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Chapter 328: Between rock and a hard place

Liam was surprised because though the demon looked anxious and nervous he did not look worried. Instead, he seemed very thrilled.

"Garrison leader!" The demon stopped, clenched his fists in excitement, and spoke slowly. "We have received 20 war scrolls this time!"

"Huh? War scrolls?" Liam did not immediately understand what the demon was blabbering about.

"Yes, leader. Not 2 like the other small towns and cities! We have received 20! A total of 20!" The demon explained with big round eyes.

All the other demons standing around Liam also looked shocked and gasped loudly, exchanging looks with each other.

They all looked visibly excited and stared at the dozen scrolls in the demon's hands as if they were seeing a great treasure.

Liam, on the other hand, was on a different page. Now he finally understood what was going on!

This was why Nyaka hadn't retaliated just yet.

This was also why all the guilds and players were busy and did not notice the huge war and the disturbance in the southern zone of the Gresh Kingdom.

It looked like the nether event had officially begun!

But unlike the demons, he was not really visibly excited.

This was because the last time around, he had been on the other side of this event, the side of the humans while this time, he was on the side of the demons.

And the 20 war scrolls the demon was currently holding in his hand might as well be a death sentence!

Liam frowned and asked the demon. "Has any of you participated in these wars before?" He pointed at the scrolls.

The demon scratched his head, wondering what the leader was asking him, but then he remembered that their leader was actually very young and inexperienced.

So he cleared his throat and quickly explained.

"Yes, leader. I have participated in one a few years ago when we were at war with the Giga realm."

"Ok." Liam nodded. "Tell me about your experience."

"Yes, leader."

"These war scrolls can be activated only by the garrison leader of a city and when a scroll is activated, the entire garrison is teleported to a new terrain."

"These terrains are called war zones. Here we can find humans!" The demon pumped his fist up into the air in excitement.

Immediately, all the demons standing around roared together in excitement.

"We can fight with them and we can kill them!

ROAR!

"We can loot and plunder!"

ROAR!

"We can take their women and make them slaves!"

ROAR!

"All hail the Demon King!"

ROAR!

"All hail the Demon Lords!"

ROAR!

"All hail the Garrison Leader!"

ROAR!

Even forgetting about Liam's presence momentarily, the demons started shouting and chanting in a craze.

It was clear that they were very happy with this development and were in a highly festive mood.

However, Liam silently walked out with a sigh.

He stood on the balcony of the red tower and looked outside at the small city that was sprawled in front of him.

The war scrolls were indeed good news.

The more minor invasions where they had fought against a few groups of humans had now escalated to these war zones.

This was the start of the nether realm event where the humans and the demons clashed.

Both the humans and the demons would be teleported to spacial rifts where they would clash with each other for resources and treasures in the rift.

This was an experience point treasure trove and not to mention the fastest and most efficient way to obtain loot and valuable resources.

It was indeed a good thing for humans and the various guilds, but when it came to demons…

At least the last time around, in Liam's previous life, the demons had suffered a crushing defeat.

And his garrison has not been handed 1 or 2 of these war scrolls. They had been given a total of 20!

If this was not a death sentence, then what was.

Especially considering the size, the population, and the resources in their city, they should have also only been allocated two of these war scrolls just like the other towns.

So why was it increased to 20?

Was it because of the recent buzz he had created by awarding high rewards to the invasion missions?

Or perhaps was it because someone else was pulling some strings in the background?

Considering that the Itaka city lord hadn't yet retaliated for losing his treasured herbs and also his treasured wife and daughter, Liam doubted him the most.

If their small city and garrison participated in these war zones in the spatial rifts, they would inevitably lose a few men in each fight.

Unlike the players, the NPCs don't resurrect. He had also lost quite a few demons in the battle against the dark elves.

So in this state, if they pushed themselves and participated in all the war zones one after the other, they would only become weaker and weaker.

Then in the end, not only will their garrison be reduced to nothing, but they would also be completely annihilated.

Now, Liam could always avoid this situation by returning the rest of the war scrolls but there might be some other troublesome issues if he did that.

Perhaps he would be branded as a traitor or a coward for not serving the Demon King adequately.

This might also be the actual trap that was intended for him to walk into. The minute he disappointed the King, anything could happen to him.

Just like his two 'wives' and the city Lord Nyaka, all the other demons at the top, even several squad leaders and platoon leaders in his own garrison, all had very high levels, at least nearing 100.

And he hadn't even touched 50 yet.

