Gamers of the Underworld

Sherlock did not know how to react to the suggestion of the beginner missions. After Bru explained them in detail, Sherlock was able to understand.

The otherworld’s gamers did not require a monthly salary, but they wished for clear missions like “Tunnel through that wall!”, “Construct a resting room for ten people!”, “Hunt in the wilderness for five Underground Spiders!” and “Bring back a cart full of wood!”.

Even if Bru did not specify, Sherlock would have given the otherworld’s gamers similar missions. The only difference was that they had to be rewarded with a little money, weapons, equipment and food after they completed the missions.

Sherlock was starting to develop a headache as he did not expect the management of the missions to be so troublesome.

He did not have weapons, equipment or food. As for wealth… the Underworld’s currency was Magic Stones. Sherlock was not willing to use them to reward the otherworld’s gamers. Then, Bru suggested that he could use gold coins for rewards!

Gold coins were the currency of the Surface World. One thousand bronze coins were equivalent to one silver coin and one thousand silver coins were equivalent to one gold coin. The main point was that after the development of the Dungeon, they could lure the Surface World’s adventurers into the Dungeon with the coins. In exchange, Sherlock could create Magic Stones.

The naturally occurring Magic Stones were limited. To create Magic Stones, Mana had to be extracted from the bodies of the Surface World’s adventurers using a special technique. To lure the Surface World’s adventurers into the Dungeons, only the shiny gold coins were required.

Sherlock did not understand why the Surface World’s adventurers were fond of the gold coins that didn’t have any Mana. He thought it was incredible.

Sherlock did not mind using the gold coins as rewards for the otherworld’s gamers. But Sherlock knew that all the Underworld’s creatures like Devils and such were not interested in gold coins. Would the otherworld’s Goblins like gold coins?

Bru said confidently, “Yes they do! Actually, it’s more like craving! If you reward them with bronze, silver or gold coins and use them as trading currency in the Dungeon, they will make the coin-based economy come to life. Believe me!”

Sherlock was doubtful about the effects of the gold coins, but he was glad that he did not have to pay the Goblins Magic Stones as salary. It was no issue for Sherlock to reward them with gold coins. A Magic Stone could be exchanged for a large chest of gold coins!

Sherlock’s next task was to discuss with Bru the standardized reward for various missions. When the otherworld’s gamers arrived at the Dungeon, he wanted them to work diligently and happily.

Making the gamers content was what a good Dungeon Lord ought to do. Most Underworld monsters sought employment with the Dungeon Lords. They were not puppets that Dungeon Lords created using Mana.

After finishing his work, Sherlock looked at the time and discovered that half a day had passed. It was almost time for the selected gamers to arrive at the Dungeon.

As a new Dungeon Lord, Sherlock was about to meet his first batch of workers. He was nervous. After checking the Goblins’ food, the gold coins for reward and the Blacksmith Shop, Sherlock discovered an important issue. His Blacksmith had not arrived yet!

While he was fretting about when the Blacksmith would arrive, a magical ray appeared in the Dungeon and a Teleport Portal appeared in front of him. Without his approval, nobody could open up a Teleport Portal in his Dungeon. He only allowed one person to do that, and that was his employed Blacksmith!

A dark-skin Dwarf walked out from the Teleport Portal. He was a Blacksmith Dwarf living in the Underworld and not the cavern Dwarf. The Dwarves were extremely good in smithing and forging.

“A new developing Dungeon? You look pretty young for a Devil!”

The Dwarf walked out of the portal and looked around at the small Dungeon. He lifted his hammer and shouted at Sherlock with his bright voice, “I’m your newly recruited Blacksmith, Simba. This is our contract. The effective date is three months and the monthly salary is a hundred Magic Stones. Please verify the contract, young Devil Lord.”

The Blacksmith took out a contract and gave it to Sherlock. He examined it carefully to ensure it was the contract he signed yesterday. He returned the contract to the Blacksmith and said formally, “Welcome, Simba! You’re the first worker of this great Dungeon! That’s your workplace!”

Sherlock pointed at the empty Blacksmith Shop and he suddenly recalled something. He pointed at the food in the corner and said, “Those are the raw food materials. There aren’t any special warehouses for proper storage yet. Once the Goblins arrive, I will get them to construct a food warehouse. Please prepare portable meals like pies because the Goblins won’t have the chance to sit down for a meal!”

