The mines in the Northern District were numerous, densely scattered at the foot of the mountain.
Jiang Yan intended to casually pick a mine to enter, but was surprised to find exclamation marks popping up above each one!
So much information?
Jiang Yan didn't dare be careless and quickly checked each one.
Left 1 Mine: Internal collapse, filled with poison mist.
Left 2 Mine: A mining disaster occurred inside, hundreds died and turned into skeletons seeking revenge on the living. They carried a lot of mage gear in life!
Left 3 Mine: An unremarkable mine.
Left 4 Mine: Deepest part connects to a subterranean vein.
Center Mine: A labyrinth-like network, monsters swarm like tides.
Right No. 4 Mine: Home to the most powerful undead creature in the Novice Village!
Right 3 Mine: Contains a Bronze Chest!
Right 2 Mine: An unremarkable mine.
Right 1 Mine: An unremarkable mine.
After reviewing the information on each mine, Jiang Yan quickly made a plan.
The most powerful undead creature in Right No. 4 Mine was beyond his current ability, so he'd save it for last.
The deepest part of Left 4 Mine connected to a subterranean vein, worth exploring later for precious metals.
The skeletons in Left 2 Mine were likely the source of mage gear drops. The closed beta players mentioned mage gear drops in the mines but didn't specify which one, how despicable!
The Center Mine, with its monster swarms, was suitable for leveling up.
But the top priority was definitely Right 3 Mine!
There was a Bronze Chest there, and he needed to find it quickly before someone else did!
Jiang Yan didn't hesitate any longer and immediately entered Right 3 Mine.
The inside of the mine resembled a tunnel, a little over ten meters wide, but it wasn't straight, twisting and turning as it descended underground.
Torches were placed every twenty meters on both sides of the mine, casting a dim light.
Occasionally, Jiang Yan heard the sound of metal clashing ahead, players using pickaxes to mine.
Deeper in, faint squeals of rats and players' shouts could be heard.
"Hope the chest hasn't been found yet." Jiang Yan quickened his pace.
Just then, Heart of Darkness sent a message: "Brother Jiang, just got word, Prosperous Dynasty has issued a kill order on you, they want to keep you from leaving the Novice Village!"
Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow, replying with a smile: "I know."
Prosperous Dynasty's reputation online was already mediocre, Jiang Yan had anticipated this.
"Why not join my Dark Empire, Prosperous Dynasty can't touch you there." Heart of Darkness messaged, trying to recruit Jiang Yan.
"If things get tough, I'll come to you guys, just don't turn your back on me then." Jiang Yan didn't want to get too involved with these guilds for now, but who knows what the future holds, so he didn't completely refuse, leaving himself an option.
"Hahaha, alright, our Dark Empire awaits your arrival!!"
Ending the chat, Jiang Yan first deleted Prosperous Venomless from his friends list, then continued deeper into the mine.
After advancing over a hundred meters, the mine split into three paths, winding deeper into the mountain.
As Jiang Yan approached, they called out:
"Brother, we're mining in Peace Mode here!"
"Don't attract monsters!"
"I know, just passing through." Jiang Yan explained.
He then surveyed the three paths.
Among them, only the left path had an exclamation mark.
Jiang Yan focused, and words appeared above the exclamation mark: Bronze Chest here!
This is too easy... Jiang Yan suppressed a smile and quickly entered the left path.
The left path twisted like a snake, and after just over twenty meters, he had already turned three corners!
At the fourth corner, a rat the size of a small dog suddenly leaped out from a dark corner!
What the hell!
Jiang Yan was startled, hurriedly dodging back, but was a step too slow and got spat on by the rat.
-13
-1
-1
-1
A series of damage numbers popped up above Jiang Yan's head.
Jiang Yan retreated while checking his status.
[You have been attacked by a Poison Rat's Poison Spray, entering a poisoned state, -1 HP per second, duration 10s]
Poisoned?
Jiang Yan looked at the Poison Rat.
Poison Rat: lv2
HP: 350
Skill: Poison Spray (Sprays poison, causing the target to enter a poisoned state)
Only 350 HP?
Jiang Yan casually cast a Lightning Bolt.
Boom!!
The thunderous lightning instantly emptied the Poison Rat's HP!
[Ding~ Congratulations to the player for killing a Poison Rat, experience +5]
The experience is so low?
And not even a single copper coin dropped!!
This game's drop rate is ridiculously low!!
Jiang Yan was so frustrated he could grind his teeth, especially thinking of Good Luck Comes with his five times the drop rate talent, hitting the jackpot every time, it was infuriating.
Don't get angry, don't get angry, I have an SSS Talent, much better than Good Luck Comes's S-rank Talent, don't get angry, don't get angry.
"Brother, this leveling spot is full." Those players shouted from afar.
"Just passing through, won't disturb you." Jiang Yan replied.
He bypassed the corner and continued deeper.
The further he went, the more paths branched off, with each turn adding two more, and at the junctions, several players were teaming up to level.
Jiang Yan silently calculated, from his initial entry to now, he had passed at least twenty junctions!
If he couldn't see the hidden information, he would have been lost long ago!
And the deeper he went, the monsters changed from Poison Rats to Bats, and then to Skeletons!!
Skeleton Warrior: lv6
HP: 1200
Skills: Slash (unleashes a sword aura, heavily damaging the target), Leaping Slash (leaps high, with a slight chance of dealing critical damage)
"Roar!!" The Skeleton Warrior spotted Jiang Yan from afar, its eye sockets flaring with green fire, charging at him swiftly.
Jiang Yan immediately began chanting Lightning Bolt.
Boom!
A massive bolt of lightning struck the Skeleton Warrior's head.
-988
A scarlet critical damage number leapt from the skeleton's head, nearly emptying its HP!
Simultaneously, the Skeleton Warrior's Leaping Slash landed on Jiang Yan's head!
-190!
A massive damage number appeared above Jiang Yan's head, if not for his shared MP and HP, this would have been a one-hit kill!
Too careless!
Jiang Yan quickly equipped the [Tiger Cloak], [Bronze Staff], and [A Fang's Magic Leather Armor].
In an instant, Jiang Yan's magic attack surged to 75 points (64+8+3)!
Now his Lightning Bolt dealt 285 damage (75*380% magic skill damage)!
Critical damage was 1140 (285*400%)!
Damn, it seems even a critical hit can't one-shot a Skeleton Warrior!
Jiang Yan cursed inwardly, maneuvering while waiting for the cooldown to end, then continued chanting Lightning Bolt.
Boom!
The lightning struck, and the Skeleton Warrior collapsed into a pile of bones, dropping a silver coin.
[Ding~ Congratulations to the player for killing a Skeleton Warrior above your level, experience +130]
The experience isn't bad... Jiang Yan picked up the silver coin, glanced at his level, currently lv5 (175/5000), and calculated that with the Skeleton Warrior's experience, he needed to kill 38 more to level up!
But these Skeleton Warriors seemed to act alone, taking a while to encounter each one.
"No, I need to find the Bronze Chest quickly, then head to Left 2 Mine for mage gear!" Following the mine's hidden information, Jiang Yan pressed on, and after dealing with two more Skeleton Warriors, he finally saw the Bronze Chest!!