pjbooks Chapter 245 The Benefits of Playing Mahjong at an Advanced Level
Chapter 245 The Benefits of Playing Mahjong at an Advanced Level
Chapter 245 The Benefits of Playing Mahjong at an Advanced Level
The group hid in a corner of the ruins.
"Commander, what should we do?"
Ryu, Tione, Tiona, and the others focused their gazes on Roy. They clenched their small fists tightly, suppressing their anger and not letting their emotions interfere with Roy's judgment.
Roy lowered his head in thought. Who was trying to get them? Several targets came to mind, but he ruled out Freya's Familia first; there was no need for them to resort to such petty tricks.
Then, Roy shook his head inwardly. The enemy was already upon them, and there was no point in thinking about these things anymore.
Roy's mind raced, and he slightly raised his head, looking towards the passage on the 36th floor in the distance. His intuition sensed a faint sense of crisis.
What follows is not a battle between humans and monsters, but a battle between humans themselves.
They want to return to the upper level.
The enemy also knew they were going to return to the upper levels.
Humans are intelligent, and Roy must think faster than his opponent to gain the upper hand.
While they were exploring the thirty-seventh floor, the enemy had probably prepared a lot of good stuff on the thirty-sixth floor. Going up now would be like jumping into a fire pit.
A flood of information rushed through Roy's mind, and he quickly made a decision: "We return to the Third Circle Wall!"
"what?"
Not only Tione and Daphne, but even Lily and Liu couldn't keep up with Roy's train of thought. Their eyes were blank. They didn't have many options left. They could only fight the other party or be worn down in the depths.
Roy took out the hide of the skeletal sheep from his spatial ring and tossed it to Ryu, Tione, and the others in turn.
The leather of the skeletal sheep has the effect of concealing one's presence and semi-invisibility. Wearing it can help one avoid most monsters, as Ryu and the others also know.
The group donned sheepskin skeletal hides and, following the route they had explored, returned to the third circular wall.
The girls trusted Roy unconditionally, even though they didn't understand the meaning of the order.
Even if they don't ask, Roy will still tell them.
"first!"
Roy whispered, "Someone is targeting us and wants to kill us. There are traps they've prepared on the thirty-sixth floor. We can't go up there rashly."
Roy wasn't afraid of the other party, but he didn't know anything about them and had no information whatsoever. He couldn't be so foolish as to rush in headfirst.
Roy said, "The most serious problem now is that the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. We must turn this situation around."
The group nodded. They had no idea how many traps the enemy had prepared or how they planned to ambush them.
Ryu asked, "What do you mean?"
Roy said, "Let's find a safe place to hide for a few days. If those people can't find our trail, they'll naturally slip up, and that will be our chance."
The girls suddenly realized that it made sense. The enemy had set up a large ambush on the thirty-sixth floor, but this was an underground city with countless people coming and going every day. Even though this was a deep level, there were still adventurers here.
The opponent's traps are easily discovered by other adventurers, and they cannot afford to wait it out, nor can the opponent.
But a new problem has arisen.
Where is the safe zone on the 37th floor?
The next safe floor was the thirty-ninth floor, with thirty-eight floors in between. They believed the enemy would also think of this, and there must be a trap on the thirty-eighth floor.
The girls looked puzzled.
Roy smiled slightly, "Yes, there is. The only safe zone on the thirty-seventh floor has plenty of fresh water and edible plants. With the supplies we brought, we can stay there for two months without any problem."
A safe zone on the 37th floor? And fresh water and food too? That sounds amazing!
The girls looked at each other in bewilderment. None of the information provided by Eina mentioned this. As everyone knows, the thirty-seventh floor is the gateway to the deeper levels, teeming with monsters. Once you enter, you'll be constantly fighting.
They still chose to believe Roy.
The group draped themselves in the hides of the skeletal sheep, suppressed their aura to the limit, and avoided the monsters, stealthily moving along the shadowy edges of the walls.
The enemy's traps were clearly on the 36th and 38th floors; this floor only had the explosion from earlier.
The group quickly returned to the pure white third circular wall, and led by Roy, headed towards the inner second circular wall. Soon, a massive Roman Colosseum came into view.
"Is that an arena?"
Ryu, Lily, and the others were taken aback.
Their current location is the "Warrior's Hall" between the second and third circular walls, and it is the easternmost part of it, the infamous "Arena," one of the most dangerous areas on the thirty-seventh floor. Even level 5 adventurers who enter will find themselves in a fierce battle.
"Let's go!" Roy took a firm step.
The girls exchanged glances, their resolve to die hard, and followed closely behind Roy.
The arena has entrances in the east, west, south, and north. The southern exit connects to the main route, and that's how they enter the arena.
