Chapter 390: Earth Core Devourer

Typically, Helag would spend four to five months on the airship, with a standard room costing around 1,000 magic stones.

A luxury suite for such a duration would normally cost tens of thousands of magic stones.

However, due to vacancies and Brad’s connections, Helag secured the suite at a discounted rate.

The luxury suite spanned over 200 square meters, fully equipped with all amenities.

It included personalized service, with staff available at any time.

Inside was a large, comfortable bed.

Beside the bed was a massive floor-to-ceiling window, offering views of the airship’s surroundings.

Most importantly, the window’s view could be changed.

Helag stood there, appearing to look outside the airship.

In reality, the suite was inside the airship, not outside.

The window displayed views transmitted via a magical array.

A button beside the window allowed switching between different angles or turning it into a wall.

Helag moved to the stove, taking the kettle of boiling water to brew coffee.

Pouring a cup, he sat by the window, contemplating.

Helag browsed information stored in Deep Blue about the polluted zone.

The zone lacked detailed maps, only a general overview.

Specific conditions within the zone were absent, as the area constantly changed, defying accurate mapping.

Even seasoned explorers needed to frequently update their maps.

Explorers marked areas with powerful creatures and dangerous zones.

However, these were unreliable, as creature territories could shift.

While powerful creatures had territories, they didn’t stay put, often roaming.

Conflicts among creatures, like the giant spider hunting, were possible.

More daunting than creatures were the dangerous zones, essentially ancient ruins.

These ruins were so perilous that they were marked upon discovery.

Some dangerous zones weren’t fixed, appearing anywhere in the polluted zone, rendering maps ineffective.

Helag absorbed this information, expanding his knowledge.

While reading about creatures, he recognized a familiar one: the Great Demon.

Helag realized the Great Demon was more terrifying than he thought.

It was akin to a colossal crawler, essentially an immortal creature.

The realization sent chills down Helag’s spine; a powerful, immortal creature was daunting.

Great Demons were rare, seldom encountered; Helag’s encounter was either fortunate or unfortunate.

Without the Great Demon, Helag might have perished at the hands of the Eye of the Storm’s second-level wizard.

Helag recalled the city of crawlers, not far from the Great Demon’s resting gorge.

For the Great Demon, it was practically next door.

Helag suspected a connection between the city and the Great Demon; a city full of crawlers was unusual.

However, this was beyond Helag’s current concerns.

Most cities in the Land of Dawn weren’t closely connected, separated by distances often occupied by the polluted zone.

These zones once housed powerful creatures, like Great Demons, frequently attacking cities.

Eventually, the Land of Dawn formed a task force to eliminate or drive out these creatures.

With these threats removed, the Land of Dawn became relatively safer.

While creatures remained in the zones between cities, few were third-level or higher.

Third-level creatures typically had some intelligence, avoiding the Land of Dawn due to its powerful wizards.

Wizards didn’t fight such creatures alone; they worked in groups.

They used magical tools, arrays, and strategies, easily overpowering creatures.

Thus, it didn’t take long to expel many powerful creatures from the Land of Dawn.

The vast polluted zone outside provided ample territory for them.

Helag also found an old acquaintance in the creature data: the Earth Core Devourer, his “high-speed train.”

The Earth Core Devourer was a first-level creature, primarily underground, occasionally hunting surface prey.

According to records, it was considered beneficial.

It consumed polluted soil and rock, excreting normal soil.

Though its purification method was unknown, it was invaluable to wizards.

Explorer teams rarely hunted them, only retaliating if attacked.

Its purification ability slowly mitigated pollution.

However, the zone’s vastness and the creature’s scarcity limited visible impact.

Helag, having spent time inside one, noted its frequent consumption of soil and rock, unaware it excreted normal soil.

Helag spent a day reviewing polluted zone information, gaining deeper understanding.

He stretched, ran a hot bath, and prepared to relax.

After a tense period, he could finally rest easy.

The airship’s route closely followed cities, with fewer dangers in the Land of Dawn’s zones, reducing risk.