Digging Up Trouble

Hearing Alcott's explanation, the Guild Alliance members nodded with awkward expressions. "Ah... I see... Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping... Right..."

With the majority of the guild members being Chinese, these were incredibly bold usernames, but not entirely unacceptable.

They must really respect those historical figures.

Talk about being politically devout!

Tae-hyun, of course, was on the verge of losing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his mind.

Are you insane?! Tae-hyun hissed via whisper. Is this your idea of revenge?

N-no, it's not! Alcott frantically replied. I swear, I couldn't think of a single other name! I don't know any Chinese names!

You're in the Guild Alliance, and you can't even come up with a decent Chinese name? Do you expect me to believe that?!

Hey, I might be in the Alliance, but I'm a foreigner! Honestly, all their names sound so similar to me! Those were the only ones I could remember!

Alcott felt genuinely wronged. He really couldn't think of anything else, so he had resorted to the most famous names he knew. What else was he supposed to do? It wasn't like he could use a name like "Jackie Chan"!

Why did you even try to introduce us as Chinese in the first place?

Because it's safer that way! As a foreigner in the Guild Alliance, I'm already subjected to a lot of suspicion and scrutiny.

Since the Guild Alliance was heavily dominated by Chinese players, foreign rankers like Alcott faced various disadvantages. Of course, as a top-tier ranker, Alcott wasn't openly mistreated, but the mere fact that he had previously run quests with Tae-hyun made him walk on eggshells.

He had managed to excuse his confinement in the pirate's exile zone as an unavoidable circumstance, but the lingering unease remained.

If he were caught hanging out with two highly suspicious individuals under these circumstances, the rumors and suspicion would only multiply. He had to make Tae-hyun and Cain look as unsuspicious as possible. The best way to do that was nationality! A Chinese player active in the Auston Kingdom was guaranteed to earn instant favor with the Alliance members.

"May I ask why you chose those usernames?" one of the guild members asked.

"Out of respect," Tae-hyun replied smoothly.

"We respect them immensely!" Cain chimed in.

Tae-hyun and Cain had no choice but to play along, swallowing their pride. At their response, several guild members looked genuinely impressed.

"Then how did you get to know these two... ah, gentlemen, Alcott?"

The atmosphere had softened considerably. When they first arrived, the guild members' eyes had practically screamed, Who are these crazy bastards? But now, their gazes were filled with warmth.

"I ran into them while wandering around the Auston Kingdom. They seemed decent enough, so I brought them along," Alcott snapped, his tone turning sharp. "More importantly, why are you asking? Is that what matters right now? Do you think my time is a joke?"

"Ah, no! Of course not. I apologize," the guild member stammered. "They're just unfamiliar faces, and I thought if they weren't affiliated with any guild, we could recruit them into ours..."

"I'll handle that and report to the higher-ups myself. It's none of your business."

"I'm sorry!"

"Is 'sorry' going to fix it? Huh? Don't do things you'll have to apologize for in the first place."

"It was my mistake!"

Man, this guy has a nasty temper, Cain thought to himself. Where did the groveling Alcott from earlier go? Now he was acting like a total tyrant...

"Mr. Mao Zedong."

"...Ah, right! That's me! Yes, yes?"

"If you ever want to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠join our guild, please let us know. Your username is awesome!"

"Your fashion sense is great too."

"..." Cain nodded, his mind in absolute turmoil, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

Can't we shake these guys off? Cain whispered. It'd be easier for everyone if we just killed them quickly.

Easier said than done, Tae-hyun replied. How do we kill them without getting caught? We can't afford to look even slightly suspicious.

Let's lure them somewhere dangerous and push them in. Because of them, I can't even help hatch the eggs in Sadiq's Demonic Beast Spawning Ground.

Tae-hyun grumbled. Normally, he would be lavishly feeding nutrients to the eggs in the spawning ground, but he couldn't do that with so many eyes watching him.

