Chapter 302
Then everyone carried this smell, some strong, some faint. Those with strong smells were mostly armed with guns or swords, while those with faint smells were more like ordinary people.
What is the difference between wizards and commoners?
Yuki, having established his initial influence, looked around and wondered, "What kind of the White Bone Mountains is this?"
"It probably was before, but time can bury everything." Frieren looked around; she had changed back into her magician's attire and blended in perfectly.
After looking around, she suddenly jumped into the field, dug up the soil, and rubbed the reddish soil in her hands before revealing an expression of 'no wonder'.
"The soil here is very fertile, as if it were irrigated by countless corpses. Perhaps this place was once filled with bones, hence the name 'White Bone Mountains'."
How did you know?
"I learned a special magic from the elves that allows me to sense emotions beyond living beings." Frieren paused, scattering Red Soil. "I can feel the earth's pain, like the wails of a great number of deaths. Do you understand what I mean?"
Yuki nodded. He had experienced the Calamity of Blood firsthand and made a mental note of it. Then he looked around and asked, "The civilians here seem quite afraid of us?"
Unless you're a master of Transcendental Grade skill or higher, you can't fool his eyes at all.
"Perhaps it has something to do with this badge." Frieren was about to climb onto the embankment when a hand reached out in front of him. He hesitated for a moment before grasping it and pointed to his chest. "This should be our identification in the game. And Tower Explorers seem to have a very high status. Didn't you notice all those women looking at you?"
Indeed, a group of young girls and even young women were playfully pushing each other, their fairly attractive faces slightly flushed, somewhat like the prelude to a confession in a dating game.
Am I that charming?
Yuki glanced down at the badge on his chest, a fist-sized, black metal object depicting a solitary tower and emitting faint energy fluctuations.
"I guess you could call this a perk the game gives us." Yuki the perk without hesitation and asked with a smile, "You're an expert in this kind of world, what's the next step?"
Frieren had already prepared a plan, so he pointed to the town not far away. Behind the town stood a huge black and red pillar that soared into the clouds; that must be the 'Tower'.
"At times like these, it's always a good idea to go to the town tavern to gather information first."
Silent Town is situated at the foot of the Tower of Slaughter, and it has become extremely prosperous due to the upcoming exploration of the tower.
The town is filled with medieval-style two-story buildings, and is teeming with merchants, prostitutes, and fully armed warriors.
After making a few inquiries, Yuki learned that there were not many 'Tower Explorers'; they were elites selected from among the best of the various forces on the Red Earth Continent. Ordinary people had to rely on luck to participate in this epic adventure and become subordinates of a 'Tower Explorer'.
They were responsible for boiling water, cooking, or risking their lives to clear the way, hoping to get a share of the spoils if the adventure succeeded.
"A research fellow is equivalent to an academician; an undergraduate who wants to join a research group can only work like a slave, and there's no guarantee they'll be noticed by their advisor."
Yuki picked up the ceramic jar and took a big gulp, pouring the slightly bitter, beer-like liquid into his mouth. There was no one within five meters of him, and then the table in front of him was piled high with letters.
Inside were invitations from nobles, love letters from unfamiliar girls, and self-recommendation letters from various mercenary groups. Having gotten used to playing the subservient role in the Reincarnation Game, the feeling of being the boss here was quite unfamiliar.
The letters were very straightforward. For example, the love letters skipped the steps of dating and said directly that the person would be waiting for him in a certain room that night, and that he would definitely use a pillow to cushion his bottom after they were done, so that not a single bit would be wasted.
Could this be a honey trap...?
Yuki was wary of such unsolicited kindness, so he leaned on his sword with one hand, putting on a stern, unapproachable demeanor. Looking around, several burly men with menacing faces were acting like obedient children, answering whatever Frieren asked.
The girl was quite elegant and adapted quickly, looking just like the local natives.
Nonsense. If you threw me into a copy of Earth with the same worldview, I'd adapt quickly. Habits are the hardest thing to change.
How are things on your end?
Yuki and her senior were more than 100 kilometers apart, but they were within the range of communication.
"An adventure full of exotic charm, everything around us is so new and exciting. Pighead, haven't you noticed that our dungeon content has changed since we ascended?"
Indeed, before the Calamity of Blood, it was mostly a fixed area, such as a sea, building, city, or forest. But after ascension, it becomes a complete civilization. If the Reincarnation Game doesn't provide background information, players will waste a lot of time just getting familiar with the dungeons.
"Starting to think about those things again? Relax, experiencing different civilizations is quite nice." After hearing Yuki's silence for a while, Mai Sakurajima suddenly laughed, then her laughter vanished as if her expression had changed.
"You received a lot of strange letters today, didn't you?"
"So, the senior student received that too?"
"Of course, these people all came from various parts of the mainland, bearing various titles such as 'the most handsome young man in the village,' and they really do look like male models. You can tell they've undergone all kinds of training since they were young."
