Chapter 21: Exploring the Cave
"Boss, we finally got out of this damn place, do we really have to go in again?"

The archer Kru looked at the dark mine in front of him, still feeling a little scared.

Hart was wearing leather armor and was applying sword oil to the long sword in his hand. "The Baron has given an order. If we don't dig out the gold, we will all die."

Scar, the barbarian wearing bear skin, said unhappily: "What Lord Baron? He is just a shabby boy. What qualifications do you have to let us die?

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

Kru also echoed, "That's right. If I had known earlier, I would have taken the gold and ran away."

Hart had already wiped his sword, and stood up and said seriously, "That's not some young boy. Who can survive in this land if he offends the Eagle of the North Wind? Do you think you can outrun the Eagle Guard?"

Scarface said angrily: "I don't care what kind of eagle it is. Even if a dragon comes, it can't use us as cannon fodder."

Hart simply said, "Save your energy. We are doing something that requires a lot of effort. We finally have a legitimate identity and we can't waste it."

"That incident was just an accident. Even if there really was a monster, it should have gone into hibernation after eating so much."

"What's more--" He changed the subject.

"I also asked the baron to get a lot of serfs, oh, no, according to the official statement of the kingdom, they are called 'honest farmers' to work in the mines."

He looked behind him and saw more than a hundred skinny people carrying backpacks coming one after another, walking numbly under the whips of the supervisors on both sides. The salary for recruitment was just a few words - meals included, so you won't starve to death.

However, what is waiting for them is not a job that can save them from starvation, but deep and dark mines and the unknown monsters lurking in them.

"Take up your spear yourself," said Hart.

"This is a special gift from the Baron for you to use for self-defense."

"If you encounter a monster, you will die if you retreat. Don't be afraid, just throw a spear at it."

"If someone dies, don't worry. The Baron will remember his contribution, reduce his family's taxes, and compensate his family with food."

"Oh, and take the pickaxe, too."

These serfs were cannon fodder that he had specially recruited from the baron. Naturally, he couldn't let his men go first into such a dangerous place, let alone lead the way himself.

According to his many years of experience walking in the wilderness, the best way to deal with large monsters is to throw spears. As long as there are enough people, even a huge mammoth can be easily killed.

Even if they fail, with these cannon fodders as the backup, the monsters will be able to fill their stomachs and will not come chasing them again.

"Get in!"

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

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

Even if someone realized that something was wrong and wanted to escape, they had to obey orders under the supervisors' merciless whipping.

However, why did dozens of people with weapons not resist at all when faced with a few people?

Maybe this is something deep-rooted in my heart...

Faced with an unknown area, the person in front who was forced to lead the way tremblingly raised the torch and explored forward under the threat of whips and swords.

Scar, who was following the serf brigade, exclaimed in amazement: "When it comes to slave trading, these nobles are still the best."

"You don't even need to import goods, you can just sell people."

"Stop talking nonsense and go in."

Soon, Hart and his group all entered the mine, leaving only a few soldiers at the door to meet them.

But they didn't realize that something else was quietly following them into the mine.

He also didn't realize that there is a spell called invisibility, which can make his body completely hidden and undetectable by ordinary objects.

"Boss, I feel a little weird."

Kru's senses were quite sharp and he felt something was wrong, but when he looked around he found nothing.

"Don't be suspicious here. We haven't gone very far and there is still a long way to go." Scar said disdainfully.

Hart just walked lightly behind him and said in a deep voice, "Speak softly and watch the situation ahead."

Following the crude signposts, the group gradually came to the depths of the mine. The space inside was very spacious. This was where the kobolds worked hard before. Broken pickaxes, mine carts used for transportation, and accidentally dropped ores were scattered on the ground.

One "miner" couldn't help but pick up the gold ore on the ground and secretly put it into his rough linen clothes.

However, this move was discovered by the sharp-eyed Scar.

The barbarian walked forward, lifted up the man's thin body, shook it twice, and the ore shining with golden light fell out.

"It's as vile as a kobold."

Scar threw him to the ground with one hand, walked up to him and stomped on his arm with ease, breaking it, causing the man to scream in pain.

"Remember, everything here is the Baron's property."

“You are here to mine, not to steal.

"If there is any further violation..."

"Haha, you'll never get out of this mine in your lifetime."

Scar grinned, he really enjoyed the feeling of controlling other people's lives, it was one of the few pastimes in his life as a slave trader.

At the end of the team, Hart was carefully observing the damage to the mine - wooden doors that were violently knocked open, furnaces that were squeezed and deformed, human limbs and bodies, and fences that were torn apart by huge force.

Looking at these traces, Hart broke out in a cold sweat.

"It's a scary monster."

"It may be as powerful as a frost giant."

For him, this was already a high evaluation. After all, those giants who came with the cold wind were one of the most terrifying enemies of the Northern Kingdom.

Hearing Scar's speech, Hart was furious. He rushed forward and said to him in a low voice:

"That monster is probably still here."

"If you want to die, just say so, don't implicate me."

"But, Boss, our gold..."

Before this thoughtless, violent barbarian could reply, a strange noise was heard in the cave.

"Don't talk and listen carefully," Hart said with a frown.

"Dong dong..."

"Dong dong..."

A heavy sound similar to footsteps echoed in the dark mine, making people's hearts pound.

"The sound comes from the rock wall," Hart thought.

He looked around the cliff, but it was still pitch black.

"in front of."

"on the left."

"No, it's above." Kru said in a deep voice.

The sound seemed to be traveling around and circling the mine, making it impossible for people to determine its source or direction.

But the sound seemed to be getting closer...

The crowd became chaotic and noisy, and soon someone asked to return to the surface. This time even the supervisors couldn't help but panic.

"Don't panic, pick up your weapons."

Hart's back was already wet with sweat. He had never been in close contact with the "monster" before, and the chaotic situation in front of him was beyond his expectations.

"Don't be afraid, hold up your torches."

"It's over. This is definitely not an ordinary monster. It's a terrible hunter. It is creating panic and wants to catch us all in one fell swoop." Hart thought.

(End of this chapter)