Ashen Dragon

"Boss, we barely got out of this hellhole, and now we really have to go back in?"

The archer warrior Kelu stared at the dark mine tunnel before him, still somewhat fearful.

Hart, dressed in leather armor, was applying blade oil to his sword: "The Baron gave the order. If we don't dig out the gold, we are all dead."

The barbarian Scar, clad in bear hide, grumbled in displeasure: "What Baron? Just a snot-nosed brat. What right does he have to send us to our deaths?"

He snorted: "If it weren't for the gold, I'd have quit long ago!"

Kelu chimed in: "Exactly, if I had known earlier, I would have taken the gold and run."

Having finished wiping his sword, Hart stood up and said seriously: "He's not just any brat. Offend the Northwind Eagle, and who could survive here? Do you think you can outrun the Eagle Guards?"

Scar retorted in anger: "I don't care about any eagle. Even if giant dragons came, they can't use us as cannon fodder."

Hart simply said: "Save your energy. This job always had our heads on the line. Now that we finally have a legitimate status and a powerful patron, we can't waste it."

"That accident was just an anomaly. Even if there is some monster, after eating so much, it should be going into hibernation."

"Besides—" he shifted the topic.

"I also got a bunch of serfs from the Baron, no, according to the Kingdom's official term, 'honest and diligent peasants' as miners."

He looked behind, where over a hundred frail humans carrying baskets were arriving one after another, walking numbly under the supervision of whips. The recruitment payment was merely some words - a meal, not starved.

However, what awaited them was not a job that could prevent starvation, but a deep, dark mine with unknown monsters lurking within.

"Take a spear for yourself." Hart called out.

"This is a special reward from the Baron for your self-defense."

"If you encounter a monster, retreating is a death sentence; don't be afraid, just throw your spear at it."

"If anyone sacrifices themselves, don't worry, the Baron will remember their merit, reduce their family's taxes, and compensate with grain for their family."

"Oh, and also take a pickaxe."

These serfs were recruited by Hart from the Baron as cannon fodder. Such a dangerous place was no place for him to send his men first, let alone lead personally.

From his years of wilderness experience, Hart knew that the best way to deal with large monsters was to throw spears. With enough people, even a massive mammoth could be killed easily.

And even if they failed, with these cannon fodders, the monster would be satiated and wouldn't come after them.

"Get in!"

"Hurry up, get in! Don't dawdle!"

The deceived miners picked up their weapons and walked disorderly into the cave.

Even if someone realized something was wrong and wanted to escape, under the relentless whips of the overseers, they had no choice but to comply.

But why didn't dozens of armed men resist a few overseers?

Perhaps it was something deeply ingrained within them...

Facing the unknown depths, the ones forced to lead raised their torches with trembling hands, exploring forward under the threats of whips and blades.

Scar, following behind the serf team, clicked his tongue in amazement: "When it comes to slave trading, these nobles are really crafty."

"They don't even need to bring in the goods; they can sell people directly."

"Stop talking and get in." someone urged.

Soon, Hart's group had all entered the mine tunnel, leaving a few soldiers at the entrance to support.

But they were unaware that something else had quietly followed them into the mine.

Nor did they realize that there was a spell known as the Invisibility Spell, which could completely hide one's form from ordinary beings.

"Boss, I feel something strange."

Kelu's senses, though keen, always felt something was off, yet he couldn't pinpoint it.

"Stop being so paranoid, we haven't gone far yet, the road is still long." Scar scoffed.

Hart merely lightened his footsteps from behind and said in a low voice: "Keep your voices down and watch what's ahead."

Following the rudimentary markers they had set, the group slowly descended deeper into the mine.

The space inside was spacious; this was where the kobolds had toiled earlier, with broken pickaxes, mining carts for transportation, and stray ore scattered on the ground.

A 'miner' couldn't help but pick up a piece of gold ore from the ground and secretly stash it in his rough burlap clothing.

However, this action was spotted by the sharp-eyed Scar.

The barbarian walked up and hoisted the frail man by his weak body, and with a shake, pieces of glittering gold ore fell out.

"Just like those lowly kobolds."

Scar threw him to the ground with one hand and confidently stepped forward to break his arm with his foot, eliciting a scream of pain.

"Remember, everything here belongs to the Baron."

"You are here to mine, not to steal."

"Any further violations..."

"Haha, you'll never leave this mine for the rest of your life."

Scar grinned, relishing the feeling of holding someone else's life in his hands. It was one of the few entertainments in his life as a slave trader.

At the back of the group, Hart was carefully examining the damage within the mine - the forcibly broken wooden doors, the deformed furnace, the human limbs and torsos, and the fences torn apart by great strength.

Looking at these traces, cold sweat trickled down Hart's forehead.

"A terrifying monster."

"Its strength is likely on par with Frost Giants."

To him, this was a high assessment, as those giants, who came with the cold winds, were one of the most feared enemies of the Northern Kingdom.

Hearing Scar's loud proclamations nearby, Hart angrily rushed up and, lowering his voice, said to him:

"That monster might still be here."

"If you want to die, just say it, but don't drag me down with you."

"But, boss, our gold..."

The barbarian, who often spoke without thinking and worshipped violence, was about to reply when strange sounds echoed in the cave.

"Quiet! Listen carefully." Hart frowned.

"Thump, thump..."

"Thump, thump..."

A heavy, footstep-like sound reverberated in the dark cavern, making hearts pound.

"The sound is coming from the cave walls," Hart thought.

He glanced around the cave walls, but it was still pitch black all around.

"In front."

"To the left."

"No, it's above." Kelu said in a low voice.

The sound seemed to be moving around within the cave, making it impossible for anyone to pinpoint its source or direction.

But the sound was getting closer...

Panic and noise spread through the group, with more people suggesting they return to the surface, and even the overseers couldn't help but become anxious.

"Stay calm, pick up your weapons."

Hart's back was drenched in sweat. He had never faced the 'monster' this closely before, and the chaotic situation was beyond his expectations.

"Don't be afraid, raise your torches."

"We're doomed. This definitely isn't just an ordinary monster but a terrifying hunter. It's creating chaos to take us all down." Hart thought to himself.