Chapter 71: The Deal

Ainola put on the Eye of Wite and prepared to head toward the location of the ruins.

The Ancient Ruins had many, many entrances, but most of them, like the cave entrance Qiaozhi had entered, were filled with unknown dangers.

The gate to the ruins opened by the Eye of Wite, at least, seemed relatively safe.

But only seemed that way, because from beginning to end, no one had ever entered the ruins to explore them thoroughly.

Even if someone had, they could only search the outer perimeter at most. Going deeper inside was practically impossible.

Those tightly closed doors weren’t just for show.

According to Winona, the Eye of Wite could open those doors.

But then Anderson said that item was just a valuable trinket, and couldn’t open the ruins’ gate at all.

Both sides had their own arguments, leaving Ainola a bit confused.

However, she certainly wasn’t going to stop there. Even if the item couldn’t open the gate, she could just find another entrance.

There was bound to be some entrance that could lead inside the ruins.

“The gate to the ruins should be on the hill north of the city,” Spark reminded her.

“There might be guards stationed there. You need to be careful, Ainola.”

“Understood.”

Ainola nodded and hurried toward the direction of the ruins’ gate.

Because she had to stay hidden along the way, by the time she reached the location of the ruins’ gate, the sky had completely darkened.

“No guards?”

Ainola said in surprise.

Not believing it, she circled the area near the ruins’ gate two more times, but there wasn’t even a ghost in sight.

After confirming repeatedly that no one was there, Ainola stepped out of the shadows and walked up to the grand gate of the ruins.

“It’s incredibly quiet. Were all the guards transferred to the city proper?”

She muttered while looking at the magnificent gate before her.

Just from the metallic texture of the door, Ainola felt it almost didn’t look like something from this era.

“It’s good that no one’s here, but… how do I use the Eye of Wite?”

Ainola looked up and down, but no matter how she looked, she couldn’t find a keyhole on the gate.

Staring at the door blankly, she was just about to study it further when a familiar voice came from behind her.

“You really are here, Ainola.”

Ainola turned around and saw Anderson standing behind her.

He held a Knight Sword in his hand, but there was no murderous intent on his face.

Instead, he reached out his hand and said, “The ruins are very dangerous. Come back with me.”

“No way,” Ainola said, looking at Anderson with a teasing gaze.

“And if I go back with you, I won’t be able to get out of bed the next day, right?”

Hearing Ainola’s words, Anderson just shook his head and replied, “The so-called key to the ruins in your hand can’t open this door at all. I’ve tried many times myself.”

How could Anderson not know the rumor that the Eye of Wite could open the ruins’ gate?

But he had tried many times and searched for a long time without finding any way to open the gate with it, so he ultimately dismissed it as a very unreliable rumor.

“Is that so?”

Ainola took out the Eye of Wite and said, “But I still want to give it a try. I need to find the antidote for the Blackwater Plague. The contact told me it’s hidden inside the ruins.”

“Go ahead, then.”

Anderson said as he walked toward Ainola.

Reports from his subordinates had confirmed that the source of this plague came from inside the ruins.

Anderson guessed there might really be an antidote in there.

He needed it too.

But he didn’t believe Ainola could open the ruins’ gate with the Eye of Wite.

Sure enough, no matter how she searched, Ainola couldn’t find a keyhole on the gate.

Seeing Anderson getting closer and closer, Ainola was about to give up and make a run for it when the Eye of Wite in her hand suddenly emitted a brilliant light.

“What’s this?”

Ainola was stunned, and so was Anderson.

This was the first time Anderson had seen the Eye of Wite emit such light, and he quickly understood one thing.

“The Eye of Wite has been activated?!”

Anderson had never imagined that the Eye of Wite could be activated by Ainola.

And the moment the light shone, the ruins’ gate slowly began to open.

Without a second thought, Ainola dashed straight inside.

“Wait! It’s dangerous in there!”

Before Anderson could finish his sentence, a scream came from inside.

Seeing this, Anderson immediately charged in as well, and then…

Just like Ainola, the moment he stepped through the gate, his feet found nothing but air.

Before he could react, he plunged into a dark abyss.

“Ouch…”

Ainola, having landed hard on her rear, struggled to her feet.

Thankfully, the people in this world had pretty good physiques.

If it had been a human from her previous life, that fall would have killed them or at least seriously injured them.

“Thud!!”

Another dull thud of a landing.

Just as Ainola had managed to get up, Anderson came crashing down from above and landed right on top of her.

“Ainola, where are you?”

“I’m right under you!”

Ainola could barely breathe under Anderson’s weight.

Luckily, he reacted quickly, immediately standing up and even helping Ainola to her feet, asking, “Uh… are you okay?”

“You almost crushed me to death.”

Ainola, now on her feet, rubbed her lower back and shot Anderson a glare.

“This should be the inside of the ruins… So which rotten bastard designed that door?”

At that moment, Ainola just wanted to hang the designer of the ruins on a five-speed electric fan for three days and three nights.

What kind of inhumane design had a cliff right behind the door?!

“That’s why I said it was dangerous here.”

Anderson sighed helplessly and grabbed Ainola’s hand, continuing, “Don’t even think about running now. It’s not that I want to catch you, but I’m doing this for your safety.”

Falling into a place like this, climbing back up the way they came was obviously not an option.

The rock walls here were covered in slippery moss and oozing black water.

If they touched that black water, they’d probably die on the spot.

But Ainola had no intention of running.

Her clever little mind spun for a moment, and then she came up with an idea, smiling as she said, “Your Highness Anderson, how about… we make a deal?”

“Go on.”

Anderson looked at Ainola warily, as if ready to spank her again if she tried to scheme something.

To that, Ainola said, “Didn’t you want the antidote to the Impotence Poison? I can tell you where it is, but I have one condition.”

“Don’t beat around the bush.”

Anderson pinched Ainola’s soft little cheek, and she mumbled through her pinched face, “I came into the ruins to find medicine that can cure the Blackwater Disease. But you know the situation here. It’s not just dangerous—it’s basically a one-way trip. So how about we cooperate?

Let’s search for the Blackwater cure together, and when we find it, we split it fifty-fifty. Then, once we get out, I’ll tell you where the antidote is. What do you say?”