Desolate World

There were so many questions that he wanted the answers. However, he felt neither Cloud nor Sampson wanted to talk about them. Ace knew they were bound by their positions so they couldn't reveal the information.

It was his chance to ask about some of them. As his mother-in-law was going emotional. However, he felt tangled. Was it the right thing to do? 

In the end, his curiosity won over him. He then said, "Ma'am, it is obvious they are too human to be mere data. I always think that Gon, Adrian, and the other NPCs were too natural. Sometimes they get sad, happy, angry, and many kinds of emotions. What are they exactly?"

Cloud who looked sad then straightened her expression. She looked sternly at Ace. 

Ace began to sweat. He wondered if he had been too direct. However, he decided to confront his mother-in-law today. He didn't know when he would get another chance.

Cloud then sighed. She then said in a low voice, "I know someday you will ask such questions. There are many things that I can not answer directly and more things I don't know the answers to. 

However, I assure you that even the president of the human union doesn't know many things about the game. As it uses alien technology and we are just users. 

What we know is, it is a chance for us, humanity to get better lives and a better future. You know our world is dying. And if it is going on, we humans will go extinct if we don't do anything.

Furthermore, there are some people who want to drag humanity to its demise. But it was the army's problem and not us. 

This game was given to us as something like a test of higher dimension existence. The achievements that we gain in this game will determine the quota that we will get. The quota is the number of people we can bring to another world. However, we don't know what the achievements or the other world itself are.

Is it to conquer other races, reach level 100, build magnificent civilization, or what? And will we get a new virgin world or we should live with other races in the new world?

Because we don't know the right answer, we must walk the path we deem correct. Surely with millions of people playing the game, we will eventually find the right answer. 

So, the union with limited privileges that it got, designed the jobs and items people familiar with them to venture into this game world. However, the overall setting followed the universal game setting. 

About the NPCs. I can only say that Adrian's story explained it all. Because, from my observation, no creatures in this game world appear from thin air. They have parents and children, have pasts and emotions. They are just like us, only with different roles. We are as guardians and they are as NPCs. 

We can not play without them. And they too can not survive without us."

After listening to Cloud's explanation, he was surprised that he didn't feel surprised at all. Deep down, somehow he had already suspected some things that Cloud had said. As he wanted to ask more questions, Ace and Cloud received a call from Geo via the party channel.

<Dad, I found hundreds of humans here. What should I do?>

***

Noah and the refugees were walking in silence towards the entrance. There are some injured people among them. But with the freed refugees' help, they could bring them all. They also took some tools that they found in the vampire nest. Although their handles were too short for them, as they were customized for goblins, they could change them later. 

Noah knew that what they did was stealing. But as they were in the wilderness, they couldn't craft such tools as they didn't have forges. Of course, they didn't take all of the tools as Noah didn't want the goblins to be left with nothing. 

But that wasn't his main concern. He felt a headache as the refugees that he brought still couldn't integrate well with the freed refugees. Although some of them could still chat with each other. Most of them still took some distance from each other. 

He knew that the refugees were still on guard against the freed refugees as their status was still transforming into vampires. With deep hatred and fear of refugees towards the vampires, it was impossible for them to receive the transforming people with all their hearts. 

In fact, Noah himself was still on guard against them. But, he somehow could hide it. As he still wanted to save them. Even if he knew that it would be difficult. As he didn't know where he should find a healer to cure them.

"The entrance! I see the entrance," He then heard one man in front of them shout.

He then saw the bright lights in front of him. It made him smile. After a few hours inside of the dark cave, seeing the sunlight brought happiness to him.

'Surely, humans are supposed to bathe in sunlight. Although the fog was annoying, at least light could still through it,' Noah said in his heart. 

However, he then frowned after seeing the reactions of the refugees. The transforming refugees to be exact. There seemed to be some reluctance in their expressions as they saw the sunlight. At first, Noah felt it was strange. But, he then remembered that vampires, no! All undead in most cases hated sunlight. 

He believed that sunlight gave them some restraint as the refugees had never faced vampire attacks in the daytime. As he wanted to say something to relieve their hesitation, he saw some figures blocking the entrance.

At first, he thought they were vampires. However, after careful checking, he was surprised that they are humans. Better, people who he had never seen before. He then went through the crowd that was also surprised with what they saw.

"Are you humans?" Noah asked three figures in front of them with delight.

He had never thought they would find other humans in the Misty Forest. He thought they would never see humans before quitting the forest.

He then got the answer that he wanted to hear.

"Yes, finally I have found you. Nice to meet you. My name is Ace. Ace Nightglow," the man answered with a smile.

***