Gamers of the Underworld (Web Novel)

Sherlock didn’t examine the letter. He took the “Winterfell Monthly Digest” and muttered to himself as he sat down.

“I don’t recall subscribing to any newspaper…”

The newspaper was huge. The size was equivalent to four pages after unfolding. Each of the pages had their own headlines.

“Winterfell No. 666 Sale, shop discount of 9.99%, a sale that will not come back, a rare occurrence in a hundred years!”

“Fretting over mischievous children smoking, having hematemesis, playing truant, and being rebellious? Don’t worry, find out more about a professional kid disciplining machine. Just a bat and have another kid without any worries!”

“Selling counterfeit stuff, selling counterfeit stuff. I am selling fake goods, but they are really cheap.”

Sherlock read the articles carefully. He was sure he wasn’t buying, but he took down the shops’ contact address.

“Calling for advertisements.”

The advertisements, which weren’t of interest to Lord Sherlock, took up 95% of the front and back covers.

A small portion of the middle pages had a few practical pieces of news.

“Winterfell is recruiting a fearless performance troupe for the Welcoming Ceremony and is offering good remuneration.”

“A chivalrous Gnome saved three Aquamen who fell into the water. After trying to save the Aquamen for ten days, two of them perished due to dehydration. Winterfell awarded the Gnome a medal of chivalry.”

“Emergency! A calamity occurred at the Ancient Ruins No. 85 excavation site!”

Sherlock scrutinized the headline and read the contents carefully.

“Late last night during newspaper production, a calamity occurred at the Ancient Ruins No. 85 excavation site.

According to official sources, the Ancient Ruins No. 85 excavation site was originally an Orc tribe’s ancestral burial ground. Because of the excavation, large numbers of ancestral Skeletons got out to stop the excavation. The disturbed ancestral Skeletons negotiated for compensation of 1000 Magic Stones per household with the excavation team. The Merchant Alliance suffered severe losses, and they reserved the right to sue the excavation team for damages.

Professionals pointed out that this could be planned fraud.

Professor Bacon, Deputy Director, Academic Department of Specter College, who was visiting Winterfell, was forced to accept our interview.

Bacon: What? You’re interviewing me? Can I decline? I can’t? Are you threatening me? No, no, no, I know, blur out my name.

Ba.Censored.Con: Cough, from a professional viewpoint, the possibility of ancestral Skeletons getting out of their graves is very low, so there could be an untold conspiracy!

Thank you, Ba.Censored.Con, for accepting our interview.

We will report updates as they occur.”

Sherlock put down the newspaper and tore open the letter.

“To Eternal Kingdom Dungeon Lord Sherlock—Winterfell Business Unit”

“Respectable Lord Sherlock, please proceed to the Winterfell Business Unit, Ancient Ruins No. 85 Exploration Committee, and report to the Team Leader, Orc, within three days.

Thank you—Winterfell Business Unit.”

Sherlock put away the letter as Bru said, “Seems like there’s a major discovery at Ancient Ruins No. 85, Lord Sherlock.”

“Who knows. From the official report, it seems like an incursion into a tribe’s ancestral burial ground.” Sherlock browsed the discussion forum as he held his bloody chrysanthemum tea and sipped casually. He wasn’t worried.

“Whether it’s this world or the otherworld, merchants’ words cannot be trusted. Lord Sherlock, you must be clear on this point,” Bru smiled and said.

“If there’s a contract, they can be trusted,” Sherlock said as he scanned through the gamers’ posts. He found Sylvanas’ post, which was titled [Internet connection interruption? What the heck?].

Tens of other gamers replied and agreed that they had the same problem.

“Bru, is your summoning unstable?” Sherlock asked Bru.

“Please wait a while, Lord Sherlock. Let me check the server’s data log.” Bru was silent for a while before he said, “Lord Sherlock, according to the server’s record, the gamer Sylvanas and other gamers with dropped connections were under attack from a Spiritual Mana Psychic Scream. Normal Goblins with their Mana resistance would go insane under this attack. But the gamers’ souls are not in this world, so the effect of the attack would be interrupted internet connection. They only need to log back into the game and they will be fine. They won’t die or receive any damage. However, I suggest stopping Brainiac’s research.”

