A few people took out their steel shovels and began to dig into the ground.
Then they immediately discovered the anomaly of this land.
Indeed, this wasnāt ordinary land.
Ordinary land could be quickly excavated with the advanced tools in their hands.
But this land...
Digging into it was like digging into Earthās soil, requiring shoveling one scoop at a time.
The last time this happened, it seemed to be...
When digging a prison deep into the underground world?
The ground here was hard, making excavation extremely difficult for them.
"Weāre not going to dig up some strange thing, are we?" Zeng Tao asked as he shoveled the clods of dirt to the side. "Itās dangerous underground, right? Arenāt those mutated vines and the like all emerging from beneath the ground?"
The explorers hadnāt spread word about the underground world. Although survivalists around the globe knew about the ranking for underground world exploration activities, their understanding of the "underground world" remained at the level of underground mazes and dungeons they had experienced previously.
Thus, Zeng Taoās understanding of the underground dangers was limited to the vines emerging from those danger zones.
"Underground is not just a bit dangerous, Xiaotaozi." Lou FeiāEr dug vigorously into the ground but couldnāt dislodge the clumps of dirt. "Why is this stuff so hard!"
Jin Yue couldnāt break it by hand either; she only managed to take a chunk of hard soil by stomping fiercely with her leg.
Xu Xin didnāt feel any resistance since he was holding a purple-grade steel shovel, while the others had blue-grade ones, naturally making it more strenuous for them.
"Youāre just too weak!" Zeng Tao looked at them smugly, "I can dig easily!"
"The two of you should check the surroundings." Xu Xin said, seeing Lou FeiāEr and Jin Yue werenāt making much progress. "See if there are other areas like this."
"Got it."
"Okay."
The two put away their shovels and began to explore the surroundings.
"Ying!" Keke followed Lou FeiāEr and ran over.
"Is that an advanced tool you have?" Zeng Tao glanced at the different tool in Xu Xinās hand. "Your strength shouldnāt be greater than the other two, right?"
"...My strength is somewhat greater."
He took alchemic potions every day, after all.
Even though he couldnāt compare with Zeng Tao and Ma Hongwei, who had strength mutations, he was still better than Lou FeiāEr and the others.
Of course, he couldnāt match Jin Yue in leg strength.
"So, is it an advanced tool in your hand?"
"Yes, why?"
"Let me use it, your efficiency is low anyway, Iāll dig instead." Zeng Tao reached out his small hand to Xu Xin, "You relax."
...Alright.
He handed the purple-grade steel shovel to Zeng Tao.
Then he realized Zeng Tao was right.
Her excavation speed with the purple-grade shovel was faster than the previous four combined.
The solid ground under her hands was like tofu, easily dug out, dirt and stones flying.
Very soon, the pit under Zeng Taoās feet reached waist-deep.
...Do they really need to dig this deep?
"Itās easier from below." Zeng Tao tossed out a shovelful of dirt from the pit, "The soil below is soft, and moreover..."
"Xu Xin, somethingās over here, come over!"
Just then, Lou FeiāErās voice came from fifty meters away.
Somethingās over there?
"You keep digging, Iāll go check." Xu Xin ordered, then asked, "What did you mean by āmoreoverā?"
"Hmm..." Zeng Tao hummed in confusion, then shook her head, "It was probably my illusion."
"...Explain clearly, donāt say itās an illusion." Xu Xin frowned.
"Ah, it was...just a strong urge to dig downwards, like something below was attracting me." Zeng Tao looked up to explain, "But now that feeling is gone."
...Something attracting?
Xu Xinās pupils slightly contracted.
He didnāt feel anything like that.
The difference with Zeng Tao was her mutation. Something that attracted mutated creatures wasnāt a good thing.
"Xu Xin? Come here quickly!" Lou FeiāEr continued to call for Xu Xin.
"Ying!" Even Kekeās voice carried over, "Ying ying!"
"...Iāll check it out. Before I get back, you are not allowed to dig any further."
"Huh? Why?" Zeng Tao puzzled.
"Iāll explain when Iām back."
Xu Xin ran toward Lou FeiāErās direction. Even Keke called, indicating a significant discovery.
Upon arrival, he saw Lou FeiāEr crouched by a tree, examining something.
"Ying!" Upon seeing Xu Xin approach, Keke quickly ran over, climbed onto his shoulder, and pointed with a small paw at the foot of the tree, "Ying ying ying!"
"Come quickly, it seems like Qin Fu left us a message!" Lou FeiāEr immediately stood up.
Qin Fu left a message?
Xu Xin was shocked, stepping forward quickly.
On the ground, beside the tree roots, were several crooked characters.
The characters looked abstract, like marks left by a child just learning to write.
But they were indeed Chinese characters.
[Leave quickly, do not approach here]
Just these few characters.
This...
"...What makes you think this is a message from Qin Fu?" Xu Xin asked, somewhat speechless, "Is Qin Fuās handwriting this ugly?"