However, the permanent +1 to all attributes, while a considerable buff for Fang Senyan, proved almost useless in this terrifyingly difficult A-rank world. Even with full gear, Fang Senyan and a strong beastman facing each other head-on might not survive, let alone now when his equipment bonuses were completely negated? This permanent boost to all attributes was merely a dream upon waking for Fang Senyan, a mirage that offered no immediate use or practical benefit.

Seeing the distant smoke plumes gradually fade, Fang Senyan knew the pursuers would likely arrive soon, so he urged Wuge to move forward quickly. He himself didn't mind; the worst case was immediate retreat, but before that, he was determined to get the elven maiden to safety.

As the uneven, boulder-strewn valley ahead began to narrow, making their path even more rugged, the way forward finally ended. The valley terminated in a wide, fan-shaped constriction, revealing the mouth of a vast and deep cavern.

The cavern’s diameter was at least a hundred meters across. The rock at its edge was fractured, showing cracks like frozen, colossal black lightning etched onto the surface. Shards of loose rock littered the ground everywhere. There were clear signs of violent water scouring the floor, indicating that the canyon they had followed must occasionally flood, with the torrent flowing through the pine forest before emptying into the lake.

Facing this cave, Fang Senyan hesitated. A faint scent of sulfur drifted out, raising the hairs on his arms. An immense, invisible deterrent seemed to emanate from within—an instinct screaming at him to turn and flee immediately. Yet, the cave entrance also exerted an indescribable, massive suction, as if trying to pull him in.

Even Wuge, the Dawn Elf, couldn't help but blanch. Her connection to nature was tenfold stronger than Fang Senyan's; she must have sensed the terrifying power coiled within that grotto, a force that seemed capable of making nature itself groan in subjugation!

Just then, a hoarse voice suddenly crackled from Fang Senyan’s Nightmare Mark: "Oh, blast it, Sailor, can you hear me?"

Fang Senyan looked closely and realized it was coming from the temporary team channel. Who else could that be but Reef? A temporary team channel required both parties to be within a certain range to communicate. Therefore, Reef was almost certainly nearby! Yet, he looked around at the jumble of stones but still couldn't spot Reef. And from Reef's strained voice, he sounded heavily injured.

"I can hear you, Reef, where are you? You sound hurt?" Fang Senyan replied swiftly.

Hearing Fang Senyan’s voice, Reef immediately broke into violent coughing and choking. After a moment, he managed a long, ragged breath: "Thank God. I’ve been sending a message on the team channel every twenty seconds; you finally picked it up."

Fang Senyan gave a wry smile. "You certainly have patience. Right, you must have lost your equipment bonuses too, haven't you?" Reef sighed. "Yeah. If you hadn't shown up, I could have held out for maybe another hour—cough, cough, spit! These damned slimes!"

Fang Senyan surveyed the surrounding terrain again. "I'm at the end of that valley now, right at the mouth of a huge, ominous cave. Do you know how to get to where you are?"

Reef gave an "Oh" sound. "I know where that is! Do not go into that cave; it’s extremely dangerous. Retreat about a hundred meters back. You'll see three large boulders in the valley. The one on the right is tight against the cliff face. Climb onto that right boulder first, then search along the cliff wall—you should find a concealed recess for climbing. Climb up about thirty meters, and you’ll find the passage into the mountain's belly."

Fang Senyan wondered aloud. "How did you find such a hidden spot? Oh, right, there’s one crucial question left—why did you only let out half a cry before you vanished into thin air?"

Reef replied with weary exasperation. "Do you remember what happened when we passed through the pine forest in front of the lake?" Fang Senyan quickly moved toward the location Reef described while asking. "Of course, I remember. Thinking back now, there must have been some mind-altering poison fog underneath, which evaporated when the sun hit it. It caused extremely intense hallucinations."

Reef chuckled bitterly. "When I jumped off the rock, I landed in an even more concentrated pool of that poison gas. That gas is heavier than air, so it had collected on the ground. Then, I was directly subjected to some powerful force that seized my mind. I was forced to walk forward, then follow the path you’re on now, and started playing the role of a laborer, constantly hauling those repulsive eggs. That’s how I became intimately familiar with the terrain here."

