Walking through the tunnel, Lin was assaulted by a revolting stench so overpowering that he had to cover his nose. The long, kilometer-long corridor, with all its iron doors flung open, lay empty—every ferocious wolf within had been annihilated, leaving it spotless. At the tunnel's end loomed a massive mining pit, its diameter stretching over a kilometer and plunging into pitch-black depths unseen. A winding path snaked downward, dotted with goblin-like creatures armored and armed with large swords, patrolling in pairs back and forth.
Elite Goblin Warriors (Enhanced Elite Monsters)
Level: 15
Strength: 900
Agility: 800
Spirit: 400
Constitution: 900
Their attributes significantly inferior to the boss's, none surpassing a thousand. Lin did not deem them worthy of concern. With a grand gesture, his skeletal army surged into the mine pit. The elite monsters, though strong, stood no chance against the tide of skeletal warriors and were swiftly slain.
Killing a Level 15 Elite Goblin Warrior, Experience +4500 Obtaining Beast Bones x6
Alerts flooded in as Lin issued a command for free combat, quickly purging the mine of its denizens. The elite monsters, though formidable, offered rich experience and plentiful materials, marking them as high-quality prey far superior to the common creatures outside.
"Venturing into a hell-level dungeon alone in the future should yield even more experience," Lin mused, a thought that would likely have him doused in spit if others knew. Throughout history, no human had ever dared to solo a hell-level dungeon. Tales of heroes braving nightmare-level dungeons alone were already legendary; the notion of tackling hell-level dungeons solo was ludicrous. Those who tried never returned.
Lin continued downward, clearing the path of monsters. By the time he reached the bottom of the mine pit, his experience was at 99%, just a hair's breadth away from leveling up. Now, only the final boss remained.
"Defeating it should push me to Level 12," he pondered. A single dungeon run, barely over an hour, had nearly gained him a level—a rate far beyond his expectations. With a few more rounds through nightmare-level difficulties, reaching Levels 16, 18, or even 19 seemed trivial. Achieving the required level for entry into the Shangjing Academy was assured.
"Big sister, we'll be reunited soon," Lin thought of Lin Mohan, allowing a rare smile to cross his face. The dungeon's grand boss, sitting at the center of the mine, breathed heavily, its breath echoing like thunder in the vast cavern. Each breath stirred up a whirlwind, nearly toppling Lin.
Unaware of the events transpiring outside its domain, the boss lay in a state akin to deep meditation—merely asleep. A detection spell, gentle as a breeze, revealed:
Goblin King (Boss-level Monster)
Level: 16
Strength: 3000
Agility: 1500
Spirit: 1500
Constitution: 3000
Skills: Flame Jet, Sweep, Knockback
Its attributes were not much higher than the Mine Wolf King's, slightly stronger in strength and constitution. Lin even felt his skeletal warriors could duel it one-on-one. The detection spell awoke the Goblin King, which then leaped up with a roar and swung its massive sword at Lin. The fearsome blow, fraught with terrifying pressure, halted inches from Lin, stopped by an invisible force—damage transfer.
Surprised, Lin frowned, feeling his skeletal warriors injured. Each warrior's soul flame flickered intensely, their glow dimming, and fine cracks appeared on their bones.
"Why is this happening?" Lin puzzled, his calm facade slightly cracking for the first time. He quickly retreated, while his skeletal warriors moved to shield him, launching a powerful assault on the Goblin King.
Reflecting on the event, Lin realized the problem lay with his own weak attributes. Facing the Goblin King's 3000 strength, the immense damage was transferred evenly among his summons, ignoring their defenses.
"My defense is their defense," Lin concluded, resolving to bolster his constitution. "The stronger I am, the more indomitable my summoned army becomes."