Only when his feet stepped firmly on solid ground did Gauss’s tightly wound nerves finally relax a little.
Behind them, the labyrinth’s massive irregularly shaped entrance outline became even more eerie and unfathomable under the night and the looming Rejection Phase, like the gaping mouth of a dormant beast lying in wait.
At this moment, a muffled vibration seemed to come from deep within the entrance, like the pulse of the earth itself, and the three of them could feel subtle tremors through the soles of their boots.
“Phew... finally out!”
Aria exhaled deeply, brushing off moss and dust from her clothes, glancing back nervously at the labyrinth’s entrance.
Even Ulfen, Eck, and Golden Spike the ostrich gave uneasy cries. As wild animals, they were more sensitive to changes in the natural environment, much like dogs barking abnormally before an earthquake, bees leaving their hives, or fish jumping out of ponds.
Gauss looked toward the entrance and even felt that the space inside the labyrinth gave off a different vibe.
Keep in mind, the Rejection Phase hadn’t officially started yet, and it was already this strange.
When the real Rejection Phase hit, the danger inside the labyrinth would likely escalate sharply.
No wonder the Labyrinth Guide forbade any adventurers from entering during this period. Staying inside almost guaranteed certain death.“I wonder how long it will last?” Aria sighed.
“Short term, a few weeks; long term, it could be years,” Gauss replied while looking at the Labyrinth Guide in his hand.
“Years? That long?” Serlandul showed a trace of surprise on their face.
“For humans, a few years is a long time, but for a labyrinth—especially a long-lived one—that’s just a blink of an eye,” Gauss shook his head.
“Besides, it’s not necessarily years. It could be a few weeks, or maybe several months.”
“Let’s find a place to rest first?” Gauss glanced at the labyrinth’s surface settlement, which had already become busy.
After searching around the small town a little, they easily found the Golden Beak Trading Company’s outpost.
It was a three-story building.
The employees stationed in the labyrinth for the Golden Beak Trading Company all recognized Gauss and the others.
Even though it was late at night, the on-duty staff respectfully welcomed them inside.
Robert, a senior officer of the Golden Beak Trading Company, hurried down the stairs.
His slight irritation at being disturbed so late quickly vanished when he heard Gauss’s name.
Before coming downstairs, he had carefully tidied his attire, then put on a warm smile and walked toward Gauss and the others resting in the reception room.
Robert asked the kitchen to prepare an extra table full of good dishes and have hot water ready.
Although Gauss kept saying they didn’t need the trouble and just wanted some empty rooms to rest, Robert didn’t dare slack off even a bit.
He knew very well what Gauss and his team meant to the company. Their importance far exceeded that of a simple Level 3 adventurer squad.
Even without mentioning their private connections to the young master of the company, their youthful appearance alone showed that this team had a promising future.
If not for those connections and the fact that Gauss had only recently started his adventurer career, small companies like theirs wouldn’t even have a chance to establish relations.
Under Robert’s cold yet attentive hospitality, Gauss and the others had a fairly hearty late-night meal.
The next day.
Hayley also hurried to the Golden Beak Trading Company office early in the morning.
Gauss, having just finished labyrinth exploration, woke up a little later than usual, washed up, and put on casual clothes. Then he saw the familiar figure with chestnut hair.
“Hayley, you’re here.”
“Yes, just arrived,” Hayley nodded with a hint of regret on her face. “I originally wanted to inspect the labyrinth’s commercial environment, but who would’ve expected to encounter such an accident on my very first day...”
Now, adventurers and merchants on the first floor were urgently evacuating, transporting supplies. It wasn’t a good time to explore inside.
“But thankfully, our company’s strength is limited, and our business has progressed cautiously. Otherwise, this Rejection Phase of the labyrinth would have caused us heavy losses.”
Gauss was about to comfort her, but before he could, she had already adjusted her mindset.
When she mentioned heavy losses, a trace of lingering fear flashed on her face.
The surface commercial layout was manageable, but the infrastructure and investments of underground floor merchants would mostly be lost.
For medium to large companies, it might be bearable, but for small companies like theirs, this was akin to a serious blow.
“Yes. It’s better to walk far than to rush.”
“By the way, Gauss, do you want to buy a house in Vortex Town? The prices aren’t high yet.”
Vortex Town was the name of this small settlement on the labyrinth’s surface.
Because the entrance resembled a whirlpool, it was given this name.
Buy a house?
Gauss pondered briefly, then nodded.
Although the labyrinth had entered the Rejection Phase and its duration was uncertain, buying a house in the nearby town was obviously a good investment.
Even without considering potential future appreciation, at least his adventurer team would have a foothold near the labyrinth.
They wouldn’t have to scramble for lodging late at night like last time and rely on the Golden Beak Trading Company to host them.
Besides, surface real estate was cheaper than underground property, so the cost wasn’t high.
