Desolate World

Adrian led the others to go farther from the shore. The vegetation there was pretty dense, which was abnormal for the underground environment.

Along the way, Sofia couldn't help but exclaimed many times. When Ace asked her, she answered that she found many precious herbs there. 

Some fireflies were flying around them, as if they didn't fear the intruders that had invaded their home. 

"Stop!" A voice disturbed the harmony that the team felt. Few people then jumped from the bush with bare weapons pointed at the team. One of them stepped on a plant with blue leaves.

It seemed to have triggered Sofia, she yelled at the one that stepped on the plant, "Back down! or else!" 

The person who was actually pretty young was startled by the fierce gaze of Sofia. Unconsciously he backed down. It made Ace chuckle. He saw the scene was somewhat funny. A young man with a sword was startled by the yelling of an unarmed woman.

The person that seemed to be the leader then said, "You have been intruding on our territory. Who are you?"

"Jacob, don't be too fierce! Or I will talk to Marta!" Adrian said with a teasing tone.

The atmosphere became silent afterward. But, only for a few seconds. The armed men seemed to try to digest the situation.

"Are you Adrian? We think that you have died," A shabby man, who should have the name Jacob, then approached the team. He sheathed his sword and smiled at Adrian.

"Then, you are meeting with a few ghosts right now. Bring us to Uncle Phil! I bring good news," Adrian said.

"I see," Jacob said. He then looked at the people around the team, "Guys! Have you already forgotten Adrian? Don't just stand there. Let's go! We have guests."

The team then followed them deeper. Adrian and Jacobs were talking along the way. Adrian told his adventures these weeks and how he met Ace and his family. 

The other men seemed to be interested in the topic, as they, who were cautious before, started to approach the team. Some of them also looked at the shining spheres flying around the team curiously.

"It should be simple after this," Cloud said. 

"Yes! It should be," Ace answered. What they meant actually was not the difficulty of convincing the people in the cave. But, about how to convince Mars and Aria.

After all, everyone in Ace's party got the same mission to convince a lord NPC. After looking at the special environment around them, they knew that Mars and Aria should take some interest in this place.

They then walked for ten minutes until they saw some people walking around, busy with their things. Someone dug the ground. He seemed to want to uproot the plant in front of him. A kid around 12 years old brought some fish in a simple basket and walked in the same direction they went to.

All of them saw the team with interest. However, none of them approach the team.

Then the team entered an area that should be used as a settlement. Many kids were playing and women were chatting among themselves.

"Wait here!" Jacob said. He wanted to go into the area.

"I will go too!" Adrian said. Without waiting for Jacob's agreement, he went inside.

"Fine! But the rest should wait here," Jacob said. 

"Okay. We will be here," Ace said. He and Adrian had agreed on the road that he would let Adrian handle the talk. As a fellow-townsmen, his persuasion would be more convincing than the strangers. 

Ace and the rest looked around the situation in the area. This area was at the center of the cave. The only reason that Ace could think why they chose this place was the fruit trees around here. These trees produced blue fruits at the size of apples. 

The people slept around the trees with some leaves as the sheet, where they slept on top of them. Ace couldn't imagine himself sleeping like them in this condition. 

"Don't they get sick? With the humidity and the cool temperature, someone can easily have a fever," Ace mumbled.

Then he saw some people were covered with leaves. Although he was pretty far from them, he could see that they weren't well. With weak breath and some of them coughing, Ace assumed that they caught a cold.

Ace then came back to the team to ask for his mother-in-law's and Mia's assistance.

***

"Can they be trusted?" An old man asked Adrian.

"Of course, Ace and his family are good people. They saved us in the ant's territory and protected us along the way," Adrian said.

"Then, why did you bring them?" The old man asked again.

Adrian thought a bit and then answered, "Because they thought this place is special. So they wanted to build a settlement near here. But not in this place. But, outside of this cave. You know, there is a large lake just outside of the cave."

The old man thought a bit, he seemed to think about something.

"Phil, help me to convince them to go out! This place is not suitable for us, humans to live. We need fire, sunlight, meat, and houses," Adrian took the initiative to persuade Phil, the old man.

