Chapter 262: Chapter 254: Exploration

Clang—clang—clang—

The dull and monotonous sound of digging echoed in the dim cavern of the fifth level.

Each strike of the mining pick sent up sparks, illuminating Gleam’s lifeless face.

His eyes were hollow, as if his soul had long been extracted, leaving only a shell mechanically repeating the motion of swinging the pick.

Dwarves are typically solid, but at this moment Gleam appeared unusually small; his legs had vanished in the previous explosion.

It was only through emergency treatment and a few precious healing potions traded from Horn’s group that he barely managed to cling to life.

But the fortunate survival of Gleam was quickly followed by the Puki bringing him to the cave to force him to mine.

Falling from heaven to hell, Gleam was completely numb, only mechanically swinging his pick under the occasional urging of the Puki.

“I’m willing to pay, can’t anyone think of a way to rescue Gleam?” Tolin asked not far outside the cave, looking equally disheveled.

Although Gleam was a mercenary Tolin hired, without his help, Tolin would have been stuck in the Scarecrow Abyss. In this situation, where there’s still a chance, Tolin wanted to save him.

However, Horn and the others shook their heads like rattles, their faces full of resistance: “This is not a matter of money, it’s a matter of life and death!”

“So what do we do? Just watch him rot in there?” Tolin said dejectedly.

Noah suggested, “Perhaps… you could issue an official mission at the Adventurer’s Guild?”

“Adventurer’s Guild!” Tolin’s eyes suddenly brightened.

…

“President,” Mira Belle entered the newly renovated president’s office, “a dwarf gentleman claiming to be from the Deep Furnace Clan is seeking the guild’s help in the hall.”

Fa’er was buried in a recent mushroom field growth report and looked up in confusion: “Deep Furnace Clan? If I remember correctly, there’s no registered dwarf forging master residing in town. Besides, our area doesn’t exactly produce any rare mineral veins…”

“Not a forging master, President,” Mira Belle added, “he said he’s an adventurer.”

“Adventurer?” Fa’er was even more puzzled, as he distinctly remembered the rumors that the Deep Furnace Clan almost all excelled in fire skills beside the forge, with not many venturing into adventuring.

Soon, Tolin, still covered in dirt and blood, was led in, and under Fa’er’s incredulous gaze, he tearfully explained the whole process, eventually even taking out a small pouch, hoping Fa’er could help rescue Gleam taken by the Puki.

Though the pouch was tattered, the gemstone peeking out from within was undoubtedly of high quality.

“Sir Tolin, please calm yourself. We sincerely sympathize with your plight; the guild will certainly try our best to assist. Lillian!” he turned to the maid standing by, “Take this gentleman from Deep Furnace to the healing room to properly treat his wounds.”

“Yes.” Lillian led the heavily injured Tolin away.

Only when the door closed did Fa’er recompose his expression, returning to a businesslike demeanor: “Mira Belle, verify the background of Tolin Deep Furnace immediately.”

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Fa’er confirmed Tolin’s identity, indeed part of a branch of the Deep Furnace Clan.

Equivalent to a baron’s second son in human noble terms, his status wasn’t particularly prominent, but as dwarves are human allies, it was a favor worth extending, especially in these times, not to mention the gemstones offered as payment.

However, rescuing someone from the Puki…

Round and round the matter went, eventually landing on Inanna’s head as she lay comfortably in her room, a few round Puki stepping on her back.

“Why should I rescue someone who attacked the Puki?” Inanna grumbled, stroking the knight in her arms with obvious reluctance.

“Miss Inanna,” the guild personnel responsible for conveying messages spoke cautiously, “the president said that dwarves are our allies after all, and the Deep Furnace Clan’s request deserves some respect. Besides, you’re the most suitable person to handle this…”

Inanna pouted and her eyes shifted. Though unwilling, the chance to justifiably enter the Underground City wasn’t bad… but first, she had to inquire.

