21: Abandoned mining area!

"Young Master Xiong, please wait a moment. This Student's transaction will be ready shortly."

The attendant looked apologetically at Xiong Gang, then spoke to Lin Feng.

"Student Lin Feng, your dungeon points have been verified! According to the training ground rules, every 2 dungeon points can be exchanged for one entry right to any Black Iron Level dungeon!"

"Congratulations! The 10 points you earned yesterday by soloing and breaking the record in Wolf King Lair (Normal Difficulty) can now be exchanged for five free entry rights! You can choose a specific dungeon or use the 'Random Teleport' function to enter any five Black Iron Level dungeons in the Weibei District training grounds for free! The access takes effect immediately!"

"Wh-what?! Ten points?! Five free entries?!"

The smug expressions on Xiong Gang's and Su Wanqing's faces instantly froze, as if a pause button had been pressed. They turned their heads abruptly in disbelief, their eyes nearly popping out.

The entire area near the Black Iron Level entrance seemed to have been hit by a shockwave!

The noisy chatter that had been buzzing moments before vanished instantly, replaced by a chorus of gasps and a sudden eruption of noise after a dead silence!

"Hiss... Ten points?! Soloing Wolf King Lair (Normal Difficulty)?! That difficulty... could this young man already be peak Bronze-level?!"

"My goodness! Five free entries?! He was just being called a pauper to his face?!"

"Dungeon points exchange?! Damn it! What kind of heaven-defying performance does it take to get 10 points at once?! I fought tooth and nail through three Easy Difficulty dungeons and only got 1 point! And that was with a team!"

"Five free entries! Enter whichever one he wants, without spending a single penny! The way they got slapped... *smack smack smack*! So loud!"

"Hahaha! Look at those two dressed so fancy, they were just mocking him for not being able to afford even one entry, but he just got five free entry tickets! Their faces must be green, right?!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, this reversal is amazing! Those two's faces, tsk tsk, they're like a painter's palette! All sorts of colors, red, green, black, white!"

"Hey, who was it just now who said he relied on women? Soloing Normal Difficulty Wolf King Lair and getting a perfect score, that skill, can equipment stack that high? You stack one, let me see?"

"Exactly! Points are real! A million times stronger than some people who only know how to show off their crystal cards!"

The surrounding exclamations, discussions, and taunts were like countless red-hot needles, piercing Xiong Gang and Su Wanqing's faces.

Their earlier arrogance and harsh mockery now became the loudest slaps, returning with thunderous force, making them dizzy and utterly mortified.

Xiong Gang's face turned from red to green, then green to purple, and finally a ghastly white. The veins on his hand holding the crystal card bulged, his knuckles white from clenching, and his body trembled slightly from extreme humiliation and anger.

Su Wanqing's face was ashen, her carefully applied makeup unable to hide the deep-seated embarrassment and shame. She bit her lip tightly, her eyes darting away, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into immediately.

They stood frozen before the counter, unable to advance or retreat, becoming the most conspicuous and awkward focal point of the entire hall. Their earlier arrogance was completely gone, leaving only discomfiture and humiliation.

Lin Feng ignored the two venomous gazes behind him that seemed to burn through him, as well as the buzzing discussions around him.

Xiong Gang and Su Wanqing's embarrassment, to him, was nothing more than annoying flies, not worth mentioning.

His gaze was calm as water, falling on the dungeon selection interface the attendant handed over.

"Abandoned Mine."

Lin Feng's voice was clear and steady as he quickly made his decision.

"Are you sure you want to choose Abandoned Mine?"

The attendant was slightly startled, then kindly reminded him.

"Although it's also Black Iron Level, Abandoned Mine is the most difficult Level 5 Black Iron Level dungeon in this training ground! The monsters inside are fierce and the environment is complex..."

Before she finished speaking, she seemed to remember something, and her voice abruptly stopped, a hint of embarrassment appearing on her face.

She almost forgot that the person in front of her was a formidable individual who had soloed and broken the record for Wolf King Lair, earning 10 points!

Lin Feng didn't pay attention to the attendant's pause; his gaze was already focused on the dungeon information that popped up on the interface.

"Dungeon Name: 'Abandoned Mine (Easy Difficulty)'."

"Dungeon Description: This area is an abandoned crystal ore vein. Due to an unknown energy leak, miners and beasts have undergone terrifying mutations. The internal structure is intricate, filled with Abandoned Mine shafts, collapsed areas, and dangerous pits. Monsters can be divided into four categories based on their form and strength:"

"First, Rotclaw Miner Rat: Numerous, swift, skilled at ambushing by moving through rubble and narrow crevices. Claws and teeth contain corrosive toxins. Strength Assessment: Black Iron Level One to Three."

