Chapter 42

In the silence of Rody, Sally wisely did not press the matter but silently followed him, gazing at the sky that was gradually darkening and said, "Now... where are we going?"

"Endel Mines, through the tunnel and straight to Holier City. We can't stop tonight, or at the speed of your brother, we will still be one step behind," Rody pulled open the backpack on his back, casually took out a piece of bread he bought in Gig Town, handed it to Sally, and then uncapped his water pouch to take a sip. He pointed to the distant mountains and said, "We need to get there tonight, bypass the mine guards' line of sight, and cross the tunnel at dawn. We should arrive in Holier City by tomorrow afternoon."

"Tomorrow afternoon?"

Sally knew how far it was from Gig Town to Holier City. If following Francis's pace, it would take at least three days to circle around this mountain and return. But according to Rody's words, if she could really arrive in Holier City by tomorrow afternoon, then by the time Francis returned, she would be two days ahead of him!

"The tunnel inside the mine can help us cross the mountain, and I know some ways to get through this mountain as quickly as possible."

Rody took a bite of the bread, still not looking at Sally, and said, "Don't ask me why I know these things. If we want to survive, we need to speed up."

"Okay."

Sally obediently followed his steps. After several days, her adaptability had impressed Rody. Perhaps because of her strong physical constitution, she had never shown any signs of physical exhaustion. This made Rody recall a question he had almost forgotten—how did Sally resist the scorpion's venom? Was it because of her thick blood or high resistance?

The attribute "noble descendant" does not provide any resistance boost. Only high-level players in PVE or PVP would specifically prepare "nature resistance" equipment to deal with special situations. Now, Sally's clothes had no attribute bonuses, so it was impossible for her to have resistance against the venom.

However, Rody understood that Sally herself was probably unaware of these things, so he did not ask. He casually cut two branches into walking sticks, and the two of them quickened their pace toward the Endel Mines.

Due to previous lessons, Rody was not as calm as when he first entered the Silent Forest.

In the "Stylo's Stream" dungeon, what should have been a flawless battle turned into a near-death experience because of the Scorpion King's "switch." Rody would not forget this lesson. Similarly, looking at the Endel Mines, he was already prepared for any unexpected situations.

This route should be foolproof. In the eyes of players, the Endel Mines, besides being a place for mining, is also home to a famous BOSS—the Chimera, as the native inhabitants of "Riftland" call it.

However, the game's "Chimera" is not the powerful monster with a lion's body, a snake's tail, and a goat's head from mythology. Instead, it refers to "hybrid creatures." Inside the Endel Mines, there is a tunnel that miners never enter. This tunnel runs through the side of the mountain but was abandoned after a period of frequent disappearances of miners—its culprit being a powerful Chimera.

In Rody's memory, the Chimera here is not a dungeon BOSS but a "wild spawn." Its level is 20, making it an existence that Rody cannot currently provoke. This place used to be a must-contested area for large guilds because the Chimera's drops were one level higher than those in the dungeon. Thus, under the allure of this scarce resource, the Endel Mines were always crowded.

Rody had no way to deal with such a high-level wild BOSS. He came here because the tunnel would allow him to cross the mountain and reach Holier City at an extremely fast speed. The cave he would pass on the way was the Chimera's living area, but it required a five-minute detour to find it—thus, Rody would not have any dealings with the Chimera on this journey.

The night at the Endel Mines was not peaceful. It was not only the main iron ore production site of the Carren Kingdom but also had a large quarry. Slaves worked day and night to supply the kingdom with minerals, but they received nothing more than a meal.

These were criminals, homeless beggars, or commoners thrown in by nobles for various reasons. Having done mining tasks before, Rody naturally understood the darkness of this place, but he could not do anything about it now. He could only quietly lead Sally around the watchtower's line of sight and stop at a low shrub.

It was already past midnight. After walking non-stop for five hours, the two finally arrived at the mine entrance, which was over a thousand meters above sea level. Rody did not rush in but rested with Sally for a moment, eating some food to replenish their energy.

In the darkness, the two silently chewed on the unappetizing bread, knowing the urgency of the situation, so there was no light-hearted banter. The nearby quarry still echoed with the sounds of hammering and the occasional crack of a whip, but most of the time, the sounds were dull and monotonous.

