Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

In the study of the Emerald Mansion, Ron slowly opened his eyes.

Those fragments of memory from Euphemia, like the receding tide, left mottled traces on the edge of consciousness.

He could feel the texture of every image.

The vampire witch's loneliness and perseverance in the underground laboratory, the blood samples twisting and struggling under the microscope, and the countless eyes yearning for hope deep in the city of Twilight.

"The counterbalancing effect between pollutants and the extraordinary properties of vampires"

Ron mentally worked out the equation:
"Her idea is indeed ingenious. Using the 'toxins' of the industrial age to neutralize the 'madness' in the blood, this concept of fighting poison with poison is itself very inspiring."

"Unfortunately, a key catalyst is missing to stabilize the entire reaction system."

He stood up and walked toward the hidden safe next to the bookshelf.

As fingertips traced the rune lock on the cabinet door, the magic circuit lit up, and the heavy metal door opened silently.

Deep inside the safe lay a sealed container made of a special alloy.

The container's surface is engraved with dense isolation runes, yet one can still feel a faint but continuous energy pulse emanating from within.

Ron carefully took out the container and placed it on the lab table.

When he broke the first seal, a ghostly blue fluorescence seeped through the cracks in the container wall, casting eerie light and shadow in the dimly lit study.

"High-concentration abyssal crystals"

He stared at the fist-sized, translucent, deep blue crystal inside the container:
"A derivative of the 'Lungs of Chaos' from deep within the core of the planet Stoker."

It contains almost pure abyssal primordial energy; an ordinary wizard will suffer irreversible mental corruption after five seconds of contact.

"However."

Ron stroked his chin, pondering:
"This extreme 'chaotic' characteristic is precisely what gives it the potential to act as a universal catalyst."

It can break any stable chemical bond, recombine the most stubborn particle structures, and even reconcile seemingly incompatible opposing forces.

"If an appropriate amount of Abyss Crystal Powder is added to Euphemia's contaminated blood recipe..."

His mind, like intricate gears, began to operate at high speed:
"The 'chaotic' attribute of the abyss will act as a buffer layer, absorbing the energy impact generated when chemical pollutants collide with the extraordinary characteristics of the vampires."

At the same time, the 'Chaotic Adaptation' bloodline that Nari left in her body can resonate with the Abyss Crystal, forming a dynamically balanced triangular structure.

"In this way, we can maintain a sufficiently strong 'frenzy isolation effect' without completely destroying the vampire's extraordinary vitality!"

The moment his thoughts flowed smoothly, Ron felt a long-lost excitement.

This feeling is like when you solve an academic puzzle that has puzzled you for many years, and all the fragments suddenly come together to form a complete picture.

"only"

He resealed the container, his gaze becoming profound.
"High-concentration abyssal crystals are no ordinary substance."

Even in the main world, crystals of this purity are strictly controlled strategic resources, and the Alliance keeps detailed records of where every gram goes.

"And that's the only way I can obtain a stable supply."

Ron's consciousness extended into another dimension, traversing the barrier of the starry sea, reaching that world where metal and fire intertwined:
"It's the Star of the Forge, that treasure trove of minerals that is coveted by the three great wizarding powers of the Vinard Colony, the Molten Lord, and the Forge Makers."

He closed his eyes and immersed his consciousness in the blood connection with the "ink".

Due to the difference in the flow of time, forty years have passed on the Stoker Star.

Forty years ago, in the western mining district of Stoker City, when Ron began his secluded cultivation on the fifth level of the Abyss, "Karen," far away on Stoker City, had already firmly taken control of this mining district that had once been regarded as a place of exile.

Thirty-six mines, tens of thousands of "coal smoke workers," and the No. 7 mine shaft that goes deep underground and touches forbidden territory.

The rule of "Ink," conducted in Karen's name, was far more efficient than that of any native governor.

It can display majesty and wisdom like a human, and when necessary, it can simultaneously control hundreds of "miniature clones" through the network to achieve true "omniscient and omnipotent" management.

