Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Silaremit, the New Stronghold
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‘They told me to pick one here.’
Each path led to a different region. Players would use the area at the end of their chosen path as a base and start fresh from there.
Of course, they could always come back to this point and take another path. Apparently, quite a few did just that if they didn’t like where they ended up.
But Yuseong had no intention of doing that.
‘I’m pushing forward no matter what.’
For survival and a comfortable life.
‘Strategy Guide.’
【Yes.】
No matter that the strange phenomena happening around him didn’t always side with him completely, nothing was as helpful as the Strategy Guide. So Yuseong naturally turned to it again this time.
‘Which one’s best for me?’
【Any specific conditions you’d like? Even small ones are fine.】
Yuseong stroked his chin, lost in thought.
‘Come to think of it, the linked quest. Does it matter which path I take?’
【If you want to complete the linked quest, take the third path from the right.】
‘Really?’
Yuseong looked in the direction the Strategy Guide indicated.
It was a straight path stretching ahead, as if urging him not to hesitate.
No need to. Yuseong started down that path.
That’s how he arrived at a city.
Towering walls that seemed to pierce the sky. The city’s name was written above the gate.
Silaremit.
It would be Yuseong’s new base for the time being.
He walked toward the gate. Lots of people were visible.
‘Some unusual folks here.’
Not monsters or anything. Just people who looked a bit different from those he’d met so far—and from himself.
He recalled Naltorri’s words from before: starting from Verhill, it was where players from around the world, not just Korea, really started gathering.
‘So that’s what other races look like.’
Another moment of confirming something he’d only known from knowledge.
Having arrived in the new region, Yuseong first asked for info on nearby optional bosses. Hunting optional bosses was the kind of content that drew the most attention, after all.
‘Just one around here.’
The gap between his current level and the challenge limit was pretty wide.
‘I can take my time challenging it.’
No matter how much he wanted to boost his notoriety fast, he wasn’t about to rush in. Success would raise it more than failure, after all. The safest bet was waiting until he hit the challenge limit level.
For now, he decided to explore the city.
He munched on a piece of black bread as he slowly took in the city. Listening to the Strategy Guide’s explanations, he memorized all the important shops.
Once he had a rough grasp of the city that would serve as his base for a while, he sorted out his next steps.
‘Might as well start with the linked quest.’
Yuseong asked the Strategy Guide where the linked quest was.
Quest: Twisted Merchant’s Jealousy
Reward: 415 EXP, 600 gold, Lowest-Grade Stamina Booster, Linked Quest
The Lowest-Grade Stamina Booster in the rewards caught his eye.
‘The stamina version of that strength booster I got before, huh?’
No need for the Strategy Guide’s advice to figure that one out.
‘Let’s go.’
Yuseong headed toward the spot the Strategy Guide had marked on his map.
* * *
It was a large building. Bigger and more ornate than the ones around it.
<[Merchant Guild]>
That’s what the sign said.
‘Different from guilds like Hers.’
Unlike player guilds formed for shared goals, these were more like professional associations. This one, as the sign indicated, was for merchants.
Players could join and make enemies that way, but Yuseong had no plans to—at least not now. He was here because this was where he could pick up the linked quest.
Lots of people were coming and going from the building. Most looked like players.
‘This many people trying to become merchants?’
【Players can pick up the quest linked to ‘Merchant on the Verge of Bankruptcy’ at the Merchant Guild. Most are probably here for that.】
‘So people like me?’
【Not quite. Unlike your linked quest chain that started with ‘Old Lady of the Bread Shop’s Memories,’ theirs begins with ‘Merchant on the Verge of Bankruptcy.’ The progression and rewards are different, and yours are much better.】
‘Got it.’
【Plus, their linked quest can be progressed at any city’s Merchant Guild. But yours is only available here in Silaremit.】
Yuseong entered the Merchant Guild, ears tuned to the Strategy Guide.
Like other shops, the moment he stepped inside, the other players vanished. He walked to the counter as the Strategy Guide directed.
“Welcome! How may I help you?”
A pretty receptionist asked with a warm smile. But her eyes soon widened.
“Pardon me, but are you Yuseong?”
Yuseong nodded.
“I knew it! I heard the stories. You helped Eured, right?”
‘Just like the Strategy Guide said.’
It had told him the receptionist would approach as soon as he went to the counter if he’d completed ‘Merchant on the Verge of Bankruptcy.’
“Eured was someone even our guild had our eye on. He was a rookie pulling in solid profits right from the start of his trading career. To see someone like that on the brink of bankruptcy... how worried we were...”
“This is the guy who helped Eured?”
A voice suddenly cut in. Yuseong looked toward it.
A bloated body draped in flashy clothes. Narrow eyes sizing him up like a rat hunting for prey.
It was like the spitting image of the sleazy merchant stereotype.
Of course, Yuseong didn’t have any such preconceptions.
“Hmph! What a pointless waste.”
