Chapter Eighteen: Return to the Mine

“You have passed…”

After more than three weeks of rigorous training and real combat, this group of recruits had finally transformed into qualified warriors.

“So now you can work—no, I mean, now you can contribute to the defense of the kingdom!” Mo Fangyuan had underestimated them before. On the very first night, after surviving a night-long battle, the members of the Field Guard still managed to follow him and help clear out the clustered monsters. Though Mo Fangyuan had taken care of most of the creatures himself, they had proven their courage to defend their homeland—one of the most vital qualities of a true warrior. Throughout those two weeks, not a single one of them had flinched. Mo Fangyuan admired such people; they seemed born with a tireless spirit.

“Your Majesty! Our mineral reserves are almost depleted…” Old Fu approached Mo Fangyuan, waving his notebook with one hand, a look of deep concern on his face.

Both men understood what this meant.

“It’s about time!” The Kingdom of Blocks now stood strong, boasting no fewer than twenty-one fighting members.

“The Field Guard has become a true fighting force…” Mo Fangyuan narrowed his eyes. The time had come for revenge. The humiliation he had once suffered would be repaid in full!

“Don’t worry, Old Fu. Once I’ve readied our troops, I promise, with a few well-chosen words, we’ll have the underground monsters fleeing in terror without even a fight.”

Old Fu was left speechless as Mo Fangyuan strode away, feeling uneasy. It seemed His Majesty was in one of his “moods” again.

“Gather everyone at the mine…yes, the one that’s been overrun by monsters…” Mo Fangyuan ordered Yali to assemble the others, then leaned over the entrance of the mine.

Peering down, he saw only darkness—a gaping maw, like a monstrous beast waiting hungrily for prey to walk into its jaws.

“Hmph! Whatever you are, today I’ll mete out justice and destroy you!” The memory of those red-eyed zombies sent a phantom ache down Mo Fangyuan’s back, a reminder of his past ordeal.

Golden apples, strength potions, splash healing potions, TNT… Mo Fangyuan was pulling out all the stops for this descent, determined to wipe out this lurking threat once and for all.

“The Age of Mystery…” he muttered through clenched teeth.

He’d almost developed a phobia of the underground ruin beneath the mine. Up to now, he’d only thought about how to destroy it, never pausing to consider anything else. But now, reflecting on it, he realized that the dark dungeon from that mysterious era might hold a deeper significance in this world.

The term “dark dungeon” was a general label for any place containing a dark node. These nodes, like monster spawners, would summon red-eyed zombies—monsters troublesome enough that Mo Fangyuan hardly needed to explain.

After warning everyone about the dangers of the dark dungeon and issuing strict precautions, Mo Fangyuan led by example, leaping into the mine first, with Yali right behind him and the others close on their heels.

The familiar tunnels, the familiar atmosphere…

“This time, I won’t make the same mistakes as before!”

Mo Fangyuan walked at the very front, his expression hidden from the others.

“Everyone, form up in teams of three and sweep every tunnel—don’t overlook a single corridor!” It was an ambush from behind during his first foray that had left Mo Fangyuan in such a sorry state. He would not repeat that error.

The twenty-one of them split into seven squads, each heading down a different tunnel. Mo Fangyuan, however, moved alone.

The path he chose led straight to the dark dungeon.

Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to charge in alone and face thirty enemies by himself. He only intended to observe the situation, not enter.

The cave entrance looked unchanged, no different from before. Inside, it was pitch-black—a vision of hell.

Without hesitation, Mo Fangyuan blocked the entrance with cobblestones.

“This place is getting eerier by the day…” When he’d last visited months ago, he hadn’t felt like this. Now, just reaching the threshold filled him with something close to fear. Clearly, the influence of the dark node within was growing stronger.

“We have to strike before it grows any more powerful!”

Gradually, the other teams returned to the rally point Mo Fangyuan had designated, most of them bearing marks of battle.

His suspicions were confirmed—several red-eyed zombies had been lurking in the tunnels, hoping for a sneaky ambush. Fortunately, there were only seven, and the warriors had dispatched them through teamwork.

“Recover in place!”

Mo Fangyuan braced himself for the strangeness of the dark dungeon. In this world, who knew what bizarre powers the dark node might have developed? It was wisest to ensure the warriors were fully prepared before taking further action.

“But we can’t afford to delay too long, either.” He had brought all the fighting strength the Kingdom of Blocks could muster. If they hadn’t succeeded by nightfall, they would have to retreat.

“Form up! Shields in front, archers behind!”

Noting that most of the warriors had recovered, Mo Fangyuan wasted no time moving toward the mouth of the dark dungeon. Having blocked the entrance with stone earlier, he wasn’t worried about anything escaping.

“Everyone, stay alert!”

As they reopened the entrance, Mo Fangyuan and his team grew even more vigilant.

From what he’d seen before, the zombies they’d just eliminated were only a fifth—perhaps even less—of the total. He estimated there were over twenty more red-eyed zombies still waiting inside, poised to challenge the kingdom’s warriors.

The closer they drew to the dungeon, the more Mo Fangyuan sensed the dark node’s resurgence. Even the conical tunnel walls now bore strange black spots, which hadn’t been there before.

He didn’t know their exact purpose, but he knew they were the dark node’s doing.

“The node’s influence is only growing…” Mo Fangyuan said gravely, eyes narrowed.

“Ready yourselves for battle!”

In the distance, the vague outline of the dark dungeon appeared, its sinister black glow flickering in the gloom…

As if anticipating the coming fight, Mo Fangyuan had already arranged the warriors in battle formation. The front line bore shields and iron swords, ready to repel and attack enemies head-on. Archers in the center would rain down arrows as the main force of offense. A few warriors held the rear, standing guard against any underhanded attacks.

“Roar! Roar!” As Mo Fangyuan had predicted, when they drew within thirty paces of the dungeon, a chorus of guttural snarls erupted from within.

Red-eyed zombies emerged, their eyes gleaming…

“Loose!” Mo Fangyuan commanded.

A barrage of arrows shot forth like white lightning, striking the red-eyed zombies.

The tunnel at the dungeon’s mouth was so narrow that only two zombies could walk abreast, so the first pair to appear were immediately felled by the concentrated fire of the block warriors.

More zombies followed, closing in on Mo Fangyuan’s group.

“Loose!”

Two more red-eyed zombies fell before they’d gone far. The rest kept advancing.

After the sixth wave was shot down, the zombies were already dangerously close.

Seeing this, Mo Fangyuan whipped out his diamond axe and shouted, “Everyone—fall back! Archers, keep shooting!”

He led the retreat himself.

No way was he going to risk close combat when ranged attacks worked just as well. Every single member of the kingdom was precious—none would be wasted on needless brawling.

The red-eyed zombies howled in fury, as if to say, “Are you just toying with us?”

Mo Fangyuan ignored them and, once the team had withdrawn to a suitable position, ordered them to keep firing.

Advance when the enemy retreats, retreat when the enemy advances, strike when the enemy is weary… The instructors had not deceived him.

Soon, the floor was piled high with zombie corpses.

But just as Mo Fangyuan was about to advance, another red-eyed zombie emerged from the dungeon.

This one’s growl was different—deeper and shorter. Its face bore many more black spots than the others.

“Ahh, roar! Ahh, roar!”

“Damn it! Are you putting on a show now? What, do you think your voice is heavenly?”

With a wave of his hand, dozens of arrows whistled past Mo Fangyuan, shooting straight at the “singing” red-eyed zombie.