Curse Return: Swordsmith Start

Chapter 189 Labyrinth City

The conversation between Baribadham and Garbon felt very intimate; you couldn't even tell they had an employer-employee relationship, they seemed more like friends.

"What's wrong, Lord Yue? Is there something on my face?"

Garbon noticed that the Yue people were looking at him and asked this question with a puzzled expression.

"No, there's no need to be so cautious. Just keep calling me by my name. It's just that you and Barrybadem seem to have a very good relationship."

"Okay, I've known that guy since I first started out, and he's the only person I trust."

So that's how it is. In that case, Baribardum might also feel the same way about the merchant Garbon, harboring a sense of camaraderie.

After replenishing their supplies of food and other items at the market, the group continued northward.

The operation went smoothly, and a week later, the group arrived at their destination.

Lapon, a labyrinthine city.

This town is surrounded by a unique and incredible fence; in the middle of the vast desert, there is a huge white fence.

But it wasn't actually a fence; it was the enormous skeleton of Behemoth.

Lapon is a place built on the ribs of a structure large enough to cover an entire town.

This place used to be just a small oasis, but it was transformed because of the remains of the S-class magical beast Behemoth.

An astonishing number of labyrinths have appeared here, making it a land that attracts countless adventurers.

In La Penh, adventurers from all over the world, hoping to get rich overnight, put on a series of tragic and moving dramas.

This chaotic and bustling town is now one of the largest metropolises on the continent of Becalit.

—Ledi Condé, Travels Around the World

Lapon is a large city with earthen-yellow streets that radiate outwards from a central twelve white pillars. The buildings are constructed using mud and materials taken from monsters, and this type of town is quite common on the Demon Continent.

However, the abundance of greenery here is surprisingly abundant.

Even from a distance, you can see trees that resemble coconut palms.

The town had a unique atmosphere, and it exuded a smell that could perhaps be described as vulgar, much like the human smell of a slave market.

"Are you surprised? Those pillars are Behemoth's ribs."

As the Vietnamese man walked along, observing the scenery, Garbang, looking quite pleased with himself, struck up a conversation with him.

He loves to boast, and although it's mostly about how great he is and it's hard to tell if it's true or not, it's still quite interesting to listen to as a story.

"When the great hero, the Northern God Kalman II, visited this place before, he and his companions defeated the giant Behemoth who was wreaking havoc in this desert. Later, Behemoth's flesh was eaten or gradually rotted away and has now disappeared without a trace, leaving only his bones, which remain intact to this day without decaying."

"oh....

""

In fact, Yue Ren had some knowledge of this matter. This Second Northern God was the son of the First Northern God and the Undying Demon King Atofi. The First Northern God was one of the three heroes who joined forces with the Ankylosaurus King Percius and the previous generation of Dragon God to defeat and seal the Demon God Laplace.

In a world where superior genes can be inherited, as a hybrid of a hero and a demon king, his talent is naturally not low, so it's not surprising that he can defeat an S-class monster.

"The reason there are so many mazes here is because after the Northern God defeated Behemoth, the monsters that ate the corpses included ant-like monsters. As long as they eat the flesh of powerful monsters, they will create powerful monsters themselves. So the mutated ants dug out a large number of nests, and all those nests turned into mazes."

Unlike some worlds where the labyrinths are constructed by laws or arise out of thin air, each labyrinth in this world is actually a storage point for "history".

Perhaps its birth itself was just an accident, but as different people passed by, used it, and left things behind for different purposes over time, it formed the perilous labyrinth we see today.

For example, here.

Behemoth died here, and insects gathered there, reproduced, and built a nest.

Over the long years, most of the insects died out, and the nests were destroyed by magic or human intervention (by building secret bases).

The mutation produces precious minerals, weapons and armor, advanced technologies, and other things that people are eager to acquire.

At the same time, the powerful magic can cause the monsters living in it to become stronger, or certain maintenance mechanisms set up by predecessors can make the maze fraught with danger.

