Chapter 57: Chapter 53: Maze
Lin Mo followed the sound and walked over. In the flickering light of the fire, a dark gray Treasure Chest covered in dust was faintly visible.
On the lid of the Treasure Chest was a red, beast-shaped sigil that was slowly fading...
Evan tried to open the Treasure Chest, but it was as if it were locked and wouldn’t budge an inch.
Only when the red sigil had completely vanished did the Treasure Chest suddenly spring open, causing Evan, who had been pulling too hard, to fall flat on his butt.
’So that sigil must have represented the Demon in this chamber. The Treasure Chest can only be opened after the Demon is dead.’
Lin Mo nodded thoughtfully and peered inside the Treasure Chest.
Inside the modest-sized Treasure Chest were fifty neatly stacked Silver Coins and two simple-looking daggers.
After checking to make sure it was safe, Lin Mo took the Silver Coins out of the chest and examined them up close. Just as he suspected, the markings on these coins were different from any he had seen before.
"This is currency from another world."
Bain weighed the Silver Coins in his hand. "They weigh about the same as the standard Silver Coins issued on the Continent. If we take them back to the Adventurer’s Association, we can exchange them for standard Silver Coins at a one-to-one rate."
More than the coins, however, Lin Mo was curious about who had built this Underground Dungeon, and who had placed these Treasure Chests inside.
"The origin of Underground Dungeons... That’s one of the questions scholars in the field love to research. There are currently numerous competing theories, but a few of the most mainstream speculations have been accepted by the majority of academic schools."
The worldly Bain was like a walking encyclopedia. As soon as Lin Mo voiced his question, he quickly offered an explanation. "The first theory is that they are constructed by Demons possessing high intelligence and immense power. These types of Underground Dungeons are often colossal in scale. The Nasadok Dungeon, for instance, is very likely one such case."
"The second theory is that they are tombs, belonging either to high-ranking Nobility or powerful Adventurers. The latter is far more common. Perhaps out of personal interest, or maybe due to some cultural custom, these powerful Adventurers often build their tombs in the style of an ’Underground Dungeon,’ filling them with various Demons and rewards to inspire future generations and pass down their skills."
"The final type is natural formation. An abundance of Magic Power or suitable terrain attracts Demons to gather, and these Secret Realms often take the form of Caves rather than true Underground Dungeons..."
The Secret Realm they were currently in was clearly not the third type, which meant it had to be either the first or the second.
Lin Mo found himself hoping it was the second type. After all, a Secret Realm of the first type sounded incredibly dangerous, no matter how he looked at it.
With a Secret Realm of the second type, not only was the chance of finding an exit higher, but there was also the potential for some impressive rewards.
Focusing on the here and now, the fifty Silver Coins were inconsequential. Those two daggers, on the other hand, looked to be of decent quality.
[Iron Dagger] (Slightly Damaged)
Weapon Types: Dagger
Level: Ordinary (White)
Attributes: Durability +30%, Sturdiness +20%
Introduction: A standard-issue dagger. It has been some time since it was forged, and the ravages of time have left it less sturdy than it once was. Fortunately, its workmanship is decent and it was fundamentally well-made, so it is still serviceable for most combat situations.
Aside from his Wolf Bone Sword, Lin Mo sometimes used a Short Knife, playing the part of an Assassin.
The Short Knife he had been using was one he’d picked up in the Goblin Nest. It wasn’t a proper Assassin’s weapon, which made it somewhat awkward to use when trying to be stealthy.
These two daggers, however, were a perfect fit.
"I’ll take these two daggers. You guys can split the Silver Coins."
Because they require less material, daggers are generally quite cheap. In Edgar’s shop, these two daggers together would be worth about 50 Silver Coins.
"No problem."
Bain nodded. A 50/50 split between a four-person squad and a solo Adventurer might sound unreasonable, but if that solo Adventurer was a Professional, it was perfectly acceptable. In fact, it was practically a concession on the Professional’s part.
Lin Mo’s contributions to their fights so far had probably exceeded fifty percent already.
Cody had no objections either. Before they’d set out, he had thought a 70/30 split in Lin Mo’s favor was unreasonable. Now, he wouldn’t have batted an eye even if the split had been the other way around.
As for the two daggers... being a professional Assassin, his own weapons weren’t scrounged up like Lin Mo’s. His daggers were already slightly better than these two.
After confirming there was nothing else in the chamber, the group set off once more.
At the other end of the chamber was another dark gray iron door. When they pushed it open, they were met with—as expected—another fork in the path.
This time, there were three paths.
Cody shrugged. A coin toss wouldn’t work this time.
Bain frowned, recalling the direction of the path they hadn’t taken before entering the last chamber. It clearly didn’t connect with any of the paths now before them.
At this, he could finally confirm it: this Secret Realm wasn’t a simple, linear path with a few forks. The reality was far more complex.
Rather than an Underground Dungeon, this place was more like a...
"Maze."
Lin Mo’s eyes met Bain’s. He had arrived at the same conclusion.
This was not good news. If the Secret Realm had a simple, linear structure, they would just need to keep moving forward. But if this place was truly a vast, complex maze, then getting out wouldn’t be so easy!
"Does a Secret Realm have to have only one entrance and one exit?"
Lin Mo asked with a frown.
"Of course not."
Bain shook his head. "In fact, both the number and locations are variable. The entrances and exits of a Secret Realm are fundamentally a phenomenon of dimensional entanglement caused by Magic Power resonance... It’s all very esoteric, and frankly beyond me, but according to what my predecessors have said, an exit can potentially appear in any area of a Secret Realm, unless it’s one with a very clear and regular distribution of Magic Power."
That being said, it was ultimately random. There could be multiple exits, just one, or even no exit at all...
This was what made Secret Realms so dangerous. Even immense power wasn’t a guarantee that one could do as they pleased.
Otherwise, that Legendary Adventurer wouldn’t have entered a Secret Realm only to vanish without a trace.
’Thinking about it too much is pointless. For now, we just have to pick a path.’
Since they couldn’t flip a coin this time, Lin Mo decided they would settle it with rock-paper-scissors.
After a quick explanation of the rules, he, Bain, and Cody began to play.
"Rock, paper, scissors!"
Lin Mo and Cody both threw rock, while Bain threw paper. The path he represented was the one in the middle.
"This little game from your hometown is quite interesting," Bain remarked. "I’ll have to remember it. It could be useful for making difficult decisions in the future."
Bain’s comment lightened the oppressive atmosphere for a moment, but he quickly grew serious again and took his place at the head of the group.
The journey was much like the last, and they soon reached the end of the path.
This time, however, a large, blue-gray door stood before them...