Sherlock stood up and rubbed the back of his skull as he walked out of the Dungeon Core Main Hall.

“This Brainiac…”

…

In a dark room, a green-skinned Goblin with the name Sylvanas laid on a large, smoothed rock face. The Goblin closed her eyes and looked like she was sleeping.

A Lich was by the side holding a journal and recording notes conscientiously.

“Confirmed Psychic Scream attack No. 21.

Experiment No. 41, Goblin with the strange words “Sylvanas.” Like the previous Goblin, after the Psychic Scream attack, she didn’t exhibit insanity. Instead, she fell asleep. (Note: The cognition impediment prevalent in the Goblins does not affect the constant range of the research result)

The following speculations are made.

1: These Goblins do not have souls like the Skeleton Soldiers. Only their shells exist in this world.

From the previous Creature Modification experiments and their highly complex social behavior and intelligence, every one of them has their own will. They are not controlled, and the chance of being controlled is low.

The greatest superior Devil can’t possibly control a hundred Goblin puppets with different characters for a long time.

2: They are immune to Spiritual Mana and have a special way to avoid being harmed. Psychic Scream only created the effect of an overdose of Sleeping Worms on the Goblins.

This will be an important future research topic. The advanced principles of Spiritual Mana can break down and cause a revolutionary change in Mana.

3: These Goblins and Lord Sherlock signed soul contracts. Their souls were bound to the Devil. If that is the case, it is within reason that my Psychic Scream has no effect on them.

I am unable to explain the sleeping effect.

4: Sherlock could have installed an area-effect Mana that negated Spiritual Mana or diminished its effect.

I am unable to confirm this, but this is most probable. If I have the chance, I hope to conduct similar experiments at a distant location to test my hypothesis.

I will find a chance to get approval next time.

5: I am a novice.”

Brainiac finished writing his research notes and sat down. He observed Sylvanas and recorded the time she took to wake up, as well as if she would be jumping around.

His research period was limited, as Sherlock only gave him two days to do so.

He tried twenty methods to kill the Goblins before reviving them and observing the process.

Without fail, all the Goblins were successfully revived.

Sherlock didn’t allow him to burn the corpse.

He could kill them with fire but could not burn their bodies to ash or destroy the corpses completely. According to Sherlock, that was against the interest of the Eternal Kingdom.

The more he researched, the more questions he had for the Goblins. The journal that he had prepared was almost used up.

Brainiac sat in front of Sylvanas and revised the experiments that he had conducted for the two days. Sherlock pushed away the Goblins who were queuing up at the entrance for their turn in the experiments and walked into the room.

Sherlock walked to Sylvanas and grabbed her from the stone slab. After examining her for a while, he threw her outside the door and closed the door.

The gamers shouted in disappointment.

“No! My mission time limit is up! I want the Dark Modification too!”

“Lousy game producers! There is no time indication for this mission, why is the time up?”

“Ah! I should have queued yesterday!”

Sherlock ignored the rantings of the Goblins. He said to Brainiac, “The two days of research time is up. I hope that you have had fruitful research. Please proceed with the modification of the eggs of the Houndhead Men. I have an excellent plan. If possible, modify the Houndhead Men to be cuter. Er, do you understand the meaning of cute?”

“I understand, Lord Sherlock.”

Brainiac stood up and bowed to Sherlock. Then, he put away his journal.

As Sherlock was about to leave, he turned and said to Brainiac, “By the way, have you researched Ancient Ruins before?”

“That is one of my research topics. I have produced research papers on the topic for five consecutive years. I went to northern Underworld Ancient Ruins No.1, No. 5, and No. 18 to explore and do research,” Brainiac said.

“Very good. Soon, I will have a related task for you. Prepare yourself in advance,” Sherlock said and turned to leave.

Brainiac was left standing in the Burial Hall. He wasn’t able to contemplate quietly.

The gamers who had lost their Brainiac’s missions followed Sherlock for a while. After discovering that it was futile, they ran back to Brainiac in a bid to receive new missions.

What they saw was Brainiac’s emotionless skull face.