Chapter 215

Chapter 215

Despite Bestia's firm refusal to offer assistance, Lane had no intention of giving up. Usually, he was the one operating in the open while his enemies lurked in the shadows. Although he was safe in the real world, it also meant that he could only passively defend himself and couldn't take the initiative.

Thus, his journey into the Dream World was a rare opportunity for him to gather intelligence on his foes. He should seize the chance to learn all he could about this place before the Evil God and the other Old Gods discovered him. Otherwise, it would be too late once Judas actually made his move.

But since Bestia wouldn't lend a hand, the task of gathering information fell to the players.

To achieve this, he needed to first spark their interest in the Dream World...

As Lane delved into the realm of dreams, the player forums, for the first time in a while, enjoyed an unusual calm.

This was primarily because the game Destiny's Spiral had developed its own distinct style. Compared to the myriad of gameplay options available in other online games, its identity was still closely tied to tabletop role-playing, offering unparalleled freedom and realism at the expense of conventional functionalities.

For instance, there were no ready-made costumes or an official marketplace. Players could buy or craft their own outfits in-game, and instead of a game store, there was a player-driven economy, with NPC bazaars for transactions. There were hardly any repetitive dungeons; each one and every side quest was unique, resulting in a lack of readily available guides.

In short, it was a game that inspired deep passion in those who appreciated it, while leaving others utterly perplexed. The developers' stance was also intriguing – they seemed indifferent to profit. Despite being in closed beta for so long, there were no avenues for in-game purchases, the game itself was free-to-play, and promotional efforts were sporadic, leading some to speculate whether the company was on the verge of collapse.

Compared to the game itself, the forum had been continually improving day by day. Thanks to the live streaming and discussions of previous missions, the originally supplementary forum had shown an astonishing level of user engagement, with a massive daily traffic that made one wonder if these gamers spent their offline hours solely on the forum.

Like right now.

Black Cat: Ace for me.

Druid: I'll match.

Matcha Milk Green: Can't afford it, passing.

Indeed, these three were playing cards on the forum – a newly added feature that allowed players in entirely different regions to play cards together simply by accessing the forum. It seemed card enthusiasts held the key to attracting traffic.

Druid: Been so dull lately, Three-of-a-Kind.

Matcha Milk Green: I'll cover that. You shouldn't be short on quests, right?

Black Cat: No thanks. He wasn't lacking missions; it was just that, accustomed to grand-scale events, he found routine investigation tasks uninteresting now.

Matcha Milk Green: Huh?

Druid: Me neither. Oh, you know, there's nothing quite like the thrill of main storyline quests and dungeon recreations! I can't go back to ordinary missions now! I'm camped out at MU every day, waiting for Lan. Waaa, when will the next big mission come along?

Matcha Milk Green: Three of Spades, you're so darned Versailles! Ordinary players don't get to experience these grand events so often! It wasn't long ago since the last recreation, was it?

Black Cat: Exactly. Speaking of which, Druid seems to have been part of most of the other major quests apart from that one recreation.

Matcha Milk Green: Damn it! Go die, lucky dog!

Insane: (Crashes in) No, you eat my spear! I've only experienced two major events, qwq

Druid: Please let there be another one soon (prays)

At this moment, Druid was attending a Herbology class at MU as an unenrolled student. The classroom was still packed with students. Although players initially chose their specialties, MU didn't prohibit attending classes outside of one's major. Thus, it was common for players to audit classes to boost their other skill stats, especially after many former MU professors returned, enriching the university's curriculum. It was a rare, stable way for players to level up their skills aside from taking quests.

Of course, there was a limit to how much skill points one could raise through university courses, usually around 70. Beyond that, practical experience was needed. Nevertheless, many players would leave their character cards in class to auto-learn while they were away.

Now, Druid had joined this group. Despite the abundance of quest options in-game, he preferred to focus on raising his stats first, then seize opportunities as they came.

And now, the opportunity had arrived.

A pristine white paper airplane suddenly soared through the classroom window, landing precisely in front of the Druid.

At that moment, the Druid was engrossed in an online forum and a card game with Black Cat and friends. It wasn't until an unscrupulous idol nudged him with their elbow that he snapped back to reality.

"Hey, what's this?" the Druid murmured in puzzlement, instinctively glancing at the lectern to make sure the professor hadn't noticed. Satisfied that they remained undetected, he cautiously slid the paper plane under the desk to open it.

But soon, he realized that this was just a game, not an actual university class. Why be so cautious?

Sighing, the Druid grumbled to himself but still refrained from placing the paper plane on the table. Instead, he carefully unfolded it beneath the desk.

"Interested in an unconventional journey? - Lane"

Upon reading these words, the Druid's initial reaction was curiosity. But upon seeing the signature, his eyes lit up with surprise.