His level might be high and he was still at the top of the leaderboard but he was still far too low when compared to the other demons.

It was too risky for him to do something like this and step into an unknown trap.

So no matter what he decided, both his choices were dead ends that could give him severe losses.

Mulling over this, Liam rubbed his temples as he was still slightly affected by the dark elf's unexpected attack when he released all the souls.

It was as if the aftereffect was continuing to ring loudly in his ears, along with the pain and the cry of the numerous souls that had been trapped in the bead.

Liam let out a deep breath and decided to think about these war scrolls and war zones issues after taking some rest.

He was not able to think clearly now.

Irrespective of this huge problem looming over his head, the beginning of the nether realm event was still a big deal!

He could gain a lot, and he could also lose a lot. Everything had to be carefully planned and thought out.

"I need to make some preparations quickly."

He turned to look at the demons who were still celebrating wildly without any care in the world.

Ignorance was bliss. Liam smiled bitterly, shaking his head, and then returned back to the Xion realm.

Chapter 329: Should I change my Class?

"Where are you guys at the moment?" Liam was very exhausted but he wanted to have a small meeting with everyone before logging out.

Since the nether realm event had suddenly started, they had no time to rest or slack off.

At the end of the day, even if the others were not aware of it, Liam knew very well that they were essentially racing against time itself.

They needed to become as strong as possible, and the nether realm event was extremely crucial for them to take that next step.

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Also, it was a godly chance to gain a lot of high-tier resources that they would soon be needing when they cross the Level 50 threshold.

As that was when the game would truly start!

Liam patted the small fox who was still lying peacefully in his arms and continuing to doze.

"Should I show her to the beast hall…" He pondered, as he was worried that the fox was still asleep.

However, he had seen her open her eyes a few times, and also, she was visibly fine with no wounds or cuts.

More importantly, there wasn't anything unusual about her status. So Liam was particularly not in a hurry to do this.

After all, Luna was a celestial-grade beast.

He did not want to allow others to examine her and give this secret away, attracting even more unnecessary trouble.

Especially, when he remembered the loli beast master Seraphina's twinkling eyes, he was sure that the woman would covet the fox.

She looked harmless enough but one could never be too sure.

As Liam walked down the streets of the royal city, he promptly got Mia's response.

It looked like the rest of the group was currently eating in one of the restaurants.

Liam as well decided to join them as some of the administrative work was still left and the nether realm event was far too important, so a personal meeting was a must.

Soon he arrived at the restaurant and a bell at the entrance jingled as he entered the room.

The inside was quite crowded. Nevertheless, a few people turned their heads toward him to take a look.

Liam, however, was fully covered in his black attire and the snow white fox as well was hidden thoroughly. So no one was able to recognize him.

Seeing that they couldn't glean anything about this person, the few bystanders went back to their discussions and gossip.

And Liam casually walked over to the booth where his group was sitting. They had booked one of the bigger booths on the restaurant's top floor.

Everyone was exhausted after the battle, so Mia was a bit generous this time.

The group was enjoying a lavish feast and a big barrel of fine wine and beer with the pretty waitresses in the inn lingering around to serve everyone.

But when Liam pushed open the door and walked inside, this mood immediately changed.

Everyone was somewhat wary of him, slightly out of fear but primarily out of respect.

As soon as he walked in, every single person inside quieted down. Liam couldn't help but chuckle helplessly. "Don't mind me. Don't mind me."

Am I really that scary?

He looked around the room to spot the familiar person whom he hadn't paid attention to in a while.

Liam knew very well what sort of trouble the girl was capable of brewing, so he looked for her first.

However, his expression changed when he saw the girl in a corner with her head down and ultimately out of it.

Sitting next to her, Shen Yue nervously looked at Liam.

She was afraid to speak up but then she saw the frown on Liam's face and did not want him to mistake the situation.

"She drank my drink by mistake. She is just resting." She quickly explained.

Liam narrowed his eyes and looked at Shen Yue, "By mistake huh?"

Shen Yue gulped and looked down, fidgeting with her fingers. It was really not her fault.

The little imp had drunk an entire glass full of beer before she could do anything about it.

She was fully expecting Liam to go ballistic on her, but he simply sighed and sat down next to her.

"It's alright. I know she is a handful. Thanks for keeping an eye on her."

It was funny to see her still mashing her palms together in nervousness so he smiled and reached forward to hold her hand.

Shen Yue immediately became bright red.

Liam did not care but she was distinctly aware that everyone in the room was looking at her right now.

And Liam's hand was also holding hers firmly under the table. Others can't see, right?