The mine's output tripled in five years.

The death rate among workers has decreased by 60%.

Even the most stubborn and veteran overseers began to genuinely respect this "Iron-Blooded Governor."

However, these apparent achievements were merely a facade to conceal Ron's true objectives.

His true intentions, from the very beginning, were focused on the location of the "Lung of Chaos," an underground forbidden zone that the High Priest had explicitly forbidden to mine.

"To directly defy the High Priest's decree? That's tantamount to suicide."

One late night, Karen stood alone at the entrance of Mine No. 7, gazing through her "ink" perception at the sealed darkness below:
"Even Vinard has to be wary of this ancient being's power. To rashly cross the line set by Him will only bring trouble upon oneself."

"So, what I need is an 'accident'."

“An opportunity that seemed perfectly reasonable, beyond reproach, and even forced the High Priest to acquiesce to my entry into the forbidden zone.”

Ron transmitted a series of precise instructions to "Ink" through their bloodline connection.

For the next ten years, Mine No. 7 maintained a normal production pace on the surface.

Miners routinely extract shallow "dormant salt" every day, and technicians regularly check the stability of the supporting structure; everything seems unremarkable.

Only in those unnoticed, shadowy corners is "grave mold" quietly spreading.

They can survive in environments with extreme oxygen deficiency, high temperature, and high pressure.

Furthermore, it possesses an astonishing "source-seeking" instinct, instinctively growing towards the direction with the highest energy concentration.

The more crucial characteristic is this mold's almost pathological affinity for the "chaotic" atmosphere.

Before venturing deep into the restricted area, Ron used extremely covert methods to drop a small cluster of tomb mold spores carrying the aura of Nari's "symbiotic mark" into the deepest part of Mine No. 7.

It was an operation carefully disguised as a "routine geological exploration".

On the surface, the technical team was simply measuring the direction of the ore vein and incidentally collecting some rock samples for compositional analysis.

In fact, a thumb-sized "biocapsule" was cleverly left behind in an inconspicuous crevice 300 meters from the edge of the restricted area.

The capsules degrade naturally after three months, releasing the fungal spores inside.

For the next nine years and seven months, these tiny lives spread in all directions like a spider web, at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, along rock fissures, mineral vein branches, and underground waterways.

They grow, divide, and spread in the darkness, weaving a vast network of mycelium that covers the entire perimeter of the restricted area.

This network is both Ron's "eyes" and a navigation map to the "lungs of chaos".

When the mold network reached the edge of that dormant "lung of chaos," everything changed.

The fifteenth year, late autumn on the star of the stoker.

The Earth's surface is experiencing a rare sandstorm, and the yellowish-brown sky is as oppressive as rust.

Deep underground, however, a more profound change is quietly taking place.

The hyphae of the fungus in the tomb came into contact with the energy field emanating from the fragments of the "Lungs of Chaos" for the first time.

That energy is deadly radiation for ordinary organisms, but for these molds modified by Nari's "symbiotic mark," it is as warm as a mother's embrace.

The fragments sensed an "aura".

It was an extremely faint yet incredibly familiar fluctuation.

The aura emanated from the "mother" being herself, yet it was mixed with a new, benevolent frequency.

For the first time, the "heart and lungs," which had been dormant for countless millennia, responded.

"Boom!"

It was an extremely low-frequency energy pulse, so low that it was almost undetectable by conventional instruments.

The sound waves penetrated the rock strata, like a sleeping giant turning over, causing tremors that spread throughout the entire mining area.

The miners on the surface only felt a slight tremor under their feet and thought it was an irregular earthquake.

The technicians checked the monitoring equipment and found that the values ​​fluctuated within the normal range, so they didn't think much of it.

Only the "ink," through its connection with the mold network, could clearly "hear" the heartbeat from the abyss.

"found it."

He stood at the window of the governor's mansion:
"Next, we just need to wait for the right opportunity."

