Town Square was already crowded with a large group of Players, chattering noisily.
The reason was none other than Are’s image—a sexy yet dangerous, approachable yet slightly aloof big sister—had these appearance-obsessed creatures completely wrapped around her finger!
Although most of the information known by the Players was intercepted by the System and couldn’t be spoken aloud, fragments of conversation could still be pieced together to reveal a lot.
For example, secret information gleaned from forum groups or chats couldn’t be spoken or written down.
Unless the System judged that this information was discovered by the Player themselves.
More often than not, there was no real intelligence, just things like:
“Sister Are~ This is some mid-grade gold I dug up from the dungeon in the Echo Territory, I give it to you~!”
“Beautiful lady, this is a high-grade mana potion I brewed, please don’t disdain it.”
“I have a rare Joyful Speech Herb here…”
…And so on, the typical spiel from Players trying to grind Favorability.
Are listened unhurriedly, taking in useful information while accepting gifts, responding with a kind smile.
She casually added a point or two of Favorability for these Players, which was enough to make them ecstatic.
‘Truly worthy of a “high-level player” who has mingled in the Order for over a hundred years~’
Lucoco, who had walked to the edge of the square, watched this scene from afar and couldn’t help but sigh with such admiration.
Just then, some sharp-eyed Players also spotted the three of them.
“Holy shit! Bros! Over there, it’s two purple and one gold.”
“It’s a golden NPC beauty! I’m simping~!”
“Why does she look familiar?”
“What are you waiting for? Go!”
Instantly, the guys who couldn’t squeeze near Are rushed over like starving dogs pouncing on food!
Their fervent gazes fell unsparingly on the three, yet they assumed a rather gentlemanly posture, bowing respectfully.
“Greetings, three Judgment Knights.”
Amy shivered under the gaze of a few Players, timidly hiding behind Lucoco.
She only looked at these Players with curious eyes, observing them cautiously.
Though they couldn’t see the little girl’s face under her mask, this series of small actions made several self-proclaimed “cute-mannerisms connoisseur” Players practically snort steam from their nostrils.
“You guys! Don’t act like perverts!”
Someone scolded with a low laugh.
Thus, one of them calmed his emotions, stepped forward, and explained solemnly, “Miss Knight, don’t be afraid, we’re not bad people! We just think you’re cute!”
“Mm… I know…”
Amy poked her head out, nodded slightly, and then retreated again.
✧✦✧✦
As for Lucoco, she was also feeling extremely uncomfortable right now!
There was no Sebas around her now to deploy his “Scumbag Interception Field.”
Dozens of Players, with the majority of their gazes fixed on her, their eyes looking as if they would pounce and hug her to take a bite the next moment…
And these guys were all holding strange things in their hands.
These were items that, after being integrated and researched by the SAN experts, were deemed the easiest props to grind Favorability with.
Such fervor didn’t surprise Lucoco; she had just seen someone pointing at her and shouting things like “golden NPC” and such.
She had no idea when she had advanced to a golden NPC!
Clearly, back in the Echo Territory, she had seen on the forums that she was a purple NPC.
…
Even though she felt like ants were crawling all over her skin, Lucoco still had to maintain that serene appearance.
After all, she still needed to string these Players along to work for her!
So, she lifted her head, her eyes curving into crescents, looking at the Players with a smile sweet enough to kill.
After little ♥+++ icons popped up above everyone’s heads, she finally spoke sweetly, “Chosen brothers~ Chosen sisters~ Hello. My name is Morning Light, and I am currently traveling to investigate anomalies throughout the kingdom.”
Then, as if changing faces, she switched to a pitiful, sorrowful expression that would melt anyone’s heart.
“Right now, Suomu Town is facing an unprecedented crisis!
The dungeon monsters are restless, I fear they won’t wait for reinforcements to arrive before a Mana Tide erupts!
So, could I ask you brothers and sisters to help us protect the kingdom’s people?”
After speaking, Lucoco tried hard to squeeze out a few glistening tears, looking at the Players before her with slightly reddened, moist eyes full of expectation.
Paired with her pure, flawless, and holy priest robe fluttering in the wind.
She looked like a devout Saint praying to the gods!
