The Dungeon's Greatest Monster

In the shadows, Vinnie carefully avoided every Puchi she encountered. Even though these Puchi were low-level monsters that a Formal Professional assassin could kill with a flick of her wrist, Vinnie's expression remained incredibly tense and serious, and she did not dare let her guard down in the slightest.

As a Drow Elf who had grown up in the Underdark, she was very familiar with the abilities and habits of these Puchi. It was precisely thanks to her understanding of Puchi that she had successfully ambushed her dear teammates.

"Mycelial Network. Few humans living on the surface know that these seemingly insignificant monsters possess such an ability."

Ever since entering the dungeon, Vinnie had secretly observed the Puchi and various mushrooms scattered throughout it. After a period of careful observation, she had become certain that these Puchi could use the Mycelial Network to detect the tracks of intruders.

Therefore, when Mark explained the battle plan that morning, Vinnie had already made up her mind upon noticing the inconspicuous mushrooms in the temporary camp.

When she had just been surrounded by three Muscle Puchi, Vinnie had immediately slipped into the Shadow World. She then threw out a corpse she had prepared in advance in the Alchemy Expansion Pack to deceive them, successfully escaping.

"The chest and the Mana Mushrooms are all mine."

Emerging from the shadows once more, Vinnie stared fixedly at the ornate chest in the distance. Greed and desire gleamed in her crimson eyes. If there had only been Mana Mushrooms here, Vinnie would not yet have betrayed her teammates.

But with such an incomparably magnificent chest added to the mix, the treasure within was entirely worth betraying her teammates for. As a pure-blooded Drow Elf, betrayal was simply an instinctive nature carved into her blood.

"Captain Mark really is so naive and adorable."

As if recalling something, a seductive smile appeared on Vinnie's lovely face. When she had joined Mark's party, Mark had distrusted Drow Elves and made Vinnie sign an Adventurers' Guild-certified contract and swallow poison as guarantees.

"To think he believed an ordinary contract and poison could restrain a Drow Elf."

Vinnie reached into her throat and dug around a few times, vomiting up the poison she had swallowed intact. As for the Adventurers' Guild contract, it was nothing more than an ordinary agreement.

If Vinnie had been the one making the contract, she would absolutely have used a magical contract.

Casually putting away the poison, Vinnie looked around. There were only seven or eight Puchi wandering nearby. Her figure flashed as she darted out like a black cat with light footsteps, her curved blades glinting with deadly cold light.

In just over ten seconds, every Puchi wandering nearby had been beheaded.

Sheathed her twin blades, Vinnie stretched lazily like a cat, her beautiful figure fully displayed. Like a little girl who had just received her favorite candy, she walked lightly toward the chest.

Without the slightest hesitation, Vinnie reached out and opened the chest. Outside the dungeon, she would never have been so careless.

But this was a dungeon. Never had any dungeon chest contained traps or magical curses. This was a rule that had never been broken by the countless dungeons of Keltus World over millions of years.

Chests in dungeons represented treasure and power.

Crack~

The ornate chest opened easily. An excited smile appeared on Vinnie's lovely face, but there was no treasure inside. Instead, there was a hungry maw full of sharp fangs. A long, sticky tongue shot out in an instant and tightly bound Vinnie's body.

Whoosh.

Before the smile could fade from Vinnie's face, an irresistible force dragged her directly into the chest. With a cry of alarm, the chest closed again, and faint chewing sounds could be heard from within.

"I declare that Mimic Monsters are currently the greatest monsters in the dungeon!"

Watching Vinnie get eaten by the Chest Monster with his own eyes, Luo Ao could not help praising it. Ever since creating the Chest Monster, it had never failed.

Whether it was experienced adventurers like Vinnie and Vic, or novice adventurers on the earlier floors—

Every single person lowered all their guard upon seeing a chest, only to be swallowed whole by the Mimic Monster. By now, every adventurer who had ever seen a Mimic Monster was dead.

"That is also thanks to the reputation accumulated by other dungeons over millions of years. That is what made the Mimic Monster's actions go so smoothly."

It was like credit scoring before Luo Ao had transmigrated: the better one's credit, the more money one could borrow.

What Luo Ao was doing now was much the same, except he was using the credit accumulated by other dungeons over millions of years.

Before that credit went bankrupt, the more dungeon credit Luo Ao overextended, the more he earned. As for what happened after the credit went bankrupt... what did that have to do with Luo Ao?

"However, it looks like my old friend will have to offer himself up this time as well."

Luo Ao shifted his gaze toward Mark's group. Relying on the magic scroll Oliver had kept in reserve, they had instantly killed three Muscle Puchi, but Ireland and Mark had also been severely injured by the blast.

Ireland, who had suffered the most serious injuries, had already passed out and completely lost his ability to fight.

"Ireland, wake up!"

On the battlefield, Oliver used Magic Shield to fend off the relentless attacks of two Muscle Puchi while pouring a healing potion into Ireland's mouth. He shouted Ireland's name, trying to wake him.

Mark, beside them, was in no better condition. Relying on a knight's powerful physique, he had not passed out despite his severe injuries, and was now continuously chugging healing potions as if they were water.

"Oliver, prepare to retreat!"

After temporarily recovering his ability to move with healing potions, Mark gripped his greatsword with both hands and forced himself to his feet. He looked at the two remaining Muscle Puchi, then swallowed the burst potion in his mouth. An unnatural flush appeared on his face.

The next instant, battle aura surpassing his peak erupted from within him. Mark's already battered body let out waves of mournful cries. He forcibly swallowed the blood surging into his mouth as the battle aura within him began to circulate wildly.

"Flame Blast: Wave Slash!"

The crimson greatsword radiated terrifying heat, and even its blade began to warp under the high temperature. With a savage expression, Mark raised the greatsword, stepped forward, and swung. Violent flames instantly filled the entire space.

The two Muscle Puchi blocked by Oliver's Magic Shield were sent flying.

"Go."

Mark casually tossed the ruined greatsword onto the ground, rushed over to Oliver, hoisted the unconscious Ireland over his shoulder, and charged toward the basin ahead. As for returning the way they had come, that route had already been blocked off by the battered Puchi.

In their current state, Mark had no strength left to break out of the encirclement again.

"Mark, where are we going now?" Oliver gripped his wand tightly and followed beside Mark, occasionally sending out a wind blade to kill the Puchi blocking their path.

"Let's find somewhere safe to recover first."