She looked up like a petty thief to see if she was caught, only to see Mia staring right back at her.

Shen Yue quickly looked away.

Liam, on the other hand, did not pay attention to anything. He held her hand for a while and then let go, grabbing a plateful of meat instead.

One of the waitresses served him a mug of beer, and he took a big sip from it, turning to pay attention to Derek.

The last time he had called him for an emergency, so he wanted to check if he had truly finished taking care of all the essential things back at home.

The plans for the nether realm event would heavily depend on Derek's presence or absence, so they needed to have a talk.

And also, he was the only one who was sitting like a statue amidst the festive environment.

He was in a corner silently eating a plateful of skewered meat without any drink or boisterous chatter.

This guy is worse than me in all aspects! Liam lamented.

"Derek, are you training to become a monk?" Liam laughed.

"Mr. Liam, do you want me to change my class?" Derek immediately stiffened up and asked in a very business like and serious tone.

There was immediately a minute of silence, after which everyone broke into a fit of laughter.

Chapter 330: Big or small?

After a few minutes of laughter, banter, and joking around, mostly at the expense of Derek, everyone once again became more relaxed and comfortable.

No one felt awkward around Liam any longer, and they could converse more casually.

However, unfortunately, this festive atmosphere did not last long.

Though Liam wanted everyone to relax a bit before starting the main topic, not everyone had the same thought.

All of a sudden their booth door banged open and Berat arrived in a hurry.

He could have messaged this to everyone in the group but since all the members had assembled here in the royal city which was very close to the trade city, he couldn't stop himself from joining the group.

Also, the news he had to share was that huge. It demanded personal notice!

"Guys! Guys! Big News!" Berat barged in, giving a very dramatic entrance.

Liam chuckled as he felt a deja vu. He already knew what he was going to tell. The guy was almost bursting to reveal his important finding.

"Should I steal his moment?" Liam grinned wickedly and then decided to let him be.

After all, his work in farming for gold was pretty efficient, and it made his life a lot easier.

Liam silently took another swig from the beer mug while Berat panted and continued.

Looking at him everyone else as well quieted down and allowed him to speak.

"Where have you guys been? Something big has happened! There is a new event! There are now demons in our kingdom!"

Hearing him say demons, immediately everyone looked at Liam. They all gulped and wondered what now happened?

Their big boss was capable of doing something to affect the whole game?

However, Liam shook his head and chuckled lightly. "No. No. This is not me. You guys are overthinking. Berat, you continue."

Berat did not understand because he did not get a chance to talk to others yet and he was stuck in the Auction House all day.

So he squiggled his nose and continued talking, a slight confusion lingering in his voice.

"Lately, a lot of demons are popping up in the towns and cities. When these guys are killed, they drop some sort of crystals called rift crystals."

"These crystals can teleport a person or even a huge raid group to a different kind of place."

"Map doesn't work there, so we don't know where exactly we are."

"But apparently there are a lot more demons and there are different kinds of terrains."

"Sometimes, there are deserts. Sometimes there are ice lands. And sometimes, there is water everywhere."

"And there is a time limit before this rift closes."

"Currently, no one has managed to win over the hordes of demons but I heard that this event gives a lot of experience points."

"The current leaderboard rankers are all starting to change. The major guilds are starting to take action."

"More importantly, several guilds are using this event as a tactic for recruiting."

Because participating with a good guild group is more advantageous, a lot of individual players are beginning to flock over to guilds."

Berat explained everything that he had learned without leaving out any details. He then looked at Liam specifically and added the last part.

"Boss, I don't know if we have any plans to expand, but this is a perfect time."

"Ok. I got it." Liam nodded.

He had to admit that he was very impressed with the man's scouting. Berat had gathered a lot more information that he expected.

But this was not all. There was a lot more to this.

No one had succeeded yet so they were not aware but Liam knew it beforehand. The true reward in this event was not the experience points.

The real reward was…

"Alright. You heard the man. Take a break for another half an hour and then we start." Liam smiled.

"Yes! Boss!"

"We will get the first clear!"

"Yeeeeeee!"

Loud cheering sounds echoed, filling the entire booth.

Liam smiled and then waved at Derek and Mia, calling the two to meet him outside. There was work to be done, starting with…

"How is the guild setup coming?" Liam enquired. "You registered it yet?"

"Yes, but the final registration is still left." Mia answered.

The registered members have to be together for a certain period to count as a single guild, so Liam already knew that this wouldn't have been completed just yet.

But there was also something else on his mind.

