Core of Knowledge

After the adventurers stepped on the rune-spell circles and left, Xu Han began absorbing the items they left behind. He knew he would love the books but had no idea why the adventurers had left them behind. Xu Han heard the leader named Bazel said that they were offerings. But why?

Fortunately, Xu Han knew who to ask.

“Jemma, what are all these?” Xu Han asked.

“Dungeon offerings,” the dungeon fairy answered without hesitation. “Remember when I told you how the Classed farm the resources a dungeon creates? Well, the Classed understand that dungeon cores can only recreate resources they had absorbed in the past, so one way for the Classed to ensure that the cores could make the resources they want is to just give it to the dungeon cores."

“And they are giving me books?”

“Hey, you know how long it takes for a scribe to copy a book? A dungeon could do it almost instantly!”

“That’s…I guess that’s foresight for you.” Xu Han said uncertainly. “So, I should create floors with these items?”

“That’s up to you, but I would advise you to hold off creating such a floor till you know more about the local situation.”

“What local situation?”

Jemma got into her thinking pose and replied. “Let me give you an example. Let’s say you create a floor full of cows. Adventurers comes in, kills them, and bring the meat back out. The local people get to eat the meat, people will find employment as butchers, and a local economy will be built around the cows that comes from the dungeon. That’s the good part. However, what if there are local farmers who owns herd of cattle? Rich ranchers whose livelihood depend on people buying the beef their cattle produced?”

“They would not be too happy with the competition.” Xu Han replied as understanding dawned on him.

Jemma confirms with a nod. ““That’s right. And it’s not unheard of for rich powerful merchants to get rid of unwanted competition. A dungeon core is harder to take out, but with enough gold, there will be adventurers willing to try.”

“I always hated merchants. It seems they are all the same, even on a different world.” Xu Han said with a huff. “I can’t believe the other dungeon cores bother with this?”

Jemma laughed at that. “That’s just an example. Anyway, you are right. Most dungeon cores ignore how mortals react to what they put on their floors, some don’t even care about the opinions of the Classed, but it is something you should take into consideration because it will affect you.”

“I should, but I won’t!” Xu Han scoffed. “I am a dungeon core, and the dungeon belongs to me. It is part of me. It is me! Why should I care how mortals and the Classed react to my dungeon? I am almost a demi-god, they should the ones who adapt to me. Not the other way round. Sorry Jemma, but the other dungeon cores have the right idea on this one.”

Jemma just sighed at that. It looked to Xu Han that the dungeon fairy had expected this reaction from him and wonders how many dungeon cores actually listen to that advice. Xu Han went back to the offerings left behind by the adventurers and complained further.

“Sounds likes the Classed think I am a chicken that need fattening up before they kill me.”

“That is an extreme analogy. Not wrong, but extreme.” Jemma admitted.

Whatever reply Xu Han had was interrupted by a portal. A portal that appeared in front of his core. Xu Han was shocked. Unlike most dungeon cores, Xu Han did not place his core on the last floor of his dungeon. Instead, it was on his first floor.

As the adventurer, Bazel, had deduced, the first floor was mostly spatial place with only the front and end of the floor in the real world. However, that was also part of the illusion. The fog also exists in the real world.

The idea Xu Han had was simple. When an adventurer entered the first floor, he will be teleported into a spatial place, away from reality. If he beat the first floor, he would arrive at the end with the inviting spell circle in front of him. Xu Han doubt that few, if any, adventurers would think of backtracking into the poisonous fog.

Making the real fog the perfect place for Xu Han to place his core.

Now, someone had found his core, and had the power to open a portal to it. Before he could do anything, the air became heavy. Xu Han looked at the portal in shock as a woman walked through the portal and landed in front of him.

She was tall, with blood red hair that was tied up in a tidy bun. Her large eyes were green like the leaves of a forest, and there was great power and will behind them. Seeing them, Xu Han would not be surprised if the woman could see into his soul. The dungeon core tore his senses away from the woman’s eyes and focused.

The woman’s face was weathered. Not old, but it was clear she had a life of hard work. Her outfit was simple. She had worn a simple brown dress with a white apron. The clothes fit her body well for she was plump without being voluptuous. Unadorned by jewellery but for a pair of golden bracelets around her wrists, the woman was a matron with steel behind her motherly smile. Xu Han could feel power radiating from her, and immediately knew what she was.

With all the respect he could mustered, Xu Han greets her. “Goddess, I humbly welcome you to my dungeon.”

