Fern and Algae sat in the mine cart. Although they had felt a bit more at ease initially because Fern seemed to confirm there was only one mine track, the feeling of constantly turning, going up and down along the rails, yet seeing no end to the path or the other mine cart in sight, inevitably made them anxious again.

"Damn it, is this mine tunnel endless?"

Algae couldn't help but curse.

"It's only been a few minutes, but it is strange... Why is there nothing at all? Is this just to mess with us for fun?" Fern opened her mouth, trying to comfort Algae at first, but soon started complaining too. "It simply defies common sense. Is this design meant to wear down our patience?"

"Yes, yes, you two!"

A sharp voice abruptly cut into their conversation.

Fern and Algae both turned their heads warily and then saw...

On the track behind them, under the dim light, another mine cart was catching up.

However, that cart wasn't a square, boxy structure;it only had a floor plate, two lever rods, and four wheels.

On that flat plate, a tattered, skeletal white skeleton was frantically shaking the left lever, making creaking and groaning noises.

It seemed that precisely because of his desperate shaking, this cart had started later but was now overtaking them.

"You two's patience is almost spent, right? Let me inform you for free: the length of this track, at your current speed, will take about twelve hours to reach the end!"

The skeleton's jaw moved, emitting that sharp voice again;clearly, it was the one who had spoken earlier.

"Twelve hours?"

Algae and Fern looked at each other, astonished by the number the skeleton uttered.

"Is he lying?"

Algae asked Fern in a low voice.

Fern shook her head helplessly: "This skeleton has no flesh or skin on its face. I can't judge from micro-expressions or body language at all..."

"But judging by the tone, it sounds real."

Algae frowned slightly, adjusting her mask: "Then let's treat it as real."

Fern looked up at the skeleton and took the initiative to ask: "So, you came just to tell us how long until we reach the end?"

"Of course it's not that simple," the skeleton spoke again. "On such a long journey, I came to prevent you from getting too bored!"

"I'm here to help you relieve the boredom along the way, so... let's play a game!"

"This is the game our mine workers love most—Guess the Mine Rat."

As the skeleton spoke, it shook the lever with one hand and gestured with the other.

A mass of darkness swept past the old-fashioned hanging lamp above their heads, then transformed into eight equally rusted iron bowls that appeared in its hand.

At the same time, inside one bowl were eight squealing, earth-yellow rodents.

Algae frowned: "A game? What do you mean?"

The skeleton made a "cack-cack" laughing sound, seemingly about to explain the rules.

But Fern interrupted him.

"Wait, before you explain this game, I still have a few questions to ask you."

"Is this game mandatory? If we refuse you, what will you do?"

As Fern asked, the skeleton laughed.

"Good question, of course it's—BOOM!"

As the skeleton spoke, violent shaking and tremors occurred within the mine tunnel. Soon, a section of the arched ceiling from the path they had just traveled collapsed. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"I will bury you here."

However, faced with the skeleton's threat, Fern and Algae were instead somewhat calm.

"I see, it's a forced game after all."

Algae said, unsurprised.

Fern then looked at Algae right in front of the skeleton: "No confidence in killing him before he acts?"

"No, I don't even know the trigger mechanism for him collapsing the tunnel... And he's a skeleton. I'm not even sure what counts as killing him. Although I'm confident I could crush it to pieces within a second, what if it's just a puppet?" Algae explained calmly. "Moreover, even if we could survive the collapse, just being trapped is unacceptable to us."

The skeleton shrieked sharply again: "Discussing such things right in front of me, isn't that a bit too disrespectful!"

Algae ignored him.

And Fern very naturally acted as if she hadn't just heard what Algae said, directly continuing the conversation with the skeleton: "I still have a question—were the guys in the group before us also playing this game?"

"Yes, they played the same game with my colleague."

The skeleton also had to move past its earlier protest and answer.

"Do you want to know their result?"

Fern shook her head: "Not interested. But... I still have a question."

"Then ask."

The skeleton was already somewhat helpless. Regarding Fern's constant questioning, it seemed it had to answer.

"I want to know what exactly is at the end of this tunnel."

Fern, having clearly realized this point by now, asked calmly.

Initially, she interrupted the skeleton just to disrupt its rhythm, gain a bit of initiative, and conduct a probe.

After all, in an unfamiliar environment, this skeleton, clearly a home-ground NPC, had the natural initiative.

And Fern had shrewdly guessed that the upcoming game would definitely have this skeleton as the host or dealer.

Of course, she had to disrupt its rhythm—and do it before the game started for the best effect.

Especially since the game had to be played, the restrictions probably weren't just on the two of them.

Whether this skeleton was a puppet or a subordinate, in short... it wouldn't be the master of this dream.

Therefore, it coming to play a game with the two of them also meant it had "orders" to follow.

In other words, this game wasn't just something the two of them had to play;all three present had to play it!

Thus, the questions used to reclaim the initiative could naturally be a bit more aggressive.

Sure enough, upon hearing Fern's question, the skeleton seemed troubled.

Its jaw moved silently twice before it somewhat reluctantly gave an answer.

"It's the master of this mine... You will meet the respected master. He will play another game with you!"

As the skeleton spoke, Fern smiled.

"I see—so it was also him who sent you to play a game with us, right?"

Fern said.

The skeleton nodded, its tone unfriendly.

"Alright, you've asked enough questions!"

"I must explain the game rules now—this game is very beneficial for you. After all, if you lose one round, you might just lose your life."

"I will randomly blow up a section of the track ahead."

"But if you win one round—it will double your mine cart's speed!"

As the skeleton spoke, Algae couldn't help but sneer after hearing it.

"Lose and lose your life, win and double your speed... It really is very beneficial for us."

"Now, tell us how to play that Mine Rat game of yours!"