As soon as the group stepped inside, two monsters appeared in front of them: an elite lizardman and a cunning wolf.
The former is a high-level lizardman that appears in the "Great Tree Maze" on the 24th floor. Its abilities have been greatly enhanced. Its blue scales are as hard as armor, and it wields two white rock axes that look like bones with agility.
The latter is 120 centimeters tall and has a medium-sized, short body with a beast-headed human body. At first glance, it might be mistaken for a higher-level "Earth Spirit," but its head is not that of a "dog" but that of a "wolf." There are differences between the two types of monsters, and the guild has set its threat level at Lv.3 to Lv.4.
Most importantly, both are melee-focused monsters with higher strength and agility attributes. They can skillfully use natural weapons and possess superb skills that rival those of adventurers, making them extremely difficult to deal with.
"roar!"
The lizardman elite, Cunning Wolf, roared and launched an attack, wielding his axe and stone sword, each strike deadly.
Unlike the savagery of ordinary monsters, these two creatures could actually dodge each other's attacks, and their skills and tactics surprised Roy, Tione, and the others.
In a very short time, the two sides exchanged dozens of blows, and in the end, the cunning wolf emerged victorious, cleaving the lizardman elite in half at the waist with a single sword strike, revealing the magic stone on the opponent's chest.
"Gurgle!"
The cunning wolf opened its blood-red maw and swallowed the magic stone of the lizardman elite. Its body shimmered with an eerie purple light, and its attributes were enhanced.
This scene greatly shocked Tiony, Tiona, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Upon closer inspection, in the vast arena, monsters were fighting each other, and the sound of stone weapons clashing was as clear as a piano.
Enhanced monsters, which are extremely rare in the middle and lower levels, are everywhere in this arena.
Monsters spawn endlessly within the arena, unstoppable even by destroying the walls, and all monsters possess the special ability to consume magic stones to enhance themselves.
Even level 5 adventurers don't want to come here.
Even though they already knew this information through Ryu and Eina, seeing it with their own eyes was a different story; the scene was like raising a venomous insect.
But in reality, it's not that exaggerated.
Roy's gaze swept across the arena. Indeed, enhanced monsters were everywhere, but monsters that had consumed too many magic stones had more energy contained in their own magic stones, which would attract attacks from other monsters and eventually lead to their death.
Over and over again, in an endless cycle.
As a result, monsters of level 5 or higher will almost never spawn in the arena.
These monsters adhere to one principle.
They fear both that their brothers are suffering and that they are driving Land Rovers. If any of their brothers (monsters) is about to level up, they will immediately be surrounded and killed by the other monsters.
Two fists can't beat four hands; it's the same everywhere.
Roy led them on their continued stealth journey.
The girls held their breath and moved with extreme caution. Sometimes the monster was less than a meter away from them, almost brushing past them, a truly terrifying experience.
They successfully avoided monsters such as obsidian soldiers, lizardman elites, and giant orcs.
But the cunning wolves, with their keen sense of smell, seemed to have sensed something and began to surround them.
A dozen or so cunning wolves quickly gathered around.
Roy narrowed his eyes. These monsters were stronger than those outside and might be able to see through the skeleton sheepskin. He made a quick decision and gave Liu and the others a look.
Burn the heavens!
Roy lifted the sheepskin leather, drew the elven holy sword, and sensed the elven king's blood within him. The holy sword was activated, gleaming with a sharp edge.
Activating a special effect, it instantly drains the surrounding magic energy, almost solidifying it, and it flows into the sword body in strands, bursting forth with raging flames.
boom!
Roy swung his holy sword heavily, and crimson flames erupted, transforming into a giant fiery dragon that swept across the battlefield. Monsters that came into contact with this flame were all reduced to ashes, along with the magic stones.
Monsters with lower stats than Roy, unless they have specialized defense or magic resistance like Obsidian Soldiers, can be easily wiped out by Blazing Flames.
The power of the Elven Holy Sword far exceeded expectations.
It requires at least LV.7 to unleash its full power, and Roy hasn't reached that level yet. He can't use any of the four special effects: Eternity, Heavenly Incineration, Giant Slayer, and Celestial Essence. He can't use the last one, Celestial Essence, right now.
The power of the Blazing Flame increases with his level, making it a powerful tool for clearing out mobs.
A passageway leading directly into the stadium appeared ahead.
"Charge! Head to the center of the arena!" Roy whispered, charging ahead of the pack, followed closely by the team, with the strongest member, Ryu, at the rear.
Roar!Roar!Roar!
The sudden burst of flames immediately attracted the attention of all the monsters in the arena. Countless eerie eyes stared at the intruders, and all the monsters abandoned their own targets and turned towards them.
