The camp built by the Gnolls and Imps had already begun to take shape. Given another half month, it would become a small dungeon with a much higher defensive rating.
Unfortunately, their outer defenses were pathetic. The low fence could not stop the unstoppable Atang at all.
Xu Nan discussed it with Qin Lele. They divided the work: Xu Nan would handle the interrogation, while Qin Lele continued searching the camp for supplies.
It had to be said that Atang's methods saved Xu Nan quite a bit of trouble.
The two underground races that had snuck over were both troublesome. Gnolls were vicious by nature, unruly, and incapable of settling down to farm. They only knew how to plunder.
Creatures like them were impossible to tame, and there was no need to tame them anyway.
So most of the Gnolls died beneath Atang's rear end.
Only two trembling Gnolls were left behind to provide Xu Nan with information.
The Imps were different. Though they were also evil underground creatures, Imps were dim-witted. Their potential for change was low, but as long as you * them, they would obediently listen.
Give them a few meals, and they would work their lives away for you.
In the dungeons of Pro World, Imps were one of the most popular types of slave labor.
The Gnolls had brought the Imps along, presumably to use them as slaves. When necessary, greedy and gluttonous Gnolls would even treat the Imps as food.
Xu Nan did not bother with the easily handled Imps first. Instead, he focused on the two Gnolls.
He bound the two Gnolls with magically animated rope and began a brutal interrogation.
At first, the two Gnolls pretended to be frightened and made up some implausible lies.
But after Xu Nan lightly stroked their foreheads with Touch of Idiocy, they immediately became muddleheaded. Whatever Xu Nan asked, they answered.
Half an hour later, Xu Nan had learned everything he wanted to know.
"Atang, take care of them?"
Xu Nan walked out of the room with a grave expression.
The giant panda leaped over with practiced ease and sat the two Gnolls to death before they could react.
Xu Nan had obtained quite a lot of useful information from the two Gnolls.
At the very least, he now knew that these underground races had not entered Earth by accident. They had followed the guidance of a great demon named Inoya.
They had originally lived underground in Pro World. Later, with nowhere else to turn, they sought Inoya's help. Inoya guided them to a spatial rift, allowing them to successfully sneak into Lin Sphere.
Of course, these spatial rifts were not only unstable, but also imposed severe limits on strength.
Otherwise, Xu Nan would not be facing Gnolls now, but things like the Black Dragon Legion.
According to them, Inoya had already claimed this place as its own. Once Pro World descended, this place would become its springboard.
The Gnolls were merely the advance force. Soon, other underground creatures would arrive.
Bugbears, Gray Dwarves, Dark Elves, Mind Flayers, black dragons...
As the degree of fusion between Earth and Pro World increased, the monsters descending upon it would grow stronger and stronger.
But Xu Nan was not afraid.
Because this was something he would have to face sooner or later.
After conducting a brief interrogation of the Imp Leader, he made a bold decision:
"I'm going to build a dungeon here!"
Qin Lele, who had just returned from fruitlessly searching for equipment, was greatly startled when she heard that.
"Are you sure? I just heard that this place has already caught the attention of a bad guy."
Xu Nan waved his hand, showing no fear.
"It was just a spur-of-the-moment idea. If they can build a dungeon here, why can't we?"
"Who knows what the world will become in the future? Compared with the surface, the underground world is less conspicuous anyway."
"At the very least, if some fantasy world really descends, I think I'll need a headquarters."
Qin Lele looked at him eagerly. "Then you'll be a dungeon lord in the future. Can you give me an official position?"
Xu Nan grandly waved his hand. "Once the dungeon is built, you'll be the City Management Captain."
Qin Lele clapped her hands. "You're a real pal. But we have to keep this from my sister and the others. After all, secretly building this stuff underground counts as illegal construction. It'll get demolished."
Xu Nan nodded.
"As for that possibly existing great demon, I've made all kinds of preparations too."
"Actually, we still don't know whether the other side is an enemy or a friend. We can be courteous before resorting to force. Maybe we can even reach some kind of agreement and cooperate!"
"How did that saying go again? Friends come from afar..."
Qin Lele raised her hand. "I know this one, I know!"
Xu Nan stared at her in surprise. "You even understand the Analects? Go on, let's hear it."
Qin Lele thought for a moment, then recited in a dramatic cadence:
"Friends come from afar; no matter how far away they are, they must be executed!"
Xu Nan snapped, "Wrong! I'll give you one more chance."
Qin Lele was shocked. "Isn't that right?"
"Then let me think again... Ah, got it!"
"Friends come from afar; they're either con artists or thieves!"
