Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  In the Winterfell Garrison Guard Main Hall.

  A long queue of creatures with green words was at the Main Hall. As the queue was proceeding very slowing, a lot of them shouted impatiently.

  “Make haste, make haste!”


  “Can’t the person in the front be faster? I’m going to work in the afternoon!”


  “Can I jump the queue? I’m going to the hospital for a medical review.”


  A group of creatures was shouting, and a group of creatures was pulling a half-naked creature to give himself up at the station.

  “Captain! This is the one who stole a kid’s clay lollipop! I suggest immediate execution!”


  “I admit it, I surrender. I’m a sicko. Please execute me!”


  “Yes, us. What about our rewards?”
……

  Similar incidents had occurred numerous times outside the Garrison Guard Main Hall over the past two days.

  The lollipop incident was trivial. The more hardcore cases included robbery, fraud, kidnapping, and creature smuggling. However, they were unsuccessful attempts.

  Before they committed these heinous crimes, there would be public-spirited inhabitants who would appear and stop these crimes. Then they would send the criminals to the Garrison Guard station to claim their rewards.

  Those public-spirited inhabitants with green words above their heads were the good citizens of Eternal Kingdom!

  TinyMeatball sat exhausted in his chair. He was entirely deflated by these incidents.

  He was mentally, physically, and financially diminished.

  He had no more money to maintain the security of Winterfell.

  “Captain TinyMeatball, we have chased away the queue and all the warmhearted residents.”


  As TinyMeatball was in a daze with extreme exhaustion, his secretary, Cherry, informed him. TinyMeatball nodded, and Cherry said, “Yes, Dungeon Lord Andrew hopes that you can report the progress of your investigation to him.”


  “Dungeon Lord Andrew?”


  TinyMeatball lifted his head and was taken aback. Then he stood up in a hurry and followed his secretary outside.

  He was baffled. Why was Dungeon Lord Andrew concerned about these trivial cases?……

  Outside the Dungeon Lord Main Hall of Eternal Kingdom.

  Eggface sat in front of a table. There was a long queue of gamers who were paying with their Magic Stones.

  “AsIfIWillBelieveYou submitted two Magic Stones.”


  Eggface recorded this in his book and pointed to the pile of equipment, furniture, home decorations, title boards, and Houndhead Man eggs at the side. Then he said, “Brave citizen of Eternal Kingdom! You have submitted two Mana-rich and sacred nuggets. You may choose between the Magical Equipment blessed by the Dragon of Darkness, the Magical Furniture blessed by the Dragon of Darkness, the honorable titles, or the Darkness infused and modified eggs of the Houndhead Man. Come, lad! Take your pick!”


  “I want to exchange for a pet egg of the Houndhead Man!” the Gnome AsIfIWillBelieveYou said firmly.

  “That will cost you a hundred Magic Stones. Save up slowly. Next, please!”


  At the entrance of the Dungeon Lord Main Hall, Eggface was collecting Magic Stones from each individual gamer and giving “good stuff” to them.

  This wasn’t a permanent activity but a time limited event. Sherlock didn’t specify the duration, it all depended on his mood.

  Sherlock felt relieved as he looked at the long queue of orderly gamers exchanging their Magic Stones.

  “Lord Sherlock, the latest Magic Stone Exchange, as well as the Deposit System, will be ready in three days. The gamers will be able to deposit their Magic Stones using our custom-made Magic Stone card for transactions. However, they will be unable to use the Magic Stones for transactions with other Underworld creatures,” Bru explained in Sherlock’s mind.

  “Hmm, good.”


  Sherlock nodded, but Bru said quickly, “Lord Sherlock, if possible, I suggest giving gamers freedom to maximize their financial capability. If the gamers have sufficient money, they can help Lord Sherlock earn large sums of money, as the most profitable business isn’t carrying bricks.”


  “If what you’re saying is true, I’m looking forward to it,” Sherlock said.

  “The Adventurer’s Guild isn’t completed. They haven’t obtained the business qualifications from the Merchant Alliance. Instead of them wasting their money on trash, it’s better for them to buy my trash.”


  “Lord Sherlock, you are wise,” Bru said respectfully. “I have created some unique mission series to help the gamers familiarize themselves with the Business System and the rules of the Merchant Alliance.”


  “Hmm, that’s good.” Sherlock nodded.

  “Lord Sherlock, I know it’s impolite to talk about your private life, but I’d like to ask about our creditor, the Fallen Angel. You’ve agreed to help her counterattack the Heavenly Kingdom after obtaining a loan from her. Even with the help of the fourth calamity, we won’t be able to achieve that goal unless you own a Yggdrasill. As I am a high level Dungeon Core, I’m able to summon the gamers without limit.”


  Bru said with concern, “Moreover, the Fallen Angel has come up with the plan for attacking the Heavenly Kingdom. I think we should think of a solution. Perhaps we can say our army isn’t ready or let her raise more money?”


  “It’s not necessary. I feel that her plan is good.” Sherlock declined Bru’s suggestion.

  Bru said loudly, “Wait a moment, what do you intend to do, Lord Sherlock? Do you really intend to declare war against the Surface World? Are you going to attack the Heavenly Kingdom according to her plan? Calm down! Lord Sherlock! We’ll all be killed!”


  “How can a superior Devil die so easily? We’ll only have more casualties amongst the gamers. Besides, did I say I’m attacking the Heavenly Kingdom?”


  Sherlock smiled as he said, “I only think that controlling the Surface World is a good idea.”


  “Lord Sherlock, are you going to bait the Surface World’s adventurers? Very good, you have stayed underground for a while. I thought the Underworld had become meek after tens of thousands of years. Finally, we’re having a showdown with the Surface World. We’ll make use of the Surface World’s adventurers to our advantage. We’ll arrange for the gamers to expose themselves and tempt the Surface World’s adventurers with treasures.”


  Bru said in a long-winded fashion, “Then we can capture those adventurers and appropriate their equipment. We’ll drain them of their Mana and create more Magic Stones from these Sacred Light races. Then we’ll arm the gamers and create our Dark Legion to conquer the Surface World and the Heavenly Kingdom! Those Surface World humans deserve to die. We’ll place them under our draconian rule. Each human will be like our sheep that contributes its flesh and fur to us! Hahahaha!”


  Sherlock didn’t respond to Bru’s exhilaration and merely accessed his computer and browsed the discussion forum. Bru didn’t get a response from Sherlock, so he nagged him again, saying, “Lord Sherlock, we must have a comprehensive plan for conquering the Surface World. Believe me, there are a lot of benefits……”


  While Bru was nagging, Sherlock finished reading a few posts. When Bru had stopped talking for a while, Sherlock said, “Is the new Instance Dungeon commencing in a few days? Recently, the gamers have been exposing each other’s crimes in Winterfell to earn Magic Stones, and the number of gamers involved in combat training has declined. This isn’t good. Use the missions to redirect them tomorrow. The Living Quarters that are required for the Third Beta Testing have to be given priority. The Third Beta Test is about to commence.”


  “I understand, Lord Sherlock,” Bru said with disappointment.