First Exploration of the Dungeon

"Is this the Dungeon?" Zhang Ruofeng and Xin Mu passed through the first level of the Babel Tower, descended a long staircase, and finally arrived at the first floor of the Dungeon. "There's airflow, and are those glowing plants growing on the rocks? The environment is unexpectedly different from what I imagined." Despite being about ten meters underground, the air was surprisingly dry.

"It's about the level of a nightlight when sleeping," Xin Mu noted, observing the surroundings. "Seeing things is no problem."

Looking at the Dungeon's ecosystem, which was nothing like the known world, the two discussed it for a moment but couldn't make heads or tails of it. After all, one was a liberal arts student and the other an engineering student; neither had any real knowledge of biology.

The two continued moving forward. Zhang Ruofeng led the way with a bracer on his left arm and a dagger held in a reverse grip in his right hand. Xin Mu followed, holding the map in her left hand and keeping her right hand on the hilt of her dagger, advancing slowly.

"Left." Xin Mu issued the command. Although it was their first time in the Dungeon, Zhang Ruofeng felt that if they wanted to cook their own dinner—given how much this world felt like an RPG—clearing the first floor would be exhausting and not worth the effort. Besides, it seemed the monster density was lower the closer one was to the surface.

As soon as they finished the left turn, two bouncing mushroom monsters about the size of basketballs appeared in their field of vision. These were the most common monsters on the first floor: Weak Mushroom. According to the information Heluo had provided, these monsters weren't much of a threat to humans and lacked offensive power. However, if the spores they sprayed got into one's eyes, it would be extremely painful, so one had to be careful of the spores.

The dark environment really is a disadvantage, Zhang Ruofeng thought. Although the opponents seemed weak, it was hard to see their spores in the dark. A moment of carelessness could lead to a miserable outcome. Moreover, these were monsters—real monsters—and he couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity about things that didn't exist in the real world.

"They're coming." Xin Mu's warning snapped Zhang Ruofeng out of his thoughts. However, the monsters' movements were so clumsy and cute that the fact he had prepared himself so thoroughly made Zhang Ruofeng feel a bit ridiculous. To shake off the awkwardness, he lunged forward, gauged the mushroom's landing spot, and kicked one away. He then turned, grabbed the cap of the other, and squeezed hard. The Weak Mushroom instantly disintegrated into fine sand, leaving only a fingernail-sized, pale gray stone in his hand. Zhang Ruofeng knew this must be a Magic Stone. At that moment, the kicked Weak Mushroom hopped back, leaped to the height of Zhang Ruofeng's shoulder, and opened a mouth filled with thorn-like teeth at its base, snapping toward him.

"This thing is truly unscientific," Zhang Ruofeng thought. It had no eyes or ears, yet it knew exactly where he was. His hands, however, didn't falter. He parried the mushroom's attack with his left hand and stabbed his right-hand dagger into its cap, instantly turning it into fine sand as well.

"I think I should give up on trying to view these things through the lens of science," Zhang Ruofeng said, picking up the Magic Stone and putting it into his bag.

"Mm." Xin Mu watched the pale yellow sand gradually vanish into the ground and frowned slightly.

"These monsters really are weak." Zhang Ruofeng flexed his left hand. Although he had killed the monsters, he felt nothing; it really was like encountering slimes in a beginner's village in an RPG. It felt like gaining +1 EP. At that moment, Zhang Ruofeng felt as if a green "EP+1" icon must be floating above his and Xin Mu's heads.

"Ruofeng." Xin Mu saw the vacant expression on his face and knew exactly what he was thinking. She felt speechless and turned her head away slightly.

"Right, let's keep moving." Zhang Ruofeng snapped back to reality, scratched his head awkwardly, and continued forward. In truth, there was nothing to be wary of on the first floor. The two walked and stopped for about 40 minutes until they reached the first marked location on the map: First Floor Monster Food Storage. The food storage was a supply point for the floor's monsters, containing water and some black fruits that Zhang Ruofeng and Xin Mu had never seen before.

