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Chapter 204 : Shixi Village
Chapter 204: Shixi Village
Only when his feet finally stepped onto solid ground did the taut nerves loosen slightly.
Behind them, the huge, irregular entrance of the labyrinth became even more ominous in the night, especially with the looming thought of the upcoming Rejection Phase. It was like the gaping maw of a slumbering behemoth.
At that moment, a dull vibration seemed to echo from the depths of the entrance, like the pulse of the earth itself. Through the soles of their boots, all three of them felt the faint tremors beneath their feet.
“Phew… finally out!”
Е̌n̄u m̌а
Arya let out a long sigh of relief, patting off the moss and dust clinging to her clothes, before glancing back at the labyrinth entrance with lingering fear.
Even Ulfen, Ike, and the Chocobo let out uneasy cries. As wild beasts, they were far more sensitive to changes in the natural environment—like how dogs bark before earthquakes, bees abandon their hives, or fish leap from ponds.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Gauss gazed at the entrance and felt that even the very space inside the labyrinth no longer seemed quite the same.
And this was before the Rejection Phase had truly begun.
Once the phase fully started, the labyrinth’s danger would no doubt skyrocket.
No wonder the Dungeon Guide stated that during this period, no adventurers were allowed to enter. Anyone lingering inside at such a time would almost certainly face death.
Еń ù mӓ
“I wonder how long it’ll last?” Arya sighed.
“If short, perhaps a few weeks. If long, it might even be years,” Gauss replied while looking at the Dungeon Guide in his hand.
“So long?” A trace of surprise flickered across Serandur’s face.
“For humans, years feel long. But for a labyrinth—especially one with such longevity—it is nothing more than a fleeting moment.” Gauss shook his head.
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“And it doesn’t necessarily take years. Sometimes just weeks or months.”
“Let’s find a place to rest first.” Gauss glanced at the labyrinth surface town, now bustling with activity.
Е̌n̂ ùm а . і d̄
After a bit of searching, they easily located the Golden Beak Trading Company’s branch.
It was a three-story building.
The employees stationed at the labyrinth all recognized the three.
Although it was late at night, the duty staff still respectfully welcomed them inside.
The company’s senior officer, Robert, hurried down the stairs.
Initially, being disturbed so late had left a trace of irritation in his heart, but upon hearing Gauss’s name, all annoyance evaporated instantly.
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Before descending, he even took extra care to straighten his attire, then put on a warm smile as he walked into the reception room where Gauss and his companions rested.
Robert quickly ordered the kitchen to prepare a special late-night meal and had hot water readied.
Even though Gauss repeatedly insisted it was unnecessary—that just a few empty rooms to rest in would suffice—Robert dared not show the slightest neglect.
He knew full well the significance of Gauss’s trio to the company. Their importance could not simply be described as a pseudo-Tier 3 adventurer squad.
Even without considering their connection with the young mistress, just their youthful appearances were enough to show this small team’s future potential was extraordinary.
If not for that relationship with the young lady, and the fact Gauss had only recently begun his adventurer’s path, a small company like theirs would never have had the chance to build such ties.
W̆ е b ǹŏ vӗ l Е ñů m̃а̂_
Thanks to Robert’s warm hospitality, the three enjoyed a hearty midnight meal.
The next morning.
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Hailier arrived in a rush at the company’s office building.
Gauss, having woken a bit later than usual after their labyrinth exploration, was just finishing his wash and dressing when he spotted the familiar figure with chestnut hair.
“Hailier, you’re here?”
“Yes, I just arrived,” Hailier nodded, her face tinged with regret. “I had originally come to assess the labyrinth’s commercial prospects. Who could have thought I’d encounter such upheaval on my first day…”
Е ṅ_u m̈ ӓ
Adventurers and merchants alike were hastily evacuating with supplies. This was no time for business ventures.
“Fortunately, our company’s scale is modest, and our operations proceed cautiously. Otherwise, this Rejection Phase might have caused devastating losses.”
Gauss had intended to comfort her, but she steadied her emotions before he could speak.
Still, a hint of fear lingered on her face when she mentioned “devastating losses.”
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The surface’s commercial networks were one thing, but investments and infrastructure on the labyrinth’s first underground floor would almost certainly be ruined.
Large or mid-sized companies might endure, but for smaller ones, this was akin to breaking bones.
Еṅu m̃ а .іḋ
“Yes. Better to walk slowly than not at all,” Gauss said.
“By the way, Gauss, would you like to buy a house here in Whorlmark Town? The prices are still reasonable.”
Whorlmark Town—that was the surface town above this labyrinth, named for its vortex-shaped entrance.
Buy a house?
Gauss pondered briefly before nodding.
Even though the Rejection Phase was now underway and no one knew how long it would last, buying a house near the labyrinth was hardly a loss.
