Chapter 34: The Baumgarten Underground Empire IV.


    Vi looked at Zeke with confusion etched on her face. "Didn''t you just see how that gold adventurer got his ass kicked by that guardian? Rudolf was stronger than both of us together, and he had no chance. How could we pass the test?" Zeke smirked, his confidence unwavering. He told her to trust him and to follow his lead. Vi seemed hesitant, but she trusted Zeke, and so the two of them made their way back to the location of the fight.


    Zeke knew that they shouldn''t allow the people to watch them take the test, so they had to wait for the crowd to clear out. He turned to Vi, his eyes alight with confidence. "Trust me," he said. "We can do this." And with that, they waited for the crowd to disperse, the people none the wiser to the spectacle they would miss here.


    After several hours, the location waspletely deserted of people. There was nothing around, aside from the guardian, who stood in front of the only passage that led through the wall that separated the outer district from the inner district. Once Zeke and Vi were sure that nobody was watching, they stepped up to the gate, and the guardian said the same thing he had said to Rudolf earlier.


    But Zeke didn''t get ready to fight. Instead, he bowed to the guardian and said something in the Buenguage. The guardian remained silent for a while and then, after a short answer, simply stepped aside, letting them through. Vi was bbergasted. She couldn''t believe what she had just witnessed. She turned to Zeke with a look of confusion and wonder.


    After passing through the gate, Vi immediately turned to Zeke and asked him how he managed to trick the guardian. Zeke just smirked at her, reveling in his feeling of superiority, but after Vi started to get a little annoyed, he began to exin. "The people outside were all wrong! They assumed that the second test was to beat the guardian, but that could not be further from the truth. The guardian told Rudolf earlier that only authorized personnel can enter the inner district and that Rudolf had to identify himself. After which, Rudolf pointed his sword at the guardian. The guardian then told him to lower his weapon, or it would remove him from the gate by force. You see, the fight that Rudolf had with the guardian was not the test, he had a fight because he already failed the test by not responding correctly."


    Vi couldn''t believe her ears, was it really this easy? She couldn''t believe that all this time, the test was not to defeat the guardian but to answer correctly. She felt foolish for not realizing it sooner. Zeke could see the realization dawning on her face, and he ced aforting hand on her shoulder. "Don''t worry about it," he said with a smug smile. "We all make mistakes, but it''s important to learn from them."


    Vi nodded, she was irked by Zeke''s smug behavior, but she couldn''t argue against the wisdom of these words. But then something urred to her, "Wait a moment! You are not on the list for allowed personnel as well, why did it let us in?" Zeke smirked and took out a book from his pocket. "I might not be on the list, but Mr. Olenzo here is on the list," he said, looking incredibly self-satisfied as he pointed to the name of the author on the back of the book.


    Vi was too impressed to get mad at him for his ostentatious behavior, so she asked him what the guardian had said as they passed. Zeke couldn''t help butugh, then tranted thest words of the guardian to her: "Wee back, Dr. Olenzo. Yourst visit was 4723 years ago. Have a nice stay." They both looked at each other before both burst outughing.


    She couldn''t help but be impressed with Zeke''s resourcefulness and cleverness. She realized that she had much to learn from her friend. Zeke''sbat strength was the least of the things he brought to the table, someone like him would always be invaluable to the work of adventurers.


    As they stepped through the several dozens of meters thick barrier that divided the outer and inner district, they finally could see the ce that was called ''Paradise'' by the Giger people. And it truly was impressive. The entire ceiling was covered with blue glowing crystals, making the high cavern appear as if one was looking at the sky outside during a pleasant summer day. As far as the eyes could see, there were fields of all different kinds. Farther in, they could even see forests andkes. All the fields seemed to be tended to automatically by the diverse cast of machines thaty strewn about everywhere.


    The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the sound of birds chirping. It was a stark contrast to the dark and dreary outer district. The Giger people''s advanced technology had created an idyllic utopia, one where nature and technology coexisted in harmony.


    Vi couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe as she took in the beauty of the inner district. She had never seen anything like it before. She turned to Zeke, her eyes shining with wonder. "It''s beautiful," she breathed.


    Zeke smiled, nodding in agreement. "It truly is," he said. "The Giger people''s technology is truly impressive. It''s no wonder they were able to maintain such a paradise."


