Idle as they were, everyone collectively became street idlers, spending their days wandering around the Monster Country, eating, drinking tea, and chatting. After all, the currency in the Monster Country was given away for free. While they couldn't buy anything to increase their strength here, at most only daily consumables like talismans, they could eat and drink to their hearts' content for over a year.
Suddenly, one of the chosen ones, biting into a glutinous rice ball, remarked, "It's not like we can only be idle. This place is unusual. I suspect it's a high-level area, just not fully developed yet."
Someone asked out of curiosity, "What makes you say that?"
The chosen one replied, "According to the information I've gathered, the Monster Country isn't fully constructed and is still under development. Beyond the Jura Great Forest, there are also places like the Human Empire and the Dwarf Empire. So, as the Monster Country develops, this area should also be upgraded."
Jemas chimed in curiously, "I know that too. I heard the power ceiling in this region is the Demon Lord, and Rimuru, that slime, is just the Lord of Monsters. So, there are definitely higher-level small areas than the Monster Country, or the Monster Country will become more powerful in the future, thus becoming a higher-level small area. Overall, this entire region is bound to be a high-level area. But all of that is irrelevant to us for now. I'm more curious about what you meant by not having to be idle."
The chosen one asked, "Haven't you heard?"
Bai Ye inquired, "Heard what?"
The chosen one said, "I heard someone received a hidden quest from the natives."
"Excuse me," at this moment, a chosen one suddenly raised his hand and said, "That person was me."
After saying that, the person stood up and walked to the center of the shop.
"It's just a small hidden quest. Collect the scepters of seven races, and you'll get a reward. So, if any of you have obtained a scepter, you can trade with me. Whether you want to trade your scepter to me or get a scepter from me is fine. I currently have the scepters of the Ogre tribe, the Fairy tribe, and the Goblin tribe. I can also tell you where to get the hidden quest. I hope you all understand that this hidden quest is only meaningful if completed. If the scepters are scattered, no one can complete the hidden quest, rendering it meaningless. Therefore, cooperation and mutual benefit are the best course of action."
Jemas asked, "Does this have anything to do with the Pighead Emperor's attack?"
"On this point, I can swear," the chosen one declared, "It has nothing to do with the Pighead Emperor's attack. It's a side hidden quest, mainly for helping the various races rebuild their homes."
Bai Ye stroked his chin. Scepters?
He had a ruby scepter in his hand, which seemed to belong to the Lizardman tribe.
As for whether the other person was revealing accurate information, Bai Ye felt the possibility of truth was quite high. If there was truly something to keep secret, it would be better to quietly amass wealth, no need to speak of it.
Therefore, the most likely scenario was that the person was telling the truth, fearing that others might obtain the scepters, and thus decided to openly declare his intentions in public, actively seeking trades, either to buy or sell, not necessarily to complete the hidden quest.
Bai Ye could understand the person's mentality. Without obtaining all the scepters, it would be meaningless. Driven by the desire to gain as much benefit as possible, it was a mindset of shared loss if divided and shared gain if united, a rather pragmatic approach.
Of course, some people might hold the mindset of "if I can't have it, neither can anyone else."
Come to think of it, the person was likely afraid of such individuals, which was why he publicly announced his intention to not only complete the hidden quest but also to sell scepters.
Thinking of this, Bai Ye couldn't help but grin mischievously.
He might be able to make a small fortune? 138Reading Net
After the chosen one finished speaking, he left the dessert shop. The others began to discuss.
However, their discussion wasn't particularly heated. This kind of hidden quest, targeting individuals, had already been claimed, making it of little significance to others. Even if someone else managed to obtain the same hidden quest, the person already had three of the seven scepters, leaving others no choice but to trade. Considering the costs involved in trading, they might not gain much.
Therefore, the main topic of discussion was that the Monster Country actually offered hidden quests unrelated to the Pighead Emperor's attack!
This implied that their continuous idleness might have been a mistake. Before the Pighead Emperor's attack, they could have tried to gain something from the Monster Country during this period of downtime.
After a while of discussion, many felt their hearts stir. They abandoned their glutinous rice balls and decided to act immediately, intending to explore and see if they could obtain any hidden quests from the natives.
As most people had left, Jemas saw Bai Ye still leisurely eating glutinous rice balls and taking a sip of green tea. He couldn't help but ask, "Bai Ye, aren't you going?"
Bai Ye glanced at Jemas and shook his head, "No, you go."
Jemas hesitated for a moment, then sat back down in front of Bai Ye and said, "I'm not going either."
Bai Ye looked at Jemas in confusion.
Jemas ordered another plate of glutinous rice balls and said, "I don't know why you're not going, but I know you're a sly fox. Since you're not planning to, it means this plan is unreliable."
Bai Ye sighed and asked, "I ask you, what do we do every day?"
Jemas replied, "Wander around, eat and drink, brag, and be street idlers."
Bai Ye asked, "What are they doing now?"
Jemas said, "Looking for hidden quests."
Bai Ye asked, "How?"
Jemas said, "Wandering everywhere, striking up conversations with natives... Damn..."
Jemas finally understood. The method of finding hidden quests was no different from being a street idler. Bai Ye was telling him that if hidden quests were that easy to find, they would have been found long ago, otherwise, there would only be two personal hidden quests to date: Bai Ye's and the one the chosen one who just left had.
Therefore, according to Bai Ye's estimation, there were likely only eight hidden quests in total!
Collecting seven scepters corresponded to seven hidden quests, and the eighth hidden quest was to obtain all seven scepters.
And, thinking about it this way...
Bai Ye felt that the chosen one who had left earlier might have known this as well, which was why he deliberately revealed the information, wanting to use others to unearth all the scepters. After all, he already had three, giving him a dominant position, and then he could seek trades to obtain all the scepters.
As for others wanting to get scepters from him...
Holding three scepters, he would undoubtedly be the party with greater trading value, and the chosen one wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
Unfortunately...
Bai Ye took a bite of a glutinous rice ball and suddenly grinned mischievously.
That smile unnerved Jemas.
...