195 - Return to the Crossroads

The journey from Eastwatch toward the Crossroads took considerably longer than the expedition had expected.

The route itself was not especially dangerous, but the landscape between the two regions was too vast to cross quickly. Ancient roads appeared and disappeared beneath forests, rocky plains, and shallow valleys, while the underground mana network frequently diverged from the surface route. Instead of following the old eastern road directly, the expedition chose a safer path marked on Eastwatch's newer maps, one that eventually connected with a major western trade route.

For the first two days, the journey was uneventful.

That changed on the third morning.

The expedition was crossing a broad grassland when Ara noticed a group of riders approaching from the west. They were not Eastwatch scouts. Their armor was different, and the banners attached to their mounts carried the emblem of the Crossroads Wardens.

Sel was riding at the front.

The Warden recognized Subin almost immediately and raised a hand.

"Subin Vans."

Subin stopped.

"You came this far to meet us?"

Sel dismounted and approached.

"We came because your communication reports stopped making sense."

Jae-hyun laughed.

"That's one way to describe them."

Sel ignored him and looked toward Ara.

"Director Kang forwarded everything you transmitted from Eastwatch. The eastern mana network, the underground distribution chamber, the dragon, the new territory."

Ara nodded.

"Most of it is confirmed."

Sel looked at Subin.

"And you intend to return to Crossroads?"

"Yes."

"Good. Because things have changed there."

Subin's expression became more attentive.

"What changed?"

Sel glanced toward the west.

"Three new groups have arrived."

"From Earth?"

"Two from Earth. One from the interior."

Liu Wei raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of group?"

"Explorers."

Sel paused before adding, "And they're not cooperating."

The expedition resumed its journey with the Crossroads Wardens traveling alongside them. Sel explained that the Crossroads had become increasingly crowded since the first Earth expeditions reached the central junction. Human teams were establishing temporary camps, purchasing maps, negotiating with local merchants, and competing for access to routes leading toward unexplored regions.

That competition had been manageable when the expeditions were operating separately.

It had become more complicated once several groups realized that the World Dungeon contained resources far beyond anything available through the known Earth entrances.

"The eastern route you discovered is already attracting attention," Sel said.

Subin looked at him.

"How?"

"Eastwatch sent a report to the Crossroads after your arrival. The report mentioned an old mana route extending beyond their territory."

Ara frowned.

"They shouldn't have been able to send it that quickly."

Sel smiled.

"Eastwatch has better communication infrastructure than you thought."

Kael looked amused.

"So much for them being an isolated city."

"They're not isolated," Sel replied. "They simply don't trade much with the territories around them."

The conversation continued as they traveled.

By late afternoon, the Crossroads appeared on the horizon.

The enormous junction had changed since the expedition's last visit.

The main roads were busier, and several new temporary structures had appeared outside the central settlement. Earth expedition camps stood beside local merchant caravans, while groups of armed travelers moved between the different routes.

The Crossroads had become a genuine international meeting point.

When Subin entered the city, several people recognized him.

Some stepped aside.

Others watched openly.

A few human Awakeners approached to greet him, while several local warriors studied his sword.

Subin ignored most of the attention.

His goal was the Warden headquarters.

Inside the main administrative hall, Sel gathered representatives from the Crossroads Wardens, Eastwatch, Veyra, and the Earth expedition.

Director Kang appeared through a communication projection from Earth.

The meeting began immediately.

Ara presented the information gathered from Cinder Crown and the eastern territories.

The map expanded across the central table.

Five channels emerged from the Cinder Crown.

The southern channel led toward Ember Basin.

The eastern channel continued through the Blackstone Gate and toward Crossroads before extending farther east toward Eastwatch and the natural underground distribution system.

The western route remained unmapped.

The northern channel continued deeper into Cinder Crown.

The sealed deep channel descended beneath the central regulator.

Several representatives studied the map in silence.

One of the local merchants finally spoke.

"So the volcanic region is connected to Eastwatch?"

"Through an underground mana network," Ara replied.

"How far?"

"We haven't reached the end."

Another representative asked, "And the dragon?"

"Abyssal River Dragon. Level 251. A+."

The room became noticeably quieter.

The merchant leaned back.

"That's stronger than most territorial guardians near the Crossroads."

Subin nodded.

"But it wasn't hostile."

Sel added, "The expedition also confirmed that several creatures are migrating because of instability in the mana network."

Director Kang spoke through the projection.

"Which means the issue isn't limited to one region."

Ara enlarged the map.

"If the eastern network continues changing, the effects could eventually reach Crossroads."

One of the Earth expedition leaders immediately objected.

"Eventually? How long?"

"We don't know."

