Chapter 31

Deepstone City.

As one of the most prosperous cities in the north of Pafeld, it has a unique characteristic that sets it apart from other cities. A deep, massive open-pit mine forms its core. Originally, Deepstone City was just an ordinary small mining town, but after the discovery of natural mineral deposits beneath it, it transformed into a bustling city of minerals. The entire city is built on top of this enormous open-pit mine.

From above, Deepstone City appears like a decoration on the edge of a conical pit, narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, seemingly small and unremarkable. However, only when you are inside can you truly appreciate how impressive this city is. The roads that look as narrow as a finger from above are actually wide enough for four carriages to travel side by side. The small holes that appear densely packed from a distance turn out to be enormous cave-like rooms when you approach them. Here, the contrast between large and small is so striking that it is enough to make anyone remember the city's existence.

Like other cities, Deepstone City also has a class system, but its zoning is slightly different from other cities—those who are qualified to live on the topmost ground are the noble class, enjoying sunlight and the cool, sweet river water, living a comfortable life. The commercial and civilian areas occupy the first and second levels of the mine pit. Below that is the slum, where it is dark and there is little food or water. There are even rumors that demons lurk in the depths of the dark pit, taking people as food. Therefore, unless they are desperate or specialized miners, no one would choose to live in such a place.

"Deepstone City..."

Stepping down from the carriage, Mace's expression became unusually solemn. Standing by the road, he gazed at the vast, seemingly bottomless pit not far ahead, and couldn't help but exclaim.

"Even though I've been here many times, every time I see this city, I can't help but marvel—may the Holy Soul bless us, I can't believe that humans could dig such a huge, bottomless hole."

At this point, Mace licked his lips and turned to look at Rhod, who was standing beside him.

"Mr. Rhod, have you heard that even the oldest miners in this city have never seen what lies at the bottom of this huge pit? It's truly a mysterious and wondrous thing. They dug this mine pit, but there is no record of what lies below. It's really hard to imagine, isn't it?"

"Indeed."

Rhod nodded but didn't say much. Unlike Mace, he knew what lay at the bottom of the mine pit. After all, this was one of the ten great mysteries of the Dragon Soul Continent. For ordinary people, they might not dare to take the risk, but for players who didn't fear death, solving the mystery was worth dying a hundred or a thousand times.

However, sometimes the sacrifices they made were not commensurate with what they gained.

Entering the city, the first thing they noticed was the quiet. Unlike the bustling and prosperous city they had imagined, this place seemed very quiet. The only thing that broke the silence was the occasional carriage loaded with goods rushing down the street and the faint sound of metal tools striking minerals from a distance.

Rhod did not immerse himself in the city's magnificent wonders like Mace. He raised his head and looked at the blue sky and the edge of the mountains. His gaze passed over the mountains, and he could vaguely see the golden castle by the Fairy Lake and the slender, charming, yet strong figure that lived there.

In a daze, Rhod seemed to return to the blood-stained hillside. The sunset, red and glaring, seemed to struggle to vent its anger, casting its last light. Under the red glow, a figure in splendid armor knelt on the ground. In front of her was an army of ten thousand, but this army stopped in front of one person.

The figure, covered in blood and the red glow of the sunset, knelt with her sword, her head lowered. Her carefully maintained golden hair was now in disarray, and even the feathers on her white wings began to fall. But even so, her eyes remained unwavering, firmly gazing at everything in front of her. When Rhod appeared, she turned her head slightly, and after a moment, her pale pink lips curled up, revealing a dazzling smile.

"Is that so... That's good..."

She whispered to herself, then closed her eyes.

Then, darkness enveloped everything.

That was the second time Rhod found his goal. After that, he resolutely gave up his identity as a free player, formed a guild, and began to try to change the entire game world. He succeeded, using his own hands to change three eras, but Rhod was not satisfied. In his heart, there was still a lingering regret.

He once thought he would never have the chance to make up for it.

But now, the opportunity was right in front of him.

Rhod knew what the continent was about to face—a catastrophe unprecedented for all living beings. The current peace and tranquility were just the calm before the storm, brief and fragile, and could be destroyed at any moment. What would follow would be nothing but chaos.

But Rhod was not in a hurry; being in a hurry wouldn't help. If everything went as planned, he would have at least one to two years of stability. This was enough for him to complete his preparations. After that, he would need to consider how to survive in the storm.

If he could, Rhod would not choose this risky path, but he knew how terrifying the coming storm would be. No one on the Dragon Soul Continent would be spared; all living beings would be drawn into it. It was better to prepare in advance than to face it unprepared.

