Gamers of the Underworld (Web Novel)

Arthur and his team of five gathered at the crossroad intersection outpost. They weren’t in a hurry to queue up at the entrance of the Instance Dungeon. Instead, they bought sufficient tonics and the feed for the Darting Birds.

They had an important activity today. They were going to follow the gamers of Victoria City to see if they could explore the Surface World.

The gamers of Victoria City were able to enter the Underworld via the crossroad intersection outpost. As the Surface World gamers could enter the Underworld, there was no reason the gamers of Eternal Kingdom couldn’t go to the Surface World.

There weren’t many areas around Victoria City for exploration, and there were limited places for hunting monsters, but it didn’t dampen the gamers’ exploration spirit.

The gamers of Victoria City were mainly accumulating wood and mining rocks and ores. They had only discovered the nearby Goldshire Town and the York Territory. The gamers set off in a bid to attack the York Territory, but they were delayed by the attacking Wyvern and were still hunting it.

It wasn’t possible to capture the Wyvern now. Therefore, Lancelot was gathering the gamers to continue their war campaign against the Duke of York. After building a Teleport Portal outpost near the Duke of York, they would start the attack.

The gamers of Eternal Kingdom wanted to let the gamers of Victoria City lead the way to the Surface World Teleport Portal, but the gamers of Victoria City didn’t want to do that. That was what the big Guilds decided.

However, there were no secrets in the game, especially when the information was out in the open. The gamers of Victoria City had used the surface path many times.

Arthur didn’t spend much money to obtain information about the surface paths from the individual gamers of Victoria City. He even found a guide.

When Arthur and his team arrived at the entrance of the crossroad intersection outpost, there were tens of gamers from Victoria City waiting for them. Arthur’s remuneration was attractive. Even though the Guild members of Victoria City declined Arthur’s offer, there were tens of individual gamers who were willing to lead Arthur and his team to the Surface World.

A gamer of Victoria City came over and spoke, but Arthur couldn’t understand. The gamer looked at Arthur’s expression and understood it. He pondered for a while before speaking to Arthur again.

“Are you ready?” The gamer of Victoria City spoke in Mandarin.

The languages of Eternal Kingdom and Victoria City were different. However, they were using Mandarin in the real world. To speak Mandarin in the game was no easy feat.

The game setting was such that each gamer had their faction language. If they didn’t think it through before speaking, it would be the Underworld or Surface World language instead of Mandarin.

If the gamer thought clearly, they would be able to speak Mandarin.

“No problem. Let’s go,” Arthur said to the tens of gamers before him.

“Yes, please keep it a secret. Don’t divulge our names. The Guild members of Victoria City don’t allow us to lead the way,” a gamer of Victoria City said to Arthur.

“Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone. Even if it’s divulged, there won’t be any big problems. I heard a few large Guilds have found gamers from Victoria City to lead the way to the Surface World,” BurningChestHair said.

“I don’t wish for the other gamers to detest us. Most of the Guild members of Victoria City didn’t want us to lead the way for you.”

“Okay, I understand. We won’t tell on you. Let’s go,” Sylvanas said to the Victorian gamers.

They set off. They had only left the crossroad intersection outpost for a while before a group of Guild members noticed them.

They were Guild members of Changan City, who were the open enemies of the Pioneer Alliance. Changan City was also an influential Guild in the top five Guilds of Eternal Kingdom. It was extremely hostile to the Pioneer Alliance, which was the top Guild in Eternal Kingdom.

In a Guild conflict, they would use all sorts of ways to diminish their opponents. The leading members of the Pioneer Alliance were far away from the Revival Point, making this the best chance to ambush them.

And they were well prepared.

…

Sherlock was in the Merchant Alliance’s manor interrogating the suspects with Nicholas.

Nicholas and Sherlock captured two Gnomes and an Orc of the Northern Dukedom immediately after obtaining information on them. They were subjecting the suspects to a cruel interrogation.

