Michael returned to a familiar, dimly lit room.
Well, not exactly familiar—just the confined space that held the crack leading to the Goblin World.
Turning to look behind him, Michael noticed the crack still had its chaotic appearance but seemed… tamer than before.
It was still chaotic, just not as overwhelmingly so as it had been six hours ago—or rather, less than an hour in the real world.
Cracks, if controlled, could be treasures. One could train inside for 10 years, while only a year passed in the real world.
Perhaps the Federation had already harnessed such a capability, though Michael wasn’t qualified to know yet. As for the crack’s reduced chaotic energy, he figured it was likely due to his complete extermination of the monster population within it leading it to enter a state of recovery.
Monsters in corrupted-type cracks were born from concentrated negative energy and bred quickly, as the cracks accelerated their growth. Even with regular cleanups, there had still been over 300 goblins.
Usually, no one wiped out all the monsters in a crack—not because they didn’t want to, but because they couldn’t. Despite their weakness, goblins were still rank 1 monsters in the Cultivation system. Cleanup efforts were often limited to earning rewards while preventing crack outbreaks, where monsters spilled into the real world, causing harm to the general population.
While goblins seemed weak from Michael’s perspective, they were deadly threats to ordinary people. Even new Awakeners or early-stage rank 1 Cultivators weren’t exempt.
For newly ascended rank 1 Cultivators, goblins were especially challenging. Goblins often moved in groups, with the weakest being as strong as a full-grown adult. Without skills or proper training, newly Awakened individuals were no better off than those novice Cultivators.
Michael shifted his gaze from the crack and headed for the door of the room.
Recalling the instructions, he pressed the button behind the door as the old man had told him earlier.
After pressing it, he waited. Five minutes later, there was movement from the other side, and the door finally opened.
The old pharmacist appeared, but before Michael could ask if there was a place to clean up, the man’s expression shifted. His face tightened into a frown as his eyes locked on Michael.
“Why is the chaotic energy less intense than before?” the old man asked, his voice cold and sharp.
As he spoke, a threatening aura radiated from him, suffocating the air in the room.
Gone was the kind, gentle demeanor of the elderly man from the pharmacy. What stood before Michael now was an old predator, exuding the presence of someone who had just awakened from a dormant state.
“I-I don’t k-know,” Michael stammered, trying to form a response. For one, he truly didn’t know why the crack had appeared tamer—he suspected it was linked to wiping out all the monsters, but he wasn’t certain. Secondly, the old man’s overwhelming aura was far stronger than Michael had anticipated.
It didn’t just rival Lucky’s—it surpassed it.
‘Are all old men so powerful nowadays?!’ Michael thought, the image of the scarred old man from the Land of Origin flashing across his mind.
He was just about to steady himself and share his suspicions when the suffocating aura suddenly vanished, replaced by the old man’s warm and kind smile.
“Oh, did you kill all the monsters in the crack, boy?” the old man asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
“Yes,” Michael replied.
“Ah, no wonder it’s less intense now. The crack is probably trying to recover by creating new ‘babies’,” the old man chuckled lightly.
“…”
‘How does his face change so fast?’ Michael thought, feeling slightly unnerved.
“Don’t be annoyed by my earlier reaction,” the old man said apologetically. “The crack is vital to Woodstone City and the Federation. I can’t help but be alarmed if I think something has gone wrong with it. Besides, I’d be in a lot of trouble if it had.”
His genuine tone and remorseful expression dissolved Michael’s sour mood.
“If I were in his position, I’d probably act the same,” Michael admitted to himself.
Your next journey awaits at empire
Michael nodded at the apology, pondering how to ask the old man if the pharmacy had a place where he could clean up. Before he could gather his words, the old man’s attention shifted from the crack to him.
“You’re quite ruthless, boy. But calm down—your murderous intent is too strong. If you go home like this, you’ll probably scare the living daylights out of everyone… unless you live alone. And what’s with this gloomy aura around you?”
Michael blinked, taken aback by the old man’s blunt remarks, and was just about to respond when the man continued.
“Still, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with you. Just take a rest, or better yet, don’t go home tonight if it’ll take time for you to get your bearings. Now follow me—you need to clean yourself up.”
From start to finish, the old man moved at his own pace, leaving Michael no choice but to comply. Besides, Michael was too drained to take the initiative in the conversation.
Fortunately, after leaving the crack, the old man led him to another hidden room—this one a spacious bathhouse, clearly designed to accommodate multiple people. It seemed bathing services were common for hunters who frequented the area.
However, there was still one glaring issue.
“You didn’t bring a spare set of clothes?” The old man gave Michael a strange look before adding mercilessly, “What kind of newbie are you?”
Michael’s face flushed with embarrassment. It was careless of him to not bring extra clothing when heading into a monster-filled crack, but mistakes were inevitable on a first try.
He was just about to ask if the old man had spare clothing when the man interrupted again.
“Alright, never mind. Just get yourself cleaned up—you stink. I’ll find you something to wear, but hurry up! I’ve got other matters to deal with.”
“Thank you!” Michael said quickly, grateful despite the old man’s gruff tone.