Chapter 169 Offering Life

First, it was the dampness.

The incredibly dense water vapor in the sewers, coaxed by the slight temperature difference between inside and out, condensed into murky, visible droplets that seeped from the heavy air and clung to the rusty, moss-covered metal ladder.

A mere touch left a hand smeared with verdigris and rust.

Next was the sour, putrid stench permeating the air.

The comprehensive enhancement of his physical attributes had granted Xia Nan boundless stamina, meticulous observation skills, and balanced, flexible control over his body. He relished the conveniences these improved stats brought.

But correspondingly, there were times when he had to endure the unspeakable side effects of these very enhancements.

Like the creaking of a bedframe from the end of the inn corridor, three or four rooms away, when he was trying to rest late at night;

Or seeing the twitching compound eyes and the bristles brushing the chelicerae of tiny, food-scrap-covered insects after they had just finished a "feast."

As his chest slowly rose and fell, drawing air into his nose, Xia Nan could clearly smell the foul, cloyingly sour, and rotten stench of the sewers. The appetite that had been rumbling in his stomach plummeted instantly.

Speaking of which, he had ordered a few dishes at the [Iron Bucket Toad] just now, but Wood had dragged him out before he even got to taste them.

He wondered if that tavern's cream of mushroom soup was any good, or if it tasted as delicious as the one at the White Chickadee.

Finally, there was the sudden silence in the surrounding air.

It was as if they had entered another world. Climbing down the ladder into the sewers, even with the manhole still open above them, the background noise that had filled their ears without them noticing vanished completely.

All that remained was the ceaseless, echoing rush of water surging through the pipe corridors.

Looking up, the bright manhole reflected in his dark eyes.

At that moment, Xia Nan felt like a drowning man sinking into the deep sea.

His body was slowly being swallowed by the darkness and dampness.

Suddenly, a faint dark-red glimmer flashed before his eyes.

His gaze subconsciously followed it. Entering his sight was a small cluster of peculiar moss clinging to a crack in the wall, spreading outward.

It was dark red all over with a hard texture, its surface covered in tiny, crystal-like particles that gave off a metallic luster.

"Iron-Hernia Moss," Ironhead said as Xia Nan's feet hit the ground, his gruff, deliberately lowered voice ringing in his ears.

"A common plant found in the Nym Sewers."

"If you grind up those dark-red crystalline particles on its surface and apply them to a wound, it can stop the bleeding and speed up healing."

"But prolonged use can cause the skin to fester, leaving a dark-red scar where the wound heals."

Seeing that Xia Nan seemed interested, the bald, burly man—sandwiched in the middle of their group—tactfully shared his knowledge of the plant.

"It's said that many years ago, an alchemist passing through Nym tried to use Iron Moss as the main ingredient to brew a cheap Healing Potion. Word has it they were even mass-produced, and were widely praised by nearby Adventurers for their low price."

"But probably due to the side effects of the Iron Moss, many Adventurers who drank those Healing Potions over a long period developed organ crystallization and wound gangrene. A lot of people died."

"Later, that potion was banned by the Association. As for the alchemist who made a fortune off it, he disappeared without a trace."

Listening to the anecdote, Xia Nan's expression remained unchanged, but he found it fascinating.

He hadn't expected this little, unknown plant they stumbled upon to have such a history.

"Don't try anything funny. Lead the way!" Wood snapped.

In contrast to the thug's chattiness, the Rogue—who had been the first to descend—acted extremely stern.

Perhaps he was simply used to his job as a bodyguard, or perhaps it stemmed from his distrust of a gang thug like Ironhead.

After checking the vicinity for traps or ambushes and confirming their temporary safety, he coldly ordered the bald man forward to lead the way.

"Right away, sir. Don't worry, I'll lead the way," Ironhead replied.

Unlike his arrogant strut in front of ordinary citizens and his lackeys, Ironhead acting under the scrutiny of two Class Holders was like a new apprentice in a blacksmith shop. The contrast was striking; he appeared exceedingly submissive, proving he could bend when necessary.

He didn't voice a single complaint in the face of Wood's harsh rebuke. Even his initially stiff smile became much more natural as he bowed and scraped, taking quick, small steps forward to guide them.

Now truly inside the sewers, gradually swallowed by the cold, profound darkness, the slowly mounting pressure in the silent air made Xia Nan feel as if he were back in the Misty Forest, throwing him straight into an Adventurer's state of mind.