The awakening of the "Lungs of Chaos" brings more than just that one pulse.

Over the next few months, the geological environment of the entire No. 7 mine began to undergo subtle changes.

The metal content of the ore fluctuates inexplicably, sometimes reaching a purity of 97%, and sometimes suddenly dropping to 63%.

The "boundary pillars" in the supporting structure began to show abnormal metal fatigue, with dense, fine cracks appearing on the surface of the pillars.

The miners began collectively reporting a strange auditory hallucination; they said they could hear “breathing” sounds coming from underground.

The voice was extremely low and extremely slow.

It rang every fifteen minutes, as if the entire mine were the chest cavity of some behemoth.

The technical team conducted a detailed investigation into this matter.

They inspected the ventilation system, measured changes in air pressure, and even invited "priests" sent by the temple to perform a ritual.

The conclusion is: everything is normal.

The so-called "breathing sounds" are classified as a collective hallucination caused by workers being under high-pressure working conditions for a long time, as well as a kind of acoustic resonance phenomenon that has not yet been identified.

Ron was extremely satisfied with this conclusion.

Because he knew very well that those "breathing sounds" did exist, and that the source was precisely that chaotic lung that was "awakening".

Each energy pulsation of the fragment triggers microscopic vibrations in the surrounding ore.

These vibrations are transmitted along the veins and amplified in the rock strata, eventually forming low-frequency sound waves that workers can perceive.

"Continue to sleep."

He said softly to himself:
"Sleep some more until your 'heartbeat' is strong enough to shake that foolish 'boundary pillar'."

Time marches on relentlessly.

This day, at the deepest point of Mine No. 7.

The boundary pillar, bestowed by the temple and hailed as "immortal for a thousand years," finally succumbed to the continuous high-frequency resonance.

"Crack——————!"

A crisp cracking sound echoed from deep underground.

The giant pillar, three meters in diameter and twenty meters high, forged from a special alloy, was neatly broken in two at the middle.

The failure of the support point immediately triggered a chain reaction.

The surrounding secondary support structures could not withstand the sudden increase in pressure and collapsed one after another.

Tens of thousands of tons of rocks, ore, and metal debris poured down like a floodgate being opened.

"Boom boom boom boom boom!"

The deafening roar traveled through the rock layers to the surface.

The entire mining area trembled, and countless miners fled in terror from various mine shafts, believing that the end of the world had arrived.

Smoke and dust, like a black dragon, billowed from the entrance of Mine No. 7, turning half the sky gray-black.

When everything returned to calm, the deepest tunnel in Mine No. 7 had completely collapsed.

To make matters worse, the landslide area was right on the edge of the "restricted zone".

The dozen or so workers who happened to be "secretly exploring," along with their exploration equipment worth thousands of gold coins, were all buried inside the restricted area.

The atmosphere in the conference room of the mining district governor's office was as heavy as the sky before a storm.

Seated around a huge metal round table were some of the mine's most key managers:
Safety supervisor "Iron Hammer" Green, an old goldsmith covered in scars and with only one eye left, is responsible for the mine's armed forces and daily security.

Technical Director Lester, nicknamed "The Abacus," is a middle-aged man with thick glasses whose fingers are always stained with ink and lead dust from blueprints.

Marceline, nicknamed "Copper Bead," is the only female executive in the mining area. She is as shrewd as a fox and controls all the resource distribution in the mining district.

There's also the person in charge of the waste ore recycling project, that marginalized former supervisor—Old Man Bach.

Karen sat at the head of the round table, her fingers tapping lightly on the surface, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

"Seventeen workers, three exploration instruments, and a boundary pillar specially bestowed by the temple."

His voice was full of pressure:
"This is the list of losses for today."

No one dared to speak.

"Iron hammer".

Karen turns to security chief:
"According to the mining safety regulations, any exploration work exceeding 2,500 meters in depth must be reported to the Governor's Office three days in advance and obtain written approval. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Your Excellency the Governor."

