A Journey of American Comics Starting from the Zombie Universe

Bai Ye held the simple and mysterious lighter tightly, and his eyes wandered over it, as if he could see through the dust of time and see the secret behind it. The surface of the lighter was covered with a layer of light metallic luster, which was even more mysterious under the dim laboratory light. Its design was so exquisite that it was breathtaking, and every detail revealed the craftsman's hard work and wisdom.

The soldiers gathered around, their eyes full of amazement and curiosity. They had never seen such a unique lighter, and could not imagine the story and power behind it. Some reached out and gently touched the edge of the lighter, feeling the cold metal texture, as if they could touch a piece of dusty history; others came closer to take a closer look at the patterns carved on the lighter, those complex and delicate patterns seemed to be telling an ancient and distant legend.

"The craftsmanship of this lighter is simply breathtaking." A soldier whispered in admiration, his eyes full of awe. "Look at the luster of the metal and the fineness of the carving. It is definitely not comparable to modern craftsmanship."

"Indeed," another soldier agreed, "and, have you noticed that the blue gem on the lighter and the gem in Bai Ye's hand seem to have some subtle connection?"

The soldiers nodded as they heard this, their eyes moving back and forth between the two gems, trying to find something in common between them. Bai Ye also noticed this, he narrowed his eyes slightly, carefully comparing the light and color of the two gems. Indeed, as the soldiers said, there seemed to be some indescribable connection between the two gems, as if they were originally a pair, forcibly separated by some force, but still attracted to each other in the dark.

"Perhaps this is the key to unlocking the mystery of the Mechanical Forest." Bai Ye said in a deep voice, his voice full of firmness and determination, "We must find a way to activate this lighter and see if it can reveal more secrets to us."

The soldiers immediately took action upon hearing this. They began to search through boxes and cabinets in every corner of the laboratory, looking for clues or tools that might be related to the lighter. Bai Ye continued to study the lighter in his hand. He carefully turned every part of the lighter, trying to find the mechanism to open it. However, no matter how hard he tried, the lighter was like a stubborn stone and did not respond at all.

"This lighter seems to have some kind of complicated mechanism." Bai Ye frowned and said, "We need to examine every detail of it more carefully before we can find a way to activate it."

The soldiers nodded when they heard this. They gathered around Bai Ye again and studied the lighter with him. With the help of the weak light in the laboratory, they carefully observed every detail of the lighter. Some used a magnifying glass to look at the engravings on the lighter, trying to find hidden clues; others tried to gently tap the lighter's shell with various tools, hoping to trigger a hidden mechanism.

As time went by, the atmosphere in the laboratory became increasingly tense and heavy. However, despite their great efforts, they still could not find a way to activate the lighter. The soldiers could not help but show frustration and disappointment on their faces, and they began to doubt whether this lighter could really solve the mystery of the mechanical forest.

At this moment, Bai Ye suddenly noticed a tiny groove at the bottom of the lighter. This groove was located at the very bottom of the lighter, almost parallel to the ground. If he hadn't deliberately lowered his head to check, it would have been almost impossible to find. He immediately reached out and gently touched the groove. As soon as his fingers touched the edge of the groove, he felt a weak electric current coming from his fingertips, causing him to tremble slightly.

"It's reacting!" Bai Ye exclaimed, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes, "It seems that this groove is the key to activating the lighter!"

The soldiers gathered around him, their eyes fixed on the lighter in Bai Ye's hand, afraid of missing any details. Bai Ye took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and then carefully aligned the gem in his hand with the groove. His fingers trembled slightly, as if he was performing a solemn ceremony.

As the gem slowly embedded itself into the groove, the entire laboratory suddenly became silent. The soldiers held their breath, waiting for whatever might happen next. However, to their surprise, the lighter did not immediately emit a dazzling light or powerful energy fluctuations, but lay quietly in Bai Ye's hand, as if nothing had happened.

"This...what's going on?" a soldier couldn't help but ask, his voice full of confusion and puzzlement.

Bai Ye was also stunned. He looked down at the lighter in his hand, his heart filled with confusion and puzzlement. Did they find the wrong method? Or was this lighter simply impossible to activate? He looked up at the soldiers, only to see that their faces were filled with disappointment and frustration.

However, at this moment, a faint light suddenly appeared on the surface of the lighter. The light was very weak at first, almost imperceptible, but as time went on, it gradually became brighter and brighter, and finally enveloped the entire lighter in a soft halo. The soldiers stared at this scene with wide eyes, in disbelief, as if they were in a dreamlike world.

"Look! It's glowing!" exclaimed a soldier, his voice filled with excitement and excitement.

Bai Ye also showed a look of surprise, he held the lighter tightly in his hand, feeling the warm power coming from his palm. He knew that they finally found a way to activate the lighter, and this lighter would reveal more secrets for them.

However, just as they were immersed in joy, the atmosphere in the laboratory suddenly became tense. A powerful energy wave emanated from the lighter, shrouding the entire laboratory in chaos. The soldiers stepped back and looked at everything around them vigilantly. They knew that this energy wave was not ordinary and it might bring unpredictable consequences.

Bai Ye also felt the power and danger of this energy fluctuation. He held the lighter tightly, trying to control it. However, this energy fluctuation seemed to have its own will, constantly impacting his body and will. He felt a strong sense of dizziness, as if the whole world was spinning in front of his eyes.

At this moment, the blue gem on the lighter suddenly burst into a dazzling light, illuminating the entire laboratory as bright as day. The soldiers covered their eyes, not daring to look directly at the intensity and glare of the light. However, the moment they closed their eyes, they heard a low and long voice ringing in their ears.

