Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Ant Den Monopoly
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“If you wish to enter a city controlled by the Alliance Forces, you must first pay the established entry fee; otherwise, access will be strictly denied.”
An entry fee for every gate.
“Hold your ground for a moment. This particular road is under the special management of our White Tiger Guild, and if you intend to pass through, you will need to cough up a bit of cash for the toll.”
A toll for every path.
“Are you looking for the dungeon entrance? This site is an Alliance Forces exclusive. If you truly wish to go inside, you must pay the usage fee first, and only then will we grant you access for a few hours.”
“Can you not read the posted signs? If you want to accept a quest in this district, you are required to pay the administrative fee before we allow you to speak with the NPCs. Those are the rules in this city.”
A usage fee for every basic interaction.
“What do you mean it is too expensive? We have no choice in the matter, for the Alliance takes a significant cut as a commission on every transaction. It is a tough business to run, and there is virtually no profit left for us at the end of the day!”
A hidden commission on every service.
“To maintain your residency in an Alliance-controlled city, you are required to pay monthly taxes, and failure to do so will result in your swift eviction from the premises.”
High taxes on every home.
“Entry is forbidden here—this entire area has been placed under direct Alliance control, and no one outside the guild structure is permitted to enter. No, even offering to pay the fee will not help you this time.”
They had even established absolute control over the most lucrative hunting grounds and dungeons, creating a situation where the tyranny of the Alliance Forces was far worse than anyone had anticipated. They were squeezing money out of the population at every turn, often using the most ridiculous excuses to justify their greed.
As a result, residents who could no longer endure the constant abuse began to trickle out of the cities in search of a better life elsewhere. However, that mass exodus was short-lived, for the Alliance Forces soon began to control the gates leading out of their territory as well.
“Do you truly think you can just leave without our explicit permission? This is not a place where you can simply come and go as you please. If you wish to depart, you must pay the exit price, and only then will we open the gates for you.”
It was utterly unbelievable. The cost to exit the city was set at a staggering 5 gold, an amount that was impossible for the suffering residents to scrape together on such short notice. They were trapped in a cycle of poverty and abuse with no means to rebel. In a city occupied by multiple allied guilds, starting a protest was a death sentence; the Alliance’s combined strength was currently enough to clash even with the powerful Goblins.
The atmosphere in the Fallen Lands had grown hostile and toxic, with suspicion and wariness on the rise. Mistrust had deepened to the point where even innocent players were being hassled as potential spies. Most players were avoiding the Fallen Lands entirely, but for those with essential quests or a need for the rare ores found in the local mines, entering the war zone was a necessary risk. The permanent stat boosts offered by the limited Fallen Lands quests were simply too valuable to ignore, regardless of the political climate.
The community sentiment, which had once been critical of the Goblins’ monopoly, had shifted dramatically. Seeing the blatant bullshit of the Alliance made the Goblins look like saints by comparison, and support for the guild was starting to grow as players hoped for a swift end to the war.
* *
Seokwoo scowled as he scrolled through the latest reports on his phone. While he had been busy wiping out the revolutionaries, the conflict between the Goblins and the Anti-Goblin Alliance had intensified beyond his expectations. He had anticipated chaos, but the Alliance’s move to block access to specific dungeons was a serious problem for his personal goals.
The Ant Den was his current target, yet it had been under total lockdown by the White Tiger Guild for over two weeks. They were barring all player entry, but several witnesses had reported seeing groups of grim-faced NPCs being dragged into the tunnels against their will under guild escort. These workers would eventually emerge looking utterly exhausted, fueling all sorts of rumors, though no one had dared to infiltrate the site to find the truth. The White Tiger Guild maintained strict information control even among its own members.
‘This is a significant obstacle,’ Seokwoo thought. He needed to get inside that dungeon to reach his objective. He knew he couldn't just take on the entire Alliance single-handedly, as touching the White Tiger Guild would draw the attention of all the allied small guilds. His only viable option was to act like a true thief—sneak in, gather intelligence, and observe their patterns until a safe window for infiltration presented itself.
He stubbed out his cigarette, his eyes gleaming with determination.
* *
The Ant Den was a dungeon with a recommended level of 100, filled with a hierarchy of insect-type monsters ranging from worker ants to massive queens. Despite their unsettling appearance, the experience points and loot drops were quite lucrative, making them a prime target for guild monopolies.
Luke watched the White Tiger guards from his hiding spot, noting their strict day-and-night shifts. They were blocking the single entrance so tightly that even a silent approach seemed nearly impossible. He decided to stay patient and gather information by utilizing his Scout skill on the sentries.
He peeked at their inventories, hoping to find something suspicious, but found only high-grade equipment and a massive stockpile of potions. He memorized their names and faces, waiting for the inevitable shift change that would provide him with a moment of distraction.
After what felt like an eternity, the group of NPCs finally emerged from the tunnels. They were caked in dirt and dust, their bodies hunched under the weight of heavy backpacks. Luke’s curiosity was piqued, and he decided to use his Scout skill on the workers as they passed by his vantage point.
The item list that popped up was unexpected. He saw dust-filled hardhats, rusted pickaxes, worn shovels, and bent hammers. It appeared they were conducting some sort of excavation or construction work deep within the den. He overheard a few guild members complaining about the work being delayed, confirming that an operation was indeed underway.
Luke narrowed his eyes as he scrolled further down the inventory of a goateed man in the center of the worker group. Among the common tools and debris, one specific item stood out due to its high-grade quality.
[Ant Den Passage Blueprint (67%)]
A detailed blueprint of the interior passages. Luke’s lips curled into a sharp grin; he had found his way in.