"When the sun's out, I bask in the sun~ When the moon's out, I bask in the moon~"
The familiar little rhyme echoed once more from the alleyway. Rover and Zhongli, standing nearby, could only smile helplessly. It seemed yesterday's events had left no mark on her.
"By the way, the young traveler sent word—he'll be waiting for you at the Adventurers' Guild."
Rover nodded and made his way to the designated location.
"Brother Rover, long time no see!"
Aether waved at Rover, while Paimon, floating in the air, huffed in annoyance:
"We thought we'd finally get some screen time, but Rover handled everything alone."
Rover twitched his lips slightly before turning his attention to Aether.
Understanding his unspoken question, Aether explained:
"According to Katheryne, there's an investigation request related to The Chasm. It was posted by a miner named Yuehui—seems to involve the Abyss."
Hearing the word "Abyss," Rover couldn't help but recall his previous encounters with them. Though they had been defeated each time, they were still active in the shadows.
Rover seemed to remember something from the intelligence he'd browsed at the Jade Chamber.
"I thought The Chasm was supposed to be sealed off?"
Paimon crossed her arms and patted Rover's shoulder.
"Hehe, it's reopened now! And even if it were sealed, someone of your status could easily get in, right?"
...
The group traversed a path littered with rubble before finally arriving atop The Chasm.
The sky here was darker than in other regions, and even the wind carried a faint trace of sorrow. Listening closely, one could hear mournful wails echoing from the depths.
The Chasm, though called a mine, was more like ruins built from layers of crumbling walls, gradually smoothed over by time and covered by ancient bedrock. Combined with human intervention, it had taken its current form.
Of course, The Chasm also had its unique features. Scattered across the landscape were towering stone pillars that shimmered with Geo particles. When struck with external force, they resonated with Geo energy, causing the ground to tremble faintly.
"Wow… The Chasm is… really something else!"
Paimon, floating in the air, looked around in awe, captivated by the breathtaking scenery.
Even Rover felt that this place carried deep stories.
Yuehui was already waiting at the entrance. Spotting the two, he hurried over.
"You two great heroes, you've finally arrived! My name is Yuehui, a miner who only recently obtained permission to excavate The Chasm. I've got a few brothers working under me too."
Yuehui was practically glowing with excitement, his enthusiasm catching Rover off guard.
Paimon couldn't help but remark:
"Seems like you're really famous, huh?"
Aether, remembering the task at hand, asked Yuehui with concern:
"So, what exactly happened?"
Yuehui sighed and explained the situation.
Apparently, one of his workers had noticed several Hilichurls wandering past in a daze during a break. They paid him no mind and continued deeper into The Chasm. Intrigued, the worker kept watch and realized this phenomenon occurred repeatedly.
But the strangest part wasn't just that—it was that none of the Hilichurls who entered The Chasm ever came back out.
What were those Hilichurls after? What happened to them? Were they secretly plotting something?
These questions unsettled the miners, so Yuehui had no choice but to post a commission, hoping someone could investigate what was happening inside The Chasm.
After hearing this, Paimon shuddered.
"Fear born from the unknown is the deepest fear of all… Goodness, this is way too creepy. Now I get why no one dared take this commission. Um… maybe we should think about this…"
Paimon quickly pulled Aether and Rover aside, her face full of worry.
"Maybe… we should just… forget about it…"
She stammered, but Aether shook his head.
"This might be related to the Abyss Order. If we don't stop them now, it might be too late once they achieve their goal."
Rover agreed. From their past encounters, he knew how dangerous the Abyss Order was. Their goal was to overthrow the rule of the gods, and if left unchecked, they might actually succeed.
With both of them resolved, Paimon stood there dumbfounded.
"Hey! At least consider my opinion!"
Aether's gaze drifted toward the depths of The Chasm, his lips pursed tightly. He had another, more personal reason.
At the very least… he wanted to see his sister again. There were still so many things he wanted to say to her.
"I knew you heroes would take my commission! Wuwu… my mining job is finally safe!"
Yuehui was overjoyed. After waiting so long, adventurers had finally accepted his request—meaning his livelihood was secure.
...
"Looks like Brother Yuehui found someone. Huh!? Didn't expect it to be you guys!"
Just as Rover and Aether were surveying The Chasm's surface, a woman's voice called out from nearby. Upon closer inspection, it was a woman dressed in adventurer's attire.
"Forgot to introduce myself—I'm Zhiqiong, an adventurer working in this area. I've been trying to find people to explore deeper."
The two introduced themselves in return. Zhiqiong pointed at the floating Pillar Keys in the air.
"These are seals placed by the Qixing in The Chasm. Those with Visions must absorb Geo energy from ore and use it to strike the Pillar Keys, causing resonance. That will make them descend, deactivating the seals."
Zhiqiong sighed helplessly. This was why she hadn't been able to venture deeper—but now, with two helpers, the seals should be lifted soon, right?
After receiving the map from Zhiqiong, they learned there were five Pillar Keys in total—meaning all five had to be lowered to break the seal.
"In that case… Brother Rover, let's split up."