Within the Fungal Network, Inanna asked, “Boss, there’s a dwarf outside crying and shouting for us to release his companion who killed the Puki. Should we let him go?”

“If they want him, let them take him; keeping him would just waste mushrooms!” Lin Jun said indifferently.

With permission granted, Inanna carried the knight and went to the fifth level with the others.

As usual, Inanna followed her routine, shaking the knight in a pretentious manner.

Under Tolin’s hopeful watch, the Puki released Gleam, who was already a bit out of his mind, and Tolin quickly carried him on his back.

Inanna looked at Gleam returned by the Puki, pouted, and then waved to others: “Alright, take the person away; I need to stay to comfort these frightened little ones.”

“Frightened…”

…

Lin Jun released the person rather casually, only a Gold Level dwarf, after all, and had already confiscated and checked his belongings, which weren’t of much value.

Instead, the information unintentionally revealed by the two dwarves about the other side of the rift held some value.

Although Lin Jun also had “strategies” from other underground cities collected by Inanna and Edin, hearing firsthand accounts always yielded some insight.

Initially, Lin Jun intended to explore the dense forest first, but the appearance of the two dwarves apparently disrupted the plan.

Most of the remaining rifts Lin Jun carefully hid in unobtrusive corners, like this one here, cleverly concealed within the internal structure of a gigantic Glowing Mushroom Tree.

After all, letting the Puki swagger back and forth through the rifts in plain sight, like entering and leaving their own living room.

That would not look good, prone to rouse human suspicion.

Even though now in control of the Dungeon Core, and becoming increasingly proficient in using “Thunder Punishment,” it was still best to stay low-key when possible.

Since there was more than one rift leading to the Scarecrow Abyss, considering closing this already exposed one might be feasible.

But before that, Lin Jun still sent a Scout Puki through.

After all, if the other side was a valuable place, missing it would be regrettable!

Even before entering, the Scout Puki was already afflicted with the {Corrosive Curse}, and after entry, it was further burdened with a {Fall Curse}.

The former was familiar to Lin Jun, a specialty here, though the curse’s strength obviously paled in comparison to the rift blocked by Slime on the sixth floor initially, posing no damage in face of Lin Jun’s {Corrosion Resistance Level 8}.

As for the latter, its name suggested anti-flight, yet as the Scout Puki flapped its little wings, its flight was unhindered, the exact effect still unclear.

The Scout Puki strained its wings, ascending clumsily from the deep gorge, eventually hovering near where the dwarves had previously fallen.

At this moment, the cliff top was deserted, with no trace of the pursuing scarecrows. Strangely though, within the Scout Puki’s perception range, the dwarf-described “fringe area” did not appear—there was only an endless wheat field farm.

And across the deep gorge, a blurry forest outline could be seen.

Lin Jun maneuvered the Puki, attempting to fly towards the forest, yet the flight didn’t last long, with the Puki inexplicably emerging from the “other side” of the forest, with the wheat field once again before it!

Farms may be similar, but rifts shouldn’t be the same!

Looking at the rift below, Lin Jun was certain the space here was distorted.

It felt… advanced!

Considering the spatial structure of her own Underground City, every underground entity seems to be playing with spatial principles!

Since the “fringe” the dwarves described couldn’t be found, might as well explore the “farm” thoroughly first!

Speaking of which… there’s no moon visible here!

…

“Ah—ah—”

Hoarse and piercing cries resounded under the night sky, as a raven with dim feathers stood perched on a decayed and tilted wooden frame in the wheat field.

This frame might once have been used to hang a scarecrow, but now it stood empty.

A clumsy flapping sound suddenly came from nearby, starkly contrasting with the raven’s graceful wing beats.

The raven turned its head in some curiosity, seeing a large, white Puki it had never seen before descend and steadied the opposite end of the frame, facing the pitch-black raven silently, separated by a small distance…

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