The next day, Eric continued to undertake the routine dungeon known as "Vacation."
Stepping into the radiant circle, Eric found herself transported to an exceedingly dim environment.
She sat upright, glancing in every direction—up, down, left, and right—confirming that she was inside a tent. Outside, flickering lights suggested the presence of a campfire.
Voices murmured softly beyond the tent flap. Eric reached out and pressed her ear against the canvas to listen.
"...The exit has been uncovered; we can descend tomorrow. This time, we're definitely striking it rich!"
"I've already begun imagining how to spend all that gold, haha!"
"There's still some danger..."
"...But the greater the profit, the less we should fear the risk..."
"Once this job is done, we can rest for ten years!"
"More than that, I'll be able to retire completely, ha ha!"
"All thanks to you!"
As Eric listened, she became aware of another breath within the tent. Turning, she saw a woman emerging onto the mat. Both immediately sat up, their eyes meeting.
"Player," Eric whispered.
"Greetings," the newcomer nodded to Eric.
In the next moment, three more players appeared inside the tent. Counting Eric, there were eight in total, among whom only one was a newcomer. The veteran players gently briefed and reassured the novice.
"This dungeon appears to revolve around tomb raiding," Eric, having entered first and acquired more information, relayed. "We should be laborers tasked with the work when we descend the tomb tomorrow."
The newcomer claimed to have been a successful individual in life, introducing himself with the surname Zhou and asking to be called Manager Zhou.
Hearing Eric's words, Manager Zhou frowned. "Among us, who looks like a laborer?"
"NPCs won't suspect our identities; it's likely a dungeon design," Eric explained. Though she herself appeared somewhat simian in previous dungeons, never once had any NPC questioned her appearance. Some dungeons lacked NPCs altogether, and even in those featuring them—such as the Poison Circle and Zombie Island missions—none expressed doubt about her looks. One NPC even asked if she was cosplaying.
Manager Zhou's curiosity about the dungeon deepened, and he eagerly rubbed his hands.
An experienced player remarked, "This dungeon seems challenging. Given its tomb-raiding theme, it might border on the supernatural. Hopefully, we won't be so unlucky as to encounter a mutation-triggering dungeon."
Eric remained silent… having indeed met with misfortune before, she hoped fervently this mission would proceed smoothly.
Ten minutes after entering, the tent began to tremble as sand pelted its surface, producing a flapping, crackling sound.
"What's happening?!" Manager Zhou shouted.
The veterans had no time to answer, hastening toward the tent's entrance. Together, they yanked open the flap, and a fierce gust slammed into them. Blowing sand stung their faces.
Eric squinted, seeing the campfire torn apart by the wind. Tomb raiders gathered outside, chatting and drinking, were caught entirely off guard by the storm.
"A sandstorm!" someone shouted loudly.
"No way, it really is a sandstorm! Hurry! Pack up and grab your gear! We descend early!"
"It's still dark; descending now is too perilous!"
"Dying buried by the sandstorm is worse! Trust me, we go now!"
"Follow the boss!"
One veteran murmured, "Midnight, a sandstorm, no preparation for early tomb entry—we've gathered all the conditions for courting disaster."
Eric silently agreed.
"Hey, all of you! Come quickly and help move the gear!" a tomb raider bellowed toward their tent. Eric knew this meant the NPCs were initiating the storyline; the players had to keep pace.
She pulled the hood of her tracksuit snugly over her head, tightening the cords so it enveloped her completely. Even so, after only a few steps outside, she felt as if her head were being pelted raw by the grains of sand.
With the campfire flickering down, the tomb raiders switched on headlamps, shouting and urging everyone to muster all hands and gather supplies for the premature tomb descent before the sandstorm fully struck.
"This is heavy—what's inside this?"
Eric and another player strained together to lift a large crate. Heavy and cumbersome, there were four such boxes but no extra hands to assist. Taking a deep breath, she heaved the crate upward, unable to respond to her companion's query.
After hauling the goods into the cavern, the last tomb raider forcefully drew the heavy stone door shut. Eric glanced back, witnessing only the tent, crushed by the howling sandstorm, while the swirling dust surged toward the door, only to be completely blocked by the formidable barrier.
The wind's roar ceased, leaving the tunnel filled solely with the labored breaths of those exerting themselves intensely. Concealed within the darkness, Eric had already secured her weapons upon her person, remaining vigilant against any lurking dangers.
Though compelled to descend prematurely by the inclement weather, the tomb raiders soon found their spirits lifted and dismissed thoughts of rest, resolved instead to excavate the treasure-laden tomb through the night.
Their headlamps swayed back and forth as a raider barked orders, "This way! No wandering or fidgeting, understood?"
Subdued by the raiders' stern warning, Eric nodded in compliance.
