Gamers of the Underworld (Web Novel)

Faint glowing vines crawled all over the Main Hall.

The rusty and broken wall lamps, which were fixed on the peeling walls, were barely discernible in the dim light.

A white light abruptly flashed and stretched the shadows of the surrounding objects. The light source came from the Rune Mana Formation located in the middle of the Main Hall.

The light became soft. Sherlock and Brainiac appeared in the Rune Mana Formation, followed by the green-skinned Goblins with green words above their heads. They were the otherworld’s gamers.

When the last gamer exited the formation, the light from the Rune Mana Formation dimmed, leaving a faint white glow.

“This place looks ancient and rundown…”

With the power of the Rune Mana Formation, Bru’s awareness was extended to fill the Ancient Ruins’ Main Hall.

As the Mana ripples engulfed the entire Main Hall, the wall lamps lit up with magical flames.

Before Sherlock had the chance to speak, the gamers walked out from the Rune Mana Formation and started exploring.

It was a spacious hall. Besides the surrounding walls, there were only two tunnels in the front and at the back.

There was nothing to raid in the Main Hall. There wasn’t even a single Skeleton in sight. A gamer stood on top of his companion’s head and dismantled a completely broken wall lamp from the wall. He then ran excitedly to the Rune Mana Formation for appraisal.

The gamers started dismantling the walls and the floor.

“Warriors!” Sherlock stood out and exerted his dominant aura to calm down the chaotic gamers. He said, “This is our Ancestral Ruins. We have to make good use of our time. There’s nothing in the Main Hall for us to protect. Search other places. If you encounter monsters, do not fear. Defeat them bravely. If you encounter problems, look for your leader, Lich Brainiac. He’ll try his best to help you. Warriors, you still have to depend on yourselves. I’m leaving as there are more important things waiting for me.”

Sherlock walked into the Rune Mana Formation and vanished.

Only the emotionless Brainiac and a horde of excited gamers were left behind.

“The Plot Animation has ended. Let’s begin searching!”

“Fortunately, the Plot Animation was short. My impatience is driving me crazy.”

“Make haste! Make haste! There’s nothing for us if we’re slow!”

The unrestrained gamers searched all over the place. They conveniently dismantled all the wall lamps from the walls.

The lighting of the Main Hall was unaffected since it was created by Mana. Without the wall lamps, the lighting was still intact.

Brainiac stood at his location and watched the strange behavior of the Goblins. They appeared drugged. Whatever they could dismantle or carry, they would hold in their hands or carry in their backpacks.

They carried their loot to the Rune Mana Formation.

They would stand in a daze for a few seconds. Then, they would toss the objects in their hands and their backpacks on the floor as they shouted loudly, “What? All trash?”

Almost all the objects in the Main Hall were touched by the Goblins.

They were all trash. Brainiac also thought that they were trash.

Though the Goblins were a bit insane, Brainiac had been in Eternal Kingdom for many days, and he was used to their strange ways.

The Goblins could act insane since they were merely movers who could be revived. However, Brainiac had his own mission.

He pinched his jawbone and surveyed the Main Hall.

According to his professional knowledge, he knew that this could be a Dungeon of the Ancient Ruins.

If it was a Dungeon, he had to find out his current location.

Brainiac looked at the dark tunnels on both sides and saw a need to lead the Goblins in exploration… Wait, what was that?

In Brainiac’s field of vision, a bare-bodied Goblin with the words NotWearingPants was venturing into one of the dark tunnels under the gaze of other Goblins.

Behind him was a group of Goblins who were taking off their clothing and equipment.

Wait, what are they doing? Why are they stripping?

Even the knowledgeable Brainiac couldn’t understand the weird behavior of the Goblins.

The other Goblins didn’t think that the stripping was ridiculous. Instead, they shouted.

“Buck up! The task of using your bodies to explore the tunnel is in your hands!”

“You’re brave. You dared to explore and map out such a terrifying tunnel.”

“Veteran gamers, we’re depending on you. Remember to mark the paths. We’ll wait in the forum for your maps.”

“Carry the treasures if you’re able to!”

…

Brainiac listened to the Goblins’ conversations and looked at the stripped equipment. He thought for a while and came up with a conclusion.

35: The Goblins treat their equipment with more care than their lives. Even if they can revive, from the way they care for their equipment, it’s obvious that they are extremely loyal to Sherlock. They were trying to save resources for Lord Sherlock.