"I wanted to ask you both your opinions on a matter, an important matter." He came to the main point, talking to both Derek and Mia.

"What type of guild, do you both think that we should have?" Liam asked.

Derek remained silent while Mia asked him her doubt. "What does type mean? Lifestyle or some other kind of specialized guild?"

"No, I mean a big one or a small one?" Liam smiled.

"Let's start from the basics. What do you think should be the size of our guild? I want your honest opinion."

"Hmmm?"

"A small guild can be easy to manage. We can make sure that everyone is trustworthy and everyone is powerful."

He paused and then continued. "But a big guild can also be equally good."

There was simply no going around it.

And, this was nothing revolutionary. Many guilds had this sort of setup.

They had an overall more extensive structure with a smaller, more compact core structure.

However, Liam, Mia, and Derek still talked about things in great detail, even the most minor factor, because a lot was riding on this single decision.

Their very lives could depend on this single decision so it was best to talk about it rather than regret it later on.

While continuing to discuss, the three of them reached the main administrative building.

Chapter 331: Greedy Duke?

The guards standing outside immediately recognized Liam and rushed over to him.

He was a Duke of the kingdom, so they hurried over to personally welcome him.

"My Lord, please let us know how we may assist you today?" The representative at the counter also rushed over, being equally courteous.

The few players standing around the building all glanced at Liam, Mia, and Derek enviously.

However, no matter how they tried they couldn't see any of their identities, and the trio was also ushered in quickly to a VIP area.

So everyone could only stare in awe, wondering what the players' reputation was to receive such treatment.

"They might be NPCs." Someone said.

"Did they clear a demon rift maybe?" Someone else commented.

More players were gathered here than usual because many new guilds were now being formed.

Everyone was gearing up to raid the demon rifts and reap the advantages of the special event.

So the crowd in the administrative building was more considerable compared to before. However, forming a guild was not an easy matter.

Or rather forming a guild with a solid foundation was not an easy matter.

For a guild to become top-tier or at least first-rate, a very strong sturdy foundation needed to be built.

Several factors contributed to this base strength, but the guild residence was the main one.

A guild residence was not a frat house.

It could be, of course, treated as one and was often done so as well, at least at this stage of the game, but there were so many other hidden details.

A guild with a residence would be able to recruit and employ NPCs, lease mines, establish shops and even conduct auctions.

All of the guild's perks typically exponentially increased, specifically the guild quests.

These quests can be cleared to get more quests of a better grade.

Doing these would give more reputation points which in turn would beget more B-ranked and above quests.

When the reputation of a guild reaches above a certain point, even the King had to respect the guild and treat them as a formidable ally.

This was also one of the reasons why Liam decided to create a guild.

He was already a Duke of this Kingdom and now if he managed to also create a guild with a huge reputation, he wondered just what sort of doors this would open for him.

Could he perhaps bring an entire Kingdom under his control?

This was just a fleeting thought at the moment. Nevertheless, Liam decided to explore it.

The events in his last timeline were already drastically different from those happening right now.

So the more power he managed to amass, the better his chances would be for survival and protecting those that mattered to him.

Other people also had similar ideas though they were not as greedy as him and did not dare to aim so extravagantly.

The crowd loitering around the administrative building was after something else. There were unexpected pop-up auctions of lands inside towns and cities every now and then.

So people were constantly on the lookout for these auctions.

If someone managed to grab this chance and set up a guild residence, even if it was a remote spot, it was one of the sure-shot ways to success.

Mia turned around to look at this crowd and whispered to Liam. "Should we also start working on a way to secure some sort of guild residence?"

Even though their guild was just starting and did not have the required amount of players, Mia knew the importance of planning ahead.

It was all a vicious circle. One first needed a reputed guild for attracting more members, and most players would not join a no-name guild.

Luckily for them, they already had a solid seed group of players.

With a little work and some time, this would slowly and gradually change into a full-fledged guild group.

Keeping this in mind, Mia made the necessary mental calculations and enquired. However, Liam smiled mysteriously.

"No need. I already have that covered."

"Oh?" Mia nodded in confusion. She already knew that Liam was a Duke so she was too surprised either.

She curiously followed him, wondering how things were going to go down. The representative brought all of them over to the Chancellor's office.

Inside, a middle-aged nobleman was sitting who stood upon seeing Liam. "Greetings, Lord Duke. What a pleasant surprise! How may I assist you today?"

The man was neither haughty nor submissive and spoke in a polite manner. As a Court Chancellor, his position was also comparable to Liam's.

