his old belongings one last time. Since they were being preserved and put on display for the public, he figured—fine, let them look.
"Not yet," Lila said softly, then glanced at him. "You really could read the writing on that stele?"
William looked at her and smiled without answering. His eyes sparkled with amusement.
Lila felt a little uneasy under his gaze and quickly turned her head, pretending to be nonchalant. "Fine, don't answer. I'm just curious… Who was the owner of that tomb on Mount San Juan Teotihuaca? Why would the things buried with him span thousands of years?"
William replied lightly, "Who knows?"
"You think it's possible someone really could live forever?" Lila asked. She'd heard Edward Taylor and the others translating the stele. If what was carved on it was true—and all written by the same person—then that would mean someone had lived for thousands of years. Maybe even longer.
Emily, who was holding Lila's arm, laughed. "Come on, that's ridiculous. Immortality? What is this, a vampire movie? Don't start making up stories."
"But how else do you explain that stele?" Lila said. She was still shaken by what she'd read. She couldn't imagine who could've carved all that.
She didn't realize the person who had was standing right beside her.
William said, "Then just assume someone really has lived for thousands—or even hundreds of millions—of years. Makes it easier."
"'Just assume'?" Emily raised an eyebrow. "William, I hate to break it to you, but science is based on facts. The human body wears down over time. Organs age. Cells die. Immortality is biologically impossible."
"Science," William echoed with a nod.
He'd spent time in Europe centuries ago, seen all kinds of strange and fascinating things. As for science—sure, he was familiar. He'd studied human aging and death himself. It all came down to organ failure and the body no longer being able to support consciousness.
He actually did have a method to keep someone young and extend their life—but it only worked on women. Or rather, he'd only ever used it on women.
Because the method required them to… consume his essence.
There had been women in the past who tried it. Just one dose, and they'd stay youthful for at least fifty years. Their lifespan could stretch by a century or more. But beyond that? No guarantees.
Emily gave William a once-over, then rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "So you say you can read the stele. What are you, the descendant of the guy who carved it? Or… are you saying you're him?"
William nodded. "Actually, I carved that stele. And all the stuff they hauled down from the mountain? That was just my everyday stuff."
Such a sincere, matter-of-fact answer.
Emily burst out laughing. "Wow, you're really committed to the bit! Okay, okay, I believe you. So tell me—what was it like hanging out with Cronus and Zeus?"
Lila just gave William a long, unreadable look. The way he told these stories with a straight face… he almost made them sound believable.
"Let's talk about little Zeus," William said seriously. "He was a cute kid. I taught him a bunch of things—like how to use lightning. Later, people started calling him King of the Gods. He wasn't bad, just a little weak. I could beat him with one finger. He had two brothers—Poseidon, who cried all the time and made the oceans salty, and Hades, who was kind of a loner. Didn't like that one much."
"Sure, sure!" Emily giggled. "And what about Alexander the Great?"
William smiled. "Ah, Alexander. That name came later. He studied with me for a few months. I taught him a bit about weapon modification. Didn't expect him to go out and conquer the world."
Emily stared at him, clicking her tongue. "Talking to you is wild. You lie so smoothly, don't even blink. I bet you've tricked a lot of girls with that face."
William shook his head. "I've never lied to a woman."
And he hadn't. Not once. He'd never needed to.
Because he'd never lacked for women.
Thanks to his immortality, having children had become nearly impossible. Nature had its own rules—the stronger the species, the harder it was to reproduce. In all these years, not a single woman had ever managed to bear him a child.
"Whoa! I believe you now!" Emily blinked playfully, then leaned in with a grin. "Be honest—do you like me?"
William glanced at Lila, then said, "She's too small."
Emily followed his gaze, eyes landing on Lila's chest. Then she looked down at her own and muttered, "This is small?"
William nodded seriously. "A bit."
Lila's face flushed bright red. She hadn't expected their conversation to suddenly veer in her direction—let alone turn into a critique of her body.
Too small? What the hell were they even talking about?
"Are you done yet? If you're done, let's go already!" she snapped, not even trying to hide her irritation. There were still plenty of people around, and these two were shamelessly discussing her chest size like it was nothing. So embarrassing.
"I'm done!" Emily giggled. "Lila, it's still early. Why don't we check out that antique street nearby? I mean, William's supposedly lived for thousands of years—maybe he can spot a real treasure at a glance. We might even score a hidden gem."
Thousands of years, huh? Lila rolled her eyes. William's face might not show it, but his shamelessness definitely had a few millennia of practice. He could say the most ridiculous things without blinking. If she were even a little more gullible, she might've actually believed him.
David trailed behind them, trembling with rage.
What the hell is this?
That punk William was spouting nonsense nonstop, and yet Lila still talked to him. Meanwhile, David—mature, stable, respectable—couldn't even get her to spare him a glance.
And Emily? She'd promised to help him get some alone time with Lila. Now she was off chatting and laughing with William like they were best friends. He'd even paid for both museum tickets—what a waste.
William perked up when he heard about the antique street. "Sure, let's go check it out."
Honestly, there probably wasn't anyone on Earth who knew antiques better than William. While others relied on wear patterns or stylistic clues to guess an item's age, William had actually lived through those eras. One look, and he could usually tell you exactly where something came from—and when.