NPC into Player: Let's Wreck This Game

"Indeed, they are pressured like us by these dark monsters everywhere but they are still alive and fighting back at least," the player said before adding, "I heard rumors about this quest. Man, if he did it he would be a real powerhouse, not to be reckoned easily with."

"What is this amazing quest about?"

"All I know is that he had to steal something," the player said, "I believe there will be a special thing happening in the village in the upcoming days related to this quest objectives."

"Man, that explains the sudden influx of many strong and strange players here."

"Indeed," the player said in confidence, "he is recruiting anyone higher than level twenty from everywhere. Paying a lot and even in real life contribution points."

"Damn! Even I want to join him now," Rick laughed.

"Not you, at least if he saw you from far he will zero you out again."

The two groups of players laughed while Bloom stayed back listening to the rest of their talk. Nothing important was said ever again as they only discussed game matters from tactics to kill monsters to the special gears appearing everywhere right now as loot.

And of course they talked about how to be a dark player and how rich and powerful they became in the game.

After a few hours of staying there he moved out.

"So you are doing that quest soon," Bloom sneered as he already heard rumors about such a quest from before. He thought he was too late but fortunately he wasn't.

"I should push harder on them," he thought, "they need to all cross level twenty fast."

He didn't hurry to leave the village as he took a wide tour there before he finally was content with the info he got. He knew more rumors about the quest, and the more he heard the wider his grin was.

"It seems I'm fated to crush the shrine quests everytime I try to act," he laughed before taking a return ticket to the village of his team and using it.

"What is she doing here?"

The moment he reached the village he spotted Peri along with a group of strong looking players walking just in front of him. Even Jeffrey was there.

"Are they here for Antoan?" he wondered before opening his friend list and sent the question directly to him.

'They are here already?' Antoan was surprised to hear that, 'they should have come tomorrow not now.'

'Weird…' Bloom sent, 'why are they coming here?'

'To negotiate the terms about our cooperation with their studio,' Antoan said before adding, 'I lured them out using the knowledge you told me about. They are really thirsty for materials.'

Bloom watched the group walking far before sending back to Antoan, 'They didn't question your source of materials?'

'They did and I lied and said that you stored them with me before your death.'

'Did they buy it?'

'They had to, after all they are craving so much for these materials.'

Bloom knew his butler was speaking the truth. He knew how much the Cyan studio was hungry for all kinds of materials, and this was their sole weakness.

'You should meet them here then,' Bloom said, 'I doubt they are here this early for sightseeing.'

'You doubt they are here for you?'

'Probably yes,' Bloom sent before adding, 'I think they sent someone to track us and they learnt about the presence of an outstanding player here. I'm sure they are here just for me, not you.'

'Damn, let me come to the village then to meet them.'

'Make yourself come to buy potions,' Bloom instructed, 'I'm following them from far behind and they are heading towards the direction of the potion store.'

'Good.'

Bloom only waited for a couple of minutes before spotting Antoan running fast from the direction of the plaza. The two only exchanged silent glances before he kept heading towards the potion store direction.

Antoan wore the sealing cape which helped to shield him from the eyes of the village guards. The moment he got near the store he pumped into Peri and her team.

Bloom stayed far behind while watching the two sides speaking and laughing. He could guess what they were talking about, as Antoan faked his surprise to see them here earlier than their date while Peri and Jeffrey just gave fake reasons about their coming here.

And Bloom watched the two sides moving towards the direction of the village gate.

And he also followed.

"It seems you still doubt my death… perhaps," he inwardly thought to himself while watching the big group of a hundred players moving towards the direction of the leveling grounds of the village.

"She worked fast to gather up strong players," he noticed the fight these players had with a group of monsters which attacked them like usual. "At least level twenty and above… impressive."

He could judge out of the damage appearing on top of dark monsters plus the number of pets this group had. Having pets now was considered a judging scale for any player's strength, and also level.

"That's a really good team," he commented over the team's overall strength and their familiarity to each other. "Sigh, it's bad that I couldn't follow them anymore without exposing myself."

It was really foolish if he started fighting all alone against these monsters. A single player fighting his way all alone using a large number of pets would attract much attention without doubt.

"I'll return to the village then," as he had nothing else to do he took a return ticket to Gerard's village and headed directly there.

As for this meeting, he had to be patient and wait until they finished everything.

And this took hours to happen. During which he kept roaming the village and collecting intel from any source he could find.

Even from Gerard and his men themselves.

"You say your level is twenty-four?"

One of Gerard's players stood in front of Bloom while the latter only showed a calm and confident smile over his face.

"Indeed," he simply answered, "just heard rumors about you paying good prices for high level players in real life and I decided to come and check things out."

The player didn't hurry to accept as he said, "wait here, I'll have to check out with my boss first."

"Do as you wish," Bloom shrugged, "I have nothing else to do today."

The player eyed Bloom deeply as he silently judged him before he asked all of sudden, "Join my team to check your level. Accept the invite."

"Done," Bloom simply accepted the invite for a couple of minutes before withdrawing again.

"You…" the player muttered in doubt.

"You wanted to check my level not adding me to the team permanently, ain't you?"

The face of the player looked amusing while Bloom only smiled and said no more.