    As they walked further into the inner district, they couldn''t help but feel a sense of excitement. Zeke thought that this ce must have been an absolute delight to witness while it was still functioning. He couldn''t help but be impressed at how the Giger people had managed to create such a ce hundreds of meters below ground. Zeke and Vi looked around, mesmerized. But then Zeke noticed something with his [Perfect Spatial Awareness], he whirled around and struck out with his staff, catching the attacker off guard and killing it instantly. Vi also turned around at Zeke''s sudden movement and saw a giant panther lying on the ground. Her face turned a little pale from the thought that she didn''t even notice the cat approaching.


    Zeke turned to her with a serious look on his face. "We need to be more careful," he said. "This ce may be beautiful, but it''s also dangerous. We have to stay alert at all times." Vi nodded, still a little shaken by the sudden attack.


    "What is that thing?" she asked. Zeke rubbed his temples, clearly he was not pleased by the appearance of the cat. He began to exin, "The Giger had a ce somewhere around here where they would breed rare monsters for their parts. This panther, for example, was bred for its incredibly durable andfortable fur. Apparently, it makes for amazing coats. But the fact that it is here means that the animals somehow got out of their habitat. If they were allowed to roam and multiply in here, there is no telling how many monsters we are talking about."


    Vi was shocked as well, the fact alone that the monsters had thousands of years of time meant that there was no telling how many and what species remained down here. She couldn''t help but worry about the potential dangers that could be lurking around every corner. She turned to Zeke, "What should we do?"


    Zeke thought for a moment through all their options before replying, "We should move towards the center of this ce while staying out of sight as much as we can. Olenzo described in his book that there is a research facility in the middle of the inner district. It''s in that facility that they keep their most valuable treasures. Apparently, even one of the three holy artifacts is stored there."


    Vi''s eyes shone at the mention of a holy artifact. "Is it ''the heart'' that we have heard so much about?" "No, whatever they had nned to do with the heart, they never finished that project," Zeke responded, "the three holy artifacts are something different."


    Vi just kept looking right at him and after a while of silent staring he sighed and motioned her over to a storage shed where they were out of sight and began to exin, "The three holy artifacts are the three greatest technological inventions of the Giger: The energy ball, the magic shield, and the mystery box."


    Vi interjected, disappointed: "Why are those names some?"


    Zeke gave her a look and then paused for dramatic effect before continuing his exnation, "The energy ball is buried deep in the earth and can harness the very energy from the ground. All the energy for the entire city and all therger machines was provided by this one artifact. The holy shield is connected to the energy ball, and it creates a Mana shield around the entire inner district. If Olenzo''s words can be believed, it would take the entire empire''s army years to break through it."


    Vi''s eyes were shining at this point. Zeke could see that the talk of those treasures had excited her greatly. He wanted to turn around and continue towards the center when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and Vi pulled him back. She seemed annoyed, "Where are you going? You didn''t tell me about the mystery box yet!" Zeke was surprised at first, but then he made a bitter smile, "I told you all I know about it. Olenzo never saw it either, apparently, no Giger alive in Olenzos time knew what the mystery box contained anymore. But among their people, there was a rumor that one day the mystery box would open when it found a worthy owner."


    Vi was intrigued. She had never heard of such a thing before. She asked, "What does that mean? How does it choose a worthy owner?" Zeke shrugged, "I have no idea, it''s just a rumor. But it''s said that whoever opens the mystery box will be granted great power and knowledge. It''s also said that the mystery box will only open for someone who has proven themselves to be true and just. It''s a mystery that may never be solved."


    Zeke expected Vi to be disappointed, but it was the exact opposite of what happened. She almost sprinted towards the center of the region. Zeke had to catch her and remind her to be careful. After she calmed down, she looked at him with a smug look in her eyes and said, "Wanna bet that box is gonna open the moment I walk up to it?" Zeke didn''t know if he shouldugh or cry. But the girl at least had confidence in herself, so he just patted her head and told her that he thought so as well.


    Before they could even make it a hundred meters towards the next cover, another beast jumped out of the tall wheat stalks that lined the road. Behind them, another three jumped out. Those monsters had waited in ambush and instantly surrounded them; they were clearly intelligent. It seemed that they had to fight their way to the research facility.