Reign of the Hunters

Chapter 360 Old Foes

 

“Why do you look so sad?” asked Ye Ci. 

 

“I’ve accepted a quest that was related to sorcery when I was still a newbie and have been trying to complete for a year. I thought that this was the end of the quest, but I was wrong.” Spotless Autumn let out a long sigh. 

 

“A sorcery related quest?” Ye Ci was instantly reminded of her Elven King Dau’er questline. 

 

Each race in Fate has characters of different classes, but each of the races had their own signature class. Elven Hunters, Human Paladins, Dwarven Warriors, Gnomish Sorcerers, Lycan Summoners, Undead Rogues, Orcish Shaman were all examples of a race’s signature class. 

 

Of course, it did not mean that members of the race who chose the specific class would receive additional stats. It simply meant that the classes that were chosen were the classes of the rulers of a specific race. The Elven King Dau’er was a Hunter, but it did not mean that an Elven Hunter had an advantage over his or her Human counterpart. 

 

This was why Spotless Autumn’s quest target was a Gnomish NPC. Ye Ci was certain that the man was attempting to complete the Sorcerer’s main questline. He was definitely looking for the monarch of the Gnomes, which was also known as the Sorcerer King, Lilatiti. 

 

“Is the quest by chance about the Gnomish King Lilatiti?” Ye Ci stared straight at Spotless Autumn, trying to capture his emotion. 

 

“F*ck! Are you a mind reader, Gongzi You? How did you know!” shock washed over Spotless Autumn, “You’re not a Sorceress, the Sorcerer King Lilatiti shouldn’t be mentioned in your quest. How did you know about her?” 

 

Ye Ci pursed her lips. I seemed to have said something that I shouldn’t again. She could of course not tell him that she was a Sorceress in her last life, and the name Lilatiti was something that she had been hearing since she started the game. 

 

“I have been doing some reading in the National Library.” was the only response that Ye Ci could offer. Of course, it was something that she had done in her last life. 

 

“Oh, you sure have a lot of free time on your hands. I barely went to the National Library myself.” Spotless Autumn did not doubt Ye Ci’s words. He even clutched at his hair as self reflection, “Seems to me that I should head to the National Library sometimes. I might learn a thing or two over there.”

 

“Yup. There is treasure in every book.” Ye Ci chuckled. 

 

Fleeting Time stood silently during the exchange, and was staring at Ye Ci with an unfathomable glint in his eyes. 

 

“Was that the voice of Lilatiti?” Ye Ci was certain that Lilatiti was a female, but she heard a male voice. 

 

“No, that voice belonged to the guardian of this tomb. I don’t think you two could see him. He’s a quest NPC that appeared just to deliver the dialogue. He was one of the monks who built the passage to this place, and volunteered to guard the cemetery.” Spotless Autumn did not hide any details from Ye Ci as the nature of his quest was already revealed.

 

“He told me that the nine leaders of the Alliance went missing after the war against Naga. The clothing that was kept here were all sent here by their subordinates, as the Glory Cathedral was the place closest to the Gods, and they hoped that their heroes can rest in peace here.” explained Spotless Autumn, “But it seems that the Gods have abandoned this cathedral. Look at the state of this place. Closest to the Gods my ass… People who are religious are so gullible…” 

 

Ye Ci remained silent after that remark. She did not wish to discuss the topic of theology with Spotless Autumn. But Fleeting Time who had remained silent until them finally spoke up, “They’re not gullible. They’re just more willing to believe the good in our world. God might actually exist in this world, for there are always things that cannot be explained with science. And we call these phenomena.. Miracles.” 

 

Miracles? Ye Ci opened her mouth to speak, but she was at a loss for words. 

 

What about my reincarnation then? Was it a miracle of God as well? This is something that cannot be explained by human knowledge. 

 

Ye Ci laughed. Is my current life a miracle as well? 

 

“What are you two looking for?” asked Spotless Autumn when he noticed Ye Ci and Fleeting Time walking towards the tombstones. 

 

“You’re done looking for your ancestors, can’t we Elves do the same?” retorted Fleeting Time. 

 

Spotless Autumn snorted at him, “Hey, unlike you two, I have business with mine, okay?” He had harbored a certain degree of hatred towards Fleeting Time since the incident at the wisteria garden, but he did not have the courage to take the Hunter head on. 

 

To Ye Ci, what Spotless Autumn felt towards Fleeting Time was probably how a pig felt towards a butcher. He hated him, but he was also helpless against him. It was a very sorrowful sight. 

 

After all, mages had always been at the mercy of Hunters in a one on one battle. 

 

Fleeting Time and Ye Ci were able to quickly locate Dau’er’s cenotaph. They pushed open the dirt in front of the tombstone, and found a hole. 

 

“What sort of hole is that?” Ye Ci was confused when she saw the single hole. It was bigger than even five arrows combined. 

