Chapter 250 Chapter249-The Prime Minister's Hidden Quest
The moment John, Blue Sea, and Adam confirmed their participation in the hidden quest, Duke Dinan, Prime Minister of the Northern Myst Empire, suddenly turned his gaze to lock eyes with John.
"Young man, are you and your companions willing to assist the empire in hunting down these accursed Devils?"
John's expression remained calm, but internally, he thought, "As expected, the hidden quest originates from this Duke Dinan."
In fact, John had already surmised that the upper echelons of the Northern Myst Empire wouldn't stand idly by while Devils wreaked havoc on their lands.
Even if they knew they were outmatched, they would try every trick in the book to handle the situation.
This had nothing to do with benevolence or justice; it was simply a matter of maintaining their own rule.
If they allowed the Devils to continue their slaughter, they would soon run out of common citizens to govern.
And without a lower class, how could the ruling class secure their own position?
John understood all of this but didn't particularly care about Duke Dinan's motivations.
All that mattered to him was that the Duke could provide him with a hidden quest.
In the game Godslayer, the most bountiful rewards came from these elusive tasks.
Additionally, John planned to use this quest as an opportunity to locate other Devils through the native powers of the game world.
[System Alert: You have accepted the hidden quest (Hunt Devil). Warning, this quest is extremely high in difficulty with a 99.99% chance of death...]
[Quest Details: Assist the Northern Myst Empire's elite hunting team in hunting the Devils that have descended onto Godslayer Continent...]
[Quest Rewards: Will be issued by the Northern Myst Empire officially, based on the contribution level to the quest. Different contribution levels will yield different tiers of rewards...]
John was slightly taken aback.
This form of reward was exceedingly suitable for him.
He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that a human elite team alone would stand no chance against the Devils.
Duke Dinan's intention to form an elite team before the outbreak of the full-fledged war was merely to make the best of a grim situation.
Because, on the side of Law and Order, other than John—the anomaly—the most powerful being was only a demigod at best.
Figures like the reclusive powerhouses from various countries or the pontiffs from churches had always represented the apex of Godslayer Continent's power hierarchy.
Yet even they paled in comparison to the Devils.
The only beings truly capable of contending with the Devils were the lofty deities who looked down upon the mortal realm from on high.
Unfortunately, most deities had shifted their focus to the Void, paying little attention to the mortals of Godslayer Continent.
In times like these, John may very well be the only force on Godslayer Continent capable of standing against the Devils.
John didn't need to speculate; he knew that his contribution to the quest would undoubtedly be the highest.
Perhaps this was why Duke Dinan was so eager to recruit him.
In contrast to John's indifference, Blue Sea and Adam wore rather bitter expressions.
They had agreed to the quest solely for the promise of hidden rewards, aiming to hitch a ride on John's coattails and glean some benefits.
Now that they had successfully accepted the quest, they discovered that the rewards were to be distributed based on contributions.
Given their pitifully low levels, they weren't even sure if they could muster any contribution by the quest's end.
And they had to face a terrifying Devil boss, with a 99.99% death rate.
They were virtually reduced to tears.
Duke Dinan, who had been observing them, now wore a cryptic smile.
It wasn't until he saw John nod his approval that his face broke into a genuinely hearty grin.
"Very well," said Duke Dinan, chuckling. "You young souls may rest for now. I'll summon the other members of the elite hunting team forthwith, so you may meet them in advance."
The trio had no objections.
Having traveled relentlessly since leaving Thousand Streams Cave, they welcomed the opportunity for a brief respite.
With a wave of his hand, Duke Dinan summoned a servant to guide them to a warm and cozy resting room.
The moment the trio's silhouettes vanished through the door, the Duke's warm smile evaporated, leaving his face a blank slate.
His eyes lowered, his tone turned icy. "Valerie, share your thoughts on these three."
Valerie, who had sat quietly by Duke Dinan's side until now, pondered seriously before speaking. "Honestly, I see one prodigiously talented young man leading two pieces of trash."
Had Blue Sea and Adam been present to hear this, they would have been ready to duel Valerie on the spot.
Duke Dinan lifted an eyelid, his tone tinged with intrigue. "I'll buy that the other two are worthless, but that young leader is more than just 'prodigiously talented,' wouldn't you say?"
