87: Chapter 0087 Luck

According to the common sense of the Wizarding World, water-attributed Ore like Zero-Degree Ice Crystal Ore must be hidden deep within the mine shafts or in damp, secluded corners.

The other Apprentices were drilling into the mine shafts with Demonic Energy detectors, sweeping for half a day just to find a single fragment of Ore, the efficiency being pitifully low.

However, after Li Size had only walked a dozen steps along the lakeside, the Rune Panel in his mind suddenly lit up with a red warning sound: 'Ding!'

He quickly stopped his steps, focusing his mind on the Analysis Panel:

The Demonic Energy data half a meter beneath his feet suddenly showed anomalies:

The temperature was 1.1 degrees lower than the surroundings, the Demonic Energy particle concentration was higher by 0.4, and the proportion of Water-attributed Demonic Energy had soared to 40%!

He looked down at the grass beneath his feet; the lenses of his ordinary glasses detector still displayed the 'Normal' green rune.

But the data in the Pay-to-Win Analysis was flashing wildly, as if shouting, 'There's something here!'

He squatted down and rubbed the dirt on the ground with his finger...

The physical sensation was only a slight coolness, but the temperature data in the Analysis Panel stubbornly remained at 17.4 degrees. The proportion of Water Demonic Energy particles was highlighted in light blue, a full double that of the surroundings.

With a thought, he narrowed the Analysis range to within half a meter.

30 centimeters beneath the soil, the Demonic Energy fluctuation suddenly intensified, and a line of small text popped up on the Rune Panel:

"Suspected residue of Water-attributed Ore, purity approximately 15%."

He took a step back, and the Analysis data immediately refreshed:

Temperature 18.5 degrees, Demonic Energy particle concentration index 1.0, Water Demonic Energy proportion 20%, forming a sharp contrast with the previous anomaly point.

Ordinary detectors could not capture such a 0.4 concentration difference, let alone Ore residue 30 centimeters underground.

According to the background data retrieved from the Analysis Panel:

The Niuyah Plane was currently in the late winter/early spring warming period, with temperatures between 12-15 degrees and a Demonic Energy concentration index of 52.

The Zero-Degree Secret Realm, due to its enclosed environment and dense population flow, had a temperature 3-5 degrees higher than the main plane, but its Demonic Energy concentration was only 1/50th of the main plane.

In such a low-Demonic Energy environment, the sensitivity of ordinary detectors would decrease by 70%; only the Pay-to-Win Analysis could accurately capture such minute anomalies.

Li Size secretly rejoiced:

This special ability was truly a treasure!

While other Apprentices were blindly searching the mine shafts with their detectors, he could scan the entire area with just a thought, not even allowing underground Ore residue to escape.

He lightly tapped the anomalous location with his toe, and the Analysis Panel immediately updated:

"Ore buried 32 centimeters deep, volume about the size of a fist, purity 16%, Zero-Degree Ice Crystal Ore!"

He pretended to sweep the ground with his ordinary glasses detector, muttering, "It seems a bit cold here," but in reality, he was using Analysis to lock onto the Ore's precise location.

The surrounding Apprentices were all busy sweeping the mine shafts; no one noticed his small movements while squatting in the open grassland.

Li Size was delighted, then turned to Gelia and asked for her knight sword.

He had stopped wearing a knight sword himself, thinking it might not be a good habit, and that a Sharp Weapon was necessary at a critical moment.

Gelia's knight sword had already been fused with the 'Sharpness' Rune.

Although she was not a metal-element Wizard, she had mastered this spell. She softly recited the incantation, a faint glow appearing on her fingertips, and applied another Zero Ring 'Sharpness Spell' to the sword.

It proved that Alchemy Runes and Wizardry could stack their effects.

The knight sword shone with a dazzling silver light under the sunlight; the blade seemed even sharper, which was the external sign of increased Sharpness.

The actions of the three attracted the attention of passersby, who stopped to look at them. This behavior made them vaguely guess but also filled them with disbelief: How could that treasure be in such a place?