“I’ll keep an eye out for you. If there’s a good price, I’ll buy it for you. I’m planning to buy one myself anyway.”
“Thanks, that’d be great.”
“No problem.”
...
After Aria and Serlandul got up, Gauss told them about buying a house in town as a base for the team. Both readily agreed.
The small town was already awake in the morning.
The three strolled around, gathering more specific information about the labyrinth.
Many adventurers walked through the town, and even now, more people were continuously evacuating from the labyrinth.
Not everyone had a map like Gauss to guide them, so even though evacuation was faster than exploration, escaping wasn’t always easy.
They wandered back to the labyrinth entrance, where the huge whirlpool-shaped cave gave off an even more ominous aura.
It was as if the labyrinth itself was sending a signal to forbid outsiders from entering.
From overhearing other adventurers’ conversations, the three confirmed this was the labyrinth’s Rejection Phase. The Adventurers Guild had also issued a public announcement.
Moreover, guards stood watch at the entrance. Without documents issued by the Adventurers Guild, entry was forbidden, and only exits were allowed. Even if the three wanted to take the risk and enter, they couldn’t.
Crowds gathered around the labyrinth entrance: irate merchants, exhausted adventurers who had just escaped, and many onlookers enjoying the spectacle.
“What’s next?” Aria asked Gauss.
The labyrinth was closed, but they couldn’t just wait quietly in Vortex Town for an unknown reopening time. During this period, they needed to find something to do.
“Keep accepting commissions,” Gauss shrugged.
What else could they do?
Of course, return to their old line of work.
Although the labyrinth was temporarily closed, Gauss still had many tasks to handle.
For example, practicing clay magic, collecting spiritual energy, and preparing to break through to Rank 3 professional advancement.
Also, they hadn’t been back to Grayrock Town in a while.
And now, during this break in exploration, he could finally carry out a plan he had made last winter but never found time to execute.
That was to return to his original body’s hometown—Stone Creek Village.
He wanted to see for himself how his family was doing.
If possible, he wanted to help them out.
Of course, thinking of that rundown little village in his memories brought a mix of complicated and fearful feelings.
The influence of memory caused a touch of homesickness anxiety.
Even though his current small achievements might already surpass anyone in the village for generations,
he still had to go back and see. How to interact with familiar yet strange family members would be another matter entirely.
That was Gauss’s thought.
He shared his plan openly.
“You’re going home?” Aria blinked.
Catching the inexplicably complex expression on Gauss’s face, a flicker of curiosity appeared in her eyes.
To be honest, she was very curious about Gauss’s past.
Although Gauss had told her many times that his hometown was an ordinary, unremarkable little village, with piles of stinking manure on the roadside and muddy dirt roads after rain,
she still wanted to see it.
“Can I come with you?” she tilted her head.
...
“Sure, if you want to,” Gauss laughed helplessly.
Having a familiar companion made him feel more at ease.
“Captain, count me in too,” the half-snake Serlandul quietly said at this moment.
“Alright, then let’s go together,” Gauss suddenly understood something and laughed out loud. “But we’re really poor there. There might not be much to entertain you with—I’m warning you in advance.”
He realized that even if the team separated briefly, Aria and Serlandul probably had no other plans.
Their hometowns seemed even farther than his own, and going back would be a big effort.
Better to keep traveling together.
The three stayed in Vortex Town for another day.
They confirmed the labyrinth entrance would not reopen soon and submitted their current loot, labyrinth bounty items, and some collection commission tasks.
Gauss and Aria then mounted their ostrich, with Serlandul following, setting off toward Grayrock Town again.
Compared to riding with a caravan, riding their ostrich was noticeably faster.
In no time, the silhouette of Vortex Town and the distant Forest Capital gradually faded behind them.
Along the way, four Sticky King Spiders followed nimbly at Gauss’s side.
Long-term use helped improve the proficiency of the 2nd Circle Spell Shaping Magic: Clay.
Meanwhile, as they traveled with Gauss, they kept killing various insects along the roadside, absorbing spiritual energy to improve themselves.
Even their lunch ingredients—two plump pheasants—were caught by the clay spiders in the wild grass.
Sensing the kill reports they sent back, Gauss used his talent Insect Nest Consciousness to have the freely roaming clay spiders bring the prey back.
Clay creatures were indeed indispensable travel companions.
Their only drawback was the continuous mana consumption. If Gauss’s mana pool weren’t unusually large, supporting four active clay creatures wouldn’t be sustainable.
But on the other hand, this drawback was also an advantage; mana consumption provided part of the experience needed for professional rank advancement.
2nd Circle Spell Shaping Magic: Clay lv2 (19/20)
With Gauss continuously releasing four clay creatures, the proficiency of this 2nd Circle Spell rapidly increased and was about to reach level 3.
Only at level 3 would clay magic truly begin to show its potential.