Preparing for Quest Part 2

"Since you followed me until here. It only means you want to participate. Well, then. Let's start."

There are two things needed for them to be successful. First, trust. This is the first and foremost need. Although every quest, party, contract, and trading are being certified and overseen by Supreme System, there are still fools who want to breach the contracts and betray the other party.

In the first launch, there are lots of variables but what stands out the most is greed which leads to betrayal.

This happens most to new players. Many have been punished in the first launch of Kingdom and many have been banned forever from playing this virtual game.

He might view them as good companions, but now that he can be killed by players, there are things he must do.

Good thing Count Alvis urges him to bring his 'friend' along, prompting the Supreme System to initiate the quest with them.

"This quest is about escorting me to a certain location. I need to retrieve something. This expedition will last for 3 days. If we're lucky we can get there and back here within 96 hours. Now I know heroes have special circumstances that we the original inhibitor of this world didn't know about." Gerard paused for a while and scrutinize their reaction.

Nice! It seems they didn't find him suspicious when he blurted out the special circumstances that made them vanish whenever they want and come to the same location after some time.

Of course, he knows about it. He is one of them when his earth body is still alive.

Then he heard the onomatopoeia prompting another tab to appear in front of him.

[The Host is initiating to issue a quest. Wait for a moment]

[The Host can now issue a quest worth 300 Silver Coins.]

[Please choose what quest should be issued]

-Recruit Players, have them form a party, and escort you in the Count Expedition quest.

Rewards to Players: 300 Silver Coins.

[Condition]

[The quest must be completed within 5 Days. If not, the issued quest will be deemed void and the Host cannot issue the same quest to the same player]

[Rewards to the Host upon completion of the ques: Whatever's left of 500 Gold Coins.]

[Please wait a moment to issue the quest to the Player's Interface]

After five seconds, another piece of information popped up on his interface.

[Quest has been successfully issued to Player's Interface. Please wait for the Player to complete the quest]

Gerard cannot help but be speechless. Ever since he lost his important perks, the System seems to be doting on him. A Player possessing 1 Gold Coin is enough to attract attention. And his reward is whatever's left of 500 Gold Coins?

He then heard a tongue clicking in his mind. He frowned for a couple of seconds before his face lit up. 

After another tab was prompted notifying him that the present players in front of him except Sally who is still included in the ongoing quest. Resulting in the quest confirmation status being pending on Sally's end.

[Notification]

[One of the chosen players still has an ongoing quest, unable for her to join as of the moment. Please let the player finish the other quest first.]

Gerard didn't have to tell the unfortunate news to Sally as he can see in her face shrunken.

"Mr. Payne, it seems Sally needs to finish the other quest before joining."

Gerard nodded his head and give his response. "The condition is to finish the quest within 5 days, it didn't violate if the party receives external help. I suggest you put more manpower into finishing the quest. Let's meet again after the completion of the quest."

Everyone nodded their head, and Sally's shrunken face become lively again after being assured she can still join the quest and expedition.

"But before you go, here's the money. Buy everything we need for this expedition. Food supplies, potions, items for outdoor sleeping, and another thing you think is necessary." Gerard handed a cloth bag containing 5 Gold Coins.

"This bag contains 5 Coins." Gerard rise his palm in front of them.

Lina was perplexed because of the amount. Isn't it that too low? For 5 days expedition, 5 Silver Coins are not enough. It will only last them a day and that's it.

Everyone presents shares the same sentiments, they are not shameful to blurt out their dissatisfaction.

Lina was the first to voice out an opinion and compromise.

"Mr. Payne, I don't think it will last us for 5 days. If a situation comes to worst, this expedition might take longer than we anticipated. So what do you think that we used the rewards upon completion to buy more supplies….---" But before Lina can finish her sentences, Gerard took out another 5 Gold Coins and placed them on the table.

"Yeah, I think so too. Here are another 5 Gold Coins. If you think that is still not enough, don't hesitate to notify me."

Everyone presents almost drops their jaw on the table.

"T-this…This is… What is this?" Lex asked in confusion and tilted his head like an idiot after seeing 5 shimmering Gold Coins. It seems that the information about handling another five gold coins is yet to be processed in his brain.

"Mr. Payne…Don't tell me the coin inside the cloth bag is not 5 Silver Coins but 5 Gold Coins?!"

Gerard softly nodded his head.

He felt refreshed seeing the shocked expression on their faces. Once in a while, this is not bad. Is this how filthy rich people felt when they throw their money in front of other people? To add salt to the wound, Gerard handed more than 5 Gold Coins.

It doesn't matter to him if he already gives them 15 Gold Coins and he is not afraid these players will take the Gold coins for themselves. This is not his money, this is the Count's money. Besides, in his opinion, they needed at least 20 Gold Coins.

For players, this is too much for 5 days expedition. Why? For instance, Gold Coins' value is still high. Just 1 Gold Coin alone can last a core group like Sky Heaven for a week without doing anything.

But for Gerard, these 20 Gold Coins are just enough. Not excess nor lacking. The reason is the monster they needed to defeat and avoid. Detour is a must if monsters are powerful. And he also has another reason.

