Jack's display of power. A new hidden quest?

Max and his family stood before the train lobby, where the guard and three other individuals awaited their arrival. The tension in the air was palpable, as Leo and his group had already ascended to the second floor. Thankfully, they hadn't pursued Max and his family, but the lingering question of Leo's true intentions weighed heavily on Alice's mind.

"He... He's evil!" Alice's voice trembled with disbelief, her eyes filled with betrayal. She had heard Leo's words clearly, his desire to hand her over to that man. "I trusted him..."

In an instant, Max's hand slapped against Alice's cheek, snapping her out of her despair. "What are you doing, Max?" she exclaimed her voice a mix of shock and confusion.

"You fool!" Max's voice was laced with frustration. "What are you talking about? Brother Leo just saved us, saved you!"

Alice's bewildered gaze met her brother's, searching for answers. "What do you mean?"

Max took a deep breath, his voice filled with urgency as he explained the truth to his sister. "Brother Leo secretly signaled for me to lead you all away while those men were distracted. He risked his own safety to protect us!"

Alice's disbelief slowly gave way to a glimmer of hope. "He... he did?"

The guard, who had been silently observing the exchange, stepped forward, confirming Max's account. "Miss, your brother speaks the truth. I witnessed it myself. That young man was merely putting on an act, diverting their attention and leading them away."

A mix of emotions swirled within Alice, leaving her at a loss for words. The indescribable feeling in her heart was a tumultuous blend of relief, gratitude, and confusion.

"Don't worry," Max reassured his sister, his gaze fixed on the stairway. "I believe Brother Leo will return. He's stronger than them."

The guard interjected, breaking the tension. "Let's go. There's a safe room nearby." He guided everyone back to the ticket room, leaving Max and himself outside to keep watch.

Max's worried gaze remained fixed on the upper floors. Despite witnessing Leo's strength firsthand during their encounter with the goblins, he couldn't shake off his concerns. After all, their enemies were not mindless creatures but fellow humans. {I couldn't use Identify on their leader, that means he is already 3 levels above me. No, he should be just level 4. Since it's hard to level up.}

____ ____ _ _

As we ascended to the second floor, a damp, putrid stench assaulted our senses, filling the air with an eerie atmosphere.

"Urgh! Disgusting!" The bully and his companion grimaced in revulsion.

The goblins, alerted by our footsteps, turned their grotesque faces toward our group. Their guttural shouts in monstrous language sent shivers down our spines.

"Guh! KeH!"

"Kah! Grrr."

Casting a covetous gaze upon the goblins, the first follower, whom I had dubbed Follower 1, pointed his dagger at me. "Damn these goblins. But they'll soon become my XP!"

Seeking approval, he turned to the bully murderer, Jack. "Boss, may I clean this floor?"

"Jack's gaze swept across the goblins, his eyes gleaming with avarice. "Don't leave a single one alive."

With a smug grin, Follower 1 sweet-talked his way into the fray, rushing towards the horde of incoming goblins. His agility, a remarkable 15, granted him astonishing speed, making the goblins seem like feeble prey. However, his arrogance proved to be his downfall as two arrows pierced his torso and back, causing him to cry out in pain.

Serves him right. Arrogance begets downfall.

Groaning in agony, Follower 1 stumbled back towards our group, his plea for healing directed at one of the women who possessed the Heal skill. Fearfully, she glanced at Jack, the bully murderer as if waiting for his order.

"Clap!"

A resounding slap echoed through the air, delivered by Jack himself. "What are you doing? Didn't I say to leave none alive?" His cold eyes bore into Follower 1, a chilling display of his control.

"B-but, I'm injur-" Follower 1's words were cut short as he was abruptly flung towards the goblins, shocking everyone present.

"I said kill them all," Jack's voice reverberated with a bone-chilling coldness. I instinctively retreated to the back of the group, a shiver running down my spine.

The rest of the group members looked at their leader in fear. So this is how you control them, huh? I thought. This was how he maintained his dominance, instilling fear and seizing absolute control over their actions.

With a renewed 'determination', Follower 1 fought against the remaining goblins, realizing he had no other choice.

Five minutes later, Follower 1 emerged victorious, having dispatched the last of the goblin warriors and archers. However, he was only halfway to leveling up to level 4.

"Heal him now," Jack commanded the woman, his voice laced with authority.

"Hick! Yes!" The woman nodded, casting the Heal skill three times on Follower 1, restoring his health to 75%.

"Search every corner. Make sure no monsters remain on this floor. Then, we will proceed to the third floor," Jack ordered, revealing his strategic thinking. I think he is pretty smart since he aimed to eliminate any potential threats from behind.

[Ding!]

Just as we were about to disperse, a resounding voice echoed throughout the floor, capturing everyone's attention.

A new system window materialized before us, bearing a message of congratulations.

[Congratulations!]

[You have activated a hidden quest by clearing the two floors of the train station from monsters.]

My lips started to twitch. Another Hidden Quest?

[Hidden Quest: Clear the Train Station]

[Description: You have cleared the first two floors of the train station. However, there is still one more floor to go. The third floor is the most dangerous and infested with goblins. You have to clear it and secure the train station from any threats.]

[Quest objectives:

Clear the third floor of the train station from goblins Kill 50 goblin warriors Kill 20 goblin archers Kill 1 goblin boss]

[Quest rewards:

The rewards will be distributed according to your contributions to clearing the train station. Your contributions include your kills, assists, damage, healing, and support. The rewards will be revealed after the quest is completed.]

[Do you accept this quest? Y/N] [*You will become a temporary party and everyone should agree to activate the quest]