The arena was as big as a football field that could hold 100,000 people. Tens of thousands of level 3 and level 4 monsters charged in from all directions, and the ground trembled, just like a scene from a movie where zombies attacked.
The fearless monsters jostled and pushed, causing thousands of casualties from trampling alone.
"Gather, breath of the earth! My name is Alf, and I am destined for dreams!" Roy casually cast a spell, and colorful light robes appeared on everyone's bodies, greatly enhancing their physical and magical defense.
Its main purpose is to protect Cassandra and Lily.
The action was sudden enough that Roy and his group arrived at the center of the arena before the monsters even reached them.
The group stood back to back.
Faced with the surging monsters, Daphne, Cassandra, and Lily turned pale, while Tione, Tiona, and Ryu's eyes were filled with deep concern.
Even in such a desperate situation, their trust in Roy remained unwavering.
They even went to the point of being blind, otherwise who would dare to come to this terrifying arena?
Then Roy will not let this trust down!
Rumble!
Roy took out the Earth Demon Sword from his spatial ring and planted it in the ground. He manipulated the terrain, and with a roar, the earth split open, revealing a deep crack.
Deep within the rift, a dimly lit passage appeared before them, its depths shimmering with a blue light.
Roy said in a deep voice, "Jump!"
Lily, Cassandra, and Daphne, who were of lower rank, entered first, followed by Tione and Tiona, and finally Ryu and Roy.
Roy once again used the Earth Demon Sword to manipulate the terrain, causing the previously separated earth to close up.
The grotesque monsters on the ground were helpless.
Tiony and Tiona took action, clearing away the monsters that had followed them in. The entire cave gradually quieted down, leaving only the faint sound of flowing water.
A crystal-clear stream came into view, surrounded by flowers and grass. The air was fresh, there were no monsters, and it was quiet and peaceful. It was hard to imagine that such a place could exist on the terrifying 37th floor.
"So there really is a safe zone on the 37th floor?" The girls looked around in surprise, their faces showing no sign of the danger they had just experienced.
Even Liu, who had explored the thirty-seventh floor multiple times, was no exception, her little face filled with disbelief.
Normal people would avoid the "arena," let alone expect that there is a safe area underground. This cave will not give birth to monsters, and no one has discovered it for three thousand years!
Even if their expedition is not completed, just bringing back this intelligence will be enough to satisfy the guild.
"Captain, you're amazing!"
"Lord Roy is omnipotent!"
Tiony, Daphne, Lily, and the others looked at Roy with nothing but admiration and respect.
Ryu's eyes held a more complex expression; he truly lived up to his reputation as a boy who had repeatedly brought miracles.
Roy laughed, "Let's rest here for a bit and see what we do with those bastards!"
"Hahahaha!" The girls all laughed. Who would have thought they were hiding here? So what if the enemy blocked the 36th and 38th floors? There was water and food here. Let's see who can outlast whom!
The group had a clear division of labor: setting up tents, starting fires, and preparing food. They ran the place like a paradise, relaxed and carefree. They could never have imagined that they would be so comfortable in the depths before coming down.
"Captain, what are you doing?" Tiona saw Roy fiddling with something by the wall and excitedly ran over, bending over with curiosity.
"We'll be here for at least seven or eight days, so I'll get you some small toys in case you get bored." Roy used his elven holy sword to cut a piece of stone into evenly sized cubes and then carefully carved them.
With his top-tier Dexterity stat at LV.4, crafting all sorts of things by hand is naturally a piece of cake.
If the Flame Fairies saw Roy playing with the Elven Holy Sword like this, they would probably all be tempted to kill him and grind him to dust.
In the blink of an eye, a set of mahjong tiles made from dungeon stone was freshly made, with exquisite patterns engraved on it. Roy's craftsmanship was superb. If he had enough time, he might have made this set of mahjong tiles to the standard of equipment. He could have taken it out and smashed a monster with it.
There are also two stone tables and seven stone benches.
During dinner, Roy taught everyone how to play mahjong and the rules. They were all quick-witted adventurers, and Roy only needed to explain it once to them to remember it.
Orario also has mahjong parlors, but the girls present clearly wouldn't go to such places.
It was Roy's turn to show them this kind of thing for the first time, and the girls were very interested. After dinner, they all rushed to sit at the table.
Liu Subai rested her smooth forehead on her small hand. Why did they look like they were out for a stroll? When did the Deep Expedition turn out like this? Thinking back to the arduous battles she and Alisha had fought together, her feelings were complicated.
It's all Roy's fault!
A bitter smile appeared on Liu's beautiful lips.
Seeing the girls scrambling to get on the table, Roy laughed and said, "Don't rush. Since it's a game, there has to be a prize. The loser has to take off a piece of clothing, or I can take a small loss and get a kiss on the lips. I don't mind."
"The commander is so mean!"