"Then why didn't I sense any gas when I passed through the next day?" Fang Senyan asked curiously.

Reef sighed. "I’ve guessed the rough reason, but I can’t explain it now. The most important thing is, if you follow this treacherous valley straight into that cave, you will inevitably run straight into that damned giant octopus!"

When Fang Senyan heard the words "damned giant octopus," his fingers, gripping the rock face, instantly tightened! A few pebbles clattered and tumbled down the nearly vertical edge of the rock. He couldn't help but blurt out, "Are you saying... that legendary creature that forced the Fellowship into the Mines of Moria in the original story: Hadhazai?"

Reef gritted his teeth weakly. "Who else could it be? At least half of this mountain has been hollowed out. It has an underground lake connected by water veins to several large lakes. That octopus can come and go as it pleases, but it’s currently in its spawning season, which is why it came specifically to the base of this snow peak to lay its eggs. Based on my guess, it’s because the environment required for its eggs is very specific—they need warmth but must also stay moist... That damned octopus forced me to haul snow water back and forth over a hundred times to water its wretched eggs!!"

………………

The place Reef described wasn't far; Fang Senyan and Wuge reached it without much effort. As they climbed, listening to Reef’s instructions, they spotted a cave suspended high on the cliff face ahead.

This cave hung thirty meters above the ground on the sheer cliff, partially shielded by an outcropping of rock beside the entrance. Constrained by the narrow gorge below, one couldn't even spot it by looking straight up, let alone from a distance. He deftly pressed against the opening, then leaped inside easily, taking a long, deep breath before pulling the elven maiden in after him.

"Alright, we’re in the cave. Where are you?" Fang Senyan sent a message to Reef.

"Wait!" Though Reef was communicating via the team channel and wouldn't expose himself, his voice carried an indescribable tension. "That octopus, which was sleeping soundly, seems agitated. Wait there. I will notify you before you enter. Remember, you must only stay at the entrance of that cave; otherwise, even the Dawn Elf’s blessing might not prevent you from being detected!"

"That damned octopus has also permanently psychically enslaved several orcs. These guys seem to be natives of the Mines of Moria, unrelated to Saruman. Because the cave at the end of the valley is so dangerous, the passage you are currently taking was actually carved out by these orcs for their regular entry and exit."

"That works out," Fang Senyan thought. Without his equipment bonuses, playing it safe was paramount, especially since Reef possessed the ultimate trump card: the ability to "immediately return to the space." Fang Senyan wasn't overly worried about Reef's safety and sat down against the cave wall. A sudden thought struck him: "It seems the mind-altering gas is likely connected to that giant octopus, Hadhazai, isn't it?"

Reef seemed to inhale something foul and choked violently. "These damned eggs are as annoying as slugs! Heavens, they’ve sprayed slime on me again! You guessed correctly; that hallucinogenic gas is secreted by this eight-legged monster that deserves to be in hell. Moreover, its blood and bodily fluids also contain strong hallucinogenic substances; any place it lingers long enough becomes contaminated."

Fang Senyan asked curiously, "Then why did I escape it when I was only separated by a large boulder, while you fell for it?"

Reef said solemnly, "I’ve considered that too. The only explanation is that you had that BU... the Dawn Elf's blessing, which I didn't. That blessing should have assimilated you with nature, so the octopus couldn't detect your presence. And it might even have a hidden attribute specifically designed to counter this mind-charming ability. Don’t forget, after we were captured and poisoned by those orcs in the pine forest, you woke up far earlier than I did!"

Fang Senyan considered it carefully and found the reasoning highly plausible.

The temporary team channel prevented Wuge from hearing their exchange, but she sensed the extreme danger. She positioned herself in a corner of the cave wall, ready for battle at any moment. Fang Senyan was surprised to observe that now that the elven maiden had advanced to Dawn Elf status, simply staying still made her feel as if she were vanishing. Though she was rooted to the spot, her entire aura seemed to be absorbed by nature—or perhaps, more accurately, nature was actively shielding her!

………………