 

“This is probably meant for a bow.” said Fleeting Time after a moment of thought, “Have you seen the staff that idiot was holding? It looked like a beginner’s weapon, but it’s probably a key.” 

 

He then investigated the tombstone directly beside Dau’er’s cenotaph, and found a crack, “I have a feeling that this belongs to a Barbarian. This crack is probably meant for the blade of an axe.” 

 

“It seems that Spotless Autumn has a similar quest, but his progress is more advanced than ours.” Ye Ci stood up and dusted her hands, “Let’s go. We’ll return once we reach that stage of our quest.” 

 

“Very well.” Fleeting Time nodded and cast a glance at Spotless Autumn who was studying an old piece of paper, “Sometimes… Fortune favors the idiots.” he pursed his lips. 

 

Ye Ci laughed at the comment. She knew very well what Fleeting Time was talking about. Her laughter was like a blossoming flower in spring, and was like a blinding light that has blinded Fleeting Time’s eyes. He stared dumbfoundedly at Ye Ci, the words that were about to leave his mouth forgotten. He was shocked by the warm smile that had melted away her usual cold demeanor. 

 

“What are you two talking about? What’s so funny?” Spotless Autumn raised his head and put the quest item away into his inventory when he heard her laugher. 

 

Fleeting Time pursed his lips, “It’s nothing. We’re just discussing the relationship between God and idiots.” 

 

“Eh?” SPotless Autumn was completely baffled. 

 

Ye Ci promptly covered her smile and said to him, “Let’s go, you’re done with your quest right?” 

 

“Yup. Thank you! I’ll take my leave once we get out of this place. I need to get to the next quest location.” Spotless Autumn’s dislike for Fleeting Time was clear, but he was still on good terms with Ye Ci. 

 

Fleeting Time silently cast a sideway glance his way, and jumped down into the tunnel. He was followed closely by Ye Ci and Spotless Autumn. 

 

And in this world, plans would always be foiled by changes. 

 

The trio heard a voice just when they left the prayer room, “The third floor is reserved by Golden Era players! The third floor is reserved by Golden Era! Please level up somewhere else!” 

 

The owner of the voice was relatively polite, but such an act was looked down upon by players of many games, especially the smaller guilds and solo players. But despite their strong dislike, these players could do nothing as they did not have the strength. 

 

There were only three options for them: Leave, trash talk, or fight.

 

And many of the players began trash talking the Golden Era guild. But the guild came prepared, as its Rogues, Warriors, and Sorcerers who were high leveled players immediately fell upon the trash talkers on the third floor. 

 

They were made into examples. 

 

The players in the map were all above lvl60, and each death would result in a 20% loss of experience points. It was something that they could not stomach. 

 

Before long, the players in the third floor dispersed, and the few that were killed revived themselves at the graveyard after more trash talk. Only the trio and sixty Golden Era players were left on the third floor out of the hundred minutes ago. 

 

“Hey, you three! Why are you still here? Do you want to lose your experience points?” The Golden Era player ten yards away from the trio was a Druid. 

Despite their fame, Ye Ci, Fleeting Time, and Spotless Autumn preferred to keep a low profile. This meant that all three of them hid their identities with cloaks. The Druid had only thought of them as three normal players. 

 

“Do we fight them?” The trio were silently discussing the possibility of taking on the Golden Era players in their party channel. 

 

“Of course! We have to pay them back for their assassination!” Spotless Autumn had never liked the Golden Era guild, and he despised the guild after their assassination attempt. He was a solo player, and was even more low profile than Ye Ci and Fleeting Time. But when an opportunity presented itself, he would never say no. 

 

“There’s sixty of them. Why don’t we have a competition?” Fleeting Time did not like boring work. He preferred to add some joy to stuff that was boring. 

 

“Then we must have a prize. What will the prize be?” the ghost of a smile appeared on Ye Ci’s lips. 

 

“A gold coin!” shouted Spotless Autumn, and he could immediately feel the stares from Fleeting Time and Ye Ci the moment he finished the words left his mouth. 

 

“So my hard work is only worth a single gold coin?” Ye Ci raised her eyebrows. 

 

“Of course not!” Spotless Autumn would always receive a boost in intelligence whenever money was involved. He wagged his index finger at the duo and said, “It’s not about the money. That’s what I think the value of their lives is.” 

 

His excuse was so highscounding that even Ye Ci and Fleeting Time were rendered speechless. 

 

“Isn’t that a little too high? I think they’re worth a copper coin.” but it did not take Fleeting Time long to come up with a comeback. 

 

“I’ve thought about it, but one copper coin feels meaningless.” 

 

“Hey! Are you three still not leaving?” the Druid shouted out to the trio again when they showed no intention of leaving. He gave his party members a meaningful look, directing them to kill the party of three.