Start a Core Pod

 For Duanmu Huai, what he is least good at is this kind of underground maze.

 As for the ground, whether it is flying or crashing, it is at least a path. But it won't work underground. Although the wall can be smashed easily, it may cause the whole place to collapse... Then it is better to dig a road out of the ground with bare hands.

 Obviously, Duanmuhuai will not do this.

Fortunately, although the leader of the other adventure team has a bit of a compulsive collecting disorder, he is indeed an experienced maze explorer. Apart from the difficulty of collecting all the layers on each floor, it is still very fast to find the main passage.

but……

 “It’s strange, this maze doesn’t look that difficult?”

Duanmu Huai walked in front and said doubtfully. Basically, there are no monsters in this maze, most of them are traps of various kinds. Not to mention Duanmuhuai, he thinks even an ordinary adventure team can pass.

 “We are not going the wrong way.”

 “This is indeed the right place.”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s inquiry, the brave man, the leader of the adventure team, also looked solemn.

"We also asked about it before setting off. Many adventurers have never returned after entering here. Most of the ones who came back just described the trap as too dangerous, but... if it is just a trap, it is indeed a trap for most adventurers. It should be a common occurrence."

 “And this is still Northland.”

The dwarf warrior next to him also added. His subtext was very clear. Those who can come here are the best adventurers, and they will never make the mistakes that only novices make.

 “So I think there’s something wrong.”

As Duanmuhuai spoke, he pointed to the wall in front - it was a road they had not walked, but there were traces of barbecue on it, which meant that adventurers had arrived here before them and triggered the trap. .

but………

“The document does not describe what happened up to this point.”

 The brave man took out the document, read it again, and then looked around cautiously.

“I always have a bad feeling. This maze is not as simple as we thought.”

  “By the way, we have actually been walking on a flat surface.”

 “Huh? Really?”

 “That’s right.”

Duanmuhuai knocked on his helmet. Of course, it couldn't be seen with the naked eye, but the level in the helmet clearly showed this. From the surface, they were walking down the steps every time. Then go to the next level. Therefore, for humans, they only feel that they are going down further and further.

 But in fact, according to the detection of the mechanical level, the ground on each floor is not actually flat, but has a slightly upward angle. Of course, if you could see through it at a glance, you might still be able to spot it. But the problem is that when you are lost in this **** maze and have to worry about the traps around you, you don't care about the slight inclination under your feet.

 So although it looks like they are going down, in fact they are repeating the process of going down the stairs, then up the slope, and then going up to the top and back down the stairs again.

 As for why the dwarves were built this way? Only the devil knows.

“I said, could this be that kind of trap?”

 At this moment, the monk spoke.

“On the surface, the adventurers felt it was easy to walk, so everyone was not too wary. By the time they discovered that something was wrong, they were already deep into the maze. If they wanted to turn back, they would have to face countless traps... So they ended up losing their lives?”

“The more experienced adventurers are, the more confident they are in their abilities, and there is nothing wrong with that.”

Duanmu Huai carried the war hammer and continued to move forward with long strides.

 “In short, we will know what it will be like when the time comes.”

“Perhaps the adventurers who didn’t come back also thought so.”

"That's right."

Just as the monk said, perhaps the adventurers before them were too relaxed and wanted to break through the maze in front of them in one go. As a result, they encountered powerful enemies in the deepest part that were difficult to resist. But because they were too deep into the maze at this moment, they could not escape at all, and eventually died tragically inside.

Of course, for Duanmu Huai, this is just a story that has been heard before.

However, it is not without its troubles.

 “Hmm…this can be considered a characteristic of a maze.”

 Going down the steps again, this time what appeared in front of everyone was not the road that extended in all directions before, but only two roads.

 Two roads?

"How to go?"

Duanmu Huai looked at the brave man, who thought for a moment.

 “It would be faster if we walk in one team at a time.”

"Too."

Duanmuhuai nodded.

 “Then let’s go to the left.”

 “Let’s go to the right.”

 The brave man nodded and made a gesture.

 “I wish you all the best.”

“Same for you, although I think you should have chosen the right path, but I still want to try my luck.”

Although Duanmuhuai feels that he makes the wrong choice every time, but... what if he makes the right choice this time?

 There is still hope, right?

Soon, the two sides parted ways, heading on different paths. “These adventurers are quite interesting, big brother.”

Sitting on Duanmu Huai's shoulder, Zhen Ji Ling also spoke with emotion.

"Okay."

However, Duanmu Huai replied lightly, not seeming to be particularly enthusiastic. At the same time, Ogis, who was lying on Duanmu Huai's other shoulder, raised her head.

 “Because that person looks better than the owner.”

“...Listen up, Ogis, don’t judge a book by its appearance. You should understand this.”

 “Yes, so I know that the master is a good man.”

