Please Welcome the Victim

Adventurer—a versatile profession. At the top end, they could assist the Brave Hero in defeating the Demon King and forge new legends. At the bottom end, they could stoop to stealing chickens and dogs just to scrape by.

For a single silver coin, anyone could buy an adventurer's certificate from the Adventurer's Guild and become the lowest-ranked adventurer: anonymous drifters, wanted criminals, innocent country boys, idle city thugs, even—

On this new day, crowds flowed endlessly outside Sain Dungeon. Everyone gathered before the Teleportation Gate, waiting for the dungeon to open.

Quite a few people made their living around this place. Besides the adventurers who fought monsters and gathered materials inside, there were hawkers selling goods around the outskirts, as well as large numbers of miners organized by the nobles to enter the dungeon and mine ore. Looking closely, there were even more ordinary people than adventurers.

Speaking of ore, Sain Underground City produced a unique red mineral called Blood Crystal, an important raw material for one of the local lord's industries.

Every day, hundreds of miners under the lord's command entered the dungeon to mine. To the local lord, these ores were more important than his own life. There was no way he would give them up.

At peak times, a dungeon like this could see over a thousand visitors. It was truly unbelievable.

"This is the place, right? The legendary easiest beginner dungeon where even an idiot can clear it in one go!"

At the Teleportation Gate at Sain Dungeon's entrance, an energetic Maiden waved her slender arm. Her flowing golden hair gleamed under the sunlight, and even plain leather armor could not hide her natural elegance.

In short, she was a runaway noble Young Lady. Who knew why she had come to become an adventurer? She was probably bored.

"Please don't run so fast, Miss Hainis!"

Normally, a noble Young Lady's attendant would either be a peerless beauty or an exceptionally handsome man. Fili belonged to the former. Her height of nearly six feet gave her a pair of enviable long legs, while her sea-blue hair resembled precious jewels. Unfortunately, her cool, beautiful face was currently filled with helplessness.

"We agreed that after clearing this dungeon, you would obediently go home. Madam will worry."

"I know, I know." Hainis replied carelessly. While her attendant was not looking, she used Quickstep and dashed into the Teleportation Gate!

"Hey, wait!"

Fili stomped her foot in frustration and hurried after her.

She had suffered from teleportation sickness since childhood. Whether she passed through a Teleportation Gate or used teleportation magic, she always needed a few seconds to recover afterward.

"Ugh, why is it so dark?"

Dizzy, Fili raised her head. When she saw the scene before her, she froze.

It was a ruined village—desolate, bleak, and devoid of light. Scattered torches provided illumination, but they only revealed a tiny portion of the surroundings.

The black, withered branches resembled ghostly claws, beckoning maliciously at those who entered.

A chill ran down Fili's spine. The information clearly said that Sain Dungeon was a sunlit complex of ancient buildings. Why did it look like a haunted house now?

"I was definitely tricked by those information brokers. Bastards."

She tightened her grip on the curved sword in her hand and called out, "Young Lady, where are you?"

It looked eerie, but since Sain Dungeon was known as "the easiest dungeon in history," this appearance had to be nothing more than a bluff. Nothing worth mentioning.

With that thought, Fili immediately stopped feeling afraid.

She passed through the collapsed gate at the village entrance and entered the village. Most of the houses had already fallen apart, making them impossible to explore. At the end of the main road stood a church.

"Young Lady?"

No matter how Fili called, Hainis did not answer, and a trace of doubt rose in her heart.

There had not been much time between when she and Hainis entered. How had she already lost track of her?

"Could she be hiding in the church?" She arrived at the church at the end of the main road and shoved hard against the door, but it would not budge.

"Ah!"

At that moment, a piercing scream tore through the air. Fili jolted and immediately rushed toward its source.

"Young Lady, where are you? Answer me if you can hear me!"

Silence. A gust of wind blew from somewhere, and a rusted door creaked before crashing to the ground.

The instant the door made a sound, Fili had already rushed into the ruined house. Yet there was nothing inside except an ordinary wooden chest in the middle of the room.

"I'm sure of it. The Young Lady's scent is here. She came here." She removed her hood, revealing a pair of fluffy beast ears. Her nose twitched a few times before locking onto the wooden chest.

Hainis had touched this just now. Fili could smell it.

Fili flung open the chest, but—

[Teleportation Trap triggered!!!]

"Whaaat!?"

A thick mist suddenly enveloped Fili, making her cough uncontrollably. By the time she opened her eyes again, the scenery before her had completely changed!

