Shen Qin had always known that Bennett's luck was terrible, but he didn't expect it to be this bad. He began questioning whether it was even safe to let Bennett lead the way—especially considering the unfortunate fates of Bennett's former teammates.
The first victim of Bennett's misfortune was Jack. They were mere steps from a treasure when a rare geo-elemental flood suddenly carved a massive canyon between them and the treasure. Although Jack only sustained minor injuries, his spirit was crushed.
Another team member, Royce, was knocked unconscious by an unexpected explosion in a cave.
Then there was Heckler, who joined the Bennett Adventure Team and suffered a week of relentless food poisoning immediately after.
Nearly all of Bennett's former teammates had suffered mishaps just by being near him.
"Maybe… maybe I should take the lead instead?" Shen Qin's voice quivered.
"Have you studied ruins before?" Bennett asked curiously.
To be fair, alchemists often dabbled in various fields, and the study of ruins was no exception. Many alchemists explored their history, construction techniques, and internal structures in detail.
"Not exactly," Shen Qin admitted.
"Then leave it to me!" Bennett declared confidently—only to immediately step on a pressure plate. The floor opened beneath him, and he plummeted into a pit bristling with sharp spikes.
Quickly grabbing his borrowed hoverboard, Bennett balanced on the spikes with his feet planted on its edges. Unfortunately, two spikes pierced straight through the hoverboard.
"Ha!" With a firm grip on the pit's edge, Bennett vaulted back up, glider in hand. "See? My adventuring skills are top-notch when danger strikes!"
He held up the board, now with two gaping holes, and looked pitifully at Shen Qin. "Can this be fixed?"
"This… doesn't seem repairable," Shen Qin said, pitying him.
"Does your promise still stand?"
"Absolutely."
Shen Qin sighed in relief. Despite everything, it was clear Bennett was better equipped to deal with sudden dangers. If it had been him who fell into the trap, the spikes might've ended his journey permanently.
Bennett ─ Navigating the Ruins
The trap only occupied half of the corridor's width. With solid ground on either side, they easily bypassed it and continued. Soon, they reached a fork in the path.
Bennett wanted to take the left passage, but Shen Qin firmly dragged him toward the right.
It was common knowledge that choosing the opposite of Bennett's instincts often led to better outcomes.
"You don't trust my expertise?" Bennett asked, a little disgruntled.
Unknown to him, an old rumor from the Adventurers' Guild suggested that "as long as you do the opposite of what Bennett chooses, your adventure will go smoothly."
Still, their chosen path led them safely to another fork in the road.
"Where now?" Shen Qin smirked.
Annoyed, Bennett decided to switch tactics. "Left!" he announced confidently.
"Then we'll go right," Shen Qin replied, grinning.
They ventured down the right path and were surprised when it led to a room filled with deadly traps. Hundreds of arrows shot out from hidden holes in the walls. Bennett reacted quickly, pulling Shen Qin back, but not without earning a small scratch on his leg.
"You see? We should've gone left," Bennett said, expertly wrapping his injury with a strip of cloth.
Speechless, Shen Qin reluctantly agreed. They returned to the fork and took the left passage, which, to Shen Qin's dismay, was completely safe.
"Maybe his luck isn't as bad as they say," Shen Qin muttered, deeply embarrassed.
Bennett ─ Confrontation with the Abyss
At the third fork, Bennett turned to Shen Qin with a smug look. "So, how about we go with my choice this time?"
"Fine."
Bennett was about to suggest the left path but reconsidered. "We'll take the right path," he said slyly, thinking he'd outsmarted the curse of his own misfortune.
For a while, the path seemed clear, and Bennett began to relax. But soon, faint voices reached their ears, echoing from the tunnel ahead.
At the end of the passage was an open chamber. In its center stood a large cauldron over a flickering fire, emitting eerie black smoke. Surrounding the cauldron were four Abyss Mages—Pyro, Hydro, Cryo, and Electro—all chanting an ancient ritual in unison.
"What are they doing?" Bennett whispered.
Shen Qin didn't answer immediately. Instead, he focused on deciphering the mages' chanting.
"D… Dvalin...!" Shen Qin's eyes widened in shock. "They're targeting the East Wind Dragon, Dvalin! That cauldron must be brewing a potion to corrupt him!"
"What?! They're plotting against one of the Four Winds?" Bennett exclaimed, equally astonished. He knew the sheer power Dvalin possessed.
"Dvalin is vulnerable right now. If they succeed, they could control him and unleash chaos upon Mondstadt. But if we—hey, hey! Where are you going?!" Shen Qin shouted as Bennett boldly strode into the room.
"If I know their plan, how can I let them succeed?" Bennett said, turning back to flash a dazzling smile. His Pyro Vision lit up at his waist, and flames engulfed his sword.
"Wait! That's a Pyro Abyss Mage! You're at a disadvantage—" Shen Qin's warning fell on deaf ears.
Bennett charged forward, his fiery sword raised high. The Fire Abyss Mage calmly teleported into his path, raising its staff to activate a fire shield.
Bennett's flaming sword slammed into the shield with a loud clang—only to snap in two.
The Abyss Mages burst into mocking laughter.
Shen Qin ran forward, pulling Bennett back. "Where did you even get that cheap one-handed sword?!" he yelled, pulling two miniature bombs from his coat. He threw them at the entrance to the chamber, collapsing the tunnel behind them and cutting off the Abyss Mages' pursuit. (T/N: Bro have the legendary dull blade)