Chapter 312: Good Day

Chapter 312: Chapter 312: Good Day

Chrona’s stance was incredibly humble, her plea carrying an air of desperation. It made refusing her exceptionally difficult, like landing a heavy punch on a wad of cotton—it made you feel like the cruel one.

Seraphina Sinclair rubbed the bridge of her nose. Her finger hovered over the screen for a moment before finally tapping it.

’The other party has been so candid,’ she thought. ’If I’m not straightforward in return, it’ll just make me look petty.’

[Blacktiger Ford]: To be frank, I can’t make a firm promise regarding your request. No one knows what the future holds. I can only promise this: if that day ever comes, and I happen to have the capability and resources to spare, I will remember these four hammers and do my best to help you.

[Blacktiger Ford]: This is my bottom line, and it’s the most I can honestly offer. If you feel my "best effort" is worth the four hammers, I’ll accept them and this favor. If you don’t think it’s worth it, or if you have any reservations, it’s not too late to propose a different arrangement.

After sending the messages, Seraphina Sinclair let out a soft sigh.

She could have just verbally agreed to Chrona’s request, and when the time came, made up an excuse to pretend the promise never existed.

But Seraphina Sinclair felt it was much easier to be upfront about everything.

Deception might offer temporary convenience, but it always leads to a worse outcome.

It was a lesson her grandma had taught her as a child, one that Seraphina Sinclair still held to this day.

But to Chrona, the fact that Blacktiger was negotiating like this made the offer seem even more sincere.

In this survival game where one couldn’t even be sure they’d last the day, a blind promise was actually less believable. Seraphina Sinclair’s reaction made it crystal clear to Chrona that she hadn’t misjudged her.

[Chrona]: That’s enough. That’s more than enough. In a place like this, those two words—"best effort"—are more concrete than any promise. Please, take the hammers. I’ll be the one to remember this favor.

Seraphina Sinclair read the line of text, knowing the matter was settled.

After finishing her chat with Chrona, Seraphina Sinclair took the three B-level Unsealing Hammers and placed them on the stone table, right next to the one Chrona had given her previously.

The four hammers were identical in appearance, looking as though they’d been cast from the same mold.

And Seraphina Sinclair had already used four such hammers.

She retrieved the ring from her Silver Moon Earrings, took a deep breath, and repeated the familiar process.

As the hammer touched the ring, the golden light of the Unsealing Hammer intertwined with the black aura emanating from the ring. Then, the golden light began to extinguish the black aura, bit by bit.

The entire process was as brilliant as ever.

But Seraphina Sinclair was in no mood to admire it.

’This is the fifth Unsealing Hammer. Just what grade of item is this, to require so many Unsealing Hammers?’

She had thought victory was within her grasp, but even after all four hammers were used up, the ring remained unchanged.

It felt cool to the touch, like an ordinary Stone, with no discernible use. Using Insight on it still only showed the same question marks.

Seraphina Sinclair pinched the ring, growing more confused the longer she looked at it.

’Is the seal not broken yet, or is it already broken, but the ring’s grade is so high that I can’t see its Description?’

She couldn’t figure out the answer just by thinking about it. The best way to find out was to use another Unsealing Hammer. If the hammer no longer produced that golden light, it would probably mean the ring’s seal was completely broken.

A wave of disappointment washed over Seraphina Sinclair at the thought.

She had already used eight Unsealing Hammers on this ring, and they weren’t exactly cheap junk you could find anywhere.

At this stage, where only D-level and lower items were common, managing to obtain so many B-level Unsealing Hammers was nothing short of a miracle—a combination of sheer luck and Chrona’s goodwill.

If the ring’s effects after being unsealed didn’t justify such a high unlocking cost, then this investment would be a massive loss.

But things had already come this far. There was no turning back.

Sunk costs were still costs. If she gave up now, all the previous Unsealing Hammers and her effort would have been for nothing.

Seraphina Sinclair gave a wry smile, put her things away, and sat back up with her legs crossed.

Perhaps because she was so worried about the ring’s function, it took her a great deal of effort to calm her mind.

「The next morning」

Seraphina Sinclair opened her eyes feeling sharp and refreshed.

She stood up and stretched a little.

The waiter had been right; meditation was far more effective at restoring one’s Spirit than sleeping.

Yesterday, Seraphina Sinclair had been weak, powerless, and exhausted. Today, she didn’t feel a single negative sensation.

Not only that, but she also opened her personal panel with a hint of anticipation and, as expected, saw her Intelligence had increased by one point, now totaling 30.

Good fortune truly lifts the spirits. Humming a little tune, Seraphina Sinclair began her unchanging morning routine.

Time slipped by as she enjoyed her meal.

At eight o’clock sharp, the system panel popped up in front of every survivor.

[Dear survivors, good day!]

[The new week is drawing to a close, and this week’s instance is about to begin. The fact that you can see these words means you have all successfully adapted to the new conditions of this new region! Well then... we hope you can all create new miracles in this instance as well!]

[This Week’s Instance Theme: Embers of the Abyssal Mine]

[Instance Type: Puzzle Escape (4-Person Random Matchmaking)]

[Difficulty Level: Gold]

[Tip: A failed mining expedition has trapped you deep underground. Darkness is the master here, but it is not the only danger. Extinguished mining lamps, twisted tunnels, and those things stirring restlessly in the dark, drawn by the Embers... You need to relight your mining lamps, find the correct path, and escape before your limited oxygen runs out. Resources are limited, and trust is precious, but not everyone will live to see the sunshine again.]

[Rewards: Successful escapees will receive basic rewards based on their contribution! Uncovering the truth behind the mining accident may lead to unexpected discoveries. If the entire team survives, the rewards will be greatly increased.]

’A Gold Difficulty instance!’

Seraphina Sinclair’s heart tightened.

The last instance, "The Choice of the Mist Outpost," was only silver difficulty, and it had been perilous. If it weren’t for the scent of the Gloom Hatchling on her, a lucky break, she might have truly fallen to that final monster.

Now the instance difficulty had been raised to Gold, and the very sound of it was enough to make her skin crawl.

However...

Seraphina Sinclair stared at the difficulty level, lost in thought.

’The first instance was Bronze, the second was silver, and now this is the third.’

’It seems the instance difficulties don’t repeat; they increase by one tier each time.’

’If that’s the case, does that mean we can only do a total of seven instances in The Black Mist World? Or will all instances be at the highest difficulty once it’s been reached?’

’And this time, it’s a four-person, randomly matched, team-based puzzle escape instance.’

’"Resources are limited, and trust is precious."’

’That tip is practically screaming that there could be competition, or even hostility, between players.’

’And as for the rewards...’

Seraphina Sinclair sometimes had to admire the system’s cunning little schemes.