"Then why are we treating it as an emergency?"

Subin looked at him.

"Because we already saw what happens when a regulator fails."

The man fell silent.

Subin continued.

"Eastwatch nearly lost its eastern foundation. Ember Basin has already experienced multiple regulator failures. The creatures are moving before the settlements understand what's happening."

He pointed toward the map.

"If the network keeps destabilizing, the monsters won't wait for us to prepare."

That argument was difficult to dismiss.

The discussion shifted toward practical measures.

The Crossroads Wardens proposed monitoring the major underground routes and establishing evacuation plans for settlements near unstable regions. Eastwatch agreed to share its maps. Veyra offered information about older route records. Ember Basin would coordinate with the volcanic settlements.

Director Kang approved the plan from Earth.

But another issue remained.

Access.

Several Earth guild representatives argued that newly discovered regions should be opened to licensed expeditions immediately. Others wanted the Crossroads Wardens to restrict access until the network became more stable.

The debate became increasingly heated.

One representative from a large European guild finally said, "If every dangerous region is closed, exploration will stop. We didn't come here to sit behind walls."

A local Warden responded calmly.

"And we didn't build the Crossroads so outsiders could turn every road into a battlefield."

Subin remained silent.

He understood both sides.

Exploration required risk.

But uncontrolled competition could create unnecessary disasters.

Sel eventually turned toward him.

"What do you think?"

Everyone looked at Subin.

He considered the map.

"Don't close the routes."

The room quieted.

"But don't open everything either."

He pointed toward the known regions.

"Create levels of access. Stable routes can remain open. Unstable regions require registration and experienced teams. Any route connected to a damaged regulator should require an escort or a specialist."

The Warden representatives exchanged glances.

Sel nodded.

"That is workable."

Subin continued.

"And no guild should be allowed to claim an entire region."

Several guild representatives immediately looked dissatisfied.

Subin didn't care.

"The World Dungeon is too large for one guild to control. If we start dividing territory now, we'll spend more time fighting each other than exploring."

Director Kang smiled faintly through the projection.

"That sounds familiar."

Subin ignored the comment.

The meeting continued for another hour before the basic framework was accepted.

No exclusive ownership of newly discovered regions.

Controlled access to unstable routes.

Shared maps for major network structures.

Emergency cooperation between Earth expeditions and local civilizations.

It wasn't a perfect agreement.

But it was enough.

After the meeting, Subin stepped outside the Warden headquarters.

The Crossroads was still busy despite the approaching evening.

Merchants were closing their stalls. Warriors were returning from expeditions. New groups were arriving through the major roads.

Yerin joined him.

"You handled that well."

"I just said what made sense."

"You also managed to make three guild leaders dislike you."

Subin shrugged.

"They'll survive."

She smiled.

"Probably."

Jae-hyun approached with Liu Wei.

"There's something else."

Subin looked at him.

"What?"

"The western route."

Jae-hyun handed him a newly updated map.

"While we were gone, the Wardens sent a scouting party."

Subin studied the route.

The western road led toward the Volcanic Region.

But halfway through, another path had appeared.

A path that wasn't present on any older map.

It branched northwestern from the main route and disappeared into territory that had never been surveyed.

Liu Wei pointed toward it.

"Three scouting teams refused to continue."

"Why?"

"They said the environment changes every few kilometers."

Subin looked closer.

"Any monsters?"

"Yes."

"What rank?"

"Nothing above A+ so far."

Subin folded the map.

"Then it's not impossible."

Jae-hyun smiled.

"I knew you'd say that."

Before Subin could respond, Ara approached them.

She was holding a communication device.

"Director Kang wants everyone back at the headquarters."

"Why?"

Ara looked at the screen.

"An Earth gate has appeared."

Subin frowned.

"Where?"

"Not in Japan, Canada, or any of the previously known entrance regions."

She turned the device toward him.

The coordinates appeared.

Subin recognized the location.

It was somewhere beyond the northern territories they had already mapped.

Ara's next words were even more significant.

"The gate is stable."

"How stable?"

"Stable enough for a permanent connection."

Yerin looked at Subin.

"Another entrance."

Subin nodded.

The World Dungeon was opening another door to Earth.

And this time, humanity knew enough about the Great Passage to understand what that meant.

A new entrance meant another route.

Another region.

Another opportunity for resources and exploration.

It also meant another point where Earth's civilization could collide with the civilizations already living inside the World Dungeon.

Subin looked toward the northern road.

The expedition had returned to the Crossroads expecting to report what they had discovered.

Instead, they had returned to a world that was expanding faster than their maps could keep up.

He turned toward the headquarters.

"Let's see where it leads."