Chapter 327 - 300: Speedrun Method (2)

Chapter 327: Chapter 300: Speedrun Method (2)

"Trust me, sir. For Ten Gold Coins, I guarantee you’ll get more than your money’s worth!"

After a moment of deliberation, Zelir decided to buy it after all.

’Forget it...’

’So what if it’s a bit pricey? It’s better to get a clear picture of the ruins early on.’

’Besides, the team is footing the bill together. Split between us, it’s only two gold coins each.’

Having been an Adventurer for so long, Zelir knew very well that information could sometimes be worth its weight in gold.

Putting aside everything else, the Adventurer’s Association Universal Monster Atlas alone had saved countless lives.

Upon receiving the Ten Gold Coins from Zelir, Wells beamed and gave Zelir a clumsy salute.

"An excellent choice! Sir, with this guide, you’re guaranteed a fruitful expedition!"

The transaction was complete.

After handing the booklet to Zelir, Wells squeezed back into the crowd, clearly looking for his next target.

Zelir opened the booklet, and the others gathered around to look.

The contents were actually quite detailed.

Inside this personal "Monster Atlas," Wells had highlighted several troublesome creatures found on the first floor.

Trap Vines, which looked no different from ordinary vines, could be identified by their distribution density and the excessive slime secreted from their surface.

Once someone stepped into a Trap Vine’s attack range, it would instantly spring to life, ensnaring its prey and slowly corroding it.

Then there were the Corrosive Beetles.

These small Demons weren’t difficult to deal with, but upon death, their corpses would explode.

The corrosive fluid inside their bodies would splash everywhere, making it hard to dodge and a real hassle if it got on you.

Besides Demons, the guide also detailed the locations of some traps Wells had discovered.

For instance, there was a long stone corridor.

In that area, you couldn’t step on the flagstones carelessly, or they would spew lethal, high-temperature steam.

"Don’t even think about tanking it with Armor; it’ll just turn you into cooked meat in a tin can." —Wells had specifically written this warning on the side.

There was also an acid bog trap concealed by green leaves.

Its surface was covered in a layer of clover, making it look safe and harmless, but stepping on it meant instantly falling into a pool of strong acid.

Even a Middle Level Warrior with the protection of their Fighting Qi could lose half their life.

Finally, there was a detailed overhead map of the first half of the ruins’ first floor.

Wells had used conspicuous red ink to draw a long, winding line.

That was the route he had already mapped out.

Alongside the route, Wells had marked numerous Demon habitats to avoid accidentally disturbing them while passing by.

Hill took out her Treasure Map to compare.

"Your Treasure Map is for the third floor... The main force hasn’t even fully explored the first floor yet," Zelir said.

"Looks like we still have a long way to go," Marcus sighed.

"That’s fine. Who knows, we might make some unexpected finds on the first two floors," Gray said, full of confidence.

As it turned out, permits and ruin guides weren’t the only expensive things in Sengu Town.

As news of the Lost Ruins spread, a massive influx of Adventurers and merchants poured into the town.

The most direct consequence of this explosive surge in population was skyrocketing prices.

Even the inns had outrageously high prices.

When Zelir saw the price for a single room—thirty Silver Coins a night—he was once again plunged into deep self-doubt.

"Are you sure that price isn’t a mistake?"

The Night Flower Inn in Black Stone Town is only two Silver Coins a night! This is a full fifteen times more!

"I’m afraid not."

The young lady at the front desk had a sweet smile, but her words made one’s wallet ache.

"And if you wait another two days, the price will likely be even higher."

"Why don’t we just sleep on the street? I’m pretty resistant to the cold," Gray said, scratching his head.

He was starting to feel the sting, too.

"Or we could look for a cheaper inn?" Valles suggested.

"I doubt we’ll find one," Marcus said, shaking his head.

They had already been asking at inns on their way here, and all of them were fully booked.

The only reason this place still had vacancies was probably because of its steep prices.

