Sea God Ruins

Spring gave way to summer.

The sweltering days of light clothing had returned.

The legs of Dawn City's female guards looked especially enticing.

Local residents, newbie players, and merchants from afar filled the streets, lending the city a vibrant energy.

Dawn City might have been built atop sheer cliffs, making it inconvenient for ordinary people to get around, but travelers streamed through its Portals without pause. That alone brought in plenty of revenue.

A Portal flashed with light.

The guards saluted first. Players and everyone else lowered their heads and called out, "Greetings, Dawn City Lord! Greetings, my Lord!"

"Carry on. Don't let me hold up the Portal," William said with a casual wave. Time was money, and he couldn't waste it.

As he left, he muttered, "Should I build a Portal at home so I don't delay anyone...?"

A few sharp-eared players heard him and screamed inwardly, Big shot, how about sharing a little of that Portal money with us?

Unfortunately, William couldn't use Mind Reading. Even if he could, he wouldn't give them anything. He ignored the newbies crowding around him and thought, Instead of doing quests or running dungeons for materials, you hang around Dawn City hoping for a chance encounter with a legendary or Epic NPC. Do you think they're all like Doglitt, with nothing better to do than amuse themselves with you?

Honestly. You want to laze around and wait for rewards to fall into your lap? Nothing's that easy.

To be fair, it was partly his fault. After winning over the Five Cities of Sandsea, he had made the rounds of the fifteen human Grand Duchies, occasionally handing out encounter quests to strengthen the players' sense of belonging and intimidate the other Mercenaries.

But seeing how idle the players had become, he decided not