That was your doing?! Alcott chimed in, horrified. Why on earth are you doing that?! They're already hard enough to hunt, and you're making them even stronger!

That's the whole point. Hey, do you think I should be helping the Guild Alliance, or ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sabotaging them?

Sabotaging them, obviously...

Alcott regretted asking. He knew Tae-hyun had signed a truce, but Alcott didn't care about that either. As if Kim Tae-hyun is the type of person to honor something like that!

"Alright, let's get back to it," Alcott announced aloud. "I'm searching this underground area to track down Sadiq's Avatar. If we keep searching, we'll eventually find Sadiq's Demonic Beast Spawning Ground..."

Crack! Crunch! The Guild Alliance members immediately began smashing the demonic beast eggs in the spawning ground. Watching this, Cain wept internally.

Ugh! Kim Tae-hyun! Are you just going to stand there and watch?!

What else can we do? Just watch.

Doesn't your heart bleed?! Do you know how hard I worked to raise those babies?!

Tae-hyun stared at Cain as if he were looking at a complete lunatic.

"My theory is that by tracking these spawning grounds, we can locate the Avatar's hideout or sanctuary," Alcott explained. "Even if we don't find it, destroying all these spawning grounds will inevitably weaken Sadiq's power. Once all the demonic beasts are gone, the Avatar will have no choice but to show itself."

"That sounds like a solid plan, Alcott!"

"So that's why you brought those NPCs along."

Alcott wasn't alone. Behind the path they had just traversed stood a group of miner NPCs. They were workers hired from the mines specifically to locate the spawning grounds!

"Yeah, these guys are experts at digging. But since you're all here, you should help out too, right? It'll go much faster that way." With those words, Alcott pulled out shovels and pickaxes and tossed them to the guild members. The tunnel would be completed much faster if everyone pitched in.

"Alright, swing!"

"..." Though the guild members looked disgruntled, none of them dared to complain out loud. Thud, thud, thud— Everyone gathered began swinging their pickaxes, digging through the earth. And then...

"Oh... Ohhh!"

"Oooooh!"

One man stood out spectacularly from the rest. It was Mao Zedong—no, Cain.

"This is... truly magnificent!"

"Where on earth did you learn to swing a pickaxe like that?"

"Would you... perhaps be interested in meeting my master?"

"No thanks!" Tae-hyun's running joke about Cain's true calling was rapidly becoming a reality.

Crash! With a loud boom, the wall gave way, revealing a new spawning ground.

"!"

"They really are spaced out at regular intervals!" the guild members marveled.

Hey, you need to lure them to a good spot and kill them! Tae-hyun scolded. Alcott sighed and nodded.

I know, I know... Just wait a little longer...

Of course, Tae-hyun had absolutely no intention of waiting. He swiftly reached out and touched one of the squirming demonic beast eggs.

Divine Foresight! He targeted the exact spot that should never be touched.

Word of Power! He used his verbal magic to forcibly awaken the egg.

Sadique's Flame Rune! Finally, he unleashed Sadiq's Authority! The results were instantaneous and devastating.

"Alcott! The beast is waking up!"

"Don't panic! You guys are more than capable of handling this! Miners, fall back! Everyone else, move to the front!"

Alcott ordered the guild members forward to confront the beast. As an assassin, Alcott couldn't possibly act as a tank and hold the front line. The guild members moved to buy time so Alcott could slip behind the beast and strike.

"Buy me some time!"

"Yes, sir!" The guild members held their formation tight.

Screeeech! The prematurely awakened beast roared in fury and lunged. A cramped spawning ground, a massive beast, and to make matters worse, it was empowered by a flame buff thanks to Tae-hyun! Every possible disadvantage was stacked against them. Yet, the guild members remained undaunted. After all, they had Alcott.

Boom!

"Ugh..."

"Alcott! Attack quickly!"

"I'm on it!"

Crash! Bam! The onslaught continued. Having withstood the initial strike, the beast's attacks grew even more ferocious and wild.