"However, what you have said is not necessarily true. I need to verify things," Phil shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Adrian raised his voice.

"Sorry Adrian, you have left us, despite our objections. So, we need to confirm every bit of the news that you bring," Phil said calmly.

"Then just confirm it. I will take you to the lake," Adrian who was pretty annoyed then said.

Phil was silent. As if waiting for something.

Adrian, who thought that Phil wasn't cooperative, then said, "Why are you silent?"

"I'm waiting for some people. Let's wait for a bit," Phil said calmly.

Adrian frowned, he wanted to say something. However, looking at Phil's attitude that was firm and didn't want to hear anything else, he could only sigh.

Twenty minutes later, Jacob came into the room. After nodding to Adrian, he came to Phil and whispered something. Phil showed a surprised expression at first, then his expression softened. He then looked at Adrian. 

While smiling Phil said, "I'm sorry. This old man becomes so cautious after all that has happened. I and the other elders had made many mistakes in making decisions these years that made many of our townsmen die. 

So even if our condition is so dire, I as the last elder have to be really careful. After all, we can't lose any more people.

You should be curious about what Jacob has said to me. I asked him to monitor our guests. Actually, I'm ready to drag the time one or two days if it is needed. However, Jacob brought news that made this stubborn old man surrender."

Adrian then saw Phil and Jacob with a 'you got me' look. He then asked, "So what did you find?"

This time Jacob looked at Adrian with an envious gaze, he said, "I saw it, jerk! It was only a few weeks since the last time I saw you. But how could your daughter become a healer? 

I saw she and a middle-aged woman came to some of our ill people and healed them one by one. And then a winged woman came and helped them healing the rest of the ill people at the same time.

Then a fearful man with bat wings came. I thought he was a vampire at first. But, he was too 'red' to become a vampire. I can feel he was not a simple man. I even doubt all people in the cave aren't enough to defeat him. And when he talked to a young man that you had called him Ace, he didn't show any impatience and waited outside obediently. I never saw any noble or powerful man like him.

So, my conclusion is you can be trusted."

Adrian then shook his head. He never imagined Ace and the rest could convince them even without talking with them. He became more respectful to him. He felt his decision to follow them was the most correct decision he ever met.

Adrian then looked at them with a teasing gaze, "Then, what are you waiting for? Let's welcome them! Maybe you will get some dried meats."

"You brat!" Phil scoffed. He then stood up and glanced at Adrian, "You lead us!"

Adrian and Jacob couldn't help but laugh.

***

"So, Lord Mars, what do you think about this cave?" Ace inquired.

"It can be called a natural wonder. I think if I meditate in this place, I can get 10 times more result than outside. It is also a good place to plant herbal, a just saw some precious mushrooms grow in this place. So, do you have an opinion about this place?"

"Yes, I think we should build the city near here. So we can protect it better and make it our medicine garden," Ace said.

"I have promised to Miss Aria that she is the one that will choose the location. So, let's wait for what she will say about this place," Mars said. 

"Actually, I have made my decision. The city must be built on top of this underground garden. I think the dwarves will be happy to make some tunnels to this place," Aria said.

"Miss Aria!" Ace welcomed her.

"The people here are pitiful. Many of them are malnutrition. It is an irony to see many people are ill in this blessed place," She sighed.

"Then let's do as you said. Gon as an earth dragon is also good at digging. Let him lead the project. He needs some confidence, or he will become rotten," Mars said. 

Aria nodded.

[Congratulations, you successfully convince a lord NPC to build a city near Crystal Garden and develop it. You get 30,000 experience, slow dice, and 3 luck points]

[Congratulations, you have reached level 22.]

[Alternative Quest: mysterious place (final) is triggered]

[Mission: Participate in building a level 1 village near the Cristal Garden.

Reward:

• 50,000 Exp

• Random useable grade A Equipment 

• Guild House Blueprint]

Ace couldn't help to smile. It was the easiest mission he had ever completed. He then saw his party members and found them grinning.

***