Players worked hard, and soon the spiders in the maze and the rat-men in the mines suffered the consequences.
Having found reliable teammates, Yiye Zhiqu decisively chose the Earth Cave Spiders, which offered the highest rewards, as their grinding target.
Although those Earth Cave Spiders looked formidable, judging to be around level 10 or 20, he had already realized that in this highly free world, levels didn't mean everything. The so-called attribute panel and health bar were for reference only!
For instance, the Earth Cave Spiders were powerful in combat, but their intelligence was quite low.
Additionally, they had a strong sense of territory. Even their own offspring, if they approached rashly, would get eaten.
While this meant they were extremely dangerous, it also implied that as long as players didn't venture too deep, they would most likely only face one spider at a time.
And as long as one Earth Cave Spider was taken down, not only could they earn a reward ten times greater than killing rat-men, but they could also destroy all the spider eggs near the cobwebs in one swoop!
Furthermore, Yiye Zhiqu paid special attention to each quest in the task list.
Clearing out the spider nest was almost the only task currently that provided Contribution Value without limit!
Given their current pace of leveling, they would soon reach the level 3 ceiling, and earning Contribution Value was now the top priority in the current version!
Apart from elite players like Yiye Zhiqu who had higher aspirations, the majority of players still opted for the comparatively "cuter" rat-men.
Firstly, skeletons were not part of the rat-men's diet.
Confronted by these skeleton soldiers whose intelligence was no less than that of humans, the rat-men were not just baffled but also unsure how to bite.
Secondly, not only were the rat-men's health bars low, but they could also drop equipments.
The only hassle was their morale bursting at the slightest provocation, scattering all over and disrupting the players' tail-cutting efforts.
It was a pity that the players' levels were too low in the current version to have skills powerful enough to sweep through the enemies with ease.
Undead, after all, naturally bore a Scare Aura, making them a real headache to manage when facing these utterly unwilling opponents...
...
Underground Street of Thunder City.
Although it also fell under the jurisdiction of the Holy Sis Church, it was one of the few places in Thunder City where the Holy Light didn't reach.
Here one could find thieving fence dealers, wanted pirates, usurious black-hearted businessmen, and smugglers engaged in illegal trades... Some even exaggeratedly joke that even the Demon King from Hell would have to leave a couple of kidneys behind before leaving.
Even more exaggerated rumors suggested that in those dark alleys lurked followers of malevolent outer gods...
In any case, it wasn't a pleasant place.
In the tavern next to the Thieves Guild, with tables shining with a greasy gloss, smoke weaved in the air.
Three men, none of whom looked particularly reputable either in dress or appearance, were playing Noble Fight.
Of course, this wasn't about physically fighting nobles—it was a card game with a history that spanned a millennium, even popular in the courts of the Ryan Kingdom at one time.
Jack sometimes wondered which King had such a peculiar taste.
Did getting beaten up feel good?
"Speaking of which, I haven't seen that little chick Chris lately."
He was a member of the Black Snake Gang, with some business dealings with a few guys from the Silver Sickle.
Especially Chris.
Although she was only an iron-ranked thief, her skills in kidnapping and extortion were quite remarkable.
He had some business he wanted her to do, but he couldn't get in touch with the middleman.
Not just her.
The entire Silver Sickle had vanished from Thunder City without a trace.
With his keen instincts, he couldn't help wonder if this gang of rascals had offended some big shot.
Like the Andes Family or someone....
The man with scars on his face grinned and said,
"Chris? That chick flatter than me? Someone said they saw her at the Sword and Broken Sword Pavilion yesterday."
The man shrouded in smoke threw a black king onto the table, snatching away the turn from Jack's hand.
"The tavern next to the adventurer guild? What's she doing there?"
"Who knows, looking for a mark perhaps?"
The smoking man paused his card play and after a moment of thought said,
"Seems she did catch a big fish. I heard someone spotted her near the north gate station with a man who looked like a noble."
The man with the scars burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, which young master has such a peculiar taste?"
"The north gate station, huh? Thanks for the info," Jack said with interest as he threw a set of fours onto the table.
Unable to follow, the smoking man removed the cigar dangling from his mouth.
"What? Is she the only one who can do the job?"
"There aren't many agile female thieves... Others could do, but I prefer someone familiar."
At this, Jack paused for a moment,
"Also, I'm a bit curious about what she's gotten herself into."
The man with the scars suddenly became serious, giving him a meaningful look.
"... Things have been unsettled in Thunder City lately, it's better for you guys to keep a low profile."
Jack, however, was unconcerned, casually grinning.
"The turmoil is in the commercial area, what's that got to do with our Underground Street?"
...
In the remote suburbs north of Thunder City, deep within the North Peak Mine, a fat giant rat perched upon a pile of white bones.
His name was Jiaqi.
Until a few days ago, he was just a slave rat raised in the first level of the Demon King's labyrinth, but now he had become the leader of thousands of slave rats.