No wonder the girls who send love letters are all so beautiful and charming, representing a variety of styles.
Yuki turned his head and saw a blonde girl in a long dress smiling at him, deliberately swaying her upper body, her huge breasts jiggling like jelly.
"They're essentially the same as those mercenaries; they all want a share of the Tower Explorers' benefits. Hayasaka's intelligence reports that they want to leave offspring during this grand event, as such descendants have a high probability of becoming the next generation of Tower Explorers."
A grand ceremony? It certainly looks like one.
Yuki looked to the other side and saw through the window that some artists were performing. Commoners were taking the opportunity to have fun, merchants were taking the opportunity to make money, and all the ambitious people were out and about. The entire Red Earth Continent was incredibly lively.
Don't they understand how dangerous exploring the tower is? Even players are eliminated; the natives can't just come and go as they please. Are they really going to commit suicide with their mere extraordinary-level strength?
Yuki couldn't understand it. The difficulty of the dungeon was set based on player ratings, and it was at least at the Transcendental Grade level. How could these mercenaries, despite their large numbers, be so happy to be cannon fodder?
"Wait, forget about the women, what about those men who come looking for you?"
"Uh, how should I put it?" Mai Sakurajima hesitated, her face turning completely red. "They want genetic information, and they're willing to pay any price for it."
Genetic information? Grass.
Yuki felt a chill run down his spine. He sensed that the natives here were in a state of frenzy. The towers were the core, and those who explored them were the elite. Regardless of their social class, everyone wanted a piece of the pie from the grand event.
"Senior... you don't want to play with steel wool, do you?"
"What steel wool? I'm not talking to you anymore. Hiyori agreed to meet with the Grand Duke, we're going now."
With communication cut off, Yuki quickly took a sip of beer to calm his shaken mind. Sure enough, there weren't any normal people in the dungeon.
I don't need to meet with the nobles anymore; Hiyori will definitely be able to dig out more information, so there's no need to repeat the strategy.
"Is it Mai Sakurajima?" Frieren had also figured out the information by then, and slowly walked back.
"Hmm, their situation is similar to ours. It seems the 'Tower Explorers' are no ordinary people, like Tang Sanzang, everyone wants to get close to them."
Frieren didn't understand which player was 'Tang Sanzang', so he nodded slightly. "Yes, I've already found out. The number of Tower Explorers is controlled by the Alliance, with an average of only one per kingdom. It can be an individual or a team, and the selection process will take seven years, with no more than 20 teams across the entire continent."
This was mentioned in the background story, but only those who experience it firsthand understand why everyone is so crazy about this spot.
He represents honor, wealth, women, and everything else. If Yuki wanted, he could take on countless underlings and seduce hundreds of the 'most beautiful girls in the village'.
"So what is the price?"
"Previous attempts to explore the tower all failed; all those who dared to enter perished. I just heard the bards here singing," Frieren cleared his throat and sang in a clear voice:
[They are fearless warriors, symbols of Truth, the most devout believers, and sacrifices for the prosperity of the continent.]
Just as I expected.
Yuki wasn't surprised at all, and he understood why these people were flocking to it even though they knew the truth.
Everyone harbors a glimmer of hope; even in the worst-case scenario, they can leave something behind for their family. This is far better than those madmen in the 'Calamity of Blood' who kill for the sake of killing and fight for the sake of fighting.
"How many times have you explored the tower before?"
"I don't know. Most mercenaries can't even read. Only the Alliance knows the core information. Even the nobles don't know much about it."
"On what basis does this Alliance allocate the quotas?"
"Only those certified by them can enter the tower, and each team of explorers can bring no fewer than one hundred subordinates. As for the reason behind it, they say it's some kind of blessing from the Witch God."
It's like a captain leading a bunch of cannon fodder, but why does that sound so familiar?
Organizing a grand ceremony? Isn't that just Cult?!
Yuki grimaced in pain; if there was ever a time he came closest to death, it was always in the Calamity of Blood.
"What other intelligence does this Tower Explorer Alliance have? Where is its headquarters? Who are its members? How much control does it exert over the various kingdoms?"
Frieren felt that the Yuki Sorajima was somewhat overreacting, as if it was quite wary of the Alliance.
"It's strange. They have no church, no headquarters, and never preach. They have no presence except for the Tower Raid that starts every seventy years. They just send out slots and announce the time. Oh, and they also have their own Tower Raiders. Maybe we'll meet them later."
That means there's no possibility of controlling the instance; it's most likely related to that Witch God and belongs to a secret organization.
Yuki's expression softened slightly as he looked at the burly men who were as docile as Hound, yet dared not approach.
From a spiritual perspective, the 'dust' emanating from them was even stronger, and there were differences between them.
"You accepted them?"
"Yes, that's a prerequisite for gathering intelligence. They've traveled all over the country and have a wealth of experience. Besides, there are monsters around the tower, so we need manpower to clear them out."