Upon hearing this, apart from the two unrestrained Amazon sisters, the girls present blushed and subconsciously tightened their clothes, giving Roy a reproachful look. The frivolous leader was back at it again. No wonder he spent several hours making mahjong; it turned out he had this wicked idea.
The innocent elven girl walked away silently, while the timid Cassandra didn't dare to raise her head.
Finally, Roy, Tiony, Daphne, and Lily sat down at the table and gathered around the stone table.
"Lord Tione, you should wear more clothes!" Lily draped all the skeleton sheepskins over Tione, otherwise the two pieces of cloth covering his body would be gone in no time.
Roy glared at the little girl; this little Lily was clueless at a crucial moment!
"Captain, do you want to see? I'll secretly show you tonight after everyone's asleep." Tione chuckled softly, her exquisitely slender waist shifting towards Roy as she whispered in his ear, her voice full of allure.
Roy's eyes lit up.
"Lady Tione, we are the righteous Astrea Familia, and we will not allow such unclean things to happen." Lily stamped her feet anxiously.
Compared to the well-developed Tione, her figure is comparable to Tiona's. Seeing Roy being completely captivated by Tione, Lily can't help but feel anxious.
"It's a draw, should we take it off or kiss?"
Compared to the complete novices, Roy was a force to be reckoned with. In no time, the three girls were left only in their underwear. Tiony was completely naked, while Daphne and Lily trembled and regretted coming to the table.
Springtime beauty suddenly appeared inside the cave, a sight to behold.
Ryu, Cassandra, and Tiona sat at the children's table, playing a board game made by Roy, but they would occasionally glance at Roy and glare at him.
While Roy and the others were having a great time, ten days quickly passed.
In a cave on the thirty-sixth floor, no monsters will be born after the stone wall is broken. Compared to the deeper levels, the lower level is similar to a children's amusement park.
A group of people gathered here, their expressions not very pleasant.
If Roy and the others were present, they would immediately recognize them as remnants of the Ikeros Familia. Since Dix Perdix's death, these people have been living a miserable life, their days getting worse and worse.
They accepted employment from the Ishtar family.
I finally landed a big job and was looking to make a fortune, but things don't seem to be going smoothly.
"What's going on? Where are those Astrea Familia guys?!" one of the officers demanded.
"I don't know!"
The group stared at each other, unable to come up with a coherent answer, before finally managing to utter this one sentence after a long while.
They set up numerous traps on the 36th floor, just waiting for Roy and his group to take the bait. But after the explosion that day, Roy and his group disappeared as if they had vanished.
The thirty-seventh floor of the "White Palace" is enormous, covering almost half the area of Orario. It's impossible for them to go down there to look for someone; it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Moreover, the underlying dangers are beyond doubt.
At first, they were very optimistic.
But as time passed, there was no movement. The main force of the Ishtar Familia guarding the thirty-eighth floor also sent word that Roy and the others had not appeared.
As they had planned, since the upper floors were impassable, Roy and the others should head to the safe floor on the 39th floor, since they were capable of doing so.
At this rate, their food supplies will run out, and the entrance to the man-made maze is on the eighteenth floor, making it quite difficult to transport supplies to the thirty-sixth floor.
With the patron (Ishtar Familia) pressing them repeatedly, everyone was getting anxious. Could Roy and his group possibly dig a tunnel and escape from the dungeon?
"How about we send a few people in to search?" one of them suggested.
"Go now!"
Inside the cave of the arena.
While playing games with the girls, Roy used the materials he obtained on this trip to maintain everyone's equipment. With a top-notch blacksmith, there was no shortage of equipment when exploring the dungeon, as there were so many materials here.
"You're ready to win? You're ready to win too? You're all ready to win?" Roy's gaze swept over the three girls.
Tiony, Daphne, and Lily grinned maliciously. Roy had won too many games these days, so the three girls decided to team up and fight him three against one.
Even Roy couldn't withstand this kind of playing, and soon he was left with only his underwear.
The girls were both curious and shy about the guild leader's large cannon. They covered their faces with their hands, but couldn't help peeking through their fingers to observe.
"Let's stop playing then, let's get down to business!" Roy slammed his cards face down and pushed them forward.
"The commander is really cunning!"
Tiony, Daphne, and Lily pouted.
"You can't leave if you win, but you can't leave even if you lose?" Roy laughed. It was scary; these girls were so engrossed in losing that he really wanted to pull down his last pair of underwear.
Having said that, Roy moved with lightning speed, donning his clothes and equipment, and approached the beautiful elf girl. His face was solemn as he said, "Miss Liu, I understand now. Life can't continue like this, so decadent. We must go out and deal with those bastards!"
Liu gave a forced, insincere smile, "Hehe!"
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