Chapter 27: “Those People Only Slow Down My Sword Draw.”

Chapter 27: "Those People Only Slow Down My Sword Draw."

Phoebe arrived at Larma Town smoothly.

As one of the largest towns nearby, Larma Town was indeed much more bustling than Ninihui Town.

While Ninihui had only one potion shop, Larma had one every couple of streets.

However, though the potion shops in Larma were larger and more lavishly decorated, none had the long queues seen at Phoebe’s shop.

As the carriage passed by, conversations about "the potion shop in Ninihui Town" could occasionally be heard.

Phoebe couldn’t help but marvel at Winna's business acumen, despite her young age.

"Only 12 years old and she has made the potion shop so famous. Will she surpass Madam Lilith in the future?" she mused.

Talking to herself, she contemplated, “When I return, maybe I should try setting up a branch for Winna?”

The idea of the first potion conglomerate on the continent was quite intriguing.

After spending some time in Larma Town, Phoebe finally reached the teleportation station.

Everything here was exactly as in the game - a gigantic, azure teleportation array, composed of numerous smaller arrays, with directions to the east, west, north, and south, charging coins based on the journey's distance.

Yet reality was always more astounding than the game.

Phoebe, gazing at the teleportation array larger than the Ninihui Town Institute, was momentarily spellbound.

This was when she realized that, aside from a glimpse of the Abyss, she had never left Ninihui since her arrival in this world.

Dragging her large luggage, she followed the crowd into the teleportation station.

The place was bustling, with bow-tied staff smiling and assisting customers, and countless magical scrolls burning with bright, conspicuous flames, floating mid-air.

You just need to find an unoccupied scroll, write your destination, and it would automatically allocate a teleportation array and indicate the cost.

Dropping coins or a banknote into the scroll's flame (which wasn’t hot) would then produce a teleportation ticket.

Being short in stature, Phoebe struggled through the crowd, eventually reaching an unoccupied scroll in a corner.

She took out the disguised student card provided by her mentor, randomly selected a lucky school, infused it with magic, and her name and school year instantly appeared on the card.

She threw her student card into the flames first, writing "Alaraf Southwestern Mine" on the scroll.

The next second, the scroll chimed, displaying a price of "1 gold, 8 silver."

It was incredibly cheap; one had to acknowledge the instructors' heartfelt efforts for these youngsters.

After her moment of appreciation, Fei Yi took out the coins and threw them into the flames as well.

Moments later, the student card and a teleportation ticket were spat out together.

[3rd layer, 2nd formation, teleportation starts in 10 minutes.]

10 minutes?!

Fei Yi grabbed her suitcase and ran.

There were no elevators in this world, but they had magic.

Thus, Fei Yi experienced what she called a "cloud elevator" – stepping on billowy white clouds, ascending from the first to the third floor.

Each teleportation array had a deep blue number attached, 1-10. There were never more than five people in line, reflecting a well-ordered system.

Holding her teleportation ticket, Fei Yi approached Array No. 2, quickly getting her turn.

She dragged her large suitcase into the array, and once she was in position, a thin membrane shimmering with blue light separated the inside of the array from the outside, preventing accidental entries.

[Teleporting to the Southwest Mines of Alaraf City. Please close your eyes to avoid injury.]

[To abort the teleportation, please scream loudly.]

Phoebe obediently closed her eyes.

Teleportation felt like riding an ultra-fast elevator on Earth, causing a momentary sensation of weightlessness, head heavy and feet light. But as long as you brace yourself, there's no major issue.

After a few seconds, the feeling of weightlessness completely vanished, and cold breezes brushed against her face.

“Teleportation complete, you may now open your eyes.”

Phoebe blinked her eyes open, still inside the teleportation array. However, through the thin azure barrier, she could see she was no longer in the large teleportation array of Lamma Town, but inside a smaller one.

Outside was no longer the familiar blue sky, but lead-red clouds, thickly spread overhead.

“Southwest Mines of Alarapha City… This place does resemble the scenery in the game, wonder how far the necropolis has spread.”

Phoebe stepped out of the array and immediately felt a chill that raised goosebumps on her skin.

Alarapha, located in the north, typically has temperatures below average, so she had made extensive preparations before coming.

She put on her deerskin boots, added a cotton vest, switched to a thick wool coat, and cast an ancient warmth-keeping spell on herself before stepping out of the teleportation station.

Alarapha City is a large city, but the Southwest Mines are different.

This area is far from the urban limits, more remote than the suburbs, and the teleportation station was pitifully small. Apart from her, there were no staff members.