"Here. The total amount is 20 Gold Coins. Buy everything you think is necessary. It may be too much for a small group like us but I do not intend for us to be small in the first place."

Gerard then glances at Lina.

"Lina, I want to hire skilled heroes of your Sky Heaven. Is that possible?"

Hearing him ask a question that will definitely bring coins to Sky Heaven, Lina didn't hesitate and decisively agreed.

"Of Course! Anything for Mr. Payne is possible."

Lina cannot help but praise Sally beside her. Who knows that because, in a whim of investigating the Town, Sally brought Sky Heaven to West Town and received coin after coin just after meeting Payne Blanc.

"That's good. I need 20 skilled heroes to head over to this location and another 5 players for my escort." Gerard then gets the official map that he buys after leaving Kurosawa's workshop. "You can buy a teleportation scroll for them and teleport to Oak City. Upon arrival, have them head to this location named Summer Land. This will be the group rendezvous."

"I'll reiterate. My quest is discreet; no one outside our group should learn about it. Not even the other 20 escort-skilled heroes that will wait for us near Oak City. I hope I made myself clear."

Everyone nodded their head repeatedly while their eyes beamed with excitement. It was known to all players that the more dangerous and discreet the quest is, the higher possibility it is connected to the main storyline.

Even Gerard knows about this but he doesn't have any intention to inform them. He didn't want to spoil them yet. What's the fun of knowing everything right?

"Very well then, let us continue. First, the five 5 escorts I mentioned earlier, will escort me to reach this place." Then Gerard pointed far from the West Town. The said location is the crossing of three roads that leads to two cities. West Town, Amethyst City, and the Capital City of Edo Kingdom. This escort is another strategy to escape the attention of core groups and government communities eyeing Lina and Aliyah.

"Now, once I reached the crossing, you guys teleport to this location." Gerard pointed to another location not far away on the crossing. "Once the 5 heroes returned, I'll go to your location and meet you there. From there, we will head straight to the Summer Land to rendezvous with the first 20 skilled heroes from Sky Heaven."

"Once we rendezvous at the location, our team will be divided into two teams. The first team will be a Reconnaissance Team that will stop in this location as you can see the red dot on the map and wait for the other team." Gerard explained while he is pointing out the red dots that have 20 miles of distance with each dot.

"Then the rest will be my escort as we follow through with them. Once the Reconnaissance Team starts moving, they need to note the path they are traversing so that when they reached the location where the red dot is located, they will give us a detailed explanation of the surroundings and the path they have taken to reach it, if it is safe or not. Then while waiting for us, I don't know how should I put it."

Gerard places his fingers on his chin and glances at Lina.

"Lina, you can have the Reconnaissance Team rest or the special circumstances I mentioned earlier. I believe you have ways to contact them even if they are far?"

Lina nodded and softly responded. "Yes, we have ways to contact each other."

"Good. Now, once we arrived, the Reconnaissance Team will start to move again to the second dot. This strategy will be repeated until the Reconnaissance Team reached the Mead Citadel, it was an abandoned old citadel and probably monsters are lurking there. From there, we will try to push through until we secured the old Citadel.

"That ends my explanation. Any questions?"

Gerard can explain this in a simplified way but he didn't want to make mistake because there's a lot hanging on a thread on this expedition. The missing amulet and the West Town future. That is why he explains everything in as very detail as he can.

"I have a question." Aliyah was the first to ask.

"Are the Reconnaissance Team needs to fight monsters while traversing the path for the main group?"

"It is not necessary because monsters at this location are powerful compared to the monsters near the West Town. But if the Reconnaissance Team meets a few weaker monsters and is confident they can exterminate them, then there's no need for a detour. They can fight their way through."

Everyone then nodded their head. They understand the explanation immediately because the NPC in front of them explains everything in a very detailed explanation. So no further questions are needed.

"Well, if there are no more questions. You should do your individual job. Lina, as the Leader of a large group, I am confident you can designate the job regarding the supplies. If the 20 Gold Coins are insufficient, you can come to this pub anytime. I'll be staying here."

"Understood. We will do everything to meet your expectation."

Gerard unanimously nodded his head and stood up.

"I'll see you soon. I hope the party quest of Sally will be completed within the day. I think there will be no issue in that regard since the Sky Heaven is full of skilled heroes."

"Yes, there will be no issue. We will fulfill the party quest within the day. We'll see you soon Mr. Payne."

Sally said and bow her head in a very respectable way. The rest followed through.

Gerard then bid them farewell and headed outside the pub.

Now, let's head to my first Master, Kurosawa.

There's a reason why Gerard didn't want them to meet him in Kurosawa's location. It is because Kurosawa's identity is very delicate as well. Besides, once the Count saves the West Town, the monster siege will be followed through making Kurosawa get out of his hiding resulting in leaving the West Town after the monster siege subsided.

And that is his time to confiscate all the rare items and equipment for himself.

He is just disappointed that he won't be able to learn much from Kurosawa due to the schedule has been moved drastically.

Either way, he will still benefit from whatever ends. 

With this in his mind, Gerard head towards Kurosawa's residence who is currently agitated.