Chapter 4: The Deadmines
[You have entered the level 15 rare dungeon "Death Mine" (★★)]
[Dungeon completion criteria: Escape the dungeon while evading all pursuit from the Vanguard]
[Dungeon rewards: Massive experience points with an additional chance to obtain items]
…
Consciousness gradually returned, and even as I was still somewhat groggy, lines of azure text flickered before my eyes.
I was not unfamiliar with the name Death Mine. In the beta version of Star Abyss, Death Mine was the first rare-level dungeon and the prime avenue for players to acquire blue-grade equipment.
But I’m only level 4! Throwing me straight into a level 15 rare dungeon—does this system want to kill me that badly?
Still, a military force from the Dark Tide organization was stationed within Death Mine, and I had been abducted from Winter Spring Town to this place, so in a way, this arrangement was somewhat reasonable.
“He’s awake.”
A cold voice reached my ears.
I slowly opened my eyes and saw a cluster of surgical lights hanging overhead. Nearby stood two men in white coats; one had graying eyebrows, clearly older, and it was he who spoke.
“You…” I struggled slightly, only to realize my arms and legs were strapped to the operating table with belts.
“Doctor, the solution is ready.”
A nurse approached carrying a tray, her gaze flickering over to me with a mix of mockery and pity.
“Behave yourself!”
The doctor seized a syringe without further ado and plunged it in.
A sharp pain surged through my arm. Rage boiled within me as a dreadful thought took shape.
This needle was most likely the notorious "Pandora Solution"!
In the beta map of Death Mine, every player entering the dungeon was injected three times with this solution to gain three temporary buffs. Pandora Solution was a gene mutation drug developed by the Dark Tide organization. Its mutations were directionless—capable of turning out beneficial, detrimental, or even fatal.
Yet, the Dark Tide relentlessly captured test subjects from the wilderness, and despite the low survival and mutation success rates of Pandora Solution, they succeeded in cultivating a formidable army of genetically modified soldiers.
“Next one, send in.”
Two armed guards pushed me away and tossed me into a small room. My eyelids grew heavy, and my consciousness began to wane.
I lost track of time until light flickered before me once more.
[Pandora Solution is taking effect!]
[Your genes have officially started mutating!]
[You can choose between Directed Mutation and Free Mutation for evolution!]
[Directed Mutation: Gain one B-rank gene enhancement skill]
[Free Mutation: 1% chance to gain SS-rank gene enhancement skill, 5% chance S-rank, 14% chance A-rank, 30% chance B-rank, 50% chance C-rank or lower gene mutation skill!]
…
There was such a setting? This differed from the beta version.
I frowned, feeling conflicted. Maybe being thrust early into a level 15 rare dungeon wasn’t such a bad thing; at least I could “freeload” three gene enhancement skills from the Dark Tide.
The choice ahead was difficult. Directed Mutation would guarantee a useful B-rank skill, but the overall boost would be limited.
Free Mutation was like gambling—the kind of chance a gambler would love.
After a moment’s thought, I chose Free Mutation!
---
A chime sounded in my ears, followed by a surge of energy rapidly forming within me, flooding my abdomen!
[Congratulations, you have acquired a D-rank gene enhancement skill: “Gastrointestinal Reinforcement” — greatly enhancing digestive capacity, but in the process, affecting the gene mutation direction. The amount of alcohol dehydrogenase secreted by your liver has drastically decreased, resulting in alcohol intolerance!]
“…”
I was silent for half a minute.
What the hell kind of useless enhancement skill is this?!
Am I supposed to be able to eat more hotpot or have smoother bowel movements than others???
And damn it, I won’t even be able to hold my liquor anymore!
My title as the “God of Wine of Suzhou” is gone for good?
For a while, I was utterly disheartened, sinking into long silence and contemplation.
…
About an hour later, two guards pushed me into another room.
A delicate nurse swept a baton-like device over my body and said, “Instructor Rakuri, no signs of gene mutation detected. This round of Pandora Solution seems to have failed.”
“Failed?”
The nurse was pushed aside, and a burly man in a military uniform with the rank of Captain glared fiercely.
“Failed again? The organization is disappointed with the recent success rate of Pandora Solution. We cannot allow such a high failure rate. Give him an electric shock—stimulate latent gene mutation ability possibly hidden deep within his cells!”
“Yes, Instructor Rakuri!”
