stjorthotic Chapter 39 The Commission for Eradicating the Rat King in the Old Town's Ditches
Chapter 39 The Commission for Eradicating the Rat King in the Old Town's Ditches
When I got back to my room, it was already past 10 p.m.
Lin Mo took a shower, lay in bed, and mentally reviewed the events of the day.
But the more I thought about it, the more something seemed off.
When exactly did he become the target of the Blood Cup Cheka?
Could it be... that traces were really left when they entered the cave during the day?
But their actions were a bit too fast...
They had barely left when they came knocking on the door.
And... why only target him and not others?
Is it because he is weak and vulnerable, and easy to manipulate?
……
A series of question marks appeared in Lin Mo's mind, intertwined like a tangled mess.
However, after thinking for a long time, I still couldn't come up with any ideas.
He shook his head and decided to stop thinking about it.
He summoned the mountain spirit and had it guard his bedside, then fell into a deep sleep.
Silent all night.
The next morning, after having breakfast and quickly packing his luggage, Lin Mo went downstairs in the apartment complex.
They summoned the Wraith Boat and sped towards the city.
With the blessing of [Styx - Rapid Travel], it only took less than ten minutes.
He then arrived at Cuixia Street in the city center of Wudu District.
This street can be considered the most central area of the entire Wushan City.
The Wushan branch of the Card Makers Alliance, the Municipal Public Security Bureau, the Municipal Card Making Association, and the Wushan Card Making Academy are all located here.
There's basically no need to worry about safety issues.
Lin Mo strolled around the streets for a while before finally settling into a high-end hotel called "Yunxi Pavilion".
This hotel is quite expensive; a night's stay costs 1,000 Star Coins.
Normally, Lin Mo would definitely not want to live in such a nice place.
But the situation is special now, and we can't worry about that anymore.
Lin Mo gritted his teeth and ordered a week's worth in one go.
He only had a little over 10,000 star coins on him, and this suddenly took away most of them.
After checking in, Lin Mo went to his room and closed the door.
Activate the room's built-in [Defense Card] and [Alarm Card].
He also summoned the Mountain Spirit, Shen Tu, and Yu Lei together.
Then he sat cross-legged on the bed and began practicing meditation.
He planned to stay in the hotel for a few days to avoid the limelight.
He felt quite at ease with the security at this hotel, after all, it was a five-star hotel.
Moreover, its proximity to the Card Master Alliance makes it a truly ideal place for cultivation.
Although he didn't quite believe those people would be so audacious as to make a move on Cuixia Street, it was always better to be cautious.
Better safe than sorry!
……
Time passed slowly,
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
During these five days, Lin Mo spent almost all his time cultivating, except for eating and sleeping.
Fortunately, the results were very significant.
He finally overcame that hurdle, and his mental strength level reached the upper-level black iron.
Next, all you need to do is simultaneously increase your spiritual power cultivation.
He will then be able to successfully break through to the rank of High-Rank Black Iron Card Maker and unlock new card-making slots.
It was already 2 PM when I came out of my meditation.
Lin Mo ate something quick to fill his stomach, then turned on his computer and logged into the official website of the Wushan City Card Makers Association.
Click on the "Commissions" section, and rows of commissions will immediately appear.
Lin Mo chose to entrust multiple people this time, mainly because he is now being watched by the Blood Cup Cheka Group and it is not advisable for him to act alone.
Scroll down...
Soon, his gaze fell upon a detailed assignment.
【Company Name: HT-5120809030426-268】
【Contract Name: Rat King Eradication in Old Town Ditches】
[Assignment Type: Multiplayer Team]
[Commission Details: The underground pipe network in the old city has been overrun by a group of mutant rats known as "Grey Rats." They are frantically gnawing on cables and water pipes and spreading "Bone-Rotting Plague," causing water and power outages in three neighborhoods. The client must enter the sewers to destroy the rat nests, kill the "Iron-Toothed Rat King" who leads the swarm, and bring back the Rat King's head as proof.]
[Commission Requirements: Three or more mid-level Black Iron Card Makers, who must be capable of independently defeating Black Iron 5-star nascent species]
[Commission Reward: (88888 Star Coins, 100 Contribution Points)/person]
[Risk Level: Medium. The Iron-Toothed Rat King is a six-star Black Iron level ferocious beast. Please form a team to proceed!]
[Client: Wushan City Municipal and Environmental Sanitation Bureau, Abnormal Handling Section]
[Note: This is an urgent request. Please complete it before 7 PM. If you mind, please do not contact us!]
More than 80,000 Star Coins!
Lin Mo's eyes lit up when he saw the reward.
Although it's not as good as the previous commission, it's still quite good among the many low-paying Iron-level team commissions.
Furthermore, the client explicitly stated that all that was required was to kill the Rat King and retrieve its head for verification.
In other words, they can deal with the dropped materials as they see fit.
In this way, the actual compensation will be higher.
It's like doing one job and earning two salaries.
Of course, this entrustment is also quite difficult.
The fact that a team is required to go there indicates that this commission involves dealing with quite a few aberrations.
Furthermore, there are also vicious individuals with the Black Iron Six-Star rank, so we must be even more careful.