The sound seemed like a call from the ancient times, or a whisper from the depths of the mechanical forest. It was full of mysterious and unknown power, which made the soldiers feel both fear and curiosity. They opened their eyes one after another, trying to find the source of the sound, but they only saw a dazzling light and chaotic energy fluctuations.

Bai Ye also heard the voice, and he felt a strong force surging into his body. He clenched his teeth and tried to control his body and will, not to let the force swallow him up. He knew that this lighter was not just a simple tool or decoration, but there was some deep and dangerous power hidden behind it. What he had to do now was to find a way to harness this power and use it for his own benefit.

As time went by, the energy fluctuations gradually subsided. The light also gradually weakened, and finally returned to its original weak state. The soldiers breathed a sigh of relief, and they felt as if they had experienced a life-and-death test. However, when they looked at the lighter in Bai Ye's hand again, they found that it had undergone earth-shaking changes.

The original simple and mysterious lighter has now become a futuristic technological device. Its shell has become smoother and harder, as if it is made of some unknown material. The blue gemstone inlaid on the lighter has become more dazzling, as if it contains infinite power and wisdom. The soldiers looked at this magical device in amazement, and they knew that it would be an important clue for them to solve the mystery of the mechanical forest.

Bai Ye also felt a sense of surprise and shock. He held the lighter tightly in his hand, feeling the warm power coming from his palm. He knew that this lighter was no longer a simple ignition tool, but would become an important partner in their exploration of the unknown world and solving the mystery of the mechanical forest.

"We succeeded!" Bai Ye shouted excitedly, "This lighter has been activated! It will reveal more secrets for us!"

The soldiers cheered upon hearing this, and they felt as if they were one step closer to the truth. They knew that the road ahead would be full of unknowns and dangers, but they also believed that as long as they united as one and moved forward courageously, they would be able to uncover the mystery of the mechanical forest and find the truth hidden behind it.

In a few seconds, as if crossing an endless dimension, the futuristic technological device slowly transformed in an incredible way in front of everyone's eyes, and finally returned to the simple and mysterious lighter. This sudden change stunned everyone present, and the air was filled with surprise and confusion.

Bai Ye's eyes widened, staring at the lighter in his hand, his heart surging with turmoil. He looked again and again in disbelief to confirm that this was not an illusion. The soldiers also looked at each other, whispering, trying to find the answer from each other's eyes.

"This...what's going on?" a soldier asked in a trembling voice, his eyes fixed on the lighter, as if afraid of missing any subtle changes.

"I don't know either." Bai Ye shook his head, frowning, "But it has indeed changed back, and... there seems to be something more."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire laboratory suddenly became unusually quiet, with only the faint sound of electricity and breathing intertwined. At this moment, an even more shocking phenomenon occurred - the lighter actually started to play music.

At first, the sound was as thin as a gossamer, like the first ray of sunlight in the morning shining through the mist, gentle and delicate. But as time went on, the melody gradually became clear and melodious, as if countless instruments were playing at the same time, yet in perfect harmony. The soldiers stopped in their tracks, holding their breath, for fear of missing this wonderful music.

Bai Ye was so surprised that he was speechless. The lighter in his hand seemed to have life, showing its magic in a way he had never seen before. The music contained both ancient melodies and elements of the future, as if it had crossed the boundaries of time and space, and closely connected the past and the future.

"This...how is this done?" Bai Ye muttered to himself, his fingers gently stroking the surface of the lighter, trying to find the answer.

However, the lighter did not give him any response. It just lay quietly in his hand, continuing to play the mysterious and melodious music. The soldiers surrounded Bai Ye, listening to the heavenly music from the unknown world with shock and awe.

The music continued for a long time, until the last note slowly dissipated in the air. The soldiers came back to their senses as if awakened from a dream, and cast inquiring glances at Bai Ye. However, Bai Ye just shook his head, indicating that he also knew nothing.

"This lighter...how many secrets does it hide?" whispered a soldier, his voice full of awe and curiosity.

"Yes, it seems that we have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg." Another soldier agreed, "But even so, it is enough to shock us."

Bai Ye nodded and looked deeply at the lighter in his hand. He knew that this lighter was much more complicated and mysterious than they had imagined. It was not just a simple ignition tool or technological device, but more likely a bridge connecting the past and the future, reality and fantasy.

"We must continue to study it." Bai Ye said firmly, "No matter how many secrets and dangers are hidden behind it, we can't give up. Because this is the key for us to solve the mystery of the mechanical forest."

The soldiers nodded in agreement. They knew the road ahead would be full of unknowns and challenges, but they also believed that as long as they united as one and moved forward courageously, they would be able to uncover the truth hidden deep in the mechanical forest.

So, Bai Ye led the soldiers to sit around the lighter again and began to observe it carefully. They used various instruments and equipment in the laboratory to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth test and analysis of the lighter in the hope of finding more clues and information about it.

However, as time went by, they found that this lighter seemed to have an unimaginable ability. It could change and show different forms and functions as the environment changed. Sometimes it would become a beautiful work of art that would amaze people; sometimes it would become a powerful weapon that would release destructive power; and more often it would lie there quietly like now, playing mysterious and melodious music that would make people intoxicated and unable to extricate themselves.

The soldiers were both excited and nervous when facing such a variable lighter. They knew that this lighter had great potential and value, but it could also bring unpredictable dangers and consequences. Therefore, they had to be vigilant and cautious at all times and not be lax or careless.

However, just when they were about to uncover all the secrets of the lighter, a sudden change broke all the peace...