"Good day, Chancellor. Ha Ha. Sorry for disturbing your busy day. We just came here for a small job."

Mia's eyes widened on hearing the words 'small job' but she quietly stood to the side, following Derek's example.

Both of them did not intervene in the conversation as if they just wanted to observe the master at work.

However, to their surprise, Liam did not do anything special. He simply chatted with the Chancellor about the recent demon attacks.

But this was just the beginning.

As the conversation slowly got heated up, discussing the evil demons and eradicating the demons from their lands, Liam then suddenly brought out the main point.

"This is why Chancellor, I want to set up my estate as soon as possible and convert the entire estate into a strong guild that can be a support for our Kingdom."

"Yes, yes! That is a wonderful idea! You are very wise, Lord Duke! If you are willing, I can help you with that today itself."

"Yes, that is great news, Chancellor! Let's get started."

The two of them then started discussing the various plots available for use as if it was the next natural step.

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That too they were not discussing random remote lands in no-name towns or cities.

They were discussing prime land near the royal capital and the trade city! The estate size was also extensive!

Mia looked incredulously, unable to believe what was happening.

At this point, she was already immune to Liam and the shocks he was capable of giving, but this was… a little too terrifying!

And before she could digest this shock, the next surprise also came.

After only a ten minute or so conversation, the Chancellor took out a lease for a 20-acre piece of land outside Yleka city as if it was nothing.

Derek still had the same emotionless face as always but Mia was thoroughly stunned. She now understood the true power of titles.

What slow progress? What gradual development?

This was explosive growth!

If they manage to get this piece of land then they could become a famous guild overnight!

Players would flock to join their guild, and they could once again trend everywhere, becoming one of the top contenders in the Kingdom.

No other guild had managed to obtain something like this since the beginning of the game. They would be the first!

This would also help them recruit NPCs easily, the close proximity to the two main cities will help them get more quests, easy access to markets, and whatnot.

Even an elegant, calm and composed person like her known as the ice goddess couldn't help but drool at these prospects.

For everything that they had suffered recently, this was their much deserved payback!

With this, they could…

"No, Chancellor. That is not what I had in mind." Liam abruptly spoke, breaking all of Mia's thoughts, and already formulated plans.

She once again became dumbfounded.

Who in their right mind would reject something like this?! Liam just what are you thinking? She wanted to scream loudly, unable to bear the suspense.

Mia let out a deep breath and calmed herself down the next instant.

She was indeed surprised, but after seeing everything, her faith in Liam was near absolute.

She knew that he wouldn't do something without any reason and patiently waited.

She even silently thanked her lucky stars that Alex wasn't around at the moment.

Otherwise, who knew what she would have done when Liam rejected such a good offer!

Just as she was thinking about this, suddenly a loud chime sounded in her interface. Alex was online again!

Talk about the devil!

Mia wanted to message her, but she did not want to seem rude, so she simply waited at the back, waiting for this conversation to come to an end first.

Also, she was very curious to see where Liam was going to take things. He already refused the best offer so what was he going to demand now?

Just like her, the Chancellor also looked at Liam with a frown on his face, narrowing his eyes.

He made a very generous offer, and this Duke was refusing it. Was he getting greedy?

"Do you have some other land in mind, Lord Duke?" The Chancellor asked, his tone rather solemn.

The favorability that Liam had built with him was clearly decreasing, but Liam was still smiling and remained silent.

"Perhaps something in the capital city itself?" The man raised his brows.

And Mia immediately gasped after hearing this.

This was not good! This was a trap! If Liam answered yes to this question, he would probably suffer some sort of consequences!

At this point, she did not care even if she was being rude, she had to step forward and warn Liam!

But the next second, Liam himself answered. "No, Sir Chancellor. You jest. Nothing like that. Those lands are a bit too high-profile for me."

"The land that I am interested in is actually the plagued lands of the south."

Chapter 332: You again?

"I am talking about the infected lands in the south, Chancellor, the one where a lot of demons have been spotted lately."

Liam smiled politely, his face brimming with innocence.

"I want to clear these demons personally and then little by little recover the lands from the dreaded plague, slowly bringing them back to the former glory."

"This is a service that I wish to do for our King and our Kingdom. So… what do you think, Sir Chancellor? Is this doable?"

He flashed another big warm smile. There was absolutely no malice or greed in his face.

Now, the Chancellor also had a similar expression like Mia. He too was flabbergasted, not knowing what to do anymore.

"That… that… ahem… right. That should be possible."

