Chapter 20: War Begins
While chatting and laughing, the group arrived at the room with the number 28 sign. Brat opened the door lock, and they went in for a look around, all showing satisfied expressions on their faces.
The room was over thirty square meters, fairly clean with not much odor, two large beds, table and chairs complete, a washroom in the corner, no flush toilet but with a faucet and drainage, allowing manual flushing.
Anse nodded, relatively satisfied.
Compared to this living environment and safety, 5 silver coins truly weren’t expensive.
He stepped into the washroom, facing a small cracked mirror that reflected a face full of charm, tea-gray hair shimmering with silver light, skin faintly showing dragon scales, overflowing with a subtle metallic sheen.
“Is this me?” He’d been rushing the whole way, and this was the first time he’d seen his own appearance.
“No wonder Land doesn’t recognize me. There’s a shadow of the original owner, but it’s like a completely different person from before.”
He was tall with long legs, upright and well-proportioned, features fairly three-dimensional but combined in a gentle way, giving an indescribable sense of affinity, black eyes dark and deep, full of mystery, possessing a magical attraction.
The word charisma materialized at this moment!
Anse was secretly surprised: “The change in main charisma is actually this big.”
After admiring himself alone for a while, he returned to the room.
Brat was tallying the loot obtained from the earlier “intimidation”; this was the team’s first battle since formation.
One good-quality chainmail, one robe, three inferior gemstones, 37 gold coins, 41 silver coins, and over 100 copper coins.
“A bit little, huh.” He was somewhat unsatisfied.
“Already pretty good.” Anse was amused. The calamity came suddenly; surviving was already good fortune, and few could bring all their property out.
“You handle the money.” Brat looked serious. “Since we’re a team now, we need to set rules. We can’t distribute loot based on mood.”
“What ideas do you have?” Anse didn’t know much about this; the original owner had no such experience either.
Finn silently sat over, perking up his ears to listen. He’d been in the wilderness before, so he knew nothing of this.
Brat pondered: “Every team’s rules are different, and many factors influence them…”
Usually, loot distribution is based on contribution: brainpower, experience, combat power, help to the team—all important factors.
Mages who master numerous spells and can resolve various dilemmas generally don’t join adventure parties, but once they do, they inevitably get some privileges because their problem-solving methods are extremely numerous.
After discussing for half a day, they finally decided Captain Anse would take half of the adventure gains, Brat and the other would split the rest evenly, and consumables during adventures would be covered by the team.
Loot actually obtained in adventures and combat would still be adjusted based on individual contributions.
Anse pulled over that set of scale armor robe, pointed his staff, and with a short incantation, the bloodstains and dirt on the scale armor robe instantly vanished, looking like new.
This was the cantrip prestidigitation, which could create sensory effects, play with fire, clean, soil, create magic seals, and conjure small objects—effects not strong but very practical.
“The scale armor robe is yours. At 80% of market price, that’s… 40 gold coins. Record it for now; pay the difference when you have money. Use the remaining money to procure supplies; don’t distribute for now. How’s that?” Anse suggested.
“Fine…” Neither had objections; this was standard practice.
The core of loot distribution is “full team prior agreement” and “post-battle immediate settlement.” Vagueness leads to big trouble sooner or later.
After distribution, Anse lay down on the bed, relaxing, and waves of fatigue immediately surged in his body. The bridgehead battle had indeed been a bit draining.
“Rest for an hour.”
“Okay…”
Anse casually pulled up the character panel. Mana was less than half, experience at 827/900—about to level up soon.
“Early leveling is fast.”
He closed his eyes and entered meditation.
——
Though they’d said one hour of rest, it was nearly two hours later when they woke up one after another. The previous battle was brief, but everyone’s consumption had been considerable.
Anse rubbed his head, feeling the surrounding mana seemed even more chaotic.
With 「mana control」, his perception of mana had grown increasingly sensitive; he was sure it wasn’t an illusion.
“Eh, strange.”
He pulled out his pocket watch; the hands showed just past four, but outside the window it was as dark as evening.
“A bit stuffy; might rain.”
No sooner had he spoken than a white flash lit the window, followed by rumbling thunder exploding overhead.
Brat was silent for a moment, then sighed: “Who knows how many will die.”
Tens of thousands crammed into a city district originally for just thousands—short on food, water, and shelter. When the heavy rain came, the weak couldn’t endure.
Anse understood his mood. In his previous life, when his country suffered a massive earthquake, just watching videos had him tearing up. People might trash-talk online, but how could they not empathize with compatriots perishing.
But this was another world. Though he’d inherited the original owner’s scattered memories, it was hard to see others as compatriots, especially in Baldur’s Gate with its mix of races—not just humans, but half-elves, dwarves, halflings, dragonborn…
He shook his head, thinking no more of it: “Let’s go buy some supplies and sell off these things.”
He kicked the bundle; over half was heavy weapon equipment. Brat had carried it the whole way without little hardship—should’ve borrowed a cart from the old priest.
“Let’s go, let’s go; maybe there’ll be good stuff.” Brat immediately perked up.
This wasn’t idle talk. Anse had discussed it with him: magic net disrupted, calamity descended—the wealthiest spellcasters had lost most of their casting ability. Whether passively or actively, some of their good items would flow out.
“Bring all valuables; rooms aren’t safe.” Brat reminded. “Guaranteed compensation is just talk; they compensate only if they catch the thief, not if they don’t. But normal folk don’t dare steal here.”
“Got it.”
They locked the door, picked up the stuff, and went downstairs. Just stepping into the guild hall, a piercing alarm blared across half the city district.
“Fight broke out, fight broke out—underground creatures attacking Flame Fist Fortress…”
The hall instantly grew uproarious as adventurers rushed outside.
Anse frowned, sensing something off. The north was open terrain; why would duergar hard-assault Flame Fist Fortress.
The group exited the hall; the main avenue was jammed. Not far from Dragon Bridge here, but right south of the towering fortress, they couldn’t see the northern battle.
“Send your animal companion to check.” Anse patted Finn’s arm.
“Mm.”
Finn’s gaze went vacant as he immediately contacted Greyhawk, commanding it to scout the situation.
The ranger beastmaster subclass can summon one primal beast, which could be a land beast, ocean beast, or sky beast. This beast bears the mark of primal power, with strength beyond ordinary beasts.
After death, the primal beast can be revived by its master or resummoned as a new one.
Finn’s Greyhawk had flight ability and darkvision, excellent for daytime scouting, but usually flew high to avoid creatures like mosquito bats.
“City district, bridge full of underground creatures—thousands, maybe tens of thousands. No siege weapons; battle not intense…” Finn described haltingly, voice laced with shock.
“They came up this fast?” Anse’s heart jumped. The Underdark connected to the human world, but large-scale surfacing wasn’t simple.
“Didn’t you say the Underdark is resource-poor? How can it sustain so many creatures?” Brat asked doubtfully.
“The Underdark’s upper layers are okay, with dark rivers, fungi, moss, and various animals.” Anse’s expression shifted. “But this quantity is indeed too much—unless… they prepared in advance.”
“The Chongsa River breach is blocked, guarded by underground creatures.” Finn added.
“As expected.”
The Chongsa River led straight to the sea; even with the Underdark’s multi-layered structure, it couldn’t hold. More flooding might cause widespread collapse in duergar cities.
Thanks to Hyperion Master, Glorious Poem, I am truly nameless, Chi Li Fu Nai Nai, Silver Spring, sXuan Yuan Yi Xing s, and other book friends for their rewards.
Thanks to all reader lords for your support and suggestions!
