Moreover, it was obvious from that single exchange just now.
Despite both being Lv. 5, this Black-Armored Crawler King was significantly stronger than the Rotting Coffin Zombie he had encountered in the tomb.
However, he was no longer the same person at the Awakened Rank he once was; now, he had enough confidence to contend with it.
The Black-Armored Crawler King launched another charge. This time, Bai Xuan did not meet it head-on. He nimbly dodged to the side while thrusting his short spear into its flank.
Based on his experience over the past few days, Bai Xuan surmised that the shell here should be thinner.
As expected, the spear tip successfully wedged itself in, but it only pierced half an inch—far from enough to cause a fatal injury.
The Black-Armored Crawler King hissed in pain and violently jerked its body, instantly knocking his short spear off course. Bai Xuan nearly lost his grip.
He hurriedly retreated, creating a safe distance from the Black-Armored Crawler King as his mind raced through calculations.
The front shell was too hard to pierce, the joint gaps were too narrow to wedge into while it was moving, and its belly was exceptionally well-protected. Without flipping it over, he couldn't reach any vital spots.
Since he couldn't flip it, he would have to change his angle of attack.
Bai Xuan immediately adjusted his strategy, turning to target its compound eyes, the base of its mouthparts, and the roots of its antennae—places that were not covered by the hard shell.
Watching for an opening, he precisely thrust the spear tip into the Black-Armored Crawler King's left compound eye.
The creature hissed and retreated in agony. Its mouthparts snapped open, spraying a fan-shaped cloud of corrosive acid that covered a much larger area than that of a regular crawler.
Bai Xuan reacted quickly, yet he still couldn't completely avoid it.
A few drops of acid splashed onto his right forearm, hitting a spot not covered by his leather armor. The cotton fabric instantly turned charred and black, and a sharp, burning pain radiated from his skin.
He couldn't help but groan, his footsteps faltering for a moment.
The Black-Armored Crawler King seized the opportunity to launch a fierce assault, charging violently toward him.
Bai Xuan barely managed to hold his spear shaft horizontally to parry. The shaft slammed into his chest, and though the leather armor cushioned the impact, a dull ache still spread through him.
He was knocked back repeatedly until his back slammed hard against the rock wall, his chest feeling tight.
With no time to catch his breath, the Black-Armored Crawler King opened its mandibles again and lunged at him.
Bai Xuan didn't have time to overthink. He immediately pressed his left hand over the burn on his right arm and whispered, “Holy Light Catalyst.”
A soft golden light flared, slowly covering his wound. The burning sensation gradually receded, and the wound healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
“Pain Empowerment.”
Immediately after, he used his second skill. The residual pain from the wound was instantly drained away, transformed into a surge of burning power that spread through his limbs.
The feeling of fatigue was instantly diluted, and his arms were once again filled with strength.
Bai Xuan gripped his short spear tightly. No longer playing passive defense, he took the initiative and charged at the Black-Armored Crawler King.
This time, he was finally able to steadily parry its charge. The crawler's force remained powerful, and the spear shaft continued to groan under the strain, but he stood firm and was even able to push back slightly.
Taking advantage of the brief moment of stiffness after the crawler's charge, his spear tip pierced into the soft tissue inside its mouthparts.
The Black-Armored Crawler King let out a shrill screech as dark green body fluid slowly seeped from the edges of its mouth.
Yet it still did not retreat; instead, it became even more frenzied.
It seemed to have used a skill as its Mana dropped a notch. A fluorescent green liquid began to seep from the gaps in its shell, flowing slowly along the lines of its joints.
Following this, its movements became faster, and the rhythm of its attacks instantly accelerated.
Bai Xuan barely parried one bite, only for the next charge to knock him two steps sideways.
The Black-Armored Crawler King no longer gave him any time to breathe. Between mandible bites, body slams, and acid sprays, its attack density was twice as high as before.
Bai Xuan was gradually forced into passive defense, finding fewer and fewer openings to counterattack.
He subconsciously glanced at the butt of his spear. It was clear that if this continued, the short spear might break completely.
He couldn't delay any longer; he had to end this quickly.
Bai Xuan spotted an opening and nimbly dodged the Black-Armored Crawler King's acid spray.
Then, he proactively closed in on its side, gripping his short spear and slowly building power, concentrating all the strength in his body into this one strike.
“Redemption Strike.”
As the skill activated, the spear tip slammed violently into the seam between the crawler's left abdominal and dorsal plates.
After being struck, the shell instantly buckled inward, and fine cracks spread across it.
The Black-Armored Crawler King's movements slowed significantly, and its breathing became erratic.