The players, burdened with the weighty crates, pressed between the raiders, while Eric's curiosity about their contents remained unsatisfied, lacking any chance to surreptitiously investigate.
Thus, she turned her attention to the tunnel itself. Unlike a freshly dug passage, it seemed an integral part of the tomb's original corridors. The walls were composed of massive stone blocks, exuding an impression of unyielding sturdiness. Ever watchful, she braced herself for concealed traps that might spring forth from the walls.
After a quarter of an hour's march, the raiders halted. A man donning a blue headscarf stepped forward, tapping methodically at the wall with his tools.
Clack, clack, clack!
Clang, clang, clang!
"Here!" the man affirmed with certainty. Other NPCs addressed him as 'Big Brother,' indicating his leadership of the group.
Withdrawing to the side, he gestured toward two players at the front, a man and a woman—both veterans yet singled out by the NPCs in this clue-scarce dungeon, a nerve-wracking experience.
"Get a move on, no dawdling!"
The raider brandished his firearm.
Obediently, the two stepped forward to push against the stone wall before them.
Visually indistinguishable from the surrounding masonry, the wall resisted their efforts. Exchanging a glance, the pair simultaneously slackened their exertion—feigning intense force, the male player even emitted a desperate shout, teeth clenched—but beneath this ruse, the wall remained immovable.
"No food, no strength!" the raider growled, delivering an angry kick to the male player, who feigned pain and mumbled, "I've already pushed with all my might."
"Bring over two more laborers! You two, come here!" the raider snarled, "Don't tell me four of you can't budge this wall!"
Summoned, Eric lowered her gaze and stepped forward.
Together, the four pressed their hands against the stone with genuine effort; this time, there was no room for deceit, lest they incur the wrath of the NPCs.
Straining with all her might, Eric first perceived a muffled sound—the wall beneath their hands slowly gave way! From the corner of her eye, she saw the raiders retreat several paces, other players following suit. Sensing imminent danger, her muscles tensed to their fullest.
Click!
Countless apertures appeared on the opposite wall.
Swish, swish, swish!
Iron bolts were loosed, hurtling toward Eric and her companions.
Upon hearing the click, Eric ceased her push and rolled toward the raiders. The three players nearby simultaneously withdrew.
The iron bolts struck the stone wall, still inching open, clanking as they scattered upon the ground. After dodging the salvo, two players continued retreating into the darkness, seizing the opportunity to break free from the raiders.
For if from the outset the laborers were threatened merely for pushing a wall, any subsequent peril would surely render them mere probes for the tomb raiders' treacherous path.
Converging with Eric's direction was another player; one other, slow to grasp the escape chance, wore a regretful expression upon rising.
"The door's open!" After the volley of arrows, calm returned, and the gateway within the stone wall swung wide. The raiders whistled joyfully, calling the players to scout ahead.
"What about those two laborers? Fetch them at once!"
Lowering her eyes obediently, Eric returned beside the players, nursing grazed hands. Beneath the headlamp's glow, she carefully extracted embedded gravel from her palm.
"They've fled. Wonderful..." Heather murmured softly. Both had failed to escape, perhaps sensing Eric's own frustration, she gently nudged Eric's arm. Eric turned her head, shaking it slightly. "Near the raiders, danger lurks, but to find the portal, we must follow them."
Knowing well that to face the tiger's den was inevitable—such was the plight of players within the dungeon.
Hearing the raiders' calls, the two fugitives ventured deeper into the pitch-black tunnel.
The passage stretched on interminably; the raiders, having marched some distance without finding anyone, began to curse in ire.
"Hey! You all hail from the same village, shout out!" one raider called to the players. "You've accepted the gold; if you slack off like this, we won't hire your village ever again!"
So there was yet another layer to the players' identities.
Meeting the raiders' unwavering gaze fixed on herself and Heather, Eric cleared her throat and shouted, "Return! If you wish to go home, follow these bosses. You don't know the way; don't wander off!"
Besides Eric, Heather and several other players were also coerced into calling out, yet from the depths of darkness came no response.
Growing impatient, Big Brother muttered, "Forget them. Humph, they understand nothing; wandering off is a death sentence!"
This passage served as the entrance, but the exit lay elsewhere. Should those two laborers dare to flee, they would be doomed to permanent entrapment. Losing a pair mattered little—six laborers remained, more than sufficient.
Though two had left, the cargo remained unchanged. One male player was ordered to carry a box alone, while Eric's companion shifted to Heather; together, they hoisted a crate with great effort, moving it through the stone portal.
Once the wall swung open, another corridor unfolded beyond. The raiders carried detailed clues in their hands, leading the way themselves.
Boom—
Looking back, Eric saw the stone door slowly close, sealing shut with a final click, fitting perfectly without a gap.