You promised to wreak havoc on the dungeon, but instead you've got Dragon Slime!

Ron stopped and turned to look at Lilith, whose face was pale. His relaxed smile seemed out of place with the tense atmosphere around him.

"Miss Lilith, you seem very nervous?"

He blinked, his words laced with a playful tone, yet conveying an undeniable firmness.

"How about this, if you're still worried, just push all the work onto me later."

He shrugged, his smile nonchalant.

"After all, I am truly... very grateful to have been hired by you."

Having said that, he didn't linger and stepped into the torrent of sharp gazes and silent pressure.

Lilith was frozen in place as if by an invisible force, staring blankly at the vampire boy who was dressed in ordinary clothes but whose back was incredibly straight.

An unprecedentedly complex emotion churned within her chest—

A mixture of astonishment, bewilderment, and a hint of indescribable excitement.

Finally, she bit her lower lip hard, as if she had made up her mind, and then quickly walked out.

The magnificent conference hall, illuminated by a giant crystal chandelier, shimmered with gold leaf, its walls almost blindingly bright.

Ron walked calmly to the empty space at the far end of the huge oval oak conference table.

His gaze calmly swept across both sides of the conference table—

Those great nobles who represent the pinnacle of power in the underworld.

The information panel was filled with a dazzling array of titles, ranks, and fief information.

Haha, it seems the big shots of the underworld have all gathered here today.

It seems that this so-called "anti-testing mechanism" is quite an amazing thing.

He bowed naturally to the Balrog Lagos on the throne, his posture neither humble nor arrogant.

His gaze then lingered on Duke Cedric and Earl Martel for a moment, and he nodded slightly in greeting.

Duke Cedric felt a surge of blood rush to his head, and he almost rushed over to punch him on the spot!

If it weren't for this arrogant and ignorant guy, how could Lilith have gotten herself into this huge mess?

He snorted coldly, his face ashen as he looked away, offering no response whatsoever.

Count Martel looked into the young man's open eyes and weighed his options in his mind—this kid may be a troublemaker, but his sense of responsibility is rare.

Thinking of Lilith, and also out of consideration for her nod, he finally nodded slightly in return.

Count Bacchus made no attempt to hide the malice and schadenfreude in his eyes as he stared intently at Ron, as if scrutinizing prey about to fall into his trap.

Lilith walked over to Ron and stood beside him, glancing at him with a complicated expression. Her lips moved a few times, but she ultimately said nothing.

The deep voice of the Balrog Lagos rang out once more, breaking the silence:

"Sir Ron, Sir Lilith. The vote has concluded—the 'anti-testing mechanism' against 'Black Whisper Caves' is about to be activated."

His lava-like eyes stared at the two of them.

"You still have the right to defend yourselves before the formal implementation. Now, we can begin."

Ron grinned, looking as relaxed as if he were discussing tomorrow's dinner.

He glanced sideways at Lilith beside him, her back tense and her hands unconsciously clasped together, and spoke clearly:

"It's very simple. I designed the entire Black Language Cave. As the lord, Miss Lilith only provided the site and never interfered with my design process from beginning to end."

He spread his hands.

"Therefore, if you suspect that there are problems with the dungeon, then the responsibility lies entirely with me. I gladly accept this 'anti-testing mechanism'."

"This is a perfect opportunity to personally experience what it's like to build a dungeon with my own hands..."

His eyes even revealed a hint of genuine curiosity and anticipation.

"Honestly, I'm quite looking forward to it."

These words resonated deeply and clearly conveyed two meanings:

The responsibility lies with me.

I have no fear.

This almost arrogant openness and confidence seemed to ignite a spark of admiration even in the heart of the Balrog Lagos, forged from lava.

His deep voice unusually carried a hint of warmth:

"Sir Ron, I also wish to believe that what you say is true. However, procedures are as solid as mountains and rules as firm as iron. I hope you understand."

Cedric and Count Martel, who were standing nearby, almost thought they had misheard.

This kid... actually took all the blame and cleared Lilith of any responsibility?!

They exchanged an incredulous look—

This kid usually seems unreliable, but he actually showed such responsibility in a critical moment?