And the Players before her were her deities…
Boom!
All the Players felt a loud explosion go off in their minds! In an instant, their blood boiled!
They wished they could die for the girl before them right then and there!
Even the passing townsfolk were deeply captivated by this scene.
“I’ll have my guild leader send a hundred people over right away!”
One Player shouted, his face red.
“Me! I can get two hundred people!”
Another Player thumped his chest in assurance.
“Please rest assured! I’ll have all guild members below level 40 come over!”
Someone said, their voice trembling with excitement.
“And me…”
More and more people responded.
Even before seeing the quest, the Players, already dizzy from Lucoco’s smooth combo, were making promises with flushed faces and thick necks.
“Thank you~”
Lucoco clasped her hands together, tilting her head slightly, wearing a satisfied and grateful smile.
A gentle breeze swept by, her hair fluttering, and from her smiling, curved eyes, a few crystal-clear teardrops fell, transforming into specks of starlight carried by the wind.
Incidentally, Lucoco also added a little special effect for herself, like using the Power of Faith to add a bit of Fresnel effect on her body…
The scene instantly fell silent…
At the same time, the Players’ system prompts all chimed: [Judgment Knight Morning Light’s Favorability towards you has increased ♥X10]
“Bros… I think I’m in love.”
A Player who was livestreaming swallowed his saliva, staring dumbly at Lucoco.
Meanwhile, his livestream chat was already filled with frenzied comments.
But immediately after, they saw Lucoco lower her body, as if about to kneel on one knee in a grand salute.
“Holy shit!”
“Oh my god!”
“Lady Morning Light~ Don’t!”
The Players snapped out of their daze with exclamations of shock.
Players immediately rushed forward to support Lucoco, preventing her from bowing.
“Lady Morning Light, there’s no need! We accept your quest!”
“Yes, yes, just leave it to us!”
“We have also received the ‘Oracle,’ we will definitely protect the town!”
…
Amidst the chattering and clamor, Lucoco pretended to wipe the tears from the corner of her eye, giving a brilliant smile…
She gently tapped her fingertip, silently thinking “Issue Quest.”
Sure enough, a system pop-up window appeared: [Please enter the quest name, quest objective, and place the quest rewards.]
[Quest Name: Morning Light’s Request
Quest Objective: Help Suomu Town resist the Mana Tide. Assist the Judgment Knight squad in entering the depths of the dungeon to seal the entrance.
Quest Rewards: Limited rewards, for 2000 participants, obtain Unranked Treasure Chest X3, 20-40 level Elite Treasure Chest x5 (minimum green quality equipment).
Unlimited reward, Morning Light’s Favorability ♥x30.]
[System Prompt: Determining quest grade…]
[Determination complete; Quest grade: Purple Epic, Large-scale quest.]
[Issuing quest…]
✦✧✦✧
The next second, a purple question mark suddenly popped up above Lucoco’s head, and a pop-up window appeared before all Players: Accept quest Morning Light’s Request? Yes/No…
“Holy shitshitshit!!”
“Epic quest! Bros! It’s a purple quest!”
“Awesome,不愧 is a golden NPC.”
“Isn’t this thing just a branch of that world’s Legendary Quest?”
“Stop blabbering, hurry and get your guild members to teleport over, didn’t you see? Only two thousand slots!”
Looking at the Players who were so excited they were almost jumping up and down, frantically clicking their system pages, Lucoco spoke again:
“Dear Chosen brothers and sisters, I have matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.”
“Take care, Lady Morning Light!”
The Players chorused in unison, saluting to see her off.
Lucoco nodded, leading the dumbfounded Amy and Adrian out of the crowd.
She waved towards Are on the other side and then headed towards the tavern.
Suddenly, a Player shouted loudly, “Lady Morning Light, where should newcomers go to receive the quest from you?”
Lucoco turned back, pointed at Adrian, and responded with a smile, “I will have this knight come here.”
Hearing this, Adrian was stunned for a moment but didn’t ask immediately.
Instead, he followed Lucoco, who had resumed walking.
After the four disappeared around the corner, a Player suddenly snapped back to reality, looking at the gift in his hand.
“Holy shit, I haven’t even grinded Favorability yet!”
