478 Escape (1/2)

At the Northern Court of the Merchant Alliance.

A black Court was located at a plain that was ten days' journey north of Winterfell. The Merchant Alliance had set up a restricted zone that had a radius of five kilometers around the court.

This was the Merchant Alliance's Control Center for the Northern Underworld.

Only the highest Judge and the highest-ranking administrative officials were stationed here.

The nine Judges here held the most power in the Merchant Alliance.

They formed the most powerful administrative group for dealing with administration, law, and military affairs.

Sherlock knew one of the Judges, Onionhead.

As a former Winterfell Dungeon Lord who survived the petrification incident, he was promoted to be one of the most powerful nine Judges.

It was due to his many years and diligence in managing Winterfell, as well as his excellent capability.

And most importantly, he had money.

In the Merchant Alliance, money was power. Anything could be bought with money.

The Merchant Alliance related a creature's capability to their earning power.

The newly appointed Judge, Onionhead, was familiar with his work.

Even his current office was decorated according to his office in Winterfell.

Onionhead sat in his chair as he looked around. He felt as though he was still a Dungeon Lord. Now, he was one of the most powerful Judges in the Northern Underworld.

\”Judge Onionhead, a creature would like to meet you, but he doesn't have an appointment.\”

Just when Onionhead entered his office, a secretary knocked on his door and informed him.

\”Who? Who is it?\” Onionhead asked, but he didn't allow the creature to come in.

\”He said he knows you. I told him that he can't meet you without an appointment, but he stood at the entrance and said that you'll meet him once you see this item.\”

Onionhead stood up, bewildered. Then he opened the door, and the secretary passed him a strange badge that had the word \”Michelangelo\” on it.

\”Let him come in.\”

Onionhead pondered for a while and said, \”Keep this discreet.\”

The secretary was taken aback, but he quickly went out. A Sludge Monster who was wearing a gray overcoat and a pair of shades came in.

Though he was trying to disguise himself, anybody could recognize him as a Sludge Monster.

\”It has been a long time, Dungeon Lord Onionhead. No, I should address you as Judge Onionhead.\”

Onionhead felt as though the Sludge Monster knew him. He was puzzled, however, as he had never seen this Sludge Monster.

He gestured for the secretary to leave, then invited the Sludge Monster to sit down.

Onionhead didn't speak first. He was waiting for the Sludge Monster to state his intention and the reason he had Michelangelo's badge.

\”Dungeon Lord Onionhead.\” The Sludge Monster smiled knowingly and said, \”This is all a karmic cycle. We can't ignore it. The final stage of the plan is being carried out. We need your help, Judge Onionhead.\”

\”Apologies, I think you might be mistaken. I don't intend to take part in any conspiracy or plan. I'm working for the Merchant Alliance. I'm not a conspirator,\” Onionhead said as he fiddled with the badge and looked at the Sludge Monster.

\”Really? Why did you let me in when you saw the badge of Michelangelo?\”

The Sludge Monster took down his shades and placed them on the table. He smiled affably and said, \”Judge Onionhead is concerned about Michelangelo. The revival of Michelangelo is in progress.\”

Onionhead was in disbelief. He said, \”How can it be…\”

…

A group of strange Humans, Elves, and Fairies with green symbols above their heads appeared in York Territory.

They ran around in the villages of the York Territory while wearing the confident smiles of a victor. The gamers of Victoria City made every creature in the York Territory tremble.

They would enter and ransack the homes of the villagers, but they didn't take anything. Instead, they would complain, \”Why aren't there any pieces of equipment? A potion would suffice.\”

Only the luxurious clothes, furniture, ornaments, and equipment of the nobles were taken away by the gamers. A villager tried to offer an old hen to a Victorian \”officer\” in order to obtain the chance to join the troops of Victoria City. It was flatly declined.

The gamers didn't keep the old hen. They waved their hands and said, \”I can't accept the Chicken God. The entire village will come after me.\”

The Victorian \”officer\” was actually a Guild Chairman. When he entered the villages, many Guild members would follow him. To the villages, he looked like an officer.

As the poor villages had nothing of value to the gamers, it looked like the gamers didn't pillage them.

The image of the gamers of Victoria City was elevated in the eyes of the commoners. The officials spread rumors that the gamers were bandits that destroyed their homeland. To the villagers, it was untrue.

Only the rich nobles were in trouble.

The pillaging only lasted for a few days. The gamers found that it was useless to run around the villages and the York Territory.

That was because they were unable to return to Victoria City rapidly and obtain their Daily Missions. Hence, they were unable to get rewards and Reputation Points.

The gamers had to go to the crossroad intersection outpost to obtain the relevant Reputation Points. If the gamers stayed in the York Territory, they would be unable to complete the missions at the crossroad intersection outpost and would lose out in terms of Reputation Points. There were few gamers of Victoria City that could exchange their loot for Reputation Points and rewards. However, even if they pillaged a lot of furniture and equipment, it couldn't be compared to the rewards provided by Sherlock.

Moreover, the Revival Point was far away. If they died during exploration, the equipment would be lost in the wilderness. Not many gamers were able to retrieve their equipment or redeem their equipment at the Freedom Cities.