Sherlock didn’t participate in the actual interrogation. He sat in the Waiting Hall while observing the sporadic flashes of Sacred Light. He couldn’t help but turn his head away. This was horrifying. The Merchant Alliance really had their way with such a terrifying interrogation method. Were the suspects being forced to do examination questions?

The surprising thing was that the three suspects weren’t giving up any useful information even though they were subjected to such a terrifying method.

They were obstinate. That was what the Merchant Alliance staff said when they passed by the Waiting Hall.

Sherlock was very patient. He didn’t require any sleep, so he stayed in the Waiting Hall even though Nicholas invited him to the room to rest. Sherlock only shook his head and let Nicholas have his rest while he continued waiting. Outsiders thought Sherlock was concerned about the safety of his staff, so he wanted to obtain information firsthand. After all, the suspects intended to attack Evelynn and killed the Sludge Monster of the Northern Dukedom.

Who knew if the suspects would strike against other staff members of Sherlock?

That was what the Merchant Alliance staff thought.

When it was late at night, most of the staff had returned to rest. Only the interrogator was still questioning the suspects. The Waiting Hall that Sherlock was in dimmed down. It was like a layer of black cover engulfing the hall. Even the air became dense and sticky, and it started becoming hard to breathe.

The staff who stayed in the Waiting Hall collapsed to the ground. Only Sherlock and his parrot, which was on his shoulder, were intact.

Under the wavering light cast by the shaking lamp on the wall, an octopus figure crawled slowly on the wall.

The black figure moved and occupied the entire wall, and the dark shadows expanded as though they were growing into objects.

The black objects fell to the ground and gathered together. Sherlock didn’t move, but his pet parrot flew and circled the room’s ceiling.

After the parrot circled one round and landed on Sherlock’s shoulder, he extended his hand and stroked the parrot’s chin.

“Ignorant Devil, I heard you were looking for me.”

The dark figure fell to the ground and emitted chaotic noises.

“You were nearby. I thought Alexandria would look for me personally,” Sherlock said without emotion to the dark figure.

“Alexandria? Do you think that the small lad is ordering me about? I’m only collaborating with him. Don’t think I’m his subordinate. I don’t think too highly of Alexandria.” The dark figure wavered as he spoke to Sherlock.

“I see. I don’t think you’re from the Devil Management Committee. Are you from the Ancient Gods army?”

Sherlock nodded and said, “I thought one of the Seven Devils was involved. I didn’t expect the Ancient Gods army to be involved as well.”

“Looks like I underestimated you. How did you recognize me so fast? It was no accident that Frangipani was killed by you.”

The dark figure laughed in an unpleasant voice. Sherlock interrupted him and asked, “Since you were willing to meet, we’ll have a good discussion. I don’t have any special hate or dislike for the Ancient Gods army, but the Ancient Gods were sealed. You won’t be able to do any rash things. I hope you’ll stop harassing me. I’m just a normal superior Devil who wants to earn some money.”

Sherlock didn’t think too highly of the recent deeds of the Ancient Gods army. However, he didn’t think it was a big deal for the Ancient Gods army to attack Winterfell or to revive Frangipani.

“Just a normal superior Devil? That’s a hilarious joke. The plans of the Ancient Gods army for this year were wrecked by you. Even the revival of Frangipani was disrupted by you. If I didn’t know what you have done, I would have believed your lies.”

The dark figure had solidified into a physical mass. He looked like a Sludge Monster who was stained with black ink. But there was a difference between him and a Sludge Monster. A Sludge Monster had facial features and obvious limbs, but the dark creature did not.

“Thank you for your compliments. However, we don’t have much time.”

Sherlock said, “Tell me. How can I stop you from harassing my staff and me?”

“You are enlightened. Are you giving up fighting us? The Ancient Gods army is reasonable. As long as you’re not a threat to us, we have no intention of antagonizing you. Frangipani was killed by you. Under these circumstances, we couldn’t come to an agreement. But now, if you’re willing to give up Evelynn, we won’t take revenge.”

