Bang!
After exerting enormous effort, Rogel finally caught up and dismantled the Box Dog into pieces.
[You have slain Box Dog·Wood, gained Combat Experience, and your Character Level has increased.]
[Your current Character Level is: 4, with 2 Free Attribute points remaining.]
After killing the Box Dog, Rogel finally let out a sigh of relief.
He had to admit, he really hadn't expected the game Mysterious Sea to have this dream-like connection with some old rogue games, pulling off such audacious moves.
It was truly nauseating.
Old rogue, I hope your toilet is just like this.
Rogel cursed inwardly, then began to inspect the loot dropped by the Box Dog.
Though the Box Dog was a monster, it was also a Treasure Chest with things hidden in its belly.
[You found Tattered Cloth Armor ×1.]
[You found cloth shoes ×1.]
[You found Ancient Copper Coins ×8.]
Rogel glanced at the loot and couldn't help but put a hand to his forehead; why did the Treasure Chest drop nothing but useless stuff?
He saw that both the Tattered Cloth Armor and the cloth shoes were equipment, but their Attributes were inferior to the clothing he was currently wearing.
Definitely classified as pure junk.
Only the Ancient Copper Coins might hold some value, as they are money after all.
Rogel felt quite frustrated.
After painstakingly opening a Treasure Chest, only to receive a heap of garbage, what a letdown.
Next, he focused on the forked paths ahead.
Before him stood two corridors, each with watery portals resembling Teleportation Gates.
Rogel had the game character touch one of the portal doors, causing a ripple to appear on the surface.
Rogel pondered for a moment and decided to walk to the right, sending his Clone to the left.
After dividing the forces, Rogel entered the corridor.
Crossing through the portal door, Rogel was greeted by a corridor showing signs of construction.
After progressing for a while, Rogel's main body suddenly stopped.
Because in front of the game character, a huge square indoor pool appeared, its opposite side unseen, torches hung on the walls, and the water seemed very deep.
Meanwhile, the big rat remained on land.
"Land on one side, water route on the other..."
After pondering for a moment, Rogel took a fish from the Item Inventory, controlled it, and placed it in the pool.
The Cave Rat Clone continued its exploration.
However, shockingly, soon after Rogel put the fish in the pool, a shadow swiftly flashed across the split-screen, instantly killing the Clone.
There's a very fast monster in the water!
Rogel frowned.
Luckily, he cautiously sent the Clone to scout first; otherwise, things could have gone wrong easily.
After pondering for a moment, Rogel controlled the character to return along the same path and head toward the other corridor.
His underwater combat skills were lacking; rushing into the water would easily lead to trouble.
Tomorrow, he'll look for a shark to control as a Clone and then explore the water route.
Today, he'll explore the left side first.
[Squeak!]
During the Cave Rat Clone's scouting process, dozens of Cave Carnivorous Rats suddenly detected the presence of a similar kind, surrounded it, and sniffed at it.
For reasons unknown, perhaps the Cave Rat Clone crossed a boundary, they started emitting a low threatening call, seemingly trying to drive the Cave Rat Clone away.
Splash!
The Horror Demon Sharp Claw was incredibly sharp, almost hitting one rat at a time, and in no time, Rogel had sent several Cave Carnivorous Rats to the afterlife.
Picking up the meager loot, Rogel looked at the cracked stone wall ahead.
What's behind it?
Rogel felt a tinge of anticipation.
After collecting the loot, he moved forward, pushed with his hand, and the stone wall collapsed with a roar.
Amidst the flying dust, blood-red and dusk scenery entered Rogel's view.
A gigantic circular village, the sky was like blood-stained dusk, the air filled with ashes and smoke, frenzied and violent winds rampaged through the whole area, carrying the scent of decay and ruin.
[Harmony Cave, Floor 1]
At this moment, the game provided a message prompt, indicating that Rogel had now truly reached the first floor of Harmony Cave.
"This..."
Rogel's pupils contracted in shock.
This isn't a cave; it's clearly another world.
And... the wind here is ripping the skin off my face; why is it still called Harmony Cave?
Rogel couldn't help but complain.
Despite the complaints, exploration must continue; who knows what treasures await in this area.
Rogel tore the Tattered Cloth Armor from before, then simply tied it around his face to reduce the dust in the air.
Then, he stepped into this circular area.
The soil was very hard, as if trampled by countless heavy iron hooves, solid and heavy, with muddy bloodstains smeared on it.
After only a few steps, Rogel encountered a special situation.
Click click...
A pitch-black creature resembling a centipede slid into a pile of broken bones.
Then, the pile of broken bones on the ground began to gather automatically, even the violent wind swirling in the air could not prevent them from uprising from the soil.
In the gaps of the broken bones, one could see mysterious purple-black energies floating.
Rogel certainly wouldn't wait for its transformation to complete, he swung the Horror Demon Sharp Claw at it.
With one strike, many broken bones were scattered, but the gathering process wasn't interrupted.
At this point, the bone fragment monster gradually formed into a creature about the height of a person.
Hiss!
Purple-black light flowed in its eyes as the bone fragment monster emitted a low hiss.
[Skeleton Centipede]
[Type: Monster]
[Quality: Elite]
[Level: 3]
[Tier: Extraordinary]
[Explanation: A type of Extraordinary Creature often found in large cemeteries, highly fond of humanoid spine bones.]
An Elite Monster!
"Bang!"
The smoke rose, the pellet landed on the Skeleton Centipede's head, shattering some bones and revealing a gap.
Rogel quickly reloaded and fired another shot, blowing off another part of the Skeleton Centipede's Broken Bone Cloak.
But the Skeleton Centipede seemed unaffected by any fatal injuries and instead grew more furious, coiled up, and leaped at Rogel.
"Damn, it has no reaction!"
Rogel was startled, seeing this, he turned and ran.
Attacking this creature with the Horror Demon Sharp Claw had no effect at all.
The Flintlock Guns shot to its head was useless on it.
Clearly, he couldn't defeat it now.
Even if he could, it would involve significant risk.
So, running is the best strategy among the Thirty-Six Stratagems.
Whoosh~
Rogel's body transformed into black mist, swiftly riding the violent wind into the heart of the village.
Hiss!
The Skeleton Manipulator spat a mouthful of green acid, paused after pursuing for a while, stood still, and its purple-black eyes fixedly stared at the black mist.
It couldn't catch up.
...
Riding the violent wind for a long distance, Rogel finally landed inside the village.
Glancing in the direction of the Skeleton Centipede, confirming it hadn't caught up, he let out a breath.
Fortunately, this guy couldn't outrun me.
If Fog Flash couldn't escape, then the Skeleton Centipede would be way too invincible.
However, even so, one can perceive how troublesome the Skeleton Centipede can be.
And this is only the first floor!