“That’s right, so you have to remember that those who are handsome are not necessarily good people.”

 “Pfft…!”

Hearing Duanmuhuai's serious warning to Ogis, Zhenji Ling couldn't help but chuckle, and when he heard her laughter, Duanmuhuai turned his head.

"What's wrong?"

“It’s nothing… Big brother, you must really enjoy getting along with the adventurers in the city?”

“Well, that’s right. After all, most adventurers are quite approachable.”

 Can you not have a sense of intimacy?

Hearing Duanmu Huai's answer, Zhen Jiling's expression did not change on the surface, but deep down she was rolling with laughter. I don’t know if it’s because most of the adventurers in this world fight against demons. Many adventurers actually look quite vicious, looking like some gangsters or bandits. In any other place, Zhen Ji Ling would have been forced to retreat when he saw such a person.

On the contrary, Duanmu Huai was at ease here and enjoyed himself very much. Well, it’s no wonder that he didn’t have a good impression of the brave captain.

"Um?"

While speaking, the group continued to move forward, but just as they walked out of the passage and came to the hall inside, Duanmu Huai stopped and raised his head to look forward.

They saw four figures standing in front of them at the gate leading to the other side - they were none other than the brave group that had separated from them before.

It's just that...compared with the previous ones, the four adventurers in front of me seem a little different. How can I put it, they are like puppet models that have not been painted. In short, it is obvious at a glance that they are not real people.

“Oh, that’s it. I can almost guess why those adventurers didn’t come back.”

Looking at the group of adventurers blocking his way, Duanmu Huai clenched his war hammer, while Ogis and Zhen Ji Ling also jumped off his shoulders familiarly and prepared their attack postures.

 “So there is such a trick.”

“Ugh… So, isn’t it dangerous on the other side?”

“Maybe, but let’s settle our side of things first.”

Staring at the replicas of the four adventurers in front of him, Duanmu Huai opened his mouth and revealed a sinister smile.

He had already smashed that handsome guy's face to pieces, but he didn't expect that the other party actually showed up at his door!

 “Let’s go!”

　　The next moment after the words fell, Duanmu Huai rushed towards the enemy in front of him.

　　“唰————!”

Facing Duanmu Huai's attack, the opponent's reaction was also very fast. The brave man flashed past and appeared in front of Duanmu Huai in an instant. At the same time, he swung down the long sword in his hand and chopped Duanmu Huai's chest directly. However, his sword didn't even touch Duanmu Huai's armor before it was directly bounced off by the unfolded shield. At the same time, Duanmu Huai struck down with a hammer and hit the brave man's head directly.

"boom!"

At the same time, the dwarf warrior charged forward, swung the huge battle ax in his hand at Duanmu Huai's war hammer, and smashed them together. The dwarf warrior's powerful force caused Duanmu Huai's war hammer to tilt, grazing the hero's side and hitting the ground.

But this is not the end yet.

The magician raised the staff in her hand and aimed at Duanmuhuai. Then, at the moment when she was about to release her magic, the magician's staff suddenly turned, and the whistling magic beam was deflected to the side. At the same time, Austrian Jisi also clenched her hands, grabbed the invisible thread and pulled it towards the magician.

The last monk was holding a holy book and seemed to be praying in a low voice. Rays of golden light bloomed from his body and rushed around.

However, at this moment, suddenly, gunfire rang out.

"boom!!"

The monk shook his body, and a big hole appeared in the middle of his forehead. The next moment, the monk fell to the ground, and then disappeared completely.

At the same time, the real operative holding a sniper rifle flashed past and disappeared into the air again.

 “Drink————!”

Without the help of the monks from behind, the brave men and dwarf warriors alone could not stop Duanmu Huai's attack. He roared, and suddenly bumped forward, directly into the dwarf warrior's face, and raised his right hand. The dwarf warrior hurriedly raised his ax in front of him, but the next moment, he was heavily stepped on by Duanmu Huai, turning him into a puddle of vague meat paste, and then the same Lost trace.

Then the brave man flashed past, and the long sword in his hand stabbed Duanmu Huai's throat without hesitation. Duanmu Huai didn't care about the opponent's killing move. He just held the war hammer with both hands, raised it high, and then struck the brave man's hand. The sword blade stabbed him and he swung it down hard.

 “Boom!”

The thunder hammer roared, directly smashing the hero into two pieces. At the same time, Ogis on the other side also successfully cut the last magician into pieces.

“I didn’t expect that there is such a demon clan.”

Watching the corpses of the adventurers turn into black dust and disappear, Duanmu Huai also sighed with emotion - he has discovered that these are not his own bodies, but more like fake bodies condensed with magic power. As for how successful the real body is, Duanmu Huai Huai doesn’t know.

but………

 “Well... let’s go back.”

Duanmuhuai touched his chin.

 “I always feel a bad premonition...”