"Why?" Xin Mu looked at the three-or-four-square-meter storage area and asked in a low voice.

"Hmm?" Zhang Ruofeng looked at her. "Why not destroy the food storage? Monsters are constantly being born in this Dungeon, and there's no guarantee these fruits and water won't grow back quickly. Besides, I think the monsters here are quite normal. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered; if these monsters are pushed too far, it might lead to bigger problems."

"Found it." While listening to Zhang Ruofeng's analysis, Xin Mu found a type of pale red nut marked on the map that only grew in small quantities in low-level Dungeon food storage. It was said to taste average, but in this world, it was more like a spice, similar to star anise in their original world. Their goal in collecting it was, naturally, to save some money for the braised pork Zhang Ruofeng planned to cook that night; if they had a surplus, selling a little would be even better.

"Mm, are there six?" Zhang Ruofeng looked at Xin Mu, who was bent over gathering them. Six meant 0 Faris; they probably still couldn't afford anything. "Only one plant. It seems someone else was here before us and took most of them."

"Take it slow." Xin Mu didn't mind the small amount. She had seen this spice-like fruit selling for about 10 Faris each outside the Dungeon, so gathering them herself was more cost-effective than buying them from a shop.

Zhang Ruofeng casually crushed two more Weak Mushrooms. Along the way, Xin Mu didn't even have to draw her dagger before they reached the entrance to the stairs leading to the next level of the Dungeon. Although Xin Mu liked Zhang Ruofeng, he had always kept a low profile in the anime club. Even though Xin Mu had observed him closely and knew he was definitely more than just a shut-in, he was a specific type of obsessive shut-in. Almost every game he touched, he would clear, whether it was easy or difficult, yet he never bragged to others. He would only offer a hint when someone else got stuck, then continue to act as background noise for the club members, his mind wandering elsewhere. Furthermore, Zhang Ruofeng possessed a hidden, immense strength; Xin Mu had once accidentally seen him carry a heat-stroked roommate on one shoulder to see a doctor.

"Ruofeng." Xin Mu silently tugged at his sleeve. Zhang Ruofeng paused slightly but didn't turn around. "Mm, we are the closest people to each other now, in this world. I'll tell you about my past when there's time, but now isn't the moment." Zhang Ruofeng knew his performance today didn't match his shut-in persona, as he had crushed every mushroom on the first floor with his bare hands.

"Mm." Xin Mu was also a cold person; if she weren't, she would have had a boyfriend long ago. She pondered this, but her cold temperament was inherited from her parents, who were also quiet, and her wealthy family background meant her life had been smooth, naturally making her somewhat indifferent. It was precisely because of her cold nature that she was drawn to Zhang Ruofeng. From the first time she saw him, she had been interested—not because of his looks, as he was barely a handsome guy and had an air of indifference that masked it, but because of the absent-mindedness and silly grins that would sometimes appear on his face, which shouldn't exist on someone so cold. It was like a ray of sunlight piercing through layers of dark clouds—dazzling yet dreamlike. Perhaps it was this contradiction that made her curious. As time passed, she realized many people knew she liked him, but she wouldn't deny or clarify anything. Zhang Ruofeng was among the smartest people her age she knew, so it wasn't surprising he knew she liked him. Her indifferent nature meant she didn't hide her feelings, and the two existed in a state where others complained about Zhang Ruofeng's zero emotional intelligence, though Xin Mu knew he was intentionally playing the fool. She had lost count of the confessions she had received, but Zhang Ruofeng was the first of his kind. She never knew she had such a strong possessive streak deep down until she met him.

"Well, the first floor is too simple. Let's head to the second floor," Zhang Ruofeng said faintly, looking at her pleasing profile, the hair at her temples swaying in the slight breeze.

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