It wasn't surprising that the NPC were affected. After all, they were a creation of the game, and they had no real existence in this world.
Hunter knew that and didn't get too excited. The disappearance of Quests meant the disappearance of rewards and opportunities. It was a blow to many people, especially the low-level players.
'What's going to happen next?'
He thought as he walked back to the inn. There, he found Schnee drinking with a group of players, some had bad expressions and pale faces. Only she laughed merrily, her cheeks red.
"Oh~ Hunter! Come and drink with us!" She called out, waving her hand. "Don't be shy, sit down and let's talk about our day. Hehehe. We just finished slaughtering the bandits. The road is now safe for low-level players to travel. What a great deed, am I right?"
"Congratulations."
He smiled and sat next to her. The other players didn't look happy, but he didn't ask. He knew why.
Killing humans, although NPCs, didn't feel good. Especially for those who were originally good-natured and peaceful.
But, this was a new world. They couldn't hesitate when they had to protect themselves or their group. Killing bandits as training was good.
These players around the table all had guild logos. Hunter recognized all five different logos. They belonged to 5 big guilds in this city.
'Maybe their leaders sent them to get trained. I guess they are the new Enforcers mentioned in the announcement this morning. Getting close to them can be a good idea.'
"So, how did you guys go against the bandits? Was it hard?" He asked.
"It was fine." Someone with better complexion than the rest answered. "They are low levels. Although their numbers are twice of ours, we managed to... destroy them. Miss Schnee helped a lot, too."
Schnee nodded and grinned, her smile wide.
"It was fun. These guys were weak. They didn't have any real power. I didn't even use a strong skill, just a few basic ones. You guys should relax. There's nothing to worry about. If you keep hesitating, you're going to die sooner or later."
Her tone was cold, and her expression blank. The other players couldn't hide their fear and discomfort. But they knew that she was speaking the truth.
In this new world, hesitation could be fatal.
"Yeah, that's true. Thanks for your advice."
"You're welcome. Now, how about a toast? To our victory and a new day!"
Everyone raised their glasses, and the atmosphere lightened a bit. They sipped their drinks and laughed, enjoying the moment.
Hunter, known as the new Enforcers as Schnee's partner, joined the party. As the result of their hard work, he gave each person the potion he just made. It was also a gesture for them to like him.
'Fortunately, there are only 20 of them. I also managed to create 20 HP potions. They should be able to recover 2000 HP at once and a total of 6000 HP in a span of 30 seconds.'
It was a high amount, and the effect was noticeable. They hesitated a bit to take the potion, as it was now a rare commodity. But Hunter forced them.
"That's my experiment with an Alchemy. Please do take them. You guys have taken care of my partner, so it's my way of repaying you."
Schnee looked at him and smiled, her lips pursed. She knew his plan.
"Yeah, yeah! Don't hesitate and take them. My Hunter here is a good Alchemist. He can create potions easily in this new world."
Selling potions could be a good business. Having a tie with 5 big guilds was a plus. They were hitting two birds with one stone.
And the party didn't decline. They took the potions and put them in their inventory for emergency use. The potion was way better than a normal potion that recovered 1000 HP in a span of 10 seconds.
The party continued. Schnee drank a lot of beer, but she didn't get tipsy at all. Her status as Level 80 Knight had increased her resistance to alcohol.
Everyone else was drunk, though. They couldn't control themselves and passed out on the table, snoring loudly. Only the two of them left.
"Heh. Got good information from Dick?"
"It's Dirk." Hunter corrected.
"Dick, Dirk. What's the difference?" Schnee shrugged. "Anyway, did you find out anything interesting?"
"Yeah. Let's not talk about that here, though. Ears and eyes everywhere."
"True." Schnee smirked. She turned to the waiter and paid the bill. "Let's go to my room. We can have a private chat there."
"Good idea."
They walked upstairs and entered her room. The moment they were inside, Schnee locked the door and sat on the bed. She took off her armor, leaving her in a black bodysuit. There was no need for her to hide anything when there were only the two of them in a room.
"So, tell me what you've heard."
Hunter told her everything Dirk had relayed to him, and she nodded her head in understanding. He also told him what he found out about alchemy, his plan, and his worries about Quests.
A smile spread across her lips, and her eyes shone brightly.
"Interesting. So, there is a Mercenary group, eh? And they are active in the game. Well, we can't expect a new world to be without any conflict. It's normal."
"But, the disappearance of Quest is a big problem." Hunter said, crossing his legs. "It's not like we tried to take a Quest yet, but... it's weird. I don't know how it's related to the new world or the Indigenous."
"Hmm, that's a good question." Schnee mused. She stared at the ceiling and sighed. "We have no idea how this world works, or even if it's the same as the game. I have my own theory, but... it's not worth mentioning."
"Then, we can only wait and see." He nodded, "Another thing I want to mention is dungeons. We haven't gone into one since the change. We have no idea what's inside, and if the system has changed. It might be dangerous."
Dungeons. A place filled with monsters and treasures. Tons of hidden chests, traps, and challenges. There were also Boss Monsters, which were stronger than normal monsters.
But, now, no one dared to enter. They were afraid of the change, and the fear of death was too strong. No one wanted to risk their lives to find out about it.
"A lot of new and interesting things we need to find out lay ahead." Schnee said, smiling brightly. She spread her arms and closed her eyes. "And I am looking forward to it. It's been a long time since I've been this excited."
"True."
Hunter was excited, too. The unknown was always something to look forward to, and he couldn't wait to explore it.
This world was like a wrapped mystery and adventures. He felt like they had returned to the time when Frontier Online had just released. The thrill of discovering and the rush of excitement as he fought and challenged himself.
It was all back, and it made him smile.
"Well, I think it's time for me to go." He stood up, stretching his body.
He walked toward the door, but he suddenly felt something pulling him backward. He couldn't resist. The strength was too strong.
"What the -"
Before he could react, his back slammed against the bed, and his face was grabbed by Schnee's hand. She was right on top of him, her eyes wide and her breathing shallow. A sexy grin appeared on her face, and her eyes shone.
"Oh, where are you going, Hunter? The night is still young. Why don't we have some fun before you leave? Agreeing to visit my room to talk means that you've prepared yourself, right?"
At that moment, he realized his mistake. He had entered a snake's den.