While it was lashing out indiscriminately in pain, Bai Xuan quickly leaped back to create distance.
He raised his short spear and slammed the butt heavily against the ground. “Concussive Field.”
Golden ripples instantly expanded from around him, carrying a powerful impact that slammed hard into the Black-Armored Crawler King.
The crawler's movements were instantly frozen by the shockwave, and its body slid backward.
Its limbs remained locked in a posture ready to lunge forward, but it could not advance a single inch.
Bai Xuan dared not waste the crowd-control duration. He immediately rushed forward, his short spear precisely piercing into the crack he had smashed into the shell.
With his strength poured into it, the spear tip drove straight through the crawler's abdominal cavity and emerged from the other side.
The Black-Armored Crawler King's compound eyes instantly went dark, losing all light.
It fell heavily onto its side, crashing into the soft layer of humus. Its six legs twitched weakly a few times before it went completely still.
【EXP +45, Pleasure +35】
The battle over, Bai Xuan leaned on his spear and stood in place, taking long, deep breaths.
Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped into the pool of fluorescent green fluid on the ground, creating small ripples.
Bai Xuan pulled out his water skin and took a large gulp. The cold water slid down his throat, briefly suppressing the exhaustion in his body.
After finishing, he stuffed the empty water skin back onto his belt.
His gaze then swept toward one of the nest's entrances, and he said in a calm tone, “Since you've been watching for so long, why not come out and talk?”
The mine tunnel at the entrance remained silent for two seconds before the sound of footsteps echoed—more than one person.
Soon, five people emerged from the shadows at the edge of the fissure. Bai Xuan recognized the person leading them at a glance.
It was Owen, the captain of the Hammerfall team. Back at the Wazhuang Post House, he had even invited Bai Xuan to join their group.
Behind Owen followed Kieran, Aunt Martha’s son, along with three other familiar members—the same people who had defended against the small monster tide at the post house.
Owen's expression carried a hint of embarrassment, but he didn't stop, walking straight to a spot about three or four paces from Bai Xuan before coming to a halt.
“Mr. Bai Xuan,” he paused, his tone slightly awkward. “Sorry to disturb you. We were doing a mission nearby when we heard the screeching and the sound of an intense battle, so we followed the noise to investigate.”
“By the time we arrived, the battle was almost over. We were afraid of rashly intervening and interfering with you, so we waited outside.” As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at the corpse of the Black-Armored Crawler King on the ground.
Bai Xuan's gaze slowly swept over the five of them before landing back on Owen. He didn't respond.
What they didn't know was that a panel had quietly appeared before Bai Xuan's eyes:
【Owen Lv. 4 Heavy Swordsman. Status: Respect, Expectation】
【Kieran Lv. 3 Archer. Status: Relaxed, Happy】
【Simon Lv. 3 Shield Warrior. Status: Silent, Cautious】
【Karl Lv. 3 Axe Warrior. Status: Observing, Cautious】
【Lily Lv. 3 Light Swordsman. Status: Curious, Cautious】
There were no statuses related to malice on the panel.
He withdrew his gaze and flexed his aching arms, his tone carrying a hint of a half-smiling taunt. “You certainly took quite a detour to ‘pass by’ here.”
Before Owen could explain, Kieran couldn't help but step forward a couple of paces.
A clear smile was plastered on his face. “Mr. Bai Xuan! You haven't been back to the inn for a long time. My mom talks about you every day, worrying that something happened to you out here. She's been keeping your room for you.”
“Now that I see you're okay, I can finally report back to her.”
Bai Xuan was stunned for a moment.
He hadn't expected Aunt Martha to still be thinking about him. A faint, inexplicable warmth rose in his chest, though his voice remained flat. “I'm doing fine. I've been doing commissions in the dungeon these past few days.”
“Tell Aunt Martha for me not to worry. I'll be back in a while.”
Kieran nodded vigorously and stepped back beside Owen.
Owen looked at Bai Xuan, his eyes holding something different than before—it was no longer just simple politeness, but a layer of genuine recognition.
“Mr. Bai Xuan,” Owen took a deep breath and spoke solemnly, “I told you before that Hammerfall always welcomes you. That offer still stands.”
“But I also understand that asking you to join directly is too presumptuous. So, I have a proposal. There's an Iron Rank commission we've wanted to take for a long time, but we've always lacked the right person.”
Hearing the talk of joining a team made him feel instinctively uncomfortable. Kami’s face surfaced in his memory for a moment before he quickly suppressed it.
Bai Xuan looked up, signaling for him to continue.
