I Have a Task Log

Colin pulled the bag open and rummaged through the supplies inside.

In addition to their personal emergency supplies, Dorn had also made them buy many communal items for the team.

Besides fuel, firewood, pitons, and some pots and bowls, there were also enough ration packs to last the entire party for ten days, as well as some easily-stored vegetables like turnips, cabbage, and carrots.

They bought everything from a reputable general store, so the prices were a little higher than average.

The cost was split among the party members. Colin’s share came out to just a little over seven Gold Coins.

That amount of money was hardly a large sum for him now—of course, if someone had given him those seven Gold Coins a few months ago, he would have been ecstatic for half a year.

He had spent a lot of his savings over this period.

He had saved up over four hundred Gold Coins when he returned to Thousand Masts City, but now he was down to just over a hundred.

It just went to show: the more money you have, the more things you find to spend it on.

Colin took out some firewood to build a simple campfire, while Dorn, next to him, unhooked the two dead giant rats hanging from his pack.

Seeing this, Colin asked, "I thought we were eating dry rations?"

"Rations are finite. We eat whatever spoils we can get first," Dorn retorted. "Pampered humans."

"You could have at least said something before making that decision." It wasn’t that Colin was disgusted by rat meat; he was just worried Dorn’s habit of acting on his own would sour the party’s atmosphere even further.

He glanced back at his companions.

Kase, needless to say, wouldn’t mind. Orelia had wandered around scrounging for food as a child, and Ale was the kind of tough woman who could eat raw Bear Fat... ’Maybe it really is fine not to say anything.’

With a sigh of resignation, Colin chanted a Spell to light the firewood, then set up the new, large iron pot.

A rather impatient Kase grabbed one of the giant rats.

He deftly skinned and butchered the small creature, carving out the edible cuts of meat.

Once the chunks of meat were tossed into the pot, Colin poured in some beer and spice powder to cut the gamey flavor. He then chopped some turnips and tore up some cabbage to add to the mix, finishing with a pinch of sea salt from around Thousand Masts City.

Under the circumstances, there was no hope of properly blanching the meat.

He put the lid on, and before long, the iron pot began to GURGLE. Wisps of white steam fought their way out through the gaps around the lid.

The small group gathered around the campfire, each sitting on their own sleeping bag.

Gazing at the warm firelight, Colin remarked quietly, "To be honest, the mood in this party is a lot better than I expected."

"And what did you expect? That I’d go and club that little Elf over the head the moment we arrived in the Dungeon? And get everyone killed here in the process?"

Dorn took out a charcoal pencil and began marking their route on the map. "I’m here to familiarize you with the Undercity. I don’t care about anything besides efficiency, survival rate, and success rate. And the best way to improve efficiency is for the expert to give orders and for everyone else to follow them."

"I don’t like your attitude. It’s arrogant," Ale said, hugging her knees. "But for Colin’s and everyone else’s sake, I can tolerate it."

"How old are you, little princess? Twenty? Thirty? I’m an old man of over one hundred years; you really should respect me."

Ale muttered, "Only childish people care about age."

"I dunno why, but listening to you two talk always makes my head hurt," Kase said from the side, scratching his head.

His comment made Orelia, who was sitting nearby, burst out laughing.

Watching the scene, Colin couldn’t help but smile as well.

As they chatted, the stew in the pot finished cooking.

After lifting the lid, Colin served everyone a bowl of the stew, getting one for himself last.

He scooped up half a spoonful, blowing on the rising steam before tasting it.

The stew had the slight bitterness of beer and the herbal notes of the spices, with the sea salt bringing out a savory finish. The hot liquid slid down into his stomach, instantly chasing away most of the damp chill that had settled into his bones after half a day in the Underground.

Thanks to the spice powder, the rat meat wasn’t as bad as he had expected. At least, Colin could stomach it.

The room fell quiet as the others busied themselves with their food.

After dinner, the group arranged a watch schedule. It had to be said, with more people in the party, keeping watch had become much easier.

As he crawled into his sleeping bag, Colin remembered when it was just him and Kase standing watch, and he almost couldn’t believe they had made it through those nights.

「The night passed.」

The group packed up their things and set off again.

After feeling their way through several more streets and dispatching a host of trivial monsters like giant rats, giant spiders, and stone goblins, the group suddenly found that the stone-paved corridor ahead came to an end. It opened into a natural rock passageway.

"Good news, everyone," Dorn said with a smile. "We’ve found the way to the second level."

"That’s certainly good news," said Colin.

They took a few more steps forward and, sure enough, saw a natural fissure in the rock. Below it was another stone-paved corridor, identical to the ones on the first level.

Colin took out his [Climbing Rope], hammered a piton into the rock face, and secured the rope to it with a knot.

Once everyone in the party was down on the second level, Colin retrieved his [Climbing Rope].

Just then, Kase wrinkled his nose. "How come the floor seems so clean?" he asked.

"It probably just means an Ooze or some Carrion Insects passed through here recently. Nothing to make a fuss about," Dorn said, then pulled out a completely different map and began comparing it to the first one.

"To be honest, I’m already starting to get tired of this," Colin said, looking down the pitch-black corridor. He felt as if he were engaged in an impossible task.

Orelia, standing beside him, gently placed a hand on his shoulder and cast [Light] again, renewing the illumination.

She said softly, "Don’t worry, Mr. Colin. We’re here with you."

"Let’s just hope this trip yields some information about Ora Kaim—preferably something not already in the existing reports," Colin said.

Kase snorted. "And shiny Gold Coins."

"Right, and shiny Gold Coins," Colin agreed with a smile.

After chatting for a bit, the group continued onward.

They had barely taken a few steps when streams of water began to well up from the floor, their source unknown.

With no other exit behind them, the party had no choice but to press on.

As they advanced, the water level rose higher and higher. The water itself was colorless, but it gave off a faint, almost imperceptible stench.

Fearing their food would be contaminated, they all stuffed their packs into the [Dimension Bag] on Kase’s back. It was a tight squeeze, but there was just enough room. Anything that didn’t fit, Kase balanced on his head.

They hadn’t gone much farther when Colin, sensing something was wrong, looked back. Dorn was stubbornly keeping his head held high as he trudged forward.

"Do you need any help?" Colin asked.