After searching for a while, Phoebe found an isolated door not far from the teleportation point.

The door bore the solemn symbol of a deity, indicating that it belonged to a monastery established in this area.

Below the symbol was a line of text: [Southwest Mining Area is now closed, entry is one-way only. For more information, please visit the Alarapha City Monastery.]

One-way entry? Does that mean one can enter but not leave?

Beyond this door lay an endless wasteland, Phoebe surmised this was a magically shielded door. Only by opening it could one truly enter the mining area.

Without hesitation, she placed her hand on the door handle, reasoning that the only possible cause for the monastery's decision for one-way entry must be a crisis in the necropolis.

That was precisely what she came for.

The door opened, and Phoebe stepped in.

She saw many emaciated people lying around, dirty and disheveled. They wore tattered miner uniforms, their faces numb.

A few others sat on carts, dressed like coachmen.

The creaking noise quickly drew attention.

Upon seeing someone enter from the outside, especially a child, everyone turned their heads.

Particularly when they saw the girl carrying a noticeably large suitcase, those numb eyes gradually turned greedy.

Phoebe pulled the brim of her shape-shifting hat down, and immediately several people gathered around her.

“Sweet miss, are you here alone? Isn’t there anyone coming to pick you up?”

“Do you need help, miss? I know this place like the back of my hand! Whatever you want to do, I can be of use.”

“I'm very affordable, miss! My carriage is the best! Even in this forsaken place, I can take you anywhere!”

The coachmen crowded in closer amidst their clamor, with the bolder ones even reaching out directly to Phoebe, attempting to forcibly take her to their carriage.

At that moment, the petite girl finally lifted her head.

She smiled and asked crisply, "I'd like to go to Mine No. 8. How much would that cost?"

"Mine No. 8…"

Suddenly, the faces of the people crowding around her changed, and they looked at each other.

Uh-oh.

Seeing their reaction, Phoebe understood that the necropolis had not only started feeding, but it also seemed to have caused quite a stir.

Just how high had the boss leveled up by now? She hoped it wasn't too outrageous.

Soon, the coachmen banded together to push the miners away.

The first coachman who had reached out licked his lips and chuckled nervously, "What are you going to do there? That place isn't for little girls like you. Let me take you somewhere else, I know just the place for you to have fun. Let's go—"

He was about to reach out again, but then he suddenly saw a dark, featureless head rise behind the girl's neck.

The head had no face or features, resembling a tangible shadow, it stretched past the girl’s shoulder, staring straight at the coachman.

The coachman froze instantly, the sight of the eerie, otherworldly shadow plunging him back into a nightmare. Cold sweat broke out in layers.

“Monster…” The coachman’s face went pale, backing away step by step, “You… you... Ahhhhhhhh…!”

He fled, rolling and crawling away, even abandoning his carriage.

Now, all the coachmen looked at Phoebe differently.

But since the coachman who had just run off was the closest, Phoebe had only warned him with the specter. The other coachmen only felt the chill in the air, but did not see the specter.

Fei Yi obligingly tightened her scarf around her neck and then smiled, "So, anyone want a job now? I'll pay 8 gold for a trip to Mine No. 8."

8 gold!

The carriage drivers stirred. They were here to find work and could hardly earn 8 gold in half a year!

But the reaction of the person who just ran away... Now, everyone hesitated, and surprisingly, no one dared to step forward.

Fei Yi casually lowered her eyes, indifferent. If no one went, she could buy a map of the mining area and then find a secluded spot to transform into a horse, carrying her suitcase herself.

Or perhaps transform into a Komodo dragon? But she wondered, would that be fast enough?

Lost in thought, a deep voice suddenly reached her ears.

"Miss, I'll go, am I suitable?" A man with unkempt beard, worn-out leather hat, and muddy shoes stood there.

The middle-aged man stood nearby, looking down as he asked, "I can take you to the edge of Mine No. 8, but I can’t go any deeper."

"Sure," Fei Yi said, patting her suitcase and pulling out three gold coins to toss to him, "Help me load this up, and I'll pay the rest when we get there."

The bearded man swiftly pocketed the coins and efficiently loaded the suitcase onto the vehicle.

The carriage drivers around eyed them enviously, a job paying 8 gold coins was like hitting the jackpot in the god-forsaken mining area.

They regretted not staying nearby to take the job.

The bearded man swiftly loaded the luggage and started the cart with a crack of his whip.

The carriage moved slowly, its horse thin and hungry.

Initially worried about the slow pace displeasing the young boss, the bearded man glanced back and saw the well-off girl eagerly observing the endless grey stone landscape.

