The virtual empire starts from the game

Chapter 618 The Abyss! Miners? Black Slaves! (Seeking monthly votes)
This small stone house sits high on a cliff, and even amidst the thick fog, its vantage point offers a general view of the misty mine's terrain.

This place is undoubtedly still in the rainforest.

Amidst the vast fog, rainforest plants grow in dense clusters.

However, the terrain was a bit off: below was a bottomless cliff shrouded in mist.

Looking into the distance, the fog seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, but the closer one got to the depths of the fog, the lower the terrain became, until the view was completely obscured.

The valiant sniper glanced at it a few times, but his eyes showed no joy, only bewilderment.

"Where's the game?"

"I've already paid the money and gotten the key, do I still have to find the game entrance myself?"

The situation is now clear: "Under the Deep Rock" should be shrouded in mystery ahead.

But the problem is...

I've already paid, where's the game?

A sudden burst of noise behind him interrupted his chaotic thoughts.

He turned around blankly and realized that the stone cabin was not the "lonely hunter's cabin in the rainforest" he had imagined, but was located in a bustling town!

It was just that it was located on the edge of the town and the entrance faced a cliff, so he didn't notice it at first.

This town is quite large.

Although it can't compare to the sprawling metropolis at all, it's already larger than the stranded Lost Ship in terms of area and far surpasses it in terms of liveliness.

The higher the terrain goes, the more densely packed the buildings become, making the most of the land.

On both sides of the nearby street, houses and shops are crammed together, and green vines climb freely along the walls.

Steam rose from the two-story restaurant, and the place was bustling with noise; a blacksmith clattered as he hammered away at a red-hot iron block; a small waterfall propelled a waterwheel with a whooshing sound; and several small hot air balloons slowly rose into the air.

Pedestrians greeted each other on the street, and children dressed as explorers weaved through the crowd, running around in small groups.

The bells on her body jingled, making a pleasant sound.

A strange-looking little boy with a mechanical arm chased after her, shouting, "Riko! Slow down!!"

The valiant sniper was astonished, never expecting that the development team of [Misty Mine] would create such a large town!
But when he actually opened his mouth, the first words he uttered were:

"These kids are running around in the streets, aren't they afraid something will happen? How can their parents be so careless?"

The words had barely left his mouth when he realized he was overthinking things. "Wait, there are no human traffickers in the virtual world..."

This seemingly ordinary statement immediately drew criticism from many viewers in the live stream:

"No? You've probably forgotten about Sanjay, that robber!"

"Hilarious, Sanjay gets beaten up every two days on average now. The last time he went online was half a month ago when he was in jail."

"And then there's Blacklight, the son-in-law of the Prince of San Juan. Damn it, the Governor of San Juan is a thing of the past, and this guy is still traveling around with Diana! Why isn't anyone going to beat him up?"

"Yeah! Is anyone offering a reward? I'll add 5 yuan!"

……

The valiant sniper was speechless and could only change the subject:
"Where are the other players?"

"Such a big map, it can't be a single-player area, right?"

of course not.

He soon noticed a small shed next to the house, under which sat a workbench covered in stains and scratches, barely sixty percent new.

Step forward and place your palm on the ground as instructed.

Once both palm print and fingerprint verification are successful, the holographic screen will automatically activate.

The side of the workbench opened automatically, and a basketball-sized drone slowly flew out and hovered in front of the valiant sniper.

A laser swept across his entire body, and the drone emitted an electronic sound:

"The employment contract with Deep Rock Mining Company has been signed, and the biometric information has been entered."

"Identity verification complete."

Welcome to Deeprock Mining Company!

"Current permissions: Level D miner."

"The first level of the Abyss Cavern [Underground Forest] has been unlocked."

"Tier 1 Armory unlocked, Support equipment unlocked, Daily missions unlocked, Trading system unlocked."

"Today's mining task: 200 units of copper ore. Please complete it as soon as possible."

As the drone spoke, lines of text simultaneously appeared on the holographic screen in front of the valiant sniper.

The map for the [Underground Forest] also appeared at the same time—along with a simple map of the Abyss Caverns.

