Chapter 1 A Shady Arrangement

Frankly speaking, Leah's way of speaking was simply trying to hide something, and it would have been better if she hadn't explained it at all. With such an explanation, it was estimated that any normal mercenary team would not dare to take on such a suicidal task. From this, it could be seen that this young magician was really not suitable for tricking people onto a pirate ship. It was more in line with her style to directly curse in the street. However, today was really Miss Leah's lucky day. Not only did she find a "mercenary" team that dared to continue accepting her commission, but this mercenary team really knew nothing about the so-called "Great Tunnel."

Hao Ren didn't feel that there was anything wrong with Leah's tone for a while, because he was busy thinking about how to learn more about this world from this magician, so after absentmindedly listening to the other party's task description, he nodded perfunctorily: "Ah, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, some risks are unavoidable..."

Leah was originally worried that the group in front of her would turn around and leave after hearing the words "Great Tunnel," but she didn't expect Hao Ren to react like this. She immediately widened her eyes: "Ah? You just...agreed?"

Hao Ren came back to his senses, vaguely feeling that something was wrong: "Um, is there a problem?"

"We are going near the Great Tunnel...are you really sure about this risk?" Reason told Leah that it was best not to overemphasize the Great Tunnel and the risk, but as a good girl with a good nature, she couldn't help but say a few more words. "Of course, we won't really enter the Great Tunnel, but it is also possible to encounter ancient wanderers or shadow erosion in that area, cough cough...of course, I am still very happy that you are willing to accept the commission."

At this time, Vivian continued the topic: "Of course, we certainly understand the risks, but we are very confident in our strength—besides, as you just promised, we will not enter that 'Great Tunnel,' right?"

"That's for sure! Scholar Leah never lies!" The magician puffed out her chest. "Besides, I want my life too, how could I enter that place."

Hao Ren secretly gave Vivian a praising look, who returned a small roll of her eyes, meaning don't be distracted at such a critical moment.

After this little episode, Hao Ren cheered up and asked like a professional mercenary: "When do we plan to leave?"

"If you don't need to prepare, it's best to leave before noon tomorrow. Of course, it can be postponed to the day after tomorrow, but the sooner the better," Leah seemed very concerned about the ruins. "Although the ruins won't run away, the magical items inside are decaying every day, and many important archaeological materials are lost to scholars because the excavation was delayed."

"Then we will leave tomorrow," Nangong Sanba nodded. "But the premise is that you can prepare supplies for the entire team during the exploration—we are new to this place, and it is quite difficult to prepare these things ourselves."

"Of course, this is also the rule of the industry," Leah smiled, looking in a good mood. "Then, everyone, rest in this mage tower tonight. After going out, go up the spiral staircase to the second floor, which is the guest room. There are enough rooms, and they are usually cleaned by magic puppets, so you can live in them at any time. Just make yourselves at home. In addition, the only requirement is that you are forbidden to enter the area above the third floor and the basement—my laboratory, the defense center of the magic tower, and the energy wells are all in those places. I won't be responsible if you run in and get killed."

Hao Ren certainly had no objection and agreed casually.

After that, Leah said that she was going back to study ancient books and magic problems, allowing Hao Ren and his party to move around on the first and second floors at will. Before the two sides said goodbye, Hao Ren inadvertently made a small request: "By the way, if possible—can I borrow a few books to read?"

"Read books?" Leah was a little surprised. "What kind of books?"

"Local customs, historical books, and it would be even better if there is information about the ruins we need to explore this time," Hao Ren said with a smile, trying to make himself look like a diligent and studious person. "It's still early to sleep, and I'm used to reading books to pass the time at night."

"Wow, that's a rare hobby among mercenaries," Leah exclaimed exaggeratedly, and then laughed. "But seeing that half of your small team are magic users, it's not hard to imagine. Of course, no problem. Although I can't lend you my magic books, there are many kinds of books in this tower. There is a study room at the innermost part of the second floor. You can read all the books there. Remember to put them back in their original place after reading them."

After thanking the young magician again, Hao Ren and his party said good night to Leah, and then followed the instructions to find the guest room on the second floor where they would rest tonight.

"The plan can't keep up with the changes. How did it become mercenary work in a daze? We even accepted a commission to accompany a young female magician to explore underground ruins," Nangong Sanba sighed with a bit of a wry smile. "We were planning to find the Goddess of Creation before we set off..."

Lily curled her lips, her tail swaying behind her: "There's nothing strange about it. When has the landlord ever done things according to plan? When he first went to the Goddess to apply for a job, he was going to be an office clerk. Look how far off he is now."