He clicked his tongue. His voice dripped with negativity.
“Mr. Istin! What a rude thing to say!”
The receptionist protested, but he snorted and ignored her. Instead, he scolded her like she was the one at fault.
“A guild receptionist favoring one merchant. The guild isn’t what it used to be.”
“You can’t even offer basic gratitude to someone who saved a guild member? Just so you know, even if this person had saved you, Mr. Istin, I’d still be grateful.”
“Khuhuhu, how touching. But there’s no way to verify that, is there? I’m not some idiot like Eured—I’d never end up in that kind of mess.”
Yuseong might not know the sleazy merchant archetype, but this short exchange was enough to get a read on the NPC named Istin.
‘Hates Eured’s guts, for one.’
“But from your attitude, it doesn’t seem like you just came to say thanks. Got a request or something?”
“Nothing I can’t ask. If you’re good enough to retrieve Eured’s goods from bandits, your skills are solid.”
Istin smirked at the receptionist’s curt reply. It was a smile that carried zero positivity.
“Exactly. So how about handling the goblins that popped up recently?”
“What does that have to do with anything?!”
“Why so flustered? They’re just goblins. Someone who can infiltrate a bandit hideout and get the goods back should handle that easy.”
“Didn’t you hear about the hobgoblin sighting?”
“Yeah, yeah. Just some woodcutter’s sighting. And he only said he ‘thought’ he saw one—not even sure himself if it was really a hobgoblin. As if some bumpkin like that could even recognize one. And even if there is, so what? I’m sure our great hero here can take care of it.”
With that, Istin flashed Yuseong a nasty smile.
“What do you say? Honestly, those goblins are seriously messing with trade routes. Handle them, and I’ll pay you myself.”
Quest: Twisted Merchant’s Jealousy
The merchant Istin has always envied young, talented Eured—who’s now even eyeing Istin’s main trade goods, jewelry. That envy has twisted into resentment toward you for saving Eured. Now he’s trying to mess with you by assigning you to exterminate the goblins, including the recent hobgoblin sighting.
Defeat 5 hobgoblins and 50 goblins.
Reward: 415 EXP, 600 gold, Lowest-Grade Stamina Booster
“Sure.”
Yuseong accepted the offer.
Istin’s lips twisted further.
“Straight to the point—I like it. Good luck, then.”
Istin patted Yuseong’s shoulder.
Then he walked to a wall and stopped. Even in his NPC idle state, that sour expression remained.
* * *
With the quest accepted, Yuseong followed the Strategy Guide’s directions to Witt Mountain, where goblins had been spotted nearby. It wasn’t far, so it didn’t take long.
‘Time to go live?’
He’d arrived in a new city and picked up a quest—good time to start streaming.
‘Strategy Guide. Start the broadcast.’
【Understood.】
It stung to burn 10,000 gold per stream, but he needed to keep at it for notoriety.
[Oh, stream’s on]
[Hi Yuseong]
<Hey>
The chat window filled with messages. He’d been awkward at first, but after a few times, Yuseong greeted them smoothly now.
“Hello, everyone.”
More greetings for Yuseong scrolled by. Amid them, the sharp-eyed ones noted it didn’t look like the old area.
“I’ve left Verhill and am now in Silaremit.”
[Out of Verhill already?]
[No wonder the scenery changed]
“I’m heading out to hunt goblins now.”
[Goblins, huh?]
[Heading to Witt Mountain, looks like]
“That’s right.”
[Yuseong, no Silver Wolf quest? It’s part of the Merchant on the Verge of Bankruptcy linked chain.]
The Silver Wolf quest was the one that started from ‘Merchant on the Verge of Bankruptcy,’ as the Strategy Guide had mentioned.
Yuseong paused a moment before speaking slowly.
“Looks like I’m on a different linked quest chain. The one I got at the Merchant Guild was different.”
Streaming meant some quest info would leak inevitably. But he couldn’t reveal everything, or the Strategy Guide’s existence might slip.
‘They wouldn’t take it well.’
He’d learned from talks with streamers like Naltorri and viewers that he was the only one with a Strategy Guide. Just having it was like cheating.
Of course, not using it wasn’t an option.
For Yuseong, Arc wasn’t about fun—it was survival. He couldn’t afford to care about fair play.
“The quest I got is called ‘Twisted Merchant’s Jealousy.’”
[Whoa, new quest?]
[Another one from Merchant on the Verge of Bankruptcy?]
The chat exploded.
New Arc info was always hot, especially a fresh branch from the beginner staple ‘Merchant on the Verge of Bankruptcy’ chain.
[Is that really part of the Merchant chain? Not something else?]
Doubts poured in, naturally. But he’d laid the groundwork.
“Probably. The receptionist asked if I was the one who helped Eured, and then some NPC butted in and gave me this quest.”
[Sounds legit]
“Anyway, quest’s accepted, so I’ve gotta do it.”
Yuseong began climbing the mountain in earnest.