Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  In the chaotic Garrison Guard station of Small Distant Town, the news of the huge explosion shocked the residents.

  The residents, who were used to serenity, gathered in front of the station to take a look.

  Cherry’s office was in ruins, and the casualties, who were mainly from Eternal Kingdom, couldn’t be determined.

  The Garrison Guard tried to contact Eternal Kingdom’s Lord Sherlock to inform him of the sad news.

  Cherry thought of how heartbroken Sherlock would be if he knew about the deaths of his citizens while they were on holiday.

  “Take this.”


  The Station Inspector placed a towel in front of Cherry.

  “Thank you.”


  Cherry wasn’t injured because the gamers shielded him, but since he was close to the blast, his face and body were covered in dust.

  “Thank you, Station Inspector.”


  Cherry didn’t decline the Station Inspector’s good intentions. He wiped himself, and the Station Inspector said, “You’re unlucky. You’ve only worked for a few days and have already met with such an incident. Our town used to be peaceful. This was the second time such an explosion has happened.”


  The Station Inspector noticed that Cherry was quiet and thought that he was intimidated. Cherry was taken aback, and he said, “Ah, I’m thinking of the incident. Previously, at the Winterfell Garrison Guard station, we had difficult cases, but explosions were rare.”


  “Ah-ha…… ha…… yes, Winterfell is a large Dungeon, so you must be very experienced. Do you have any new leads?”


  The Station Inspector sat beside Cherry.

  “Ah, are you referring to the Merchant Band case? We obtained the diary yesterday and have some leads. I’ve investigated many large cases, so I’m experienced. I have detailed speculation!” Cherry boasted.

  “I see, that’s good. Tell me about it……” the Station Inspector said casually, but Cherry’s forehead was full of sweat.

  Was he going to give himself away?

  “Gosh! Look at what I found!”


  While Cherry was hesitating, the gamers in the ruins shouted excitedly.

  “Ah! It’s a huge discovery!” Cherry stood up excitedly and returned the towel to the Station Inspector before proceeding to the gamers.

  A gamer held the diary that was halfway burnt. The Gnome tried to destroy the important diary evidence!

  There was a metal piece stuck on one of the pages of the diary. The explosion didn’t affect the metal piece. Cherry and the gamers examined the metal piece and saw the words, “I left everything in the lava cave.”


  “Gosh! Let’s explore the lava caves!”


  “Make haste, the Plot is starting. We’ll miss it!”


  The gamers shouted various things as they dashed towards the lava caves like bees.

  Cherry was speculating in his deep thoughts.

  He sensed a sinister conspiracy!

  “What did you discover?” his colleague asked when he saw Cherry’s solemn face. Cherry was previously the Captain of the Winterfell Garrison Guard, so he must be extremely capable!

  Cherry remained silent for a while before saying, “I don’t have a special lead. The lava caves are the key to finding out the truth!”


  Cherry looked at the metal piece as he spoke.

  His colleagues were impressed by Cherry’s speculation, and they applauded.

  “Cherry is indeed from Winterfell!”


  “He’s intelligent!”


  “Cherry managed to discover that?”


  Cherry wasn’t complacent and couldn’t be complacent because he hadn’t solved the case! “There must be a terrifying conspiracy behind these two explosions!”


  Cherry’s eyes glimmered with focus. “Even when I’m in this tourist resort, I’m still stalked by difficult cases!”
……

  Sherlock browsed the forum while he dealt with posts that had @mentions about him. He was censoring prohibited and provocative content.

  While Sherlock was multitasking, Bru explained the incidents in Small Distant Town for the past two days in detail.

  Sherlock’s view on the incidents was, “Such a meaningless incident happened in the town?”


  “Though it’s meaningless, I feel that it’s useful for finding the missing Dungeon Core. I checked the two suicide bombers. The two Gnomes were members of the 2,500 guards.”


  Bru said immediately, “The Merchant Band guards that revolted are still near Small Distant Town. They didn’t leave, most likely because they are waiting for the buyer of the Dungeon Core. If I was a guard, I’d be tempted to revolt when escorting a Level 3 Dungeon Core worth billions of Magic Stones.”


  “I’m wary of your loyalty.”


  Sherlock frowned, as Bru said, “Lord Sherlock, don’t be wary of my loyalty. My example is referring to those Underworld creatures. As you know, I’m not an organic creature. I’m your loyal Dungeon Core!”


  “I’m just joking, don’t take it too hard. Follow up on this matter. Like the metal piece is saying, the lava caves have the answers that we need.”


  “I understand, Lord Sherlock.”


  “Yes.”


  Sherlock seemed to recall something, and he told Bru, “Call Eggface back. I have a mission for him.”
……

  Dragonborn felt his heart rate increase. Even though he was in a game, he could feel his heart thumping clearly.

  Due to the excitement from the tense rhythm of the battle, Dragonborn was enjoying himself. He had never felt such enjoyment before.

  Though Dragonborn was a reserved person, once he was in a battle, he was like a changed man.

  That was the reason TakeASpearHit’s cool plans were completed by Dragonborn. Dragonborn wasn’t acting cool. The live battle provided stimulation of the senses that couldn’t be resisted.

  Dragonborn’s enemy wasn’t an NPC, it was Hoodlum!

  The Slumbering Hoodlum.

  After Hoodlum completed a series of Strange Encounter Missions, he went through almost two months of training. Since the beginning of the Third Beta Test, he had been fighting and was on the verge of death repeatedly. According to Hoodlum’s gaming period, he was in the most desperate of situations for about ten hours per day.

  Hoodlum’s Weapon Level was now an astonishing Level 10!

  The most skilled gamer in Victoria City was Dragonborn, who only had Weapon Level 7.

  Hoodlum’s Weapon Level was three levels higher than the top gamer. It was like the existence of a BUG.

  Dragonborn, who was passionate about fighting, couldn’t resist training with Hoodlum.

  Dragonborn didn’t have any impression of Weapon Level 10 until Hoodlum knocked him out with his bare hands. Hoodlum’s movements were nimble, and his fists were like thunderstorms.

  Dragonborn experienced terror.

  After his defeat, Dragonborn would pit himself against Hoodlum. However, he had to queue up.

  Dragonborn wasn’t the only gamer who liked PVP and fighting. There were many gamers who were like him.

  At the wooden gate of Victoria City, a group of gamers was fighting against each other. Though they agreed to restrain themselves, a duel usually ended with death.

  They couldn’t control themselves once the fight began. Once an Axe was used to hack an opponent, they would be in a bloody mess. There was no way to hold back in a duel.

  Seriously wounded gamers would kill themselves and revive to save time instead of wasting time healing.

  What about Healing Mana Skills? In the entire game, Raintea was the only Healer!

  Though the gamers were exposed to new categories of Healing Mana Skills, the gamers had to pay exorbitant fees and obtain a special Mana Skills Book. Raintea obtained this rare Mana Skills Book from a Strange Encounter Mission.

  The deformed Hoodlum leaped up and smashed his sandbag-sized fist into Dragonborn, who was wielding his Short Sword.

  He stopped Dragonborn’s Short Sword with his shoulder while his fist collided with Dragonborn’s skull.

  Dragonborn only managed to say “Gosh!” to himself before being knocked unconscious.