Iron Hammer Green immediately stood up, his voice booming:
"This is an ironclad rule you enacted in your first year in office!"

"very good."

Karen nodded, then turned her gaze to the technical director:
"Leicester, please tell me, in the past three days, have you received any applications for depth exploration of Mine No. 7?"

Lester, the abacus master, opened the thick register in front of him, examined it carefully, and then shook his head:
"No, Your Excellency."

In the past week, the No. 7 mine has only received routine shallow sampling requests.

"That's right."

Karen's fingers stopped tapping.

He slowly stood up, his gaze sharp as a knife as he fixed it on old man Bach:
"Then, Director Bach, could you explain why seventeen workers and three exploration instruments were present at the restricted area boundary without authorization?"

"Who sent them?"

This question struck Bach like a heavy blow.

The old man's face turned pale instantly, and cold sweat began to seep from his forehead.

The other people in the conference room also turned their gazes to him, their eyes filled with surprise, suspicion, and schadenfreude.

"me."

Bach opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't utter a complete sentence.

He knew, of course, that those people were people he had arranged.

Over the years, he had been marginalized in the "waste ore recycling" project and harbored resentment.

He was unwilling to be trampled underfoot by an "outsider" and unwilling to see his former power vanish into nothingness.

So he was secretly looking for an opportunity to find something to hold against Karen and to find evidence that could bring down the governor.

The unusual energy fluctuations deep within the No. 7 mine caught his attention.

He secretly organized a small team and, using his past connections, bypassed the normal approval process, hoping to find out the truth before Karen could.

If he discovers something of value, he can claim credit before the temple.
If he discovers that Karen is hiding something, he can use that as a pretext to make trouble.
But he never expected such a serious landslide to occur.

What was even more unexpected was that Karen would bring this up directly in front of all the senior executives at this moment.

"Your Excellency, I..."

Bach spoke with difficulty, attempting to explain:
"I'm just looking out for safety in the mining area and want to check for potential geological risks in advance."

"Oh? Security considerations?"

Karen's lips curled into a cold smile:
"Then why didn't you report it to me? Why did you bypass the normal procedures? Why did you send people into such a dangerous area without my knowledge?"

He approached Bach step by step, each question like a nail, pinning the other to the pillar of shame:
“You are in charge of ‘waste ore recycling,’ Director Bach. Geological exploration is not within your scope of responsibility.”

"Overstepping authority and violating regulations resulted in the loss of seventeen lives and a significant amount of temple property."

Karen stopped in front of Bach, looking down at this former local tyrant:
“According to the mining code, these crimes are enough to send you to the temple and turn you into an ‘iron slave’.”

The entire conference room fell into a suffocating silence.

The other managers all kept their heads down, not daring to make a sound.

They are all shrewd people, so they could naturally see it.

The governor is using this as an excuse to thoroughly eliminate Bach, this potential threat.

Bach's face turned ashen.

He knew he was finished.

In this strictly regulated mining area, under Karen's absolute control, he had no chance of turning the tables.

"Governor"

His voice was pleading:
"I...I'm willing to accept any punishment, just please...don't send me there."

"punish?"

Karen's voice suddenly softened, a change that only made people more uneasy.
"Director Bach, you've misunderstood."

"I have never been a cruel person."

He turned and walked back to the head of the table, sitting down again.
"The deaths of those seventeen workers were indeed caused by your unauthorized actions."

But tracing back to the source, the real culprit was that sudden geological disaster.

"Your mistake was violating procedures, not premeditated murder."

Karen's tone became businesslike:
"Therefore, my decision is to temporarily suspend my duties and accept the investigation."

"Until the temple's overseer priest confirms the attribution of responsibility, all your duties will be performed by your deputy."

"As compensation."

He looked at Marceline, the supplies coordinator:
“A sum of money will be allocated from the personal account of Bach, and distributed to the families of the seventeen deceased workers.”

