"Enjoying something like this on a small scale is enough? What a joke, you selfish bastard."
Gong Qiying's finger hovered over [Usable Monsters]. He almost couldn't resist sending a Furnace Knight over.
Everyone had their own selfish motives. He could understand that.
After spying on Sithran these past few days, he thought she seemed decent, and his interactions with her had gone well too. So he decided to keep observing her for now.
"You want to keep this place all to yourself?" Aili asked.
"Don't you think this is a heaven-sent opportunity, Aili?" Danya's eyes burned with excitement. "You and I are stuck at Bronze Rank because we're not strong enough to complete our promotion quests, aren't we? With this Campfire, there's no reason we can't grow into Gold Rank!"
The more he spoke, the more excited he became, and memories of the past flooded back.
"It's only because Sithran was kind enough to take pity on you that she let you stay with the Silver Rank team. She and Shuen can complete quests that would take five or six people. Why would they let you join?"
"Tch, you're just a useless nobody padding your resume in a Silver Rank team."
"You can't even complete your promotion quest? I knew you didn't have what it takes to be an adventurer. Aren't you quick on your feet? Go run errands for people instead."
As he thought about it, he suddenly drew his dagger, seeming ready to go back and kill monsters to level up.
"Danya!"
Sithran put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you serious? Do you really think you—and the rest of us—can monopolize the Campfire?"
Shuen spoke up too. "Anyone can explore the dungeon, and this is a route everyone has to pass through. Sooner or later, someone else will find it. We just got lucky and arrived a little ahead of everyone else."
"Right," Aili chimed in. "Like Sithran said, that Mr. 'Mareda' who helped her must have known about this place already. There could be others, too."
"..."
Danya was stunned for a long moment. Then he said, "Then I'll tell the lord, and he can put this place under lockdown!"
"Smack—"
A crisp slap rang out as Sithran struck him across the face.
"Nice!" Gong Qiying gave her a thumbs-up from afar. What a remarkable otherworlder!
"Have you lost your mind?"
Facing Danya's dazed stare, Sithran said angrily, "Didn't you think House of Bede might arrest you—and all of us? Do you really think those nobles would be so kind as to bar everyone else from entering while letting you in?"
"Ah..."
Danya's mouth opened and closed. His eyes cleared, and he said dejectedly, "Then what should I do? The lord will definitely hear about the Campfire from other adventurers. If he sends soldiers to guard it..."
"Danya, Danya. Think carefully. What are you most proud of?" Sithran prodded him in the forehead, exasperated.
"My forehead?" he replied blankly.
"It's your connections, you idiot!"
Sithran wished she could slap him again.
"Don't forget, your class is Shadow Walker. Every Shadow Walker is automatically considered a member of the Shadow Brotherhood—the best newsmongers in the world!"
"How can you call the glorious Brotherhood a bunch of—"
"Shut up!"
"Oh." Danya fell silent.
The Shadow Brotherhood sounded like the name of an assassins' guild, but in reality...
It was a paparazzi outfit!
Its members worshipped the goddess Shadow's Delight, and whenever they had nothing better to do, they loved stirring up a scandal. They might secretly film the indecent private lives of nobles and royalty, or reveal that some Legendary Rank mage had sold his ass in his youth, or that the archbishop of the Holy Light Church was heterosexual and didn't like little boys.
The organization was funded by various newspapers. As long as you had a big scoop, the reward was generous, and every Shadow Walker was happy to bring news to the Brotherhood.
Danya was one of them. He'd never managed to land a major scoop, but, surprisingly, he was popular and got along with all the organization's leaders!
"There's only one way for us to stand up to the lord."
Sithran spoke with conviction:
"Spread the news about the Campfire far and wide. Make sure everyone knows about it, so House of Bede won't dare lock down the dungeon and incur the people's wrath!"
"Clap, clap, clap!"
Gong Qiying applauded again and again. Brilliant—absolutely brilliant. He didn't know much about the Shadow Brotherhood, but Sithran's courageous attitude was worth admiring.
He had considered the possibility that the local lord might lock down Sain Underground City for his own benefit. That was the one outcome he absolutely couldn't accept.
So he'd prepared a backup plan, too.
"They've reminded me, at least. The nobility in feudal times are famous for their greed. I should move my plans forward."
The day passed quickly. Before the dungeon bell rang, he knocked on the stone altar beneath him and muttered to himself:
"Old Jack, come see me at once."
Bed City, Lamb and Corn Alehouse.
The tavern was filled with merriment. Several wealthy patrons had bought drinks for the entire place, and everyone was drinking and laughing. The air was thick with alcohol and desire. A few mages even set off fireworks to liven things up, while traveling performers tossed brightly colored balls all around.
Jack, skinny as a rake, sat in the seat of honor. He had a pretty girl showing off her thighs on either side, and another maid standing behind him to feed him fruit. He looked utterly carefree and content.
Today was the peak of his life.
"Come, Master Jack, let me buy you a drink." The speaker was a fat man decked out in gold and silver, one of the wealthy patrons. "Thanks to you, I had a wonderful time in the dungeon today. When I get back, I'll be sure to introduce you to my good friends."
"Oh, please, Boss Arthur, you're too kind." Jack hurriedly leaned forward, fawning over him. "You'd have had a wonderful time in the dungeon even without me."
"That's impossible. I'd be dead without you." Arthur waved a hand. "That swamp might as well be your backyard. You knew where every pit was and saved me several times. You deserve to be called Master."
Jack chuckled, quite pleased with himself.
That day, Sackman, who had been hunting him, was arrested and sentenced to several hundred years in prison. With his worries suddenly gone, Jack chose to stay in Bed City.
But what was he supposed to do there? He was already on the guards' watch list, so he couldn't keep doing black-market deals. And the adventurers he'd cheated had tracked him down to demand compensation.
Just as he was falling into a desperate situation, his master, Gong Qiying, gave him an order.
He was to become a dungeon guide, leading people safely through the Swamp Area.
Jack didn't dare disobey. He had a knack for remembering things and knew the vast Swamp Area like the back of his hand.
At first, very few people believed he could guide a team through the swamp. After all, he was a withered old man who didn't look capable of much.
But after he guided a few teams through the Swamp Area for free, with very few casualties, people's opinions changed dramatically. They went from calling him "that old man" to "the old gentleman," and more and more people came to ask him to guide them.
Jack also started taking on wealthy clients, such as Arthur, the merchant in front of him. Arthur had always longed for the thrill of an adventurer's life. When he heard about Jack's reputation, he hired him to guide him on a dungeon trip that was supposed to be dangerous but safe. He was quite satisfied with the result.
Some people tried to imitate Jack and copy his routes. They either ran into monsters where they shouldn't have been, or encountered new traps. Jack's groups, on the other hand, always got through safely.
It definitely wasn't because some dungeon lord was abusing his authority to play favorites. ()
Gradually, even the people who doubted him had to admire him. Jack's life kept improving, and his fear of Gong Qiying gradually gave way to respect.
"Drink up! Everyone, drink!"
Jack raised his cup and drained it. Just then, a voice sounded in his mind.
His expression changed at once.
Before you continue