Merin looks out the window as the soft light reveals the outlines of distant buildings.
They’ve arrived at the settlement where they’ll reside.
The mine is just an hour from here.
The convoy halts, and Merin steps off the dusty road.
All around, he sees wooden buildings, worn and damaged structures in worse shape than any he’s seen since arriving in this world.
Sasha walks up beside him.
“The settlement gets destroyed every time a giant beast attacks,” she explains. “After rebuilding a few permanent structures, they gave up.”
Merin nods slowly, eyes scanning the battered landscape.
“So where are we staying?” he asks.
He trails behind her into one of the buildings, surprised to find it well furnished inside.
Sasha speaks briefly with someone at the entrance, then signals Merin to follow her again.
They step into a lift—its presence alone surprising him.
The door shuts, and the lift begins to descend.
Merin glances at the walls, wondering how deep they’re going.
Sasha turns to him. “Mr. Taylor, have you ever visited an underground city?”
Merin shakes his head silently.
After a few minutes, the lift stops with a soft chime, and following Sasha, Merin steps into the unknown depths below.
He stands on a red stone floor and looks out from the top level of an underground city.
The dome-shaped ceiling above glows with countless light bulbs, casting soft light across the vast space.
He walks forward and places his hand on the stone railing, noticing the city spans five floors.
Each floor is built around a hollow centre, and as the levels rise, the central opening widens, allowing a full view of the ground floor from the fifth.
Sasha leads him downward, and as they descend to the third floor, Merin takes in the city’s vibrant market.
Stalls and stores line the paths, selling rare materials often hard to find in the upper city, and when available, they’re neither fresh nor affordable.
He overhears prices—some items cost three times less than what they would in the city above.
Together with Sasha, he enters an inn on the third floor, and within minutes, he stands alone inside his assigned room.
Though tempted to explore the underground city and its bustling market, Merin sits down and begins to meditate.
His training in the Unification Realm is nearing completion. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on NoveIＦire.net
He’s comprehended the ninth level of Karst energy in both fire and ice, merging them seamlessly into a unique grey energy.
All that remains is forging his body with this energy, synchronising it with his bio-electricity—and then he can break through to the King Kong Realm, though he’s not in a rush.
Before starting the forging, he picks up his phone and checks for service—none is available.
He lost signal an hour after leaving the city and was told phone service outside is unstable, appearing and vanishing unpredictably.
He sets the phone aside and begins the final process—his body forging, while the bio-electricity merges with the grey energy, refining it further with every pulse.
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Fire and ice are just different expressions of Karst energy under varying conditions, and electricity can also be generated from it.
By using electricity to forge his body, he not only strengthens himself but also opens the possibility of drawing electrical power from external sources, not just his own body.
He considers this path carefully, trying to find a way to grow stronger without stepping into the King Kong Realm.
He fears that breaking through might kill him, so until he finds a method that guarantees a zero per cent risk, he will not attempt it.
He wants to live as long as he can—and he refuses to die before reaching even thirty.
But staying weak is also a danger.
He still remembers the attack months ago—two demon worshippers almost ended his life.
If one of them had been stronger or a real demon worshipper, he would’ve died that day.
And the investigation still hasn't revealed who sent them or why.
So letting his strength stagnate is not an option.
If he’s not going to break through, then he must find another way.
He forges his body until it reaches its limit, the grey electricity surging through his limbs until pain overwhelms him.
He rises, drinks a healing potion, and feels his body slowly begin to mend.
He returns to meditation and waits in silence, letting his body recover before the next attempt.
At dawn, Merin follows Sasha to her mine.
Upon reaching it, Merin releases his field and scans the surroundings for any anomaly that could cause people to fall unconscious involuntarily.
Finding nothing unusual outside, he glances at Sasha and says, "I'm going to check inside the mine."
Sasha looks to one of her guards. "Daniel, go with Mr. Taylor."
Daniel steps forward and says, "Sir, please follow me."
Merin nods, and together they walk into the mine.
He inspects every nook and cranny, searching for traces of danger, but exits without any result.
He uses instruments to check the Karst energy fluctuations around the site, but again, finds nothing.
Shaking his head at Sasha, he says nothing.
Sasha frowns. "Then how are you going to solve the mystery?"
Merin pauses, then replies, "Maybe I can discover something by observing the miners while they work."
Sasha crosses her arms. "That’s difficult. No miner wants to come here anymore."
Merin nods thoughtfully before deciding, "All the miners fell unconscious and didn’t wake up for several days, right?"
Sasha confirms, "Yes, that's what happens."
Merin scans the mine entrance. "Prepare a room for me inside the mine. I’ll spend the night here."
Surprised, Sasha’s deep blue eyes lock onto his. "Are you sure?"
Merin nods. "I couldn’t find anything during the day. Maybe I will at night."
Sasha hesitates, then places her hand on his arm. "Mr. Taylor, I didn’t share all the information with you."
They walk a short distance away from the curious onlookers gathered around the mine.
Though the mine is an hour from the settlement, the mysterious circumstances surrounding it have drawn many spectators, especially after hearing someone from the Karst Crystal Research Institute has come to investigate.
Sasha leans close to Merin’s ear and whispers, "People have died in the mine."
Merin’s eyes widen—there had been no mention of deaths in the mission details.
His face hardens, voice cold. "Why am I only hearing this now?"
Sasha lowers her gaze. "I blocked news of the deaths. If word got out, the mine would be sealed under formal inspection—it could take years before operations resume. That would mean a massive loss for us."
Merin’s tone sharpens. "Do you not realise how dangerous it is for an investigator to work without full information?"
Sasha nods slightly. "That’s why I only inform those who insist on staying overnight. None of them agreed before."
Merin asks, "Who died—and how?"
Sasha answers, "After mining halted, five guards stayed to protect the site. The next morning, they were found dead. No wounds, no signs of struggle. It looked like they died in their sleep."
Merin’s expression doesn’t change. "Only those five?"
Sasha’s eyes shift uneasily, avoiding his.
Merin’s voice tightens. "Tell me."
Sasha exhales. "Twenty more."
"Strength?" Merin asks flatly.
"Two in the lower Unification Realm," she says, "the rest were in the True Energy Realm."
Merin’s eyes narrow. "No signs of struggle from even the Unification Realm cultivators?"
Sasha slowly shakes her head. "None."
Merin’s thoughts churn—only a demon worshipper or a demon hunter could kill martial artists this silently.
He recalls the Illusion Demon Clan, a mid-level demon clan known for crafting illusion worlds that lure enemies inside and kill them without leaving a trace.
Sasha asks, “Then… are you still going to stay? My guards won’t stay with you. They’re afraid.”
Merin nods. “I’m staying. No one needs to stay with me.”
They talk a while longer, then everyone returns to the settlement.
There are still hours before nightfall, so Merin returns to the mine at noon.
He plans to train his body using high-voltage electricity, and the mine’s generator offers the perfect opportunity.
He climbs out of the pickup truck and begins hauling the equipment he needs for his forging process.
Inside the generator room, he connects the wires and sets everything up.
He sits on the floor, several healing potions lined up in front of him.
He grips a wire in each hand and sets the regulator to 100 volts, starting small.
He wants strength, not death.
He flips the switch and waits five seconds—nothing.
He increases it: 150… 200… 300 volts—still manageable.
At 550 volts, pain blooms across his muscles as his cells begin to break down slowly.
His skin steams; his body heats like a furnace.
Once the damage peaks, he drinks a healing potion, waits for recovery, then continues.
He repeats the process, pushing further, until midnight, when he finally stops at 750 volts.
His body smokes, but he's alive.
Merin releases his field, silent and watchful.