This time, Jiang Xuan didn’t pocket the Iron Ingots himself.
Instead, he guided Keqing and Ganyu on how to use the furnace.
Soon, they retrieved all the Iron Ingots.
Once everything was tallied up, Jiang Xuan, Ganyu, and Keqing had obtained forty-six Iron Ingots in total from their mining trip.
A massive haul!
But it wasn’t exactly legendary.
It was only about five iron blocks, after all.
Creating an Iron Golem alone required four iron blocks.
These Iron Ingots were barely enough to get by.
They couldn’t even make two full sets of iron armor.
He quickly organized the materials.
As for today’s mining haul…
Subtracting the coal used to craft torches, they had exactly three stacks left.
He had Keqing and Ganyu take one stack each.
He kept one stack for himself, which was more than enough.
Coal wasn’t particularly rare anyway, and his good buddy the villager had lava, so coal wasn’t a major priority.
Jiang Xuan had originally crafted over two stacks of torches.
He kept one stack and left the rest lighting up the mine shaft.
The forty-six Iron Ores—Jiang Xuan had to keep these.
He had an urgent use for them.
Though he could let Keqing and Ganyu take some other blocks.
As for the cobblestone and other materials they’d gathered…
They were too numerous to count.
All in all, it was a highly successful expedition.
He led Keqing and Ganyu out of the cave, chatting and laughing.
But the moment they stepped outside, Jiang Xuan’s face fell.
Outside, the bright moon hung high in the sky.
The forest under the cool, pale moonlight possessed a mysterious yet dangerous beauty.
Faint insect chirps and bird calls echoed through the woods.
In the distance, the flickering torches of the village could be seen through the trees.
If one listened closely, the gentle babble of a stream could be heard.
Purely for the scenery, it would have been a wonderful spot to admire the night.
But…
In the year he had spent here, Jiang Xuan had never once set foot outside at night.
Even if he was in the middle of chopping down a crucial tree, the moment the sun dipped below the horizon and cast its dying light, Jiang Xuan would charge straight back to the villager’s house without a second thought.
This was his first time seeing the Minecraft jungle at night.
It was indeed beautiful… beautiful my ass!
From where Jiang Xuan stood, he could see four Zombies and three Skeletons pacing the edge of the jungle.
Three or four Spiders clung to the trees, and the distinct, squelchy bouncing sound of Slimes echoed from not far away.
And worst of all…
That distinct *sssss* sound.
It was unmistakably a suicide-bombing Creeper!
This was a literal smorgasbord of monsters.
Fortunately, Jiang Xuan now had the Steve template, along with firearms and a SlashBlade.
He was more than capable of slaughtering his way through them.
Provided, of course, he didn’t have Keqing and Ganyu with him.
Sighing inwardly, Jiang Xuan said in a low, serious voice:
“Keqing, Ganyu, listen to me.”
Hearing Jiang Xuan’s solemn tone, Keqing and Ganyu tensed up.
However, their excellent combat instincts made them quiet down instantly.
“Do you remember the way back to the house?”
Jiang Xuan asked softly, his peripheral vision catching a Zombie slowly shambling toward them.
And… it was holding an iron shovel…
“Jiang Xuan…”
Ganyu realized what Jiang Xuan was planning instantly.
Feeling a sudden surge of anxiety, she grabbed his arm.
“We… we can’t leave you behind…”
“It’s fine. Be good and listen to me. In this world, I know how to survive better than anyone.”
Jiang Xuan felt a bit helpless.
If opening the Two-Way Portal didn’t require a cooldown period, Jiang Xuan would have opened it right now and sent them back.
However, if he took a gamble, he was confident he could draw the aggro of all the monsters and use the opportunity to push some achievements.
“When I say run, you run straight back to the house without looking back, then wait for me there.”
Jiang Xuan paused, feeling like he was setting a death flag for himself—not exactly good luck.
Seeing that Keqing and Ganyu wanted to argue, Jiang Xuan whipped out his shield and locked his gaze on the nearest approaching Zombie.
“Jiang Xuan…”
Ganyu wanted to say more, but Keqing held her back.
She shook her head, signaling Ganyu to listen to Jiang Xuan.
At this, Jiang Xuan’s remaining worries faded.
Keqing and Ganyu might have been heavily nerfed in this world, rendering their combat power weak.
But… with one using a Lightning Stiletto and the other Trail of the Qilin, their escape capabilities were absolutely top-tier.
Clearing his mind, Jiang Xuan silently stared at the approaching Zombie.
Once the Zombie got within three meters, Jiang Xuan suddenly bellowed:
“Run!”
As soon as the word left his mouth, Keqing grabbed Ganyu and threw her Lightning Stiletto, teleporting two blocks away.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xuan drew his SlashBlade and slashed downward, cutting down the Zombie with a single strike.
Jiang Xuan was surprised by the result.
“As expected of Yamato… If I forge it some more, wouldn’t it be able to one-shot the Wither?”
However, his shout had drawn the attention of the other monsters.
The forest rustled as a horde of monsters swarmed out, rushing toward Jiang Xuan.
Nearby, a Skeleton drew its bow, aiming right at him.
Ganyu, who had just escaped the monster encirclement, looked back.
Her eyes welled with tears of panic.
“Jiang Xuan!”
*Bang!*
A thunderous crack rang out.
With an AK-47 in his left hand and Yamato in his right, Jiang Xuan easily picked off the Skeleton that was aiming at him.
He grinned and waved his firearm.
Glancing at the other two Skeletons still stiffly aiming in the distance, he casually picked them off as well.
“You think I can’t do ranged combat just because I don’t have a bow?”
“Who’s the idiot now? I’ve got a gun!”
18.
Creepers Will Bless Every Block Person
Inside the wooden cabin Jiang Xuan occupied, Keqing and Ganyu had already been back for over ten minutes.