Chapter 30: The Eerie Basement Level One

The floors above ground in the Endless Tavern were all wooden, classical in style, hardly different from an ancient tavern. But the basement floor was a world apart from the levels above.

Standing there in the summer, Qiong felt as if he had stepped into a bizarre realm.

The ground was cracked and dusty, resembling an endless desert stretching beyond sight. Above him was not the tavern’s wooden ceiling but a grayish sky, with eerie greenish clouds drifting like burning ghostly flames.

This scene closely matched the strange world described by the uncanny entities.

No sooner had Qiong been transported there than he noticed many strange creatures roaming about. Those nearby spotted him too and charged like wild beasts, roaring savagely.

They looked different from ordinary uncanny beings—eyes filled with violent madness, like lunatics driven insane.

Qiong couldn’t recognize these creatures and thus couldn’t judge their ranks. In such a situation, his only option was to leave quickly; encountering high-rank uncanny beings here could mean death.

Just as he was about to activate his teleportation token, the tavern’s manager suddenly appeared beside him.

The moment it showed up, the uncanny beings scattered in fear, none daring to approach.

Qiong was somewhat startled; it seemed the manager itself was a high-rank uncanny entity.

“So, what do you think? Are you sure you want to rent this place?” The manager looked at Qiong like a predator sizing up a victim.

Qiong felt deceived by the uncanny bride, but strangely, he was quite interested in this place.

“This isn’t the tavern’s basement, is it? Why does it feel like your strange realm?”

“It’s been occupied by special uncanny beings too long. The rules have become chaotic, giving birth to illusions. What you see isn’t the original appearance of this floor.”

“What’s so special about it? Why not clear them out?”

The manager gazed at the uncanny beings hiding in the distance, its expression complex—melancholy tinged with helplessness.

“These beings lack intelligence, only harboring a maddened killing intent. They kill each other and abuse the rules, causing this state. Due to certain rule restrictions, we cannot kill them.”

Qiong sensed the manager was withholding something. He pressed on, “How many special uncanny beings are there? If you can’t kill them, renting this place out to me—isn’t that a scam?”

“There were originally over a thousand here, now fewer than a hundred. We can’t kill them, but that doesn’t mean you can’t. After all, you don’t belong to the Endless Tavern.”

From the manager’s words, the tavern’s uncanny beings were forbidden from killing these special ones.

“What ranks are they?”

Qiong’s heart stirred. Nearly a hundred beings—if he could kill them all, he’d earn a fortune.

“This floor mainly consists of fierce uncanny beings, with a few wild ones and one evil being. You don’t really intend to rent it, do you?”

The manager’s tone was strange, as if reluctant.

Its boss had leased the place to Qiong, but the manager seemed unwilling.

“I’ve already paid the deposit. If I don’t rent it, can you help me get it back?”

“That’s impossible!” The manager refused outright.

“In that case, I’ll rent it for at least a month.”

“If you’re sure, you must clear all uncanny beings from this floor. Then it will automatically revert to its original tavern form, and you can run whatever business you want.”

Seeing he couldn’t dissuade Qiong, the manager spoke frankly.

Unbeknownst to it, Qiong was already thrilled inside.

For others, hunting uncanny beings was arduous and dangerous, but for him, it was a mad money-making opportunity.

After clearing them out, he could use this floor for business.

With the rise of uncanny beings, the Endless Tavern would only grow busier, attracting hunters and uncanny creatures alike.

In such a bustling place, anything could turn a profit.

For instance, opening a general store to trade various uncanny artifacts and beings.

Mirror uncanny beings could create duplicate mirrors, delivery uncanny beings could produce ghostly takeout, and life-gambling uncanny beings could manipulate human lifespans—all commodities to sell.

He could even contract uncanny beings able to produce unique artifacts or special items for sale.

Moreover, he could start a service exchanging ghost coins.

Some uncanny beings needed gold to boost their strength; Qiong could trade artifacts he produced in exchange.

In short, he quickly thought of several business ideas. Once he cleared this floor of uncanny beings, he could officially start.

After a few reminders, the manager teleported away.

Qiong stayed behind, ready to hunt the special uncanny beings.

Currently, he had contracted delivery uncanny beings, life-gambling uncanny beings, mirror uncanny beings, and eight shop assistants—all wild-rank. Besides these eleven, he had one fierce-rank uncanny infant.

With these forces, he should manage the fierce beings, as long as he didn’t face too many at once.

As for the evil being, he might not be able to defeat it yet; if encountered, he’d have to teleport away.

Qiong scanned around and found a solitary special uncanny being, then slowly approached.

This being was disheveled, naked, with skin dry and cracked like old tree bark—resembling a withered tree trunk.

He decided to call it the Withered Tree Uncanny.

When still forty or fifty meters away, the Withered Tree Uncanny spotted Qiong and roared as it charged.

Qiong gripped his teleportation token in his left hand, ready to escape if danger arose.

In his right hand, he held a mirror, casting “Mirror Devours All” on the Withered Tree Uncanny.

As the powerful suction appeared, the creature neither dodged nor struggled, seeming to willingly plunge into the mirror.

“Is it really that easy?”

Qiong was slightly surprised. If all uncanny beings were this brainless, clearing them wouldn’t be too hard.

The Withered Tree Uncanny, upon entering the mirror space, was momentarily stunned, perhaps not expecting the sudden change.

Qiong’s contracted uncanny beings were already on full alert. The life-gambling uncanny moved first, casting “Mirror Immobilization” to freeze its legs.

The mirror uncanny beings immediately summoned seven or eight mirror duplicates to swarm and beat it.

The eight shop assistants took turns patting its shoulder, using the uncanny technique “Pat the Beggar” to induce brief dazed states.

The delivery uncanny, weakest here and rather low-level, charged forward to bite with its large mouth.

Outside, Qiong watched the battle through the mirror, confident his side would easily win.

Yet unexpectedly, the Withered Tree Uncanny proved extremely formidable.

The immobilization spell only held it for two or three seconds before it broke free.

The “Pat the Beggar” caused only momentary daze.

Upon regaining clarity, it slapped and shattered two or three mirror duplicates at once.

That wasn’t the worst part.

The Withered Tree Uncanny suddenly roared, its dry skin cracking open and spraying black blood.

Any mirror duplicate touched by even a drop of this black blood melted away like ice meeting a red-hot iron.

In an instant, seven or eight duplicates were wiped out.

Three unlucky shop assistants were splattered with the black blood.

They screamed in pain as the blood burned holes through their bodies.

In the blink of an eye, the tide turned.

Qiong frowned, his expression grave.

The Withered Tree Uncanny must be a fierce-rank being—no other way to explain its power.

He quickly issued mental commands: “Don’t engage it head-on. Mirror uncanny beings keep replicating duplicates to swarm it. Life-gambling uncanny keeps using immobilization spells. Shop assistants look for chances to pat its shoulder but don’t force it. Delivery uncanny, don’t attack—go get the paper ingots and absorb ghostly power nearby. You’re in charge of that now; no fighting.”

Following his orders, the contracted uncanny beings stabilized and resumed their coordinated assault on the Withered Tree Uncanny.