Days passed by uneventfully.
Rimuru held combat strategy meetings daily, but seven days had passed since the lizardmen were annihilated by the hobgoblins, and no plan was in place.
The Pig Emperor’s forces would attack one place, then another, but they never ventured into the Monster Kingdom to cause trouble.
Therefore, Bai Ye’s previous conjecture was reaffirmed—the number of Chosen Ones was insufficient!
With an insufficient number, the hidden quest couldn't be triggered, and they were stuck in this stalemate. It was akin to the City Chaos Restricted Zone, where if the player count was below one hundred, they had to wait.
Thus, Bai Ye continued his days as a wanderer.
However, ever since news of the hidden quest spread, the Chosen Ones had become much busier, all preoccupied with searching for it. Truthfully, there wasn't a grand expectation, it was just that being a wanderer all day was boring, and they needed something to do.
Indeed, the fifth and sixth scepters were soon produced. The fifth came from the goblins, and the sixth from the fang wolves. The Monster Kingdom wasn't that large, and the number of Chosen Ones loitering there was also limited. Thus, news quickly spread that these two scepters were acquired by the Chosen Ones who had found the scepter quest earliest. This brought that individual’s collection to five scepters.
However, only Jin Xiang Chuan knew that he possessed not five, but six scepters! While others were searching for scepters, Jin Xiang Chuan continued his own search and acquired the scepter from the elves, leaving him just one scepter short.
But…
Jin Xiang Chuan had almost scoured the entire Monster Kingdom, yet he couldn't find any trace of the last scepter. Based on the clues from other quests, Jin Xiang Chuan believed that the seven scepters should correspond to the seven most populous races in the Monster Kingdom. Therefore, the last scepter should belong to the lizardmen. After the lizardmen were annihilated by the hobgoblins, the remaining lizardmen had all fled to the Monster Kingdom, becoming residents among the top three most numerous races. However, Jin Xiang Chuan had searched every single lizardman and found no news of the scepter.
Jin Xiang Chuan was utterly vexed. Without the final scepter, holding six scepters was useless. If he couldn't complete the quest, he'd be left with scepters to use as baseball bats.
And as Jin Xiang Chuan was agonizing over this…
“Hey!”
A hand suddenly landed on Jin Xiang Chuan’s shoulder, startling him. He spun around abruptly.
“Bai Ye?”
Upon seeing who it was, Jin Xiang Chuan found him quite familiar. As one of the earliest arrivals in the Monster Kingdom and the only Chosen One who could freely enter and exit Rimuru’s mansion, Bai Ye was quite well-known.
Holding a bowl of shaved ice, Bai Ye asked, “How’s your scepter collection coming along?”
Jin Xiang Chuan replied casually, “Almost there.”
“Almost there means how many?” Bai Ye asked with a smile. “One short?”
Jin Xiang Chuan faltered for a moment, then said, “Two short.”
“Oh,” Bai Ye nodded. “Then keep up the good work, and I’ll keep wandering!”
Jin Xiang Chuan’s heart skipped a beat. Bai Ye’s words seemed to carry a hidden meaning.
“Wait, wait!” Jin Xiang Chuan quickly called out to Bai Ye. “Bai Ye, do you have a scepter?”
Bai Ye replied, “That depends on how many scepters you have.”
Jin Xiang Chuan asked, confused, “What do you mean?”
Bai Ye elaborated, “If you have six scepters, then I have the Lizardman’s Ruby Scepter. If you don't have six, then I don't.”
Jin Xiang Chuan was utterly bewildered, asking, “So, do you have it or not?”
Bai Ye asked again, “Do you have six scepters?”
Jin Xiang Chuan pondered for a moment and then nodded honestly, “I do.”
Bai Ye said, “Then I have the Lizardman’s Ruby Scepter. Do you want it?”
Jin Xiang Chuan’s eyes lit up instantly. “Of course, I do.”
Bai Ye stated, “At least a black-quality item for exchange.”
Jin Xiang Chuan almost spat out a mouthful of blood, looking at Bai Ye in disbelief. “Those scepters are all green-quality weapons.”
Bai Ye smiled, “So, now you understand why I asked if you had collected six scepters, right?”
Jin Xiang Chuan was stunned again, then blurted out, “Damn it, you’re price gouging!”
Bai Ye nodded, “Yes, you’re just realizing that now?”
If Jin Xiang Chuan hadn’t collected six scepters, it would mean there was more than one party involved in the transaction. Regardless of whether one or two were missing, Bai Ye wouldn't have the leverage to price gouge. This was because, whether the other party obtained the Ruby Scepter or not, they couldn't complete the hidden quest. But now that Jin Xiang Chuan had six scepters… Bai Ye could dictate the price, even toy with him, disdain him, torment him, and tease him, and Jin Xiang Chuan would still have to smile obsequiously and call Bai Ye ‘Grandpa.’ This was because, having acquired six scepters, Jin Xiang Chuan would never give up on the last one.
Jin Xiang Chuan grumbled, “But these are just green-quality items.”
Bai Ye replied, “Right, no problem. But collecting seven makes it more than green-quality.”
“But I have the other six!” Jin Xiang Chuan exclaimed in frustration. “I got them all through my own efforts, and I found the hidden quest myself. You only have one!”
Bai Ye countered, “But without the one I have, you can’t complete the set of seven. And without the complete set of seven, you’ll only have six green-quality weapons.”
Jin Xiang Chuan gritted his teeth. “Do you even know what the reward is for collecting seven scepters that you dare to ask such an exorbitant price?”
Bai Ye replied, “Black-quality items.”
Jin Xiang Chuan couldn’t help but be taken aback, because Bai Ye was correct.
Jin Xiang Chuan asked, “You found this quest too?”
“I haven’t found it,” Bai Ye said with a smile. “However, these scepters, although green-quality, have permanent enhancement effects. They should definitely command a premium, and trading them for blue-quality items should be no problem. You have to admit that, right?”
Jin Xiang Chuan nodded, “I admit it!”
Bai Ye continued, “Collecting seven blue-quality items still can’t get you a black-quality item? Does that even count as a hidden quest?”
Jin Xiang Chuan chuckled wryly, “My quest reward is only one black-quality item. You want me to trade a black-quality item for your scepter now. Does that make any sense?”
Bai Ye replied, “It doesn’t make sense.”
Jin Xiang Chuan said, “Exactly…”
Bai Ye interrupted, “But without my scepter, you won’t get any black-quality items.”
Jin Xiang Chuan’s anger flared, “There’s no way around this logic, is there?”
Bai Ye spread his hands. “Without my scepter, you can’t complete the hidden quest.”
Jin Xiang Chuan: “……”
Damn it, can’t you stop harping on this point?
Jin Xiang Chuan took a deep breath. “You have no use for that thing. Can you just get to the point? How can I trade for it?”
Bai Ye stated, “Black-quality items.”
“Damn it!” Jin Xiang Chuan cursed. “I’ll give it to you!”
“Anything less than a black-quality item, I…” Bai Ye suddenly stopped, then said in surprise, “You’re really going to give it to me?”