A Girl in a Cell
Aiden was trying to sneak into the Golden Deer guild house, but he failed to persuade someone to help him get inside.
When that plan failed, Aiden now had to go back to his original plan, the one before he knew about the quest system.
"I did not want to do it, but I do not have a choice now. I will have to enter the sewer." Aiden said to himself.
Just thinking about it made his little body shivered. It was an exploit that many did not know about regarding the guild barrier.
From the ground level to the top of the building, there was no gap to squeeze in. Thus, many believe that it was impossible to enter without permission.
Although it was possible to break the barrier, no one would attempt such a thing inside the city unless they wanted a war against the Well Cloud Kingdom.
Regarding the guild's barrier exploits, the only reason Aiden knew about it was one of his group members from Autolycus mentioned it before. When a guild's barrier was first created, its size matched the building size and would not grow nor shrink after that. Meaning that if the guild leaders wanted to expand their guild house, they have to create a new barrier to form around the building.
So in conclusion, the guild barrier does not block newly made holes unless they recast the guild barrier, which was expensive to do every time.
"I just need to enter the sewer, find my way to the guild, and create an opening for me to enter without getting caught. Then I need to find the statue class and leave." Although it sounded simple, Aiden knew that something always goes wrong. He was afraid of getting killed by a player if he got caught. Since guards from the city were not allowed to enter a guild house without a warrant, he could not rely on them for help if anything went wrong.
"I usually do not go unprepared for such a dangerous situation, but I do not have a choice this time. There is no way I can afford to buy a scroll or weapon to defend myself."
Aiden felt being an NPC was playing the game at hardcore mode with permanent death while everyone else was on easy.
He swallowed his fear and progress forward to his goal.
About half a mile away from the Golden Deer Guild house, there was a manhole that led to the sewer.
Aiden lifted the cover to reveal the inside.
Since the game allows the human senses to match that of the real world, he could smell the disgusting putrid coming out of the manhole.
It was worst since the game was in a medieval age setting where the sewerage system was not as advanced.
He covered his nose before diving in and then landed on slush of green liquid.
Aiden wanted to vomit, but he held it back in.
"The faster I walk, the faster I get out of this place..." He said, motivating himself.
Seeing a metal pipe covered in sewerage water next to him, he grabbed it before he started walking into the sewerage tunnel.
With each step, the sound of splashing noise echoed through the dimly lit tunnel. The tunnel wall was lit by what seemed to be iron ores enchanted by a spell that emitted yellow light.
Aiden can see the small iron ores implanted on the wall wherever he went.
The sewerage system was complex that occasionally Aiden had to pop out of many random manholes to see where he was at. Sometimes he was further, and other times was closer to his destination.
And whenever he did, people gave him a weird look. There were a few players who went up to talk to him in hoping to get a quest but could not handle the smell and left him alone.
Aiden took no heed of what others thought of him and went back into the sewer with a pipe in hand.
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Warning!
New Status Condition: Waste Disease (low)
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After being traversing in the sewer for an hour, a yellow message popped up telling him that he was inflicted with a debuff, Waste Disease.
"Swell, more problem. I need to get this debuff treated or else I will die." The waste disease was harmless at first, but if not treated it soon, it will start chipping away at his health and will be harder to treat it.
Luckily for him soon after, he found himself underneath the Golden Deer guild house. He knew this because there was a hole being block by the translucent barrier above him. This hole was formed before the barrier was created.
Using his pipe, he stabbed around the hole, thus making a bigger hole. Although the gap became more prominent, that part of the barrier stayed the same size as before.
After making the hole big enough, Aiden slowly squeezed himself through and took a peek at his surroundings. He found himself to what seemed like a prison cell.
"Did not expect the Golden Deer Guild to design something crudely like this..." He expected glamor and luxury, but instead, he found himself in a dirty prison cell which was unexpected. "It is whatever. It is more convenient this way since it is away from other people."
The prison cell was he was at already unlock and stepped out into the hallway. He was careful as he made his way through the prison hallway.
Then suddenly, he heard a cry from a prison cell. It was a voice belonging to a girl. Aiden wanted to leave it alone, but he could not resist his curiosity.
His legs moved towards the cell where he heard the crying. There he saw a teen girl laying down against the wall. She looked bruised up, and clothes were torn.
Aiden felt pity, but that was it. He thought the girl was an NPC and that the player was holding her hostage from the look of it. But he does not know for what reason. It could be for a quest, a personal grudge, or she was caught stealing something from the Golden Deer. Whatever it was, Aiden did not want to get involved.
The girl nervously took a glance at the young boy behind the metal bars. Seeing Aiden's purple eyes, her eyes widened with hope.
"So she is an NPC by the look of it. I should not bother with her and stick with the plan." Aiden told himself.
Purple eyes were the only signed to tell NPCs from players apart.
He wanted to get out of here before trouble and turned his back on her.
"Wait, please help me. You're not those other people, right? You are one of us… I can see it in your eyes." She said softly.