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Even without considering future appreciation, at least his squad would have a permanent base nearby.
They wouldn’t face the same situation as last night, struggling to find an inn at midnight and having to rely on the Golden Beak Trading Company for shelter.
And surface properties cost much less than underground ones.
“Alright, I’ll keep an eye out for you. If I find one at a good price, I’ll help you secure it. I also plan to buy one myself.”
“Then I’ll trouble you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Е́ n̈u m̃ а. іd̂
When Arya and Serandur awoke, Gauss explained his plan to purchase a small house as a team base, and both readily agreed.
By morning, the town was fully awake.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
The three wandered its streets, gathering news about the labyrinth.
Adventurers crowded the town, and more continued to pour out from the labyrinth.
Unlike Gauss, not everyone had a map to guide them. Though retreating was faster than entering, many still struggled to escape.
At the labyrinth entrance, the vortex-shaped maw exuded an even more ominous aura, as though repelling all intruders.
W е̃ b ńо̂v̈ el Ê n u m а̃
From overhearing other adventurers, they confirmed it truly was the Rejection Phase, with the Adventurer’s Guild issuing an official notice.
Guards stood watch at the gate. Without proper documents from the Guild, no one was allowed entry—only exits. Even if they wanted to risk it, the three could not enter.
Crowds swarmed the entrance: cursing merchants, battered adventurers who had just escaped, and spectators watching with a schadenfreude smile.
“What’s next?” Arya turned to Gauss and asked.
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With the labyrinth closed, waiting idly in Whorlmark Town was impossible. They needed something to do.
“Keep taking commissions,” Gauss shrugged.
Е n̂u̇ṁ а
What else could they do?
They would return to their trade.
For Gauss, there was still much unfinished work.
He had to practice Shaping Spell: Clay, gather spirituality, and prepare for his advancement to Class Rank 3.
They also had not visited Graystone Town in some time.
And most importantly, this was the perfect pause to carry out the plan he had delayed since last winter.
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That was—to return to his homeland, Shixi Village.
To see with his own eyes how the family of this body was faring.
If he could help, he would not hesitate.
But memories of that dilapidated little village filled him with a faint, uneasy emotion—half dread, half nostalgia.
No matter that his accomplishments now far surpassed anything his ancestors could have imagined, he still felt apprehensive about facing familiar yet distant kin.
Still, he would return.
Е̄ ǹ um̈а
“I’m going home?” Arya blinked in surprise.
Catching the complicated emotions flickering across his face, curiosity glimmered in her eyes.
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To be honest, she had always been curious about Gauss’s past.
Although Gauss often told her his hometown was nothing but an ordinary village—reeking manure piles by the roadside, dirt roads turning into impassable mud whenever it rained—she still wanted to see it for herself.
“Can I come with you?” she tilted her head.
“…Of course, if you want to.” Gauss gave a helpless smile.
Е n̈ um̂ а
Having a companion along did bring him some comfort.
“Captain, count me in as well.” The half-serpent Serandur quietly added.
“Alright, let’s all go.” Gauss chuckled, having come to terms with it. “But I must warn you, we’re very poor there. Don’t expect much hospitality.”
He realized that even if they parted ways briefly, Arya and Serandur likely had no other plans.
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Both their homelands were far away and difficult to reach.
It was easier to continue traveling together.
W е̄b̊ n о̄v̆ е l Е̇ n̆u̇.m а̄
The three stayed in Whorlmark Town for another day.
After confirming the labyrinth entrance would not reopen soon, and submitting their spoils, bounty items, and collection commissions, they set off once more.
Gauss and Arya mounted their Chocobos, with Serandur traveling alongside, heading toward Graystone Town.
Traveling by mount was far faster than joining a caravan.
Soon, the silhouette of Whorlmark Town and even the distant Forest Capital faded behind them.
Alongside them, four Clay Spiders scuttled nimbly, aiding in travel.
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Keeping them active for long periods helped improve his Shaping Spell: Clay proficiency.
At the same time, they hunted insects along the roadside, absorbing spirituality and refining themselves.
Even lunch came courtesy of the Clay Spiders—two fat wild pheasants caught in the grass.
Sensing their hunting through his innate talent, Proto-Insect Hive Mind, Gauss directed the spiders to bring back the prey.
Clay creatures truly were perfect travel companions.
The only drawback was their constant drain on mana. If Gauss had not possessed an abnormally vast mana reserve, he could never have sustained them.
Е̇ n u m̈а̂
But this drawback was also a benefit—the mana drain provided valuable experience toward his Class Rank advancement.
Tier 2 Spell [Shaping Spell: Clay] Lv.2 (19/20)
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With four Clay creatures active, the proficiency rose rapidly, and before long it was nearly Lv.3.
Only at Lv.3 would the true potential of the Clay Magic reveal itself.
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