A vulgar word was poised on his lips, but considering the students present, it was forcibly swallowed back down.
“There won’t be a next time,” Aya Tone muttered, sullenly turning his head away from the ‘female hooligans.’
‘He had been careless, completely forgetting that the first time he met them, they had even claimed to be his fans.’
‘He was quite well aware of the true nature of his fans.’
‘To put it nicely, they were ‘mommy fans.”
‘To put it less nicely…’
‘Heh, they were all perverted lolicons!’
The three women exchanged knowing smiles.
It was just as Fire Wushuang had predicted; their teacher was indeed a quiet type who wouldn’t truly scold them.
This particular resource dungeon wasn’t solely for their group.
Workers tasked with resource extraction would also be accompanying them.
Their primary mission was to seek out C-rank monsters to hone their combat skills, and to protect the workers if the opportunity arose.
Of course.
The protection aspect, however, could be almost entirely disregarded, after all…
Z-country boasted an abundance of talent, and not a single logistics worker was a pushover.
Not only were they all physically robust.
Their mastery over their own awakened abilities was often more refined than even some veteran adventurers.
In their own words, they had only transitioned to logistics after growing thoroughly tired of slaying monsters.
Therefore.
For the students, slaying monsters to hone their skills remained the paramount objective.
“Everyone’s here, right? Check your gear. We depart in five minutes!”
The leader of the logistics team was a handsome, middle-aged man, a ‘cool uncle’ type, who carried a sniper rifle.
His face was sculpted with strong, rigid lines, etched with the deep纹路 of time, lending a weathered, experienced air to his resolute expression.
As he spoke, his sharp, discerning gaze involuntarily swept over Aya Tone and their companions.
His brow furrowed, almost imperceptibly.
He had received word from the guild earlier, informing him that several students would be accompanying them into the dungeon.
He surmised these must be the very students mentioned.
His words, in fact, were specifically aimed at them.
The seasoned veterans behind him, who had followed him for years, would undoubtedly have double-checked their gear before setting out.
“Did you hear that? Check your gear properly, and remember to cast a defensive magic layer on yourselves first.”
Aya Tone also exhorted them earnestly, his voice full of gravitas.
Although he had never personally entered a resource dungeon, typically he would charge straight for the core to destroy it.
However, learning from these seasoned veterans and cultivating cautious habits was always a sound approach.
“Understood!” the four women chorused.
****
As they passed through the shimmering light barrier.
The surrounding brightness immediately plummeted into a profound dimness.
Everyone gripped their weapons, their senses acutely vigilant of their surroundings.
While the dungeon’s resources continually regenerated, new monsters were also constantly being spawned.
Under normal circumstances, no monsters would venture close to the teleportation entrance.
Still, it was always better to be safe than sorry.
“Wow, is this a resource dungeon? It’s just like a sprawling mine!”
Relying on the faint, ethereal glow emitted by crystals embedded in the rock walls, Aya Tone could barely discern the dungeon’s environment.
A pitch-black passage stretched before them, flanked by rough, uneven rock formations.
Yet, within certain fissures, faint glints of ore were vaguely visible through the scattered reflections.
‘Wow, an endless mine!’
‘If only I could claim one for myself.’
Aya Tone caressed the nearby rock wall with a wistful, pained expression, as if recalling the S-rank dungeon in Yan’an City that he had personally destroyed.
‘If time could be rewound, he would definitely deliver a swift kick to his past self.’
‘Not mining a perfectly good treasure mountain, but instead throwing TNT directly into it and blowing it up—what kind of foolish act was that?’
“Little novice, stand back a bit.”
Li Hongxiang, the handsome leader, barked sternly.
This short figure before him wore no protective gear, only a large hat that obscured their face.
Now, they had even arbitrarily strayed from the team, as if merely on a leisurely picnic.
He particularly detested such clueless novices, who constantly deemed themselves extraordinary despite their inexperience.
