Test

"When would the new commander of the Black Falcon Mercenaries likely be chosen?" Ian asked.

"Lamefoot is already hurrying back. They will probably reach our base before this evening. Then Ser Harrison, the Landlord Ser, will send people to notify the mercenary captains at every nearby outpost to return. That alone will take at least half a month. The new commander probably will not be formally chosen for another month at the earliest." 'Adopted Son' Dorian calculated it over and reached his conclusion.

"I do not have time to wait a month." Ian frowned, then asked, "You said before that your standing within the mercenary company ranks no higher than third. So who are the first two?"

"Lamefoot Kelvin and Ser Harrison. Lamefoot is my adoptive father's trusted man and the mercenary company's deputy commander. Most of my adoptive father's forces will likely support him. Ser Harrison belongs to another faction within the company, after all. He provides the mercenary company with its headquarters."

"So, as long as we have those two supporting us, we do not need to go through any commander election process, right?" Ian immediately found the key point.

"In theory, yes. But I am afraid it will not be that easy."

"I will handle what is difficult. You people make your preparations." Ian directly ordered Dorian and his three subordinates. "We will set out shortly and try to reach Ser Harrison's castle before tonight."

Seeing Ian insist, Dorian said no more. After a slight bow, he led his men out of the room.

"Ser Glason, you and all your men will come with me later. Keep the inn's deployment unchanged. Abandon control over the Kingsroad and temporarily control only this inn. The Dornishman Denzel will be in command."

The Turncoat Knight also accepted the order and left.

Ian then dismissed Jannie with a glance. That left only him and Roar in the room.

"Alright, time for the test." Ian intended to use Roar for the first stage of testing.

After all, according to the system's setting that NPCs awarded by the system were not artificial humans, Roar himself was also a native of this world.

If Roar's request could not trigger a quest, Ian would find someone else to test it on.

"First, let us start with something simple." Ian placed a Gold Dragon in Roar's hand. "Remember what I am about to say and repeat it to me: If you can help me wash these cups clean, I will pay you this Gold Dragon as compensation."

"If you can help me wash these cups clean, I will pay you this Gold Dragon as compensation." Roar did not ask why. He merely picked up an empty cup from the table and handed it to Ian.

A notification chimed in Ian's mind. He hurriedly closed his eyes and entered the system to check.

Triggered quest discovered: Washing Cups

Quest objective: Wash Roar's cup clean

Quest reward: 1 Gold Dragon

Additional reward: Unknown

Accept (Costs 1 point) Reject

"Holy shit, it actually worked?" A delighted expression immediately appeared on Ian's face.

"Ser? What exactly are we doing?" Roar finally could not hold himself back. His curiosity had always been stronger than that of the other Religious Zealots.

"You can think of it as some kind of religious ritual." Ian smiled as he clicked Reject. Since he had a ready-made explanation, he did not need to make one up.

Sure enough, Roar merely lowered his head devoutly and did not ask further questions.

"Next, still use this Gold Dragon as payment and ask me to help find Blackfyre's Restoration Treasure," Ian continued ordering.

"If you can help me find Blackfyre's Restoration Treasure, I will pay you this Gold Dragon as compensation." The second time he spoke, Roar was much more familiar with the process.

Triggered quest discovered: Blackfyre's Restoration Treasure

Quest description: A bandit gang known as the Ghost of White Wall City has been active near White Wall City. It is said that they are searching for the wealth Count Butterwell hid away when he launched the Second Blackfyre Rebellion. Roar hopes you can help him find this treasure.

Quest reward: 1 Gold Dragon

Additional reward: Unknown

Accept (Costs 1 point) Reject

"Yes!" Ian clenched his fist. "There really is one!"

Accept

Optional Quest 2: Blackfyre's Restoration Treasure

Quest description: Find Blackfyre's Restoration Treasure

Quest reward: 1 Gold Dragon

Additional reward: Unknown

Current remaining points: 12

Blackfyre's Restoration Treasure! Well, at the very least, it was the treasure of Count Butterwell, lord of White Wall City. How much money could that be? Fifty thousand Gold Dragons? Or a hundred thousand?

Ian did not hold much hope for an even larger figure. No matter how wealthy the Count of White Wall City was, he was only a count from The Riverlands, not House Hightower of Oldtown.

Wait. Ian pressed a hand to his chest and calmed his excited heart. He suddenly realized that the bug he had discovered seemed a little too huge.

After all, the trigger mechanism for optional quests was far too simple. He could casually find someone and have them put on a little act, making a request of him, and it would trigger one.

Would this not be utterly deadly if players used this bug to gather intelligence?

If he issued a quest to capture N players at a certain location, he would only need to see whether the quest was triggered to confirm how many players were there.

Then, by narrowing the area specified in the quest, he could pinpoint the players' more exact locations.

At that thought, Ian shook his head. After snatching first blood, he had successfully escaped the threat of the point leaderboard's assassination mechanic, to the extent that he had forgotten the fear the planners had instilled in him at the beginning.

With that cowardly planner's pit-digging ability, seventy percent as good as his own, how could they possibly allow such a fatal bug to exist?

Could this be another trap?

"Now, say this one." Ian abruptly became alert and decided to continue the test. "If you can help me go to King's Landing and challenge Duke Eddard Stark to a duel, I will pay you this Gold Dragon."

"King's Landing? I think the Duke of Winterfell is probably currently—"

"Do not worry about it. Just do as I say." Ian interrupted Roar.

"If you can help me go to King's Landing and challenge Duke Eddard Stark to a duel, I will pay you this Gold Dragon."

The system notification sounded once more.

Triggered quest discovered: Challenge Eddard Stark

Quest objective: Find Duke Eddard Stark in King's Landing, challenge him to a duel, and defeat him

Quest reward: 1 Gold Dragon

Additional reward: Unknown

Accept (Costs 1 point) Reject

Fuck! Ian's expression instantly darkened.

This trash system not only triggered the quest, it did not even correct erroneous information! Using the system to obtain intelligence really was a trap the planners had dug for the players!

"Alright, next is this one." Ian decided to hit the system with something even harder. "If you can help me find the Scourge Legion Acolyte hidden in The North and wipe them out, I will pay you this Gold Dragon as compensation."

"If you can help me find the Scourge Legion Acolyte hidden in The North and wipe them out, I will pay you this Gold Dragon as compensation." The confusion in Roar's eyes deepened further.

Triggered quest discovered: Scourge Legion Acolyte

Quest objective: Find the Scourge Legion Acolyte hidden in The North and wipe them out

Quest reward: 1 Gold Dragon

Additional reward: Unknown

Accept (Costs 1 point) Reject

"..." It really did not care whether it made sense, huh? Ian pinched the bridge of his nose.

His plan to use the system to gather intelligence had completely fallen through.

Fine. Looking on the bright side, at least after completing this test, he would not be like certain other players who did not know about this mechanism—completely trusting the information in quest descriptions like idiots, even going off to attempt quests that were impossible to complete.