One of the guards quickly pressed a button. Instantly, a high-intensity current surged from above, plunging me into excruciating pain. Every hair on my body stood on end as blue electric arcs coursed through me, and my consciousness blurred.
Endless curses churned in my mind.
What the hell is wrong with these Dark Tide people? Electroshock therapy? Do they think they’re Professor Yang?
As the fierce electric current ravaged me, prompts appeared repeatedly asking if I wanted to enter combat mode, which would activate the gastrointestinal reinforcement skill.
I endured the agony without confirming.
After a grueling three minutes, the captors finally lost patience.
“Worthless!”
Instructor Rakuri frowned. “Send him to the training camp. Starting tomorrow, he’ll undergo trial training.”
I was pushed into a small room. Before the guards left, they unstrapped me, granting me freedom once again.
Of course, resistance was out of the question. Both guards were level 10, armed with firearms and melee weapons—far beyond what I could handle.
Not long after, a guard brought dinner. Without caring about the taste, I devoured it all, then lay down on the single bed, trying to recover my strength.
Drowsy, I slipped back into sleep.
…
“Puff calling nearby players! Puff calling nearby players!”
In my dreams, I seemed to hear someone calling.
“Hm?”
I slowly woke, still with eyes closed, but noticed a blue icon flashing in the corner of the player interface. Upon clicking, a prompt appeared.
[Open Star Map? (Note: Star Map is a method for players to communicate)]
I confirmed.
The moment I silently approved, my body flipped upside down, transforming from lying flat to standing atop a pitch-black star map. On this vast star map, only one star twinkled.
---
That star likely represented a player.
“No way, there are three players on the regional leaderboard. Where are the other two? Can’t they hear me?”
A sweet female player named Puff doubted herself and said, “Whether you’re eavesdropping or not, here’s a warning: if you’re in the Death Mine Ironblood Training Camp, do NOT reach level 5! Do NOT reach level 5! Do NOT reach level 5! Important enough to say thrice. Warning over.”
“…”
I frowned, pondering whether to reveal my star map and converse. Suddenly, another star flickered on the map, and a beam of light connected Puff’s star to the new one.
“Player Left Hand responding! Player Left Hand responding! Sister Puff, could you clarify the situation?”
“Is there really a player?”
Puff was delighted. “Left Hand, where are you from?”
“Changzhou, Jiangsu,” Left Hand replied.
“Miss Puff, did you also get sent into this world by entering a CDKEY?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Puff said, “I’m from Shanghai. I truly don’t understand how this 2D game works like this. I’ve been online for days, can’t log off, and have no idea what’s happening to my real self. Any news on your side?”
“No.”
Left Hand said, “Once transported here, contact with the other world is lost. Also, this game currently lacks a friends system and logout option. But since we’re here, we just have to survive. Thinking too much won’t help. By the way, what did you mean by ‘don’t reach level 5’?”
“Once you hit level 5, you awaken the Energy Furnace.”
Puff was annoyed. “I awakened the furnace during training this morning, and Dark Tide’s devices detected it. They immediately put me on the Vanguard’s list, which means I joined the Dark Tide faction… but I really don’t want to join this junk faction…”
“Damn, I see now…”
Left Hand was shocked. “In that case… Sister Puff, my condolences. Once you’re settled in the Dark Tide faction, we’ll coordinate inside and out to bring them down!”
Puff laughed bitterly. “That’s easier said than done… sigh, let’s take it one step at a time. This star map chat consumes 1% of your current level’s experience per minute, so I won’t talk much now. It’s the newbie phase, and experience is crucial. Oh, by the way, there’s another player on the leaderboard named Shadow Chaser. Have you seen him? He hasn’t appeared yet.”
“Not yet.”
Left Hand said, “Since it costs experience, I’ll exit the star map first. Contact me if anything!”
“Okay.”
As they both logged out, I slowly exited the star map as well.
Sure enough, eavesdropping for two minutes cost 2% of experience.
“Regional leaderboard?”
Muttering to myself, I searched the interface and found a leaderboard icon—probably a newly added feature I hadn’t noticed before. Opening it revealed only three players:
1. Puff — Level 6, Class: Starfield Super Warrior · Sword Specialization · First Tier
2. Left Hand — Level 4, Class: Unlocked
3. Shadow Chaser — Level 4, Class: Unlocked
…
I didn’t rush to contact Left Hand or Puff. Instead, I decided to observe and adapt to the environment of the Ironblood Training Camp before deciding my next move.