Xu Nan took a deep breath. "You have one last chance. A City Management Captain has to pass a cultural exam too!"
Qin Lele said aggrievedly, "Friends come from afar; whip them dozens of times and drive them into another courtyard?"
Xu Nan facepalmed. "It's 'is that not a joy?'"
Qin Lele suddenly understood.
"So it's: Friends come from afar; whip them dozens of times and drive them into another courtyard—is that not a joy?"
As the newly appointed City Management Captain, Qin Lele carried her backpack containing a drone and headed upstream along the Underground River to scout the way.
Xu Nan began taming the Imps. It took him a little time, though only a little, since Atang was by his side.
The original Gnoll Camp and the Imp caves were torn down and rebuilt. Xu Nan planned to contact a classmate in construction and have him design an impregnable dungeon for him.
It was worth mentioning that the Imp Leader reported they had found an extraordinarily rare mithril mine and a partially exposed gold mine nearby.
More mineral deposits might be hidden along the Underground River.
Xu Nan reckoned that if there had been mineral deposits here, they should have been discovered long ago. These deposits had most likely appeared only after the two worlds began to merge.
Before anyone else set their sights on the place, secretly developing it himself and quietly making a fortune was the proper course.
After getting the Imps to work for him, Xu Nan built a wooden hut here. He set up a Magic Alarm and an iron lock at the entrance to prevent surprise attacks.
Then, inside the wooden hut, he carved his own Arcane Mark.
Among orthodox spellcasters, a short-range Anywhere Door was a fourth-level spell, and its range was only fifty meters. It was far from enough for Xu Nan's current needs.
He could not climb out of the Ancient Well every time he wanted to visit the dungeon, could he?
Fortunately, among the first-circle arcane arts of the Ron Sorcerer, there was a similar spell called Hagrid's Flicker Spell.
Like Silent Wail, purchasing Hagrid's Flicker Spell cost Xu Nan eight Shame Points, but he felt it was well worth it.
This spell could provide three Arcane Marks. During the seventy-two hours that the marks lasted, Xu Nan could teleport back and forth between the three marked locations at any time.
This arcane art had three drawbacks. First, it consumed an enormous amount of Bloodline Power. Xu Nan had not tried it yet, but the warning in the arcane list's description made him cautious.
The second drawback was its especially long casting time.
Despite being called Flicker, it was actually painfully slow. He had to chant for at least three minutes before it could achieve the teleportation effect.
If those incantations had not poured directly into his mind, Xu Nan would have doubted whether he could memorize them all.
The third drawback was that a first-tier Ron Sorcerer could only possess three arcane arts. Unless Xu Nan advanced, he could not purchase any more. It was rather regrettable.
As for dungeon construction,
he planned to start work as soon as possible. First, he would have the Imps gather materials and minerals. The Gnoll Camp already had various materials needed to build a dungeon. Once the blueprints were ready, Xu Nan would also buy and transport things like reinforced concrete.
The dungeon built then would not be the crude version found in another world. It would be the luxurious, upgraded dungeon Xu Nan had envisioned!
"The Imps alone definitely won't be enough. I'll have to find a way to recruit more laborers. Mechanical Ghosts can fill in for the short term, but I'll need another solution in the long run."
In just a few minutes, countless plans had sprung up in Xu Nan's mind. Thinking about the dungeon he was about to own made him excited.
But amid that excitement, he did not forget to have a talk with Atang about life and ideals.
"What about the equipment in the Gnoll Camp?"
Atang looked completely bewildered. "What are you talking about? Why can't I understand you!?"
"Open your personal storage. Don't make me use Pet Edict." Xu Nan said gently, "Why does a giant panda like you need so much equipment and loot?"
Atang indignantly began taking things out.
Xu Nan's eyes lit up. A set of Deep Water Rhino Plate Armor, two sets of Magma Lizard Leather Armor, a pair of greatswords, two massive axes...
Atang kept taking out more and more. Before long, more than a dozen pieces of equipment of varying quality had piled up before Xu Nan.
"Anything else?"
Xu Nan asked.
The giant panda snorted. "No more!"
Xu Nan smiled faintly. "Xin'er's autograph is gone too."
Atang tearfully took out the last few pieces of equipment.
They included a thick gold chain, a gold watch, and an amethyst ring.
Before Xu Nan could appraise them, his phone suddenly rang.
"No way, there's still a signal this deep underground?"
The world had truly changed. Xu Nan sighed inwardly as he answered the call.
"Hello, is this Mr. Xu Nan?"
"We're from Elite Law Firm. We need to handle some formalities with you regarding Ms. Song Ying's will."
Before you continue