That was a cross-section of a huge, vertical cave.

However, most of it was obscured by fog, with only the outline of the first layer still relatively clear.

This layer is called the Abyss, which extends from the surface to a depth of 1350 meters underground.

The [Underground Forest] mine, marked by Deep Rock Mining Company, is located about 800 meters deep in this layer.

"Alright." The valiant sniper nodded. "If you want to play games, you'll have to figure out how to get down to 800 meters deep first?"

On the edge of the cliff, there is a very simple, makeshift elevator made entirely of ropes and planks, without even a railing.

As if in response to his question, with a hissing sound, two large, sealed iron boxes on the side of the workbench slowly opened, revealing their contents—

The armory contained crossbows, pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, flamethrowers...

And so on and so forth, everything you could want.

The support equipment depot contained grappling hooks, illumination guns, drilling rigs, explosive charges, zip line launchers, and artillery emplacements...

Various types of equipment, both familiar and unfamiliar, were neatly categorized and placed in boxes.

"Alright then." The valiant sniper gave up struggling and stepped forward to choose a weapon.

The drone also flew over to provide a warning:

"Underground mining operations are fraught with danger; please be extremely careful with loads."

"It is recommended to use one light weapon and one heavy weapon. If a grappling hook gun is selected, it is not recommended to use heavy weapons."

"For solo missions, it is recommended to equip the equipment with a lighting gun and a power drill."

"Completing tasks using special support equipment combinations can activate the corresponding profession and grant talents and profession bonuses."

Without further ado, the valiant sniper first hung the essential pickaxe on his waist.

Then, remembering what Richard had said about "bugs," he decisively chose to carry a flamethrower on his back.

In the remaining light weapons slot, he picked up a familiar submachine gun.

Regarding the support equipment, I initially considered following the advice and choosing a lighting gun and a power drill.

Upon hearing the last prompt, it became clear that the combination of support equipment was crucial, as exploring alone was too inefficient.

At this moment, the identity of "strategy blogger" quickly came to mind.

He promptly sent private messages to Huan Yue, Orange Juice, and Qi Hua Hua: "We're missing 3 people for 'Under the Deep Rock'! Anyone interested?"

The three responded immediately to his call and successfully joined the group within two minutes.

Soon, the valiant sniper saw three neighbors push open the door.

Phantom Moon and Orange Juice had already chosen their weapons, and if it weren't for the call from the valiant sniper, they probably would have already set off.

Seven Flowers hasn't even started yet.

She was a little intimidated by killing insects and naturally wasn't enthusiastic about going down into the mine, but she was extremely interested in the small town behind her.

When the valiant sniper invited her to join the team, she was eating a kind of baked flatbread she had never seen before in a small restaurant, and it tasted amazing!
Under the watchful eyes of several friends, she quickly completed her gear.

Everyone selected different support equipment, and after ensuring that each piece of equipment was complete, they headed towards a simple elevator.

But the drone gave them a pleasant surprise:
"Class D miners are ready, and mining operations are about to begin."

"Deep Rock Mining Company's transport warehouse is about to be launched."

"This transportation is a benefit for Level D personnel and will not be charged separately."

The ground trembled slightly as the four transport pods slowly rose.

The four of them looked at each other.

The valiant sniper spoke first: "Well, it seems Richard isn't completely insane; spending money does pay off."

After venting their frustrations, they went into the transport warehouse first.

Having prior experience with the evacuation pods from the lost ship, the remaining three also crawled inside and secured themselves.

The robot is still making noise:
[Miners are ready; countdown to the start of transport operations]
[New miners, please remember the safety guidelines for your first time working in the mine.]
[Landing Point: Underground Forest]
[Main resources: copper ore, iron ore, with a small amount of pyroxene as a byproduct]
[Current mine swarm threat level: Low; landslide threat level: Low]
[Overall Assessment: A Lucky Day for Novice Miners]
[Holographic map plugin activated]
Wishing you all a safe journey and a fruitful return!
Just as the valiant sniper was about to complain, the entire transport pod suddenly launched into the air!
The violent tremors made him swallow all his words.

