Parchment content:

"My name is Allen. I am sixteen years old and a third-year apprentice at the Royal Capital Magic Academy.

My teacher says I'm the most talented student he's ever taught and that I'll be promoted to an Official Mage next year.

My father is a blacksmith, my mother works at a bakery, and my sister is only eight years old; she loves pestering me to perform 'Small Fireball' for her.

On the day the Black Tide came, I was in class at the academy.

The teacher said it was the 'largest Abyss Invasion in history' and told us to go to the shelters immediately.

I didn't go; I ran back home.

The streets were full of monsters. I ran with all my might, using every spell I had learned—Fireball, Ice Spike, and Lightning.

I killed them one by one, but by the time I reached home, the house had already collapsed.

I dug through the ruins for a long time but only found one of my sister's shoes.

Later, I fled to a shelter.

But now we've been trapped here for seven days and seven nights. The food is gone, and the water is almost out.

I'm writing this letter in the hope that someone will see it.

Not because I hope someone will come to save us—I /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ know no one is coming.

I just want people to know that in Elderland, there was an Apprentice Mage named Allen.

He once worked very hard, wanting to become an Official Mage so his parents could live a good life.

His sister was named Lily, and she loved watching him perform Small Fireball.

If you see this letter, please remember us.

—Allen, at Royal Capital Shelter No. 25, in despair."

Lin Feng read it from beginning to end and said nothing.

He handed the parchment to Zhao Hu, who finished reading it in silence before passing it to the next person.

Tie Dun, Wang Wu, Arrow Eye, Su Yurou, and Jiang Yelan—after each person read it, the expressions on their faces shifted from curiosity to heaviness.

Finally, Jiang Yelan rolled up the parchment and gently placed it back beside the remains.

No one spoke. The fluorescent moss on the rock walls flickered slightly, casting their shadows on the ground, flickering between light and dark.

The sound of the underground river's tributary came from a distance, gurgling like someone weeping softly.

Zhao Hu was the first to speak, his voice raspy: "What is the Black Tide? Is it related to the Nightmare World's invasion?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment and said slowly, "There's too little information to say for sure.

But the Black Tide is likely another form of the Nightmare World's invasion.

As for why Allen's remains appeared in the Dungeon... perhaps Elderland has been entirely swallowed by the Nightmare World."

Everyone fell silent. A world where magic flourished, with a Royal Capital Magic Academy, Official Mages, and spells like Fireball, Ice Spike, and Lightning.

Even a world like that couldn't stop the Black Tide, couldn't stop the invasion of the Nightmare World.

What about Blue Star? Is there hope for Blue Star?

Tie Dun stopped smiling, Wang Wu and Arrow Eye were silent, Su Yurou lowered her head without a word, and Jiang Yelan leaned against a distant stalagmite, her expression unreadable.

Lin Feng looked at everyone, paused for a moment, and then spoke.

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear: "Allen's sister was named Lily, and she loved watching him perform Small Fireball.

He didn't write this letter hoping for someone to save him; he knew no one was coming.

He just wanted people to know that there was once an Apprentice Mage named Allen who worked very hard because he wanted his parents to live a good life." Lin Feng paused.

"He succeeded. We know now. That is enough."

Lin Feng turned and looked at Tie Dun: "Keep leading the way."

Tie Dun took a deep breath, nodded vigorously, and strode forward.

The others followed, their footsteps echoing in the tunnel, dull yet firm.

Behind them, the remains leaned against the grey boulder, clutching a broken staff, with a silver badge pinned to the collar.

The fluorescent moss shone on it, dyeing the pale white bones a light blue, as if draping it in a thin veil of gauze.

The parchment was rolled up and placed beside it; though the leather cord was broken, the scroll did not unravel.

It had waited there for an unknown number of years, finally finding someone who could understand the letter.

...

Tie Dun took a deep breath and resumed walking forward.

This time he was much slower, stopping at every fork to look left and right, muttering to himself as if consulting with the identical stalactites.

The others followed behind, and no one rushed him.

The fluorescent moss on the rock walls flickered slightly, casting the team's shadows on the ground, stretching and shrinking like a group of silent ghosts.

After walking for about ten minutes, Tie Dun's footsteps suddenly stopped.

Ahead, a grey boulder stood alone.

Beside the boulder leaned a set of remains, clutching a broken staff, with a silver badge pinned to the collar.

Tie Dun stared at the remains, tilting his head, his brow furrowed: "This skeleton... looks a bit like the one from just now?"

Arrow Eye stood behind him, expressionless: "It is the one from just now."

Tie Dun opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again, his voice carrying an unbelievable sense of grievance: "...Maybe there are two Allens in this cave?"

No one answered him. Wang Wu turned around and pointed to the mark Arrow Eye had carved on the rock wall; the arrow was pointing in the direction they had come from.

Tie Dun followed his finger and saw the mark, as well as the footprints he had just left.

His face instantly turned red, as red as a cooked shrimp.

"This time was a mistake." Tie Dun's voice was much quieter. "There was a fork just now, and I wanted to go right..."

He didn't continue, because the fork was right in front of him, and he had chosen the left path earlier.

Zhao Hu sighed and said nothing.

Arrow Eye put away his dagger and leaned against the rock wall, arms crossed, looking at Tie Dun with an 'I knew it' expression.

Tie Dun didn't dare meet his eyes and turned to stride toward another fork: "This way! This time is definitely right!"

The others followed, and Arrow Eye carved a few more arrows on the rock wall.

Tie Dun's pace grew faster and faster, as if he were venting his frustration on this maze.

After another fifteen minutes or so, the tunnel ahead suddenly opened up.

Tie Dun's eyes lit up, and he quickened his pace to rush out, then he stopped.

Grey boulder. Remains. Staff. Badge. Parchment.

Tie Dun stood before the remains and was silent for a long time.

He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly, whether from anger or exhaustion.

The fluorescent moss shone on his face, casting a light blue hue over his usually grinning face, making him look somewhat comical.

"I think..." His voice was very low, as if talking to himself, "this place is working against me."

Arrow Eye walked up from behind and glanced at him: "Tie Dun, are you sure you know the way?"

Tie Dun snapped his head up, his eyes wide: "If you know it, you lead!"

"I don't know it," Arrow Eye's tone was calm. "That's why I didn't volunteer."

Tie Dun was choked up, his lips trembling a few times as he tried to say something in rebuttal, but nothing came out.