Chapter 2353: The Monster That Emerged from Underground

"You, you..."

He Lingchuan saw his lips were all cracked and dry, guessing he had been hiding in the cellar for a long time, so he took out a waterskin and shook it twice, then handed it over: "Moisten your throat."

Upon hearing the sound of water, this person kept licking his lips, hurriedly took the waterskin, tilted his neck and gulped down several mouthfuls with loud glugging sounds, not stopping even after choking on the water.

He Lingchuan waited until he caught his breath before asking: "How long have you been hiding here?"

But this person countered: "On your way here, did you not see any other monsters?"

"No. Besides us, you are the only living thing in this city."

Upon hearing this, his expression darkened.

"Three hours, I returned three hours ago."

He said "returned," so the three of them understood he was originally a native of Shaocheng.

He put down the waterskin, his emotions stabilized considerably, but his eyes still brimmed with fear, especially when looking at the ghost ape and other demonic creatures beside Dong Rui: "I just came back from the mine. You, you, what kind of people are you!"

Dong Rui took over: "We tracked the great demon here, only to find this place turned into a ghost city."

He took out two white buns and a bag of dried meat from his bosom: "First tell us, who are you?"

"I, I am the mining supervisor of Shaocheng!" This person had not eaten for a long time, his eyes fixed on the white buns like a starving wolf eyeing meat, "Working at Tashan, ten li outside the northern city."

"What kind of ore is produced there?"

"Xuan, xuan crystal ore. But, but it has already been mined out."

Upon hearing this, the three exchanged glances. Over the past decade or so, frequent spiritual rains had caused imperial flow broth to seep underground, condensing into xuan crystal ore veins.

The spiritual energy was abundant, and xuan crystal ore also gushed forth like a wellspring; discovering large xuan crystal ore veins in certain regions had long ceased to be novel.

Of course, discovered xuan crystal ore veins are usually seized by the local dominant power.

Nobody would complain about having too much xuan crystal in hand.

Dong Rui passed over the meat and buns. This person wolfed down his food while answering every question.

The Tashan ore vein on the edge of Shaocheng was originally a rich mine, extensively mined over a decade ago. Shaocheng changed hands eight years ago, the new city lord being a local strongman who drove out the city's original owners and also repelled the monsters eyeing it, then firmly seated himself in the city lord's position—

Until a monster city appeared out of nowhere beside Shaocheng!

"Appeared out of nowhere?"

City walls shifting with royal banners are commonplace in today's world. Cities of heavenly treasures and earthly riches are inhabited by the virtuous, as they say.

"Yes, it sprang up overnight, rising from the ground!"

That city was larger than Shaocheng, its buildings appearing splendid, but it suddenly emerged right beside Shaocheng, its towering walls even collapsing Shaocheng's outer walls.

Shaocheng without its outer walls was like a banana peeled bare, its most vital layer of defense torn away.

Then the monster city's gates flung open, endless hordes of bizarrely shaped monsters surged out!

The city's troops mobilized urgently, but were utterly no match for those monsters; in the end, some collapsed, some fled, some were devoured.

The monsters' ferocity surged, they dragged out the city lord and officials, and in front of the entire populace devoured them clean!

On that day, who knows how many people fainted from fright on the spot.

This city lord and his subordinates were no saints either, extorting the people's fat and oiling, fishing the common folk, enforcing corvée labor, but after all they still managed this city and maintained basic order.

This horde of monsters arrived, yet turned heaven and earth upside down!

They truly did not regard humans as humans, but as livestock, as food!

After devouring the city lord, this monster horde took control of Shaocheng. Their goal was crystal clear:

The xuan crystal ore vein.

Within four months, they forced the Shaocheng people to dig out the ore vein that could have lasted ten years of mining, leaving it completely bare!

Never mind how many mining accidents occurred or how many died in between; just speaking of these over a hundred days, the Shaocheng people lived every moment in great terror, for these monsters would eat people whenever their mood turned foul.

They wanted to seek outside help, but within a hundred li radius, nobody dared come to their rescue.

Thus residents tried to flee, but most were caught back and eaten alive in public!

Unable to go or stay, people could only live with hearts in their throats.

He Lingchuan and the others, upon hearing this, all felt a silent sigh in their hearts.

This is the common state beyond the three great nations: small states with few people simply cannot resist the invasion of supernatural forces, either enslaved or flayed alive.

Shaocheng's plight is merely a microcosm of common folk in the world, not only a specially tragic version, but also destined to have no happy ending.

The mining supervisor said through tears, tears streaming down his face.

The day before yesterday afternoon, the mine yielded no ore.

The growth of xuan crystal ore veins requires time; at least five months must pass before Tashan can produce ore again.

Thus that evening, the monsters suddenly launched a massacre in the mine!

With no xuan crystal coming from the ore vein, what use are the miners? Better to turn them back into food.

Amidst a chorus of shrieks and wails, the mining supervisor and several dozen miners turned and dove into the mine shaft.

One after another, the miners behind him were seized; he gritted his teeth and squeezed into a narrow crack. The pursuing monsters were too bulky to enter, paced outside for a quarter hour, then gave up. Outside there were plenty of running, fresh meat; it was not worth expending great effort for this one morsel.

The terrified mining supervisor hid in the mine bottom for ten hours before climbing out and returning to the city.

The result was that the city had become this sight—

Everyone had been eaten clean, everyone!

"This is my home, my son, my father too were all eaten!" He put down the dried meat, burst into loud sobs, "What sin have we committed to deserve such a heavenly catastrophe!"

After returning to the city, he was hungry, tired, and afraid, hid in his home cellar and fell asleep, only to be found by He Lingchuan and the others.

"Imperial flow broth has poured down for so many years, why has the world become like this?" The mining supervisor wept, "I truly wish to return to the past! Back then there were not so many monsters, bees would not have buns as big, fleas would not suck people dry! How could my kin and friends all be eaten by monsters!"

Over the past decade or so, the great outbreak of spiritual energy has indeed brought opportunities to all beings, but simultaneously brought even greater dangers—namely, natural selection intensified and accelerated!

The world changes too fast; before most people can react, it has already become a form they cannot adapt to.

Rats are bigger than dogs, wild boars bigger than houses; a random poisonous weed in the mountains, which before might cause at most a day or two of red swelling if one carelessly scratched an arm, now can be fatal!

Even in this era, not everyone can cultivate true power, manifest divine abilities, or wield the new rules with mastery.

Those who keep pace have caught the updraft — the sky is high, let the birds fly; the sea is wide, let the fish leap — their prospects are boundless;

Those who fall behind are discarded by the whole world like worn-out shoes, sliding to the very bottom of the food chain, living in trembling caution, their lives far worse than before.

At a time like this, they grow nostalgic for the good old days.

Thanks to reader Jiyiyan for the generous reward — we have another new Alliance Leader~

Lunch is sorted, heading out to buy meat!