Chapter 184 — Region F

Chapter 184: Chapter 184 — Region F

Chapter 184 — Region F

About twenty minutes later, they finally stopped.

They found a relatively quiet section of the swamp and settled beneath several large trees.

Victor released a long breath.

"Finally."

The group pulled food and water from their storage rings.

For several minutes, none of them spoke.

They simply ate and drank.

The battle had taken more out of them than expected.

Eventually, Victor finished his water and looked at the others.

"I think we should go for the Bulwark Flower next."

Zack nodded.

Victor pointed toward the map on his citizen ID.

"According to our research, the Bulwark Flower grows near the edge of Region B, almost bordering Region C."

Grace glanced at the map.

"They’re supposed to grow in large numbers there."

"Right."

Victor nodded.

"And there shouldn’t be many monsters around that area. Compared to the Turtle Manticores, it should be easy."

They rested for a little longer.

Then they stood.

The three continued through Region B.

Several hours later, they reached the area marked on their map.

The research had been accurate.

Bulwark Flowers grew throughout the region, their sturdy stems pushing through the swampy ground.

They didn’t encounter any major monsters guarding them.

The three quickly gathered what they needed.

By the time they finished, each of them had roughly seven to eight Bulwark Flowers stored away.

More than enough for the potion.

And enough for several attempts if something went wrong.

Victor checked the list of ingredients on his citizen ID.

Two remained.

Fire Grass.

Black Heart Fungus.

Victor stared at the map.

"The Fire Grass should be easier."

Zack nodded.

"But it’s out of the way."

"Yeah."

Victor moved his finger across the map.

"The Fire Grass is in Region D. The Black Heart Fungus is closer to Region F."

Grace studied the map.

"So we have to choose one direction first."

Victor nodded.

"And since we’re already closer to Region D, I think we should go there first."

Zack thought about it.

"Yeah."

Grace nodded.

"That makes sense."

Victor looked toward the dark passage leading deeper into the underground region.

"Then that’s what we’ll do."

The three decided would be better to rest for the night and go in the morning.

The next morning, Victor woke before the others.

The three of them had each carried sleeping bags inside their storage rings, making it easy to set up a place to rest wherever they stopped. After putting his sleeping bag away, Victor sat down nearby and crossed his legs.

He began cultivating.

There was no reason to waste time while waiting.

The quiet lasted for nearly forty minutes before Victor heard movement behind him.

He opened his eyes.

Grace and Zack were awake.

Both quickly packed away their sleeping bags and prepared for the next part of their journey.

Roughly about six hours later, they finally acquired the Fire Grass.

The Fire Grass had been easy to collect. With that, only one ingredient remained.

Black Heart Fungus.

Victor stood.

Something about that ingredient bothered him.

Maybe it was the small star beside its name in the research.

Or maybe it was the fact that they were getting closer to Region G.

Victor remembered how dangerous the areas near Region G could be.

The first few ingredients had been almost too easy.

That made him suspicious.

He checked his research one more time before putting it away.

"We should be able to reach Region F within 7 hours," Zack said.

Grace nodded.

"Assuming nothing gets in our way."

Victor smiled.

"Then let’s hope nothing does."

The three immediately set off.

They ran through the enormous cavern at full speed, moving deeper through the underground regions.

Several hours passed before the environment around them began to change.

Victor slowed.

He looked ahead.

Then he stopped completely.

They had reached Region F.

Victor stared at the enormous cavern before them.

The first thing he noticed was the water.

There was water everywhere.

Nearly eighty percent of the entire region appeared to be submerged beneath a massive underground body of water. Large portions of the cavern disappeared beneath the dark surface, while rocky walls rose around it.

The water stretched farther than Victor could see.

He stared at it for several seconds.

Then he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

It’s just water.

He forced himself to remain calm.

He wasn’t going to let Zack or Grace notice anything strange.

Zack looked around.

"So... we’re going underwater."

"Looks like it," Grace replied.

Victor glanced toward them.

Neither seemed particularly concerned.

That made sense.

As Spirit Gathering cultivators, they could hold their breath for nearly twenty minutes. Staying underwater wasn’t particularly dangerous by itself.

Fighting underwater, however, would be another matter.

Movement would be restricted.

Visibility would be poor.

And whatever creatures lived beneath the surface would have the advantage.

Victor pulled out his research again.

The three gathered around him.

"Black Heart Fungus usually grows in patches," Victor said. "That’s about all we know regarding its location. The research only confirms that it grows somewhere in Region F."

Grace looked toward the water.

"Is it usually underwater?"

Victor nodded.

"From what I’ve read, yes."

Zack frowned.

"Anything else?"

Victor hesitated.

"Unfortunately."

He pointed toward another section of the research.

"Black Heart Fungus is usually found in groups. And those groups tend to attract a specific beast."

Grace’s expression became slightly more serious.

"The Snake-Eyed Goliath."

Victor nodded.

"Exactly."

The Snake-Eyed Goliath was a beast that fed on Black Heart Fungus.

The fungus contained properties that allowed the creature to accelerate its evolution, which meant the beasts actively sought out areas where it grew.

In other words—

Finding Black Heart Fungus almost guaranteed finding Snake-Eyed Goliaths nearby.

"Most of them are Beast Soldiers," Victor continued.

Zack cracked his knuckles.

"That shouldn’t be too bad."

"One wouldn’t be."

Victor looked toward the enormous body of water.

"But they live in packs."

Zack’s expression changed slightly.

"Ah."

Grace nodded.

"That could be troublesome."

Victor folded the research and put it away.

"Especially underwater."

The three stood silently for a moment.

Victor looked across the cavern.

It was strange.

Every region seemed to have its own environment.

Region B had been a massive swamp.

Now Region F was almost completely submerged in water.

Maybe that was why they divided the Basement into regions.

Each area wasn’t simply another section of the cavern.

It was practically its own ecosystem.

Victor looked at Zack.

"What do you guys think? Should we split up and search separately?"

Zack considered it.

"That would probably be faster."

Grace nodded.

"If we stay together, we might spend hours searching the same areas."

Victor agreed.

"Then we’ll split up."

They approached the edge of the water.

Victor looked down.

Darkness greeted him beneath the surface.

He took a slow breath.

Then another.

Don’t think about it.

Three separate passages could be seen beneath the water.

One led toward the left side of the cavern.

Another went toward the right.

The third continued straight ahead.

Grace pointed toward the left.

"I’ll take that one."

Zack nodded.

"Then I’ll take the right."

Victor looked toward the passage in the center.

"Guess I’m going straight."

Zack glanced at him.

"Stay safe."

"You too."

Grace gave Victor a small nod.

Then both of them jumped.

Splash!

Grace disappeared beneath the surface.

A moment later, Zack dove into the other passage.

Victor remained alone at the edge.

He stared at the water.

For just a moment, he hesitated.

Then he closed his eyes.

Just get it over with.

He took one final breath.

And dove.

Splash.

The cold water swallowed him whole.