Building My Empire in the Frozen Apocalypse (Riley Carter) novel Chapter 80

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Chapter 80 Ambush in the Darkness

Chapter 80 Ambush in the Darkness

The old mine cart groaned and squealed as its rusted wheels turned.

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Though Neeko was small, she was surprisingly strong–strong enough to push the heavy cart along the tracks.

Noticing Riley watching her, Neeko pointed eagerly at the cart, then at the pile of coal on the ground. Her meaning was clear: load it up and haul it back.

Riley couldn’t help but smile. “Good thinking, Neeko.”

She was limited by her own stamina, but Neeko wasn’t. Letting Neeko handle the mining and hauling meant Riley wouldn’t be held back. It did feel a little like exploiting child labor–like she was turning into some greedy corporate boss.

“Let’s hold off on hauling for now,” Riley said, dusting coal residue from her hands. “We should check what’s further in.”

She pulled a basic portable lantern from her inventory. It was a special design she’d crafted from a blueprint–reliable even in harsh conditions, giving off a steady glow and a faint warmth that helped in the icy wind and snow.

This mine clearly stretched beyond the entrance. Deeper in, the tunnel continued into darkness.

Having come this far, Riley would’ve felt shortchanged if she didn’t explore to the end.

“Shh… keep quiet.”

She signaled to Neeko, then stowed the lantern.

Moving carefully, one after the other, they stepped deeper into the shadows of the mine.

The farther they went, the heavier the darkness grew.

After about two or three hundred yards, as they rounded a bend, a sound reached them from ahead.

“Clang… clang…”

Metal striking rock.

It came in a steady rhythm, clear and unmistakable in the silent tunnel.

Someone else is here.

Riley stopped immediately, pulling Neeko back against the cold stone wall.

“Maybe other survivors from the nearby reset zone,” she murmured. With the regional refresh, running io neighbors was bound to happen sooner or later.

If they were just ordinary survivors, they could keep their distance–maybe even trade supplies down the

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Chapter 80 Ambush in the Darkness

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line.

She edged forward and peered around the corner, using the faint reflected light from deeper in the tunnel.

A lanky, scrawny man stood with his back to her, breathing heavily as he hacked at the rock face.

He wore what looked like a thick winter coat and a hard hat fitted with a headlamp.

Riley didn’t recognize him, but her gaze turned cold the moment she spotted the armored piece on his right shoulder.

It was a dark red metal pauldron.

Spray–painted across it in black was a crescent moon emblem.

“Nightfall…”

She mouthed the name silently.

When that bald guy died earlier, he’d been wearing similar gear–though as a low–level leader, his pauldron had been slightly more detailed. The man ahead had standard–issue armor, but the symbol was unmistakable.

“It’s them.”

Riley quietly drew her “Storm Splitter Dual Axes” from her belt. Her mindset shifted instantly from exploration to combat.

Running into regular survivors was one thing–a coincidence. Running into Nightfall was another: enemies on a narrow path.

That guild was known for ambushing and looting. They wouldn’t let a lone survivor walk away.

Not to mention she’d already crossed paths with them several times in the dungeons.

She signaled to Neeko behind her.

Instead of rushing, they began closing the distance slowly, staying low and quiet.

Just then, the skinny man paused his work.

Seeming worn out, he leaned against the wall to catch his breath, then swiped a few times in the air–the telltale motion of pulling up the system interface.

His voice echoed through the hollow mine as he sent a voice message.

“Hey–what’s the holdup back at camp?”

His tone was sharp and irritated. “I’m out here scouting solo while you all kick back and relax.”

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