While she was still dazed, a warm little thing suddenly burrowed into her arms.

"Y-Young Lady?" She carefully sniffed her scent and confirmed that it really was Hainis.

The latter looked at her with teary eyes and sobbed, "That scared me to death! W-why was there a trap inside the chest?"

Fili sighed helplessly and rubbed Hainis's head. "Don't run around next time. Stay close to me."

"Okay." The noble Young Lady nodded obediently, and only then did Fili observe their surroundings.

They had been teleported into a ruined underground house. Outside the door were uneven rocks, with blood-red ores visible everywhere. Even the rock layer above was covered in crystals.

"It seems to be some kind of Underground Mine."

Fili held Hainis's small hand and cautiously left the ruined house. Only then did she discover that this was an expansive mining site. The excavated tunnels stretched in every direction, and with a quick glance, she spotted no fewer than five tunnels.

"This is troublesome. Which path leads back?"

Just as she was worrying over it, several Skeleton Monsters carrying pickaxes staggered toward them. Fili casually swung her hand, sending out a slash of sword energy that blasted the Skeleton Monsters into scattered pieces across the ground.

"Fili, you're amazing!" Stars shone in Hainis's eyes.

"Let's go this way first."

In the end, Fili chose the largest mine tunnel by instinct, and the two entered it.

A few minutes after they left, faint blue flames flickered to life in the eye sockets of the skulls on the ground. Their mouths gaped wide, as though they were laughing soundlessly.

"Fili, look! There's a light over there."

Hainis pointed toward a bright white light not far down the tunnel.

Besides being hidden in chests, dungeon treasures could also appear scattered in corners and crevices. When that happened, they gave off light. Ordinary items were white, rarer ones were purple, and the most valuable were gold.

Thus, glowing lights were no less tempting to adventurers than a peerless beauty suddenly appearing before an old bachelor!

A Goblin crouched in front of the white light, digging at the ground with its back to them, seemingly unaware of their presence.

Can I go? Hainis asked with her eyes.

Fili considered it, then nodded. Hainis drew her shortsword and crept over on tiptoe, cutting the Goblin's throat with one clean, efficient strike!

"There's a throwing knife in the light!"

Hainis proudly displayed her loot. Though it was only an insignificant throwing knife, it was the first loot she had obtained in a dungeon, making it extraordinarily meaningful.

Fili smiled indulgently and was about to speak when she caught sight of something from the corner of her eye. Her expression abruptly changed, and she shouted, "Come back!"

"What?"

Before Hainis could react, she heard mocking snickers rise one after another. One, two, three.

Three Goblins suddenly sprang out from the corners!

"Whoa, where did they come from!?"

In her panic, she killed two, but the remaining one bit her left arm.

Fili hurriedly killed the Goblin, pulled a bottle of potion from her bag, and poured it over Hainis's wound. The moment the wound touched the potion, it healed completely, without even leaving a scar!

"That scared me to death! Where were those creepy things hiding?" Hainis angrily kicked the Goblin corpses twice. Using the dim surroundings and irregular terrain, these creatures had perfectly concealed their small bodies and quietly ambushed their enemies.

They had even used one of their companions as bait!

To be honest, even Fili had let down her guard when she saw that Goblin with its back turned. Not even her sense of smell had detected the other Goblins.

"Something is wrong with this dungeon."

Remembering the earlier Teleportation Trap, Fili came to her senses as well. Wasn't this supposed to be the easiest dungeon? Wasn't this incredibly devious?

Either everyone had lied to her, or this dungeon had undergone some kind of mutation!

"Let's go. We need to be careful from now on."

This time, she truly calmed herself down. She could no longer underestimate Sain Dungeon.

Come to think of it, why were there so many recessed hollows along both sides of the tunnel? They looked just large enough to fit two or three people.

Smack!

The moment she took her first step, she stepped on something. A rumbling sound followed immediately after, as though some mechanism had been triggered.

"What? What happened?"

When Hainis saw a massive Iron Ball rolling toward them from ahead in the tunnel, her fur practically stood on end.

"Run!"

Fili scooped Hainis up and ran back. They had not gone very far into the tunnel, so they would definitely be able to get out safely—

Clack, clack!

A strange collision sound rang out. The next moment, Fili saw a sight she would never forget for the rest of her life.

Dozens of pale Skeleton Ghosts stood arm in arm, forming an impenetrable line at the tunnel entrance!

The leading Skeleton Monster was laughing wildly, a sword wound visible across its ribs.

It was Fili's sword energy!

The Skeleton Monsters she had smashed apart had revived!?