Having spent many years in the mine, from its prosperity to decline, he knew there was nothing left to admire in the now desolate area.

But the hobbies of the rich were beyond his understanding, especially their destination – the ominous Mine No. 8.

Shaking his head, he no longer paid attention to what was behind.

Even the wind carried a rusty scent in this desolate, abandoned mine, exuding an air of the apocalypse.

In the "Gods and Demons Continent" game, the southwestern mines were a famous monster grinding spot. The drop rate was higher than other instances, primarily because the monsters were mostly former miners.

Killing one not only yielded experience and gear but also the miner's personal belongings, memory shards, or even their skins.

Recalling the miners turned into zombies in the game, Fei Yi's gaze involuntarily shifted to the bearded man.

"Uncle," Fei Yi called crisply, feeling no awkwardness, "Why does everyone hesitate to go to Mine No. 8?"

"You… don’t know?" The bearded man's shocked voice dispersed in the wind, and the carriage slowed noticeably. He seemed torn but eventually advised, "If you don’t know about Mine No. 8, I suggest you stay away from there. The reason our place became like this… it's all because of that mine. It’s very dangerous."

Telling the truth might cost him the remaining 5 gold coins, but the thought of such a young girl venturing into danger troubled him.

"Of course, I’ve heard some things!" Fei Yi boldly opened the cart curtain, sitting next to the bearded man. The wind whipped her scarf and hat, creating a rustling sound that echoed in the desolate mines.

"I heard that many people have disappeared there?" Not knowing the current state of the mines, Fei Yi cautiously chose her words.

"Not just disappeared…" The bearded man glanced at the little girl, who was barely shoulder-high to him, sighed, and decided to tell the whole truth.

"At first, people just vanished in that mine. The overseer led many in search but found nothing. Then, as night fell, those who had disappeared reappeared."

The bearded man brandished a whip, slicing the air with a resounding crack.

"When those people reappeared, they were no longer human. Emerging from the mine like geckos, they crazily dragged anyone they caught back into the depths."

"Only two or three people vanished on the first day, but by the third day, we saw hordes crawling out from the mine. They had no chins, no eyes, and could scale walls and ceilings, burrowing out of the ground like ants."

"Still in their crawling phase?" Fei Yi pondered, realizing that in the Crypt Dungeon, this merely equated to the lowest level of monsters.

"More dangerous ones can stand, and the higher levels can run, jump, and 'merge'."

"If they're all crawling corpses, then the danger isn't too high."

"But... hasn’t the monastery done anything about this?"

"The monastery?" she asked. "Hasn't the Alaraf Monastery intervened? And with such danger, why do you all remain here?"

"Just the coachmen gathered outside the teleportation station were numerous, let alone the miners' families. The vast southwestern mining area naturally requires a substantial workforce."

Envisioning a future filled with crawling corpses, Fei Yi couldn't help but wonder.

The bearded man glanced at her, noticing no trace of fear on the young girl's face, just genuine curiosity.

"We can't leave," he averted his gaze, responding earnestly, "Monks from Alaraf City and even a Grand Fire Mage have been here."

"But after several days of efforts, they seem to have failed repeatedly, and many of their own were dragged into the mine."

"Finally, the leading Grand Fire Mage fled, saying he needed to find a solution. Before fleeing, he declared that toxic gas was emanating from the mine, trapping us here. We can enter, but can’t leave, not until the issue with Mine No. 8 is resolved."

"What kind of sorcerer is this, anyway?"

Fei Yi instantly understood the crux of the matter: the problem was with the mine, so why seal the entire mining area instead of just the mine itself?

"And these miners, they're just unarmed ordinary people, right? Did the Grand Mage seal them here, fearing that something from the mines might escape the area, thus forcing 'food' to stay?"

"No wonder many look numb, idly standing by the door. But aren't they afraid?"

Hearing the boss's question, the bearded man answered seriously, "Before leaving, the monastery folks helped us set up a temporary shelter. They seem to have cast some magic there, ensuring that as long as we don't go out at night, we won't be dragged away by those monsters."

"It doesn't look much, but the buildings are surprisingly sturdy. Once we hide inside, those creatures indeed can’t enter. And occasionally, someone drops off food, not much, but enough to survive."

Fei Yi glanced at him, knowing that, as per the future events, that magical structure wouldn't last long.

"In the end, everyone in the mining area perished."

"When I came to clear the dungeon, there wasn't a single NPC here, only monsters."

After a thought, she added, "If possible, remember to ask those who enter from outside to take you with them. Don’t stay here."