Whatever he wished for seemed to materialize. Should he have bought a lottery ticket today??

Clutching the note tightly, the Druid knew he had to go; he desperately wanted to. Just as he entertained the idea of leaving class to find Lane, the surroundings around him shifted abruptly.

By the time the Druid regained his senses, he found himself in a botanical garden that held a remarkable sense of familiarity.

The NPC, Lane, whom players had long grown accustomed to, gazed at him with a smile from his throne.

This familiar scene prompted the Druid to instinctively launch his live stream – it was a purely reflexive action.

Those who had subscribed and regular viewers received a notification of the Druid's broadcast resuming.

"Aren't you dead yet, you scoundrel?"

"It's been a while since your last live stream. I was starting to think you had faded away."

"Indolence, sheer indolence! Can you even call yourself a gaming streamer? Take a look at Team Peasant's finesse!"

"Blimey, isn't this Lane, you druid lad?"

Apparently, the regulars of the Druid live stream were all too familiar with this sight, which led them to make an envious assumption.

"Could it be that you've received another special assignment?"

"Foul, why is this so? It's unjust!"

"I refuse to believe it!"

The Druid glanced proudly at the indignant live stream comments before turning to Lane and asking, "Lord Lane! What did you mean by 'journey' on that piece of paper just now?"

Lane looked steadily down at the Druid, contemplating for a moment about the best reason to give the players for entering the Dream World.

To be honest, even a flimsy excuse would ignite the players' enthusiasm for exploring new territories. He knew gamers too well – they'd dare to brave hell if there were sufficient rewards.

However, with the situation at hand, Lane could sense that his final showdown with Judah was drawing near.

The players, though rowdy and uncontrollable, were a double-edged sword that could prove useful.

But after all they had been through together, weathering storms and basking in rainbows, it was time to share everything with them.

"Lord Lane?" The Druid spoke up, curious as to why Lane remained silent.

Lane closed his eyes, his expression grave. "At this point, you must have sensed the truth and the peril of this world. As you've guessed, the Evil God is on the verge of breaching the final frontier, the Dream World, and invading reality."

Then, Lane narrated the story of the Dream World, the conflict between the Old Gods and the Evil God, and the information about Judas, the betrayer, to the Druid.

He knew that he wasn't just speaking to the Druid but also to the countless players the Druid represented.

"…Now, that fated day is drawing near. During the last 'Three Days of Chaos' in the dream, I managed to outmaneuver Judas, the betrayer of the Old Gods, leaving Him weakened. This is our best chance to counterattack. I need a group of people to enter the Dream World, investigate what has transpired there, and ideally locate Judas to hinder His schemes."

The Druid's mouth gaped wider and wider.

Although he knew the task Lane assigned wouldn't be simple, upon hearing this lengthy and intricate briefing, he realized—this was a new main storyline quest!

And unlike the previous quests from the Inspectorate or Arkham, this sounded like the grand overarching storyline of the entire game!

The live stream comments exploded.

"I think I just heard some major intel!"

"Judas, Evil God, Old Gods, Dream World—weren't these terms mentioned in the Inspectorate's main storyline? Wow, what a huge main quest!"

"It feels like this is the main storyline of the entire game."

"Argh, Druid! Why is it you?!"

"Ah, it seems no one is paying attention to the wealth of information in Lane's words. The chaotic day's dream he mentioned refers to the recent replica dungeon that just ended. So Judas made an appearance, huh?"

"It aligns with the previously emerged world line during the Inspector Bureau's main mission and the replica scenario that just concluded. I get it now! This is the main storyline of the update!"

"Oh, oh, oh! If I understand correctly, are we talking about retaliating? Judah is in the Dreamworld, so we're going to fight back into the Dreamworld?"

"Fantastic! A new map! A fresh main quest! Let's charge!"

The Druid's face gradually flushed with excitement. "Leave it to me! We'll definitely defeat Judah!"

Faced with the Druid's assurance, Lane simply shook his head. "This is an incredibly, incredibly challenging task. The Dream World is not like reality; it's fraught with danger. Malevolent gods, ancient deities, bizarre creatures, and even the laws governing it are vastly different from the real world. Death lurks around every corner, so you must be meticulous in your caution."

"Given the perils of the Dream World, I highly recommend that you explore in groups. An ordinary person would find it extremely difficult to survive on their own there."

"Preparation Quest - Explore the Dream World"

Aware of the traitor Judas' machinations, he is now at his most vulnerable. It's the perfect moment to strike back. Lane needs your assistance to delve into the Dreamworld and uncover more intelligence.

Requirements: Player level 50, Squad Exploration (minimum team size of 3 members).

Rewards: A proportional amount of experience points, items, potions, and an increase in affinity with Lane, based on the significance of the information gathered.