This decision can be described as a combination of kindness and severity.

On the surface, it was a "temporary suspension," giving Bach a graceful way out;
In reality, everyone knows that being suspended from work in a place like a mine is basically equivalent to being permanently out of the game.

What's even more ruthless is that "compensation payment".

The temple did not have a system of compensation for "workers".

So how much to take out depends entirely on Karen's mood.

This "compensation" not only appeased the deceased's family but also completely deprived Bach of the means to make a comeback.

That's brilliant.

The other managers secretly admired him.

The governor's move demonstrated his respect for the lives of his subordinates, his determination to severely punish those who violated the rules, and also resolved a long-standing problem.

"Thank you for your mercy, Governor."

Bach rose shakily, bowed deeply, and then staggered out of the conference room.

His back view resembled that of a tiger with its fangs pulled out, devoid of its former majesty.

The atmosphere eased slightly after the meeting room door closed.

"Now, let's get down to business."

Karen unrolled a roll of parchment containing a detailed cross-section of a mine shaft:
"The breaking of the boundary pillar was not an accident."

Based on my continuous monitoring over this period, there are some unknown energy fluctuations deep within Mine No. 7.

"The frequency of this fluctuation interfered with the resonant frequency of the boundary pillar, ultimately leading to metal fatigue and structural collapse."

His finger traced across the drawing, pointing to the shaded area marked "No Entry":
“If we don’t address the root cause of the problem, even if we rebuild the support structure, it will only be a temporary fix. The next collapse could happen at any time.”

Technical Director Lester adjusted his glasses and carefully studied the blueprints:
"Does the Governor mean we need to venture deep into the forbidden zone to find the source of the energy fluctuations?"

"Yes."

Karen nodded:
“Moreover, those seventeen workers and three exploration instruments are still buried in the landslide area. Even from a purely economic perspective, we must organize a rescue operation.” “But…”

Iron Hammer Green hesitated before speaking:
"The High Priest's decree."

"I see."

Karen's voice was firm:
“This does indeed violate the prohibition and may incur the wrath of the High Priest.”

"But please consider this: the Boundary Pillars are the property of the temple, the workers are legitimate laborers recognized by the temple, and each of those exploration instruments is extremely valuable."

"If we do nothing and let them remain buried in the restricted area..."

His tone became heavy:
"If the temple investigates, how will we explain ourselves?"

"Moreover, I am not going to 'mine' the forbidden area, but only to repair the temple's property and rescue the trapped workers."

"This is a necessary technical measure to fulfill our responsibilities as mine area managers!"

Karen stood up and her gaze swept over everyone present:
“I have prepared a detailed report, which I will submit to the temple along with my request.”

"If the High Priest wishes to punish me, I, as the Governor of the Mines, am willing to bear full responsibility!"

These words were spoken with great passion and were filled with a tragic sense of pleading for the people.

However, the managers present were all astute and could naturally discern the underlying meaning.

The governor is using this "accident" to legitimately enter the restricted area.

Moreover, by taking all the blame upon himself, he gave his subordinates room to shirk responsibility should the high priest investigate later.

"Your Excellency is wise!"

Green was the first to comment:
"I am willing to lead my elite guards to accompany you deep into the forbidden area!"

"I'll be in charge of preparing all the technical equipment and geological exploration tools!"

Lester immediately followed suit with his abacus.

"I will fully cooperate in the allocation of supplies!"

Marceline also expressed her opinion.

Karen nodded in satisfaction:
"Very good. Then, from now on, activate the emergency response plan."

"Iron Hammer, select thirty of the most elite miners to form the core of the rescue team."

“Leicester, prepare two complete support systems, as well as the ‘reverse resonance base’ I designed earlier.”

"Marcelin, allocate enough supplies for three days."

"I will personally lead the team."

"I need the rescue team ready within three days."

"As for the High Priest, I think He will acquiesce."

