Against the pitch-black darkness of this tunnel, the light ahead is comparatively blinding.

Of course, with my scan, awareness, and cultivation, I can still see it clearly.

A dark metal gate stands before us, equaling the size of the tunnel itself. I notice that the walls around the gate appear to be reinforced by both web and metal. And with even more talismans covering it.

Considering that there are hundreds of other tunnels like this around her base, each with gates, makes me take another look at Gong and her capabilities. There’s no way this was cheap to implement.

My curiosity rises again, causing me to glance ahead with my scan. Leading me to find that she hasn’t just done a remodel of the caves, since I’ve been gone, but a full-on restructuring. Every aspect of the caves has been reinforced or changed in some way, from the foundations to the entire spaces in full.

Even with trillions of spiders at her disposal, it would be difficult.

On that note, it’s still crazy to think of just how many spiders she has. Just with the small, normal spiders, she could fill from the ground to skyscraper height a small city. And that figure doesn’t include the significant percentage of larger spiders that are becoming spirit beasts. Some of which are deep underground and tower like titans, in unseen areas.

I’m not sure if I want to think about it. To where I don’t even check the visualization my scan is giving me on it.

My thoughts are interrupted as I hear the creaking of heavy metal moving over soft webs.

Before we even reached the gate, it has opened, courtesy of thousands of spiders moving in concert.

Revealing a whole new underground world of Gong’s creation and just where all that extra material from the previous urban landscape above had gone.

A towering labyrinth-like gothic city of stone, mortar, and web lodged within an even more enormous cavern that stretches over a kilometer in height.

Making the city aspect of it even more shocking, as we are looking down at it, as this was built deeper into the ground to make up for the massive scale of this cavern.

Webs cover these vast distances, crossing from pillar to pillar, each stylized in a variety of ways. Surprisingly, not all of which are spider themed.

My scan reveals the true shocker, though. Despite the menacing, almost demonic air this space gives, I can see many of the same demi-humans, creatures, and other beings living, laughing, and having a great time within this space.

A small, but safe space of acceptance, hidden away within this intimidatingly large area.

Huh, I can even see that the bird demi-humans, whose wings were originally clipped, can now fly freely around this area. Something that many had originally given up on when we had them sign the contract that would doom them to live the rest of their lives hidden away underground.

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Everyone else in the group is, of course, even more shocked and surprised than I am.

Mei Lin is the first to speak, pointing animatedly at the massive glowing light stone at the top of this cavern, which is illuminating the entire space.

“It can’t be! How did you find a light stone of that size?!”

Gong lightheartedly chuckles from Mei Lin’s question, her voice cutting a pleasant trill through the voluminous space.

“Hahaha, I can see why you would think that. It’s not a single stone, but many that were trailed and melded together. Considering your background, you might have heard that occasionally they can resonate, to become brighter?

“We just found the ones that did that and meshed them together.”

That’s easy to say and hard to do in practice. It could only be possible in this realm, with the countless helping hands she has available to sort such things.

With her eyes wide and a calculating look, Mei Lin seems to have realized the same thing. Considering her merchant family background and that she ran businesses for them, I can already see the wheels turning. She undoubtedly has something planned.

Nonetheless, she thanks Gong and falls silent, her eyes scanning more things in the room.

The ball has rolled, though, so more questions start flooding in from everyone else.

“How did you find a cavern this large?”

“I didn’t. We made it ourselves.”

“How did you make everything so stable?”

“Our webs are pretty strong. They can do far more than just carry me and other people.”

…

It continues like this for a while, with Gong graciously answering questions as we walk down stairs and stone bridges to reach the inner section of this underground city. Traveling through both wide and constrained alleyways, reducing in size to fit, as needed.

With so many new things around and Gong’s relaxed air, even Jin Chin has started to ask about things she was curious about. Still keeping an eye and ear out as normal, though.

It’s pleasant to see that most of the questions had a positive tone to them, something that might be obvious, but I appreciate anyway.

But a question comes up that soon gave everyone pause.

“What are those web sacs hanging from the ceiling and walls?”

Since we were back in a tight alleyway, it’s awkward when Gong suddenly stops in her tracks. Making everyone have to slow, as well.

Almost ominously, she turns toward the asker, He Wen, who promptly freezes up.

“… Well. Most of them are creatures that have encroached on my territory.”

…

She says nothing else, leaving an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air. Only to then turn and continue walking for a bit. Breaking it only after we see one on the wall along the road.

Her voice sounds out, a little more teasingly, as she pokes it.

“This here was one of the exceptions to that rule. Here’s to hoping that none of you ever have to find yourself in one of these.”

He Wen gulps with a flurry of rapid nods.

Her words unsettled not only him. But soon enough, Mei Lin, the curious being she is, began firing more questions. Easing the tension from the earlier situation.

I didn’t miss the knowing glance that Gong sent over to me as she spoke about the exception. Giving me the indication for me to look at the identity of the person who was contained within.

It was Ling. The same rabbit demihumans who had tried to ruin the initial demihumans contract when we were building the group up and first brought people into the caverns. Someone who had crushed many other demihumans communes in the past. Causing countless people to fall into despair.

Not exactly the type of person who I would feel bad about dying.

But when I've been looking at Gong during this time, contrary to the look of pride that she had at the village and reinforced walls above, her face, while smiling, has hints of stress that linger since she's entered the tunnel.

Reminding me of her earlier words about the challenges she has been facing. Clearly, there’s more going on here than meets the eye.

And there’s already a lot going on.