-It should not be a problem.
Paul stated after looking at the equations.
As it turned out, the difficulty level was not so high, since the most difficult one was still at the elementary school level.
Of course, you first had to know which symbol represented which number.
With that in mind, he took out a piece of paper and started working on the solutions.
The ladies, on the other hand, focused on clearing out all the belongings of the dead and storing their bones to bury them later, assuming they managed to leave this place.
-This makes no sense.
Cai Xuan stated as they worked.
-What do you mean?
Her aunt asked.
-How did they all run out of food when, according to what we know, they were supposed to be returned to their realms when the ruins closed?
The girl asked.
-The most obvious explanation is that this place is excluded from that rule, or the other option might be that time flows way slower in here than it does outside.
Cai Mei answered.
She was just guessing, since they had no proof to support either possibility, but these were the two most obvious answers.
An hour later, Paul solved the last equation and wrote down the result, completing the combination for the lock.
By that time, the ladies had finished collecting everything, leaving the room empty.
The ladies looked at all the calculations he wrote down on the paper, and it meant absolutely nothing to any of them.
-These calculations are like nothing I ever saw.
Ling Li commented, trying very hard to understand even a bit of what Paul had written down.
-In my previous world, these were the basics taught to the children in school.
However, the symbols for the numbers in this world are way different, so, naturally, you can't figure them out.
The man answered and approached the wall with the inscription.
-What are you doing?
Cai Xuan asked, surprised by his actions.
-I'm leaving the translation and the solutions to each equation.
That way, even if more people get thrown in here, they won't be trapped.
He explained as he used earth magic to inscribe the text, the equations, and the solutions.
Once he was done, he approached the door and started entering the numbers into the lock, one after another, while paying attention not to make any mistakes.
It wasn't like he could not regenerate his hand, but he doubted he'd enjoy the sensation of his hand being cut off.
Once he entered the last digit, the door clicked and opened, reveling a long corridor behind it.
Did you get everything?
Paul asked the ladies, who all nodded, and took another look at the now empty room.
-Then let's go.
He said and walked first, before the door even opened fully.
The door closed behind them the moment they walked through it, leaving them no way to retreat, as there was no mechanism on this side, so they could only go forth.
The corridor was long and wide; however, it was anything but safe.
Poisoned darts, pitfalls with steel spikes at the bottom, hidden blades popping out from the walls, petrification spells, acid falling from the ceiling, and many, many more nasty surprises awaited them.
-I really need to thank Ning Luo for scaring away our previous healer.
Yan said that when Paul was healing her leg for the sixth time this day, as she once again triggered a trap and her foot was pierced by poisoned spikes, the moment she stepped onto the trigger.
-You can say that again.
Ling Li agreed with her.
For the last few hours of walking through the corridor, they all would have died at least three times, if not more, if Paul was not there, removing poison and patching them up every time, and even detecting many traps before they triggered them.
-I, for one, hope that once we are out of this tunnel, there won't be any more traps waiting for us.
Paul commented in a tired voice.
He was running low on mana, thanks to constantly healing the women with him, and he didn't want to drink a mana potion if he could avoid it.
Luckily, they were nearing the exit.
After walking for another hour and falling in a few more traps, their group entered an enormous room with dozens of tunnels, just like the one they entered from, connected to it.
In the middle of the room stood dozens of green and blue round crystal pillars, half a meter in height and a meter and a half in diameter each.
At the center of these pillars stood a stone tablet, made from some kind of black stone and with white text engraved on it.
The text was once again written in Polish, so Paul immediately translated it for the ladies.
-You have passed two trials, and I commend you for reaching this far.
As a reward for reaching this point, you may choose to leave, or you may enter the final challenge.
If you decide to leave, then all your efforts till now were in vain; however, if you conquer the final challenge, riches and power await you.
Stand on the blue crystal to leave, or stand on the green one to enter the trial; the choice is yours, as are the consequences.
-We are leaving.
Paul decided on the spot, before any of the ladies could utter a single word.
-But we came this far.
Ling Li protested.
-And that's precisely why we are leaving.
No matter what the reward for this final challenge is, it is not worth our lives.
Paul explained.
-Think about it.
Every trial in this place is either deadly or impossible to undertake if you are not from my home country.
This tells me that the final trial will be almost suicidal, and I don't have a death wish.
He added.
-But the reward…
Ling Li tried to persuade him.
-Is worthless if we won't be around to collect it.
Moreover, we already gained a lot from the corpses we found, and some of them should be from the higher realms, so it's not like we are leaving empty-handed.
-Princess, it's better to listen to him.
In the end, Paul is the only reason we are all alive right now.
Cai Mei sided with Paul.
Cai Xuan also nodded, supporting Paul's choice.
-Your Highness, they are right.
Yan chimed in.
-We cannot guarantee your safety if we continue with these challenges.
Rong added.
-Truth be told, we would all be dead by now if it weren't for Paul's efforts.
She added.
-Alright, let's get out of here.
The princess finally relented, seeing that all of them were against continuing the trials.
-A wise choice.
A voice came from the stone tablet, and a moment later, a ghostlike avatar of an old man appeared before them.