Three days later, an exquisitely worded report appeared on the altar of the central temple in Hearthstone City via the temple's special teleportation array.

The High Priest, the mysterious being who controls the entire Stoker Star, is currently seated on the throne at the highest level of the temple.

No one has ever seen His form, His voice is never spoken, yet His will is like an invisible hand, controlling every inch of this world.

When the report appeared before Him, an invisible will swept over the words.

In just three seconds, He finished reading all the content and understood all the metaphors between the lines.

"interesting."

A gender-neutral voice, neither male nor female, echoed in the empty temple hall:
"This young man named Karen is quite capable."

"They break the rules by using 'accidents' and then disguise their purpose with 'duty'."

It gave me both a reason to refuse and a way to tacitly agree.

"If I refuse, the destruction of the boundary pillars and the shutdown of the mine will be a huge loss;"
If I agree, he can legitimately enter the restricted area.

He was silent for a moment, as if he was thinking about something.

Finally, a golden light shot out from the throne, landing above the report and condensing into a line of ancient runes:
[Repairs are permitted, and a supervising priest is dispatched to accompany the work.]

Any unusual activity will be dealt with swiftly and without exception.

When the divine message was relayed back to the mining area, Ron immediately set aside a sliver of his consciousness on the ink, personally controlling it to ensure everything went perfectly.

"The first step is completed."

He said softly to himself:
"Next, it's time to go see that 'sleeping behemoth'."

In the underground equipment depot of the mining district governor's mansion, he began to carefully inspect each piece of equipment that was about to be brought into the restricted area.

Lanterns, face masks, emergency medicines, geological exploration instruments, and the core component of the "reverse resonance base" that he designed himself.
Everything has undergone triple testing to ensure that no mistakes will occur at critical moments.

"Your Majesty the Governor."

Iron Hammer Green pushed open the door, followed by a tall figure:

"The overseer priest has arrived."

Karen looked up, her gaze falling on the person who had just stepped into the armory.

It was a giant over two and a half meters tall, his entire body shrouded in a heavy black priest's robe.

The hood completely covered his face, with only two points of dark gold light occasionally flashing in the shadows.

The priest exuded an inhuman aura that made him very uncomfortable.

"Your Excellency, High Priest of the Oversight Department."

Karen performed a standard aristocratic bow, her attitude respectful but not servile:

"Welcome to the rescue team. With you by our side, this operation will surely go much more smoothly."

The overseer priest did not respond.

It simply stood there quietly, its gaze beneath the hood as sharp as a knife.

Scanning every item and every corner of the armory, I imprinted every detail in my mind.

A deep, hollow voice came from deep within the hood:
When will it be completed?

The sound wasn't loud, but it had a certain metallic quality, like the harsh friction of steel being ground.

"Tomorrow morning."

Karen replied:

"The rescue team has been assembled, and the final inspection of all equipment will be completed tonight. We will go down the well at daybreak."

The overseer priest nodded slightly, then turned and left.

He walked very slowly, and the footprints he left behind faintly showed signs of burning on the ground.

Only after the heavy footsteps had completely faded into the distance did Iron Hammer Green dare to speak:
“Your Excellency, this overseer priest seems even more formidable than those ‘Iron Slaves’.”

"Of course they're not to be trifled with."

Karen bent down again to inspect the equipment:
"Anyone sent by the High Priest to monitor such a sensitive operation must be an absolute confidant."

Their strength is at least above that of the 'Iron Slaves of Law Enforcement,' and may have already reached the level of the 'High Priest.'

"Then us"

Hammer asked with some concern:

"Can you really accomplish what you've planned right under his nose?"

Karen stopped what she was doing and looked up at the loyal security chief.

At this moment, the perception of "ink" penetrated the surface of Karen's body and established a deeper connection with Ron's main body, who was in seclusion on the fifth level of the abyss and had now broken through to the Dark Sun level.