The front observation window was completely transparent, allowing him to clearly see the rapidly descending jungle and fog outside.

At the highest point of the parabola, the transport cabin is positioned at the optimal viewing angle thanks to the code.

Thus, the valiant sniper, Phantom Moon, Seven Flowers, Orange Juice, and even the millions of viewers in their live streams were able to simultaneously enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of the Abyss Caves—

In the vast rainforest, a colossal hole, seemingly bottomless, suddenly appears!

Those strange mists are actually just clouds floating above this abyss!

The town was even more enormous than what they could see on the ground—

It actually surrounded the entire abyss with a dense array of buildings!

Hot air balloons continuously rose from the town, carrying townspeople towards the Great Cave, while hot air balloons also continuously rose from the Great Cave back to the town. Inside the Great Cave, the underground forest remained lush and verdant.

But at the very center of the dense forest lies a pitch-black cave leading into an even deeper depth.

Looking up from the sky, there was only pure darkness, as if it were swallowing everything.

There is only one way to find out what lies deep inside the great hole—

Go down and see for yourself.

This single scene was enough for the valiant sniper and Phantom Moon to make their decision:

You absolutely must go and see what's at the bottom of the abyss!
At the same moment, Nanaka also made up her mind: "Unless absolutely necessary, I must not go near that awful place!"

After a brief "static viewing" period, the transport capsule was once again captured by gravity and began to plummet at high speed!
Orange Juice and Seven Flowers were caught off guard and screamed in fright.

The chat room simultaneously displayed the message "[Girl screaming]", causing viewers to burst into laughter.

Huan Yue remained relatively calm, her eyes wide as she watched the surrounding scenery rush by.

The transport cargo hold swiftly passed through the abyss-like "clouds," a dense green forest flashing past, and the altitude displayed on the hatch began to plummet—
-
80m-
220m-
663m-
800m
The moment the depth was reached, Huan Yue keenly noticed that the surrounding scene experienced a momentary "frame jump".

The next second, the drill bits at the bottom of the four transport compartments started up simultaneously, easily crushing the rocks on the ground and drilling deeper into the earth.

The transport warehouse shook violently.

Three seconds later, the rock layer was drilled through.

*4 "clang"
Four transport containers crashed heavily into the mine shaft, and the doors popped open instantly.

The four people, who were being tossed around so much that they were dizzy and disoriented, ran out of the transport cabin as if they were fleeing.

That incessantly chattering drone reappeared from somewhere and continued its rambling:

"We have successfully arrived at the underground forest!"

"4 people were expected to attend, 4 people actually attended, and there were 0 accidental deaths."

"Perfect login!"

"The landing module has alerted the Zerg in the mine. Please hurry and obtain the necessary minerals!"

"Once more than 600 units of minerals have been collected, the evacuation capsule can be called to leave the mine."

"I will record your work process throughout to help assess the progress."

"I am a legally owned asset of Deep Rock Mining Company. Please ensure my safety as much as possible. Any damage will lower the mission score and deduct mission rewards as repair costs."

"Mission notification has ended. Would you like some upbeat and exciting music to help your team with their mining work?"

Upon hearing this, the valiant sniper couldn't hold back any longer:
"Dude, what kind of shady mine is this? People are dying on the road like this?"

"If KPIs aren't met, are we not allowed to retreat?"

"The equipment broke down, and I have to pay for the repairs myself?!"

"Can I resign?"

He was just complaining, but he didn't expect the drone to actually answer his question:

“All contracts signed by Deep Rock Mining Company are lifetime employment contracts.”

"The moment you sign the agreement, you are automatically considered a lifelong employee of Deeprock Mining Company."

"Dedicate your life to the development of the great Deeprock Mining Company!"

While delivering this part, the drone even played some energetic music to enhance its persuasiveness.

Huan Yue immediately fired a shot.

With a "ding," the bullet bounced off the drone's outer shell, sending up a few sparks.

The drone swayed slightly.

"Please do not damage company property maliciously, as this may lower your team's performance rating and affect your performance and promotion."

