Tales of the Wickedly Vicious Underground Empire 011

At Bendole city, [Lion Fang] inn.

It was a five-storey building, with the first and second floor serving as a pub, while the third floor onwards served as an inn.

It was mainly visited by adventurers, and some retired adventures also drop by and reminisce about the past.

At [Lion Fang] inn, a rumour was starting to spread around.

“Oi, have you heard about it?”

“You mean about the labyrinth that [Iron Warmaiden] found?”

The adventurer parties that partic.i.p.ated in the goblins’ subjugation, [Sword of Faith] and [Iron Warmaiden], incidentally found an underground labyrinth.

The rumour was that there were piles of treasure and fearsome monsters waiting inside.

[Sword of Faith] encountered that monster when they were exploring inside and almost got completely wiped out.

[Iron Warmaiden] also lost two of their members, but were somehow able to kill the monster.

The problem is the treasure.

When they converted the treasure that four of them brought out into cash and divided it equally, it was still a considerable sum of money.

“How much does each of them get?”

“From the story I’ve heard, each of them was able to obtain three hundred common gold coins.”

“Didn’t the story claim it was about five hundred?”

“If even just half of that story is true, with that amount of gold, it’s enough for them to retire as an adventurer.”

If there was a person that could correct the rumour, they would be shocked for sure.

This is because one person’s share was about two thousand common gold coins.

Incidentally, the amount of common gold used by citizens of big cities from the moment they’re born until they die amounts to about one thousand common gold coins. If the citizen lives in a self-sufficient farming village, the amount would fall sharply to about 100 common gold coins.

In other words, if they only intended to use the two thousand coins for living expenses, then they would have earned enough to last a lifetime. Of course, if they use it to start a business, get married, or live in luxury, the amount they need will change.

“But hey ~ Even though they’ve taken the treasure with them, there should be other treasure left behind right?” A drunkard asked.

“There is that too. Somehow there is still more inside ~ ” Another sober man spoke up.

“The treasure!?”

“Yes.”

Such conversations occurred in many bars in Bendole.

Also, the figures of people gathering their friends to create parties could be seen at some tables.

“What about the location of the labyrinth?”

“It seems like [Iron Warmaiden] sold the information to thief guild.”

“Okay. Leave that side to me.”

While watching the energized adventurers, the master of the bar felt glad.

Recently, because of the large scale attacks on goblin villages one after another, the goblins’ population fell. Some of barbarian tribes even went into hiding, resulting in a reduction of tasks such as guarding caravans.

Because of the successful adventurers, it serves as evidence about the accuracy of the information about the Underground Labyrinth. .

With the possibility of leftover treasure, most of the solo adventurers with a lot of free time started to gather their friends to challenge the Underground Labyrinth.

The master of bar prayed for their success, and that when they succeed, they would come to his bar to drink liquor.

The rumour of the Underground Labyrinth also spread to people beside adventurers.

Order of Knight in the city. Private room of expedition captain.

There were two men inside the room.

One of them was the Expedition Captain, Jahl, who was the master of the room.

He was a seedy-looking forty years old man with slightly wavy dirty blond hair and a neatly maintained moustache. His eyes were the same colour as his moustache.

The other person is Jahl’s lieutenant.

He was still young, having just turned twenty-two this year. He had auburn coloured eyes and bright blond hair. To become a Lieutenant at his age, there was no need to mention his swordsmans.h.i.+p skills. He was also highly educated and respected. However, because the wage for a lieutenant was not high, he was made to take part in his boss’ unfairness, and often had to pull the short end of the stick.

While finis.h.i.+ng his report, he thought to himself that he would have to pick the short end of the stick this time as well.

“There was a labyrinth in such a place? Why have we never heard of it?” Jahl played with his moustache while asking his lieutenant.

“Y-Yes. I am sorry!” The lieutenant stuttered.

“It seems like the adventurer party had obtained a lot of treasure from the Labyrinth.” Jahl commented while appraising his subordinate, slowly walking up to him and lightly tapping onto his shoulder.

“…That is right.” The lieutenant gulped in fear.

“Is it a lot more than the treasure we seized from the goblin villages?” Jahl asked teasingly as he stared at the lieutenant.

The subordinate’s face was pale, and Jahl knows that his body was s.h.i.+vering from the hand that was on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong? Why are you shaking?” The captain demanded.

“I-I am sorry!” While his lieutenant apologised, Jahl narrowed his eyes and separated his hand from the s.h.i.+vering man’s shoulder.

[ED: Please no rapey s.h.i.+t. *prays hard*]

“We should send an expedition force toward that gold mine. It would be foolish if we only obtained a small amount of money from the goblin villages.” Jahl mused.

“I… I will immediately dispatch the expedition force one more time!” The lieutenant exclaimed.

“Fool! We can’t move the force so many times!” The older man roared

Upon hearing that thundering roar, the lieutenant closed his mouth hastily.

The truth is, he’s not popular enough to move the expedition troops often.

First of all, it’s necessary for the Lord to pay for the expedition expense.

Because of this reason, without the Lord’s permission, they would not able to prepare to march, secure food, re-recruit the militia that had already disbanded, buy new arms, and many other things. Besides, a day hasn’t even pa.s.sed since the expedition force was disbanded.

For example, even if there was gold mine right before their eyes, and the adventurers in the bars don’t know about it, a Lord of the city will still not move their army so easily. The Lord of Bendole in particular, is a conservative man. He was showing disapproval in attacking the goblin villages until the very last moment. Of course, it is not because he feels sympathy towards goblins. Rather, it is because if he simply moves the troops, the future yield of taxes might change, and the expedition’s expenses might be too much.