A highly complex thought process is rapidly synchronizing between the two consciousnesses:
Analysis of the behavior patterns of the monitoring priests, prediction of possible surveillance methods, and multiple deductions of response strategies;

And how should that crucial "smoke and mirrors" be implemented?
All of this was done in less than three seconds.

"can."

Karen finally spoke, her voice filled with certainty:
"Because we don't want to 'deceive' him, but rather to make him 'believe willingly'."

"There is a fundamental difference between the two."

Hammer Green nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Although he didn't quite understand the deeper meaning behind the governor's words, he wisely chose not to ask any further questions.

"Go and get ready." Karen waved her hand.

Tomorrow will be a long day.

The next morning, at the entrance to Mine No. 7.

As the first rays of dawn pierced through the ever-present smoke and dust over the mining area, the rescue team had already assembled at the mine entrance.

Core members include:

Karen herself, as the overall commander;
The overseer priest, acting as the "eyes" of the high priest;
Iron Hammer Green led a team of ten elite miners' guards;
Technical Director Lester and his five assistants;

There were also fifteen experienced veteran miners responsible for clearing the way and conducting rescue operations.

Everyone was wearing specially made protective gear, with "mental isolation runes" personally designed by Karen engraved on the surface of these armors.

While it cannot completely block abyssal radiation, it can at least protect the wearer's sanity from being eroded in the short term.

"Everyone."

Karen stood at the mine entrance, surveying the group:

“The area we are about to enter is more dangerous than any mine you have ever been to before.”

"The temperature there could be high enough to melt iron, or it could be so low that your breath would freeze into ice."

"The air there is full of unknown radiation, and prolonged exposure can lead to hallucinations, insanity, or even death."

"The geological structure there is extremely unstable, and a secondary collapse could occur at any time."

His voice was serious:

"But there is temple property that needs to be salvaged, and seven of our companions are still buried underneath."

"If anyone wants to quit, now is the last chance."

silence.

More than thirty pairs of eyes stared at Karen, and not a single person took a step back.

Many of these miners only truly began to live "human" lives after Karen's reforms.

In the past, they were just consumables, just talking tools; once they died, they were simply buried in a random hole.

But things are different now.

The governor provided them with reasonable pay, basic medical care, and even allowed their children to attend the mining district school to learn to read and write.

This gratitude made them willing to die for Karen.

"very good."

Karen nodded in satisfaction:

"Then, let's go!"

The team began to enter the mine in an orderly manner.

The lantern's light flickered in the darkness, illuminating the tunnel that stretched downwards, seemingly leading to the depths of hell.

Karen walked in the middle of the group, closely followed by the overseer priest.

The mysterious being maintained a distance of three steps, neither too close nor too far.

He neither interfered with Karen's command nor allowed him to leave his sight.

It's declining, a continuous decline.

One thousand meters.

Two thousand meters.

Two thousand five hundred meters.

When the team arrived at the landslide area, everyone was shocked by what they saw.

What should have been a well-maintained mine tunnel has now become a huge "wound".

Tens of thousands of tons of rocks and metal debris are mixed together.

Like the residue chewed and spat out by a giant beast, it piled up into a "mountain of ruins" tens of meters high.

The mountain surface was still emitting scorching steam, and the air was filled with a mixture of sulfur and burnt smells.

"Start your homework!"

At Hammer Green's command, the miners immediately sprang into action.

Some people were responsible for building the supporting frame, while others were responsible for clearing away the rubble;
Others were operating makeshift mechanical devices, attempting to dig a passage through the ruins of the mountain.

Karen and Leicester set up geological exploration instruments at the edge of the ruins.

The circuit spread across the ground, like some kind of glowing vine extending probe tentacles into the depths of the ruins.

The overseer priest stood not far away, his eyes, hidden beneath his hood, constantly watching Karen's every move.

“Abnormal energy fluctuations, located directly below, at a depth of approximately 350 meters.”

Lester stared at the fluctuating readings on the instrument, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
“Your Excellency, the intensity of this fluctuation has exceeded the instrument’s measurement limit.”

