Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 22: Chapter 22 — Basement Level Five

Chapter 22 — Basement Level Five

Victor and Jacob left the Quartermaster’s Office with their new permits in hand.

They walked through the hallway toward the platform without saying much. The noise of the office slowly faded behind them, replaced by the steady hum of the Tower and the footsteps of workers moving through the corridors.

After a few moments, Victor glanced toward Jacob.

"Jacob, what do you know about Basement Level Five?"

Jacob didn’t answer immediately.

He kept walking, his eyes lowered as he seemed to consider the question. After a few seconds, he rubbed his forehead and finally looked at Victor.

"Honestly, I don’t know a lot. But from what I’ve heard, it’s not a very good place to be."

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

Jacob took a breath.

"Level Five is still being explored. The Tower only opened it a few years ago, and there are enormous caverns down there that haven’t been completely mapped."

He paused for a moment.

"I’ve heard they’ve only mapped around ten percent of it so far."

Victor’s expression became more serious.

"Only ten percent?"

Jacob nodded.

"Most of the teams that go down there are looking for new minerals, herbs, and other materials. They’re basically exploring as they go."

His expression changed slightly.

"And the monsters down there are a whole different breed."

Victor looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Most of the monsters we’ve heard about on the upper floors are around the Body Tempering level. But Level Five has monsters that can reach the peak of the Body Tempering Realm."

Jacob paused.

"Some are even stronger."

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

"There are stronger ones?"

Jacob nodded slowly.

"Tempered Beasts. And there have even been a few encounters with Beast Soldiers."

Victor’s expression shifted.

"Beast Soldiers?"

It was the first time he’d heard the term.

"Yeah."

Jacob shook his head.

"I’ve never seen one. I’ve only heard stories. But if we run into one down there, we’re not getting away."

Victor remained quiet.

The two continued walking toward the platform.

After a few moments, Jacob continued.

"From what I’ve heard, most of the people who go down there are stronger cultivators. The guards protect the perimeter, but the actual expeditions are made up of teams that go deeper into the caverns."

Victor listened carefully.

"And the slaves?"

"They bring slaves with them."

Jacob glanced toward Victor.

"Mostly to carry equipment, gather materials, mine anything they find, and handle the work the cultivators don’t want to do."

He hesitated.

"And if something goes wrong..."

Victor already knew the answer.

"The slaves get left behind."

Jacob nodded.

"Usually."

Victor looked down at the permit in his hand.

"So it’s not very safe."

Jacob gave him a grim look.

"No. Not for us."

Neither of them said anything after that.

They reached the platform and stepped inside.

The doors closed behind them.

A soft vibration traveled through the floor as the platform began descending.

Level Two.

Level Three.

Level Four.

Victor watched the numbers change above the doors.

The deeper they went, the longer the descent seemed to feel.

There was something different about this descent.

Perhaps it was simply knowing what waited below.

Whatever the reason, neither Victor nor Jacob spoke.

Finally, the display changed.

Level Five.

The platform slowed.

A metallic sound echoed through the chamber as it came to a stop.

Then the doors opened.

Cold air rushed inside.

Victor’s eyebrows lifted.

The temperature was noticeably lower than anything he had experienced on the upper floors.

He stepped out and immediately felt the cold against his skin.

Jacob pulled his clothes slightly tighter around himself.

Victor looked ahead.

Basement Level Five was nothing like Level Three.

There were no organized buildings or neat mining stations.

Instead, an enormous cavern stretched out before them, its ceiling disappearing into darkness high above. A fortified perimeter had been established around the platform, with guards stationed along its edges and watching the various cavern entrances.

Beyond the perimeter was almost nothing but darkness.

Expedition teams were scattered throughout the area, preparing to leave.

Victor studied them.

Most teams had six or seven people.

They weren’t simply groups of miners.

They looked more like small military units.

One person carried a shield and sword.

Another carried a bow.

Others were equipped with different weapons and armor suited for combat.

Even the slaves following them carried equipment and large bags for whatever materials they might find.

Victor noticed something else.

The members of the teams carried themselves differently from the workers he had seen on the upper floors.

There was a sharpness to them.

They moved like people accustomed to fighting.

Some even carried a faint killing intent that Victor could feel despite being several meters away.

These weren’t ordinary workers.

They were people who had spent years fighting monsters in the darkness.

Victor’s gaze moved across the cavern.

Then something caught his attention.

A team was returning through the perimeter.

At first, Victor didn’t think much of it.

Then he saw what they were carrying.

Several bodies were being dragged behind them.

Dead slaves.

One of the bodies was missing its lower torso, the remaining portion covered in blood and dirt.

Another body appeared to be one of the expedition members.

Both of his arms were gone.

Victor’s breathing stopped for a moment.

He hadn’t expected to see something like that.

The returning team didn’t seem particularly shaken.

They simply continued through the perimeter, dragging the bodies behind them.

Victor watched them disappear from sight.

Then he looked toward Jacob.

Jacob’s expression had hardened.

Victor didn’t say anything.

Neither did Jacob.

After a moment, they continued toward the assignment station.

A guard stood behind a table near the perimeter.

Victor and Jacob approached him and handed over their permits.

The guard looked down at the documents.

"Victor Ashcroft."

He checked the second permit.

"Jacob Steinhelm."

He glanced toward the screen in front of him before nodding.

"Ah. You two."

He looked back at them.

"You’re assigned to Team Fifteen."

Victor nodded.

"Team Fifteen?"

"Yes."

The guard handed their permits back temporarily while checking something on his screen.

"The orders came in from higher up."

Victor frowned slightly.

"From the higher ups?"

The guard nodded.

"That’s right. You were already assigned to the team before you arrived."

Victor didn’t say anything.

It was a little strange.

Their reassignment had happened that morning, yet someone had already decided which team they would be joining.

The guard pointed across the cavern.

"They’re expecting you."

Victor followed his finger.

A team of five stood near one of the entrances.

The guard pointed toward them.

"That’s your team."

He reached beneath the table and pulled out two short swords.

He handed one to Victor and the other to Jacob.

"Take these."

Victor accepted the weapon.

The guard then pulled out two thick coats.

"Put these on. You’ll need them down there."

Victor took the coat and felt its weight in his hands.

Finally, the guard placed two large bags on the table.

"Those are for whatever materials you collect."

Victor and Jacob took the bags.

The guard returned their permits.

"Everything you need should be there."

Victor tucked his permit away.

He glanced once more toward the enormous cavern beyond the perimeter.

The darkness seemed to stretch endlessly into the distance.

Then he looked toward the five people waiting for them.

Victor adjusted the coat around himself.

Jacob did the same.

Without another word, the two of them started walking toward Team Fifteen.

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