I Have a Task Log

Chapter 329: Chapter 328: Adventurer’s Heaven

Colin surveyed the tavern’s interior.

Because of that "grand lottery" the owner had just shouted about, the main hall was a bit crowded.

Otherwise, the place was just like an ordinary tavern, filled with tables, chairs, and oil lamps. The first floor was almost completely full.

"Excuse me, excuse me."

Colin said as he squeezed through the crowd.

"Hey, we’ve got newcomers!" "Kid, when are you guys planning on going down?" "Their gear looks pretty decent, much better than what I had when I first got here."

A burly man with a fleshy face, a small Gnome wearing gold-rimmed glasses, a Dwarf with a full brown beard...

Faces appeared and vanished in the crowd, offering comments that were either friendly or snide.

Colin tried to reply a few times, but his words were instantly swallowed by the din.

The group finally managed to push their way out of the crowd, coming to a stop between a few tables.

When they looked back, they saw that everyone—from those sitting at the tables to those collecting their winnings at the counter—was sizing them up.

Unlike other taverns, most of the patrons here were fully armed Adventurers.

Alien Races such as Half-Orcs and Tieflings were also more common here than outside. There were also several Mysterious Men in black Cloaks sitting in the corners; Colin figured they were probably some of the rarer Alien Races.

Notably, the original members of the Gray Squad were selected right here.

And to this day, Five-Stringed and other members of the Gray Squad still scouted for promising new talent here—this was the Gray Squad’s main method of expansion. After all, the trials of the Undercity were far more practical than any interview or test.

"There are no seats around here," Kase said, glancing at the main hall.

Dorn grumbled, "All I see is a sea of bellies. I can’t believe there are even some Dwarves drinking in here."

"Let’s go upstairs," Colin shouted as he pushed forward.

He hadn’t taken more than a few steps when he suddenly felt someone grab his left arm.

He turned to see a manic-looking Gnome leaning against a chair, watching him. The Gnome’s eyes were darting around wildly in their sockets, a deeply unsettling sight.

"Hey, want some? Kid, I, I like you... want some?"

As he spoke, the Gnome held out a paper packet. In its center was a small pile of dust that sparkled like crushed diamonds.

Colin quickly covered his nose with his other hand.

This was Stardust, the most popular addictive substance among Mages, and it was illegal.

"C’mon, try some, try... OW!"

Standing behind him, Ale slapped the Gnome’s hand away with a SMACK, making him shriek. Before the Gnome could even react, Ale grabbed Colin and continued walking forward.

As they passed the counter, they also saw several Gnomes standing on it to cash out.

Behind each Gnome was a wooden board with words written in charcoal, displaying wagers like, "’Northern People’ squad, three members return alive, 1:5 odds."

Out of the corner of his eye, Colin saw Ale frowning at the wooden boards. He guessed the Half-Elf really disliked wagers that made a game of people’s lives.

Behind the counter stood a tall, dark-skinned man.

The guy had a full beard and was more than half bald. He was currently wiping a mug with a rag.

On the wall behind him hung a massive Giant Sword. Judging by its Magic Radiance, it had to be a genuine piece of Magic Equipment.

The group skirted the lines of people collecting money and arguing, not finding an empty table until they reached the third floor. They sat down and ordered a round of beers from a serving girl who was on her way downstairs.

Only after they were settled at the table did Colin feel like he had escaped the chaos below.

As soon as she sat down, Ale muttered something under her breath.

Seeing the others’ confused expressions, she raised her voice and said, "I don’t like this place."

"From the very founding of Thousand Masts City, this place has been a lawless pocket within its walls. Other than a few conventional rules, no laws or regulations have any sway here."

Colin continued, "You could call it a perk for Adventurers. That’s why Adventurers from all over the world come here to try and find everything they’ve ever wanted in the Undercity."

"Enough of that," Dorn said, rapping his knuckles on the table. "I’ve noticed the death rate seems to have gone up a lot recently. Normally, rookie squads on the first three floors have at least an eighty percent survival rate. I bet something’s happened down there."

"In any case, we’re not going in for another two days," Colin said.

"What if the survival rate is still low by then?"

Colin replied simply, "Then we’ll just wait another two days."

The rest of the group had no objections.

This time, Kase didn’t say anything like, "Well, we’re already here..."

He eyed the central shaft in the tavern warily, as if a monster could leap out at any moment.

—In fact, a monster really had jumped out of the shaft a few years ago. It was said to be a hungry Troll, but the unlucky bastard was quickly hacked to death by the High-tier Adventurers in the tavern.

Colin spoke up, "There’s something else we should discuss now. Once we enter the Undercity, [Sending] and other communication Magic and Magic Items won’t be able to contact the outside world, so you need to be fully mentally prepared once we go in.

After all, the law has no effect down there. In that situation, meeting other Adventurer squads isn’t a guarantee of safety. What’s more, when Thousand Masts City was first founded, many hardened criminals were exiled down there as punishment. There’s an entire city down there now."

"A city?" Orelia frowned.

Colin explained, "It’s a place called Mist Harbor. It’s said to be the heart of gang activity, and its entrance is on the third floor."

"Well, I heard you can find a place to rest your feet there. It could serve as a rest stop for us," Dorn said, taking a sip of beer. Then he frowned and muttered, "Watered down by twenty percent. Damn it."

"Alright, that covers just about everything for now. Let’s go buy supplies."

Colin looked down through the railing by the table at the long line on the first floor and said, "We’ll have to keep an eye on the results of the daily Adventurer’s Grand Lottery for the next few days. We’ll go down when the survival rate looks better, though that might just be for our own peace of mind."

The group sat in the tavern and chatted for a bit longer, getting used to the chaotic atmosphere of a place packed with Adventurers.

Afterward, Colin and Kase went to buy supplies according to the list Dorn gave them. After all, the moment that guy showed his face, the vendors would refuse to do business.

Meanwhile, Ale and Orelia weren’t idle either.

They still had leftover herbal bandages, Hemp Rope, and Torches from the Goblin Cave, and some of the herbs hadn’t been made into salves yet. They could get all those things organized.

There was no need to spend money on things they could make themselves.

Time flew, and by the next day, the Adventurer survival rate had finally returned to the normal eighty percent.