Hao Ren glanced at her: "...You seem to be in a good mood?"

"Yes, yes! Being a mercenary, exploring ruins, making money, digging up treasures!" Mentioning these, Lily's eyes lit up. "I love this kind of tune! I used to write this kind of subject when I wrote novels. I didn't have enough fun when I registered a mercenary group in Holleta before!"

"I can't count on you to think about serious things," Vivian covered her forehead with a headache. "You go back to your room and yy yourself. I'll go to that study with Hao Ren to find some information and try to make up for the basic common sense of this world tonight. Who else wants to come?"

"I'll go, I'll go! I won't go back to the room," Lily jumped over, "I love reading books!"

The little demon Elizabeth pouted: "I want to go back to the room, I don't want to read books...waaa!"

She had just turned around and walked two steps when her father grabbed her back by the neck. Izhaks walked towards the study while carrying his daughter and muttered: "Children should read more books. It's better to learn more while their brains are working well than to just think about playing all day..."

In the end, everyone went to the study, even the roly-poly: the cat girl wasn't interested in reading, she was just afraid that everyone would find a place to secretly have dinner without her...

Under any circumstances, becoming a mage meant that you needed profound knowledge and a strong desire for knowledge, so no matter how down-and-out a mage was, they would not be stingy in collecting books. This was true even for the down-and-out Leah and her unreliable teachers. There were a large number of books in this dilapidated mage tower. Perhaps it was a little shabby compared to those transcendent and wealthy mages, but in the eyes of ordinary people, the books arranged on the walls in those library rooms could still be described as "a mountain of books."

The study on the second floor was just one of the many library rooms in this tower, and it only contained popular books such as local customs and heroic biographies. There were no precious books about magical secrets. Obviously, this was specially prepared for guests visiting the mage tower: entertaining visitors with knowledge was also a way for a qualified mage to treat guests.

This semicircular study was not very spacious, but it was more than enough to accommodate Hao Ren and his party to read in it. After entering the study, Hao Ren first saw four bookshelves that reached the roof arranged along the wall in the room. In front of the bookshelves were wooden ladders that could move freely along the chute, and between the bookshelves were three wide floor-to-ceiling windows, with the night gradually deepening outside the windows.

It seemed that the person who built this mage tower did not like to build his residence into a depressing and cramped appearance like some gloomy and conservative classical mages. The wide floor-to-ceiling windows were enough to make visitors feel relaxed and happy.

Hao Ren looked around and began to assign tasks: "Everyone, collect information separately. Lily and Gun Gun are responsible for the first shelf, the Nangong siblings, you are the second shelf, Lao Wang and Elizabeth, you are the third, and Vivian and I will search the fourth. Look at anything that can help you understand the worldview. Data Terminal, you follow and scan, giving priority to searching for information about the keyword 'Great Tunnel'—regardless of whether it's historical facts or legends."

"I have a question," Lily raised her hand. "Why did you put me and Gun Gun together—she obviously can't help!"

"The one with the highest education and the one with the lowest education are in the same group. Is there a problem with balancing the progress?"

"...It seems to make sense."

After assigning everyone's tasks, everyone began to work hard between the bookshelves. With the assistance of translation plug-ins and information processing links, their efficiency in roughly browsing the data was almost like laser scanning, and the true face of this world was gradually revealed in front of them.

Hao Ren approached Vivian while reading a copy of *Frostwolf: A Brief History of the Northern Ten Kingdoms* in his hand: "How's the little weakling doing?"

Vivian raised her left hand, focused slightly, and a cloud-like thing wriggled and formed into the appearance of a little weakling in her hand. The little guy seemed a little overwhelmed by being suddenly summoned. She stared at Hao Ren for two seconds, and her blood-red, turbid eyes did not show any emotion, but she expressed her vigilance and resistance with action: "Scary—biubiubiu!"

Hao Ren said while casually blocking the shadow arrows that were no stronger than water guns: "If you biu again, I'll send you to Raven 12345 to eat noodles every day!"

"Ee hee!!"

"But if you are obedient, you can stay by our side, and you will have meat to eat every day."

The little thing thought hard for a while and nodded vigorously.

"Look, she's still pretty obedient," Hao Ren looked at Vivian with a smug look. "So, now you can freely control this little thing? Like your little bats?"

"It's not that convenient," Vivian sighed. "I just tried it, and I can only summon her or forcibly take her back into my body. Other than that, she doesn't listen to me at all, much worse than the little bats."

Hao Ren thought for a while: "Then there is a benefit, at least it is easy to carry."

Regarding this point, Vivian expressed a high degree of agreement.