Gamers of the Underworld

[Sunny_Light: Your chest’s gone! Your sword’s gone! Your account’s gone!!!]

[FixBoxGo: Not amending BUGS but adding more? The CoderMonkey has perished.]

[CompanionReadingBookwormq: Finally, the game has PVP? I can feel the coming bloodshed!]

[UnoccupiedAnyuan: This is the game where gamers have to construct the buildings one brick at a time. Do they expect us to excavate for the land too?]

[Crimson Feather: I am relieved to see both the First and Second Beta Gamers being exploited.]

[Stir-fried Vegetable Rice: Dragon Raja is recruiting members! Join our Wechat group after registration! There is a subsidy every month!]

[Taking Jujube Pills: Don’t say anymore. I am the man who is going to be the legendary Gladiator]

…

Most of the comments were on the PVP and the Guild System. There was minimal discussion on the newly opened areas.

While Sherlock was browsing the replies, a group of gamers entered the Dungeon Lord Main Hall noisily. They were there to find Bru.

They wanted to set up a Guild.

The leader was the veteran gamer NotWearingPants. Behind him were more than twenty First Beta Gamers.

Setting up a Guild required 100 silver coins. To a First Beta Gamer, it was difficult to come up with the money. However, with the collaboration of many gamers, it wasn’t an issue.

The procedure for creating a Guild wasn’t complicated. After accumulating 100 silver coins at NotWearingPants’ side, they registered with 90 members. The name of the Guild was…

…

A pickaxe landed on the tough Diamond Seam and emitted a clanking sound.

At the half-developed Commerce Area, a group of gamers in underpants were chatting and excavating using their pickaxes.

“My God, the First Beta Gamers are rich.”

“They’re paying us 200 bronze coins an hour to help them excavate the Guild Location. That’s very cool.”

“Don’t you know that the veteran gamers are all rich?”

The tens of gamers chatted while they excavated.

Behind them, a veteran gamer was leading a hundred gamers as he shouted, “Good! That batch of gamers, come down. We’re changing the batch!”

“Wait! Veteran! Let me excavate for an hour! I can still work!”

The group of excavating gamers begged, but the veteran gamer said, “You’ve worked for an hour. Your strength and speed have diminished. If you want to work, go and rest. You may come back later.”

He urged them to come down and leave the pickaxes, which were rented by the veteran gamers.

The batch of excavating gamers was switched.

Sherlock sat in the Dungeon Core Main Hall and looked at the hundreds of novice gamers in the crystal ball. They were working in a few directions and helping the veteran gamers excavate their first Guild Location.

Though there were many gamers developing the Dungeon diligently, Sherlock felt strange seeing a few hundred gamers excavating the unimportant Guild Location.

“Why are these gamers always exploiting loopholes? Or… are they thinking of ways to oppose me? Is it that difficult to work honestly for me?” Sherlock asked Bru.

“Lord Sherlock, the rich gamers are using the power of money to employ other gamers to solve their problems. This is a common occurrence as money is used to do such things,” Bru said honestly.

The Dungeon Core burst into flames, and two letters were thrown onto Sherlock’s table.

Sherlock picked up one letter, which was from the Northern Underground World Gladiator Arena.

He picked up another letter from Specter College. Sherlock opened up the letter sent by Professor Bacon.

“Respectable Lord Sherlock,

My apologies for imposing on you. It has been five to six days since there were combatants coming from Eternal Kingdom. The college is worried that there may be some issues, so I am charged with asking. I hope that Lord Sherlock does not mind. If there are any problems, Lord Sherlock may discuss them with me. I will try my best to help—Bacon”

Sherlock put down the letter and asked, “The gamers haven’t challenged the Instance Dungeon since the start of the Second Beta Test?”

“Nobody has challenged the Instance Dungeon, Lord Sherlock,” Bru quickly replied.

“As the Second Beta Testing has just started, they have been busy taking care of the new gamers and raiding the Ancestral Ruins. Most importantly, they have been doing missions carrying bricks. Lord Sherlock, please take a look.”

