Big Harvest

That heart-racing throb finally subsided slowly.

This violent vein core had at last been thoroughly tamed by her—through the power of the Demon Lord and her innate affinity with darkness.

This was far more than just resolving a massive threat; it also meant…

She now held a powerful trump card in her grasp.

A vein core—the [Placenta of the Demon God]—gestated from pure dark essence and personally guided by her toward stability!

“Phew, at least there’s some good news—a major haul, no less.”

Vivian let out a long breath.

She gazed at the now-subsided vein core.

A surge of ecstasy washed over her.

The surrounding Evernight crystal veins had returned to normal.

And that core—slowly throbbing, with viscous, ink-like slime coursing through it—was no longer the uncontrolled source being battered and torn by the endless chaotic dark forces from the leyline depths.

Instead, it began to follow her will.

Like a newborn infant learning to breathe.

Slowly, clumsily absorbing the energies around it.

And attempting to convert them into a form of dark power more amenable to control.

No matter what, for the foreseeable future, this newborn should remain stable and docile.

Resuming crystal extraction and production in the mine pit shouldn’t pose any major issues.

Though before leaving, Vivian would need to set up barriers and magical detection arrays here.

To ensure it wouldn’t spiral out of control again.

Though Vivian could sense that it had already developed some dependence and trust toward her.

And the initial link had been established.

But it was still just a naive, newborn infant.

A slight mishap could very well provoke a tantrum.

After all, it was merely a fledgling consciousness acting on instinct.

Its emotions shifted like undercurrents—fleeting and unpredictable.

“Huff huff, congratulations, Demon Lord.

You actually managed to subdue such a terrifying entity.”

After catching her breath for a bit, Lucia gritted her teeth and staggered to her feet.

“It was thanks to you holding the line beside me; otherwise, it wouldn’t have gone this smoothly.”

Bai An turned around.

She looked toward the Winter Messenger.

And gave a nod.

But then her expression turned icy.

“However, regarding this thing’s existence—you know what to do, right?”

“Y-Yes, yes, I know, I know!”

Lucia nodded like a pecking chick.

“Nothing to say, nothing to ask, nothing to see that I shouldn’t!

I get it, Demon Lord—

I swear on the crystalline heart of a Frost Banshee: what I’ve seen and heard today will not leak out—not a single word!

It’s just… it’s just a somewhat troublesome and unstable energy node deep in the mine pit, and you’ve thoroughly fixed it!”

“Then, that’s good.”

Seeing her reaction, Bai An fell silent for a moment.

Then she nodded.

The other woman had even come up with an excuse for her.

She began to wonder if Lucia was a transmigrator too.

Of course, Bai An had no proof.

She could only say that the woman’s thought patterns seemed to align with her own to some degree.

And there were no probing moves from her.

So it was just a passing suspicion.

After resting a bit and recovering some mana, Bai An began setting up the barriers and protective, surveillance magic arrays.

To ensure everything here was foolproof.

She extended her slender fingers.

Deep purple-black mana swirled at their tips.

From instinct and memory, she chanted ancient, arcane incantations.

One after another, intricate and profound runes coalesced in the air.

Flickering with dim, ghostly light.

They etched themselves precisely onto the surrounding rock walls, the ground, and even the floating air.

These runes interlinked with one another.

Forming a vast, invisible network—

This was the highest-order [Abyssal Silence] barrier.

Not only did it isolate external energy probes.

It could also suppress any potential energy rampages within the core.

At the same time, it imperceptibly shielded against outsiders’ approaches.

This served not just to protect the newborn core.

But also to safeguard the miners who would enter later for extraction work.

“You just keep growing here slowly.

It’s safe.”

After setting up the barriers and magic arrays, Vivian returned once more before the massive dark heart.

She extended her hand.

Gently touching it.

And spoke.

As if in response, the core before her throbbed rapidly a few times—

It seemed to be replying to Vivian’s words.

Though it appeared somewhat reluctant.

But Vivian soothed it a few more times all the same.

“Good child, I have other matters to attend to; I can’t stay here forever.”

“You’ll be safe here, stable—

The barrier will protect you.

The surveillance array will watch over you.

And remember: breathe the way I taught you.

Absorb energy.

Grow slowly.”

“Soon, others will come in.

They’ll help clean up the chaotic rubble and energy residues around you.

Make your home tidier, more comfortable—

Remember, they’re here to help you.

Don’t attack them, understand?”

Vivian said as much.

And the [heart] before her contracted slightly.

Then expanded again.

As if nodding silently in agreement.

The restless sensations gradually faded away.

“Good—

Lucia, let’s head out.”

After finishing everything—even soothing the “infant” a bit more—Vivian turned around.

And said to Lucia.

“Whew—!”

Lucia let out a breath as if granted amnesty.

Long and exaggerated to the extreme.

As if expelling all the turbid air from her lungs—the stuff mingled with the mine pit’s dark dust and chilly moisture.

“Finally!

Finally leaving this damned place!”

She practically leaped to her feet.

Patted the dust from her clothes.

Her face was etched with undisguised relief and eagerness—

After all, the underground mine pit’s environment was quite harsh.

Even after stabilizing, it brimmed with dark energies.

For Demon Clan members not versed in darkness attributes, staying here long—even one as strong as the Winter Messenger—would wear them down.

It was like a steamer perpetually venting “toxic gas.”

The omnipresent, high-concentration dark energy eroded any intruder’s body without cease.

Ah, in game terms, it was ongoing environmental attribute damage.

Anyone without darkness affinity or sufficient resistance stacked would just keep taking HP loss.

The two lingered no longer.

Vivian and Lucia set off together toward the exit.

The return path felt unusually serene.

Only the echo of footsteps resounded in the empty mine tunnels—

And soon after, the pair finally emerged from the mine pit.

Back into the outside world.

“Demon Lord!”

The waiting crowd saw Vivian’s figure reappear at last.

Their spirits lifted as one.

They surged forward.

“Demon Lord, are you alright?!”

Luna Te rushed to Vivian’s side without delay.

Her voice laced with concern.

“What could possibly be wrong with me?

The unstable energy node underground has been resolved; the threat is temporarily lifted.”

Looking at the little succubus before her, Vivian replied lightly.

And at that moment, Lucia—who had followed close behind Vivian, scrambling out of the mine pit on hands and knees—suddenly flung her arms wide.

She inhaled a massive gulp of the cold yet utterly fresh air.

Her face twisted into an expression of near-ecstasy.

“Ah—!

Free air!

Sunlight!

Being alive is wonderful!”

She sighed in exaggerated rapture.

A stark contrast to the solemn atmosphere around her.

It drew sidelong glances from a few of the younger warriors, who couldn’t help themselves.

“Let’s head back.

Crisis averted.

Once we’re back in Evernight City, we must immediately prepare to restore Blackrock Town’s operations.

I need to see the first batch of new Evernight crystals produced within seven days—”

“Yes, Demon Lord.”

The accompanying crowd responded in unison.

And before departing, Vivian turned back.

Casting one more glance at the mine pit entrance behind her.

“Here’s hoping everything goes smoothly from here.”

She murmured to herself.