Thus, the culture of maze exploration has continued to this day.

Even low-level dungeons yield magical artifacts one after another, with weapons and magical items selling like hotcakes, and magic stones and magic crystals in high demand.

As long as you bring in products of a certain quality or above, you're guaranteed to sell them all at a high price.

For businessmen, this place seemed like the land where dreams could come true.

However, to come here, one must possess the knowledge and other skills to travel in the desert.

So it is said that this is a business that only selected merchants are qualified to run, which in a sense is a kind of belief created by ignorance.

That being said, seeing that Garbang was clearly lost in his own self-admiration, the Yue people did not intend to dampen his spirits.

After all, from another perspective, it is precisely because of merchants like them that economic flow is promoted, and frequent commercial flow is a cornerstone of the rapid progress of civilization.

Upon arriving in La Pang, the Vietnamese and the group from Garbang parted ways, intending to set up tents in a corner of town.

Although the period was short, I still gained a lot of interesting insights.

"Thank you so much."

"Likewise, feel free to come to me anytime if you need anything in the future."

Barrybadem and Carmelita merely nodded in greeting, and the other party nodded in return. They knew that the gap in strength between themselves and someone like Yue Ren was too great, and that they might only see each other once in their lives.

But this once is enough; they will cherish this precious experience with gratitude.

I asked someone for directions to the Adventurers' Guild, and I heard it's near the town center.

Many of the pedestrians on the street were merchants, and they were dressed similarly to those in Calvary, wearing headscarves, turbans that covered their entire bodies, and messy beards.

Some people walked along the road with camels, while others laid out mats on the roadside to set up businesses, taking into account the sun and avoiding exposure to its rays.

Among the people staying under the cloth eaves, there were some dressed like Aladdin. There was a shop that seemed to be a general store, selling metal lanterns and strangely patterned jars, which immediately gave it an Arabian feel.

These people were mostly dressed in light clothing.

I've heard that you have to wear thick clothes in places with strong sunlight, otherwise it could be dangerous, but perhaps they won't be out for long, so it shouldn't be a problem.

The Adventurers' Guild is a building carved out of a huge rock.

It must have been built using magic, as its unique structure would be immediately recognizable to someone who knows magic.

However, this one is clearly a masterpiece. The entrance has exquisite reliefs, and once inside, you'll find it well-ventilated and cool.

The atmosphere in the so-called adventurers' guild is basically the same no matter where you go.

However, perhaps due to the map level, there were no newcomers here at all; everyone looked very strong.

People with scars on their faces or bodies stand out, perhaps because they believe that surviving a crisis is a sign of extraordinary strength.

It's the same principle as men treating scars as badges of honor.

Following their usual practice, the Yue people did not rush to the dungeon with the same enthusiasm as the novice adventurers.

Naturally, the first step is to gather relevant information, including but not limited to "the situation of the surrounding maze", "the types and names of monsters", "the total number of floors to the deepest point", "the environment inside the maze", and "common danger points", etc.

This is a good habit I've developed from traveling for so long: no need to be impatient, taking things one step at a time will make many things fall into place.

Yue Ren is increasingly feeling that this is perhaps the greatest gain he has made during this period of travel.

Now, he no longer gives the impression of being the world's strongest with his sharp edge, but rather as an ordinary-looking person who is impossible to ignore in the eyes of the most powerful.

If I had to describe him in one word, it would be that he learned to "restrain himself".

Fortunately, the Adventurers' Guild distributed dungeon guides suitable for newcomers. The lady at the front desk was also very helpful; seeing that Yue Ren was a complete stranger, she kindly offered a few helpful tips. Although it required purchasing, Yue Ren understood after reading the contents.

Indeed, it contains a lot of useful knowledge for exploring the maze, and most of the issues that Yue Ren considered are also listed in it. He even noticed that some experiences that are not absolutely rigorous are marked at the end, and even took into account that many adventurers are illiterate, there are also special lectures.

Unfortunately, it still costs money.

