Merchant Anthony responds to the call, bringing the migratory team scarce food and medicine.

The grateful man has his companions distribute the food and administer the medicine to the boy, as his emotions stabilize with his gradually recovering breath.

"You want to take them along? Our speed will be impaired, we won't get a high score."

The Spider Girl leans in close, standing beside Lu Li, quietly waiting for a breather.

The undisguised words reach the ears of the migratory team, whose lucky survival sees them enjoy food, but they slow their chewing, awaiting their fate's judgment.

"It's okay," Lu Li says.

"You call the shots."

The Spider Girl didn't like those who disrespected her, but now she's Lu Li's knight.

"My Lords, thank you for your help..."

The weary man props himself up and comes before Lu Li, once again expressing his gratitude, bringing along Ida, whose face is exquisite yet body ghastly.

"Folks, it's time for us to set off."

The people suppress their longing for the remaining food, rising to follow Lu Li as they skirt around the Swamp Lake along the side of the mining territory dug by the Earth Dwellers.

"You're different from the others... Lu Li," Ida whispers by Lu Li's side. "No prejudice, respect for life; that's why we chose you..."

"It's a pity..."

Ida laments a nonexistent future, scrabbling her spider limbs as she leaves Lu Li's side to scout ahead.

The Earth Dwellers were supposed to ensure the safety of their mining territory.

So as they approached the mining territory, the dangers of the Swamp also receded, except for the man-eating Swamp itself. Even the outline of the mining territory was scattered with wandering figures.

"Ida."

Lu Li calls back the Spider Girl scouting ahead and has her remove the academy's emblem, changing into the worn-out clothes of the migratory team.

Ida complains as she slips into the stinking clothes but soon realizes the reason behind Lu Li's actions.

The churning sludge surfaces from the roadside mire, forming blurry mud figures.

"State your purpose, commoner."

Even though composed of muck, the haughtiness behind it is palpable.

The leader, pre-briefed by Lu Li, answers with humility, "My Lord, we come from Cotton Town... we wish to—"

Crash—

The mire falls back into the swamp, the mud figure merging back, uninterested in listening.

On their way approaching the mining territory, they encounter several waves of searches. The migratory team's disguise repeatedly shields them through blockades.

Regardless of these people's identities or their search targets, it is clear: the contestants.

The information about the "forbidden area exit" is similar to "exit from the forbidden area," so it's unsurprising this area garners contestants. As a result, some contestants lurk around the exit like hyenas, hunting other contestants for points.

The mining territory controlled by the Earth Dwellers forbids fighting, leaving the hyenas to prowl outside.

The bedraggled disguise of the migratory team allows them to smoothly enter the mining territory.

In sheltering the migratory team, Lu Li, in turn, finds protection in them.

The road leading to the depths of the mining territory is blocked by wooden walls, and the outskirts have been transformed into a commercial street, much like the rumored wealth-loving goblins, by the Earth Dwellers.

Leaving Ida and the exhausted migratory team to rest, Lu Li follows the signs along the wooden boardwalk to the core of the commercial street.

[Midnight City Main Station Passage]

The spiral passage leading underground is fenced off, with short-statured Earth Dwellers waiting for Lu Li to approach.

"The ticket to the main station is 10 shillings; you can barter or work for three days in exchange, food and shelter provided." The Cave-dweller's dislike for light films over his flat face fall as he looked at Lu Li.

"Is the exit here?"

The Earth Dweller leans forward to sniff: "Of course not, but we know information about the exit."

"What do you need?" Lu Li asks.

"Need you to do something for us." The Earth Dweller cracks a grin, revealing yellow-stained teeth. "Find an opal mine, the opal is ours, the information yours."

A specialty of the Swamp, even though the opal ore doesn't need refining, the mines are scattered.

"How many shillings will buy the exit information?"

Lu Li isn't in the mood to waste time or meet numerous preconditions.

"How much can you fork out?" The Earth Dweller's fierce gums nearly show, his smile reminding Lu Li of Hades.

"10,000 shillings."

"Northern Swamp, many unexplored opal mines are there."

"10,000 strange currency."

"Deal!"

...

On the way back to the migratory team, someone follows Lu Li.

He makes no attempt to disguise his tracks, even facing Lu Li and approaching calmly.

"No offense, His Excellency Lu Li, we need your help." The believer wearing the [Spirit Town Union] badge on his chest bows respectfully.

Lu Li watches calmly, waiting for him to state his purpose.

The top ten competition's 10 factions randomly end up in the Swamp's depths. This implies two facts: those who enter the Swamp early have a higher chance of reuniting with their companions, and there necessarily exists a certain area where one faction has larger numbers.

Giant Tree Academy enters the Swamp first due to their last position ranking, but regretfully, the Earth Dwellers' mining territory isn't part of Giant Tree Academy's domain.

The Bloodline Family Alliance governs the surroundings. Although they disdain and find no point in slaughtering contestants from other factions, they will not refrain from eliminating competitors to gain points.

The Earth Dwellers' mining territory thus becomes a trap. Contestants approaching get eliminated by the lingering Bloodline Family Alliance, and those who luckily or through secret methods enter face an unavoidable truth: they are trapped here and cannot leave.

So some trapped contestants unite, aiming to break the blockade.

"The Spirit Town Union, Five Great Knight Orders, the Noble Council, and your Giant Tree Academy are all in the Breakout Alliance."

"You don't need my help," Lu Li says.

"Things are not that simple…" The Spirit Town believer regrets, "We cannot trust each other... the Knights Order and the Noble Council conflict, the Noble Council looks down on the Spirit Town Union, the Giant Tree Academy and Knights Order secretly ally… Clumped wet sand scatters at the slightest touch. Only you can turn it into stone, because your unparalleled, convincing reputation."

"I will consider it."

Lu Li merely answers. He doesn't plan on leaving here for now.

The Spirit Town believer misunderstands something, calmly adding.

"If you want to fulfill the Earth Dweller's commission, don't believe them. They'll only offer cryptic divinations. You can't gain any help from their sayings; their sole significance is when you find out the answer and recall the saying, you'll think it's correct."

From afar, the migratory team has already seen Lu Li's return, Ida's legs rustle as she approaches.

"I can tell you a secret…" As if making a certain decision, the Spirit Town believer whispers, "The Swamp's Cursed Title clue."

Ida draws close, vigilantly staring at the Spirit Town believer in his cloak.

Lu Li thinks briefly, then nods slightly.

"Follow me."

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