Gamers of the Underworld (Web Novel)

Chapter 537 Public Beta Version 1.0 Part Two

[Version 1.0 Public Beta Update Log]

“Dear gamers! After more than half a year of beta testing, we are honored to announce the official start of the Public Beta testing. We won’t restrict the number of gamers. The gamers should read our official website and purchase our gaming capsules. Then they can enter the game and experience something new! The following is the updated content.

We expanded our main servers: The 5,000 gamer limit of Eternal Kingdom and Victoria City will be removed. To balance the two factions, we will still control the numbers for each faction. When the ratio is out of balance, we will shut down the Faction Change System. Until then, gamers will have the freedom to switch factions.

We opened up the World Exploration System: Gamers can explore the world at will. We have an unlimited world for the gamers to explore. Your exploration behavior could cause permanent changes in the world. Besides the terrain and environment, you can also change the relationships with NPCs and the balance of power in the world.

We opened up the Territory System: Gamers can build their own Strongholds, countries, or Empires within designated boundaries. All of these territories shall belong to either Eternal Kingdom or Victoria City. The gamers shall swear their allegiance to either Lord Sherlock or Queen Victoria. All income in the territories will be taxed.

We will open up the NPC Hostility System: The NPCs of both opposing factions will have hostility. They will attack the gamers on sight. Some NPCs will provide Strange Encounter Missions to the gamers. It’s up to the gamers to explore and trigger the missions.

We opened up various professions: Besides the basics, such as Mana Engineer, Carpenter, Blacksmith, Chef, and Tailor, gamers can learn whatever profession they desire as long as they find an appropriate mentor in the outside world. The learning period for picking up a skill is long and could take up your entire gaming life. Learning many skills will take up a lot of time, so it’s important to concentrate on one skill.

We will continue with our previous types of gameplay, including the Instance Dungeons and the powerful BOSSES, especially new Ogre BOSSES. A successful challenge will yield a Mana Skills Book.

After we defeated Frangipani, the Specter energy of Specter College diminished. However, gamers are still needed to clear the area. The Specters encountered in the Basic Instance Dungeon won’t be as powerful as before, but there will be more of them. This is to help new gamers familiarize themselves with the environment and to help them accumulate equipment.

The new Instance Dungeon at Specter College will be available after a later announcement.

We invented a new Mana Device, internet TV: Due to the requirements of PVP, we will use the Mana Device to live stream the gamers’ PVP. The Mana Devices aren’t limited to the gamers. NPCs will also have the chance to own one. Powerful gamers can obtain NPC fans via such a device.

The gameplay in the Arena will be enriched. For more types of gameplay, please read the announcements on the official website.

We may have a World Tournament for the game. We are now in negotiation with various commercial vendors. Gamers can obtain generous cash prizes by winning the tournament.

But don’t forget your world mission, which is to help Lord Sherlock build the great Eternal Kingdom!

We updated the relationship between Victoria City and the Godly Kingdom: Due to certain incidents, the neutral stance between Victoria City and the Godly Kingdom has turned hostile. The soldiers of the Godly Kingdom outside Victoria Forest are now enemies. All gamers of Victoria City and Eternal Kingdom can attack them.

We updated a new NPC state, employed Little Fairy Princess: The previously enslaved Little Fairy is now an employee of Eternal Kingdom. She will be teaching Potion Concoction. All gamers can learn Potion Concoction from her.

There are new pieces of equipment and various types of gameplay, but due to the space limit, they won’t be discussed. You will be facing a brand new world. Please explore freely and bring forth a better future.

Don’t forget to do your Daily Missions!”

The new announcement wasn’t complicated and wasn’t as detailed as previous announcements. There weren’t many changes after Beta Testing. The main change was the increase in gamer count that allowed Sherlock to enslave more gamers to help him build a great Dungeon.

Sherlock had prepared many interesting types of gameplay so that the gamers could be happy while helping Sherlock build a great Dungeon.

“Lord Sherlock, you’re awesome. After releasing the Public Beta, you’re able to make them work wholeheartedly for you and squeeze them dry. Do you intend to open a new Instance Dungeon at Specter College? Professor Bacon is now the principal of Specter College, but if you want to cooperate with Specter College, it may be difficult. The parents of the students will be very concerned about the safety of their children. If safety isn’t guaranteed, they may create trouble at the college.”

Like Bru said, the collaboration between Sherlock and Specter College involved dangerous projects, so the students weren’t 100% safe.

