Chapter 61 Brother Bei
After a short rest, the alliance team continued their journey deeper into the mine.
After the aggregate of resentment was dealt with, the chilling atmosphere in the mine seemed to have faded somewhat, but the feeling of being watched had not completely disappeared; instead, it had become even more subtle.
As you go deeper, the mine tunnels gradually open up, eventually leading to a huge underground cavity.
In the center of the hollow, a colossal object stood out starkly.
A gigantic structure forcibly pieced together from abandoned minecarts, rusty rails, broken rocks, and countless twisted metal fragments.
It was as tall as three or four people, its massive body covered in thick grime and dark red rust, and its joints made a teeth-grinding "creaking" sound.
Most chillingly, in the center of its "head" made of broken gears, there is a constantly pulsating, dark red orb of light radiating intense resentment, like an evil heart.
This is the guardian deep within the mine, a giant construct possessed by a powerful vengeful spirit.
It seemed to sense the intruders, its massive body slowly turning towards the squad. Its dark red "heart" suddenly lit up, emitting a silent roar, and its heavy footsteps echoed across the ground.
"Prepare for battle." Jun Xiangbei shouted in a low voice, his longsword already drawn, its chilling sword intent locking onto its target.
The silent monk stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and chanted incantations. A calm and profound aura emanated from him, as if an invisible shield had been placed over everyone.
Wang Hu gripped his weapon tightly, hiding in the back row.
Gu Yunqing's gaze swept quickly across the construct, the power of the Zhuge Jin card in his mind quietly activating, countless streams of information flashing through his mind. He calmly spoke: "Mr. Wu, engage in direct confrontation. Wuyan, find the weakness in the energy node. Mr. Jun, take the lead in the attack."
The instructions are clear and unambiguous.
Wu Jueji cracked his neck, making a snapping sound, and his lazy expression was replaced by an eager excitement. "This big guy... is interesting."
He muttered to himself, and instead of retreating, he advanced, walking towards the construct that was charging towards him with heavy steps.
The construct swung a giant arm made of twisted steel beams, slamming it down with tremendous force, accompanied by a howling wind.
Wu Jueji neither dodged nor avoided, but simply raised his right hand.
"Bang!!!"
A deep, muffled roar echoed through the mine.
Despite his seemingly frail figure, Wu Jueji actually managed to block the terrifying blow that was powerful enough to flatten a tank with just one hand.
The rocky ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, but he himself only swayed slightly and did not take a single step back.
The construct seemed to pause for a moment, its dark red heart began to beat faster, and its other "arm," made of broken drill bits, shot straight into Wu Jueji's chest like a venomous dragon emerging from its lair.
Wu Jueji's figure blurred again, turning to the side at an incredible angle. The drill bit grazed past his clothes, and the strong wind it generated made his clothes flutter loudly.
He slammed his fist into the joint of the construct, producing a metallic clang.
No matter how powerful, fast, or tricky the construct's attacks are, Wu Jueji can always block or dodge with just the right amount of power and speed, pinning it firmly in place and preventing it from making even a single step forward.
The "50/50" rule-based ability was on full display at this moment. He was like a highly accurate mirror, perfectly reflecting and neutralizing all of his opponent's attacks.
Just as Wu Jueji was tightly entangled with the construct, the silent monk stared intently at the construct with his empty eyes, as if analyzing the flow of energy within it.
A moment later, he pointed to a gear-like structure on the left side of the construct's chest, near the dark red heart, his voice carrying a strange certainty:
“There, at the energy circuit conversion node, the structure is the most unstable and the weak point.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Jun Xiangbei acted the instant the weakness was pointed out without a word.
The moon-white figure moved like a ghost, bringing with it a cold sword light. The person followed the sword, and the sword energy was like an ice waterfall falling from the sky, converging at a point and stabbing the gear node that was unseen with unparalleled precision at a speed that could not be captured by sight.
"laugh--!"
A piercing sound of metal tearing apart rang out.
Jun Xiangbei's sword strike, imbued with all his strength and sword intent, pierced directly through the construct's thick metal shell and sank deep into that crucial node.
"Buzz—!!!"
The construct's massive body stiffened abruptly, a chaotic burst of energy emanating from within, its movements instantly becoming sluggish, and the light of its dark red heart flickered violently and erratically.
"Now." Gu Yunqing's voice rang out at the right time. A trace of extremely subtle blood-red evil energy had appeared on his fingertips. This was his disguise as a special ability of the guild, but in reality, it was the power of Qiu Zangxue that he had extracted. Then he pointed in the air.