“Don’t go cause trouble! She already gave ten points just now.”
“Huh? Oh right…!”
✧✦✧✦
At the tavern, the four chose a private booth and began exchanging information.
“Sister Are, what did you find out on your end?”
“Mm, it’s a bit messy, let me explain piece by piece…”
Are began recounting, one by one, the useful information the Players had shared.
The other three listened attentively.
Finally, after organizing these messages, the four discovered…
It seemed only the news about the suspected sub-boss existing in the dungeon had any real punch.
Another point was that, according to the Players, the Viscount Mayor and his daughter didn’t seem very well-liked by the Players.
They said things like: if it weren’t for that world Legendary Quest, they wouldn’t even bother coming to support this town.
After exchanging information, Lucoco brought up another question.
“Sister, did you find any reliable guys?”
“Mm, already found them. I gave them a quest, the location is under the tree outside town.”
“When are we going?”
“Tomorrow night. The Mana Tide should be about to arrive by then.”
“Sister Are is so sure?”
“I’ve seen it too many times. Based on the dark elements in the air, it should be about right, at the latest tomorrow in the latter half of the night.”
“不愧 is an Order Priest~”
“What, what! Morning Light, what are you planning? Amy wants to go too!”
Amy looked left and right, ultimately unable to contain her curiosity, leaning in.
“Amy, for this mission, you and Adrian can’t go. It’s too dangerous.”
Lucoco shook her head, picking up a piece of jerky and putting it in her mouth.
“Mmph!!”
Amy lifted her mask, revealing her puffed-up little face, looking at Lucoco in protest.
“You really want to go?”
Lucoco narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at her meaningfully.
“Aren’t we out here to train? Of course I want to go.”
Amy furrowed her little brows, crossing her arms, putting on a stubborn look.
Adrian didn’t speak, just quietly waited while sipping his juice.
Lucoco looked at the siblings, then leaned close to Amy.
“We’re going to charge into the dungeon… inside, you know~”
She deliberately drew out her voice.
Amy leaned her little head in, listening seriously, as if genuinely preparing.
Seeing this, Lucoco paused, then her voice suddenly turned eerie.
“There are spiders as tall as a person! Poisonous frogs as big as Amy… snakes this thick! Undead made of jumbled bones…”
Amy listened quietly…
Her little face went from serious to tense…
Her small hands clenched into fists, and finally, fear began to surface in her eyes.
She swallowed, her throat bobbing…
“And most importantly!”
Lucoco’s voice suddenly rose!
“Eek!!”
Amy was startled, instinctively throwing herself into Lucoco’s arms, then immediately feeling both embarrassed and annoyed, her face flushed red as she looked up at Lucoco.
“Hehe~”
Lucoco gave a half-smile, leaning down close, her voice like a demon’s whisper entering Amy’s ears.
“Inside, you know~ there are also lots of beastmen who like pretty girls! Goblins who love to catch girls and take them back to their nests! And…”
“I’m not going!”
Amy sat bolt upright with a whoosh, slapping her mask back over her face.
She hugged herself tightly, unable to suppress a shiver.
“Eww~~”
“That’s more like it~ Amy, you and your brother just need to hand out quests to the Chosen Ones.”
Lucoco shook her head, pouring herself a glass of juice.
“Just handing out quests?”
Adrian turned his head, finally speaking up to ask.
“Yours is also to command that bunch of Chosen Ones, to maximize their utility!”
Lucoco raised her glass, extending it towards Adrian.
“What if they don’t listen? They are Chosen Ones, harder to tame than wild horses on the plains.”
Adrian smiled wryly, raising his glass to clink with hers.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll add an additional reward then, for those willing to follow commands.”
Lucoco looked fully prepared, downing her juice in one gulp.
Looking at the empty cup, she suddenly remembered the twenty-something jars of Fruit Wine Lucia had stuffed into her luggage when she left home.
She looked at Amy, then at Adrian, thought for a moment…
And decided to prepare something good for tonight.
Drinking it straight would be too wasteful.
Better to mix it a bit and create a batch of simple potions with special effects.
Too bad their shelf life wouldn’t be long, though.
That should prevent the Players from hoarding them and being reluctant to use them.
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