The Chancellor quickly dug out some stacks of parchments from behind him and then spread it on the table.

"There is indeed no civilians living in these lands. The towns and villages are completely destroyed."

"Dangerous beasts have invaded the lands instead. A lot of treacherous creatures have been sighted including demons and elves."

"These lands are completely uninhabitable and something does need to be done about them." The Chancellor slowly read the reports.

Liam as well silently nodded, not saying anything else. Inwardly, he was amazed at the efficiency of the officials.

They had already gathered a lot of information in this short amount of time.

But yet… the King hadn't taken any other measures. Liam was now more and more sure that he was on the right track.

He could see that it was possible to achieve everything that he wanted if he just pressed the right buttons.

However…

The Chancellor still looked reluctant and cleared his throat awkwardly. "What you are saying is not wrong… but these lands… I need to consult with the King first."

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Liam nodded. He was already expecting this answer so it didn't come as a surprise to him.

The man had offered him 20 acres but he had rejected this and instead asked for 2000 acres. How else was he going to respond?

He was already prepared for it and even had a counter ready. "Sir Chancellor, you read my mind."

"Huh?" The man looked confused.

"Today, I am also required to meet with the King. Why don't we head over to the royal palace together and get everything organized?"

He then paused and added. "That is… if it is not too much trouble. I hope I am not disturbing Sir Chancellor's busy day."

"These days the deadly assault of the demons is worsening so it would be for the best if we could take some quick action regarding this matter."

Hearing this, the man immediately knew that he had once again lost to Liam.

Now if he did not agree with the request, he would only look like a treacherous person who doesn't care about his own Kingdom and the people.

"Ah… that is indeed very true. We need to make haste. Alright, Lord Duke. I will do as you suggest. We can visit the King together and sort everything out."

Liam smiled and then stood up politely, shaking hands with the man. He then turned around to walk and noticed that Mia was staring at him oddly.

"Hmmm?" He smiled at her as if he had no idea why the woman was staring at him in disbelief.

The next second, the Chancellor joined him after picking up a few things, and the two of them walked out.

Mia and Derek followed behind the two, along with a few personal guards of the Chancellor.

Outside the building, the crowd still lingered and watched in amazement as the three players left the building.

They had no idea about the Chancellor in the building and had never seen him or heard of him so not many people knew the gravity of what they were witnessing.

Liam as well once again hid his appearance, covering himself completely. So no one was able to find out his identity.

That day not even a tiny news appeared on the forums about this game changing move.

Not long after that, the Chancellor and Liam arrived at the royal palace.

All the guards greeted them respectfully and promptly stepped aside to let them pass through.

Not one but two important officials had made a sudden appearance, so they did not question anything and quickly let them enter.

However, this was only at the entrance. The King's personal guards still blocked the two and asked them the purpose of the visit.

Liam immediately showed his insignia, and the Chancellor as well showed his token.

The guards then proceeded to consult with the King, asking the two to wait outside and everyone waited calmly.

Only Mia was sweating through her blouse. She was meeting with the King?

Liam had actually strongarmed a member of the court to get a direct meeting with the King? Just what was this going to lead to?

She glanced sideways at Derek, who was still standing stoically.

Feeling her heart beating in and out of her chest, she suddenly couldn't help but wish that she was also like him!

She let out a soft sigh and mentally prepared herself for what was about to come. Liam wasn't planning to bully the King himself right?

Soon two guards arrived and bowed respectfully. "Please follow us."

They surprisingly brought the group over to a huge garden, and the person of interest was currently sitting on one of the tables and calmly sipping a drink.

"You again?" The King rolled his eyes as soon as he saw Liam.

But Liam did not respond to his rude behavior. He looked calm and composed with a warm smile on his face.

A chill ran down Mia's spine on seeing this exchange. Who knows what is going to happen now? Why was the King already hostile?

They hadn't even begun to poke the bear yet! Were they all going to be thrown in jail?

Surprisingly, Liam was the first person to break the awkward silence.

He actually responded to the King as if he was answering a normal question.

"Yes, your highness. It's me again. I have successfully finished the task that you had assigned me."

SPURT!

The King almost choked on his drink and sprayed everything out. "What the hell task did I assign you? Just what are you talking about?"

At this point, even the Chancellor became nervous. What was happening here?

However, Liam's following words surprised everyone.

"As per your orders, my guild members and I fought bravely against the horde of demons and dark elves and chased them out of our Kingdom!" He confidently declared.

Chapter 333: Another Kingdom quest?

