[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-adventures-of-hulim":3,"chapter-the-adventures-of-hulim-the-adventures-of-hulim-chapter-318":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Adventures of Hulim",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1882462,2498,"Chapter 318: The Intruder That Dwells Underground","the-adventures-of-hulim-chapter-318",318,"\u003Cp>Boom! Boom! Boom......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Continuous explosions echoed through the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only after a large stretch of trees had been flattened that the blasts finally ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......This is really strange. What’s wrong with this Caiman Thunder Rhino?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alicia stared confusedly at the massive body lying on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim looked up at the top of the cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll find out if we go up there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Up there? That makes sense......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three then flew directly up to the cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s what it is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the traces above, Hulim immediately deduced the cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This Caiman Thunder Rhino wasn’t attacking us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was running away—and we just happened to get in its way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Running away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alicia frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is a B-rank Caiman Thunder Rhino. What could make it flee like this......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Monster Great Forest, C-rank creatures were common, but B-rank apex beings were rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Essentially, each one ruled a vast territory, and conflicts between them were rare unless special circumstances arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this Caiman Thunder Rhino to flee, it meant another, more powerful being had invaded its territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to stand against it, the rhino had no choice but to run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......In any case, let’s go check it out first. There should be plenty of Magic Crystals near the Caiman Thunder Rhino’s nest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intruder was likely near the nest by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was from a neighboring territory, they might even find another high-rank creature’s lair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would probably give them enough Magic Crystals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not, they could just “borrow” some from others tomorrow......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, Hulim and the others followed the trail left by the Caiman Thunder Rhino.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After searching for a while,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the three arrived at a mist-shrouded valley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......A swamp? So the Caiman Thunder Rhino’s nest is here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chirp, chirp!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim summoned several Wind Message Birds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s wait a moment. Let’s see where the intruder is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wind Message Birds then scattered toward the swamp ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim, Miko, and Alicia waited patiently where they stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One minute, three minutes, five minutes......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten minutes passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wind Message Birds found nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was there no sign of the unknown high-rank creature—there weren’t even any smaller creatures around!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire swamp was deathly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if some terrifying presence had driven all its inhabitants into hiding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, deep in the swamp, they did find what appeared to be the Caiman Thunder Rhino’s nest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, numerous glimmering Magic Crystals were scattered about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We found the nest...... Hmm? What’s this——”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the Wind Message Birds suddenly made another discovery......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some time,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......A limestone cave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three arrived at the cave entrance the bird had found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is really well-hidden.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large tree grew above the cave mouth, its branches hanging down to almost completely block the view of the entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a distance, no one would ever suspect a cave was here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miko leaned in to peek inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could the intruder be down there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very likely. There’s no trace of it anywhere else, and here——”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alicia examined the traces at the entrance carefully,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look—there are clear marks from a large creature scraping against the rocks as it passed through!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miko turned to look where Alicia was pointing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, there were numerous scratch marks, as if made by something hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t just the rocks on either side—similar marks could be seen on the ceiling of the entrance too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This thing is really big.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do now? Go down and look for it directly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s collect the crystals near the nest first. We don’t know where this cave leads. Once we go in, we might not come out this way again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three temporarily left the cave entrance,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>turning toward the Caiman Thunder Rhino’s nest deep in the swamp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking some time to gather all the Magic Crystals,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they returned to the cave entrance once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go. Down we go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim took the lead and stepped into the cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miko and Alicia followed closely behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their figures gradually vanished into the underground darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap, tap, tap......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several sets of footsteps echoed through the underground passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once inside the cave, the three realized it was completely different from the entrance above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was enormous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the paths were incredibly complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add in the cave plants growing everywhere, and the occasional cave creature scurrying by——\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was truly a natural labyrinth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is amazing! I never knew there was such a place underground here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miko stared around in wonder, casually breaking off a glowing stalactite from the side of the path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She twirled it in her hands for a few moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the stalactite’s glow slowly faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Why did it stop shining?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim glanced back at her and explained:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s Fluorescent Blue Micro-Moss, which clings to damp stalactites. It survives on minerals and moisture from the rock—very delicate and fragile. A light touch will crush it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that’s why it stopped shining after I touched it a few times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But there are so many weird and wonderful things in this world—I could never remember them all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t need to make a point of remembering. After all, species are disappearing from Himmler every moment, and new ones are being born.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the beginning of recorded civilization, all the known and named creatures in Himmler add up to less than one-tenth of the species that exist in the world today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way! Are there really that many unknown creatures in the world?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim’s words left Miko stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm...... I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s a conclusion reached by some sages in the past.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait a second——!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim suddenly stopped walking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>her gaze fixed on the ground ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miko and Alicia followed her line of sight—and saw the traces left on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Are these the thing’s footprints?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because the ground here was no longer entirely rock but had some sand and soil, several clear footprints were left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the massive footprints, nearly a meter wide, Alicia thought carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......They look a bit like the tracks left by a bear-type creature.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to Hulim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think it is, Hulim?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim did not answer, continuing to stare at the footprints on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hulim?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......It’s nothing. Let’s keep moving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alicia stared confusedly at Hulim’s retreating back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry,”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim’s voice came from ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I already know what it is. I’ll take care of it......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some more time,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you feel like we’re going deeper and deeper underground? Could that thing be some kind of underground-dwelling monster?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miko couldn’t help but say as she looked at the increasingly dim surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, it’s not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim replied casually,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We should see it soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, the three arrived at an underground lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hulim stopped at the shore, her gaze fixed on the water’s surface ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miko looked around, but saw nothing,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and couldn’t help but ask in confusion:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s nothing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, Hulim gripped her Seven Luminaries wand horizontally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miko, Alicia—fall back to the passage we came from.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s coming out——”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>",1203,"2026-06-10T06:36:37.917Z",1,"novelbin.me","7a34d5f3e87c977fedf9439267779a96c9f0c38af55bc409c207e1a8a0e4b9a1","the-adventures-of-hulim-chapter-319","the-adventures-of-hulim-chapter-317",528,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-adventures-of-hulim-cover.jpg"]