Sherlock sounded like a cruel slave driver. The Blacksmith Simba was used to such things. It was obvious this was not his first time working for a Dungeon Lord. Entering the Blacksmith Shop, he immediately started a fire skilfully. Then, he prepared the metal pot and collected the food materials to cook the meals!

There were no ores, so there were no metals. The ores had to be mined by the Goblins!

Seeing the Blacksmith settling down, Sherlock tidied up his clothes and extended his huge Devil’s wings as he watched himself in the mirror. Ensuring that his imposing image of a Devil Overlord was good, he went to the front of the Dungeon Core.

Next, he was going to summon the hundred selected gamers from the otherworld!

The summoning ritual was simple. Besides infusing Mana, he had to sign the otherworld’s contract. For example, there was the “Dungeon: Eternal Kingdom, Virtual Reality web distribution rights contract”, the “2019 MMO approval form”, the “Disclaimers form” and other types of contracts. Sherlock signed without a word through the Dungeon Core. He didn’t even look at the fineprints because the otherworld’s agreements did not have binding power on a Devil.

After completing his contracts, Sherlock began his summoning work.

After infusing the required Mana into the Dungeon Core, a hundred half-human sized Teleport Portals appeared before him. Sherlock placed his hands behind his back and pushed out his chest while waiting for the gamers to pledge their loyalty. He waited for a few minutes, but there were no Goblins. Sherlock said impatiently, “Where are my workers? The gamers from the otherworld, why aren’t they coming out?”

“They are molding their faces. They always pay attention to unimportant details like appearances, clothing and even accessories. The culture of the otherworld is like that,” Bru explained.

Sherlock suppressed his impatience and waited. Sometimes a few senseless Devils would use Mana to change their looks. He did not expect the Goblins to have such a tendency and that it was common in the otherworld. The Mana to change their looks came from Sherlock. Each Goblin that came to his Dungeon required his Mana to sustain the link between his world with the otherworld. However, the Mana used was a small pittance. It was not a burden for Sherlock.

Sherlock did not have to wait for a long time before the first Goblin walked out from the Teleport Portal.

The Goblin was tall for his race and was almost at the upper limit. He reached the height of Sherlock’s knees.

The Goblin was naked from the chest up and wore a pair of shorts. Sherlock was in a daze as the Goblin walked out from the Teleport Portal. The Goblin looked in astonishment at the surroundings. After surveying the environment, he muttered, “Is the technology that advanced? I initially thought the Virtual Reality MMO would feel fake, but it is actually real. My God, the game modeling, the quality of the materials, the feel of the skin and its accompanying pain feel so real. Can it be adjusted…?”

To Sherlock, the Goblin had gone into a feverish state which was abnormal. Normally, every dark creature that arrived in the Dungeon would pledge its loyalty to the Dungeon Lord.

“My lowly servant, why aren’t you pledging your loyalty to the great Devil Lord Sherlock? You will obtain my mercy and bountiful rewards if you do so!” Sherlock straightened his back and said in a cool emotionless voice. He resisted showing his exhilaration and excitement.

The Goblin heard Sherlock’s voice and turned his head to look at Sherlock. After that, he lifted his head in panic and screamed in a shrill voice, “NotWearingPants pledges loyalty to the great Devil Lord Sherlock!”

After screaming, the Goblin started to wander and look around. He said to himself, “This game’s Dungeon Lord NPC is so real, and the oppressive aura is so strong that I almost knelt down. It is awesome. I’m going to the discussion forum to praise it to the heavens!”

Sherlock felt that the Goblin was acting weird. What was even more strange was that when the Goblin announced his name, the words NotWearingPants appeared above his head.

Correct! That was the name given to himself by the Goblin! The name would follow the Goblin as he moved around as though it was part of him.

As Sherlock was wondering why the Goblin would use Mana to show his strange name above his head, numerous different Goblins came out of the Teleport Portal. Some wore worn-out shirts and shorts that covered the essential three points. Others simply wore the same shorts as NotWearingPants. They had various faces, but they had a common feature—ugliness!

Did you expect Goblins to look good?

The Goblin started chatting in front of Sherlock!