Valerie looked puzzled.
After a moment of silence, Duke Dinan spoke, his voice tinged with a dark timbre. "All three carry a scent not of this world. Likely they hail from that unknown realm that has recently vomited forth so many newcomers. But that young man... even I can't discern his level."
Valerie's eyes widened. "You mean..."
"Quite clearly, his level surpasses mine. It's hardly surprising. Anyone capable of repelling an injured Devil of Lust must at least be a demigod, no?"
As he spoke, the Duke's voice grew ever graver, and his visage—half-obscured by shadows—seemed tinged with an inexplicable sense of menace.
Valerie gasped, her voice tinged with disbelief. "How... how is this possible? Aren't all these people from the unknown realm supposed to be weaklings? How could there be someone of such high level among them?"
Duke Dinan sighed, "As of now, we don't know where they come from. It's as if they've descended from the heavens. Have you not noticed? Despite their initial weakness, these newcomers seem to level up at an astonishingly rapid pace. This young leader is clearly their pinnacle... I hope that through this collaboration, we might uncover their true identities."
Valerie bowed her head respectfully, "Prime Minister, you need not worry overly. These individuals pose no immediate threat to us. Even if there are one or two strong ones among them, they're just a drop in the bucket."
Duke Dinan fell silent, only letting out a subdued sigh after a long pause. "Well, let's hope so."
...
John and his companions didn't rest long before a servant knocked on the door, also delivering an invitation from Duke Dinan.
This time, the Duke awaited them in a spacious command room.
The walls were covered with maps marking various locations where Devils had appeared.
At the room's center, a magical screen continuously displayed information and combat footage of Devils.
As the trio entered the command room, Duke Dinan stood up and gestured for them to sit. "Welcome to the Northern Myst Empire's elite hunting team. From this moment on, your quest is to defend our territory and to completely annihilate these Devils."
John paused for a moment, puzzled by Duke Dinan's unabating confidence.
Could it really be due to the motley crew of characters sitting around the room's long strategy table? Indeed, upon entering, the first thing John and his friends noticed were the NPCs seated there.
Among them was a familiar face: the best administrator of the Silverglow Mercenary Hall, Grand Archmage Saphir.
The guy was frantically blinking at John, obviously trying to catch his attention.
Finding that John had no intention of acknowledging him, he reluctantly turned his gaze away.
At the head of the table, Duke Dinan continued, "Our intelligence indicates that Devils have been frequenting the northern borderlands of the Godslayer Continent as of late. You may head there for your search. However, let me remind you: Devils possess immense power, rivaling even deities. The mortality rate for this quest is exceptionally high. Anyone who wishes to withdraw may do so now."
John subtly pursed his lips. With the stakes laid out so dramatically, who would dare be branded a coward? To withdraw now would be to become a laughingstock.
As John scanned the room, sure enough, there was not a trace of fear or hesitation on anyone's face—except for Blue Sea and Adam.
It was evident that even if they were afraid, they would brace themselves and press on.
As for Blue Sea and Adam, they had seriously contemplated withdrawing.
Ever since learning that the rewards for this quest would be allocated based on contributions, they'd been inwardly freaking out.
Why risk their lives for meager rewards?
Unfortunately, the indomitable system had the final say.
When they inquired if it was possible to abandon the hidden quest, they were met with a curt two-word reply: Not possible!
Clearly, this was a quest that, once accepted, had to be seen through to the end.
On the other side of the room, Duke Dinan was still passionately rallying the troops. "Young men, you bear the mission of the Empire and the hopes of its people on your shoulders. While Devils may be formidable, we humans are no pushovers either. Would you agree?"
As soon as Duke Dinan's words fell, the NPCs in the room let out fervent shouts, "We'll give it our all to protect the citizens of the Northern Myst Empire and uphold the honor of humanity!"
"Excellent, well-spirited!" Duke Dinan nodded approvingly. "I have every confidence in your abilities. In this quest, you represent the Empire's finest and most experienced fighters. You are the pride of the Empire. However, we're up against Devils this time. To increase our odds of success, you'll need to work closely together and support each other."
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