“...Go.” The captain muttered.

“Yes?” The lieutenant asked bravely.

“Lead your subordinates and go to the Labyrinth to collect the treasure!” Jahl yelled.

“Captain Jahl! Ju-Just a moment please! We aren’t adventurers! I’ve heard that there are monsters hidden inside Underground Labyrinth, and deadly traps as well. We, the soldiers, are only trained to fight humans. If it’s the combination of monsters and traps…” The lieutenant understood what he meant, so he argued in a hurry.

“Silence!” Jahl shouted in anger while hitting his lieutenant.

[ED: Epitome of trash right there ^^^]

“Ple-Please reconsider it.” Although blood flowed out of the corner of his mouth, the young man continued to appeal without minding it.

“Quiet, quiet! Be quiet! You should just carry out my orders, you fool!” Jahl hit him several more times while saying so, heaving breathlessly as he cursed. “Listen! Depart immediately! If you say you can’t do it, I will charge you with treason! It won’t only be you; your whole family will be kicked out onto the streets! No, I will hang all of you up!”

[ED: Pray this piece of garbage gets tortured slowly and painfully…]

“!!!”

When he said it like that, the lieutenant couldn’t argue anymore.

Jahl was not only a short-tempered person, but also a cruel one.

Because he had the power to carry out what he said, he would definitely act on his threat without hesitating if he declined the orders. For example, the knight that humiliated Jahl was banished. Without caring that the lieutenant had served him with devotion for so many years, he would definitely still act on his threat.

“…Yes, I understand.” The lieutenant saluted reluctantly.

When the lieutenant saluted, Jahl yelled at him to begin quickly.

The lieutenant left the room while cursing Jahl in his heart, deciding to summon all his subordinates for this task.

The small mountain which local people call Mt Dahl.

It was the headquarters of a small bandit group called [Rotten Wolf] that was located near the Underground Labyrinth.

There is small fort in the heart of the mountain. As the building was made from stone, soil, and trees, it had some defensive capabilities.

In one of the rooms at the fort.

It‘s the room of the boss of the bandit group, Zarudo. Currently, his subordinate was telling him about the story of his travels, and reporting on the food and weapons they bought from Bendole.

“So, the adventurers made a fortune in one night from the treasure they obtained from the labyrinth.” Zarudo gulped down his liquor as he listened to the report.

The boss was around his mid-thirties, and had bandages covering one of his eyes. His hair was shaved neatly and he had a well-brushed beard like a dwarf. As the leader of a bunch of ruffians, his strong body and aura were overpowering. If a weak-willed person met him, they would prostrate themselves immediately.

His swordsmans.h.i.+p is good, and furthermore, he uses a scimitar that emanates a red glow which hides the power to burn his opponents who were cut.

He’s the man leading the bandit group [Rotten Wolf] with fifty members. However, in times of crisis, he would be able to gather and lead even one hundred thieves quickly.

Since he’s a troublesome fellow that fights for money, alcohol and women, he enjoys this bandit business with his subordinates.

“However, there are still treasures inside the labyrinth, and some reckless adventurers were ready to challenge the labyrinth. Even though we didn’t take rumour seriously, how about it?” The underling who had reported suggested.

“Mmm, I don’t think it is bad.” Zarudo took another draught of his liquour while saying so.

While the subordinate was talking to Zarudo, the six thieves that acted as his bodyguards in the room were teasing two women inside that room. While they were talking, the women were continuously played with as if they were dolls, to the point where the women stopped shedding tears and only twitched in response.

After Zarudo finished speaking, he sensed a lecherous gaze from his subordinate’s eyes.

“Thanks for your trouble. Go and enjoy it too.” He grinned and told his subordinate.

“Y-Yes!” The bandit replied excitedly.

“They have been raped for almost 10 days… Seems like they will die soon. Oh yeah, don’t forget to dispose the bodies properly when they die.” The bandits’ leader told them ruthlessly.

The men toying with the girls began their discussion and joked around.

“Since they’re sisters, their tightness seems to resemble each other.”

“Maa, it’s because the boss already broke them down considerably.”

“At first, they screamed and refused, but now, it seems like they’ve already given up on screaming.”

“Anyway, are they still useable?”

“They’ll become pig food before long, I say.”

“Oi, what are you saying? I wonder which one I should help myself to ~ ”

When one of the women heard their words, she twitched for an instant. Perhaps it was the elder sister. When the subordinate took off his clothes and attacked her, n.o.body seemed to mind it.

(If these women die, I’ll need to prepare a new one.)

While thinking such a thing, Zarudo gulped down his liquor.

It’s cheap liquor.

But, to drink liquor while watching a woman get raped is a source of pleasure for him.

As Zarudo was enjoying this scene, he was considering the story about the labyrinth that his subordinate brought to him.

(Recently we can only watch the merchants that pa.s.s this area. Even if we attack a village, it does not yield much. Because the goblin villages were being crushed, we need to be cautious.)

All the members here were ruffians. Since they only fight when they have the confidence to win, their productivity was low. Therefore, food, daily necessities, and arms needed to be bought from surrounding cities. Of course, if they attack farming villages and merchants too many times, there is a chance that a subjugation team would be sent after them, like what happened to the goblin villages.

They should think fast and calculate all possibilities before acting.

In other words, as long as it’s not too showy, the feudal lord will not move his soldiers.

“….The Underground Labyrinth… Let’s go ~ ” A ferocious smile graced his face as he announced while placing down the empty bottle of liquor.

At the same time, the women being raped stopped moving completely.