“I see. Do you know what’s inside Evelynn’s body?” Sherlock nodded and asked.

“Of course. That’s the crux to reviving Michelangelo,” the dark figure smiled and said.

Sherlock frowned and asked, “Even the Ancient Gods army is showing interest in Michelangelo? He was the superior Devil that sealed the Ancient Gods. I don’t see how the revival of Michelangelo is of any help to the Ancient Gods.”

“There are no eternal foes in this world, Lord Sherlock. The past Liches were loyal servants of the Ancient Gods army, but aren’t they on the same side as you?”

“Hmm, I understand. I’ll act according to what you’ve said. The creature can’t be extracted out easily. Come, I’ll give you a gift as a token of our agreement,” Sherlock said as he extended his hand and looked at the dark figure.

“A gift? Are you joining our Ancient Gods army? If you join us, there’s a large hamper…” the dark figure said as he walked to Sherlock.

Sherlock suddenly grabbed the body of the dark figure with his hand, which slowly dissolved into the dark figure.

The dark figure started shaking, but he was unable to speak. He felt a strange power attacking his awareness and penetrating the deepest part of him.

The eyes of Sherlock lit up, and the world before his eyes started to travel at light speed.

He saw countless Gnomes, Orcs, Werewolves, and other high-level races. They were cleaners cleaning the streets, waiters working in cafes, shopkeepers in a toddler’s product shop, adventurers exploring the wilderness, and staff members working for the Merchant Alliance.

In the images that Sherlock saw, everyone was a normal creature. But Sherlock knew that they were related to the Ancient Gods army. They were hidden believers of the Ancient Gods.

They weren’t the targets of Sherlock. His vision traveled towards the depths of the tunnel.

His vision came before a face in the depths.

The creature sensed the presence of Sherlock. He turned around in terror and wanted to hide from Sherlock’s vision.

However, Sherlock had already seen his face.

When Sherlock was about to take action, a dark mass disrupted his connection.

Sherlock’s awareness was being expelled from the connections to these creatures.

When Sherlock opened his eyes, the dark figure was like the killed Sludge Monster. The body had become black mud and fell to the ground.

“Ignorant Devil. You’re fooling with the Ancient Gods army. You’ll pay a heavy price for your actions. You and the creatures around you will become the stepping stones for the return of the Ancient Gods army.”

The dark figure transformed into a pool of dark water that slowly seeped into the ground and vanished.

“Lord Sherlock, are you alright? Is there any special discovery?” the parrot asked with concern as it flew to Sherlock’s shoulder after regaining awareness.

“Nothing. It’s more complicated than I thought, and I saw many familiar faces. I feel I have to question Frangipani,” Sherlock said as he nodded.

“Frangipani? The tortoise that you captured? Please pardon my frankness, but if you intend to obtain information from him, it might be easier to destroy his shell and eat his flesh.”

The parrot paced on Sherlock’s shoulder and almost slipped. Phoenix said, “That creature isn’t easy to deal with. Even if you kill him, he might not tell us the information.”

“Thank you for your reminder. If I fail, I’ll treat everyone to a tortoise banquet,” Sherlock said as he stood up. He then walked outside the hall.

…

“What? Are you saying that the barbarians hiding in the forest are gathering their forces to attack my Castle!?”

The Duke of York couldn’t believe it. A resident from Goldshire Town was reporting the movements of the Victorians to the Duke of York.

Just like Guinevere, who provided information to Victoria City, some residents of Goldshire Town weren’t against the Duke of York. Some residents who wanted the gold and rewards would provide information to the Duke of York.

The gamers would brag about their intention to attack the Duke of York. This kind of information wasn’t a secret. Even without the information from the residents of Goldshire Town, the Duke of York would have information about the Victorians a few days later.

“Yes, those insolent fools gathered thousands of troops to attack you. They even intended to capture the Wyvern to attack you. They are despicable,” the informant reported.