11: Deep in the cave

Inside the cave, a deathly silence reigned, broken only by the occasional sounds of bats from the ceiling and the heavy, rhythmic footsteps of the Meat Golem guard deeper within the cave.

Everyone stood there quietly.

I gripped the short sword and buckler in my hand, silently summoning the system in my mind, and the attribute panel unfolded.

Alias: Ryan

True Name: Lin Yang

Race: Half-elf

Alignment: Neutral Good

Identity: Outsider

Age: 8

Profession: Apprentice Hunter

Attributes: Strength 4, Agility 10, Constitution 6, Intelligence 16 (+3 Otherworld Knowledge System = 19), Perception 9, Charm 10

Defense Level: 3 (6 against piercing and ranged attacks)

Health Points: 4 / 4

Zero-level Hit Value: 21

Damage: 1 to 6

Shadow Hide: +65%

Silent Movement: +50%

Lockpicking Skill: +10%

Resistances:

- Hypnosis +30%

- Charm Spells +30%

Equipment Special Abilities:

- Comprehend Languages: 2 times / 3 times

- Can randomly generate one Arcane Scroll of level 3 or below every ten days. Scroll generation countdown: 10 days

---

Looking at the significantly increased data on the attribute panel, I felt a little better. At least, I had a bit more assurance in this dangerous world.

Old Mage Weidel leaned on his staff and slowly turned around. His deep gaze lingered on the faint sunlight at the cave entrance for a moment, as if bidding farewell to the past.

Then he suddenly spun around to face the depths of the cave.

“Ryan, stick close to me later.” He waved his large hand forward, his voice firm and powerful, shouting, “Everyone, move out!”

Except for the human warrior guarding the entrance, the human rogue would also go in with us. His task was to help disarm the outermost traps.

A group of 6 of us, led by Old Mage Weidel, walked deeper into the cave.

As we went deeper, the surrounding environment grew darker and darker, as if even the light was swallowed by the endless darkness.

Relying on my own dark vision, I could still see the path ahead, while the others could only rely on the glowing staff in Old Mage Weidel’s hand to move slowly.

The ground beneath our feet began to become uneven, first slowly rising over a gentle slope, then the passage became narrower.

After walking for about five or six minutes, about ten meters ahead, two diverging paths appeared, one to the left and one to the right.

And the corpses and bones in the corners sent shivers down one's spine.

It turned out that these corpses were the source of the putrid smell in this cave. They lay there silently, narrating the tragic and cruel past.

I could see that among these corpses were humans and some humanoid creatures, their states of decomposition varying.

Some had already turned into dry bones, with only a few tattered pieces of clothing proving their former existence; others still had flesh, but it was so rotten as to be unrecognizable, emitting a nauseating stench.

Wizard Wedell gestured for everyone to stop, and his low voice echoed through the cave: “Jones, this is the beginning of the traps. It’s up to you.”

Jones nodded, activated his stealth skill, and his figure instantly vanished into the dark cave, like a silent ghost.

We waited quietly in place, and time seemed to stretch out endlessly.

The Meat Golem guards, also called Meat Golems, their footsteps we had long grown accustomed to. Their heavy strides were like the scythe of death, constantly reminding us of the danger.

When the Meat Golems approached the fork in the road, the two Golems would turn and patrol deeper into the caves on the left and right sides, respectively.

Just then, I saw Jones’s faint, blurry figure quickly approaching the inside of the fork shortly after the Golems turned and moved away.

He threw a few pebbles to each side, then his shadow disappeared around the bend.

More than ten minutes later, the Golems' footsteps gradually approached, like giant drumbeats, thudding closer and closer.

My heart was in my throat.

However, just then, I heard Jones coughing again.

With a scare but no danger, before the Golems discovered him, Jones’s figure retreated back onto the small path where we were.

When the Golems moved away, he once again stealthily entered the left fork.

After the Golems returned three times, Jones’s figure began to enter the right fork.

After hearing the Golems' footsteps return for the fifth time, Jones returned to our side.

“Wizard Wedell, I’ve dealt with 3 traps on each side,” Jones said to Old Mage Weidel in a hoarse voice, “but some traps, I could only temporarily disable them. You need to be quick!”

Old Mage Weidel nodded, motioning for Jones to retreat to the cave entrance, “Jones, thank you for your help. The rest is up to us. You wait for Ryan at the entrance. He will be out very soon.”

After Jones left, Pastor Gary stood beside me. I knew it was his turn.

When the Golems' footsteps once again approached the fork, Pastor Gary, holding a wooden shield and a morning star, reached out and pressed the holy symbol on my leather armor chest.

He successively activated two special abilities of the Youdala Holy Symbol for me: Guiding Light and Divine Shield.

A light instantly lit up in front of me, pointing to the right fork ahead.

For the next thirty minutes, this light would continuously point to the potentially correct path.

Then, a shimmering magical force field appeared around me, enveloping me tightly like a shield.

This indicated that for the next ten minutes, my Defense Level had been adjusted to:

Defense Level: 1 (4 against piercing and ranged attacks).

Divine Shield once again increased my defense limit.

Pastor Gary withdrew his hand and whispered to me, “Goodbye, Ryan. May Youdala protect you!”

Then, he turned and ran towards the left fork without hesitation.

Watching Pastor Gary’s disappearing back as he rounded the bend, my tears once again flowed uncontrollably.

Why could such a warm person possess such great courage?

Pastor Gary said he would go to God’s Kingdom of Heaven.

I don't know what kind of kingdom that is, I just hope he won't be born into such an extremely dangerous world in his next life.

If possible, may God bless him to be born in the Eastern Kingdom of the Blue Planet, where it is safe.

As soon as Pastor Gary entered the left fork, he attracted the attention of the two Meat Golems.

“Thump, thump, thump…”

The heavy, almost synchronized footsteps of the Meat Golems on both sides were different from before; they were attracted by Pastor Gary.

The Meat Golem in the right fork was also attracted by him, passing through the fork in front of us and chasing towards the left fork.

Only when the Meat Golem appeared in my sight did I realize that it was the first time I had seen its massive and bloated body with my own eyes.

The Meat Golem’s body was stitched together from countless broken limbs, bones, and flesh, emitting a putrid and deathly aura.

Although the Golem appeared clumsy in its walk, I had no doubt that it possessed astonishing strength, capable of easily swinging its two massive fists to crush any enemy in front of it.

Its eyes glowed with an eerie green light, like burning flames, staring straight ahead.

I noticed that its field of vision seemed limited.

When this massive Meat Golem completely passed through the fork and disappeared into the left passage, Old Mage Weidel's voice rang out:

“Alton, lead the way. We’re going into the right side quickly.” His eyes shimmered with determination and resolve.

Hearing this, we immediately took action.

Alton’s agile figure took the lead, heading first towards the right fork.

Lavinia and I followed closely behind Wizard Wedell, maintaining a distance of about 3 meters from Alton, and quickly entered the right fork.