36: I am touched by their loyalty.

They were only thoughts in his mind. He had to find a chance to record them in his journal.

Though he was touched, Brainiac wouldn’t strip himself to explore the Ancient Ruins even though the Goblins looked enthusiastic.

Brainiac walked out of the Rune Mana Formation and shut off his empty eye sockets. He began to feel the Spiritual Power in the Ancient Ruins.

He was checking to see if there were any Skeletons that he could use to become his Skeleton Soldiers.

He would use this Skeleton Soldiers as his vanguard to explore the Ancient Ruins.

Brainiac meditated and soon found some nearby Skeletons that he controlled to explore the Ancient Ruins.

Ten minutes later, Brainiac ascertained that it was a primordial Dungeon. The entrance was a Labyrinth. The Labyrinth was used to confuse and wear down invaders, who were usually adventurers from the Surface World.

Though there were few adventurers now, Dungeons that were close to the Surface World would have a standard Labyrinth.

“Help me take care of my equipment. I’m mapping out the place with my bare body.”

“No problem. Make haste. Take a look at the map on the discussion forum. NotWearingPants and a few veteran gamers are already drawing maps on the discussion forum.”

“Good, no problem!”

An hour later, Brainiac continued to meditate and focus his attention on controlling the Skeleton Soldiers. One of his controlled Skeleton Soldiers encountered a bare-bodied Goblin, but the Goblin didn’t flee. Instead, he charged at the Skeleton Soldier.

Brainiac’s controlled Skeleton Soldier didn’t attack him. He watched the Goblin run past the Skeleton Soldier. The Goblin was bewildered and looked back at the Skeleton Soldier who didn’t attack him as he continued running.

Brainiac wasn’t bothered by the Goblin. He controlled the Skeleton Soldier to explore the Labyrinth. As long as one Skeleton Soldier managed to find an exit, the Labyrinth would be solved.

Brainiac was able to remember all the routes taken by each Skeleton Soldier. He had the confidence of a once-in-a-thousand-years genius!

“Wah, this labyrinth is confusing!”

“It’s tough. There are a few exits, but they were filled with traps. A few of us perished.”

“It’s alright. The Labyrinth is being mapped out on the discussion forum. Buck up, everyone.”

Were they drawing a map? What kind of a map? A map of the Labyrinth? How could they draw out a map?

Brainiac wasn’t affected by the chatting Goblins, and he continued to work. Fortunately, no Goblins looked for him for healing. All the Goblins who entered the Labyrinth were killed.

Perhaps, they had no intention to come out alive.

They were smart by using their revival abilities repeatedly to find an exit. But without their corpses, how were they going to revive?

Four hours later.

“We’ve discovered ten incorrect exits. The veteran gamers are really strong!”

“The expert on the forum came up with the fastest way to find the correct exit. Many experts used mapping software to perform a live bird’s eye view labyrinth map. Of course, they are strong.”

“The maps on the discussion forum are updated. Let’s take a look. Let’s take a look!”

Brainiac frowned. The Goblins discovered ten incorrect exits? Are there so many exits? Wait, is the forum not their gathering place? They are obviously at this location. Why are they discussing the forum? They shared information on the forum? How did they do that?

Brainiac was distracted, and a Skeleton Soldier stepped on a trap. A huge boulder crushed him into pieces. He began to refocus his mind.

Eight hours later.

“Let’s go, everyone pack up your equipment. We’ve found the exit to the Labyrinth! Make haste!”

“Take a look at the map on the forum. Memorize the traps and follow the group. Don’t wander off!”

“Thank you, veteran gamers, for mapping with your lives. You’re awesome!”

Brainiac opened his empty eye sockets. A few bare-bodied Goblins were teleported in at the Rune Mana Formation, and they began to equip themselves. Once they were done, they formed teams and ventured into the Labyrinth.

“Be careful where you step and don’t touch anything. The treasures and equipment are all trapped! Don’t close your eyes and trigger the traps that will cause harm to others!” The Goblin, NotWearingPants, walked in the front and shouted loudly at the Goblins behind.

“When you venture a third of the way into the Labyrinth, there are a few Skeleton Soldiers walking around. Don’t bother with them and just walk on. Those Skeleton Soldiers have BUGS, so they won’t attack. Don’t fear even if they attack because they aren’t armed and look feeble.”