Owen’s tone grew even more serious. “This commission requires strong healing and support capabilities—the kind that can handle special negative statuses.”
“We had been waiting for the right person. After seeing you fight this powerful monster today, I believe only you are qualified for this commission.”
Bai Xuan remained silent. The reward for an Iron Rank commission would certainly be high, but the danger factor would also inevitably double.
He quickly re-evaluated the five people in front of him.
Owen was Level 4, and the other three were Level 3. If it really came down to a fight, he could handle them alone with ease.
The panel showed that their statuses didn't contain any danger signals.
Furthermore, since Aunt Martha’s son Kieran was in the team, it was clear that this group was relatively reliable.
“Since you need my abilities,” Bai Xuan said slowly, his tone calm but questioning, “why wouldn't I just take it myself? Why do I have to team up with you?”
Owen seemed to have expected this question and responded composedly, “This commission cannot be taken solo. The requirements explicitly state it must be undertaken by a team.”
“The scope of the commission is quite large, requiring scouting, sentry duty, and handling various chores. Doing it alone would be time-consuming and exhausting, with no guarantee of success. We have the manpower, and you have the ability. Together, we’re a perfect fit.”
Bai Xuan didn't speak, his gaze moving from Owen's face to the humus on the ground.
Then he slowly looked back and spoke flatly, “I’m planning to go to the guild tomorrow to promote to Bronze Rank.”
This seemed to come out of nowhere, but Owen understood immediately—Bai Xuan was reminding him of his own level and qualifications.
He nodded quickly. “That’s perfect. You can check the specific details of the commission at the guild tomorrow and decide after confirming them. However, I can give you a general overview now.”
“This commission is related to the White family.”
“The White family?” Bai Xuan’s attention was instantly grabbed by the name as fragments of memory surfaced.
Owen nodded and continued, “There’s a mining area on the fourth floor that belongs to the White family’s designated extraction zone. It was operating normally until recently, when something happened.”
“Undead that should only appear on the seventh floor somehow made their way to the fourth floor and attacked the mining area.”
He frowned. “And it wasn't just a simple attack. Those undead were carrying some unknown curse that has spread throughout the entire mining area.”
“Ordinary miners simply can't resist the erosion of this curse. They’ve all started showing abnormal symptoms, and that mining area has now completely shut down.”
“Since it involves the undead and curses,” Bai Xuan frowned and asked curiously, “why not look for the priests at the church? Aren't they the ones who specialize in handling these things?”
Owen's expression became somewhat subtle as he shook his head. “We aren't clear on the exact reasons. We only heard that the White family did indeed approach the church.”
“However, something went wrong during the negotiations, and they couldn't reach an agreement. That's why the commission ended up at the guild.”
Bai Xuan nodded slightly and looked at Owen again, suddenly asking, “Where is this White family from?”
Owen was a bit surprised by the question but answered truthfully, “Calais Town.”
“Calais Town,” Bai Xuan repeated softly, his memories instantly triggered.
When he first arrived in this world, the first human he had contact with was Julia White.
Back then, that woman had wanted to buy him. He had actually thought that if he really went to a noble's house, he might be able to gain quite a few benefits.
But in the end, he had saved Julia, only for her to abandon him and flee alone.
Though he knew Julia hadn't done it willingly and that her final state of mental instability was a form of retribution.
Bai Xuan didn't care to think about her current situation, but hearing the name of the White family now made him feel a spark of interest.
“What is this family like?” he asked again. “Compared to the Cross family in Blackcreek Town, how do they measure up?”
Owen’s expression turned awkward.
He deliberated for a long while before slowly speaking, “That... it's hard to compare them directly. But from what I've heard, the White family is considered a relatively responsible noble family, and they’re quite friendly to the people of their domain.”
“Take this mining site, for example. They hired commoners from their domain, paid them on time, and when a cave-in happened previously, they proactively paid compensation to the injured miners. Unlike some others...”
Owen trailed off there, not finishing his sentence.
He clearly didn't want to gossip too much about the rights and wrongs of noble families.
Bai Xuan understood his meaning and fell silent for a few seconds, quickly organizing the information he had just heard in his mind.
“How much is the commission reward?” Bai Xuan asked straightforwardly.
“15 gold coins,” Owen stated the figure with certainty.
Bai Xuan was stunned for a moment. As expected of a noble's commission, the payout was indeed substantial—far more than the money he had earned these past few days by grinding shells until he was exhausted.
He pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, “I’ll go to the guild tomorrow to look at the commission details. If I decide to take it, we can form a temporary team, but I have a few requirements.”
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