However, Lin Mo wasn't under much pressure.
He had killed even higher-quality Gluttonous Species, let alone this vicious one.
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately accepted the commission.
A confirmation box popped up on the webpage immediately:
This is a team quest. Do you want to accept it?
Lin Mo clicked "Confirm," and two lines of black text appeared on the screen:
[Request successfully accepted!]
Currently, one person has accepted the commission. Once three people have accepted the commission, the commission location information will be automatically sent.
While waiting for others to form a team,
Lin Mo took out his phone, opened a rental app, and wanted to check if there were any shops for rent or transfer nearby.
However, you won't believe it until you see it!
The cheapest shops listed here have rents starting at 40,000 yuan per month.
Even more extreme cases involve rents exceeding 100,000 yuan.
This is outrageous!
Lin Mo muttered a complaint and immediately long-pressed the icon to uninstall the unreliable software.
However, after uninstallation,
Lin Mo was troubled again: How could he find a relatively cheap house?
It would be great if I knew someone who could introduce me!
"acquaintance……"
Lin Mo muttered something, his eyes lit up, and a figure flashed through his mind.
"By the way, doesn't Sister Chu Chu live in the city?"
She's a very wealthy woman; she must have connections.
With this in mind, Lin Mo immediately picked up his phone, found Fang Chuchu's number, and dialed it.
The phone beeped a few times.
Soon, a melodious voice came from the other end, slightly playful: "Busy man, what made you suddenly think of calling me?"
"Sister Chuchu, please stop teasing me."
Lin Mo gave a wry smile and got straight to the point, "I have something I'd like to ask you for help with."
"What is it? Just say it, why are you being so polite with me?"
"I'd like you to help me keep an eye out for any vacant shops in the city center that are available for rent or transfer, preferably on Cuixia Street, as I'm thinking of opening a shop there."
"I thought it was something serious? It's nothing, I'll keep an eye out for you."
"Okay, thank you, Sister Chuchu."
Lin Mo chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up the phone.
Back at his computer, he discovered that there was now another person behind the commission that he had previously accepted alone.
Before long, the last person arrived.
Lin Mo glanced at the backend; the commission location had already been sent to him.
No. 55 Fushan Road.
Lin silently read it over, quickly packed her luggage, and immediately left the hotel.
……
Fushan Road is located in the northwest corner of Wudu District.
In stark contrast to the bustling Cuixia Street, this is the oldest area in the Wudu District.
The houses are low and crowded, and the roads are narrow and rugged.
It resembles a slum from the last century.
Following the map, Lin Mo arrived at an abandoned municipal building.
This is an old sewer entrance; the cast iron manhole cover has been lifted and thrown aside.
A pungent, sour stench emanated from the dark cave entrance.
A ring of municipal warning tape was put up around the area.
Several sanitation workers in uniform were busy at work, with a man and a woman standing next to them.
They must be his teammates who completed the task with him this time.
As Lin Mo approached, one of the staff members looked up and asked, "Excuse me, are you the card maker in charge of this cleanup operation?"
Lin Mo nodded and handed over the membership card of the Card Makers Association.
This contains the relevant credentials for accepting commissions.
After the staff verified that everything was correct, they returned the membership card to him and then handed him a simple risk disclosure form: "Please sign here."
The underground pipe network in the old town is intricate and complex, and some side streets are dead ends, so be careful not to go the wrong way.
The area most severely affected by the rats is along branch line three. We've only conducted a simple reconnaissance from the outside; we can't get any deeper in, so we're counting on you. Please be careful.
Lin Mo glanced at the notification form, signed his name after confirming that everything was correct, and then looked at his other two teammates.
On the left is a burly man, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
Wearing a black bodysuit, his body was covered in bulging muscles.
He carried a huge alloy warhammer on his shoulder and had a hideous scar on his face.
On the right is a petite girl, about seventeen or eighteen years old, with her hair in a high ponytail and wearing a light-colored tracksuit.
She had delicate and pretty features, like a girl next door, with a black raptor perched on her shoulder.
The spiritual fluctuations emanating from both individuals indicate that they are both mid-level Black Iron Card Makers.
While Lin Mo was sizing up the two men, they were also sizing up Lin Mo. After a while, the two men walked over.
The burly man spoke first, his voice booming: "My name is Sun Guangsheng, a mid-level Black Iron Card Maker, skilled in both defense and offense."
The girl replied, "My name is Xu Zhao, a mid-level Black Iron Card Maker, specializing in reconnaissance and support."
"Lin Mo, a mid-level Black Iron card maker, specializes in both offense and defense."
Lin Mo spoke calmly, briefly introducing his own situation.
He then looked at the two of them and asked, "Shall we go down now?"
"Everyone's here, let's go! The three of us can handle a six-star Black Iron level ferocious beast without much trouble."
Sun Guangsheng grinned and patted his broad chest. "I'll take the hits and draw fire in front of you. You two just need to provide damage from behind."
Xu Zhao glanced at him and weakly reminded him, "Brother Sun, have you forgotten that the Rat King has many subordinates?"
"That's true!"
