Apocalypse: King of Zombies Chapter 1309 1309: Dig Deeper

"Yeah," Ethan responded noncommittally, offering a slight inclination of his head. "That's one possibility."

"Alright. No need for you to watch over us. We're going to venture further in and explore."

"Oh—certainly. Proceed."

Oliver remained oblivious. He simply presumed Ethan's contingent intended to check for any remaining items—anything that might have slipped their notice.

That particular aspect did not concern him in the slightest. They had possessed this Void Realm for an extensive period, meticulously examining every single inch multiple times over. It was inconceivable for any treasure to still lie concealed within.

Once Ethan and his companions had sufficiently distanced themselves, Oliver's subordinates finally mustered the courage to voice their thoughts.

"Boss… so from this point forward, we must coexist in this Void Realm with them?"

"Then what alternative do you propose?" Oliver retorted.

"You are all aware of their formidable nature. This represents the most favorable outcome we could possibly attain."

"…Very well." The subordinate nodded, a sense of frustration mixed with resignation evident.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Ethan maintained his True Sight ability as he conducted a thorough search, meticulously scanning every section of the terrain.

Silence prevailed among the rest; they simply followed along his side without uttering a sound.

After a considerable duration, Ethan came to a halt amidst a cluster of crumbled mountain peaks.

"Garrick," he commanded. "Begin excavating."

"Absolutely." Garrick nodded in agreement, then placed both his hands firmly upon the ground.

Instantly, the earth surrounding them fractured and peeled away. A chasm exceeding forty feet in depth materialized directly before everyone present.

At the peak of Stage B, such an undertaking was considerably less taxing for Garrick compared to his previous efforts.

The resultant disturbance swiftly drew Oliver's group to the location.

"What are they engaged in?"

"No clue. It appears… they are digging a hole."

"…"

"That is quite an inventive method for digging."

"An earth-attribute ability," someone identified. "Let's go investigate." Oliver's tone was laced with caution.

He couldn't articulate why, but an unsettling premonition began to creep into his consciousness.

Garrick's excavation proceeded at a swift pace. Before long, the pit had pierced downward for over a thousand feet—and by that point, a palpable sensation permeated the air: the mysterious energy intensified noticeably.

"Captain," an individual inquired, peering into the abyss. "What lies below?"

"Uncertain at this juncture," Ethan replied. "However, the source of the mysterious energy within this Void Realm originates from beneath. It is highly probable that something significant—in a beneficial sense—awaits."

"You're suggesting… something akin to those fantastical ore veins found in web novels?" Big Mike's eyes widened, his face alight with unadulterated excitement.

Ethan paused. "Uh… to be entirely candid? That is not an impossibility."

"Unbelievable!" Big Mike practically bounced with anticipation. "Then what are we delaying for? Garrick, keep digging!"

Garrick shot him a pointed look. "Perhaps you'd care to take over?"

"Easier said than done."

Big Mike cleared his throat. "I mean—I lack an earth-attribute ability. Therefore, you are unequivocally the one for this task. I shall treat you to a drink later."

"…"

Shaking his head, Garrick nonetheless resumed his digging.

Emily activated her Energy Link, establishing a connection with Garrick and ensuring a consistent flow to replenish his mental energy and stamina.

With Garrick carving a path through the earth ahead, the entire group descended at a remarkable velocity.

By the time Oliver and his companions arrived, only a dark, seemingly bottomless shaft was visible. Ethan's group had vanished from sight long ago.

"Boss… what course of action should we take?" one subordinate asked, his unease palpable.

"What do you think we should do?" Oliver responded with an eye-roll. "We wait. Do you intend to leap into that void?"

If they were to descend and incur their displeasure…

They would be annihilated in mere moments.

"…Indeed, that is inadvisable." The subordinate swallowed nervously. "However—are they genuinely anticipating the discovery of treasure? What manner of riches could possibly be interred at such depths?"

"Who can say?" another chimed in. "And how can they be so certain there is indeed something down there? They are simply excavating downwards. What if it all proves to be in vain?"

"Cease your speculation," Oliver commanded, his voice devoid of emotion. "The Fallen Star Squad did not attain their current standing through mere chance. They possess a unique advantage. It is possible one among them wields an ability for locating treasure."

This was not the sort of advantage that could be rectified through envy and sheer hard work.

With no other recourse, they could only maintain their vigil at the precipice of the shaft, gazing into the darkness and awaiting whatever might transpire next.

