Chapter 329: Mining Cave

Mining Cave Number Three, Mount Meredith.

“To what do we owe the honor, Lord Mickey?” A lead miner asked Strom Mickey, who had appeared there for some reason.

Although miners such as them were paid well enough, their jobs were still hard labor and most nobles wouldn’t bother looking into their ashen-faces, believing that they were beings just a little better than slaves.

Naturally, for some big shot in Crookes like Strom himself to come here suddenly was leaving the stout lead miner—who resembled a dwarf in appearance-confused.

“I’m just looking around,” Strom replied. “I am a city official in Crookes after all, so I should learn a little about the mining caves that are the lifeblood of the city.”

The lead miner accepted the reply at face value. Even if Strom was showing signs of losing power, he remained an important official and noble of the city, someone whom peasants like the miner himself must never provoke.

Hence, even though he didn’t know what was going on, the lead miner did as he was told and freed up a mining cart before having two other strapping miners drive it for Strom.

Strom didn’t protest. His face was serene even as he sat on the cart that slowly ventured deep into the mining cave, as if he really was there for an inspection.

No one saw that a clear fluid no different from water was dripping all over the cave from his fingertips-and when the unusual fluid seeped into the dirt, it would quickly sneak beneath ground without a trace, preventing anyone from seeing it. Still, nothing changed, although the Illum crystal ores on both sides of the cave that the miners left as markers and a source of light seemed to brighten a little…

***

“Are you awake? We’ve finished your Red Scream!”

Zazu woke up to find his good friend Simba telling him that whilst standing over himself. Startled, he promptly checked his bag, only to find that the expensive fire potion ‘Red Scream’ was still inside and untouched.

“Don’t joke even about that. It’s an item I need for class change.” Zazu said as he carefully stuffed the potion deeper inside the bag and then closing it once more. “It’s so expensive on the market.”

“Are you really planning to change class to Skyblaze Herald? I think Tidecallers are quite good too—they could summon seafood, so we won’t have to worry about going hungry.” Simba suggested. “Aquatic Angels are the ones who could summon seafood. They are very different from Tidecallers, please.” Zazu retorted even as he stretched his body.

At the moment, they were sitting in a Crookes alley.

Crookes was no tourist spot and therefore did not have many taverns, and any lodgings were soon full house after the Players had poured into the city in droves. Third-rate Players like Simba’s group who moved slower in comparison were therefore forced to sleep at the cleaner alleys when they eventually reached the city.

It was fortunate that the System shop provided sleeping bags to handle the problem, so they did not have to worry about the cold. Moreover, Simba, Zazu, and Nala were never pampered children, which was why they were alright aside being a little stiff when they woke up.

“Where’s Uncle Mufasa? Hasn’t he arrived in Crookes yet?” Nala then asked Simba in confusion.

“He accepted a job from Marni to escort the wood elves Trinia is sending to Crookes,” Simba replied after checking Mufasa’s comments on the forums. “Although I have the feeling that Mister Marni who is tagging along with the wood elves wants Uncle Mufasa to protect him as well.”

With Eleena always playing pretend and Princess Leah usually not being considered a Player, the Players whom other players considered to be the strongest in the Church of Games was either Edward or Jessica (thanks to the buff of the divine spear Sefarim). That lasted until after Mufasa’s dazzling performance in the Twin City Cup tourney, which promptly left most Players certain that he was now the best of them.

“But do the wood elves need escorts? I think they are stronger than us…” Nana asked softly.”

“They are strong, but they die when they are killed.” Simba shrugged. “They can’t keep reviving like us.”

“And then there’s the fact that not many people dare to accept Mister Marni’s escort quest these days.” Zazu chimed in. “With that strange luck he has, no amount of money would suffice to pay for contract violations.”

The other two children nodded in agreement.

***

Simba was about to announce the day’s schedule.

Since they were already here, they would naturally proceed with the event quests that would soon start.

Moreover, they were never really hopeful about completing the prerequisite quest of finding the entrance to the high elves’ ruins. There were just so many Players who had come to Crookes, not to mention that there was no lack of first-rate Players present. Trying to steal the quest from them was just too difficult for a tiny party that hadn’t even change class.

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Still, while other players were searching for the entrance, the children could search for swampmen, completing the mini side quest to earn a little EXP.

It was worth mentioning that the children had already gone past level 15—the mark for class-change, and each of them were over level 20. The reason they didn’t change class was because the required quests were too troublesome, just there would be even more quest items needed, thereby increasing the demand of those items amongst the Players.

Of course, asking Mufasa for help would get them those items, but Simba’s group believed that they already owed Mufasa too much.

After all, he did rescue the orphans from a rotten young noble, bringing them to the Church of Games and be blessed with a System thanks to the grace of the God of Games. They would become good-for-nothings if they can’t even complete a trivial matter like obtaining their own class-change materials, which was why they never asked and focused all their efforts in collecting the items.

Suddenly, the ground was shaking violently.

Before Simba and the others could get up, one could see from the city that the peak Mount Meredith was visibly crumbling.

Soon, a colossal serpent with scales resembling mineral ores slithered out of the shattered mountaintop.

It was still some distance away from Crookes, but its size could still be determined by comparing it to the peak.

It would rise as high as twenty meters into the air if it straightened itself vertically, and its body was long enough to coil around two soccer fields.

But if one looked closer, they would notice that it was not a giant serpent but a mine shaft that had become sentient, although its head was quite serpentine.

And the instant they saw it, the Players could see the name hovering above the monster’s head.

[Illum crystal lifeform-Tunnel Eye Serpent, Level 35 (increases as time passes)]