"Alcott!"

"I said I'm coming! Don't look back, focus on what's in front of you!"

"Alcott... Argh!"

Thud, crash, bam, smash! Under the relentless battering, one of the guild members finally collapsed, dead.

"Hey, what are you doing? Do your job!"

"Alcott! Hurry... Aaargh!"

One by one, the guild members fell. Watching the carnage from a safe distance, Tae-hyun and Cain practically pulled out popcorn to enjoy the show.

"Whew... pant, pant... I barely managed to finish it."

"That was brilliant, Alcott!"

"Yeah! What a thrilling performance. The others probably died without even knowing what hit them!"

"..." Alcott let out a heavy sigh. He felt several times more exhausted than if he had fought normally.

"Since all the guild members I brought have logged out, I have to show some results for this quest."

"Don't worry, I'll help you with that. You just need to help us with our business."

I feel like I'm sinking deeper and deeper into a swamp... Alcott began to feel increasingly uneasy. Having Tae-hyun's help was undoubtedly like having an army of thousands at his back, but if they were ever found out, it would surely spell his doom. Well, it's too late to turn back now.

"Alright. So, tell me if there's anyone nearby worth plundering."

"..." Alcott hesitated for a brief moment, but ultimately began sharing the information. After all... he wasn't the one who would suffer the losses!

Once Alcott shared the intel, Tae-hyun and Cain ran wild, appearing here, there, and everywhere ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like lightning. Of course, Alcott received immense pressure from his superiors, but he excused himself by blaming the quest and claiming the targets were escaping too quickly.

Meanwhile, Tae-hyun didn't forget to hatch the demonic beasts. Every time they discovered a spawning ground, he fed and raised the beasts as much as possible. Naturally, Alcott was left utterly horrified each time he witnessed this.

"Whew. Alright. We've plundered enough... Shall we go find Sadiq now?"

At Tae-hyun's words, Cain whispered in confusion, "Hey, wouldn't it be better if we didn't help him? Plundering is way more fun. I'm actually starting to enjoy this."

Cain couldn't understand why Tae-hyun, who had been busy growing and releasing demonic beasts, was now helping Alcott locate and defeat Sadiq's Avatar.

"We need to take a break from plundering for now. If we keep running amok like this, everyone will swarm this place," Tae-hyun explained. "Besides... Sadiq's Avatar is bound to fall eventually. It's incomplete to begin with, and it doesn't even have a church. It's just a matter of time. In that case, it's much better to secure a reliable traitor like Alcott."

Tae-hyun was looking far into the future, firmly securing Alcott as an ally!

"More than anything, we don't even know if Alcott can take down Sadiq's Avatar on his own. I think he's highly likely to fail. Regardless of how this ends, Alcott won't be able to go against us."

"Ah, I see...!" Cain nodded, fully convinced.

The trio continued to roam, searching for spawning grounds.

"!!"

The place they reached after digging a new tunnel was not a spawning ground, but the sanctuary itself. They had finally found it.

"Yes! We did it!" Alcott was practically jumping for joy. There was no moment more gratifying than when one gathered clues from scratch, pushed through the grind, and finally unlocked the quest's destination.

"Alright, let's go. Kim Tae-hyun! I've never felt so reassured having you around."

"Haha, it's nothing." Tae-hyun patted Alcott on the back. Grow well, my little pawn.

As they stepped through the entrance of the sanctuary, a massive underground cavern unfolded before their eyes. Instead of water, rivers of molten lava flowed through the cavern, and bizarre, small demonic beasts of Sadiq fluttered about the ceiling.

Alcott hesitated. Honestly, a quest of this caliber was nearly impossible to clear alone. Under normal circumstances, it was a raid-level quest that required the full backing of the guild. But with Kim Tae-hyun and Cain here... we might actually be able to pull it off. After all, the fewer players sharing a quest's rewards, the better. Alcott decided not to call for guild reinforcements.