Chapter 27: Chapter27-Gathering Intelligence, Triggering a Special Quest

The village chief's abrupt change in demeanor took Sebastian by surprise.

Thankfully, the game didn't indicate any drop in his favorability rating, or else it would've been a major setback.

Regaining his composure, Sebastian then relayed the sequence of events to the village chief, leaving out Nightwolf's quest, simply stating he'd stumbled upon the token by chance.

After listening, the village chief's face grew somber, "If you are aware that Yomu is a captain of the Legion of Cataclysm, you should not continue your investigation."

"Village chief, can't you share even a bit of information?" Sebastian pressed, hope still flickering in his eyes.

"No, and if you value your life, you'll stop asking," the village chief warned sternly.

A look of resignation crossed Sebastian's face. He hoped to glean a bit more, but the village chief seemed to see right through him.

"If there's nothing else, you should leave," he said, rising to usher his guest out.

Although Sebastian wished to press further, he feared risking a drop in his favorability rating with the village chief.

Reluctantly, he departed, a cloud of frustration looming over him.

Back at his dwelling, he summoned Breeze. Alone, he sank into a sofa, contemplating his next move.

With his increased level, he had gained two additional rolls for intelligence.

Stilling his mind, he began the intelligence roll.

Perhaps his journey in the secret realm had drained all his good fortune, for in three consecutive tries, Sebastian only managed to roll white-grade intelligence.

Although not terrible, it no longer met his escalating standards.

With a sigh, he proceeded with another attempt.

This time, fortune smiled on him as he drew a blue-grade intelligence.

[Mysterious Merchant (Blue): A wandering Mysterious Merchant is set to appear near the Toxic Fog Swamp, west of Darkstone, in three days. He will only stay for half a minute. If found within that time, he will offer goods at half price.]

Mysterious Merchant?

At the sight of these two words, a jolt of astonishment surged through Sebastian's heart.

The Mysterious Merchant is one of the most pivotal NPCs in [Original Realm].

The items he carries range from a minimum of Unique-grade to even legendary-grade items.

As long as you possess enough gold coins, everything can be yours.

For some of the wealthier players, this was a trivial matter.

However, the biggest challenge was, as the name "Mysterious Merchant" implies, his unpredictable appearances.

He had no fixed spawn locations, and up to this point, not a single player had located him.

Yet, if one were to find him, it would be an astronomical rise to fame, especially with the half-price discount mentioned in the intelligence.

This revelation ignited a fervor within Sebastian, making him wish he could fast forward to that moment three days hence.

However, there was a catch: Sebastian's current financial status.

Running into the Mysterious Merchant and then not having the coins to make a purchase would be mortifying.

Fortunately, his recent expedition into the secret realm had reaped substantial rewards.

It seemed timely to sell off undesired items to prepare.

Shifting his attention back, Sebastian, feeling a streak of good fortune, decided to draw again.

[Village Chief's Woes (Blue): The Darkstone village chief has been gravely concerned as villagers have been disappearing recently. What he doesn't know is that these missing villagers have been captured by the Legion of Cataclysm stationed in the eastern mountains. Providing the village chief with this clue will trigger a special quest.]

To Sebastian's astonishment, the next piece of intelligence was related to the village chief.

Having read the information, a solemn realization dawned on him.

With this intelligence, he could further elevate his favorability rating with the village chief.

Perhaps then, the chief might be more inclined to share details about Yomu.

Sebastian's prior despondency was lifted considerably. Seizing the momentum, he proceeded with his sixth intelligence roll.

[Mysterious Figure of the Snowy Mountain (Blue): In five days, deep within the northern snowy mountains, the enigmatic individual who once gravely wounded the Wolf King has also been attacked and is now seeking refuge in the Wolf King's lair for recovery.]

The moment the intelligence displayed, Sebastian jolted upright from his sofa, eyes wide with astonishment.

He gazed intently at the words before him, utterly taken aback.

The Mysterious Figure of the Snowy Mountain.

Could it be... Yomu?

Sebastian had never anticipated that he would directly draw intelligence related to Yomu, and moreover, confirming his exact location.

Just moments ago, he had been racking his brains, trying to pry information from the village chief.

Yet, unexpectedly, fortune smiled upon him, revealing the delightful twist that lay just around the corner.

It appeared that Nightwolf's quest could now be accomplished.

Suppressing his burgeoning excitement, and sensing that his luck was holding, Sebastian decided to draw once more.

However, this time, Lady Luck was not as generous, granting him only a regular white intelligence.

Yet, the three blue-grade intelligence pieces he had were already invaluable.

Drawing his thoughts back, Sebastian, with a beaming face, looked at Breeze, who lay beside him, gently stroking its soft fur. "I have to see the village chief now," he declared. Leaving Breeze at home, Sebastian swiftly made his way toward the village chief's abode.

Knock, knock, knock—

The door echoed with his knocks, and the village chief swung it open, exclaiming, "Who's the wretched soul disturbing me now?" But his words trailed off as he saw a cheerful Sebastian standing there.

Frowning, the village chief said, "ShepherdWind, what brings you here again? I told you not to pry into Yomu's affairs."

"Village chief, that's not why I'm here," Sebastian responded.

With the intelligence at his disposal, he no longer needed any information on Yomu.

"What are you here for then?" the village chief inquired.

"I've come to tell you where the missing villagers are," Sebastian promptly replied.

At this revelation, the village chief's expression shifted dramatically, and he quickly pulled Sebastian inside. "Where are they?" he demanded earnestly in the courtyard.

"They've been taken by the Legion of Cataclysm stationed in the eastern mountains," Sebastian articulated, echoing the intelligence verbatim.

Upon hearing this, the village chief's face was first painted with shock, then skepticism as he peered at Sebastian, "Do not deceive me."

"Village chief, I speak the truth," Sebastian responded.

But the village chief remained unconvinced.

After pondering for a moment, he drew a mirror from within his robes. "This is a Recording Mirror. If you can capture the image of the villagers being taken, I will believe you."

[Please note, you have triggered a special quest: Scout of the Legion of Cataclysm.]

[Would you like to accept this quest?]

The quest prompt resonated in Sebastian's ears. Without hesitation, he accepted the mirror, asserting, "Very well."

[You have accepted the quest. Please check your records.]

Following his agreement, the stern demeanor of the village chief softened noticeably.

He looked at Sebastian with a benevolent expression, "Go, child. If all you've said is true, then you are a benefactor to Darkstone."

Sebastian nodded and departed.

Once out of the village chief's residence, he opened his quest log.

[Quest Name: Scout of the Legion of Cataclysm]

[Quest Description: The missing villagers were captured by monsters from the First Squad of the Tenth Brigade of the Legion of Cataclysm. They have extracted intelligence about Darkstone from the villagers. Your task is to eliminate them swiftly, rescue the villagers, and ensure that the intelligence doesn't spread.]

[Quest Requirements: Rescue the villagers, prevent the dissemination of intelligence.]

[Quest Rewards: Village Chief's Treasure Chest, Honorable Villager title...]

[Quest Penalty: Favorability rating with Darkstone's village chief decreases by 20 points]

[Quest Duration: 6 hours]