BTTH: Death Letter From The Future

With everyone's combined efforts, a winding underground tunnel several dozen meters long was quickly excavated. Although the path twisted and turned, their sensitivity to fire energy ensured they didn't stray too far from the correct direction.

Finally, by the afternoon, the underground tunnel was fully cleared, and a wave of scorching heat rushed out.

Caught off guard, ninety percent of the mercenaries choked and coughed incessantly, their faces showing discomfort. Some were even struck by dizziness and collapsed on the spot.

The scene quickly descended into chaos.

Below the surface lay a world of magma. The fire energy had been trapped for many years without circulation, and the air was saturated with poisonous fire toxins.

For those attuned to fire or possessing great strength, it was manageable. However, the strongest among the mercenaries was merely a Dou Master, incapable of resisting the invasion of the fire poison.

Chen Guan left the young girl outside to wait and used his Dou Qi to shield himself from the heat as he ventured deeper into the cave. The rich fire energy naturally enticed his Dou Qi.

If one could isolate the harmful fire toxins, this would be an excellent place to cultivate fire-attributed Dou Qi.

Closing his eyes, Chen Guan cautiously released his soul sense to explore. It was clear that the deeper one went into the magma, the more intense the pressure became, with the scorching heat seemingly burning even his soul.

At the same time, he sensed a violent, active energy hidden within the magma, giving him some pressure but not posing a real danger.

If he wasn't mistaken, that was likely the two-headed Fire Spirit Snake hiding within.

Retracting his soul sense, Chen Guan confirmed that this was indeed the location of the Green Lotus Core Flame!

"Let them leave. Have them stay at the City Lord's Mansion for three days. We won't need them after that."

Chen Guan handed two bottles of antidote pills and a 'subsidiary gold card' to the two Wang Brothers.

Three days would be enough time for him to retrieve the Green Lotus Core Flame and find a safe, hidden location.

The brothers nodded, and along with General Huang, helped evacuate the mercenaries, many of whom were in poor condition and on the verge of collapse.

Once all the mercenaries were brought to the surface, they were each given an antidote pill. After recovering, Wang Yan addressed the group from a high vantage point.

"My young master has declared that this mission ends here. But for your well-being, he has granted you permission to rest at the City Lord's Mansion for seven days.(Chen Guan: Ok Bro.)You don't need to do anything, and you'll even receive daily gold coins. Do you understand?"

"Can we choose not to go to the City Lord's Mansion?" someone from the group of mercenaries grumbled, a bit slow on the uptake.

"What do you think?" Wang Yan responded coldly.

Since leaving the capital with Chen Guan, the two brothers had followed him closely. They knew full well how much effort the young master had invested in this endeavor.

Even though they weren't privy to the specific opportunities hidden within the underground magma, it was clear that it was far from ordinary.

Wang Yan figured that, to prevent leaks, even if Chen Guan had cruelly decided to silence everyone, it would have been understandable.

Now, he was generously offering food, drink, and daily compensation for their 'lost wages,' yet some still questioned it. To Wang Yan, this was the epitome of ingratitude.

Were they trying to force him to be the villain?

Fortunately, most of the mercenaries understood the situation and agreed to cooperate with the arrangements.

There was no other choice. They wanted to resist, and they were curious about what treasures might be hidden in the underground magma, but they knew they couldn't fight against a more powerful force.

General Huang personally led the group back to the City Lord's Mansion, leaving only four or five soldiers at the cave entrance to assist with guard duty.

In just a short while, fewer than ten people remained at the site.

Chen Guan emerged from the underground, learning that the old general had already left. He couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

Wasn't this a little too cautious? It wasn't really necessary—he wasn't a tyrant, after all.

He had originally planned to ask the general to help deal with the two-headed Fire Spirit Snake. Now, it seemed he would have to handle it himself.

As night fell, Chen Guan wasn't in a rush to act. He focused on adjusting his state to its peak and, more importantly, calming his slightly restless mind.

At times like this, it was essential to stay calm and avoid unnecessary complications.

The Wang brothers followed suit, quietly regulating their breathing and preparing for action.

Though the young master might not need their help, it was always better to be ready just in case.

As the night deepened, the campfire crackled and popped, and everyone else stood still like statues. Xiao Qinglin, the young girl, sat bored nearby, drawing circles in the dirt. She didn't even know when she had fallen asleep.

When she awoke, it was already late into the night.

She felt unusually warm and realized that someone had covered her with a fur cloak. Nearby, the young master and the two uncles were chatting quietly, the atmosphere so relaxed it felt like old friends catching up—nothing like the relationship between a master and his servants.

Indeed, the young master was kind to everyone.

Such a good master... If he saw the scales on her body, he probably wouldn't reject her, right?

The simple-minded young girl felt proud, her trust in Chen Guan reaching new heights with each passing day.

"Young master."

She folded the fur cloak neatly and handed it back. Her face glowed in the firelight, her cheeks flushed red, making her look as delicate and adorable as a porcelain doll—completely different from the pale, sickly girl she had been just ten days ago.

Chen Guan, casually chatting with the brothers, took the cloak and stored it in his ring.

"Did you sleep well?"

Blushing, the young girl nodded shyly, feeling a little embarrassed. She had chosen to stay behind, yet she hadn't lasted until the end, making her feel like she had let them down.

"Let's go. We're heading underground to find you a new toy."

After handing a bottle of pills to the nearby soldiers by the campfire, Chen Guan led the brothers and the young girl into the underground tunnel.

With the brothers shielding her from the heat and the antidote pills taking effect, the young girl only felt a bit warm but was otherwise unaffected.

Chen Guan had allowed her to stay for a reason. Her Triple Jade Flower Eyes could potentially control the Fire Spirit Snake, allowing her to absorb its energy and advance to the rank of Dou Practitioner quickly.

Normal logic applied to ordinary people, but for those with special constitutions, it could be disregarded.

Just as the Woeful Poison Body was unique, so were the Triple Jade Flower Eyes.

"Young master, it seems like there's something down there."

As soon as they reached the magma, Qinglin sensed something strange. She wasn't entirely sure, so she spoke softly.

Her innate sensitivity to snake-type magical beasts was evident, even more so than the two brothers with Dou Spirit strength who hadn't sensed anything until she mentioned it. Only then did they become alert.

"Don't worry, it's just a Fire Spirit Snake. It's no threat to us. The only tricky part is that in the magma, it can move freely. If we don't catch it on the first try, it will be hard to capture it again."

The brothers relaxed slightly but remained cautious, positioning themselves on either side of Chen Guan as they scanned the magma below.

Unfortunately, unlike Chen Guan's extraordinary soul sense, the magma obstructed their perception. Unless the Fire Spirit Snake revealed itself, they couldn't detect it.

The young girl, less concerned with complicated matters, asked simply.

"Young master, how will we catch it?"

Chen Guan grinned mischievously and waved his hand. In the stunned gazes of the three, over ten puppets materialized behind him, exuding an overwhelming aura of pressure.

"It's simple. We'll give it a proper group beatdown."

(End of Chapter)

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