Gamers of the Underworld

[Hemp Rope Technology: Wait, am I still testing the Attributes Enhancing Runes? Are the volunteer registration fees for me?]

[Autumn’s Ink: It’s frightening. When I went to the Blacksmith Shop just now, I saw a sign that indicated equipment improvement to Level 8. Why do the game producers not have the courage to put it in the version update?]

[God King of Wu: Create a Can Knockdown game. I guarantee you will earn a lot of money]

[Wise men like water: What’s with the souvenirs?]

[Civilian Mana Terminal can be replaced with capacitors: Are we allowed to take Mana Engineering? I want to create a Gundam!]

…

Simba’s business had been upgraded.

After signing the new contract, Sherlock prepared a new scope of work, which included equipment improvement to Level 8.

Previously, there were only organic materials, so the equipment improvement was limited to Level 5.

The gamers were able to access Winterfell and hunt for Lava Scouts and Lava Warriors, so materials for equipment improvement beyond Level 5 were available. However, it didn’t mean that it was easy.

According to Simba, the gamers were only able to improve their equipment to Level 5 until Arthur, who was wearing black armor, appeared outside the Blacksmith Shop.

“Improve my equipment to Level 6,” Arthur said to Simba as he stripped his black armor and placed it on the table.

“Do you have all of the materials?”

Simba pointed to the wooden sign at the side.

The sign indicated the required materials from Level 6 to 8.

The materials for Level 6 improvement were one unit of underground worms’ secretion, one unit of Adamantine Ore, three pieces of Lava Spar, and one packet of bloody chrysanthemum tea (Winterfell Tea Merchant’s designated counter packaging).

Arthur had prepared the materials, and he placed them on Simba’s counter. Simba placed the armor on the forging platform. Then, he put the secretion, Adamantine, and Lava Spar on the armor. As for the bloody chrysanthemum tea, he put it in a basket underneath the counter.

The emotionless Simba was about to hammer the armor when he spotted another packet of bloody chrysanthemum tea on the counter.

“Gratitude fee.”

Arthur looked at Simba and pushed the tea forward.

Though the gamers at the side stared with their eyes wide, Simba put the bloody chrysanthemum tea in his pocket as he said, “Cough, only this time. I’ll not make exceptions the next time.”

“Dang—!” Simba hammered the armor and returned the intact equipment back to Arthur.

“Equipment improvement was successful. Next.”

…

Arthur’s special method for equipment improvement spread like wildfire on the discussion forum. Many gamers imitated Arthur’s method by preparing NPC gratitude gifts.

The more expensive gifts weren’t practical. Not every gamer was as rich as Arthur and could afford two packets of bloody chrysanthemum tea as gifts to Simba.

Though the other gamers couldn’t afford expensive gifts, they brought items that looked expensive.

For example:

“Simba! Please accept this equipment! I prepared this gift as a token of gratitude!”

“Simba, I obtained this pebble by the stream with great effort. You have to keep it.”

Simba would hammer their equipment and destroy it before saying, “Your equipment’s gone.”

Not all equipment would be destroyed. If the gift was bloody chrysanthemum tea, then the equipment improvement would be guaranteed.

Other gifts with a high success rate included the metal sticks sold in Winterfell.

These gifts were expensive, so the gamers would only prepare gifts if the equipment improvement was above Level 5.

Besides the change in equipment improvement, the number of life skill classes had increased, giving the gamers more choices. Fortunately, the game didn’t restrict the number of gamers with a certain life skill.

Other online games restricted the gamers to certain life skills, while “Dungeon” allowed the gamers to learn all life skills, provided they had enough energy.

In fact, most of the gamers didn’t have enough energy to learn all of the life skills. Each life skill required the completion of certain Daily Missions. A gamer who learned two life skills would have reached their maximum capacity.

The skill that made the gamers excited was the Equipment Enchantment.

After the version update, Brainiac started selling Enchantment Scrolls.

The Enchantment Scrolls created different effects on the equipment. For example, the enchantment for making equipment look more expensive caused the equipment to glitter. Visually, it made the equipment look more expensive. But that wasn’t the main point.

The main point was the expensive enchantment that enhanced attributes.

For example, [Frost Enchantment] would create a layer of frost on the weapon or armor for a duration of time. It wasn’t just for visual appeal.

A piece of frost enchanted armor would freeze the gamer and slow down his movements.

Wait, was there something wrong? Many gamers pondered over the use of the Frost Enchantment. Was the enchantment used on themselves as a debuff?

The gamers were smart, and they figured out the actual uses.

“When the enchantment is used on an enemy’s equipment, the rate of victory increases dramatically!”

And…

“It’s a necessity for equipment when entering the lava caves. The fire attacks of the Lava Scouts and Warriors will be greatly diminished, and the equipment won’t be damaged!”

After the version update, there was more gameplay for the gamers to explore.

Peasant was diligently researching his new mission track.

He was in the Post Office of Small Distant Town, holding the only letter that wasn’t claimed.

“This is the first time such a situation happened,” the postman said as he passed the thick letter to Peasant.

Peasant was discovering a new Plot, so he didn’t care about privacy as he tore open the letter and examined its contents.

It was an old, tattered diary.