Lux’s brain went “buzz.”
She had considered that the Piglins might have simple communication, like a couple of “snorts” to show friendliness, or a “grumble” to indicate a threat.
But the Piglin in front of her spoke very fluently, looking no different from a normal sentient being.
She opened her mouth, her mind racing.
She couldn’t very well say, “I’m here to loot the treasures in your chests,” could she?
“I, I’m here to trade with you.” Lux pulled a stack of gold ingots from her inventory and held them in her palms, trying her best to make her expression look sincere.
“Look, I brought a lot of gold ingots.”
The two Piglins at the entrance saw the gold ingots, their golden eyes instantly widening, and the tiny flames in their pupils gave a sudden jump.
That look of greed was undisguised, like a person who had been starving for three days seeing a full banquet table.
The Piglin on the left took a step forward, its nose twitching rapidly a few times, but it pulled its foot back—clearly still remembering its duty.
“You…
what do you want to trade for?” Its voice was a bit more hurried than before, carrying clear anticipation.
Lux’s heart leapt; there was a chance.
“I want a netherite Upgrade template, and also netherite Scraps.”
Both Piglins were stunned for a moment.
The greedy look faded for the most part, replaced by a complex expression—vigilance and hesitation.
The two Piglins exchanged a glance.
The one on the left lowered its voice and said, “From the Overworld?”
The one on the right nodded.
“Should be.”
The Piglin on the left looked at Lux again, sizing her up from head to toe—maid outfit, fox ears, gold sword, holding a stack of gold ingots in her hands; she certainly looked like one of those fearless Overworlders.
“Are you from the Overworld?” Its tone had changed; it was no longer the pure greed from before, but carried a certain…
curiosity?
Or perhaps, scrutiny?
Lux was stunned for a second, then nodded.
“Something like that.”
“That’s truly rare.” The Piglin on the right shook its head, its nose twitching a few times.
“We haven’t seen anyone from the Overworld in a long time.”
Not seen in a long time?
Before Lux could process the meaning of that sentence, the Piglin on the left had already stepped aside to clear the way.
“Come in. This story is hosted at g.com.
The things you mentioned are with the Chieftain.
I’ll take you in.”
Lux didn’t have time to think about what “haven’t seen anyone from the Overworld in a long time” meant, and hurriedly followed the Piglin toward the interior of the Bastion Remnant.
The interior of the Bastion Remnant was even more complex than it looked from the outside.
The sides of the passageway were made of rough Blackstone walls, with a furnace lamp every few steps, casting flickering orange shadows on the walls.
The ground was covered with some unknown animal hide that felt soft underfoot and carried a faint, fishy smell.
Along the way, Lux saw many Piglins.
Some were polishing gold swords, some were hauling gold ingots, and some were crouching in corners, weaving something with their thick fingers.
There were also a few little Piglins chasing each other in the passageway, making “oink-oink” sounds, only to be picked up by the scruff of their necks by an older Piglin and given a scolding.
Every Piglin had its own things to do.
They weren’t just NPCs in a game that only knew how to patrol back and forth; they were a living, breathing community with their own lives.
Lux’s ears twitched, catching snippets of conversation.
“…The gold mine over there collapsed again, gotta send people to fix it tomorrow…”
“…There have been more and more Magma Cubes over by the Basalt lately, it’s really annoying…”
“…The kid’s dad was slacking off again today, so I gave him a beating…”
The more Lux listened, the more surreal it felt.
This wasn’t some monster lair; it was clearly a normally functioning settlement.
The leading Piglin didn’t walk fast, but its pace was steady, each step landing firmly.
Its golden armor shimmered with a dull yellow luster under the firelight, and a string of unknown bones hung from its waist, making a “clack-clack” sound as it walked.
Lux followed behind it, and she noticed a detail—every time a Piglin saw her, it would stop what it was doing, stare at her for a few seconds, and then lower its head to continue with its own work.
It wasn’t hostility; it was more like…
curiosity.
As if they hadn’t seen anything new in a long time.
“We’re here.” The leading Piglin stopped.
Lux looked up.
In front of her was a grand hall.
It was much more spacious than the previous passageway, estimated to be over ten meters wide and seven or eight meters high.
A giant furnace chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, composed of dozens of furnaces, and the orange-red light illuminated the entire hall brightly.
On both sides of the hall stood several thick black stone pillars, carved with complex patterns—not just for decoration, but more like some kind of record, like narrative murals.
A Piglin sat on the throne.
It was a size larger than any Piglin Lux had seen before, with heavier golden armor, and several red gems embedded in its shoulder guards.
On its head sat a golden crown, with a dark red gem embedded in the center, shimmering with a deep light under the firelight.
Its eyes were golden, just like the other Piglins, but the flames in its pupils were larger and brighter, like two burning stars.
Its nose twitched slightly, and its gaze swept over Lux, unhurriedly, as if it were inspecting a stone, or perhaps reading a book.
The leading Piglin stepped forward, placed its right fist over its chest, and lowered its head slightly.
“Chieftain, this person from the Overworld wants to trade with us for Debris Scraps and Upgrade templates.”
The Chieftain didn’t speak.
It looked at Lux for about three seconds.
Lux, stared at by those golden eyes, felt as if she had been scanned from head to toe by something.
Her tail tucked in unconsciously, and her ears pressed slightly against her head, but she didn’t look away.
The Chieftain spoke.
Its voice was much more steady than Lux had imagined; it wasn’t the rough roar she expected, but a deep, magnetic tone.
“Did something happen in your Overworld?”
Lux was taken aback.
“We haven’t seen anyone from your Overworld in a long time.” The Chieftain’s tone was very flat, but something imperceptible flashed in those golden eyes.
Lux opened her mouth, her mind racing.
What happened in the Overworld?
Who would know that?
She wasn’t actually from the Overworld; heaven knows what happened to the Overworld.
“Nothing happened.” Lux bit the bullet and made something up.
“Maybe it’s just…
that fewer people from the Overworld are coming to your Bastion Remnant.”
The Chieftain looked into her eyes, her face reflected in its golden pupils.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Lux felt as if she had been seen through by something.
Well, that made sense; it would be a miracle if such a clumsy lie could fool anyone.