The intense, wailing call reverberated beneath their feet with a terrifying tremor, dust and rubble rustling to obscure the mine shaft as Will Ken's aged voice sounded.

"We made a mistake..."

They had been influenced by the call from deep within the mine shaft from the very beginning.

Like Pasha Rivas, Tote, and Nunes before them, they thought "searching for companions" stemmed from an inner perseverance, but it was merely a fitting excuse to delve deeper into the mine shaft.

The omnipresent obscure aura of the Swamp further blurred their perception.

Lu Li summoned Merchant Anthony, Claire was on her way, and out of the other three mine shafts, Ida, Heinz Ellis, and Kaiser could not be reached.

Were they in an accident, or was it merely the mine shaft blocking the outside world? But why was Lu Li fine?

As the terrifying wail and tremor ceased, with dust settled, Lu Li withdrew to the start of the mine shaft—behind him was a genuine rock wall, and the unproductive [Beacon] indicated nothing around was an illusion.

Even after seeing through the true purpose of the mine shaft, Lu Li could only continue forward to face the punishment bestowed upon him by what lay behind the mine shaft.

Lu Li seemed like a stranded sea fish left behind by the tide, with no retreat, waiting for fate's judgement—either the tide would carry him away or he would perish on the beach.

The last tunnel was longer than expected, and as he went deeper, the rock walls bore the marks of hollowed pits, with loose stones underfoot kicking away.

Gradually, Lu Li heard faint and not lonely clinking sounds of chiseling echoing from deep within the mine shaft.

"We've come out... ahead are the mine slaves of the ore zone..."

Will Ken's surprised whisper described the scene he saw for Lu Li.

As they advanced, the chiseling sound became clearer, and Lu Li saw the outline of figures mining the rock walls, resembling muscular mine slaves.

The iron pickaxes fell, sparks flying.

They paused briefly because of the bright figure coming from deep within the mine shaft, throats with closed maws opening slightly with a low rumble.

"...Humans...coming here..."

With a mining lamp in hand, Lu Li calmly walked past these gigantic, grotesque mine slaves, leaving the mine shaft.

In the hub hall connecting every tunnel like an ant nest, the Earth Dwellers had been waiting, welcoming Lu Li's arrival.

"Honored Core Tier customer, welcome to the core shop of the mining zone."

Respectful treatment that was unexpected yet reasonable.

"Do you know what's going on?" Lu Li asked, watching the fairy-like Earth Dwellers.

"This is the Manager's Holy Artifact. The Calling of the Keeper of the Realm continuously draws local living beings, and placing the Holy Artifact allows them to become lost and dispersed, becoming nourishment for the Holy Artifact." Lu Li's customer level was enough for the Earth Dwellers to show respect and reveal everything.

"Of course, as a distinguished customer of the Earth Dwellers, you are an exception."

Lu Li looked around the underground hub hall, the shaft lift at the edge couldn't catch a trace of light, unknown at several hundred meters underground.

"Where are my companions?"

"Unfortunately, Lord Lu Li, your companions, due to insufficient customer level, have already been executed for violating the secret command."

Evidently, Lu Li was excluded from such misfortune—standing here rather than meeting the same dire fate as his companions was proof.

Lu Li remained silent.

In his mind, Will Ken's voice whispered: "I don't feel the ground... but beneath us, there's a... indescribable, bound power surging. Lu Li, you decide..."

"Take me there."

Lu Li lowered his black eyes and spoke calmly.

The Earth Dwellers misunderstood Lu Li's meaning and led him to the secret of the core of the mining zone—

But Lu Li still saw the... outcome of his companions.

Bloody knight armor was discarded uselessly in a corner, mixed with waste and excrement; a long firearm was set above a campfire, roasting meat chunks; nearby, a mine slave pinched a limb like a thin sword in comparison to their size, with snapping crack sounds echoing...

"Don't mourn for them... I can feel it, their souls aren't here..."

Will Ken whispered gradually.

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't this a trial? The trials we arranged for new Exorcists were dangerous and desperate, but we protected them, preventing them from facing real danger... Internal strife at any time is the most foolish behavior... I hope my judgment can bring you some comfort."

"That's good news."

At least Lu Li could rather calmly look over the well-cooked, patterned shell that turned reddish-orange food remnants.

Following the Earth Dwellers' lead deeper into the core, in the cave at the end, Lu Li glimpsed the secrets of the Earth Dwellers here.

It was like a giant stone sculpture, vividly embedded in the rock wall, the statue only carved to the tail, similar to rusted iron. One of the greatest alchemical products in human history was lavishly cast into chains with red copper, shackling its three-segmented tail, penetrating the rock, making it difficult to escape.

The Keeper of the Realm.

Lu Li thought of the unfamiliar term spoken by the Earth Dwellers.

"Do you have the intention to sell the 'Slaughter Rights'?"

Lu Li saw the newly completed harpoon gun-like giant spear gun set at the edge of the Keeper of the Realm and asked.

In a moment, surrounded by Earth Dwellers and mine slaves, Lu Li grasped the trigger of the giant spear gun.

Earth Dwellers were like this, willing to sell everything they could. They coveted wealth more severely than any dragon, deeply embedded in their souls.

Then, the tremor appeared again.

Lu Li had never been so close to the source of the tremor. The cave felt like a shaken box. The red copper chain was taut, restraining the tail. Amid the tremor, Lu Li also felt the lament, feeling its story, its pain.

The Swamp was abnormal.

Devouring rocks, devouring soil, devouring everything it touched, growing into the body known as the Swamp.

The Keepers of the Realm consumed the body of the Swamp, preventing its endless growth, protecting this world from being devoured.

The Earth Dwellers captured a Keeper of the Realm, possessing humanity no less than any Evil God...

As the tremor's echo faded, Lu Li raised the giant spear gun and pulled the slow trigger.

Shadows unable to be captured by the naked eye shot out.

Bang—

Firelight flared, a red copper chain broke with it, crashing down.

Lu Li calmly looked at the amused and horrified Earth Dwellers beside him.

"I'll pay."

The Earth Dwellers growled fiercely, lunging at Lu Li, and at that moment, a terrifying quake swept through the entire cave.

Lu Li only reached a mine slave's side, his peripheral vision catching the tail of the Keeper of the Realm retracting into the rock wall, and in the next moment, falling stones buried the cave.

...

Eternal-like tranquility flowed in the darkness.

Clatter—

Rubble rolled down, a slowly stretching young tree emitted a faint glow, revealing a silhouette climbing out of the rubble, showing the fog at the edges.

A piece of Fog Berths somehow permeated the cave.

[From love arises sorrow, from love arises fear, one free from love has no sorrow nor fear]

[It seems always by our side, like an object casually left, like something ubiquitous...]

The answer to the first trial thus emerged: When you seek it, it disappears. When you forget it, you might catch a glimpse of it nearby.

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