In an instant, Cedric felt an indescribable sense of guilt.

If it weren't for the necessity of protecting Lilith... he almost blurted it out.

Lilith abruptly raised her head, something bright seemed to be ignited deep within her dark red eyes, and she looked at Ron in shock.

She never expected that this vampire boy from the slums would protect her in such a direct way when faced with a life-or-death crisis.

This inherent fortitude and sense of responsibility even surpassed those self-proclaimed superiors present...

Although he always ruined her "rebate business," which was infuriating... that moment of brilliance stirred something inexplicable in her heart.

How could someone like that actually cheat?

A more determined idea quietly took root.

Seeing the complex emotions flashing in his daughter's eyes, Cedric felt a mix of feelings.

Is it relief at his daughter's growth? Or is it remorse towards Ron?

He couldn't tell himself.

He looked bitterly at the Balrog Lagos:

"High Lord, you heard what Ser Ron said! Lilith... she truly knows nothing about it! She is innocent!"

Lagos, the Balrog, gestured for him to calm down, then turned his gaze to Lilith:

"Sir Lilith, what is your wish?"

All eyes in the hall were focused on the girl with dark red hair.

Lilith took a deep breath and glanced again at her father, whose face was pale with worry.

Finally, as if breaking free of some invisible shackles, she stood even straighter, meeting the Flame Demon's gaze, her voice clear and firm, carrying a resolute determination:

"No!"

"As the dungeon lord, even if I am not fully aware of the design details... I cannot escape blame for my oversight!"

"I am willing to accept the 'anti-testing mechanism' together with my designer, Sir Ron! Whatever the outcome, we will share the responsibility!"

Cedric felt a wave of darkness wash over him, a mixture of pride and despair washing over him.

My daughter has truly grown up. She has chosen to take on her own responsibilities and no longer hides under her father's wing!

But the price to pay for this responsibility may be too heavy!

Ron snapped his fingers and excitedly gave Lilith a thumbs-up, flashing a bright smile that revealed his pearly white teeth.

"Miss Lilith! You truly are my wonderful boss! Thumbs up!"

Lilith rolled her eyes at him, then turned her head away, her ears burning slightly.

That bastard, what time is it and he's still talking nonsense!

Chapter 67 Preparation for the Challenge

Ron withdrew his thumb, puffed out his chest, and looked intently at the Balrog Lagos:

"Great Lord, what do you need us to do next? Let's get started. I can't wait to go back and see my 'masterpiece'."

The massive body of the Balrog Lagos slowly rose from its seat, lava flowing between the grooves of its skin, and walked slowly toward the two.

His tall figure cast a heavy shadow over the two of them, and his voice was deep and solemn:

"Since you two have made up your minds, then..."

"You will have three days to assemble a five-person team! After three days, it will be your time to prove yourselves!"

He paused for a moment, then emphasized the rules:

"During this period, the Black Language Cave will be completely sealed off, and all adjustment permissions will be frozen—it will remain exactly as it was when the last adventurer left, without any change."

Upon hearing this, Ron scratched his head, somewhat puzzled:

"Great Lord, there's another question. My level and Miss Lilith's level... are definitely above LV10, right?"

"Even if we bring our teammates in and clear the dungeon by overwhelming them with our levels, wouldn't that be very unconvincing to those level 10 adventurers? That wouldn't be fair to them!"

"puff--!"

One vampire count, who was drinking tea in the crowd, couldn't resist and sprayed his precious scarlet wine onto his expensive velvet scarf.

Almost everyone stared at Ron with a look of schadenfreude—

With life and death looming, this kid is still thinking about "fairness"? Considering his opponent's experience?!

Count Bacchus's face was as dark as the clouds before a storm.

Pack! Keep pretending!

They've buried level 40 monsters in the dungeon and they still pretend to be fair?!

Lilith was both amused and exasperated by his self-righteous "declaration of fairness," which eased her initial tension somewhat.

However, Ron's absurd focus actually dispelled the last trace of doubt in her heart—

Would someone who's so meticulous about "fair competition rules" really cheat? Ridiculous!