The Witch's Anatomical Notes

Chapter 95

Donau Under-city

Although it was called the “Under-city,” Donau was, in truth, nothing more than an enormous mine pit.

It had been developed by the tower wizards after vast veins of magic stone were discovered here.

As the mining depth kept increasing, the miners’ dwellings grew farther and farther from the pit’s bottom, and many simply moved into the mine itself to live.

Over time, the “Donau Pit” was jokingly referred to as the “Donau Under-city” by the miners and residents of the surrounding towns.

However, as the magic stone veins were exhausted, this mine, which at its peak had supported a population of hundreds of thousands, was completely abandoned by the wizards thirty years ago.

Now, only the miners’ descendants still lived here, surviving by scavenging the leftover fragments of ore buried in the tunnels.

...

Inside a dim and noisy tavern.

“You said you’re looking for the Mine Spirit?!!”

The young girl wearing a dusty gray robe nodded slightly, the blackness of her eyes reflecting the hesitant face of the gaunt old man across from her.

This old miner, named Jack, had lived in the Under-city for more than forty years and had witnessed the rise and fall of the Donau Pit. People all called him “Old Jack.”

A day earlier, Lucy had arrived in this underground settlement.

She had intended to enter the mine directly but discovered that the tunnels were so intricate that it was extremely easy to lose one’s way.

So she did not venture in rashly and instead made inquiries, which led her to this tavern where the miners came to while away their time.

From the tavern’s owner, she had learned of Old Jack.

“Tell me about the Mine Spirit.”

Old Jack took a sip of the fine liquor this young lady had ordered for him, and a flicker of fear passed through his eyes.

“The Mine Spirit lives in the deepest tunnels of Donau. They say it looks like a pangolin and feeds on ore. Anyone who offends it will be attacked. Every year, miners who lose their way end up dying at its claws...”

Not only that, although the tower wizards had already abandoned the exploitation of Donau Mine, the lowest level was still designated a forbidden zone.

“So, you don’t want to take this job?” Lucy asked carelessly.

Old Jack’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped down another large mouthful of liquor from his cup.

The mining business was growing harder by the day. Even an old miner like him had not dug up a single magic stone in several days.

If this went on, the mouths he had to feed at home would soon have nothing left to eat, not even black bread.

“How much gold are you willing to pay for this?”

Lucy tossed a bulging coin pouch onto the table.

Inside were at least fifty gold coins — enough for an ordinary person to sell their life, or even their soul. Old Jack was no exception.

He rubbed the heavy pouch in his hands. “I’ll need to hire a few more people.”

“Fine. Tomorrow morning, meet at the tavern entrance.”

With that, Lucy rose and walked straight out, leaving only one of her strange minions clinging to his shoulder.

Very soon, Old Jack gathered his team.

There was Ash, a junior knight, capable of serving as a bodyguard and dealing with the low-grade enchanted beasts that roamed the mine tunnels.

Two brawny miner brothers, who could quickly clear collapsed passages   and who happened to be Old Jack’s nephews.

Staring at the pouch stuffed with gold coins on the table, the older miner brother swallowed and said greedily, “With this much money, why don’t we just…”

“If you want to die, I can oblige you right now!”

Old Jack had long since seen through what the pair were thinking. He cut him off in a cold voice. “If it weren’t for your mother entrusting you to me on her deathbed, I’d crack your worthless skulls open myself.”

“Can’t you see that noble young lady is a wizard?”

When he saw the look of shock cross the brothers’ faces, Old Jack turned to the retired knight Ash. “Tomorrow, your job is to protect the safety of the team. I’ll pay you ten gold coins. As for you two…”

He shot a frosty glance at the brothers. “Two coins each.”

“Why?!” The brothers’ faces flushed red with anger.

“Not enough for you? Then get out, right now!”

The two of them instantly fell silent.

Before departure, he sternly warned all three not to let a word slip.

...

The next day

When Lucy reappeared at the tavern entrance, Old Jack was already there waiting.

He was carrying the tools most commonly used to go down into the mines — ropes, a lantern, an iron pickaxe.

After a round of introductions, the group set out toward the mine.

Because of long years of disrepair, the paths inside the mine were rough and broken, the rock walls covered in cracks, with countless branching tunnels spreading in all directions.

Without the old miner leading the way, they would certainly have lost themselves in this underground labyrinth.

Lucy walked in the middle of the team, the lantern in her hand casting a dim glow that projected twisted shadows.

She silently felt glad she had found a guide.

As they pressed on, the damp, cold air carrying a tang of rust slipped into their nostrils, and thin traces of ore veins gradually appeared on the walls.

From time to time, the miner brothers would stop and knock loose large fragments of ore.

Just then, Old Jack’s hoarse warning came suddenly from up ahead.

“Cover the lantern, don’t make a sound!”

As soon as the lantern was wrapped in burlap, dozens of blue points of light abruptly flared in the darkness.

The younger of the two brothers let out a startled cry, only to have Ash clamp a hand over his mouth with quick reflexes.

By the faint glow, Lucy saw that the crevices in the rock were crawling with fist-sized beetles, their elytra covered in metallic spiral patterns.

“Those are Ore Devourer Beetles,” Old Jack whispered. “They gnaw the metal particles out of the rock. As long as we don’t attack them…”

Lucy had originally planned to collect some as specimens for the Living Specimen Laboratory but thought better of making trouble.

When the swarm of beetles finally crept away along the fissure, the team began moving again.

As they delved deeper, enchanted beasts became increasingly common along the way.

Fortunately, most of them were at a zero-level life tier, easily dispatched by Ash, or even by Old Jack with his pickaxe.

Whenever they encountered a cave-in, the miner brothers would clear the passage. As descendants of miners, the two were at least competent in this work.

At last, after traveling for more than a dozen hourglasses, Old Jack suddenly raised a hand to halt the group.

Ahead, the entrance to the tunnel was sealed with a warding talisman from the Thousand-Eyed Tower. In the corners lay piles of bones — some from animals, but even more from humans, still draped in rotting clothes.

“Miss Olivia,” Old Jack’s voice trembled, “this is the place where I encountered the Mine Spirit.”

The miner brothers eagerly rushed forward to unfasten the coin pouches at the skeletons’ waists, pouring out scattered copper and silver coins. They immediately began dancing with excitement.

Lucy released two Plague Wraith Servants that drifted silently ahead. Then she spoke. “We proceed.”

Old Jack looked like he wanted to say something but, remembering the gold coins he had already given to his wife and children, clenched his jaw and turned to the brothers, who were still rummaging through the bones. “From here, you two don’t need to go on. Make your way back along the path.”

“You think you can keep all the coin for yourself? No way!” The two exploded at once, convinced Old Jack intended to cut them out.

Old Jack stamped his foot in fury but could do nothing.

On the other side.

The eerie servants moved swiftly, drifting hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye.

In the gloom, a figure the size of a mongrel dog darted through a rock fissure.

The servants started to pursue, only to be blocked by the narrow gap.

“Quiet!” Ash frowned and drew the longsword at his waist. “Something is coming!”