His muscles tensed and his focus sharpened, staying alert to any potential dangers while readying himself for battle.

Fortunately, although he had never adventured in this kind of environment, and the Nym Sewers were vastly larger than those of a typical town, it was still somewhat easier than being in the Misty Forest, where one had to remain highly focused and wary of every bush by their feet.

They were flanked by solid, moss-covered walls. Even if there was danger, it would mostly come from the dark depths of the tunnels directly ahead or behind them, making it easy to spot.

As for the massive channel beside them that should have been flowing with wastewater—perhaps because this particular section was abandoned—it was reduced to a dried-up bed of residual filth, echoing with the distant sound of running water.

The environment within the sewers was incredibly complex, resembling a sprawling underground palace built by some intelligent subterranean race.

Forks led to more forks, and corners followed corners.

Moreover, the monotonously identical walls—distinguishable only by varying patches of moss or the occasional ladder dropping down from above—meant that if an ordinary person came down here, they would likely become completely lost after just a few turns, forced to rely entirely on luck and survival instincts to find a way out.

Even the current Xia Nan, if he wanted to pinpoint his location and find a way out, would probably have to stand still and carefully retrace his steps through memory.

Meanwhile, at the front of the group, Ironhead—leading the way under Wood's watchful eye—appeared to be in his element.

It was as if he had returned home. Relying on who-knew-what to identify the direction, he walked on without a single pause.

If not for the growing signs of human habitation along the corners of the walls and the graffiti of gray badgers—which assured Xia Nan that they were indeed nearing the Gray Gang's core territory—he would have suspected the thug was deliberately leading them in circles to stall for time.

Only then did Xia Nan finally understand why Wood was being so cautious.

In a hellhole like this, if the bald man actually managed to bolt, he only needed to round a few corners to shake them off, even if his straight-line speed couldn't match that of the two Class Holders.

Without a "guide," Xia Nan and Wood would probably have to wander for quite a while just to escape the sewers.

On the other hand, they could consider themselves fortunate.

Along the way, as they walked through the dimly lit underground pipes, the group didn't encounter any danger.

Let alone ferocious, dangerous monsters, they didn't even see a single creature taller than their knees.

The most common sights were a few scattered, long-haired rats scurrying through the darkness and some unidentified, foul-smelling flying insects.

Instead, it felt as though Xia Nan and the others were the ones disturbing this underground world. It seemed unusually serene and safe.

"Roar!!!"

The high-pitched, chilling howl of a beast echoed from the far end of the corridor.

It reverberated endlessly between the walls. The vast distance distorted the fierce, soaring roar, lending it an air of mournful desolation.

It sounded exceptionally terrifying.

It gave Xia Nan such a fright that he nearly jumped.

He couldn't help but look back over his shoulder.

All that met his eyes was a bottomless expanse of profound darkness.

Even though they had walked through it just minutes ago, once it was swallowed by the dark, it took on an unfamiliar, eerie quality.

"Don't mind it too much, sir," Ironhead explained, noticing his reaction. He looked entirely accustomed to the sound.

"The Nym Sewers are complicated. The area is even bigger than the entire Slums, and they've been around for so many years. There's a little bit of everything down here... It's perfectly normal."

"Monsters and the like definitely exist. Even with the city's Church and the authorities sending out knights and Clerics every year to clear them out, they can never fully eradicate them."

"To us—at least to ordinary folks like me—it's incredibly dangerous."

"Fortunately, the paths we're taking have long been mapped out by the brothers in the gang. Under normal circumstances, it's relatively safe."

At this point, the burly bald man seemed to suddenly recall something, and he visibly shrank back.

"Although it's not my place to say this given my status, I still have to warn you two."

"If you don't have someone who knows the way to guide you, for the sake of your own safety, try your best never to enter the sewers."

"I knew a few guys in my gang who accidentally took a wrong turn, and they were never seen again."

Xia Nan wasn't sure why the man would offer such advice, given their less-than-friendly relationship.

But seeing that Wood didn't refute him or urge him to focus on leading the way like before, it seemed the Rogue silently agreed with Ironhead's words.

Consequently, Xia Nan made a mental note of the information, saving it to use later if the need arose.

Who knew how much more time passed.

It could have been one hour, or maybe two.