Yuki's lips moved slightly. This was the difference between Frieren and his seniors; he could make his own decisions, but he wasn't overly controlling.
"Then it's up to you." Yuki didn't care about the lives of the group of cannon fodder. He glanced at the mercenaries again, his gaze lingering for a moment on the face of a heavily armored man with a buzz cut.
This man, Peggy, is the strongest mercenary, and should have already reached the Transcendental Grade level. He also has the strongest smell of dust.
In addition, those with Transcendental Grade powers on the Red Earth Continent are called wizards. For example, this wizard is wielding a greatsword and wearing heavy armor. His sword and armor are decorated with beautiful gems that are radiating strange energy.
"Tell me, knowing there was a 100% mortality rate, why did you still go?"
"Your Excellency, since I failed the selection, exploring the tower is the meaning of my existence." Peggy knelt on one knee, looking as if she were willing to risk her life, and gradually, large beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Yuki didn't say anything, just stared at him quietly. It turned out that being stared at by a Monster III player with blood-stained hands was torture, so he simply knelt down.
"Well, actually, you can leave before all the towers are activated. I want the treasures inside the towers."
"Each Tower Explorer team can lead a support force of no more than 100 people. We are honored that you have chosen us."
That's the truth. The instance is clearly divided into two stages, which also aligns with human greed. As long as you're human, you have the inherent tendency to take benefits without doing anything in return.
Because of tip 3, players cannot leave easily, while these people can stop at the first stage, take all the benefits, and leave. No wonder they'd grovel to get involved.
What treasures are inside the tower?
Yuki didn't know, nor did he ask. That would have ruined his mysterious and unfathomable persona. Anyway, collecting some cannon fodder wasn't bad. Others had waited too long for this day and had gathered a lot of information.
When will the Tower of Asura open?
"Tomorrow morning, the barrier will dissipate when the bell tolls. I have a map; we can take a shortcut to bypass the outer monsters. I guarantee Lord Li will be the first to enter the tower." Peggy, as if sensing her own value, patted her chest and assured him:
"If you find the Tower of Asura unsuitable, I have prepared oxen and horses to help you switch targets as quickly as possible."
Yes, the natives are still useful. They've already prepared transportation and logistical supplies, so players only need to focus on conquering the land.
Yuki nodded in satisfaction, not interested in further conversation. "Then go and prepare. We'll meet here first thing tomorrow morning. Anything else?"
Apart from Peggy, several other mercenaries lingered, reluctant to leave, and said various things.
"Our former employer, Duke Calil, would like to invite you to be his guest. If you attend, he is willing to provide his own guards."
"This is nothing. King Perisius II also wishes to invite you to choose one of his many princesses. Once the matter is settled, an estate will become your family's fiefdom, a benefit that will extend to your descendants."
"We don't know any big shots, but the girls from the North are the most beautiful. Just go for a drink, and we'll never bother you again."
Yuki noticed Peggy, who had taken several steps back but looked tense. He took note of this detail, then looked at Frieren without a word, his eyes seeming to ask, 'Do you want me to die fast enough?'
The latter quickly looked away; who knew these natives were so enthusiastic.
Wait a minute, this time the notification doesn't mention that leaking the game will result in being wiped out, and the player can't possibly be a member of any indigenous faction.
Yuki, Yuuki remembered something and blurted out, "Aren't you afraid of being scammed?"
The group of mercenary leaders looked at each other, wondering what had gotten into this tower explorer.
"Let me be more specific. Since the Alliance controls all the slots, and even the Kingdom only has one, where do our slots come from?"
The mercenaries were still somewhat confused, as foolish and bewildered as if they had been asked, "Why do people eat?"
A moment later, they spoke in unison.
"You are, of course, the chosen one to explore the tower."
The Chosen Tower Explorer is the role the player takes on, meaning the natives know the difference.
Leaving the tavern and walking with Frieren on the bustling streets late at night, Yuki suddenly realized that the Reincarnation Game was quite simple and straightforward.
Unlike a 'god' who infiltrates stealthily and leaves the player's mark in the instance, He will only set a rule and tell the natives to follow it.
It's really lively here!
Yuki smelled the aromas of various foods and saw that the streets were filled with singing poets and street performers, and children who knew nothing were laughing and playing, as if it were a real festival.
The town was not dark; elegantly designed streetlights lined both sides of the road, their shades adorned with jewels that emitted a dazzling light.
He noticed that there were many children on the road, but very few elderly people. Some of them looked young but with gray hair, yet they appeared to be on their deathbeds.
Turning my head slightly, I saw Frieren eating fried bananas or something similar next to me. The aroma was irresistible. The Tower Explorers didn't have to pay for anything, truly experiencing what it felt like to be above everyone else.
"You want some?" The plump girl looked at her with a puzzled expression, picking up a piece of fried banana with a long skewer.