I woke up at the sound of cries and what seemed like voices and rattling sounds.
I was more aware of the pounding of my head than the layer of dehydrated saliva that coated my cracked lips. I tried to move, but the room swayed, almost causing me to lose consciousness as I reached out to balance myself.
My limbs were so heavy, like I was struggling with gravity.
When the burned spots disappeared, I blinked many times before my vision returned.
I was in a spacious room. One that I saw in movies like the interior of a King's palace in Baroque time. Intricate moldings and paintings on the ceiling. The floor was marble, and the furnishings were designed to match the overall theme.
There was only a table and sofas on one side and an office table on the opposite side. I was sitting on the carpeted floor with a few others while some big men were standing near a short man with a bulging stomach who sat on the central office table. From the accessory on his vest and the expensive fabric of his clothes, he seemed to be the Lord of the house.
"Let us go!"
At the cries, it was only when I noticed that I couldn't feel my arms and legs. Looking at my limbs, I found them cuffed with a weird chain that had strange letters glowing on its surface.
What's this?
Why do you seem soo glad at my current predicament?
That rekindled my hope, at least. And when I gave the metal cuff a thug, I felt it crack, and the noise was drowned from the wailing and curses of my companions.
When I get the opportunity, I will escape from this Hell Hole.
It didn't take a genius to know that I was abducted. But I didn't know the reason why.
And then I spotted a familiar face, and apprehension dried my throat.
Dolor was talking to the Lord of the House, and even from where I lay, I heard their conversation.
"Just this?" Dolor asked the Lord, clasping a pouch of gil in his palm.
Lord Roselake pinched his mustache. "You only brought me one player today."
Dolor jabbed his finger at my location while he didn't spare me any glance. If he did, he'd be pierced by my glares.
"He is one player, but do you see his equipment?"
The Lord of Roselake laughed. "Yes. Yes. A bone mask. A mantle. A pair of boots. Not bad. Not bad . . . but still not enough."
I didn't know what they were talking about, but it seemed that they had abducted me, thinking that I was rich.
"But of course, if you're not satisfied with your rewards, then you can happily take it with my guards."
Dolor looked over at the four bulky men in the room clad in silver armor, spears, and shields.
Dolor cursed under his breath while he grumbled as he left with heavy steps.
"I should have killed him myself and acquired his loots." I heard him say.
I was going to open my mouth and shout at him, but I thought I was just going to waste my breath. He was right. Realization finally coated my tongue with a bitter salt. He could have killed me at that moment when I lost consciousness.
". . ." I didn't have a comeback since it was true. I kept quiet and thought of a plan of escape.
My other companion wasn't so silent, though. They were crying and begging to be released.
Lord Roselake went up from his chair and approached us in steady steps. He kept his face neutral, but he was too smug. His lips twisted into a half-smirk.
"Calm now. You don't want the neighbors to hear your screams, right."
I know he was joking. What neighbors was he talking about when his house was set back, like at least a kilometer from the rest? Even if we shout at the top of our lungs, no one will hear us.
"Why are you doing this?" I heard one of them say.
"You newbies really are clueless about the world. That's why you're easily targeted," the Lord said while his lower lip puckered out in mock pity.
"Targeted?"
"Don't you know that you players will yield gil and EXP when you're killed? And all your items will drop if you're dead."
"That only applies if another player kills us! You fucking inhabitants won't get anything from us!"
They will get our items, though. I countered in my head.
An energetic soul who still didn't know the predicament we were in. Could he not curse and antagonize our abductors? I didn't want to end up dead because of some fool who couldn't keep his mouth shut.
The Lord merely laughed, but my spine was twisting at the sinister hidden within his deep, hearty laughter.
"No worries. No worries," he said, slapping his bulging tummy. Then his eyes squinted crescent while his lips widened, showing his big set of teeth. "Don't you know that I have a few players working for me? And one of them happens to have all his ATP past eighty. Ohohoho!"
The players' faces all turned white, but I was still busy planning my escape. The player that the Lord mentioned was probably that person my [Evil Eyes] scan. The one whose ATP would almost reach a hundred.
"Come. Come. Let Jayson in. And let that kid have the honor of being the first to die."
Everyone's face went white, and a cacophony of screams followed suit.
I think my eardrum just popped from how loud the other's screams and cries pierced my ears. But the Lord seemed to enjoy it. In fact, I bet the reason why he didn't tape our mouths was so to hear our screams.
What a maniac.
I shook my head and focused on my plans at hand. After I unshackled myself free, I would use [Evil Speed] and teleport myself out from here when I got the chance.