Rody suddenly asked, "Did your father ever bring you here?"

"No, Father never mentioned the mines. I only read about them in the historical documents of the Evarta territory."

Sally gently rubbed her sore calves and ankles. Her dyed black hair hung down, and after her disguise, she seemed to have taken on a bit of a masculine air. She had not complained once and had not slowed Rody down. Her voice was slightly tired but also carried a hint of seriousness.

"If I were your father, I wouldn't bring you here to see it," Rody felt he had rested enough, picked up his horn bow, and as if thinking of something, said to himself, "The definition of a noble is an outstanding individual, a leader, and a protector of the people... I'm right, aren't I?"

Sally frowned at Rody, suddenly feeling his tone was a bit unfamiliar, but she still nodded.

"The people here... should be the antithesis of 'nobles.' They are the oppressed, the ones who have lost their freedom, the lowest of the low. The highest level of a territory is your world, and this is another world."

Rody's words were calm. He thought of the corrupt noble lords of the future... the "vampires" in his memory who, after the kingdom's fragmentation, only cared about their own interests and ignored the people's suffering. These nobles almost dominated the ruling class of the kingdom, like a swarm of termites, gnawing away at the country's solid foundation until it was riddled with holes and ultimately vulnerable.

Exploiting benefits, cold and heartless.

Every lord had this side, and Sally herself understood this. However, such a system had been deeply ingrained for centuries, and she had never found it unreasonable. But Rody's words stirred something in her... did the noble lords truly fulfill their duties and responsibilities?

This was a society of contracts. Lords were responsible for protecting their subjects and providing them with a livelihood, and in return, the subjects paid taxes and served in the military. But in reality, when exploitation was severe, Sally knew that many people lived worse than dogs.

"My rambling is a bit much," Rody realized he was losing his composure. Thinking that the girl beside him might be a key figure in turning the tide, he composed himself and pointed to the cave entrance visible in the distance. "It's easy to sneak in. Once you see a foreman, hide. Wear this necklace; use it in an emergency. It gives you one minute of stealth."

Sally silently took the necklace, but Rody's words still echoed in her mind. For a girl raised with traditional noble education, she had never heard such views. While it didn't completely shock her values, it still left a deep impression. Because these words came from Rody.

To Sally, Rody had become a very special presence in her heart—how special, perhaps even she couldn't say.

Rody didn't waste words, carrying a pile of equipment and leading Sally into the poorly guarded mine, skillfully bypassing the foremen and miners, and entering the mine tunnel inside the mountain.

The journey seemed unusually smooth. Sally did not need to use the necklace's stealth, and Rody did not shoot any guards with his bow for fear of being discovered. As they entered the dimly lit mine tunnel, they initially heard the echoes of countless pickaxes and rocks colliding. However, as Rody dodged and weaved through the numerous forks in the tunnel, after half an hour, those sounds gradually faded away.

The air had a strange, damp, and cold smell. Sally, who considered herself brave, still closely followed Rody's steps, and without realizing it, the distance between them had become even closer.

Rody lit a torch and walked through the spacious tunnel, confirming that the features matched his memory. He then skillfully approached a mine cart covered in spider webs and dust, waving to Sally.

"Are we... going to ride this?"

In the dim light, Sally could see that in front of Rody was a mine cart used for transporting ore—on the bottom were two iron tracks, which the miners used to improve mining efficiency. Now, it seemed Rody intended to use it as a means of transportation.

"Just follow me."

Without a word, Rody jumped onto the cart, confirmed that it had a braking system like in his memory, and placed his belongings on it. He then reached out and pulled Sally up.

"How does it move?"

Confused, Sally had never ridden such a thing before. She wanted to say more but saw Rody jump off the cart and run to the back to push it forward—Sally's gaze turned to the dark, unknown tracks ahead, suddenly giving her a sense of foreboding...

"It can't be—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the sound of metal scraping interrupted her. Rody, using his arm strength, pushed the wooden mine cart, and then, pushing it, began to run slowly into the darkness.

The screeching sound of metal wheels on the iron tracks echoed through the tunnel. He silently counted his steps and, after running twenty steps, leaped up and jumped onto the cart.