"Second, Crystal Marrow Venom Spider: Often ambushes by spinning webs on the mine ceiling or in dark corners. Can spray tough sticky webs and paralyzing venom. Hard carapace. Strength Assessment: Black Iron Level Three to Five."

"Third, Crystalline Beetle: Powerful guardians of the mine's core area. Possess berserk strength, their entire bodies covered in thick carapaces like unrefined crystal ore, making their defense extremely astonishing. Strength Assessment: Black Iron Level Seven (Elite)."

"Fourth, Crystal Eater · Geladun: The ruler of the deepest part of the mine, a terrifying monster formed by the fusion of mutated miners and crystal energy. Can control some crystal power, its body covered in sharp crystal clusters. Attacks carry shock and piercing effects, and it sustains life by devouring the essence of the ore vein. Strength Assessment: Black Iron Level Nine (Leader)."

"Dungeon tasks have been assigned to your personal identity token, please check it yourself!"

"Clearance Condition: Complete at least one dungeon task and successfully return to the teleportation array."

"Task Rewards:"

"Clear the Mine Shaft: Clear at least 50 Rotclaw Miner Rats or 20 Crystal Marrow Venom Spiders. Reward: Experience +240, Crystal Coins +5000."

"Destroy the Crystal Spider Lair: Find and destroy a main lair of the Crystal Marrow Venom Spiders. Reward: Experience +500, Crystal Coins +10000."

"Shatter the Crystal Armor: Successfully kill a Crystalline Beetle. Reward: Experience +180, Crystal Coins +20000."

"End the Source of Pollution: Kill the final leader, Crystal Eater · Geladun. Reward: Experience +1500, Crystal Coins +15000."

"Clearance Condition: Complete at least one task and successfully return to the teleportation array."

"Warning: Although the monsters in the dungeon are only projections of real monsters, their strength and habits are consistent with real monsters. Challengers must be cautious and prioritize survival."

How could someone who could solo and break the record for Wolf King Lair be deterred by the difficulty of this Black Iron Level dungeon?

Moreover, Abandoned Mine was the most expensive single-entry dungeon in the Weibei District Novice Training Ground!

The exorbitant fee of 20,000 yuan per entry was now free for Lin Feng.

"Alright, Student Lin Feng, one entry right to 'Abandoned Mine (Easy Difficulty)' has been registered for you. Remaining free entries: 4."

"Please proceed to Teleportation Array No. 13. We wish you a successful trial!"

Her attitude was much more respectful than before, with a hint of curiosity and awe in her eyes.

Lin Feng nodded slightly and turned to walk towards the designated teleportation array.

As he passed the statue-like Xiong Gang and Su Wanqing, he didn't even spare them a glance.

This complete disregard made the two feel a suffocating humiliation more than any mockery.

Stepping into the teleportation array, which shimmered with unstable, faint blue light, the familiar sensation of weightlessness and spatial distortion washed over him.

After a brief dizziness, a strong, turbid scent, a mixture of rust, decaying plants, and a certain wild beast's musk, assailed him.

The surroundings suddenly became dim. Inside the Abandoned Mine dungeon, only scattered moss embedded in the rock walls, emitting a faint bioluminescence, provided meager light.

The air was damp and cold, and underfoot were slippery gravel and decaying wooden tracks. The deep mine shaft, like a giant beast's esophagus, stretched into the dark depths. The occasional 'drip' of falling water added to the dead silence and eeriness.

Lin Feng didn't immediately delve deeper. After cautiously confirming that the surroundings were temporarily safe, he immediately immersed his consciousness into the Spirit Beast Space.

Inside the Spirit Beast Space, the scene was vastly different from yesterday.

The once relatively empty space was now permeated by a faint, viscous substance with a hint of life, like a biological membrane covering parts of the area.

In the center of the space, the ferocious Alien Queen lay prone in a nest made of unknown secretions. Its abdomen contracted violently, emitting low, teeth-grinding squeezing sounds.

The four-star magic pet egg that Qin Yuyan had given to Lin Feng had been completely absorbed by the Alien Queen.

Just as Lin Feng's gaze swept over the Alien Queen, it let out a sharp hiss, and its tail suddenly lifted.

Three eggs, about the size of a fist, covered in a viscous, translucent jelly-like substance, with the faint outlines of curled Facehugger embryos visible inside, slid out like squeezed jelly, dripping with mucus and rolling onto the sticky base of the nest.

These eggs emitted a faint heat and pulsated slightly, as if life was gestating within them...