Chapter 13: The Fabled Dungeon Encounter! It Appears!
Chapter 13: The Fabled Dungeon Encounter! It Appears!
The Adventurers’ Guild in the Lotai region was nothing if not grand in scale.
Stepping inside with practiced ease, Lin Wei was immediately greeted by a bustling crowd—the air itself seemed to hum with noise and excitement.
He found himself staring at the dazzling array of requests posted behind the counter, letting out a small sigh of disappointment.
“As expected, there aren’t any commissions that’ll take me straight to the Imperial Capital.”
Of course, that wasn’t exactly surprising.
It was always a matter of luck—if he managed to stumble upon an interesting commission to pass the time, that was already a win.
“But come to think of it, there really are a lot more tasks available now that I’m a high-ranked adventurer.”
“Let’s see... Gathering materials, monster subjugation, hiring a temporary alchemy assistant… Wait, is that a request for mapping a labyrinth?”
His gaze caught on a high-level commission posted at the end of the board, and his interest was instantly piqued. [High-Level Commission]
[Task]: Map the first three floors of the [Pascal] Labyrinth
[Reward]: 1,000 gold coins (with a bonus of up to 100% based on completion)
[Requirements]: At minimum, chart a safe route to the next floor and document the distribution of monsters along the way
“Pascal Labyrinth?”
“So that’s it—it’s time for a new random generation.”
Faced with the details of the commission, Lin Wei immediately recalled the rumors.
After all, this was the most renowned trading city on the empire’s border.
Lotai owed its current prestige not just to its fortunate position within a safe border zone, but also to the cluster of vast, resource-rich underground labyrinths scattered throughout the surrounding region.
These ancient dungeons were a constant lure for adventurers. Even those hailing from lands overrun by monsters could freely explore these ruins—as long as they didn’t set foot inside the city proper.
Of them all, the most distinctive was the so-called Pascal Labyrinth.
“Every six months, the Pascal Labyrinth completely regenerates its layout, scattering monster remains and relics left behind by fallen adventurers as rewards throughout its depths.”
“Before, I wasn’t ranked high enough to take this commission. Didn’t expect I’d stumble onto it right after my promotion.”
“I’d like to accept the labyrinth mapping commission, please.”
After all, mapping out a dungeon was a pretty good way to pass the time.
Whether it was charting new terrain or recording the distribution of monsters, it took a fair bit of focus to produce a usable map.
If he took it slow, he could survey the place at his own pace, taking note of any interesting changes that had appeared in the new iteration of the labyrinth.
Even if the quest wasn’t especially difficult, it would certainly help him while away the day.
“Registration complete. Wishing you a safe and successful mission,” the guild clerk said, handing over the commission slip.
“Thanks.”
Lin Wei took the proof of commission, waved casually, and strode out of the guild hall.
The Pascal Labyrinth was located in a northern town outside Lotai City.
It was about thirty kilometers from Aurens Town—a short flight, really, and nothing that would take much time.
“Hm...”
He raced toward the labyrinth at top speed, then slowed to a gentle landing near its entrance.
What greeted Lin Wei’s eyes was a rare sight for the usually quiet Aurens Town—a scene buzzing with excitement.
Adventurers from all over the world were lined up at the labyrinth’s gate, brimming with anticipation, itching to dive in.
Vendors had set up a lively marketplace, hawking gear, potions, and everyday supplies, their stalls forming a bustling commercial street right outside the dungeon.
Every now and then, a ragged party would stagger out of the labyrinth, gasping for breath, faces streaked with exhaustion and relief as they griped about their ordeal.
“How’d the new layout end up putting slimes and undead together?”
“They were hurling slimes at us like artillery! My shield cracked and we didn’t even make it past the second floor!”
“No way we’re clearing it without recruiting a stronger front line!”
Oh... Looks like the latest labyrinth generation really turned up the difficulty for them.
Lin Wei listened to the chatter with mild amusement, here purely for the spectacle. After all, he was just looking to kill some time—none of this posed any real challenge for him.
“Mapping commission, huh. Never tried it before. Wonder if it’ll be any fun.”
He glanced at the gaping, pitch-black entrance to the labyrinth.
Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, Lin Wei cast a simple illumination spell and strode inside.
The noise of the crowd faded behind him, replaced by the steady echo of his footsteps against ancient stonework.
A dozen shadowy corridors stretched away into the depths, their darkness broken only by the faint, distant roars of monsters.
A faint earthy tang crept into his nose, making him wrinkle his brow.
The Pascal Labyrinth wasn’t considered particularly dangerous—at least, not its upper levels. The first three floors, in fact, were fairly tame. Most parties of fourth-rank adventurers could sweep through them with ease.
“The commission calls for maps of the first three floors, with an absolutely safe route clearly marked.”
