Chapter 87: Exploring the Deep Mine Area

The underground tunnels of Marienburg can be broadly divided into two regions: the shallow city area and the deep mine area.

As previously mentioned, Marienburg's underground consists of numerous tunnel mines. Due to large-scale illegal excavation and construction, every house in the canal and civilian districts has a basement connected to these tunnels. Many smugglers use these tunnels to enter Marienburg, merchants establish warehouses and secret storage points underground, and even some unscrupulous civilians set up living quarters in the tunnels.

However, this is only a part of the underground tunnel system utilized by humans, known as the shallow city area.

The rulers of Marienburg spent large sums of money to block and destroy portions of these tunnels and assigned more guards to watch the main tunnels, making the shallow city area relatively safe.

The truly dangerous part is the deep mine area.

Countless complex and winding tunnels lead to unknown destinations. In the deep mine area, the deepest tunnels are said to reach the molten core or even the lairs of demons. Many humans living in the deep mine area are threatened by corruption and decay. Numerous Chaos cults operate in the dark, along with various beasts and demons. Some witnesses have even reported seeing rats as large as humans in the depths of the tunnels.

These are the notorious Skaven ratmen. The human empire had fought several wars against the Skaven ratmen centuries ago, with the empire emerging victorious. However, as revenge, the emperor at the time was assassinated by Skaven assassins at any cost.

Naturally, Marienburg did not ignore this. Duke Schultz employed mercenaries to patrol and clear out monsters regularly. The nobles often offered high rewards, luring mercenaries with tales of hidden treasures in the deep mine area, encouraging them to take on these tasks. Some mercenaries indeed found buried treasures and struck it rich. Whenever this happened, Duke Schultz would generously announce that the mercenaries would not be taxed on their earnings, encouraging more mercenaries to venture into the deep mine area, sparking wave after wave of exploration fever.

Few noticed that more mercenaries went in and never returned.

The gateway from the shallow city area to the deep mine area is heavily guarded. Jacob, without saying much, led his three apprentices into the dark, deep mine shaft. "Damn it, damp, dark, and infested with degenerates—these are my three least favorite things all in one place."

"Vice President, be careful. The guards say a new cult seems to have appeared in the deep mine area recently," a young witch hunter said cautiously, pulling down his hat. "They say this cult worships a gray dog."

"Then we're lucky, because we'll have some delicious dog meat to eat," Jacob grinned, revealing his tobacco-stained teeth.

"Haha~" The witch hunters laughed together.

Indeed, for these bloodthirsty fighters who spent their lives in battle, there wasn't much joy to be had. They only enjoyed good food, a warm fire, and women during their rare moments of respite.

Witch hunters, due to their prolonged contact with Chaos entities, often experienced significant physiological effects. On one hand, they developed antibodies to Chaos, but prolonged exposure also made them bloodthirsty, their bodies mutated, and certain desires became particularly intense.

Carrying torches, the group walked through the dark tunnels. The increasingly narrow passageways and oppressive environment made them uncomfortable, so they began to chat. "Where did you spot Belter, Jock?"

The young witch hunter named Jock pulled out a fragment. "I found this about thirty minutes from here in a large warehouse. This fragment is undoubtedly part of the firearm Belter carried. He must have fought there."

"A large warehouse?" Jacob thought aloud. "What's stored in that warehouse?"

"It stores some candles and clothing," Jock replied. The young witch hunters were all dressed similarly, wrapped in thick clothes.

"Why would candles be stored with clothes?" Jacob immediately sensed something amiss but still smiled wryly. "But we have no choice. Even if we know something is wrong, we must investigate. Time is of the essence; Belter could disappear again at any moment."

This was the witch hunters' way. Sometimes, even knowing a place was off, they would still investigate because they needed money and needed to complete their tasks.

As they ventured deeper, the tunnels became damper and stranger. Water droplets clung to their thick boots as deep underground water from Marienburg seeped everywhere. Many of the old, disrepair tunnels led to unknown destinations. The witch hunters relied only on their torches, though these torches had some peculiar qualities.

The torches burned brightly, with large flames illuminating the dark surroundings. Even after twenty minutes, there were no signs of them burning out.

Under normal circumstances, no matter how skillfully crafted, such torches wouldn't burn so vigorously for more than fifteen minutes. Sensing the tense atmosphere, one witch hunter asked, "Master Jacob, did you get these torches from Councilwoman Sophia?"

Everyone knew about the relationship between the vice president of the witch hunters' guild and Garland councilwoman Sophia, and Jacob never tried to hide it. Jacob grinned, "I used up everything she gave me long ago. These torches are made by that young Veronica. You've all met her, haven't you?"

"Yeah, she's a beautiful witch, like a rose with morning dew," Jock said with a smile. "Many of us were betting on which young witch hunter she would choose as a partner."

"But no one guessed right. She wasn't interested in any of us witch hunters. As it turned out, she got close to Ryan, the famous hero of Nord, 'The Hammer.' If only I had been adopted by a lord," another witch hunter joked, but the envy in his voice was evident.