“Huh? Are you talking about me?” Aya Tone turned around blankly, a small finger pointing to himself.
‘He hadn’t thought he was standing too far forward.’
“Come back!” Li Hongxiang commanded, his brow furrowed, his tone clearly laced with displeasure.
The guild had already annoyed him by foisting these few individuals upon his team.
Having finally caught them in a misstep, he naturally seized the opportunity to vent his frustration.
“Oh.” Aya Tone didn’t dwell on it, simply assuming the man meant well, and trotted obediently back to Lin Ling and the others.
Seeing him so obedient, Li Hongxiang’s stern tone softened considerably.
The person was being so sensible; if he continued to harp on the matter, he would appear petty and small-minded.
So, he addressed Aya Tone and the others in a deep, serious voice: “You will follow behind us, responsible for handling any monsters that slip past.”
“If you encounter something you can’t beat, flee back immediately. Don’t worry about us, understood?”
“Understood!” the four women affirmed, nodding in unison.
“Understood!?” Li Hongxiang pressed again, his gaze fixed intently on Aya Tone.
Aya Tone opened his mouth, feeling inexplicably bewildered.
‘What was there for him to understand?’
“Um… I’m the supervising teacher…”
‘As a teacher, surely I don’t need to respond, right?’
“You?” Li Hongxiang’s grip on his sniper rifle tightened, as he suddenly realized he might have made a serious blunder.
He quickly offered an apology.
“My apologies, I was a bit loud just now.”
Z-country’s assessment for teachers was incredibly rigorous; anyone capable of becoming a university instructor possessed at least B-rank strength.
This meant.
This seemingly petite individual was, at the very least, B-rank.
Although Aya Tone had kept his hood up since entering, making it impossible to see his face.
From his voice, however, it wasn’t difficult to discern that he was quite young.
To have achieved B-rank at such a tender age.
His awakened ability level must be exceptionally high, and his future achievements would undoubtedly be limitless.
If at all possible, it was certainly best not to create any further awkwardness.
Aya Tone waved a dismissive hand, indicating that such formality was unnecessary.
With the misunderstanding resolved, they officially proceeded into the depths of the mine.
Every member of the team instantly shifted into a state of heightened alert.
At the vanguard, two burly men held their shields aloft, forming a protective barrier.
Shielding the others behind them, they advanced with deliberate, cautious steps.
Even knowing that Aya Tone, a formidable “B-rank” expert, was among their ranks, they maintained their cautious advance.
It was not uncommon for even the most experienced to stumble in unexpected ways.
Everyone understood the timeless wisdom that caution ensured enduring safety.
“Learn from this; don’t just foolishly charge in,” Aya Tone admonished, as he and the other students followed at the very rear.
This was the very position Li Hongxiang had specifically assigned them.
“Teacher, when you say that, could you please not stare directly at me?” Lin Ling mumbled weakly.
Aya Tone merely offered a soft, knowing chuckle.
‘You guess why I’m staring at you,’ he thought wryly.
Along the winding path, the anticipated ambush never materialized.
Li Hongxiang and his team showed no hesitation, steadily advancing straight towards the central mine chamber.
As if sensing the unspoken confusion of the few students behind him.
A burly man, laden with mining tools, offered an explanation: “The monsters that spawn in this dungeon are humanoid creatures known as Steel Golems.”
“Monsters born in resource dungeons typically feed on minerals, so they generally congregate in the center.”
“If we don’t hurry, a significant portion of the minerals might be devoured by newly spawned Steel Golems.”
The four women nodded in understanding and quickly picked up their pace to keep up with the team.
When the group finally arrived at the central mine chamber, the sight before them instantly astonished everyone.
The dim mine tunnel was permeated by a damp, pungent odor, and the ground beneath their feet was uneven and littered with碎石.
Utilizing the faint luminescence emanating from the mineral deposits, everyone was captivated by the scene within the cavern.
Aya Tone: “Good heavens, I see so much money!”
Greedy.