Chapter 38: I Saw Your Mother

The battle ended.

The corpses of the Rift Realm creatures lay on the ground.

"We did it… we did it! We won!" The exhausted drifters threw down their weapons and raised their arms in celebration.

The entire camp was filled with joy as if it were a festival.

"Phew…" Bronya wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Thank you so much. These monsters have been lurking around, troubling us for a long time." The elder walked up to her, tears of gratitude welling up in his eyes. "Now we can go to the previously occupied mines and start digging. We can feed ourselves…"

Bronya smiled. "No need to thank me. This is what we Silvermane Guards owe you…"

"I think you should build two statues to commemorate our achievements," Gu Tang said as he finished extracting resources from the corpses.

"Shut up!" Bronya angrily kicked his shin.

...

...

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After that, they stayed in the camp for a few more days.

They resolved many problems in the camp.

"Lady Bronya! The progress on mining is slow!"

"Your work arrangements are a mess. Give me a list of everyone's names, and I'll make a new work schedule."

"Lady Bronya! More monsters have appeared!"

"Have all the able-bodied people take up arms. I'll lead the charge and take them down. Don't worry, it won't take much effort."

"Lady Bronya! Someone's injured!"

"Good thing I know a bit about first aid."

"Lady Bronya! We can't account for our camp's expenses and income!"

"I'll do the math, and then have a sharp-minded person come learn from me."

"Lady Bronya! Our mining tools are at their limit, many have broken down."

"Don't come to me with that, go to Gu Tang… ahem, I mean, he's good with mechanical stuff."

"Lady Bronya! Our shovels have come to life. They're eating geolith and producing high-purity geolith crystals."

"Isn't that a good thing? Collect the shovels' excretions and sell them to nearby towns. Oh, and remember to say you mined them."

They significantly improved the drifters' lives.

Nearby drifters, hearing the news, also joined in, expanding the camp several times over.

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Dan Heng and his group were now living in Boulder Town in the Underworld.

Since the Upper District had long since cut ties with the Underworld, there was no worry of the Guards coming to arrest them.

Thanks to Seele and Sampo, they had made connections with the resistance group, the Fire Hunters.

Now, they helped the Fire Hunters with various tasks, and the Fire Hunters used their resources to look for Gu Tang.

After all, it wasn't realistic for a few of them to search for one person in the vast Underworld.

"Oh, this dish is delicious," March 7th said, taking a bite of the food.

They were having dinner in a house provided by the Fire Hunters.

"Indeed, it's a different flavor from the Upper District," Dan Heng agreed, taking a bite.

Stelle looked out the window.

The Underworld was always so dim outside, making it hard to tell the time.

But Stelle knew it was nighttime; another day had passed.

"Still no clues about Gu Tang…" she muttered.

"Don't worry too much, Stelle. The leader of the Fire Hunters said that someone from the Upper District would stand out here and be found quickly," March 7th reassured, patting Stelle on the shoulder.

"...I believe him, I just can't help but worry," Stelle sighed.

She looked down at the food on her plate.

Gu Tang, are you lonely eating dinner alone…

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"Cheers!"

Gu Tang raised his glass of strong liquor, clinking it with Bronya and several drifters.

The clinking of glasses, the splashing of droplets, the crisp and pleasant sound.

To celebrate their recent successes, the camp was having a party tonight.

The bonfire was surrounded by people full of laughter, holding their glasses and toasting each other.

Delicious food was simmering in an iron pot, served to the drifters, warming their tired bodies.

Someone had taken out a broken guitar with only one string and was pretending to play.

The chaotic guitar sound perfectly matched the completely off-key singing of others, turning the singing into a competition of who could be louder.

Someone started dancing around the bonfire, their drunken steps carrying a postmodern beauty that made everyone burst into laughter.

"Glug… glug… ha! How's that!" Bronya wiped her mouth, indicating her glass was empty.

"Lady Bronya! You can really hold your liquor!"

"As expected of our Lady Bronya!"

The surrounding drifters applauded.

"Who knew Lady Bronya could drink so much," someone marveled.

Bronya's face was flushed, and she proudly raised her head. "Hmph! It's a joke if someone from Belobog can't hold their liquor."

"Well said!"

"We can't lose either. Bring another case of liquor!"

The strong liquor in the corner of the camp seemed endless.

This was because Gu Tang had secretly used a division potion; the amount of liquor would double every hour.

If they didn't finish it tonight, the universe might be flooded with endless liquor.

The task of saving the universe fell on these drunkards; hopefully, they were as good as they boasted.

"Liquor is great, but we also need snacks." Gu Tang finished his drink and exhaled.

He brought out a pot of steaming, strange-looking food.

The ingredients in the thick soup were all oddly shaped, unrecognizable.

"What… is this?"

The drifters looked at the strange substance in the pot, puzzled.

"Eat it, drifters." Gu Tang waved his hand grandly.

"Hey! Who cares, Lord Gu Tang wouldn't harm us!" The drifters didn't think much and started eating.

Apparently, alcohol had boosted their courage.

"Oh, oh, oh! It's delicious!" A drifter's eyes lit up, and he started gobbling down.

"The texture is both soft and hard! Both cold and hot! Both powdery and chunky! I can't describe it… but it's tasty!" Another drifter gave high praise.

Some drifters, overwhelmed by the flavor, started twitching: "Oh, oh, oh! After experiencing this, no other food will satisfy me."

"...Are these guys okay?" Bronya watched the drifters, who seemed to be high, with a frown.

Of course, there was nothing harmful in the pot. Gu Tang despised drugs and gambling.

The pot contained things he had extracted from the icy bird on the snowy plains, like the [Gleaming Core] and [Throbbing Core].

"Bronya, want some?" Gu Tang looked at her.

Bronya quickly shook her head. "It's Bronya, and I don't need such strange things."

"Tch, tasteless duck…" Gu Tang scooped a bowl for himself and ate it.

Then his pupils contracted.

A nearly forgotten skill activated.

[Taste Memories]

In an instant, fragments of the icy bird's memory flashed through his mind.

Gu Tang turned to Bronya, who was drinking, and said, "I saw your mother's body."

"Pfft—!" Bronya spat out all the liquor in her mouth.