Chapter 94: Descent into Hell’s Gate

Ding. Killed a first-stage mutant, the Ore Worm, and gained 170 units of Spiritual Crystals.

Ding. Killed a first-stage mutant, the Calcified Corpse, and obtained the enchantment material: Hardened Hide.

Ding. Killed a zeroth-stage mutant, the Crystal Ant, earning 16 units of Spiritual Crystals.

Ding. Killed…

..

Fourth-Level Tunnel.

After the last monster had its head blown off by whistling spiritual bullets, Yenir and his two companions panted lightly as they chose to take a short break.

Although the earlier floors weren’t too difficult, waves of monsters kept coming. The trio fought their way down, nearly stepping over fallen bodies.

Yet, despite their exhaustion, the other two couldn’t hide the excitement in their eyes.

The Hell’s Gate dungeon truly yielded high rewards.

Even though they were only defeating first- and zeroth-stage mutants and rarely dropped gear, nearly every kill yielded some enchantment material or Spiritual Crystals.

Glancing at the Spiritual Crystals temporarily stored in the settlement space, Yenir nodded inwardly as he quickly tallied the haul.

Each unit of Spiritual Crystal was only fingertip-sized but sold for at least ten Credit Points.

The Spiritual Crystals he’d gathered alone were worth over a thousand points—and with an extra bonus of 10 units per floor (100 Credit Points),

it might seem little, but given the difficulty, it was practically a freebie.

Even if they cleared just seven levels, the two tagging along with him would net at least 700-800 points.

If it weren’t for the chance to exit only every seven levels, this place was a paradise for grinding resources.

This is it… exactly right!

He was overcome with excitement.

Trailing behind Yenir, Li Ke and the middle-aged Zhang Bin exchanged excited glances, convinced that coming here was the perfect decision!

Even if 40% of the loot went to Yenir, the 400-500 points from seven levels—plus extra enchantment materials—meant that by level fourteen they could haul about 2,000 points. For hardened Awakeners like them, that was a massive fortune.

Typical mutant-hunting groups would net only 300-400 points per mission, and few would even dare to take the risk.

Seeing that merely tagging along with Yenir earned so much made them all the more cheerful.

Noticing the two excited followers behind him, Yenir merely smiled coolly; with his strength, there was no trouble handling the early floors.

But compared to that 1,000-2,000 point haul, he prized the rewards waiting beyond the tenth level even more.

“Soon, as we near the seventh level, we should encounter a First-Stage Peak Fighter.”

“Pay attention—listen to my instructions.”

At his words, both nodded firmly. Even though they were second-stage fighters, a single first-stage peak mutant posed a significant threat.

Even on these early floors, without Yenir leading, things might not have gone so smoothly.

This was the early plight of Mental Type Awakeners.

“Lord Ye Lin may not be as strong as other third-stage fighters, but his reaction time is impressive—he spots monsters the moment they appear.”

“He’s probably conserving his strength. I haven’t seen him use a single skill; he relies solely on his physical prowess.”

Cautiously trailing behind Yenir, the two whispered among themselves, curious about his abilities.

Other third-stage fighters may dispatch enemies quickly, but few can pull off what Yenir did—providing full situational awareness like an all-map alert.

…..

“Hurry up! We’ve been waiting for you!”

Inside the hollow cave on the seventh level, whether from the Military’s third-stage contingent or the other two third-stage fighters, all 36 members watched as Yenir reappeared with his team.

Apart from one Awakener’s death, the first seven levels had inflicted no further losses.

Accompanied by two advanced second-stage fighters, the third-stage fighter Yun Ming glared at Yenir from a short distance with clear dissatisfaction.

Among all the teams, his pace was the fastest.

Yet his group had waited a full five to six minutes for Yenir to re-emerge.

“So slow—I’m beginning to doubt you’re even a third-stage fighter.”

“Even the second-stage peak fighters have already descended. Are you really unable to handle first-stage monsters?”

With a light snort, Huang Kai—the most hotheaded of those doubting Yenir’s abilities—mocked coldly. In his view, even a dedicated defensive third-stage fighter would have descended by now, and yet Yenir, who appeared to be Dual-Type: Strength and Agility, was even slower.

If you lack the strength, don’t rush to lead the team!

“Alright, enough bickering. Just gather everyone, that’s all that matters!”

Among the Military Awakeners, Colonel Wang Yangping furrowed his brow and promptly cut off the argument.

Arguing was pointless—wasting even a few minutes in the dungeon was costly. Yet the disdain in his gaze toward Yenir was unmistakable. In his eyes, Yenir was among the weakest third-stage fighters. The first six floors were so simple that any third-stage fighter, even relying on basic stats and skills, could have bulldozed through.

“Later, each third-stage fighter should engage one second-stage peak mutant while everyone else tackles the other monsters.”

“Of course, if any of your second-stage peak teams want to take one down, you can engage them as well.”

“If you come under pressure, the Military can send reinforcements, though we’ll take a portion of the rewards.”

Calmly, Wang Yangping noted that the Military still had plenty of second-stage peak fighter spots available.

His words were aimed primarily at the several second-stage teams outside the Military, and… Yenir.

For the first pass on level 7, you must defeat at least one second-stage peak mutant; on level 14, a beginner third-stage opponent appears. In theory, the more you defeat, the higher your clearance rating.

But beyond that, they simply couldn’t handle any more.

Six third-stage fighters facing six second-stage peaks was a serious challenge given the strength present.

Mutant strength typically exceeds that of Awakeners, but with these elite Military units it was barely an issue.

Around seven or eight such foes was about their limit.

“I’m fine.”

Yun Ming of the Demon-Hunting Team replied calmly; his prowess meant he didn’t need Military support.

“I’m fine too. But… what about that kid?”

Perhaps because he had resented Yenir from the start, Huang Kai—renowned for his tank-like nature—suddenly turned his gaze in his direction.

“Hey, that Ye Lin fellow.”

“Your team only has two beginners. If you can’t handle them, speak up now and ask for reinforcements! Don’t end up getting us sandwiched and overwhelmed!”

It was as much disdain as it was genuine concern.

In his eyes, Yenir was not only one of the weakest third-stage fighters but also embodied a typical hit-and-run style that, while suited for survival in the wild, was infuriating on the battlefield. A misstep could send the monster charging his way, leaving him attacked from both sides.

The gathered Awakeners watched the confrontation with keen interest.

Such bickering among third-stage fighters was rare.

Repeatedly targeted, even the two trailing Yenir felt frustrated, yet their low strength made them too timid to object.

Yenir looked up at the provoking Huang Kai, a chill flashing in his eyes.

He noticed that the Safe Zone to which that short guy belonged was not far from Zhenjiang.