Chapter 687 Three Days Beneath the Spider Shrine

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Marcus led his pets on a relentless killing spree through the underground passage. The two Sea Demon Souls and Pebble took the lead, drawing the monsters’ attention and holding them in place while the two Yin-Yang Giant Pandas, Goldie, Wyvern Saint Knight Lyanna, and Vixen Queen Camillo unleashed a devastating barrage of attacks.

There was hardly anything left for Marcus to do himself. Magic flashed through the passage, accompanied by the thunderous sounds of battle. Level-65 Soulless Spider Maidens and Level-68 Flower-Faced Spider Fiends fell one after another, their bodies disappearing as they converted into experience points. Equipment dropped to the ground with satisfying chimes, and Marcus happily collected the spoils whenever he had the chance.

His only real contribution was activating the passive skill of his Demonic Artifact, the Face of Nameless Fear. Nameless Fear! The skill reduced the metal-element resistance of nearby monsters by 15%, allowing his pets to inflict even more damage and clear the area at a faster pace.

’Not bad at all!’

The monsters here were practically perfect for grinding. Their levels provided a steady stream of experience, and neither their offensive power nor their defenses posed much of a challenge to his lineup. As long as he kept moving and avoided wasting time, he could accumulate experience at an impressive rate.

"Heh heh..." Marcus couldn’t help grinning as he imagined what awaited him.

Once the Yin-Yang Giant Panda reached Level 50 and underwent its second evolution, he would head straight for the second underground level, find Lady Silvia, and complete the quest. With any luck, he would soon be collecting his rewards and putting this entire adventure behind him. He had a plan, and everything was proceeding smoothly.

Unfortunately, the poor bastard had no idea what was happening back at the underground entrance. While he happily slaughtered monsters and watched his pets grow stronger, the situation above was becoming increasingly chaotic, with a growing crowd of players waiting impatiently for the black doorway to reopen.

---

"Stone, are you online?"

A melodious female voice suddenly sounded through the system.

Marcus glanced at the incoming message. It was Lydia, the Goddess of Willow Garden.

’That vixen was contacting him again?’ He couldn’t help finding it strange. Hadn’t they only parted ways yesterday? What could she possibly want now?

"Yeah..."

The moment his reply went through, a sweet smile seemed to accompany Lydia’s next message, her words carrying an unmistakably seductive tone.

"Where are you? I need to talk to you about something."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. She wanted to talk to him? That was unexpected. He had assumed she was merely teasing him when she’d said she would find him the following day. He hadn’t imagined she would actually take the initiative to contact him, let alone claim she had something important to discuss. His curiosity was piqued.

"Me? What do you want to talk about?"

"Come to Willow Garden Gourmet House. I’ve prepared a meal for you."

Marcus stared at the message for a moment. She had prepared a meal for him? Out of nowhere?

The invitation sounded suspiciously personal, especially coming from a woman as cunning and persistent as Lydia. He had no idea what she was planning, but he knew better than to assume that a beautiful woman like her would go out of her way to prepare a meal for him without a reason.

And considering her personality, there was a good chance that whatever she wanted would come with strings attached. He immediately grew wary.

"What’s this about? I’m busy right now."

"Oh, it’s difficult to explain through private messages. Just come to the restaurant, and we can talk face to face. It’ll be much easier that way."

Her tone was almost pleading. Marcus became even more suspicious. ’Why was she so insistent on meeting him in person? Had this vixen somehow fallen in love with him at first sight?’

For a brief moment, he entertained the thought. After all, he wasn’t exactly an unattractive man, and he had plenty of reasons to be confident in himself.

Then he quickly dismissed the idea. ’Don’t be ridiculous.’

He had spent enough time dealing with cunning people to know that nothing came free, especially when it involved someone as calculating as Lydia. If she was going to such lengths to arrange a private meeting, she undoubtedly wanted something from him.

And whatever it was, he had no intention of walking blindly into her trap.

Still, he couldn’t completely suppress his curiosity. Lydia wasn’t the sort of person who contacted others without a reason, and the fact that she had approached him so directly meant there was probably something worth finding out.

"I’m on a quest right now. I’ll look for you when I’m finished."

"A quest?"

Lydia’s response came almost immediately, her interest suddenly sharpening. "What quest? Where are you?"

Marcus stared at the message. ’What the hell?’ Wasn’t she supposed to have something important to discuss with him? Why did she suddenly sound more interested in his whereabouts than in whatever business she claimed to have?

Before he could respond, another message arrived.

"Where are you? Can I come over?"

Marcus was speechless. This woman really was relentless. The way she kept questioning him made it seem as though they had known each other for years, rather than having met only recently.

He could only give her a straightforward answer.

"No. I’m in a closed map."

"A closed map?"

Lydia fell silent for a moment. A closed map meant that ordinary players couldn’t freely enter or leave the area. Depending on the nature of the map, even finding the entrance could be impossible without meeting specific conditions. There was no way she could simply follow him inside.

"Fine. I’ll wait for you, then. When will you be back?"

"When?"

Marcus glanced at the Yin-Yang Giant Panda, which was still Level 45. Considering how much experience it needed before reaching Level 50, he had a fairly good idea of how long the grinding would take.

"Probably five or six days."

"Five or six days?!"

Lydia’s disbelief practically leaped off the screen. "Stone, are you messing with me? We only parted ways yesterday, and now you’re telling me you’re going on a quest that will take another five or six days?"

Marcus nearly rolled his eyes. What was wrong with this woman? She was the one who had contacted him, and she was the one insisting that he meet her. Yet now she was acting as though he had personally offended her by going on a quest.

