Eddie, with a glint of adventure in his eyes, flipped a coin to determine his next action in the Blackstone Maze.
The first flip showed the dignified face of Junsion the Great, the esteemed founder of the Great Dynasty, facing up. Unconvinced by the outcome, Eddie, driven by his adventurous spirit, decided to go for a best two out of three, secretly yearning for a confrontation with the formidable nine-headed beast.
However, the coin seemed to possess a will of its own, remarkably landing on its edge on the third flip - a sight so rare it almost seemed like a sign from the fates.
With a mixture of amusement and resolve, Eddie strategically turned the coin to its tails side, interpreting this unusual occurrence as a cosmic nudge to pursue the beast while also waiting for his sister, Sophia.
Grey Wolf, his loyal companion, observed Eddie's actions, learning the unpredictable nature of human decision-making.
Before setting off on this daring quest, Eddie left a clear message on a large stone near the crystal column, instructing Sophia to wait for his return. His message, "Sophia, wait for me to come back," reflected a brother's concern amidst his thrill for adventure.
Despite his eagerness to face the nine-headed monster, Eddie was acutely aware of the challenge that lay ahead.
Only Little Wenli was available as his primary combat force, and Grey Wolf, while formidable at Bronze Level Four, was outmatched against a creature rumored to be at least Bronze Level Seven.
The nine-headed monster was a formidable opponent, not easily defeated by sheer numbers or strength.
However, Eddie was far from discouraged. With a sly smile, he revealed his ace in the hole - the Five Element Gold-seeking Mice.
To the untrained eye, these creatures were inconsequential, but in Eddie's strategic grasp, they were transformed into clever tools, perfect for outsmarting the most daunting adversaries.
As he made his way towards Bloodwater Marsh, Eddie was ready to employ his blend of wit and cunning to outwit the nine-headed beast in its own domain. This was not just a battle of brawn, but a test of intelligence and resourcefulness, and Eddie was determined to emerge victorious.
Eddie, with his characteristic blend of audacity and cunning, set his sights on the Bloodwater Marsh, a haunting expanse awash in a blood-red hue. The air was tinged with a faintly pungent odor, not quite the smell of blood but reminiscent of the nine-headed beasts that dwelled there.
These creatures had seemingly claimed the marsh as their own, their unique scent permeating every inch of the boggy landscape.
Unperturbed by the eerie surroundings, Eddie devised a daring plan, reminiscent of a childhood comic he once read about mice stealing eggs.
He instructed the Five Element Gold-seeking Mice to scout out the nests of the nine-headed beasts. If the beasts were absent, the mice were to stealthily purloin their eggs.
The water and earth elements of the Gold-seeking Mice, adept in navigating the marsh, scurried off on their mission.
Eddie, from a distance, controlled them with the ease of a seasoned gamer maneuvering remote-controlled cars. These mechanical mice, crafted by the ingenious Uncle, were nothing short of miraculous - waterproof, fireproof, and maintenance-free, making them indispensable tools for treasure hunting and exploration.
After over an hour of exploration, the mice had mapped out a significant portion of the marsh and located six of the nine-headed beasts.
Two were still young, sporting only three heads, while two others were nearing maturity with six heads each. The remaining pair, a male and a female, lay dormant in a massive nest, oblivious to the presence of the tiny intruders.
The Gold-seeking Mice, being level one puppet mice, were virtually invisible to the nine-headed beasts, which mistook them for harmless moving stones.
However, Eddie's plan hit a snag upon discovering the eggs in the beasts' nest. The eggs were enormous, far beyond the capacity of the small Gold-seeking Mice to carry.
Unfazed, Eddie quickly fashioned a rough net out of the tough, pliable black reeds growing along the marsh's edge. Dubbed 'Mid-Link Net,' it was strong enough to carry a hefty stone, let alone an egg.
Grey Wolf, observing Eddie's handiwork, seemed eager to join in on the egg-stealing escapade. However, Eddie quickly made it clear that the net was not for catching fish but for a far more lucrative venture - stealing the nine-headed beasts' eggs, which could be potential goldmine if sold at an auction.
Eddie was well aware that simply using the Gold-seeking Mice and the makeshift net wouldn't be enough to snatch the eggs under the watchful eyes of the nine-headed beasts. He needed a more elaborate strategy to pull off this daring heist, and his mind was already racing with possibilities.
Eddie, in a bid to swipe the eggs of the nine-headed beasts, realized the need to lure them away from their nest. For this task, Grey Wolf was reluctantly recruited as bait. Used to swaggering on land, the wolf was notably less confident about venturing into the murky swamps to draw out the formidable creatures.
"Come on, you coward!" Eddie scolded.
"Think of the rewards! If we pull this off, we'll have golden eggs, piles of coins, and more meaty bones than you can dream of. "
"What's a nine-headed beast compared to that? Later, we'll feast on roasted nine-headed beast kebabs!"
With a swift kick, he propelled the hesitant Grey Wolf into the swamp.
The wolf hadn't swum far when it alerted two nearly mature nine-headed beasts, sending it scrambling back to shore in a panic. Fortunately, the beasts seemed uninterested in wolf meat and did not pursue.
Angered by the wolf's retreat, Eddie warned it not to return, or it would be roasted. Terror-stricken, Grey Wolf plunged back into the swamp, its howls echoing across the Bloodwater Marsh, alerting all the nine-headed beasts in the vicinity. It narrowly escaped their clutches, fleeing across patches of firmer mud.
Meanwhile, the Gold-seeking Mice, still on their mission, discovered the largest female nine-headed beast guarding its nest. Not wanting to risk Little Wenli in the treacherous swamp, Eddie decided to take on the task himself.
Stripping down, he dove into the mire. His innate agility and newly learned martial arts techniques allowed him to navigate the marsh with relative ease, though his movements were far from graceful.
The female beast, enraged by Eddie's intrusion, emerged from the depths, flailing its multiple necks and spewing black acidic liquid in his direction.
Eddie, caught off guard, fled the scene, barely escaping the corrosive spray. Each time he tried to draw the beast away, it returned to its nest, unwilling to stray far.
In this game of cat and mouse, Eddie and Grey Wolf took turns distracting the nine-headed beasts, while the Gold-seeking Mice slowly dragged a massive egg back to shore using the rudimentary 'Mid-Link Net.' Eddie estimated it would take them around two hours to complete the journey.
Exhausted but determined, Eddie persevered in the swamp, driven by the thought of the prized egg. "All this for a bit of extra coin," he lamented as he trudged through the muck, "but it's a nine-headed beast's egg, after all."