The details of a mission appeared before Sherlock.

[Mission Title: The Way of the Gnome

Mission Description: Intelligent, cunning, agile, and strong. The Underworld Gnomes possess these positive traits. Though not every trait is outstanding, the traits are pretty balanced. To become a Gnome, it is not sufficient to just carry bricks…

Attainment Requirement: Reputation Level 5 and above

Mission Objective: Weapon Level 3 (0/1)

Daily Completed Mission Count: (0/60)

Successful Instance Dungeon Conquest: (0/5)

Paid Silver Coins: (0/10)

Mission Reward: Attainment of the Gnome race. Please look for Lord Sherlock at the Dungeon Lord Main Hall for the reward]

After looking through the mission, Sherlock said, “Seems like there’s no problem.”

“No, Lord Sherlock, there’s a problem,” Bru said.

“In the veteran gamers group, besides one gamer, none of them has Reputation Level 5 or above.”

The Dungeon Core showed an image that depicted Raintea working diligently at the flowerbed. She was smiling contentedly.

“It’s this veteran gamer. She has attained Level 6. For the past two months, Raintea didn’t perish once and didn’t recreate her character. Other gamers have recreated their character at least once. Currently, their Reputation Levels are at most Level 4.”

“If they challenge the Instance Dungeon now and are killed, they’ll have to recreate their characters. Though their Reputation Points will not be reset to zero, points will be deducted. To achieve Reputation Level 5 and complete The Way of the Gnome, they are doing safer missions like raiding the ruins.”

Bru continued explaining, “Because of this mission, the magical items kept by the veteran gamers are exchanged for rewards. I informed them to place the items at a specific location for storage.”

“I see. Then there’s no good solution.” Sherlock nodded. He took out a pen and some paper and wrote an address on it before taking out some powder and igniting it.

He burnt the letter, which was sent to Bacon.

“Lord Sherlock? You’ve written a single address?” Bru didn’t understand Sherlock’s intention.

“Just a gathering place for poor female students. This is not a problem. Bacon will sort it out.” Sherlock didn’t say much. He took another letter and opened it.

“Respectable Boss Sherlock,

I would like to represent all of the employees of the Northern Underground World Gladiator Arena to thank you for your support. We have received your letter. You are a big boss with thousands of Goblins, and we value your support. But please understand that our profession is a special one.

We are very interested in your proposal of Goblins fighting with the Giants. However, we require your Goblins to go through a selection test.

Please bring along 50 Goblin Gladiators to our arena for a selection test within ten days. We will arrange a suitable category for your Gladiators to fight in the arena.

Looking forward to your arrival—Northern Underground World Gladiator Arena”

“It seems like the development of this matter is pretty smooth. I’ll bring some gamers to participate in a fight. After the selection test, I’ll be able to let the gamers participate in similar Gladiator Tournaments or performances,” Bru said.

“I thought they would accept my proposal. I could then make two groups of gamers fight and make money for me. I didn’t expect them to do a selection test…” Sherlock hugged his arms and thought for a while. Then he said, “With only 50 Gladiators, my power will appear diminished.”

“As they are Goblins, not many of them are qualified Gladiators,” Bru said. “Lord Sherlock, how do I select the fifty gamers?”

“Select the gamers with the highest Weapon Levels. I’m confident they’ll pass the selection test,” Sherlock said.

“Package it as a hidden PVP preparatory mission. Arrange for the strongest 50 gamers to participate. Give them some Reputation Points and coins as rewards. We’ll set out at 8am sharp tomorrow.”

“Lord Sherlock, I feel that it’s better to delay for a day,” Bru suggested.

“Why?” Sherlock asked.

“Because the day after tomorrow is Sunday in the otherworld. They’ll have more time.”

“We’ll do that.” Sherlock nodded.

…

A Black Armored Goblin sat up in a room filled with Goblins who were lying down.

The word “Arthur” was above his head.

As he woke, [The Calling of the Gladiator Arena: The Start of the Tournament!] appeared in his mind.