The goddess gave a light laugh and Xu Han felt his spirits lifting. “Thank you, dungeon core. I am glad I took the chance to be here. It’s not everyday I meet a polite young dungeon core.”

“Thank you, goddess.” Xu Han replied, “May I enquire on the reason for your presence?”

“I'm here because of you, young core.”

Jemma tilted her head, “Him?”

The goddess nodded, “Yes, little fairy. Do not worry, I am not here to harm your core. He is... unique and have a very different perspective of things. He is too interesting to harm.”

Xu Han looks between the goddess and Jemma, confused, “What do you mean?”

The goddess smiles, “The fact that you are a reincarnator is no secret to the gods. Transmigrator, reincarnator, regressor; people like you have a tendency to leave chaos in your wake. Most of the gods keep an eye out on troublesome individuals like you.”

“That is not my intention, goddess.” Xu Han said, and the goddess shakes her head.

“You don't need to intend chaos to create it.”

Xu Hen had no reply to that, and he knew better than to lie to a goddess. So, he said the truth. “That is true, but I do not understand why you are here goddess. Has my technique caused that much of a change in this world?”

The goddess smile at Xu Han, “No, but cultivation is barely known in this world, and you intend to give out more than one technique, don’t you?”

So, there is cultivation in this world. Maybe those [Monks] and [Martial Artists] Jemma mentioned are the cultivators of this world.

Xu Han thought that was great news, but he also knew that he needed to be careful.

“Goddess, I just wish to spread knowledge and let people know more about the world. That may bring change, and some chaos, but I do not believe the betterment of life is something to be afraid of."

The goddess's smile grew wider, “That's why you're so special.” She pauses, then continues, “The other ‘special individuals’ like you, they see everything as a threat, a game, an opportunity, but you? You are different. Why?”

Xu Han kept silent, wondering how much he should tell the goddess. He sensed no threat or killing intent from the goddess, but who knows with Gods? Does she know Xu Han was a former cultivator who aspired to be a god? And failed? How would a goddess react to knowledge like that? Would she pity him, or see him as a threat?

“I've been watching you for a while now, and you have knowledge,” the goddess says, “Powerful knowledge. You must be a very powerful individual in your past life.”

“I was,” Xu Han replied sadly, “I was a powerful failure.”

The goddess nods, “Yes, I sense a lot of regret in you. That is something you will need to let go before you can truly shine.”

“I understand,” Xu Hen sighed, “But goddess, why are you here?”

“You asked for me.”

Xu Hen mentally frowned, “I did?”

The goddess holds out a finger, “You asked your dungeon fairy how to get the attention of a God. And so, I am here.”

Xu Han glanced at Jemma who looked as puzzled as he felt. “I was told I need to do something special to gain the attention of a God. I did not know I had already done so.”

The goddess gave him a sad smile, “Your existence itself is special. Like I said, there are many who are paying attention to you.”

“None contacted me.”

The goddess nods. “Thus far, they have been… underwhelmed by what you had done. There are rules preventing Gods from interfering directly with the mortal plane. We can only interfere through our agents, our priests, monks, cultists. Most of my follow gods do not think you are worth the energy it would take to contact you.”

“Except you.”

“Except me,” the goddess admits, “With the technique you created, I deem you worth the trouble. So, why did you want the attention of a god?”

“As a god, surely you know. Don’t you?” Xu Han asked.

The goddess laughed. “Crafty one, aren’t you? No, I am not an Overgod. I am not All-Knowing. I am not Omnipotent. And I make no claims to be. I am just Gressian, a Goddess of the Hearth, the Matron of Warmth. Why did you ask for me, dungeon core?”

Xu Han felt a pressure on him, compelling him to tell the truth. Xu Han did not fight it, and told the goddess what he wanted.

“I need your help, goddess. I wish to find a way to expend the Systems of War and Magic.”

“Why?” The goddess asked. “Why do you wish to meddle in matters that belong to the Gods?”

“I made a mistake in my past life. A terrible mistake that made the world poorer. I wish…I need to atone for my mistake. I need to do what I failed to do in my past life. I need to spread my knowledge to the mortals of this world. Not just to the Classed, but to everyone. To help them learn that they are but frogs in a well. To let them know that there are knowledge and skills useful to life beyond those of War and Magic. To build a Place of Knowledge. A School for Artists. A Sect of Learning. To do that, I need the assistance of the gods.”

Gressian gave the dungeon core another big smile, telling Xu Han the goddess had suspected his answer and was pleased with it. “Crafty and ambitious. You truly were a cultivator in your past life,” the goddess says, “I am listening.”