Sun Guangsheng scratched his head somewhat sheepishly, then gestured with his chin towards Lin Mo, "Isn't there Brother Lin? Don't worry, Sister Xu Zhao, based on my experience judging people, Brother Lin is definitely a master. You just need to lie down and relax!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhao couldn't help but glance at Lin Mo curiously, and said in a soft and cute voice, "Then, Brother Lin, I'll leave this task to you!"
"What big brother? It's not certain who's older or younger."
And what do you mean by "begging me"? You guys have to do your part too, okay?
Lin Mo couldn't help but mutter a few complaints to himself, then smiled and remained silent.
Soon, the three of them descended the well one by one along the rusty ladder.
The well wall was covered with a layer of sticky, dark brown grime, like a sedimentary layer formed by the long-term accumulation of some kind of organic matter, which felt slippery and cool to the touch.
The further down you go, the dimmer the light becomes.
A foul, putrid stench rose up from below, making it stuffy and choking.
Upon reaching the bottom, one finds ankle-deep, murky sewage beneath one's feet, with various debris of unknown origin floating on the surface.
Fortunately, all three were wearing long, waterproof combat boots, so their pants weren't soaked by the sewage.
The walls of the pipes all around were covered with crisscrossing marks.
Some bite with teeth, others scratch with claws.
The cable sheath was chewed to pieces, exposing the blackened copper core inside.
Lin Mo turned on his flashlight and shone it ahead. The main passageway was about two meters wide.
Every so often, narrower branches branch off from both sides, the dark openings resembling the throats of some giant beast, their destination unknown.
"That's creepy."
Sun Guangsheng frowned and kicked away a bloated, unidentified object at his feet. "The last time I went into the sewers was to clean up a bunch of sludge monsters, but it wasn't this filthy."
Xu Zhao didn't reply; a dark cyan arc of light appeared at her fingertips.
The next second, the raptor perched on her shoulder suddenly rose into the air.
It let out a barely audible cry, flapped its wings, and darted into the pipe ahead.
It disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"I sent Shadow Owl to scout ahead."
Xu Zhao explained, "It can sense if something is approaching in advance."
The three of them advanced in a long, single-file formation.
Sun Guangsheng was in front, Xu Zhao was in the middle, and Lin Mo was at the rear.
The sewage made a gurgling sound as they stirred it.
The sound echoed continuously within the narrow pipe.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, a fork in the road appeared ahead.
Three pipes extend in a fan shape, each with a number painted on top in white.
However, due to its age and the presence of dirt, the writing has become blurred and illegible.
Xu Zhao closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then pointed to the left: "Shadow Owl found a lot of rodent droppings in this pipe, so the rats' nests should be in that direction."
"Walk."
Sun Guangsheng stepped inside without hesitation.
Upon entering, the three were shocked to find that the water inside was even deeper than outside, almost reaching their calves.
It feels soft and saggy when you step on it.
I don't know if I stepped on mud or something else.
After walking for another five or six minutes, Lin Mo suddenly stopped.
He sensed an unusual fluctuation, extremely faint.
It looked like something was slowly wriggling at the bottom of the water.
He summoned the mountain spirit without making a sound and immediately used [Yokuhana Spell - Perception].
A mysterious rhythm suddenly spread out like ripples.
Lin Mo's eyes flashed, and he exclaimed in surprise, "There's something in the water!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Sun Guangsheng, who was walking at the front, suddenly groaned and abruptly raised his right leg.
A grayish-white mass, about the size of a baby's palm, was clinging tightly to the side of his calf.
Its body is flat and round, with a ring of fine tentacles around the edge.
In the center is a round mouthpart that is wriggling.
"What the hell is that?"
Sun Guangsheng cursed and reached out to pull it.
"Brother Sun, don't touch it!"
Xu Zhao quickly and sweetly stopped her, "These are foot-binding worms! The more you pull, the deeper they'll burrow!"
Lin Mo immediately glanced at the Mountain Spirit, only to see the Mountain Spirit lightly raise her jade hand, and shoot out a thin, long cyan light thorn from her fingertip, piercing through the body of the Entangling Insect.
The cricket let out a sharp screech, its mouthparts opening.
It fell into the sewage with a splash and quickly became still.
Still shaken, Sun Guangsheng looked down to examine his wound and saw that his waterproof boot on his left leg had been corroded into a hole the size of a palm.
The exposed skin was red and swollen, with a faint ring of fine teeth marks visible.
Black blood beads are seeping out.
"This thing's bodily fluids contain highly toxic substances; it requires immediate treatment."
Xu Zhao frowned, and a card with a shimmering light suddenly appeared in her palm.
She gathered a wisp of spiritual energy at her fingertips and poured it into the card.
The next instant, a beam of emerald green light shot out from the card and landed on Sun Guangsheng's leg.
Skill Card: Breath of the Holy Spring!
It can remove debuffs and restore a small amount of health.
Sun Guangsheng, illuminated by the beam of light, immediately let out a soft, comfortable groan.
The redness and swelling at the site of the beetle bite immediately subsided.
The oozing blood also changed from black to red.
Soon, a scab formed and the wound healed completely.