Or perhaps the sheer monotony of the journey simply made time feel stretched out.

As the badger graffiti on the walls grew increasingly frequent, the trio finally arrived at their destination: the Gray Gang's underground nest.

"Rotten Tooth! Rotten Tooth!" Ironhead yelled.

"Chamber Pot, come out!"

"That's weird. Where did these brats go? Did they sneak out to drink again? That shouldn't be... Didn't the boss just punish them a little while ago? How could they be so bold?"

Ironhead scratched his head in confusion. Before him stood a crude little tent set up in the corner of the pipe corridor.

The tent flap was wide open, revealing a few rolled-up blankets inside.

The charred firewood in the brazier out front was still glowing with embers, searing wisps of white smoke into the cold, damp air of the sewers. It had clearly just been extinguished.

Although they were just a mid-sized gang in the West District with a modest total membership, they were still a "proper" faction that controlled several streets. Naturally, guards were usually stationed at the entrances and exits of their core territory.

As a minor boss in the Gray Shrub Gang, Ironhead naturally recognized Rotten Tooth and Chamber Pot, the two assigned to guard duty today.

He just hadn't expected his two little brothers to be so audacious as to abandon their posts, especially right after being reprimanded by the gang boss a few days prior.

"I'll settle the score with them when I get back. Gentlemen, it's just a short walk further ahead," Ironhead said.

The Gray Shrub Gang wasn't some military organization; its low-level members were all uneducated, idle vagrants and street thugs from the city.

Incidents like this couldn't be more normal.

Furthermore, their core stronghold was hidden deep within the sewers, and it was exceedingly rare for outsiders to make it this far on their own.

So, Ironhead didn't think much of it.

After calling out a couple of times and receiving no response, he was ready to continue leading Xia Nan and Wood deeper inside.

But perhaps his voice had been too loud, or perhaps for some other reason entirely...

As the echoes of Ironhead's gruff voice spiraled away, a strange, faint rustling suddenly emerged from the darkness deep within the pipe corridor ahead.

Like dense raindrops pelting a water surface, the chaotic, rapid pitter-patter of tiny footsteps rapidly approached.

Two dots of scarlet light abruptly appeared in the dark, bobbing up and down as the creature sprinted. The blurred silhouette of its wet fur swaying in the air could just barely be seen.

Swish— An iron-gray flash of a sword abruptly cut through the air.

Xia Nan, whose Perception attribute had been enhanced by his class advancement, reacted at almost the exact same time as Wood the Rogue.

The Decapitating Longsword was already drawn, its blade reflecting the cold gleam of the Short Dagger ahead of it.

He gripped the hilt tightly with both hands, his dark eyes locked straight ahead.

"Squeak!"

A long, fleshy tail left a zigzagging trail in the dust on the floor. Its already damp, gray-black fur looked even filthier caked in sewer sludge, and a pair of incisors bulging down from its upper jaw gave off a hard sheen under the dim light.

It was an enormous rat! Even crawling, it was as tall as a normal man's shin, and including its tail, it was about two meters long!

And its speed was terrifying.

By the time its full figure appeared in their line of sight, Xia Nan and the others had already entered the rat's attack range.

Its short, stout legs suddenly pushed off. The bulging, tense muscles allowed it to unleash a burst of explosive power completely inconsistent with its bloated body.

In the blink of an eye, it leaped into the air, ready to plunge its two razor-sharp incisors into the fresh, bloody meal right in front of it.

However, extremely abruptly...

...mid-leap, before the gray rat had even reached the apex of its trajectory...

...an invisible hand seemed to appear in the air.

It grabbed the creature's ugly, hairless long tail...

...and gave a vicious yank!

"Squelch!"

The sickening sound of a sharp blade tearing through flesh and bone abruptly echoed through the quiet corridor.

Blood splattered from the wound.

It convulsed and twitched, its four stubby legs thrashing in the air as a shrill, agonized wail tore from its maw.

A sturdy, iron-gray longsword with a sleek design had already pierced straight through its chest.

There was no need for deliberate force, nor any need to adjust the angle.

Xia Nan had merely raised the tip of his sword slightly and manipulated gravity.

This gray rat, which just moments ago had viewed the group before it as a delicious meal, was drawn to the blade as if magnetized, voluntarily slamming itself right onto it.

Offering up its life.