The Lair of the Sword Spider (Part 3)

Entering the aged wooden cabin, Victor's keen green eyes casually scanned the surroundings, revealing a profound understanding in his gaze

Hey, I'm used to it." With a wave of his hand, the man indicated that he had long been accustomed to the cold climate of this area at night

The woman reminded her husband to borrow some ingredients from next door. When she turned back, the guest was already sitting in the only rocking chair in the small living room, reaching out towards the burning fire.

"If you do not wish to be disqualified, remember to thoroughly study the examination rules." The priest waved his sleeve and left, while Vina bit her lip in silence, yet she did not dare to stay behind and exited the wooden cabin along with the priests

The smell of blood is strong, and the resentment of the dead gathers around this seemingly ordinary couple of villagers. The mage was not wrong; they are not good people

Whether it is the half-elf Feli or the physician Emma, neither knows the identity of the employer. To uncover who hired the 'Fake Frostwolf', one must start with Vina.

As Victor stepped out of the cabin, he heard the murmurs coming from all around.

Aren't you coming to warm up by the fire? Although it is already summer, the nights in Talan are still quite cold. Victor seemed to extend the invitation as if he were in his own home

As it was previously stated that this is a test of individual survival skills, the slight goodwill cultivated through prior teamwork has dissipated amidst mutual hostility

As with the spider creature, Victor walked in the lead again

Before long, the woman brought out steaming dishes from the humble kitchen and invited Victor to join her for the meal

Come, try the local specialty beans here. The hospitable hostess handed a wooden bowl filled to the brim to the lich, who took the bean soup and drank it all in one go

However, this does not mean that everyone will be able to sleep soundly tonight. The village is in a semi-abandoned state, with many houses no longer habitable. If one cannot find shelter in the houses that are still occupied, they will have to sleep in the open spaces of the village

Are you still waiting for Veena? ... Unfortunately, her skills cannot alleviate your predicament

The sound of footsteps gradually drew closer, finally coming to a halt outside the storage room

As dawn broke, a large group of candidates stood at the entrance of the temporarily opened mine shaft, waiting for the second round of testing

Due to spending too much time on the Sword Spider, Paan decided to rest for the night, allowing the exhausted mage to recover, and to enter the second examination venue—the Davor Mine—after dawn

***

Before the other party could speak, a plump woman quickly walked out of the room, her face beaming with a smile as she accepted the silver coin handed to her by Victor

I apologize for the interruption

Soon, the iron gate was opened, and a wave of foul and musty odors rushed towards me

In the darkness, a barely audible conversation could be heard

As for the death of the Cook couple, it did not evoke any excessive feelings in her. From the very beginning, Veena had relegated them to the role of cannon fodder. Unexpectedly, Victor managed to turn the unfavorable situation against him around with just the painting she had given to Cook for identification, the gold coins as payment, and two sentences.

In reality, what truly works is the divine art wielded by Pa'an. As a priest of the Temple of Life, he possesses extraordinary perception, enabling him to discern between good and evil

A dagger radiating a green glow emitted a faint light in the dark and enclosed wooden cabin and among the books. Holding my breath, I approached step by step, silently stabbing the slightly bulging bedding on the simple wooden bed.

A middle-aged man was sitting outside the cabin, alertly observing Victor as he approached slowly

The mine is crisscrossed and as complex as a maze; if you do not wish to get lost and perish, do not venture into strange places. Pa An issued instructions in his uniquely charming voice: "This round tests your individual survival skills, with a time limit of one day. Once all candidates have entered, the main gate will be sealed. No matter what happens, this door will not open until tomorrow arrives. As a supervisor, I will be sealed in the mine with you; do not think that just because the space is large, you can act recklessly." No matter what happens, this door will not open until tomorrow arrives. As a supervisor, I will be sealed in the mine with you; do not think that just because the space is large, you can act recklessly.

"When did you find out?" Cold sweat trickled down Cook's forehead as he asked in a low voice. He needed to buy time to wait for the arrival of the last accomplice.

Yes, this person must be killed, by any means necessary

What are you doing

"Sit down for a moment; it just so happens that you can have dinner with us." The hostess of the wooden house returned to the kitchen, rubbing her hands on her greasy apron, wearing a look of slight confusion. She always felt that something was amiss, but for the moment, she could not pinpoint what it was

A furious shout came from below, as the priest Paan stood at the door with four angry clerics. Behind him stood Vina, who had been absent until now.

