Zhao Hu didn't join in teasing the marmots; he walked over to the pile of copper and tin ores.

He squatted down to examine them closely, then stood up and walked to the rock wall, feeling the exposed mineral vein with his palm.

"Lord, the copper and tin veins are right here. It looks like the reserves are substantial."

Lin Feng nodded, feeling even more certain in his heart.

This Dungeon was not just a place for adventure and combat; it was a treasure trove.

Red Nitre Stone Mines, copper mines, tin mines, and perhaps even more.

"Alright." Lin Feng clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back.

"Leave these ores here for now. We'll arrange for people to transport them after we return.

Today's goal is to finish exploring the third level. Don't waste time."

Su Yurou and Feng Qingyan stood up reluctantly.

Su Yurou pulled a few pieces of dry rations from her pack and placed them in front of the small marmot, while Feng Qingyan also fished out a piece of jerky from her robes and handed it to the bold adult marmot.

The marmots gathered around, sniffed, and then began to nibble happily.

"Let's go." Lin Feng turned and ducked out of the cave entrance.

Jiang Zhaoyue was already standing outside waiting, the silver moon emblem on her forehead flickering slightly.

She glanced at the group emerging from the cave, a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Continue," Lin Feng said.

Jiang Zhaoyue nodded and turned to walk deeper into the mine tunnel.

Lin Feng followed, with Tie Dun's muttering coming from behind: "That little marmot is so cute, way cuter than Arrow Eye."

Arrow Eye's voice came from the back: "I'm not trading ores for your biscuits."

Tie Dun: "...You're not even as useful as a biscuit!"

Everyone laughed, their laughter echoing through the mine tunnel and carrying quite far.

Lin Feng walked at the front of the team, Wildfire Spear in hand, the ancient seal script runes on the shaft flowing slowly with a dark red light.

...

The team continued deeper, and the Red Nitre Stone Mine veins on the rock walls on both sides became noticeably sparser.

The dark red glow dimmed, replaced by verdigris spots and silver-gray streaks.

Copper veins wound like green snakes, while tin veins were as fine as crushed silver, scattered like stars embedded in the grayish-black rock.

The light in the mine dropped sharply, turning from crimson to dark red, and gradually descending into a murky gray chaos; visibility grew lower and lower.

Feng Qingyan raised her staff, and the flame crystal at its tip lit up.

A ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) cluster of small orange-red flames burned steadily, illuminating the mine tunnel brightly.

The firelight shone on everyone's faces, and their shadows danced on the rock walls like a group of restless ghosts.

Tie Dun's eyes widened: "A staff can be used like that too?"

Feng Qingyan replied with a smile: "For a fire mage, illumination is a basic skill. Did you think we only knew how to fight?"

Tie Dun scratched his head: "I thought your little flame could only burn people..."

Feng Qingyan rolled her eyes at him: "It can burn people and provide light, two uses for one flame. Jealous?"

Tie Dun chuckled twice but didn't respond.

Zhao Hu walked in the middle of the formation, his gaze frequently scanning the mineral veins on both sides.

He reached out to touch an exposed cross-section of copper ore; a rough, warm sensation met his fingertips. The quality of the ore was indeed excellent.

He looked back at Wang Wu, and as their eyes met, they both saw the same thing in each other's gaze.

"The copper reserves are not low," Zhao Hu lowered his voice, his tone carrying an irrepressible joy.

Wang Wu nodded and pointed to a silver-gray streak on the rock wall: "There's plenty of tin too. Look at the direction of the veins; they all extend deeper, getting denser the further in you go.

The scale of this mining area is much larger than the Copper-Tin Mine we originally had on our territory."

Lin Feng walked at the very front, showing no emotion on his face, but he was equally delighted in his heart.

Copper mines, tin mines, Red Nitre Stone Mines, plus the amber moon-tears from the first level and various resources from the second level—the value of this Dungeon far exceeded expectations.

He looked back at Jiang Zhaoyue; she was closing her eyes to scan, the silver moon emblem on her forehead flashing rhythmically.

"Lord Jiang, is there anything unusual ahead?"

Jiang Zhaoyue opened her eyes and shook her head: "Besides those marmot monsters, there don't seem to be any other monsters in the mine. it's very quiet."

"Quiet isn't a bad thing," Lin Feng said.

The team continued forward, stopping and starting.

Jiang Zhaoyue scanned every so often to confirm their direction.

The mine tunnels grew deeper and the forks in the road more numerous. Some tunnels were clearly abandoned, with rotting sleepers, twisted rails, and standing water up to the ankles.

Others looked as if they had just been excavated, with clean floors and fresh chisel marks on the rock walls—likely the handiwork of those marmot monsters.

Three hours passed, and everyone's steps were a bit heavy.

Tie Dun's shield dragged on the ground, making a harsh scraping sound.

Arrow Eye's quiver scraped against the rock walls several times, and Wang Wu's bowstring was loosened and tightened, then tightened and loosened again.

Jiang Zhaoyue suddenly stopped. She closed her eyes, the silver moon emblem flashed rapidly a few times, and then slowly dimmed.

When she opened her eyes, a smile appeared on her face.

"Found it." Her voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard her. "The entrance to the fourth level."

Everyone's spirits lifted. Tie Dun was the first to look up: "Where?"

"About a hundred meters ahead." Jiang Zhaoyue's smile quickly faded, her brow furrowing slightly.

"But there are four humanoid golems near the entrance, about three meters tall.

They're blocking the way, motionless, but my experience tells me they're alive—just not yet activated."

Lin Feng nodded, his tone calm: "Let's go take a look."

The group followed Jiang Zhaoyue around the last bend, and the view suddenly opened up.

A relatively open space appeared before them, the floor paved with neat stone slabs, and the mine tunnel widened to nearly eight meters here.

At the end was a semi-transparent light curtain:

【Dungeon Level Four Entrance】.

In front of the light curtain, four tall figures stood side by side.

They were golems, three meters high, their bodies cobbled together from rough rocks and rusted minecart parts.

One had a minecart axle for an arm, another had two millstones for shoulders, and another had a giant gear embedded in its chest.

They had no facial features, only a recessed hollow containing a dark red crystal that looked like a single eye.

As soon as the group stepped into the clearing, a line of text lit up on the chests of all four golems simultaneously.

The Nightmare World automatically translated it: "Orion Mining Company reminds you: Stealing ore carries consequences.

" Below that was a line of small print: "The company reserves the right of final interpretation."

Health bars appeared above the golems' heads: 【Mine Pit Puppet · LV24】.

Lin Feng glanced at them and turned to look at the group behind him: "Anyone below level twenty-five, go up and get some practice."

Feng Qingyan was the first to jump out, the flame on her staff swelling from a small lighting flame into a fist-sized fireball:

"Me, me! I'm just short of experience!"

Jiang Yelan stepped silently out of the shadows, shadow moon blade already in hand, its purple blade glinting coldly in the firelight.

Zhao Hu and Tie Dun exchanged a look and stepped forward together, their two shields raised side by side.

Su Yurou gripped her blue crystal staff, the gem at its tip glowing with a pale golden light as her Healing Spell stood ready to be cast.

The five of them walked toward the four golems.

(From the fourth level onwards, the difficulty will skyrocket.)