Perhaps—
It wouldn't be long before he could own a clan of his own, just like the ancestors of those great families.
To achieve this grand goal, he must seize the time to stock up on more fat.
At this moment, sitting on the Bone Throne with food stolen from human farms spread out before him.
There was not only the meat of pigs, cattle, and sheep but also roasted bread that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, as well as juicy fruits and vegetables.
Jiaqi, who was stuffed to the brim, was swelling at a visibly rapid pace, just like a balloon filled with water.
However, the wonder was that he did not burst from overeating; instead, he gained greater strength due to his obesity.
That was one of the characteristics of the rat-people.
They could not only fill their bellies with food far exceeding their own weight but also convert it into a part of themselves.
Besides the racial talent, there was their belief.
The never-ending feasting was the worship to please one of the Three Rat Gods — "Gluttony Rat" Gerro!
At this moment, Jiaqi was oblivious to the fact that by following his nature, he was awkwardly conducting a divine selection ritual named the "Ritual of Gluttony." Although his posture was clumsy and laughable, he had indeed pleased Gerro enough to be granted an even better appetite and strength far surpassing an average slave rat!
Watching their leader gorge himself, the slave rats beside him drooled with envy, wanting to rush up and feast on the meat but daring not to overstep their bounds.
Previously, some foolish young rats reached out their paws to the food, only to be grabbed by their boss and have their heads bitten off with a crunch and then swallowed.
Just as Jiaqi was heartily enjoying his meal, a ragged rat-person suddenly ran in from the entrance, squeaking in a high-pitched voice.
"Your Majesty! Lord Jiaqi! Something terrible has happened!"
Jiaqi, who hadn't stopped chewing, belched an extra-long burp and replied with a lazy voice.
"What's the matter? If it's adventurers, don't bother me..."
The rich scent continued to waft from the piles of bones to the entrance, leaving the drooling pack of rats salivating onto the ground.
The ragged rat-person clung to the ground with his head, screaming with a voice filled with dread and trepidation.
"No! Not adventurers! It's the Demon King!"
The Demon King?!
At the mention of that word, Jiaqi shuddered, his fatty body jolted, and the chicken leg in his hand fell to the ground.
"The Demon King?!"
He screamed, attempting to roll over and get up, but nearly caused an earthquake because he was too fat from eating.
The slave rats serving him scurried away in fright, but Jiaqi quickly extended his hand to clutch them all back.
"Don't run! Come back here! Where can you possibly run to? Are you planning to go back to the labyrinth to feed the spiders, or do you expect human farms to take you in? Only I can provide you with shelter!"
His roar intimidated those spineless creatures, and then he glared at the rat at the entrance, squeezing out his ferocious words through clenched teeth.
"You're lying! The Demon King is already dead! We saw it with our own eyes! Otherwise... how would those spiders dare to occupy our nest!"
As soon as his words faded, several rats armed with short spears and clubs viciously advanced, preparing to take down that little rat.
The skinny rat was trembling, his head firmly pressed to the ground, and his dark furred forehead had even scraped up blood.
"I'm telling the truth! The previous Demon King indeed died, we all saw it! But but but last night, a Demon King came back leading a group of adventurers! And... he's an Undead Mage!"
Jiaqi was stunned.
The Demon King came back with adventurers?
What a joke?!
As for being an Undead Mage—
What could a few skeleton soldiers take on?
Even before he had gotten this fat, a single rat could take on ten of them!
"You're playing with me! Chop him up!"
Jiaqi roared with anger, and the impatient slave rats surged forward, chopping the screaming little rat into mincemeat and then started gnawing on it with gulping noises.
Watching his subordinates tear into one of their kind, Jiaqi, who was seated atop the bone pile, fell into deep thought.
A new Demon King...
It could actually be true.
He had always been prepared for Hell to send a new leader eventually to clean up the mess, but he hadn't expected the new boss would land right on his turf.
He had already escaped the labyrinth. Was he supposed to flee to the distant mountains?
There wasn't enough food there, and he neither wanted nor could afford to leave the human city-states!
But—
He couldn't let his underlings know about these things.
Looking at the rats who were still hungry for more, Jiaqi pulled open his loud voice and shouted shrilly.
"You! Once you're full, go to the mine and find those human trinkets!"
"This mine is our territory!"
"If they dare come in, let them see what we're made of!!!"
"Squeak—!"
The numerous rats, waving their dirty weapons, let out sharp, caustic war cries, encouraged by their leader.
Looking at the swarming mass of servants, Jiaqi's previously unsettled heart finally found some peace.
Maybe—
Things weren't as bad as they seemed.
This Demon King might be much weaker than he had imagined; otherwise, he wouldn't keep lingering at the entrance of the labyrinth.
Even if all else fails, it was one against thousands.
The advantage was in his hands no matter how you calculated it!
—
(Thank you to "Waiting for the Time Ship by the Seaside Statue" and other lords for their rewards!!!)