Treasure-hunting: Into the Unknown

"Let me finish first," Anne grumbled while casting a glare at Zachary. "Although the Earthworm-shaped Dog is at King Level, it has a strong ability to regenerate, just like an earthworm. Even if you cut off its head, it can still survive and re-create a new one after a while. No matter how powerful you are, you cannot kill it using the conventional method."

"Well, it does not look weak at all," Zachary exclaimed in surprise. He never expected such treasure beast existed in the world.

"The effect of your newly formed Rebirth Restraining Ring is to prevent the dog's regenerating ability, so you will have the opportunity to capture it. Once the ring traps it, it will have to obey your words even if it won't treat you as its master." Anne then acquainted Zachary with the full effects of this sealing tool that Zachary had refined with his blood.

"But what if it declines to surrender to me even after being sealed off by the ring?" Zachary asked dubiously, suspecting that this situation might happen.

"No, that's impossible. I told you that an elite treasure beast is more intelligent than human beings, so they have every affection that humans possess, including greed and fear of death. They could even have a full-blown phobia of dying compared to humans." Anne shook her head in response.

"But for what cause?" Zachary asked inexplicably.

"Because they know very well that they are rare creatures in this world. If they die, their race will get wiped off the map. To ensure that their species will not fall into extinction, they will bear the burden of humiliation to stay alive," Anne explained.

"So they know how to live through the shame to ensure their survival. It seems like they are more human than most people," Zachary said, amazed.

"There is one more thing that you need to give attention to. If the Earthworm-shaped Dog happens to have produced a treasure, make sure that you leave no chance for it to swallow the treasure. Otherwise, its regenerating ability will be enhanced, which makes it more challenging for you to capture it," Anne emphasized with particular concern.

"I understand," Zachary nodded.

"After you get ready, you can ask the system to send you to the Pilgrimage Space. And through that place, you can proceed directly to the area where the dog lives," Anne said.

"Are you sure it will work?" Zachary was taken aback by her words. "But aren't the areas inside the Pilgrimage Space randomized? I wasn't aware that I could teleport to a specified area!"

"It's because the task you are carrying out is one of the assignments of the apprentice quest. You can make use of all the available resources in the system by all means," Anne stated sensibly.

"I see. Then I will return to the system to recuperate and make mysel

ar away from where Zachary stood, and as he had witnessed earlier, the bones spat out as well.

"I was right. The quicksand that swallows the beasts is not a natural phenomenon. Instead, some powerful creature living below the sand caused it to occur. Maybe it's the Earthworm-shaped Dog. But I need to go down and see for myself if my assumption is right," Zachary uttered in a steady voice.

Zachary then followed the trail left by the honey for another half-day before he saw a new quicksand forming. He jumped into it without fear. As the sand and the martial beasts got swallowed into the middle of the swirl, the world around him spun, and he soon realized that he was falling quickly. Very soon, he sank deep into the sand and then found himself dropping into a hollow space. He looked around and found himself in an underground hole. It was about five meters below the surface, and the hole was entirely a wide one, which extended into different directions. It looked like a small part of an enormous tunnel extending beneath the sand. Behind him was a sand hill where many martial beasts lay buried.

Before he could observe any further, he felt a powerful pull coming from the other side. The sand hill and the martial beasts behind him were all dragged towards that direction. In a short instant, the sand hill disappeared without a mark. At the same time, a beast with a notably long body and a dog's head surfaced near the spot where the sand hill had been. The beast was not terrifying, as its head resembled that of a pug, large and round with shortened muzzles and extensive forehead wrinkles. Its soft and smooth body, which was five meters long, looked exactly like a giant earthworm.

"I dare say that you must be the Earthworm-shaped Dog. I finally found you!" As Zachary examined the strange beast, a wicked smile surfaced on his face.