Dungeon: Xander's Illusion (2)

"While some of us are working, some people are busy enjoying themselves," James sarcastically remarked toward Devin, who reeked of alcohol due to the bar.

"I was able to gather information that the village is not peaceful. There have been a series of mysterious deaths occurring, and the dwarves have been unable to solve them," Devin reported.

"That's more than what I managed to find. These people don't seem to like outsiders," Fineas added.

"I found out there's a curfew in the village at night because the murders always take place then," Lydia contributed.

"So, what are we supposed to do here?" Taylor asked.

"Perhaps we should try to apprehend the murderer and prevent any more deaths," Devin suggested.

"Let's reconvene later, and we can take shifts to keep watch at night," Lydia proposed.

"Additionally, you guys can acquire useful skills from this dungeon. These dwarves are known for their forging prowess," Devin mentioned.

"Thank you for the reminder, brother. If you hadn't mentioned it, I might have forgotten that this game is different," Finneas acknowledged.

Everyone had a gleam in their eyes and a newfound goal as they departed.

Devin noticed that their activities were limited to a certain area. They couldn't go to the priest or other important parts of the village.

Once night fell, they spread out across the village, waiting for the murderer to strike.

Deep into the night, Devin heard the sound of running and quickly made his way towards the source. Unfortunately, he arrived too. Devin witnessed a dwarf repeatedly stabbing another dwarf underneath him, seemingly enjoying the gruesome act.

Unable to bear the sight, Devin attacked the murderous dwarf, but the agile dwarf managed to dodge. It stared at Devin with its black-rimmed eyes, completely pitch-black in the place of its eyeballs.

Devin frowned, recognizing this as a symptom of a corrupted soul. Without hesitation, he aimed for the dwarf's vital points and swiftly ended its life. As Devin approached the body, he noticed a dark aura seeping out from it.

Before Devin could further investigate, he found himself surrounded by the dwarf guards.

"You bastard! You're the one responsible for murdering the people of our village!" an angry guard accused as they closed in on Devin.

"I didn't do it. He killed the one wearing blue. He even tried to kill me, and I defended myself, resulting in his death," Devin defended himself.

"Arrest him and the other intruders," one of the dwarves ordered.

Devin didn't resist; there was no point. He didn't want to waste any more time here. "If I were you, I wouldn't touch that body. There's something inside him, something that can infect others," Devin warned.

The dwarves disregarded Devin's claims about the murderer and forcefully shoved him away. Shortly after, they imprisoned him in a cell, and a few minutes later, the rest of the group joined him.

"What have you done? Are you trying to ruin this mission for everyone?" James angrily roared at Devin.

"You mean solve it?" Devin retorted.

"Bullshit! Because of you, we're all under arrest!" James shouted.

Lydia frowned but still asked Devin, "Can you please explain to everyone what's going on, Muriel?"

"I witnessed one dwarf killing another and decided to step in, hoping to catch the murderer. But by the time I arrived, it was too late. The murderer had already killed his victim and attempted to attack me. I defended myself, resulting in his death. Then the guards arrived and arrested me," Devin explained.

"What else did you discover? I believe that if you don't want the guards to arrest you, they won't," Lydia suggested.

Devin chuckled, "Smart. I deliberately allowed them to arrest me because I don't want to waste any more time on this. I found out that the killer's body is infected with a dark aura, and his eyes have turned completely black, causing him to lose his rationality. Furthermore, the dark aura can parasitize others. Who knows how many people are already infected, but they don't even realize it."

Ray inquired, "So, how does being in jail help us?"

"Firstly, it reduces the risk of us getting infected. And secondly, I have a plan to get the attention of their priest," Devin replied.

"Continuing to boast won't save us. We could be killed at any moment. Moreover, how are we supposed to trust your word? What if you're the one infected and you want to infect the rest of us?" James questioned skeptically.

Devin smiled wickedly at James and taunted, "Then I guess you're all going to hell with me." This remark enraged James, who attempted to attack Devin, but the others managed to hold him back.

"Stop provoking him and tell us your plan to get the priest's attention," Lydia demanded, trying to maintain control of the situation.

Devin didn't bother answering verbally, instead, he took action by loudly striking the jail door, hoping to catch the guards' attention.

"This bastard is trying to get us all killed," James seethed with anger. Everyone frowned, as Devin's behavior seemed to defy logic at this point, when they should be avoiding raising suspicion from the guards.

A guard approached, clearly angered and filled with a murderous intent. "Do you want to die early?" he asked, glaring at them.

Devin produced his adventurer badge and handed it to the guard, saying, "As a ranked adventurer, I have the right to appeal my case and see your priest before judgment is passed. I have crucial information that can save many lives before it's too late."

"This is Valendor. Don't think that just because you're an adventurer, our laws don't apply to you," the dwarf guard responded angrily.

"I am aware that the badge alone is insufficient," Devin said, pulling out a token from Serene City and offering it to the guard. "With this token, it is evident that I have the right to an audience with the priest before any judgment is made. I possess information that can be crucial in saving lives."

The sight of the Serene City token made the guard frown, prompting him to inform the head of the guards.

Watching the guards leave with his two tokens, Devin smiled and silently thanked City Lord Philip. "These tokens are more valuable than any statue," he thought to himself.

"Are there any perks to registering as an adventurer?" Lydia inquired.

Devin chuckled and replied, "The question should be, is there anything in Oasis that is meaningless? To answer your question, yes, there are perks that come with being a registered adventurer, and those with higher rankings enjoy even more benefits." He settled down into a meditative position, grateful for the leveling up they had achieved thanks to Alex going on missions.