Li Size squatted on the grass by the lake, gently inserting the tip of the knight sword into the moist soil. With a twist of his wrist, he cut away the surface layer of grass and loose soil.

The blade, fused with the Sharpness Rune and enhanced by the Zero Ring Sharpness Spell, cut through the soil as easily as cutting soft cake. In just a few strokes, he dug out a small pit.

It revealed dark soil mixed with fine sand and scattered small stones. Every time the sword edge descended, it brought up the scent of moist earth, encountering no resistance whatsoever.

When he dug down about 30 centimeters, the Analysis Panel suddenly lit up:

The temperature plummeted to zero, the Demonic Energy particle concentration index soared to 18, and the proportion of Water-type Demonic Energy particles reached a high of 70%!

The surrounding soil gradually emitted a faint blue luster, and his fingertips could feel a bone-chilling coldness. A thin layer of frost even condensed on the sword blade.

After about a few minutes, Li Size, completely focused, used gentle and precise movements to carefully push aside the small stones in the soil with the sword tip. Finally, he saw an Ore wrapped in dark soil.

He held his breath and gently brushed away the dirt from the Ore's surface with his fingertip.

The stone was about the size of a fist, completely transparent like ice, with pale blue Water-type Demonic Energy flowing inside. Faintly visible on the surface were naturally formed Water Pattern Runes.

This was precisely the extremely rare Zero-Degree Ice Crystal Ore!

The surrounding crowd gasped in amazement upon seeing this scene:

"Oh! My God! It really is here! His luck is too good!"

Some Wizard Apprentices, seeing this, looked thoughtful, their eyes flashing with curiosity and inquiry.

A few people in the crowd stared greedily at the Ore in Li Size's hand, their gazes hot and urgent, as if they wished they could immediately seize it for themselves.

One of them muttered a few words in a low voice, after which they quickly conferred, sending one person away rapidly—clearly to report the news or summon more accomplices, lest they miss this rare opportunity.

Felina and Gelia happily put away the Ice Crystal Ore for Li Size, both smiling brightly:

"dear, your luck is truly incredible."

Li Size smiled mysteriously and followed their lead:

"Indeed! Luck always accompanies me, following like the wind."

Afterward, Li Size continued walking and chatting with the two women through the mountain range area, browsing the countless exhausted mining collapses and long mine shafts.

One could imagine the bustling scene of tens of thousands of people mining here when this place was still rich several years ago.

Thinking of this, the three of them gasped in cold air: this Secret Realm actually contained such a massive amount of resources!

This was only a Zero Ring low-level Secret Realm; what kind of magnificent sight would a First Ring or higher Secret Realm hold?

Common people believed that newly formed Zero-Degree Ice Crystal Ore in a collapsed Secret Realm would appear at the end of the mine shafts, in the sinkhole collapse zones, or in some utterly neglected corner of these areas.

Therefore, most people trying their luck brought energy detectors and drilled into these places.

The areas they considered neglected might actually have already been visited by hundreds or thousands of people, to the point where even the stones were polished smooth.

The subsequent experience of Li Size and the others precisely proved this viewpoint wrong; he did not find a single trace of Zero-Degree Ice Crystal Ore in those locations.

Instead, in several places teeming with crowds, he discovered two more fist-sized Zero-Degree Ice Crystal Ores using his Analysis function; beyond that, there were no further gains.

However, these three Zero-Degree Ice Crystal Ores alone were worth 150 Gold Coins, which, to outsiders, already seemed like an incredible stroke of luck resulting in huge profits.

But only Li Size himself knew that if an ordinary person wanted to explore and find even one Zero-Degree Ice Crystal Stone here, the probability would be one in a million.

From this, it could be seen that the occasional rumors being spread indeed contained deliberate propaganda from the authorities.

The excited trio happily concluded their day trip in the Secret Realm, leaving it and driving the Blue Star and Nianze back.

Such a lucky journey certainly warranted a proper celebration in their own way upon returning.