Chapter 266 - 85: Into the Darkness_3

Words : 1067 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

Chapter 266: Chapter 85: Into the Darkness_3By nine o’clock, Hidden Dragon Do Not Use finally arrived as well. "Eh, why are there only so few people?" Indeed, compared to the team of over fifty people three days ago, only just over thirty came today. "What else could it be? They’re probably all too scared to come," Salted Fish said with considerable disdain. Xiao Jie wasn’t surprised by this. Although they had the victory of recapturing Black Rock Village three days ago, the mention of going down into the mine still scared a lot of people away. Everyone was there to earn a living, after all. Wasn’t it nice to slowly accumulate money by tackling the Little Monsters near the village and saving up to buy secret martial arts manuals? Why risk one’s life going into the mine? However, fortune favors the bold, and there were not a few who had the guts to come. Xiao Jie counted; there were thirty-seven people in total, which was enough. Moreover, with this, he didn’t have to worry about too many free riders. Those who dared to come surely had some strength to them. Hidden Dragon Do Not Use said, "It’s fine if there are fewer people. The mine is extremely dangerous, and we cannot force anyone. Our goal today is to explore the Outer Circle of the mine, which isn’t too dangerous, since people have already been exploring inside the mine. At least according to the current intelligence, the first level of the mine is not too hazardous, apart from some Mining Zombies." "First, let’s get familiar with the terrain of the first level. Once it’s clear, we’ll delve into the second level tomorrow. Step by step, we’ll make sure every part of the mine is secure before we proceed to the next one. By doing so, we can ensure the maximum safety of everyone." Xiao Jie thought to himself that it seemed everyone was on the same page. "However, after all, it’s a descent into the mine. No one knows what we’ll encounter down there, so everyone must look out for each other and follow commands. Absolutely do not act impulsively. All the Guest Elders, as well as core members, you must play a pivotal role. According to our previous grouping pattern, I will lead teams 1, 2, and 3, forming the vanguard. Salted Fish—you take teams 4, 5, and 6, and be in charge of covering our rear, Hidden Moon Following Wind, you lead teams 7 and 8. Dida La will be with you. Ensuring Dida La’s safety is your primary mission. All right, if there are no issues, then let’s set off." After assigning tasks, Hidden Dragon Do Not Use led teams 1, 2, and 3 into the mine. Watching the dozen or so people in front holding torches and walking into the darkness, Xiao Jie took a deep breath and led his own team inside as well. Last came Salted Fish and the three teams at the rear. Upon entering, darkness immediately swallowed the surroundings. The cave inside was pitch-black. Sometimes having too much realism in a game wasn’t entirely a good thing. Other games’ caves, although dark, would still allow players to see something because they had to consider the player’s gaming experience. Some games’ caves, apart from being called caves, had virtually no difference from being outdoors. But the cave in front of them was extremely dark; if there were no light source, there would truly be not a trace of light. Only the small area illuminated by the torches’ glow could be seen. Outside the torchlight was a dim yellow and darkness. After walking a dozen steps and looking back, all that could be seen was a circular entrance that became increasingly distant and smaller. As the mine twisted and turned, it soon disappeared from sight. Xiao Jie felt slightly anxious. He now understood why descending into the mine was so dangerous. The mere deficiency in visibility was enough to be fatal. Any Monster could be lurking anywhere unseen. One careless move could lead to an ambush. If one were to lose the light source, they would truly be left waiting for death. "Keep your spirits up, everyone. Ye Luo—can you see clearly around you?" "No problem." Ye Luo’s Profession was Nightwalker, and that profession had an ability called Dark Vision, which allowed for clear vision even in a pitch-black mine. This reassured Xiao Jie quite a bit. Actually, assassins also had the ability called Dark Vision, but compared to Nightwalkers, it was far less effective and could barely make out objects in the darkness. As they walked through the mine, a strange howling sound came from the front. "It’s Zombies!" Xiao Jie looked ahead, where the vanguard’s torches were busy, and saw Hidden Dragon Do Not Use commanding the team members as they chopped down several charred human-shaped Monsters. Due to being inside the cave, the sound became unnaturally terrifying after being refracted. After observing for a while, Xiao Jie was reassured. These Mining Zombies were not quite the same as the Zombies he had encountered before. Each Mining Zombie carried a basket of mineral ore on its back and held a Cross Shovel in its hand. Their bodies had gradually become rock-like from prolonged contact with the minerals, making them a type of Monster with extremely high tenacity. Fortunately, like ordinary zombies, they moved sluggishly and had no intelligence whatsoever. As long as one kept the distance right and used a Heavy Weapon to smash hard, it was manageable. Dida La, however, seemed a bit nervous. "I say, stay close to me, everybody, and don’t let any Monsters get the jump on me," he remarked while conjuring three floating fireballs that orbited around him, which seemed to be some kind of defensive Spell that also served as a source of Lighting. Xiao Jie gave him a puzzled glance, "Dida La, are you not good at close combat?" "No kidding, I’m pure Spell, hardly any Basic Attributes added—except for Constitution. If I get caught off guard, I’m done for. You guys better protect me well." A teammate comforted him, "Dida La, there’s no need to worry. The vanguard has cleared out the Monsters, and we in the back don’t need to fight..." Ye Luo, however, suddenly interrupted, "That’s not necessarily true—watch out, the vanguard missed some Monsters, prepare for battle!"

Chapter 266 - 85: Into the Darkness_3

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