Chapter 295: Late Night Dungeon Clearing

Liam and Chrises didn’t leave the store until the sky outside had already darkened and the street lanterns across Velaris’ capital were glowing with steady golden light.Before they left, Liam handed Chrises a Lucid of her own. She accepted it with both hands, her expression still carrying that dazed look she had worn the entire afternoon.

"With this, you can speak to me even when I’m not here," Liam said. "And Lucy. If you need help or guidance at any time, she’ll answer you."

Chrises nodded slowly, as if her mind was still floating somewhere between the old world she knew and the new world that had been forced into her today. Liam could tell she wasn’t fully recovered yet, but that was expected. A normal person couldn’t adjust to what she saw in a single day. Heck, from his point of view, she was taking it better than he would had expected her to.

While a part of the store had already been converted into two compact but clean bedrooms. Still, they chose to return to the inn. The store would become their workplace tomorrow, and Liam wanted Chrises to rest properly before the grand opening.

On the way back, they stopped by a quiet food stall and had dinner. Chrises barely touched her plate. She ate slowly, one small bite at a time, eyes drifting off whenever she wasn’t careful. Her thoughts were clearly somewhere else.

And Liam knew exactly where.

The shock on her face didn’t only come from seeing the Lucid or the dead machines working in the shop. It wasn’t just from the things he explained to her. It was also from what Lucy told her.

Lucy answered every question Chrises asked. Liam let it happen because the slave mark removed any chance of betrayal, and he wanted Chrises to understand enough to function in the world he was building.

But that only made Chrises’ world tilt even more.

A world with no magic? A world where machines replaced spells? A world with no beastkins, no dungeons, no kingdoms?

A world where people flew using metal birds and travelled across continents in hours?

A world where information sat inside glowing boxes and knowledge could be searched with a few taps?

Even Lucy’s simplest answers had shaken her beliefs. And each answer created more questions.

Chrises tried to keep up, but after a while, she simply sat in silence and her eyes became unfocused, as her brain reached its limit.

Liam glanced at her across the table. She looked overwhelmed but not fearful. Confused, but not rejecting. Her curiosity fought with her exhaustion, and at the end, exhaustion won.

They finished their quiet meal and continued their walk back to the inn. The streets were calmer now. People talked in small groups, lantern light moving gently as the wind touched the flames.

When they reached the inn, Liam stopped in front of her door.

"Go in and sleep," he said.

Chrises paused, looking at him with a question in her eyes. But she didn’t ask it. She bowed her head slightly and entered her room without another word.

Liam watched the door close, then he smiled to himself and turned away. He hope that she would be fine by tomorrow, but he was sure that he doesn’t have to worry about her.

He stepped out of the inn and into the quiet street. The cool night breeze brushed past him, but instead of tiring him, the air made him feel lighter.

He didn’t want to sleep tonight. His body felt hyperactive, almost restless. He had slept far too much inside the cultivation world. And it was the still the same day back on Earth, only a few hours towards evening. After resting more than enough in the cultivation world, his mind was sharp, his senses awake, and his energy was overflowing.


He looked up. The night sky of Velaris was clear and also beautiful. Two moons hung above the capital, one silver and one pale green. They reflected off the rooftops and the river far in the distance.

Liam pushed his foot lightly against the ground and shot into the sky.

He moved fast, leaving the glowing city behind in seconds. The wind passed cleanly around him as he flew deeper into the dark horizon. He didn’t want to disturb Chrises, and the inn was not the place for him to move freely. The capital wasn’t either.

He needed space and he needed something to break. And tonight felt perfect for dungeon clearing.

It wouldn’t be bad if he also encounters an elf, though he doubts he will that lucky or unlucky.

He flew at his fastest speed, without worry and the forest came into view quickly. He slowed his descent and landed at the edge of the tall trees. The air carried a faint earthy scent and just the sight from outside was beautiful, and captivating.

He took one slow breath, then stepped forward.

The moment he entered the forest, the sounds of insects, small animals and distant rustling filled his ears. The branches overhead connected into a dark canopy. Roots twisted across the ground but none of them bothered him.

He walked casually, scanning the surroundings with both vision and telekinetic sense. His steps were quiet but firm.

A few minutes passed but the scenery didn’t change much and nothing unusual happened. That was until something stirred at the edge of his telekinetic range.

Liam stopped walking and he focused his mental sense brushed against humanoid shapes. Their outlines were small and fast. Their movements were smooth and instinctive, controlled by caution more than fear.

Catkins. A group of three. And they weren’t hiding their feelings. Hostility flowed faintly from them. It was sharp and strong enough for Liam to notice.

He couldn’t blame them. On this world, humans had a terrible history with beastkins. Slavery, discrimination, forced labor — the list went on. Beastkins survived mostly in the wild or in scattered villages where they were safer.

To them, Liam was just another human walking into their territory.

He gave a small smile and continued walking.

The catkins kept trailing him from the shadows. They moved like trained scouts. They were quiet, deliberate, keeping the same distance behind him. Their steps were light, almost soundless.

Liam didn’t mind. He had no reason to confront them. He was only interested in dungeons tonight.

After a few more minutes of walking, he found one.

A dungeon entrance opened like a cracked jaw at the base of a rocky cliff. A faint smoke-like mist drifted out of the dark gap. Stone pillars on both sides glowed with runic lines.

A bright smile appeared on Liam’s face.

Before he could enter, one of the catkins jumped out from behind a tree and blocked his path. She wore dark leather armor that looks tight and flexible, and held two daggers with steady hands. Her ears twitched as she glared at him.

She pointed both blades at his chest.

"Leave the forest," she said sharply. "No humans allowed here."

Liam looked at her with calm eyes. "What do you want?"

Her grip tightened. "I want you gone. If you don’t leave, I’ll make you leave."

The other two catkins showed themselves from the trees. They were tense, ready to attack if their leader failed.

Liam didn’t sigh or grow irritated. He didn’t even feel threatened. He simply smiled.

Then he waved his hand lightly.

The motion was small. It was barely a flick of the wrist but the force behind it was not.

The catkin warrior was lifted off her feet and thrown back several meters. She hit the ground and slid across the dirt, kicking up leaves and grass. She was stunned, not injured, but the shock in her eyes said everything.

The two catkins who remained froze completely, as their ears went stiff and their tails tightened.

This "ordinary human" just tossed away one of their strongest like she weighed nothing.

Liam didn’t even look at them again. He stepped into the dungeon.

The catkins exchanged a long look. None of them spoke. After a few moments, they nodded to one another.

They would wait. If he survived, they needed to know what kind of monster he was. If he didn’t survive... then the forest would take care of the problem on its own.

***

Inside the dungeon, the air inside was damp and heavy. Droplets fell from the ceiling and echoed into the dark. The stone walls pulsed with a faint sickly-green light that came from the moss covering them.

Liam walked forward without slowing down and his footsteps were quiet.

It didn’t take long before tiny skittering sounds echoed around him.

He felt multiple movements crawling along the walls and ceiling. The shapes were small but fast.

A group of spiders appeared ahead. Their bodies were dark green, their legs sharp, and their mouths dripped with corrosive liquid.

Acid-spitting spiders.

Liam’s smile widened and he summoned Storm Shadow with a single thought, the familiar weight settling comfortably in his hand.

"It’s time," he said softly. "Taste some blood."

The spiders hissed and lunged forward and Liam also stepped forward as well.