He almost wanted to tell her that she could wait if she wanted to, or simply forget about the whole thing if she didn’t. He had his own affairs to attend to, and he wasn’t about to abandon a valuable opportunity just because she wanted to see him sooner.

Before he could fire back, however, Lydia’s tone suddenly softened. "Fine, Stone. Come to Willow Garden Gourmet House when you’re done. I’ll have a meal waiting for you."

Then, as though she had just remembered something important, she added another message. "Oh, and how did you like my cooking yesterday? Was there anything you particularly enjoyed? I’ll make it for you again."

Marcus was left staring at the screen.

"..."

What on earth was going on? She had gone from demanding to know where he was to offering to cook for him again, all within the span of a few messages.

The more he thought about it, the more suspicious he became. Whatever Lydia wanted, it certainly wasn’t as simple as sharing a meal.

He was beginning to regret agreeing to meet her at all, although he had a feeling that refusing outright would only make her even more persistent. He could already imagine the trouble waiting for him when he finally returned.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the conversation, Lydia put away her communication device and muttered under her breath.

"You little bastard. You made me lose to that brat. If you don’t give me a satisfactory explanation, I’m not letting you off that easily..."

Her flawless face remained as beautiful and seductive as ever, but a sly smile gradually spread across her lips. After a moment, she grumbled again.

"Stupid Stone. I told you yesterday that I’d come looking for you today, and now you’ve gone off on some quest in a closed map without even telling me. Couldn’t you have at least given me a heads-up? Honestly, what a bastard..."

Despite her complaints, there was no real anger in her voice. If anything, she seemed more annoyed that Marcus had disappeared before she could get the answers she wanted.

"Achoo!"

Deep underground, Marcus suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose and frowned. Someone was cursing him. And considering the circumstances, he had a pretty good idea who it was.

’That vixen Lydia!’

He honestly couldn’t remember what he had done to offend her, yet she seemed unusually fixated on him. First, she had insisted on meeting him, then she had offered to prepare a meal, and now she was acting as though he had committed some unforgivable offense by going on a quest.

What exactly did she want from him? Marcus shook his head and decided not to waste any more time thinking about it.

"Kill!"

He promptly vented his frustration on the monsters.

If Lydia wanted to complain, she could do so to her heart’s content. He had experience to grind, pets to raise, and a quest to complete. Those were far more important than trying to decipher the thoughts of a woman whose intentions he couldn’t begin to guess.

Besides, the sooner he finished his preparations, the sooner he could leave this place, and the sooner he could deal with whatever trouble Lydia had waiting for him.

---

One day passed, then two, then three.

Marcus continued roaming the underground passage, leading his pets from one group of monsters to the next. The Level 60-plus creatures provided more than enough experience to keep them progressing steadily, and the Yin-Yang Giant Panda gained approximately one level per day.

By the third day, it had already reached Level 49. At this rate, it would reach Level 50 by the following morning and undergo its second evolution.

Marcus was pleased with the progress. "Good. Keep going!" He urged his pets forward, continuing the relentless grind.

Everything was proceeding according to plan. Once the panda reached Level 50 and evolved, he would have an even stronger lineup at his disposal, making the journey into the deeper sections of the shrine considerably safer.

Meanwhile, back at the Shrine of the Spider Demoness, the members of the Blaze Phoenix Guild assigned to guard the hidden entrance were growing increasingly restless.

Three days had passed, and there was still no sign of the black doorway reopening. Worse, they couldn’t simply leave and go about their own business. They had been ordered to guard the entrance, keep an eye out for other players, and make sure no one slipped through without their knowledge. The result was three miserable days of waiting in the ruins.

Even Sakura Assassin was beginning to lose his patience. "Boss, it’s already been three days. Nothing has happened at all. Do you think there might be another exit down there?"

He glanced toward the sealed wall, his expression growing more troubled by the minute.

If the player who had entered the passage had found another way out, then they might have already completed the quest and delivered Lady Silvia to Beastmaster Manor. In that case, the Cherry Blossom Mercenaries would have wasted their time guarding a doorway that no longer mattered.

Sakura Knight was just as frustrated, but he refused to let his impatience show. After thinking for a moment, he turned toward one of the Blaze Phoenix Guild officers.

"Send more men to watch Ironstone Citadel and Beastmaster Manor. Keep a close eye on the city gates. If anyone arrives at Beastmaster Manor to turn in the quest, I want to know immediately. Report back the moment you receive any news."

"Understood!"

The officer quickly acknowledged the order and began making arrangements. Unfortunately, there was one significant problem with their plan.

They had no idea what Lady Silvia looked like. If they knew her appearance, tracking down the person who completed the quest would be considerably easier. They could watch the roads, inspect suspicious players, and perhaps even identify the person responsible before they had a chance to claim the reward.

Without that information, however, they could only monitor the entrances and wait for news.

Sakura Thief, who had been standing nearby, suddenly spoke up. "Boss, we’ve been waiting here for three days without hearing anything. Do you think the mercenary group that went inside might already be dead?"

The question caused the surrounding players to fall silent. ’Dead?’ Sakura Knight turned his gaze toward the black doorway.

For the first time in three days, the possibility genuinely crossed his mind.

’Could the person who had entered the underground passage have been killed before reaching Lady Silvia?’ If so, that might explain why there had been no movement at the entrance.

But if that was the case, where had the player gone, and why hadn’t anyone returned to claim the quest?

Sakura Knight stared at the sealed wall, his expression darkening. ’Could everyone inside really be dead?’