"Hmmm?" The King blinked, batting his thick eyelashes. He had refused to give this fellow any sort of help as far as he could remember.

But he was standing in front of him now and declaring that he had successfully chased out not only the dark elves but also the demons who had invaded their lands?

Wait, since when did so many demons step foot inside the Gresh Kingdom? Why did he not know anything about this?

The young King frowned, making the two dimples on his cheeks more prominent.

He gazed at Liam, eyeing him from top to bottom, trying to discern everything about him.

However, Liam silently stood with a polite smile, waiting for the King to do whatever he wanted and respond whichever way he wanted.

Only Mia was breaking into a cold sweat because Liam was not just taking credit for the dark elves, he was also taking credit for the demons!

Wasn't he the one who brought the demons here in the first place? What would happen if that secret was revealed?

Mia was not dumb, and she knew that the King of a big Kingdom like Gresh also couldn't be dumb.

Liam was basically playing a double agent, reaping both the rewards from the side of the humans and the side of the demons.

What would happen if this was found out?

Knowing the tough penalties in this game, he would probably be captured and imprisoned or swiftly sentenced to death!

Yet the guy was cooly lying through his teeth!

With her hands crossed behind her back, she crossed her fingers, silently hoping that everything would work out.

Meanwhile, Liam and the young King were still locked in a staring contest with each other.

They kept looking at each other silently, neither side saying anything more.

Liam did not bother talking because he wanted to make the fat sheep sweat.

The King did not bother talking because he couldn't say what he really wanted to say as the Chancellor was also present at the moment.

As he had newly ascended to the throne, he couldn't jeopardize his position like that, which was also why he couldn't give more units to support Liam in the matter of the dark elves.

In the end, somehow, everything had been settled smoothly.

However… there was still something unsettling about the whole matter that made the King suspicious and uneasy.

How could a newly appointed Duke accomplish something so significant without adequate backing?

He rapped his fingers on the chair, having a million questions in his mind.

If the man in front of him was indeed so powerful, then that was all the more reason he had to be wary of him!

Gritting his teeth and swallowing what he originally intended to say, the King finally replied back.

"Good. Good. You have contributed greatly to our Kingdom. As a reward, I-"

However, Liam interrupted the man promptly. "Please, your highness. No reward is necessary."

He humbly shook his head and bowed once before flashing a polite smile again.

Though his action of interrupting the King was rude, no one could question him after these gestures.

"Then? What is it that you are here for? Speak?" The King gnashed his teeth.

"Yes, your highness, I am here for that same purpose." Liam shamelessly continued.

"Though we have somehow eradicated the intruders from our territory, the lands and forests have been destroyed."

"They are no longer inhabitable. Only poison rots in the ground."

"Hmmm…" The King listened to him, his gaze coldly lingering on Liam, wondering where he was going with this.

"Those lands are within the borders of the Kingdom. They can be dealt with after the threat of the demons is neutralized."

"Your highness-" Liam started speaking, but the King shook his head and cut him off.

"It would be for the best if everyone only focussed on that for now."

Liam's eyes twitched, but he did not give up. "I completely agree with you, your highness."

"These lands are not our priority!"

"Yes." The King nodded.

"These lands are probably ruined beyond help. They are worthless and our Kingdom's efforts would be wasted on trying to recover those."

"Yes, indeed."

"These lands don't have any value anymore. They are just an eyesore, a pimple, a black mark on our Kingdom's beautiful terrain."

"Mmm. Yes."

"So, why don't I take these lands myself and hide them?"

"Yes." The King answered casually, only blinking afterward in confusion. What just happened?

He made a mistake and answered too fast without thinking!

"What? Hide? What are you trying to say?"

Liam sneered inwardly, seeing the young guy fumbling. He knew that he almost had this in the bag.

"I mean your highness, I desperately need a piece of land to set up our base. It would help our guild operations if we had a residence."

"We would be able to fight with the demons better and contribute to the Kingdom's welfare to the best of our abilities."

"If you would kindly allow me to set up my estate on these lands, then I can put these wastelands to good use."

"They would no longer be an eyesore. I could also slowly try to recover them in time."

"So please allow this humble servant to take this burden off the esteemed Chancellor."

"Say what?" The Chancellor, who had been listening quietly all this time suddenly stiffened up on hearing his name.

He had a strange expression on his face as he opened and closed his mouth speechlessly.

However, Liam did not give him an opportunity to speak. He just kept continuing onward.

"Please permit me to serve your highness and the Kingdom. Long live the King! Long live the Kingdom!"