Therefore, it was normal for graduating students to face some elements of danger.

If the new students had to face unnecessary danger during their normal coursework, it would be unacceptable to their parents.

The behavior of the gamers was unpredictable and uncontrollable. However, the gamers couldn’t challenge the Instance Dungeon without attacking the Specters. The gamers couldn’t be expected to be punching bags either. If the gamers killed the students who were having daily classes, it would tarnish the reputation of Specter College.

Sherlock replied casually to Bru, “I’ve considered your questions and discussed them with Professor Bacon. Though it may be slightly dangerous for common students to be exposed to the gamers, if Specter College can cultivate capable Liches, the risk is insignificant. We can make prior preparations to prevent the students from fighting the gamers on their own. Then there won’t be too much of a risk.”

Bru quickly said, “Those gamers are familiar with Specter College. If they are allowed to interact with the new students and if things get out of control…”

“No more pointless speculation. Our collaboration with Specter College is only beneficial to us. Even if the gamers cause the death of the students, the risk is still within an acceptable range.”

Sherlock said, “Those graduated Liches are most likely coming to Eternal Kingdom.”

“Wait, Lord Sherlock, what do you mean? Why are those graduated Liches coming to our Dungeon? From my understanding, you’ll not employ them with a high salary.”

Bru asked in surprise, and Sherlock smiled and said, “I won’t employ so many Liches since I already have Brainiac. Why would I employ them?”

“Lord Sherlock, your intention is…”

Bru asked curiously, and Sherlock said, “The gamers will employ them. Since we opened up the Lord Overseer System to let the gamers build their Strongholds, we have to arrange manpower for them. I can levy manpower charges on the gamers.”

Sherlock spoke cheerfully. He could imagine the Magic Stones flowing into his pockets when the gamers paid the salary of their employees. The more employees the gamers had, the more Magic Stones Sherlock would earn.

Sherlock had another chance to earn passive income. How could he not be happy?

Bru said with admiration, “You’re indeed Lord Sherlock. Only you could think of such money-making schemes. I thought you opened up the Lord Overseer System because you were thinking of enriching their gaming experience. I thought that once the Lord Overseer System was opened up, there would be fewer chances for the gamers to work. However, if they maintain their territory and recruit more and more NPCs to work in their territory, Lord Sherlock will be able to impose levies on the gamers. Only Lord Sherlock could think of such a brilliant idea.”

Bru was sincere and didn’t sound like he was fawning.

Previously, Sherlock’s policy was having the gamers create wealth and obtaining income from death compensation.

After opening up the Territory System, the gamers could create their own cities, recruit their own employees, and assimilate the local inhabitants. The wealth created by the local inhabitants and the employees could also be taxed by Sherlock.

The income earned would be faster than just squeezing the gamers alone. The gamers were also elevated from exploited employees to stakeholders.

The gamers were those who had the capability to create their own territory and Kingdom.

Sherlock had many matters to deal with. For example, dealing with the member of the 72 Devils hidden in Evelynn’s body, discussing collaboration with Specter College, promoting the internet TV with the Gladiator Arena, and preparing for the new gamers of the Public Beta. According to the registration counter on the official website and the gaming capsule purchase data, there were more than 10,000 gamers. The actual count could be a hundred times more than that.

It was also possible to reach 1,000 times more!

Sherlock’s preparations couldn’t be completed quickly. To properly prepare, Sherlock arranged for the Public Beta to be held three days later.

The three days would be sufficient time for the gaming capsules to be delivered to the new gamers.

The detailed preparations were:

No. 1: Strengthen the system’s control over the gamers. Upgrading the Dungeon Core would solve this issue. The upgraded Dungeon Core could locate the gamers with precision and perceive what the gamers were doing and seeing. That was what Bru couldn’t do previously. He had to focus all of his energy to do distant surveillance on the gamers.

No. 2: Upgrade the Dungeon Core’s control on the gamers. That was the most important point. If control was lost over the gamers, their erratic behavior would cause unknown effects to the world that would be detrimental to Sherlock.

Sherlock wanted to create the greatest Dungeon. He had no intention to make enemies with the Surface World and Underworld.

No. 3: Refine the world view of the game. Sherlock’s world was a real world, but to the gamers, it was a game world. The most important thing was for the gamers to have a sense of belonging and a great sense of entertainment. To the gamers, becoming the savior of the world and a famous and great character were the greatest motivations.