Chapter 345: The Charged Friendly Unit

"Get up." Cheng Shuili tapped Jiang Tang's dinosaur hat with her fingertip, "It's not a monster."

"Huh?" Jiang Tang carefully lifted her head and peered out from under the brim.

When she saw that the Fire Lizard was indeed just standing dumbfounded, even beginning to scratch its neck with its hind legs, she froze for a moment, then her face flushed quickly, "Oh, oh... I knew it! At a glance it posed no threat!"

She forced herself to stay calm, stood up, brushed the dust off her pajamas, and tried hard to straighten the crumpled dinosaur tail she was hugging.

People tend to act busy when embarrassed; indeed, that saying is a timeless truth.

Cheng Shuili ignored her self‑preserving remark and refocused on the Fire Lizard.

It must be the Friendly Unit the system mentioned, which means... this creature will give them a hint?

Cheng Shuili took two steps forward, stopped a few meters away from the Fire Lizard, and observed carefully.

The creature seemed to completely ignore the two unexpected guests, scratched its itch and then flopped down, its chin resting on the cold stone, amber‑colored eyes half‑closed, looking as if ready to nap again.

"Friendly… Friendly Unit?" Jiang Tang shuffled over, murmuring softly, "It looks... not very smart. What hint will it give us?"

Cheng Shuili gave no answer, her gaze sweeping over the rock wall behind the Fire Lizard and the passage nearly blocked by its massive body.

The hint might be behind it, or require interaction with it.

She tried to cough lightly.

The Fire Lizard's eyelids lifted briefly, then drooped again.

Jiang Tang mimicked a little "tsk tsk" dog‑calling sound, trying to attract attention.

The Fire Lizard's tail lazily swept, flinging a few small stones, and then nothing more followed.

"Is it asleep?" Jiang Tang looked at Cheng Shuili.

Cheng Shuili hesitated for a moment without answering, when Jiang Tang remembered something, rummaged inside the dinosaur pajamas, and miraculously produced a piece of jerky wrapped in white cloth.

She unfolded the cloth and gently tossed the jerky in front of the Fire Lizard's nose.

Sniff sniff—

The Fire Lizard's huge nose twitched twice, and its half‑closed eyes finally opened fully.

It glanced at the jerky before it, then slowly lifted its head to look at Jiang Tang, as if confirming something.

Then it stuck out its dark‑red, forked tongue, precisely wrapped the jerky into its mouth, chewed twice, and swallowed it.

After eating, it looked at Jiang Tang again, its gaze now carrying a hint of anticipation.

Cheng Shuili truly hadn't expected such a method, nor that Jiang Tang could pull jerky out of the pajama pocket.

Watching Jiang Tang interact with the Fire Lizard, she couldn't help asking, "Where did the jerky come from?"

"We've caught a lot of prey lately," Jiang Tang said shyly, "Our few refrigerators are full, and I really want jerky, so I begged sister Wan Yi to make some for me."

As she spoke, she pulled out another piece, "Lao Da, want a taste? Sister Wan Yi's roast is delicious."

Cheng Shuili hesitated for a moment, then took a piece.

The jerky's aroma filled the cold, dim mine, and the giant Fire Lizard's amber eyes brightened noticeably; its massive head even leaned forward slightly, showing an obvious yearning.

It let out a low, almost whimpering snore from its throat, and its stout tail ceased its lazy sweeping, instead tapping the ground lightly with some urgency.

Jiang Tang watched its reaction, then lowered her head to look at the jerky in her hand, muttering, "Reluctant to give up the jerky, can't get the treasure…", then inhaled deeply and tossed the jerky again.

The Fire Lizard swiftly flicked its tongue, snatched up the jerky, and chewed it even more savorily.

After eating, it didn't immediately revert to laziness; instead it shook its massive head and moved slowly.

It walked two steps along the passage, then turned its head to glance at the two people standing still, and stretched its neck toward the tunnel ahead.

That means...

Cheng Shuili suddenly realized, "Let's go, follow it."

Jiang Tang, as if waking from a dream, hurriedly grabbed the dinosaur tail and kept close behind.

After this corner, a torch was stuck in the wall, the source of the terrifying shadow the two had seen.

The Fire Lizard led them through the entire passage, then through the next fork, and only then slowed to a stop, its gaze desirously fixed on Jiang Tang.

Jiang Tang: "......"

Cheng Shuili: "......"

The Fire Lizards in this territory are truly cute, after all.

This Friendly Unit's hint seems to charge by the path.

The Fire Lizard stopped ahead, its amber eyes unblinking as they stared at Jiang Tang... the jerky in her hand, its stout tail intermittently patting the ground, waiting patiently.

Jiang Tang wore a bitter expression, reluctantly pulling out another piece of jerky and tossing it to the Fire Lizard.

After several forks, the Fire Lizard stopped again—unsure which time—to try the same trick.

Jiang Tang frowned, trying to bargain, "This is the last piece! Lead us to the treasure, and this is yours!"

The Fire Lizard seemed to understand, emitting a low, slightly urging snore from its throat, then turned and continued crawling forward slowly.

This time it moved a bit faster, as if truly spurred by the final piece.

Cheng Shuili and Jiang Tang followed closely behind.

Along the way, the forks they passed started with only two branches, but at the nearest one there were as many as eight.

Cheng Shuili and Jiang Tang kept close behind the Fire Lizard until it stopped before a rock wall that looked like a dead end.

It nudged the uneven rock wall with its massive head, producing a dull scraping sound, then turned around, eyes pleading at Jiang Tang.

Jiang Tang hesitated briefly, then tossed the jerky over.

The Fire Lizard caught it precisely, chewed contentedly, and only after swallowing that final piece did it happily flick its tail against the stone wall behind.

It seems to mean...

Right here?

Cheng Shuili paused, pulled out the Engineer's Shovel, dug forcefully, and the loosened rubble and mud cascaded down, revealing a pitch‑black opening behind that could barely accommodate a single person crawling.

Cheng Shuili bent over and peered inside.

Inside, the empty land had open boxes placed; the boxes were filled with irregular black stones, exactly the Abyssal Stone she was looking for!

Cheng Shuili felt a surge of joy, then immediately her brows furrowed again.

They hide things so strictly; the system must be afraid players will discover it, huh?

If it weren't for Jiang Tang choosing the right fork at the start, encountering this Fire Lizard, and also having the jerky she carried...

Not to mention two hours; even if given eight or ten hours, they might not necessarily be able to find it.

Cheng Shuili thought, and inadvertently glanced at Jiang Tang holding her tail nearby, unable to help but think in her heart: "Next time I still have to bring her along."