Liam bent down on one knee and bowed in front of the man.

Taking his action as the cue, Derek also did the same, and Mia soon followed.

All three of them were bowing to the King with the utmost respect with a wildly burning fighting spirit in their eyes.

Such a sight even made the King speechless for a second. Moreover, the Chancellor and the guards were also around.

But just for this, how could he possibly give away such a vast extent of land. He cleared his throat loudly and waved his hand.

"Rise! I understand that your intentions are good, but I am afraid I can't release these lands to you." The man resolutely shook his head.

"In recognition of your contribution, I will award you 1000 gold coins, as well as another 20 acres of your choice."

"According to your status, I am afraid this is the limit."

"Your intentions might be good, but there will be other administrative issues so it's best to focus on important matters for now."

It was King's turn to smile. He now understood why this man had run over to him, boasting about his achievement.

He had tactfully grabbed this troublesome issue and nipped it in the bud. He felt quite satisfied with this outcome.

But the thing that was bugging him was… the newly appointed Duke did not look dispirited at all even though he was just now blatantly rejected.

"Thank you, your highness. I am extremely grateful for this reward. I will gladly accept it."

Liam smiled and bowed, and the respective notification also appeared in front of him. He did not hesitate and quickly accepted it by clicking 'Yes'.

This did not come as a surprise to the King and he sneered, waving his hand. "You all may leave now."

"Your highness, please forgive me. There is one other matter that I need to discuss with you in private."

Mia looked at Liam, wondering what he was talking about now. Their haul was already quite good, maybe they shouldn't push their luck too much?

The King also looked equally surprised.

Coincidentally, the expression he had on his face was almost the same one Mia had, both of them looking incredibly beautiful and elegant in their way.

"Hmmm? Speak?" The King said.

"Your highness…" Liam hesitantly looked at the Chancellor, who was still standing beside them.

"That is quite alright. You may speak!"

"I understand, your highness." Liam bowed and continued. "I am afraid that I have some bad news."

"My men had apprehended a few people recently claiming that your highness had purposefully let the villages in the south rot."

"I was en route bringing those culprits to you when a group of demons apprehended us."

"We managed to successfully take care of the demons. However, we lost the men in the process."

"I am afraid, these people are still at large, spreading gossip and rumors about our Kingdom's weakness."

"They somehow knew about the dark elves too. They are claiming that the Kingdom is crumbling slowly."

"If we let things continue like this…" Liam sighed. Everyone else looked as if they were in deep thought. Where was he going with this new story?

And the next second…

"I am afraid this was the main reason why I brought the topic of the wastelands."

If your highness would allow me to control them temporarily, I can make sure that the land is well taken care of, and these rumors would be squashed before they spread." Liam spoke solemnly.

Hearing this, everyone else standing around was utterly stunned.

This guy was still talking about those lands! He really did not plan on letting those go today!

A similar thought was running in the King's mind also as he rubbed his temples.

Already he had too much on his plate with the demons, and now this newly appointed Duke was starting another headache.

And if one read between the lines, there was also a finely veiled threat in his words.

The King was now angry. This guy was like a pest who just wouldn't stop bothering him.

"It seems like Lord Duke is really insistent on helping me with this matter." He snorted coldly.

"Ok, I will agree to your request. You may temporarily control those lands and set up your base of operations in the area."

"However, I need you to do two things in return for that."

[Ding. New Kingdom Quest available]

[Ding. Successfully capture a space rift and clear the demons inside the rift]

[Ding. Quest Rewards: Lease of the southern wastelands]

[Ding. Do you wish to accept? Y/N]

[Ding. New Kingdom Quest available]

[Ding. Recover the southern wastelands and make them habitable again]

[Ding. Quest Rewards: The King's gratitude and trust]

[Ding. Quest Failure Penalty: Confistication of the rights to lease the southern wastelands]

[Ding. Do you wish to accept? Y/N]

JACKPOT! Liam grinned, quickly accepting both the quests.

He then did not continue lingering in front of the King any longer. He knew that he was already on thin ice.

He readily bowed and paid his respects, taking leave without saying even a single extra word.

Mia and Derek as well followed him obediently. Mia especially had a lot of questions for him but now was not the time for that.

The three of them were almost literally running away from the royal palace.

The King rubbed his temples watching this ridiculous sight, and the Chancellor dumbly stared.

From the beginning to the end, the Chancellor did not even get a chance to open his mouth.

He had just been standing there simply. He couldn't help but wonder why was he even invited in the first place?