In the Universe (Part 1)

Chapter 14: In the Universe (Part 1)

After receiving the Black Soil, Zhao Hai led Blockhead and Stonehead to walk towards Merine and Meg to see how they were tidying up. Although Iron Mountain had plenty of Dwarf mine tunnels, the structure of this mountain was quite unusual. It had been hollowed out by the Dwarves over many years, but the construction of the tunnels was solid, and there was no danger of landslides.

Merine and Meg, being loyal servants of the Buda Family, were capable of handling the task at hand. The slaves who had been freed by Zhao Hai were also competitive and didn't require supervision.

As they cleaned up the mine tunnels, they discovered that there were not many usable areas. The first few dozen meters of the tunnels consisted of living quarters, open spaces, and pits where the Dwarves resided. However, after that point, the tunnels slanted downward and accumulated water. Despite these limitations, the areas they tidied up were sufficient for raising Blue Eye Rabbits, but further exploration was not feasible.

The mine tunnels were designed like a small town, not far from a water source, with proper drainage facilities. Although water was stored in the tunnels, the area where they were currently working was relatively dry, making it an ideal place for raising Blue Eye Rabbits.

This was Zhao Hai's first time seeing the Dwarf Iron Mountain clearly. The mountain was not very tall, with an elevation of about one kilometer and extending for several thousand li (0.5 km). It formed a semi-circular shape, encircling the Black Wasteland. There was only one road in and out of Black Wasteland, passing through the mountain range. The Buda Family's castle was built on the hillside, with Iron Mountain behind it. The Dwarf mine tunnels were situated on the mountainside, offering a favorable location. However, behind Iron Mountain lay the infamous Carrion Swamp, one of the five forbidden lands on the continent.

The land on the mountain was dark brown, with some poorly growing weeds. The vegetation appeared sickly, and the few crooked-necked trees added to the desolate atmosphere. Seeing this, Zhao Hai couldn't help but sigh. He understood why the Great Nobles had sent him to this frontier. Even though Green had sold off their assets to buy supplies before coming here, it was clear that this place was a deathtrap. No matter how hard they labored, they could barely sustain themselves. If the Buda Family wanted to prosper here, it would be an impossible dream.

Zhao Hai approached the mine tunnel, where the slaves under Merine and Meg's command were diligently working. They hadn't noticed Zhao Hai's arrival. Although the mine tunnel was constructed by the Dwarves, the entrance was quite large, with a height of over three meters and a width of over five meters. Inside, there was a spacious open area, with numerous large and small caves arranged along the walls. It resembled a castle city, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people.

Observing the scene before him, Zhao Hai couldn't help but be amazed by the Dwarf's ability to create such a cavernous city. He realized that this mine tunnel, even though it appeared to be just a mine tunnel, was actually an underground base.

Zhao Hai nodded approvingly, realizing the potential of this place. Once properly reorganized, it could not only serve as a habitat for Blue Eye Rabbits but also function as a secret base. However, this process would take time, and they currently didn't have the luxury of time.

At that moment, Merine noticed Zhao Hai's presence and hurriedly approached him. She said, "Young Master, why have you come here? It's very dirty. You should return to the castle."

Zhao Hai smiled and replied, "It's alright. I just came to take a look, Merine Grandma. How many caverns like this are there on this mountain?"

Merine quickly answered, "On this large mountain, there are only two such caverns—one near the castle and the other on the opposite side of the mountain. They are similar in size to this one. The rest are small passages, numbering in the dozens."

Zhao Hai nodded and asked, "Are these caverns interconnected? How deep are these mine tunnels? We need to construct barricades on the surface to prevent the Blue Eye Rabbits from escaping."

Merine looked at Zhao Hai and said, "Young Master, rest assured. These caverns are likely interconnected. It's a tradition of the Dwarf clan. However, the passages are usually constructed beneath the mine tunnels to prevent the mountain from collapsing. They don't dig transverse passages on the outside. The caverns are filled with water, but I'm not sure how deep they are. It might be a dead end. Young Master can rest assured and use this place."

Zhao Hai nodded and said, "That's good to hear. We don't need to worry about the caverns for now. This cavern is suitable. We can build a road leading to it and block off the ore. Although there's water, we don't have to worry about the Blue Eye Rabbits drowning."

Merine nodded and said, "Young Master, rest assured. I know what to do. This place is not suitable for you. Please return to the castle."

Zhao Hai smiled and replied, "It's alright. I'm not worried. Merine Grandma, you can continue your work. I'll take a look at the water stored in the mine tunnel and see if it can be used."

Merine agreed, and as a Water element Mage, she conjured a ball of light to illuminate their path. Zhao Hai admired the magic, realizing that it was a Light element spell specifically for illumination. It had no offensive, defensive, or healing properties and was solely used for lighting purposes. It was a basic spell that even apprentice-level magicians could use because it had no elemental restrictions.

Zhao Hai took a moment to appreciate the scene before turning his attention to the underground lake. The area covered by the lake was vast, and the ore's radiance prevented him from seeing the full extent of its size. He could only hear the sound of water echoing.

Suddenly, a group of white light appeared beside Zhao Hai. He looked curiously and realized that Merine was holding a bright light in her hand, which functioned like a lamp. He understood that it was magic—a Light element spell called Illumination Technique. It provided illumination and had no offensive capabilities. Any magician on the continent, even an apprentice, could cast this spell because it had no elemental restrictions.

Zhao Hai glanced at it and then turned his attention back to the underground lake, taking advantage of the illumination technique's light. He observed that the lake was indeed large, much bigger than a typical underground lake. It seemed vast, resembling an empty expanse. What surprised Zhao Hai even more was the presence of several small islands within the lake. These islands were not large, only about a dozen square meters in size, and they were grounded, resembling pillars extending from the lake's floor.

Perplexed, Zhao Hai asked Merine, "Merine Grandma, do you know the purpose of these pillar-like structures?"

Merine smiled and explained, "Young Master, you haven't misinterpreted it. These are indeed pillars used by the Dwarves to support the entire mountain. The platforms on top serve as command stages, where Dwarves stand and direct the workers below. The water you see here has actually been completely hollowed out, turning it into a lake."

Zhao Hai's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "This is amazing! We can raise fish here and breed many of them. It's a natural treasure trove! HaHaHa!"

Merine glanced around and said, "Young Master, your idea is excellent. However, we need to investigate this place further. If it's stagnant water, we won't be able to breed fish. But the water element here seems very active. The source of this water is a mystery. If it's connected to a river with a current, there must be an outlet. Otherwise, the water level wouldn't be maintained. If there is an outlet, no matter how many fish we invest in, they will escape through it."

Zhao Hai nodded and said, "That's a major issue, and I noticed the same problem in the moat. It seems we need to address this issue first." He turned to Merine and said, "Merine Grandma, please summon water so that I can examine it."

Although Merine didn't understand Zhao Hai's intentions, she complied and began to manipulate water. A one-meter diameter water ball slowly rose from the lake and stopped in front of Zhao Hai. Zhao Hai marveled at the mysteries of magic but didn't waste any time. With a thought, he brought the large water ball into his Space Warehouse.

After the water ball was stored, Zhao Hai felt that there was no prompt from the Space, indicating that the water ball had been successfully saved. He couldn't help but sigh in amazement at the mysterious nature of the Space Warehouse. Even a water ball could be stored inside.