The viewers in the live stream burst into laughter on the spot:
"Hahaha, so pressing your fingerprint was like signing a contract of servitude? You became a black slave right away?"

"Hahaha, good black slaves, good black slaves!"

"Insidious! So insidious! Could this be another of Xu Meng's cunning ideas?"

"Terrible! Absolutely terrible! Deceived and sold into slavery, forced to mine in a dark and dreary mine for the rest of their lives, hahahahaha."

……

The group exchanged glances, all speechless.

But there's not much that can be done about a company that only exists in the mouths of drone manufacturers.

"Let's mine first and finish the task first."

"Let's talk about whatever we have on the ground."

The valiant sniper, acting as captain, calmed everyone down before bluntly telling the drone, "Map!"

The drone fired a cone-shaped beam of light, and a hologram of the mine's interior appeared before the group.

But this map is different from the holographic image of Zhumeng.

It has only one grayish-white color and looks like it was formed after some kind of acoustic detection equipment scanned the mine shaft; it is quite rough.

This creates a problem—

"What is this thing??" Orange Juice asked, bewildered.

Qi Huahua frowned.

Looking at the map and then at the surrounding undulating, fragmented underground forest, I tried to connect the two.

But after looking for a long time, there was still no progress.

"Isn't there a colored map?" the valiant sniper asked.

"Yes," the drone replied. "With C-level or higher access, drones can be upgraded to obtain more advanced map detection and display equipment."

"Damn it." Orange Juice couldn't help but swear. "Black slaves have to save up money to buy manuscripts, huh?"

The drone remained silent, only nervously moving its front camera away.

"You son of a bitch!!" Orange Juice got even angrier.

"Stop playing around, something's getting closer," Huan Yue, the strongest fighter among the four, warned.

Then the group looked at the narrow opening in front of them.

As the silence fell, they also heard unusual sounds—

That was the sound of footsteps striking the rocks and the friction between carapaces.

The next second, swarms of huge insects suddenly burst out and charged straight at them!
Some large insects with green fluorescent abdomens were already spraying mucus at them as they ran.

Just seeing the dense swarm of insects made Qi Hua's legs go weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

"Holy crap!" Orange Juice exclaimed in surprise. "Wasn't it said that the Zerg swarm's threat level was low??"

"This is what you mean by low?!"

He glared at the drone.

The drone ignored him and started playing rousing music, the powerful drumbeats echoing through the mine.

"What the hell..."

"Stop playing around! Where's your turret? Set it up right now!!" Huan Yue urged.

As he spoke, he took out a platform gun and fired it at a point near the top of the mine. The peculiar ammunition instantly expanded and hardened, transforming into a solid platform about 1.5 meters square.

Then, using a zipline launcher, a steel cable was fired towards the platform.

"Let's go! First, we'll take the high ground so the bugs can't reach us!"

After saying that, he took the lead and rushed towards the platform that was suspended on the cliff face by stepping on the steel cable.

The remaining three were dumbfounded: "Brother, are we walking a tightrope?"

When did you learn this skill?

"I...I'm afraid of heights!"

The wire was only about the thickness of a thumb. They walked it while carrying heavy weapons and equipment under immense pressure from the approaching swarm of insects...

That's asking too much!
But when I looked up, Huan Yue had already run up there and started using the platform gun to create more platforms.

Orange Juice set up the turret, picked up his submachine gun, and began firing: "You guys go first, I'll cover the rear!"

Having said all that, the valiant sniper had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk onto the steel cable.

Qi Huahua's calves trembled.

Instead of walking on a tightrope, he took out a grappling hook gun and fired the hook at the top of the cave.

The next second, he was lifted into the air.

But as the platform drew closer, the grappling hook embedded in the rock suddenly loosened.

—The flamethrower she's carrying is a heavy weapon!

This resulted in the weight being severely exceeded, and the rock at the hook could not withstand it, suddenly shattering.

Seven Flowers screamed as it plummeted from the sky, falling into the surging swarm of insects below.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

A desperate scream echoed through the dense underground forest!

(End of this chapter)