With this in mind, Rhod pulled his cloak, hiding his face in the shadows. This face, whether in reality or in the game, was prone to causing trouble. It was better to avoid it if possible.

"Mr. Rhod."

At this moment, Ben and his subordinates, along with the fat young lady, walked over. Perhaps because they were back on their own turf, his behavior was more confident.

"Thank you for your help; we were able to return in time."

"Is she okay?"

Rhod glanced at the pale young lady hiding behind Ben and asked casually. Hearing his question, Ben could only smile bitterly.

"The young lady is fine; she just got a bit scared and bumped. Miss Liss has already treated her, so there's no problem."

At this point, Ben hesitated for a moment before looking up.

"Um... Do you have time now? The young lady wants to invite you to her home to thank you for saving her life..."

"I have something to do, so I won't disturb you."

Rhod shook his head, declining Ben's invitation.

"It was just a small favor, nothing to worry about."

"Is that so..."

Hearing Rhod's response, Ben's face turned awkward, and a look of disappointment flashed across Helen's face, but no one noticed.

As a head guard, although Ben's strength was not great, he was quite good at dealing with people. Hearing Rhod's words, he didn't want to force the issue and even showed a hint of relief. Although he hadn't spent much time with Rhod, the pressure had been significant, always on edge, afraid of saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing and causing trouble. Now that the pressure was finally lifting, he didn't want to hold Rhod back.

"In that case, I wish you a safe journey. When I return, I will report this to the clan leader, and I believe he will thank you."

After saying this, Ben quickly left with the young lady. It wasn't until they had walked a distance that Helen turned around, looking at Rhod's figure, and her face turned angry.

"You're such a wimp! Didn't we agree to trick him into coming home so Dad could teach him a lesson?!"

"Miss, now is not the time to play around."

Ben could only smile bitterly at the capricious young lady.

"Have you seen how powerful that man is? If you want to cause him trouble, what will you do if something goes wrong?"

"But he dared to hit me!"

Helen stomped her foot in anger, clenching her teeth. She didn't dare to be angry in front of Rhod, but now that she was away from him, the young lady couldn't hold back her temper.

"Not even my father has hit me!"

Hearing Helen's words, Ben could only shake his head helplessly. He really didn't want to get involved with Rhod again. This young man was too terrifying. Although he didn't know how Rhod's strength compared to the Kellars, he didn't want to cause any trouble for the Kellar family. If the young lady was really upset, he couldn't do anything about it.

"Never mind, there will be other opportunities to deal with him."

Helen glared at Rhod in the distance, and at that moment, Rhod seemed to hear her words and looked up at them. This made Helen and Ben's faces turn pale, and the young lady instinctively covered her mouth, as if trying to take back her words. Ben also quickly turned around and walked forward.

"We should go, Miss. If we don't get home before the adults return, things will get more complicated."

"Ah, yes, that's right, that's right."

Hearing Ben's words, Helen nodded repeatedly. She glanced at Rhod one last time, feeling a lingering fear, and only relaxed when she saw him turn away. Then she turned and hurriedly left.

"Mr. Rhod, we're here."

The clear voice of the young girl made Rhod look away. He looked at Liss, who stood in front of him, looking somewhat nervous, and after a moment of silence, he asked.

"This is your last chance, Liss. You can choose to refuse."

"No, Mr. Rhod."

However, Liss shook her head firmly. Then she looked at Rhod intently, her eyes showing a complex expression.

"I've thought about it for a long time. I know I'm not the right person for this, and I'm naive and inexperienced in this area. I don't know what to do. But I know that just relying on courage and belief is not enough. If you can help me achieve my dream, I won't refuse your offer."

The young girl's eyes were firm and clear, without a shadow, but Rhod did not back down.

"I think you've seen my methods. I want to know what you think of them."

"Huh?"

Hearing Rhod's unexpected question, Liss was taken aback and immediately lowered her head.

"I..."

"Be honest."

Although Rhod was only a few years older than Liss, standing in front of him, Liss felt a powerful pressure, like the kind she had felt from the captain and her father, a pressure that made her feel compelled to answer. The air, which was usually gentle, felt heavy, and Liss found it difficult to breathe.

"I..."

In the end, Liss shook her head.

"I really don't know, Mr. Rhod. I can honestly tell you that your methods are very different from what I imagined, but... at least I don't dislike your way."

"I understand."

Hearing Liss's response, Rhod nodded and then reached out his right hand to pat her shoulder.

"I won't let you down."

Then, Rhod said.

"..."

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