"Veronica has high standards," Jacob said, holding the torch and examining the mushrooms on the ground and the strange symbols on the tunnel walls. "She's lucky to have found a gem. Ryan's growth is astonishing. He's not even twenty-five and is already a mid-level legend. I've been stuck at high-level legend for almost fifty years and will probably never reach the sacred domain."

"Don't say that, Vice President. You still have a lot of time," a witch hunter comforted him.

"No... I can feel it. My body is aging faster. It won't be many years, maybe ten, maybe twenty, before I'm truly old. We must hurry, boys. Be careful," Jacob knew his body was gradually failing. This time, he had to catch Belter quickly; he couldn't let the fallen one go free again.

Passing through a narrow tunnel, the deep mine area suddenly opened up before the witch hunters. The twenty-meter-high ceiling was supported by large stone pillars and reinforced with wooden frames. Even after thousands of years, the hunters could still faintly see the outlines of dwarf sculptures. Marienburg's deep mine area once contained dwarf masterpieces, and some adventurers did indeed find real treasures here.

The four witch hunters advanced cautiously, communicating with hand signals. No one knew what lurked in the deep mine area; it was a paradise for various monsters but certainly not for humans.

"Over here, Vice President, everyone," Jock found a way up. Using grappling hooks and climbing techniques, he scaled a seemingly insignificant low wall. They discovered that after walking a short distance along the top of the wall, there was a path leading elsewhere.

"How did you find this damn path?" The witch hunters grumbled as they climbed the wall and followed the path, hunched over uncomfortably.

"It was a smell," Jock said, placing his fingers under his nose. "Remember? The followers of the Slaanesh cult like to cover themselves in a lot of incense and perfume oils. When I was investigating this area, I noticed a pungent smell and found this entrance after a long search."

"Damn, you managed to find this. Not bad," Jacob laughed and cursed, and the group followed a long passageway, arriving above a cliff. Below was the warehouse Jock had scouted.

The warehouse door was locked with iron chains, impossible for ordinary or elite individuals to break. The warehouse was well hidden, unlikely to have many visitors. The witch hunters hid in the shadows, carefully observing everything.

"Hmm, various footprints: shoes, large boots, and... hoof prints and dancing shoes. Some are new, some old. This place must be inhabited," Jacob examined the footprints on the ground, signaling caution to his hunters. "This could be a Chaos cult hideout. Be careful."

The witch hunters responded quietly, extinguishing their torches. One witch hunter approached Jacob and whispered, "Vice President? What now? Should we go down and investigate the warehouse directly?"

Jacob motioned for them to stay calm. His mutated amber eyes were fixed on the warehouse door.

"The knotting of the chains is special, indicating the person responsible for locking the door was once a sailor."

"The iron door isn't new; the lock is heavily worn, suggesting frequent use."

"Jock, are you sure you found this place yourself? Not lured here by something?"

Jacob's questioning puzzled the young witch hunter. After some thought, Jock replied uncertainly, "I... I think so? I remember following a strange group not long after entering the deep mine area, out of curiosity. I lost them near that wall and found this entrance after a long search. I found the fragment at the warehouse door."

"Damn, you might have been lured, but... hard to say. Let's not rush in. We'll wait here, stay hidden, and see what happens. If Belter is planning an ambush, he's likely prepared already," Jacob decided after some thought.

The witch hunters found a concealed spot outside the warehouse, hiding and waiting

 silently, their mutated eyes watching everything in the darkness.

An hour passed.

Two hours, three hours...

After waiting for five hours, the silence of the warehouse was broken by a lot of noise. Torches and loud voices filled the area as dozens of guards and a few fully armored mercenaries appeared in the previously empty warehouse.

"Damn it, that idiot Ox said someone would come. We've been waiting for hours, and no one's shown up!"

"Yeah! We've been tricked!"

"Who cares, we did as he asked, waited here for six hours, and those damned witch hunters didn't show. Not our problem!"

"Right, we still get paid. Let's get out of here and have a feast in the city!"

"Let's go, let's go~"

A large group of mercenaries and guards cursed, lit their torches, and, under a mercenary's operation, a door appeared in the previously solid wall. They filed out, disappearing through the door, which then closed tightly.

"An ambush!" The young witch hunters felt a chill, seeing the mercenaries' crossbows and several firearms. If they had rushed in, they would have fallen into a trap.

"I knew it was an ambush," Jacob spat, then motioned for patience. "Wait, don't rush. These mercenaries might not be gone for good."

The anxious witch hunters didn't understand Jacob's order but obeyed, continuing to wait.

As Jacob suspected, ten minutes later, the mercenaries and guards returned. After confirming no one was coming, they finally left.

Once the last group was gone, Jacob signaled the witch hunters to move. "Get up, boys, time to act!"

The four witch hunters approached the warehouse, unaware that a tall man in a blood-red leather coat and a high-top hat was watching them from the tunnel. He smiled. "Always cautious, as expected, Jacob... mentor!"

"But I know you too well, mentor."

"This warehouse will be your grave!"

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