Chapter 28: 28:Great Fortune 2
While they rested, extra workers arrived from the Blank estate as Ethan had requested. The local miners were also called back, their faces showing confusion as they began noticing strange changes in the mine.
Meanwhile, Ethan and Randall followed a local guide deeper into the fourth passage to investigate the reason such a beast had appeared.
As they moved forward, they suddenly noticed another path branching off. From the opening, icy mist drifted out, chilling the air. The cold leaking from this passage seemed to be what had spread through the entire mine.
"Was this passage always here?" Ethan asked.
The guide shook his head quickly, his voice trembling. "No... there was no passage like this when we were mining."
Randall and Ethan shared a look and carefully scanned for danger. Only after making sure the way ahead was safe did they step inside. The narrow tunnel opened up into a vast space, and their eyes widened in shock.
Gulp!
Randall swallowed hard and rubbed his eyes, almost doubting what he was seeing. "This... this isn’t possible."
Before them lay an entire field of icy crystal mana veins, glowing faintly with blue light. The natural crystals sparkled like frozen stars, their chilling energy filling the cavern. Frost covered the stone walls, and the cold was sharp enough to sting their skin.
"Holy shit," Randall muttered under his breath.
Ethan’s expression darkened with awe. "How did an icy crystal mana vein appear here?"
Randall stepped forward, crunching across the icy ground. He knelt, touched one of the crystals, and let out a slow breath. "This purity... it’s higher than F-rank."
Ethan frowned, skeptical. "Are you sure?"
Randall nodded firmly. "I’m sure. This is at least E-rank, maybe even better."
Ethan’s gaze grew brighter as he slowly turned, taking in the cavern. "What a fortune..."
He quickly ordered the workers to spread out and survey the area, making sure there were no threats hidden inside.
Randall nodded firmly, his tone certain.
He rose to his feet, scanning the cavern as though everything now made sense. "Now it’s clear why the Ice Bear was here. It was hibernating, feeding on the crystals."
Ethan turned slowly, his gaze brightening as he looked around the vast cavern. His heart beat faster at the sight.
He wasted no time and ordered the workers to spread out, to search every corner carefully and make sure no hidden threat remained. The men moved with caution, their torches cutting through the cold mist.
It had only been a short while when two workers rushed back, breathless and pale.
"My Lord, there is a problem!" one of them cried.
Ethan stiffened, his heartbeat quickening. His brow furrowed. "What happened?"
The worker bowed his head quickly. "My Lord, please follow me."
Without hesitation Ethan followed, with Randall and a few soldiers moving close behind. They wound through a narrow path and soon entered a hidden chamber deep within the cavern.
As Ethan stepped inside, a chill ran down his spine. The air was thick with cool energy. His hair bristled, and he felt the heavy pulse of mana pressing against his skin.
"My Lord, look there..." one of the soldiers pointed.
Ethan’s eyes followed the hand. At the center of the frozen chamber was a small spring, with steam rising gently from its surface.
Amidst the endless ice, the spring looked otherworldly, glowing softly as if lit from within. The warm mist curled upward, mixing with the cold air, giving the place an eerie and sacred feel.
Ethan’s eyes lingered on the sight, his chest tightening with awe, but before he could speak, Randall shouted in alarm.
"Holy shit... there is another beast!"
Ethan spun around, his sword already drawn, his eyes scanning wildly. "Where?"
Then he saw it. A small ice bear, curled up and half-hidden in the frost.
"A cub?" he muttered, lowering his blade slightly.
Randall’s expression shifted as realization struck him. "Now I understand. The one we killed before was the male, and the second was the female. This cub... it’s their child. They made this place their home."
Ethan’s face stiffened. His chest grew heavy, and a sharp pang of guilt twisted his heart.
’If killing them was not enough, I have now destroyed an entire family,’ he thought bitterly.
He swallowed hard, forcing his voice to remain steady. "What should we do with it?"
One of the soldiers spoke quickly. "We can trap it and sell it to the guilds. Or maybe tame it."
Randall shook his head, his tone stern. "We don’t have a method to tame it. Don’t think it will be that easy. And for selling, it’s dangerous."
He paused, then spoke with gravity. "I can feel it... the cub is on the verge of breaking through to intermediate."
"How can this small cub be as strong as their parents?"a soldier asked.
"The parents were weaker because they may have been born outside. But this cub... it has been hibernating here, surrounded by crystals of high purity. If it wakes, I am sure it will grow far stronger."
The words made everyone tense. The soldiers shifted uneasily, their eyes fixed on the small bear.
Ethan looked at Randall with a troubled gaze. His voice faltered. "Do we have no choice but to kill it?"
Randall’s eyes softened, but he nodded. "Yes, My Lord. Also, you cannot be soft now. This could be disastrous if we leave it alive."
Ethan closed his eyes, his hands tightening on the hilt of his sword. His chest rose and fell heavily. Killing was one thing, but this was different.
The cub was innocent. It looked fragile, yet within it lay the strength to one day destroy them all. His morals twisted painfully inside him, colliding with the weight of responsibility.
For a long moment he stood silent, fighting himself. The choice felt cruel. Yet he knew the burden of leadership left no room for hesitation.
At last he opened his eyes, a hard light replacing the guilt. His voice was heavy but resolute. "Then kill him."