Lin Wei had never actually taken on a mapping quest before. After all, not every labyrinth came with a random generation mechanic like this one.
Still, he understood the basics: all he had to do was traverse the dungeon in person and record the route along the way.
“Walking the whole thing myself feels like a waste of time... Maybe there’s a better way.”
He pulled out a mapping scroll and a special enchanted pen.
Closing his eyes, Lin Wei let his magic seep quietly into the surrounding air.
[Scout. Explore. Map. Reshape.]
...Skill activated!
In the very next moment, his mind was flooded with a brand-new sensation.
It was a sight that would have left anyone else utterly dumbfounded.
Faint traces of his magic drifted from his body, infiltrating the dark corridors before him at astonishing speed.
As the pathways branched and twisted, his magic explored, mapped, and finally relayed the correct feedback to his mind.
Monster distribution, dead ends, terrain features—all of it.
As the magical feedback finished processing, a vivid, three-dimensional model of the labyrinth took shape in his mind, like a living sand table sculpted by magic. In just a few short minutes, Lin Wei pinpointed the safest route to the next floor. Every monster’s lair, their relative strength, and the lay of the land—all of it was illuminated in his mind’s eye.
“All right, first floor mapped.”
He withdrew his spiritual sense and began transcribing the results onto his map.
Strolling forward, Lin Wei casually flicked his enchanted pen across the parchment, sketching as he went. Now and then, a curious monster would approach—only to be dispatched with a lazy kick, never slowing his pace.
At this rate, it was no different from taking a leisurely stroll.
“Next up, the second floor!”
Descending deeper, he lifted his pen and unleashed his magical reconnaissance once more.
“Huh, there really are undead tossing slimes at people. Gotta make a note of that.”
He felt a slime splat coldly against his side—a bizarre, chilly sensation—but Lin Wei simply recorded the detail, then, once finished, booted the offending slime right back where it came from.
Thud!
A skeleton wielding bony spikes crumbled to pieces under his follow-up kick.
“Now, on to the third floor.”
He surveyed the new level. “Flame bats and climbing spiders… The terrain’s not too tricky. Should be easy enough to plot a safe route.”
“Come to think of it… why did I even take this commission in the first place?”
With the safe routes for all three floors neatly mapped, Lin Wei stood in place, scratching his head as a sudden silence settled around him. An intense sense of emptiness washed over him, like he’d lost his direction and all motivation had drained away.
“Well, so much for killing time.”
He glanced at the quiet corridors surrounding him, then plopped down on the cold stone floor, letting out a bored sigh.
Truth be told, ever since Veya left, life on his own had been pretty dull.
Taking on commissions wasn’t so bad—he’d gotten used to this routine over the past couple of weeks. But after Veya’s unexpected visit, something about his daily life had shifted in a way he couldn’t shake.
Now that she’d left again, it was like tasting luxury and being forced to return to plain fare—he just couldn’t go back.
Especially with the idea of finding work in the Imperial Capital hovering in his mind.
“Doing commissions alone is just… boring.”
Leaning his face on one hand, Lin Wei stared listlessly into the distance, looking every bit the picture of resignation.
And with this labyrinth being so easy, even standing in front of the boss would probably get him nowhere—the thing wouldn’t even be able to scratch him. So much for any dreams of “solo leveling” in the dungeon.
As for some chance “dungeon encounter”… well, that was even more out of reach. Now that he thought about it, he really couldn’t find anything interesting to do here.
“Next time I take a mapping commission, maybe I should just walk the whole thing myself.”
Bang, bang, bang…
Just then, a flurry of hurried footsteps echoed from down the corridor.
The air was thick with the snarls of monsters, as if something powerful was in relentless pursuit. Even Lin Wei, who’d been bored enough to prop his chin on his hand, glanced over with mild curiosity.
The very next instant, a familiar figure burst into view.
Golden hair, bright as molten sunlight, tumbled messily around her shoulders. Her cheeks were rosy and adorable, and those vivid blue eyes sparkled with irrepressible life—a look of pure spirit that caught the light even in this shadowy place.
She clearly hadn’t expected to find anyone just sitting around in a dungeon as dangerous as this.
By the time she noticed Lin Wei, she’d already skidded to a halt, her panicked breaths echoing off the stone.
“Look out—move! I’m going to crash into you!”
A heartbeat later, she tripped and fell flat on the ground with a loud thud.
Well now… things just got interesting.
Watching the girl sit up, rubbing her arm and pouting in distress, Lin Wei immediately recognized her.
That earnest, slightly goofy determination—and that endearingly clueless expression.
It was yesterday’s candidate for Saintess.
“What was her name again? Yalis, wasn’t it?”
So it’s happened… Is this the infamous ‘dungeon encounter’ the stories always talk about? Or did someone seriously mix up their genres here?