The malevolent energy, as if it possessed a life of its own, drilled into the structure through the gap Jun Xiangbei had created, instantly detonating the chaotic energy within.
Boom!!!
A huge hole suddenly exploded in the chest of the construct, and countless parts and rusted metal flew everywhere. The massive body tilted backward like a collapsing mountain and a jade pillar, and finally crashed heavily to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
After flashing a few more times, the dark red heart dimmed completely, shattered, and vanished into a wisp of black smoke.
The battle is over.
The mine was temporarily silent, with only the slightly rapid breathing of the group remaining.
The viewers in Gu Yunqing's live stream were amazed:
"We won, our teamwork was perfect."
"Uncle Wu is so stable at the front, his 50/50 advantage is simply overpowered, I want that ability too."
"Isn't the Silent Monk's ability impressive?"
"Besides Wang Hu, who in this team doesn't have formidable superpowers?"
Wang Hu: Friend, are you being polite?
Gu Yunqing did not immediately check the spoils of war, but instead sharply scanned the mine after the battle.
The power of Zhuge Jin's cards makes him exceptionally sensitive to energy and the environment.
"There's a faint magical reaction behind the third protruding rock on the left side of the cliff." He pointed in one direction. "Under that pile of collapsed slag to the right rear, there seems to be something buried."
Jun Xiangbei and Wuyan immediately stepped forward and, following Gu Yunqing's guidance, dug out a piece of high-quality [Refined Magic Iron Ore] from behind the ore. They also found two [Wraith Crystals] containing pure, cold energy under the slag.
These are rare, high-level building or enchanting materials, far exceeding the value of ordinary quest rewards.
With the system directly awarding 4,000 yuan, 3 enchanted ores, and 1 one-time exorcism rune, the rewards from this mission were enormous.
After cleaning up their spoils, the group left the gloomy mine with their rich haul.
When they returned to the town, it was already close to dusk. The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the town in a warm gold, but it could not dispel the fatigue and solemnity between the players' brows.
Continuous high-intensity combat and exploration are extremely taxing on both mental and physical strength.
Especially on Gu Yunqing's side, the thatched hut was almost in ruins, and Wang Hu could not hide his weariness.
Even Wu Jueji frowned slightly, revealing a hint of fatigue that was barely perceptible—maintaining a "50/50" balance against a powerful enemy was also quite taxing on his mental state.
As Gu Yunqing looked at the dilapidated "home" and pondered whether to spend resources to repair it urgently or to find another way, a clear, cold voice rang out beside him.
"Gu Yunqing".
Jun Xiangbei walked up to him without him noticing, looking at him calmly.
"Hmm?" Gu Yunqing turned her head and met his beautiful eyes.
Jun Xiangbei's tone remained flat, as if stating an objective fact: "The ghosts are getting stronger at night. Your house's defenses mainly rely on Mr. Wu himself, which is too risky and makes it difficult to guarantee sufficient rest."
He paused, as if organizing his thoughts, before continuing, his voice slightly lower than usual: "I bought a spare bed. My place is alright."
Jun looked north at Gu Yunqing and added, his tone still calm, but the content revealed an unusual meaning: "You can come over, just like last night. You don't need to continue repairing this house."
These words, seemingly a cooperation proposal based on rational analysis, contain implications far beyond the simple notion of "cooperation" in the context of the "preparation" to purchase spare beds in advance and the invitation extended specifically to Gu Yunqing, which included her entire team.
This was almost blatant special care and protection for Gu Yunqing.
Wang Hu and Wu Yan were both stunned, not expecting Jun Xiangbei to suddenly extend such an invitation.
Gu Yunqing was also slightly taken aback, a genuine surprise flashing in her eyes.
He looked at Jun Xiangbei, who still had that aloof and cold demeanor, but something seemed to have quietly melted away in the depths of his eyes.
Gu Yunqing realized that this was indeed the best option at the moment.
[Sturdy] The stone house provides an absolutely safe environment at night, allowing Wu Jueji to rest and recover from his mental exhaustion, and also allowing Wang Hu and himself to get sufficient rest to cope with the more severe challenges to come.
Moreover, this is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to strengthen the relationship with Jun Xiangbei and gain a deeper understanding of this ally.
In a flash, Gu Yunqing's face revealed that gentle yet slightly distant and grateful smile. She readily agreed, even naturally switching to a more intimate form of address:
"In that case, I'm sorry to have troubled you. Brother Bei has considered everything very well."