"Let’s just stay here," Zelir sighed.

Zelir, Hill, and Valles each took a single room for thirty Silver Coins per night.

Gray and Marcus shared a double room for forty Silver Coins per night.

It had to be said, although the price was steep, the quality of the inn was also quite high.

The inn was called the Heart of Jade Wind, and it was built into the trunk of a giant, ancient banyan tree.

The walls weren’t made of brick and stone, but of solid wood with natural grain. Warm, orange-toned lights were everywhere, creating a cozy and comfortable atmosphere.

Zelir’s room was located on a branch extending outward from the trunk.

The room itself was like an oval-shaped fruit hanging from the treetop, connected to the main trunk by an exquisite wooden walkway.

Standing by the window and looking out, the view was crystal clear, offering a panoramic vista of most of Sengu Town.

The sun was setting.

The red sun slowly sank below the distant sea of trees, and the afterglow was like a layer of liquid honey.

The countless, multi-colored treetops layered throughout the town were all set ablaze by the setting sun.

Jade green, fiery red, and golden yellow—these colors intertwined in the twilight, creating a dreamlike scene.

"So beautiful..."

Zelir leaned against the window frame, marveling at the magnificent sight of the sun melting like gold.

’If you didn’t have to consider other factors, this would actually be a great place to retire.’

...

「Forest Language Tavern.」

After they had settled in and put away all their luggage, evening had arrived.

Exhausted from a full day of travel, the team members decided to relax and went to a tavern near the Heart of Jade Wind.

The Forest Language Tavern was a cut above the Drunk Wild Boar.

Although there were plenty of Adventurers here too, most were relatively restrained, and the place wasn’t excessively loud or rowdy.

"Coming through, coming through, please make way."

The waiter served the fine dishes, and the table was soon filled with all sorts of delicacies.

There was a thick wild mushroom soup served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread, large chunks of roasted meat skewered on branches, honey-glazed quail with pine nuts, and a salad tossed with refreshing sour berries.

Zelir had originally wanted to order the beef shank in red wine sauce, but it wasn’t on the menu, so he had to settle for beef stew instead.

"Where’s Hill? Where’d she run off to?"

Zelir looked around.

Just as he was looking, Hill casually sauntered back.

"I gathered some intel."

She pulled out a chair and sat down next to Zelir.

"It’s just as Wells said before, the first floor hasn’t been fully explored yet."

"A few strong, elite teams are pushing hard, trying to reach the second floor as soon as possible."

"I hear the rewards have been pretty good, lots of Magic Crystals. There are also Ancient Gold Coins in the ruins. Even though their design is different from our currency, they’re still very valuable."

"The Demons they’ve encountered aren’t the particularly troublesome types, either. Most are rated as [Difficulty], so it’s not a huge problem."

"However, there are also some Demons not recorded in the Adventurer’s Association Universal Monster Atlas... but overall, the risk is manageable."

"I’m more concerned about where the entrance to the next floor is."

Gray popped a piece of roasted meat into his mouth. "Besides, according to the usual rules of ruins, the danger level increases significantly with each floor you descend, right?"

"No one has even set foot on the second floor, so who knows what’s hiding in there? It’s a complete unknown, to say nothing of the third floor."

"Let’s try to adopt a strategy of avoiding combat as much as possible."

Zelir said.

"We have a complete map of the third floor’s layout. If we can get through the first floor quickly and be cautious on the second, things will be much easier once we reach the third."

"That’s true..."

After all, the team’s objective was different from everyone else’s.

The others wanted to extract as much profit from the ruins as possible.

But from the very beginning, their team had been aiming for the treasure location on the third floor, which meant they were focused on speed-running the first two floors.

"Let’s get a good rest tonight, make our preparations, and tomorrow, we’ll set out to explore the ruins!"

Zelir raised his wine glass.

"Cheers!"

The other members of the team also raised their glasses and drained their fruit wine in one gulp.