"I know."

Karen nodded solemnly:

"That is the 'epicenter' that caused the landslide, and it's also the place we must get to."

He looked up at the overseer priest:

"Sir, the road ahead will be dangerous. If you do not wish to take the risk, you may wait here."

"go ahead."

The overseer priest interrupted him, his tone unwavering:

“I have been ordered by the High Priest to oversee all your actions. Wherever you go, I will follow.”

"understood."

Karen took a deep breath and turned to the team:
"Keep digging! Target—directly below the ruins mountain, at a depth of 350 meters!"

The next six hours were a tough struggle against time, nature, and the unknown terrors.

The miners wielded picks and shovels, carving out narrow passages bit by bit through the ruins.

A support frame needs to be erected every ten meters.

The energy core of the protective equipment must be replaced every twenty meters.

As the depth increased, the surrounding environment began to become increasingly eerie.

The temperature fluctuates wildly—sometimes it's as hot as being in a furnace, and other times it drops so fast that your breath freezes.

Even more strangely, everyone began to hear that legendary "breathing sound".

"Huhu."

Extremely low and extremely slow, like the snoring of a sleeping giant.

With each inhale, the surrounding rock walls slightly cave in.
With each exhale, the rock wall expands slightly.

The entire mine seemed to be the body of some living thing.

"keep Calm!"

Karen's voice echoed in the corridor:
"This is just a natural adjustment of the geological structure! Don't be misled by illusions!"

But he knew very well that it was by no means a "natural adjustment".

That was the pulse of the "Lungs of Chaos".

Through the connection between the "ink" and the tomb's mold network, Ron was able to clearly perceive:

Less than a kilometer ahead, the enormous "heart" that had been dormant for countless years was slowly awakening.

Each pulse releases terrifying abyssal radiation.

The radiation erodes the surrounding rock layers, altering the basic structure of the matter.

This gradually transformed the area from a "mine" into part of a "living organ."

"A cavity has appeared ahead!"

The lead miner suddenly shouted:
"Your Excellency, we've made it through!"

Karen immediately rushed to the front and peered into the hole that had been dug open.

The next second, even he, a puppet controlled by "ink," instinctively felt a shiver.

Below the entrance is a huge natural cave.

The structure of this "hall" has completely exceeded the scope of normal geology.

The wall is a translucent, amber-like substance.

Inside that substance, countless tiny points of light could be seen flowing, like blood rushing through blood vessels.

The ground also developed a soft, elastic "flesh-like" texture.

Every time someone steps on it, it leaves a deep footprint, which slowly returns to its original state after a few seconds.

The most awe-inspiring thing is the enormous structure in the very center of the cave.

It was a "living organ" that was suspended in mid-air and had a diameter of more than 30 meters.

This "living organ" is pulsating slowly.

Each time it contracts, the surrounding space visibly distorts.

With each expansion, ripples of energy spread outwards, washing over every corner of the cave.

Around it floated more than a dozen petrified corpses, as well as three exploration instruments with melted outer shells and completely destroyed internal machinery.

Those are the missing miners and equipment.

They fell into this place after the landslide, and before they could send any distress signal, they were completely killed by the terrifying radiation, and even their bodies were transformed into some kind of mineral.

"This is."

Lester's voice trembled:
"What the hell is this?!"

The supervising priest slowly walked to the cave entrance, his gaze fixed intently on the "living organ" beneath his hood.

He could sense that the suspended behemoth contained some kind of extremely terrifying power:

It was a terrifying existence capable of tearing space apart, distorting reality, and even threatening the High Priest's true form.

"Governor Karen."

The priest's voice carried a distinct air of vigilance:
"This thing is far beyond the reach of mortals like you. Retreat immediately; I must report to the High Priest."

"and many more!"

Karen suddenly interrupted it:

"Your Excellency, High Priest, look over there!" (End of Chapter)