And here we go! Sorry for stepping out for a bit, got the new Shantae game and it is an absolute delight, just like the rest of that series. Anyway, we've got things to do, don't we? And they are...

Spoiler: Wait for It...

[X] The Peak: You were already this close, why not reach the top? Bet the View would be GREAT!
[X] The Abandoned Mine: Leads deeper into the Mountain, directly beneath where you parked

Excellent choices.

Still don't own anything. Never have, probably never will. Available here, is a link to my P A Treon. And if you're looking for something not once a month try here, which is a link to a pool, for those of you looking to commission or just some incentive for me. If these links aren't available, check my profiles! Any of em! Consider yourself informed.

Now let's kick things off, shall we?

Well, you were already this close, why not?

After debating for a moment on where to go, you shrugged and thought up was as valid an option as ever, even if the siren song of uncut maple syrup was tempting. Maybe you could take a tour or a few 'samples' after you were done? Assuming you were alive by that point.

"Wow, does it say some things about my lifestyle that that's a legitimate thought..." You muttered while 'rocket' jumping along the tree tops, aided by the Third-Arm Sash guiding you to stable landings and Wing Road starting and stopping to create small bursts of air for extra distance.

Within around 15 minutes, you were now surveying the world of white, green, and and other coloured specks below you, a breathtaking sight both from the view, and no small part the altitude. Unfortunately, from this high up, the only thing you'd be able to see in any real detail would be your fingers developing frostbite...IS WHAT YOU'D SAY IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE AN EAGLE SCOPE!

Roll 1d100 Perception, -70 due to weather: 70 - 70AUTO-PASS due to Eagle scope!

Thanks, over prepping and prior risk taking leading to advantages later! You make life worth living!

Thanks to the power of the EAGLE SCOPE!, you could actually see what looked to be a small shrine about twenty feet away from where you were, something you'd never have been able to notice under the layers of ice and snow, marked aside from any other random pile by the sharp stones sticking upward and the dips of red along the bottom rim.

As you approached the structure with a casual care and silent whistle, you twitched at what you saw propped up within it.

There, on what was unmistakably an alter, was a 3-D version of a cartoon designed heart, covered with pulsing red lines that, when he looked closely at it, seemed to be patterned like a guy flexing.

That would have been that, you trekking back down unamused at the seeming prank, if not for Wuya suddenly popping out of your coat and nearly making you slip into the deep snow at the sudden unnatural chill the witch sent through your very being, despite the heavy layers you were wearing.

"Unbelievable. Simply unexpected, beyond a shadow of doubt. Congratulations Jack, you've managed to stumble across the Heart of Jong." Wuya tittered as she floated in tight circles around the now named heart.

With great care and now quite a bit more awareness, you picked up the Heart, and gave it a long look.

"Hey, it's just named that, right? Like, this wasn't someone's actual heart, or something, right? Cause I can feel it beating..." You nervously asked, fingers almost trying to squeeze the Wu alongside the steady beat he felt pulse from it.

You nearly threw it away upon the answer, instead carefully handing it to the Third-Arm Sash where it wrapped around the pseudo-organ, leaving you resolved to burn your hand clean when this was all over with.

Still, this was absolutely a net positive, and you'd never been one to turn down free anything, much less mystical items you could immediately see taking full advantage of.

So it could be forgiven if you were feeling much better about your choices as you walked into what looked like an abandoned mine shaft, Wuya striding beside you looking over the wall supports and lights barely flickering on the walls, while a small congigent of Jack-Bots followed close behind, shining their own lights forward and 'equipping' the odd pick-axe that had been left behind. God, the day you discovered Dwarf Fortress was great and terrible, for many reasons.

Hopefully this won't end in a magma-y death or having to console your bots when they inevitably realize they can't imbibe liquors quite like you. Shame, that.

Soon, after checking the walls routinely for any possible deposits that might have been missed, and finding not even copper dust, came across a pump elevator shaft. What a great time to have untiring robot labor.

So, you decided to go to...

CHOOSE 1 OF THE BELOW

[] The Second 'Floor': Lodging and Logistics

[] The Third 'Floor': Mining Levels A-H

[] The Fourth 'Floor': Mining Levels I-Q

[] The Fifth 'Floor': Mining Levels R-Z

[] Illegible Writing Marks the Wall

END OF CHOICE

END OF CHAPTER

GAINS!

Heart of Jong: A One time payment of 30 Chi allows the Heart of Jong to be inserted into ANY inanimate object and grant it both sapience and sentience. This brings with it a minor loyalty trait to whoever activates the Wu, but this quickly wears off without positive interaction or if they object itself gains other priories hat do not mesh with its 'user'. Instant Real Boy, Just Add Boy!

END OF GAINS!

Wooo! Ya did it! Did ya? Yes, ya did! Seriously though, nice job, you found one of the side Wu! First one too, and it's a doozy too! And since you have it now, I can tell you what WOULD have happened if you didn't! Upon its activation, the Heart of Jong would have sank into that 'alter' it was on, and given birth to General Mountain! You could probably guess what would follow that. So, we just upended a MAJOR plan, good job! Can't wait to see if there's fallout from that!

So, with my generally foreboding words out of the way, cheers!