No shouting, no retaliation

Be careful, I have heard that this fellow is a mage, and the mentality of such individuals is stronger than that of ordinary people

Seeing the objects on the ground, Paan's gaze first circled around Victor before finally resting on Vina's face. He personally ascended the decaying stairs, turned over the corpse of Cook's wife, and in a low murmur, Paan's hands glowed with a white light, as if he were attempting to heal the dead, gently massaging the body of the overweight woman.

The moment she thought of the commission, Veena suppressed her fear once again

The Cook couple had just died, and malevolent thoughts still lingered around their bodies. Upon noticing this situation, Paan naturally understood that Victor was not mistaken. Although he despised Victor, who was an 'evil sorcerer' due to his profession, he equally found the petty actions of someone like Vina to be quite distasteful

He suddenly turned around, and the door behind him opened wider, revealing his wife lying face down on the ground. A long gash had been cut into her thick neck, and blood had already pooled on the old floor in a quantity sufficient to be fatal. Meanwhile, the target, who should have been sound asleep, stood unharmed by the doorframe, the staff in his hand emitting a faint glow in the dim corridor

That pale face remained expressionless as always, yet Veena felt an illusion that he was mocking his own failure once again in his heart

Carefully listening to the sounds around him and finding no noise, Victor then approached the deceased man, retrieving a meticulously wrapped package from his arms. Inside, in addition to a dozen gold coins, there was a portrait strikingly similar to Wood.

After exchanging a glance, the couple began to eat while chatting about everyday matters, ranging from trivialities of life to neighborhood secrets. This meal continued until the silvery moonlight poured in through the window panes.

Answer me

As the aroma of the dishes wafted from the kitchen, the middle-aged man who had borrowed the ingredients returned empty-handed. He first glanced in the direction of the kitchen, then with a beaming smile, pulled over another low stool to sit down, maintaining a considerable distance from the guest.

Subsequently, Paan furrowed his brow and applied the same method to Cook once again

Are you asleep ... ...

I poured a full tablespoon of sleeping powder; even an ogre would have to lie down

It is merely self-defense; although the exam stipulates that one cannot kill indiscriminately, it does not state that one cannot retaliate, does it? Throwing down the pouch of coins, the lich deliberately let the scroll adorned with a portrait and several gold coins roll out.

Although the priest noticed Vina's actions, he did not intervene. He was also waiting, waiting for Victor to commit evil for his own selfish desires; otherwise, as the examiner, he would have no opportunity to take action.

After dinner, Victor sat for a while in front of the burning fireplace, and before midnight, he entered the room originally used for storing clutter to rest

Rest assured, it will not wake up

At this point, the priest deliberately glanced at Victor, while the lich, lost in thought as was his habit, could only continue to outline the precautions.

Several blades of wind emanated from the shimmering crystal, striking Cook, who was already close by, and sending him flying. His body was deeply embedded in the wooden wall, creating a loud noise in the stillness of the night

First, a slit allowed a faint light to seep in. Once it was confirmed that the person lying on the bed had entered deep sleep, the man, who initially appeared dull and heavyset, leaped in with a speed that was incongruous with his appearance

The underground cave, dim, ancient, and decayed, is simply designed for it in the second level, a most optimal battlefield

Recalling the last conversation, Veena couldn't help but shiver

The entrance to the mine tunnel is wide, sealed by two massive iron doors. Although it has been abandoned for a long time, one can still discern the grandeur of the mining activities that once took place. Just standing outside the iron doors, one can feel the chill emanating from within, causing many to worry about the temperature inside the mine. It is currently summer, and people are dressed in light clothing, hardly considering the prospect of venturing into the cooler underground.

Before the mage finished writing the characters, Cook, realizing he had no way out, lunged forward with a dagger raised.

Cook, holding a dagger, could not feel any joy, for he knew that the roles of hunter and prey had instantaneously reversed.

In order to rest well, many people have employed various means. Some offer high prices, some rely on charm to deceive, and there are even those who resort to forceful coercion.

Due to Vina's malicious dissemination, the news of the deaths of two villagers has spread among the candidates. Although the other party was a habitual robber, many people were participating in the adventurer's examination for the first time and had never truly killed anyone. Victor's identity instantly transformed from an advanced mage to an evil mage

May I stay here? The Lich took out several silver coins, indicating that he would pay a considerable amount for accommodation

The real wolf is coming

The true Frostwolf, she also did not wish to confront. ... However ... . ... she could not give up the generous remuneration offered by her employer. With that sum of money, she could escape far away, to a place where no one knew her, and live a comfortable life for the rest of her days

Victor, who did not need to sleep, initially intended to squeeze in with everyone in the open space, but he changed his mind upon seeing Vina slip into a small wooden cabin