The way he called out "Brother Bei" was so natural, as if the two had been friends for many years.
Upon hearing this form of address, Jun Xiangbei's icy brows twitched almost imperceptibly, as if he were somewhat unaccustomed to it, but he did not correct him. He simply gave a faint "hmm" and turned to lead the way.
The silent monk seemed pleased with this and quietly followed suit.
Wang Hu was overjoyed. Being able to spend the night in a safe and comfortable [Sturdy] room was like a windfall. He quickly followed Gu Yunqing.
Wu Jueji yawned and lazily trailed at the back of the group, as if he didn't care where he went.
The group followed Jun Xiangbei to his sturdy house, built of heavy stone, located in the center of the town.
Pushing open the heavy stone door, the interior space appears more spacious than it does from the outside.
Although it still adheres to the principle of prioritizing "sturdiness", the furnishings are simple and lack aesthetic appeal, but they are clean and tidy, with tables, chairs and beds all available. Sure enough, there are a few simple beds that are obviously newly added in the corner.
Compared to Gu Yunqing's drafty thatched hut, this place is practically a luxurious and safe house.
"Everyone, please rest." Jun Xiangbei said succinctly, pointing to the spare beds, and then walked to the other side of the room to his stone bed, where he sat cross-legged, seemingly preparing to enter meditation.
Gu Yunqing looked around, gestured to Wang Hu and Wu Jueji, and then chose a bed that was neither too close nor too far from Jun Xiangbei to sit down.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Wang Hu found a corner to lie down and almost instantly began to snore softly; he was simply too exhausted.
Wu Jueji leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and his breathing quickly became even and long, as if he had entered a state of rest.
Gu Yunqing did not fall asleep immediately. He leaned against the headboard, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Jun Xiangbei, who was meditating with his eyes closed across from him.
Moonlight streamed through the small windows of the stone house, casting cool, dappled patterns on the ground.
The room was quiet; only Wang Hu's soft snoring and the steady breathing of the others could be heard.
The feeling of sharing a room with you, or even "living under the same roof," is somewhat peculiar.
He knew that Jun Xiangbei's actions were not solely based on rational considerations.
The ripples from the Refining Heart Tower, the tacit understanding in the mine, and his growing curiosity and desire to explore himself were all driving Jun Xiangbei to make decisions that went against his usual behavior.
And what about myself?
Gu Yunqing lowered her eyes slightly.
Use it? Of course, there is.
Getting closer to Jun Xiangbei to gather more intelligence and observe his reactions was part of the plan.
But besides using it, it seems... there's something else going on.
Was it the sense of security she felt from having him around? Or was it that his clumsy yet sincere care had stirred something within her...?
Gu Yunqing gently shook her head, suppressing these chaotic thoughts.
In any case, this move is the right one.
He needs rest, he needs to recover, and he also needs to... make better use of this sudden "closeness".
He closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing, feeling the tranquility and insight brought by the Zhuge Jin card within his body, as well as the violence and power hidden by the Qiu Zangxue card.
In this relatively safe fortress, on this night with Jun Xiangbei guarding him, he finally relaxed his tense nerves.
On the other side, Jun Xiangbei, who seemed to be in meditation, had a heart as frozen as ice, but it was not truly at peace.
Gu Yunqing was not far away.
He could clearly sense the other person's steady breathing and smell the faint, clean scent of Gu Yunqing in the air.
The "disciple" who relied on him in the illusion, and the mysterious ally in reality, was now sleeping soundly within his reach, completely unsuspecting.
This realization stirred up unfamiliar yet slightly warm ripples in Jun Xiangbei's heart, which was accustomed to coldness and order.
He found that he didn't seem to dislike the feeling.
Even... some secret joys that even I myself am unwilling to delve into.
Night was falling.
Inside the cabin, the two had different thoughts, yet they coexisted in a strange harmony.
Outside the cabin, the crisis and challenges of this instance are still quietly brewing in the darkness.
A new storm is brewing in an unknown corner.
At this moment, the chat in Gu Yunqing's live stream was filled with all sorts of speculation and anticipation:
"He even bought a bed specifically for me. I knew then that Jun Xiangbei had different feelings for Gu Yunqing."
"I give Jun Shen a perfect score for this move!"
"He bought the bed in advance! He must have planned this all along!"
"Gu Yunqing called out 'Brother Bei' so naturally!"
"Allies on the surface, but who knows what they're really thinking?"
"I have a feeling this night won't be peaceful..."
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