The bearded man was momentarily stunned, then shook his head with a wry smile.

"We've been marked by a spell. Unless the mine issue is resolved, we can never leave."

Observing quietly, the bearded man glanced at the girl, noticing her expression wasn't much worried, but rather… speechless?

He couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you worried or… scared? This place is very dangerous. Many have been devoured by that mine. Not even the Grand Mage could handle it, and those who came later, proclaiming to solve our troubles, all failed, with some losing their lives."

The bearded man had been puzzled all along, considering the coachmen’s reaction earlier, this girl also seemed to be a magic user.

"But she's so young, not even as tall as me. Coming straight to Mine No. 8, is it because of youthful fearlessness, or… sheer overconfidence?"

"If she’s overconfident about the mine… she might meet a grim end."

"Nothing to worry about," Fei Yi casually waved her hand. She was here specifically for the boss in the mine. The ineffectiveness of that pathetic Grand Mage was because he didn’t know the boss's weakness.

"But I know that place inside out."

Their carriage hadn't gone far when suddenly two more vehicles hurried up from behind.

The curtains on the carriages fluttered in the wind, revealing six or seven fully armed individuals inside.

“Hey, Grey!” the drivers from the other carriages taunted the bearded man, “What’s the use of running first? We’ll catch up with you anyway!”

“Your horse is as slow as you! No amount of gold can make it run faster!”

The people inside the carriages, upon seeing a child, all showed expressions of surprise.

“Why is there a child?” A man armed with a bow and arrow loudly questioned his driver, “Where is that kid going?”

The driver immediately adopted a sycophantic tone, “That child, like you, is from outside. She’s heading straight for Mine No. 8.”

“Crazy?” Hearing this, everyone inside the carriage exchanged bewildered looks.

The bowman lifted the curtain and yelled towards Fei Yi, “Kid! Mine No. 8 is no place for you! Turn back now! Or you can follow our carriage! Where are your parents? Did they really leave you alone?!”

Fei Yi sized up the man, realizing he was a demon hunter, but of a somewhat low level, not even advanced in his profession.

The others in the carriage were more obvious - a bard, a lone knight, a forest mother...

They all wore a green badge, which looked somewhat familiar to Fei Yi.

The bearded man quickly explained for her, “Those are members of the Mercenary Guild. Every so often, a small team arrives to try and deal with the mine. But so far, none have succeeded.”... The monastery couldn’t handle it, and now they’ve hired the Mercenary Guild?

Seeing these people were about her level, with some even below level 10 just to make up the numbers, Fei Yi worried for them. Were they here to solve the problem or to be easy prey? They seemed much more confident than her.

Fei Yi calmly looked at them and gestured from bottom to top, meaning "let's not bother each other," which could also be interpreted as "leave me alone."

“That kid’s pretty arrogant,” the demon hunter rolled his eyes and settled back into his carriage, “So young and already rushing towards death?”

A nearby bard scoffed, “Probably some apprentice who heard about the mine and wanted to show off. It’s only death that will teach such an overconfident child a lesson.”

“Just hope she keeps up her bravado and doesn’t end up crying and begging us to save her.”

Interrupted like this, Fei Yi lost interest in bantering with the bearded man. She had grasped the basic information she needed; knowing more was pointless.

Her goal was clear: kill the boss, correct the timeline, and, if possible, recover fragments of the Wheel of Fate.

Everything else was of little consequence to her.

Soon, the carriage stopped beside a desolate mound of dirt.

The bearded man got off, taking down the luggage, and pointed ahead, “Continue a bit further, and you'll see the entrance to Mine No. 8. It's easy to recognize with bloodstains all over from fingernail scratches.”

Fei Yi looked around but didn’t see the two carriages from earlier.

“What about those people just now? Weren’t they headed for Mine No. 8?”

“No,” the bearded man shook his head, explaining, “No one heads straight here. They usually start by investigating more populated areas.”

Survivors living in the mining area often use the opportunity to exchange information for money or supplies.

One day, Mine No. 8 would return to normal. By then, having saved enough money, they could leave and live a better life.

But someone coming directly here like Fei Yi was rare; the bearded man had only seen this once in a long time.

That’s why everyone was so shocked at first.

The bearded man turned back, advising her, “That mine is really dangerous. Why not wait for those people to come and then go in together? Those mercenaries looked strong; with them, you stand a better chance of getting out alive.”

If she really went in alone, the child was sure to die.

“No need,” Fei Yi handed him the remaining gold coins and, without hesitation, headed towards the entrance of the mine.

"Those people will only slow down my sword drawing."