Deeper they plunged—2,000 feet… 2,500… 3,000.

At such a considerable depth, despite Garrick's enhanced capabilities, the effort began to take its toll. He was approaching the limits of his endurance.

Fortuitously, Emily's link proved invaluable, continuously supplying him with restorative energy.

"Garrick," Ethan suddenly instructed, "shift your excavation diagonally downwards to the right."

All eyes turned towards him, alight with anticipation. "Captain—have you detected something?"

"Yes." Ethan's countenance radiated with genuine exhilaration. "I've located something exceptional."

"An ore vein?" Big Mike exclaimed, practically quivering with excitement.

"Uh… for the sake of simplicity, let us refer to it as such." Ethan clearly had no inclination to deliver a comprehensive explanation at that moment.

"It possesses a similar aura to that peculiar crystal we placed within the ritual circle atop the Celestial Stairway. However, this one is colossal, and the mysterious energy it radiates is astonishing."

"Hah!" Big Mike’s grin widened, like a child excited by a new toy. "I can hardly wait. Garrick, you’ve got this!"

Garrick’s weariness vanished instantly. Guided by Ethan's directions, he directed the excavation towards the source of the energy.

Before long, the soil yielded.

What appeared wasn't more dirt, but a smooth, jet-black rock with a surface so polished it seemed unnatural. Garrick attempted to break through several times, applying more force and altering his angle—

To no avail.

He ceased his efforts, a wave of frustration washing over him. "Captain, this must be some kind of ore. It’s incredibly hard. I can't get through it."

"Indeed," Ethan nodded. He had glimpsed it using True Sight, but he hadn't anticipated that even Garrick would be stumped by it.

"Attempt using your weapons," Ethan instructed. "See if we can shatter it."

"Understood!"

Everyone unsheathed their weapons and commenced striking the black rock with all their might.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The impacts reverberated through the underground cavern like artillery fire. The entire shaft trembled. Soil and debris rained down from above with such intensity that they were nearly buried alive.

Garrick reacted swiftly, splitting the falling earth apart to prevent a total collapse upon them. He then turned his attention back to the wall.

Their assault had been effective, to a degree. They had managed to fracture a significant portion of the black ore.

However, "significant portion" was a relative term.

They had advanced perhaps less than two feet.

"Ethan," one of them inquired, a sliver of hope still present, "how much further is the object you're referring to?"

Ethan scratched his cheek. "Uh… approximately three hundred feet."

"……"

Every face present contorted. "

Three hundred feet of this? Unlikely. This was developing into a nightmare.

Ethan let out a sigh and shook his head. "Alright. Your efforts here are proving futile."

Then, with a flick of his wrist, a figure materialized before them.

Chris chuckled. "And once again… Dopey bears the burden for all of us."

Ethan handed the poleaxe to Dopey.

"Dopey," Ethan said, gesturing towards the black wall, "smash through that."

Dopey did not engage in any lengthy explanations. He accepted the poleaxe and swung it with the ferocity of someone intending to erase the very world before him.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!

The resulting shockwaves were terrifying. The deep shaft that Garrick had meticulously excavated began to cave in almost immediately. Tons of earth cascaded down in an instant, swallowing the space whole.

Garrick instinctively deployed a protective dome, reinforcing it against the collapse to shield everyone from being crushed.

Admittedly, with their strength, even being entombed wouldn't spell their demise.

But the sensation would be overwhelmingly unpleasant.

Above, Oliver and the others observed the collapsed pit, utterly bewildered.

"What in the world is this?" someone exclaimed. "Did they dig a hole just to bury themselves?"

"If you're going to bury yourself, why dig so deep? What—are you concerned you won't be sufficiently dead?"

"Silence," Oliver commanded, rolling his eyes. "If they overhear you, you're finished."

"Boss…" one of the subordinates stammered nervously, peering into the debris. "Are they actually alright down there? Should we begin excavating them?"

Oliver stared intently at the caved-in shaft for a prolonged moment, then shook his head.

"No. We won't need to." His voice was strained, yet firm. "They are the Fallen Star Squad. This won't be their end."

"Furthermore, they dug at least three thousand feet down. If we were to attempt excavation now, we'd be here until next week."

"…Yes. That is reasonable."

Nevertheless, the subordinates couldn't tear their eyes away from the scene.

"I'm genuinely burning with curiosity about what they're even doing," someone muttered. "Who digs that deep?"

"Same here," another chimed in, their gaze fixed on the oppressive darkness as if expecting it to offer an answer.