"Alright, gang," the seer said in a low, whispering tone. All of his companions hid behind a bush on an elevated plane as they gazed down into a large pit.
The sky was rather gray, while all else was barren and yellow. There was no greenery in sight around the entire site except for the fake bush they were hiding behind.
It was a desolate expanse, a golden desert stretching out before them. The atmosphere was heavy, tinged with darkness and gloom, mirroring the somber sky above.
At the heart of this vast yellow wasteland lay a gaping chasm, a massive abyss that seemed to swallow the light. Spiraling cuts adorned the edges of the pit, providing a treacherous path for the descent.
Along the winding spiral path, mouths to the mines dotted the walls of the colossal pit. The upper entrances appeared abandoned, their silence hinting at the eerie emptiness beyond.
However, as one's gaze descended deeper into the abyss, signs of life and activity emerged. The lowest levels buzzed with movement, indicating a bustling mining operation concealed beneath the surface.
The expected tight security measures were in place, as anticipated. The mines themselves were shrouded in darkness, with only faint glimmers of illumination emanating from the caverns and containers filled with blue spirit stones.
These faint lights provided a dim backdrop against which the seer and his friends could observe the workers below. From their hidden vantage point, they could even discern the various entrances at the lowest depths of the mine.
The only security presence was concentrated on the lowest floor, ensuring that access to the stash was prohibited. It also suggested that access from the upper mines was unlikely, as they appeared disconnected from the lower ones.
From a distance, their hiding place appeared as nothing more than an inconspicuous but still unnatural and suspicious bush swaying with the wind.
"You guys see that over there, the entrance to the mine? We need to get in. And we need to take eighteen tons of TNT with us," the seer continued, his voice filled with determination. "Now, Zhihao, with his authority and position, will stealthily guide us and the eighteen tons of TNT into the mine."
"Isn't eighteen tons overkill?" Cao Tang exclaimed with a tinge of horror, his previous close encounters with the explosive still haunting him.
Cao Tang had been helping the seer craft various things, including Trinitrotoluene. He had grown rather fearful of it, as he had witnessed the destructive power of even just one ton in multiple playtest chain explosions.
He knew that if they were to actually use those explosives, everyone in the mine, including himself and his friends, would face certain death. A mere offset could cause the inferiorly fortified mine to collapse entirely. What would a bomb do then in its wake?
"Shut up! We are taking in eighteen tons! For explosion is an art! And art cannot be compromised!" the seer countered, his conviction unwavering.
Despite the seer's resolute stance, no one sided with him. They recognized the risks involved and agreed to limit their explosive cargo to no more than 10 tons.
The seer's motives were clear—he was here for destruction and chaos, caring little for the injustices and problems his friends were currently facing.
The sick sociopath called the seer absolutely loved all kinds of art, as most psychopaths/sociopaths do. He found art in everything, and where there was no art, there was no seer. Of course, ideally speaking. Yet, here he was in Murim, one of the least creative and scientific worlds imaginable.
"Okay, so the trick shall be to walk in as if we own the place. Liu and Tang will pretend to be workers/slaves, while Zhihao, Lin Hua, and I will simply walk in. Since Lin Hua is Zhihao's sister, she gets a free pass, and as for my assassin... well, she's an assassin, she can get in easily, no problem," the seer spoke with what he believed to be great intellect, though it was far from it.
And so, they all descended down the spiral like bosses.
There is a thing about plans, and that is that they hardly ever go according to calculations, and more often than not, complications arise.
Just as Zhihao made contact with a guard, he pulled the chain that was tied to Cao Tang and Liu An's necks, making it look like an act of aggression.
"Hmm, Zhihao, you brought slaves? Did you take the wrong medicine this morning?" the guard asked with a questioning and taunting tone, hoping to provoke a reaction and elicit a chuckle from the others.
"How about you do not make it any worse than it already is," Zhihao said, his expression filled with disgust towards both the guards and himself.
"Hahah, sure enough, it's not some doppelganger. Who else would dare talk back to me but you?" the guard replied, exuding an aura of bloodlust.
"Oh, if it isn't Ai Zhihao, the useless midget," mocked a well-dressed, yet ugly, teenager.
"Shit, what's he doing here?" Zhihao murmured to himself.
The seer overheard him and attempted to inquire, not that he really needed to.
"He's the third son, isn't he? It's always that third son of every fucking Jaegal," the seer asked and affirmed.
"Sure enough," Zhihao replied.
"And what widow have you brought with you, Zhihao, for you to talk to it so lovingly and constantly ignore even me," the teenager mocked again.
All the guards in the pit started to laugh at him. They chuckled while they worked, their tasks unaffected as they continued to whip the workers and assist merchants in loading carriages.
"You idiot, are you blind? Do you not see who you offend? It's the Seer," Zhihao emphasized. "Surely, you court death."
The fragile-looking man had a fragile ego that was easily wounded by something that wasn't even a proper insult. Like every other generic, cringe-grade villain one can encounter.
"Tch, and what might the mighty seer be doing here?" the fragile teenager asked.
"Shut it, you constipated dog!" the seer barked, improvising to the situation. It would be best if conflict were to break out, as long as it looked like an internal scuffle. Once it is resolved, they would be able to roam freely without arousing suspicion. It would be ideal if they didn't perceive it as an attack and sounded the alarm for reinforcements.
"How dare you call my son a dog!" a woman yelled.
"Oh my, I thought your son was the ugliest. Why would any man in his right mind marry you?" the seer offended the lady who tried to step in. It was evident to Neon that this woman was just as vain as her son.
The guards did nothing. It was not their job unless the lady ordered them to throw them away. Besides, in such a deep and dire pit, proper entertainment was a rarity. The guards were definitely going to enjoy the drama. Just look at those smiles on their faces.