However, the Yue people felt it was already very good. They inquired about the tour guide and found it wasn't very expensive, as it was based on a voluntary membership system.

Apart from the venue fee, all other expenses are earned by the guide. If you can gather five to ten people and collect a small amount from each person, it can be a considerable fortune.

So this position is still in high demand, although it does require performance evaluation.

It can only be said that the Adventurers' Guild has indeed protected the lives and property of adventurers to a certain extent.

The receptionist who greeted the man from Yue said that he could get a discount if he needed it.

However, seeing the other person's burning gaze, Yue Ren politely declined, saying that he was literate, after all, a boy should protect himself when he is out and about.

After leaving the guild, Yue Ren found an inn, considering he might be staying there for a while.

As the premier city on this continent, it was naturally impossible for it to be like the previous supply depots, which didn't even have a place to stay. After looking at several places, they finally found one in a convenient location called "Bit's Shop," because the owner's name was Bit.

After Yue Ren generously prepaid for ten days' accommodation, Old Bit treated him like a living Buddha. After all, in addition to accommodation, there were two meals a day, one lunch and one dinner. Considering that adventurers might not come for every meal, the amount he could get was quite substantial.

So even if the taste isn't great, when people eat there, it's as if eight dishes are laid out on the table.

He ate in his room by himself; otherwise, if he had eaten in the lobby, he would have inevitably attracted the attention of other ill-intentioned people.

the next day.

The entrance to the "Spider Maze," a B-rank dungeon marked by the guild.

At first glance, it was just a cave.

The appearance is nothing special.

Although there were many spider-like monsters around and the walls were covered with dense spider webs, that was all; it just looked like a hole in the mountain wall.

The entrance to the cave exudes a sinister atmosphere... giving one the intuitive feeling that "this is a maze."

After checking that everything was alright, Yue Ren went inside without hesitation.

Since it was his first time entering such a place, he didn't arrogantly assume he could be completely foolproof. He decided to try a lower-level maze first to get a feel for its difficulty.

As expected, the monsters were not beyond expectations and could be easily killed. By conjuring ice spike magic at his fingertips, Yue Ren experienced the thrill of a shooting game.

The traps are simple. Although some are very well hidden, thanks to the Magic Eye technology, as long as you observe your surroundings carefully, you won't be affected.

This maze has a maximum of three levels, and the guardian at the end is also a spider mother, whose strength is roughly at the level of an A-rank monster, so it won't have much of an impact on Yue Ren.

During the exploration, they also encountered some equipment and "ore" and took some of the useful items with them.

It's a bit of a shame that, as we've walked through this maze, it seems to be just a monster's lair, with no trace of any previous creations.

After easily defeating the guardian, Yue Ren planned to use his magic eye to investigate before returning, but he discovered some subtle traces of magic in a dark corner.

The puzzled Yue man went forward to investigate. After clearing away the surrounding rubble, he discovered a very familiar mark—the mark of the dragon race.

There was an unexpected bonus?

Overjoyed, and after confirming that there were no problems, I reached out and used "tracing the source" to sense it.

Sure enough, the site opposite appears to be a dragon ruin, the work of the Demon Dragon King Laplace.

Following the method of opening obtained from his "memory," Yue Ren inputted magic power, and a hidden door opened in front of him.

After confirming once again that there was no danger around, he went inside without hesitation.

First, there was a long, rocky cave, just like the one before, with no trace of human intervention. Its length made the Yue people wonder if they had gone to the wrong place.

The passageway grew narrower and narrower, and unnatural patterns began to appear on the walls, resembling some kind of ancient script or scars left by corrosion.

After walking about two hundred steps further, the passageway suddenly opened up.

The Yue people raised their torches, and the flames licked the dome, illuminating a huge circular space.

This place resembles an underground palace, partially carved out by hand. The surrounding walls are covered with intricate magic circles, and the central floor is slightly sunken, forming a shallow pit.

In the very center of the shallow pit, a sword was stuck.