Chapter 72: Chapter72-The Arrival
"Master John, why have you brought these filthy creatures back to our habitat?"
"Master John, please kill them quickly. Cave goblins emit a scent that helps their companions locate them. If they stay too long, our habitat will be marked, and that would be troublesome!"
"Yes, Master John!"
Hearing the chorus of voices around him, John frowned slightly and, after a moment of silence, responded coldly, "Don't worry. I will deal with these monsters swiftly."
"Thank you for your understanding, Master John."
In truth, over time, the elves' perception of humans, at least of John and his companions, had improved considerably.
John was taciturn but very powerful, personally resolving many crises.
The young Exiled Immortal was very enthusiastic and quickly bonded with the young elves, even gaining a group of admirers with his good looks and flamboyant talents.
Helena and Lily, both beauties with steady personalities, were quickly accepted by the elves, especially with Lily's [Affinity] talent.
Although not all humans could be trusted, one thing was certain: no goblin could ever be trusted.
The Creator was evidently fair, bestowing the elves with exceptional beauty, which made their combat prowess weak and kept their population from growing significantly.
This seemed related to their physical constitution.
In contrast, the goblins epitomized ugliness to the extreme.
With their oddly colored skin, short stature, beady eyes, and grotesque faces, the only similarity they shared with the elves was their pointed ears.
However, their ugliness came with formidable strength. High-level goblins were quite difficult to deal with, including wizards, cavalry, and priests among their ranks.
Their exaggerated reproduction rate surpassed even that of humans.
Nearly all races despised these small creatures, seeing them as harbingers of misfortune. But for John, these goblins were perfect test subjects.
However, concerning the elves' habitat, John couldn't act unilaterally. Since they couldn't stay in the habitat, he would take them elsewhere.
After calling Exiled Immortal, the two of them led the goblins out of the habitat.
John casually killed two severely injured, heavily bleeding goblins, and then brought the rest to a randomly chosen spot in the Deep Forest.
"Exiled Immortal, you keep an eye on these goblins. Try not to kill them. I might need to log off for a while, but it won't be long. Make sure they don't escape."
"John, you dragged me all the way out here just to babysit a bunch of goblins? That's too much!"
What was the point of guarding goblins? If they died, they could just catch more. They were like locusts—impossible to eradicate.
"Stop whining. If any of them try to escape or resist, kill them. But keep a close watch on the rest. I'll be back soon."
Without giving Exiled Immortal a chance to protest further, John cut off the connection and returned to the real world.
Time was running short for John. After waking up, he quickly ate some fast food and headed straight for the city center.
As his strength grew, navigating the ruins and rubble became almost second nature. He moved swiftly, like an extreme sports enthusiast, darting through the city, leaping from building to building.
In less than ten minutes, John reached the city center. Although he encountered a monster on the way, he easily decapitated it with the [Firewalker Dagger].
Finally, standing at the edge of the [Abyss], John looked down and spoke in a calm voice.
"I've found a vessel for you, [Deception]."
"That fast? It better not be an elf."
"Cut the crap. I feel that [Lust] is about to awaken. You need to find a way to enter the game world and take him out as soon as he wakes up!"
"Looks like you're quite interested in [Lust]'s abilities. Hey, hey, hey, you're not planning to use [Lust]'s power for something shady, are you?"
"Get lost! Stop wasting time. I don't have time to argue. Tell me how to help you descend into the vessel."
Seeing John's urgent expression, the [Deception Apostle] shrugged and spoke in a deep voice, "It's simple. Take this hat. When you return to the game world, place it on the vessel's head, and I will descend on my own."
John took the black top hat from the [Deception Apostle], examined it briefly, and then stored it in his player inventory.
"In about twenty minutes, you can descend. As long as there's a vessel, you won't be noticed, right?"
"Exactly. With my skills, fooling a few dumb [gods] is child's play."
"Dumb? Maybe not. Whatever, I don't have time to argue with you. We'll talk more in the game world."
With the problem solved, John wasted no time and turned to leave.
Watching John's retreating figure, the [Deception Apostle] smirked mockingly.
"John, John, you're not as composed as you used to be. Sometimes, impulsiveness can lead to irreparable consequences."
...
Under normal circumstances, John would have wandered around the city to gather useful supplies. But this time, he had no other thoughts. Returning to the warehouse, he immediately logged into the game.
The bored Exiled Immortal noticed John's sudden appearance and quickly approached him with bright eyes.
"John, where did you go?"
"To take care of something. Exiled Immortal, you can go back now. I'll keep watch here."
"No worries. I just found these cave goblins quite interesting. Let me tell you, John, I saw one goblin eating another goblin's poop earlier. Do you think these goblins are hopelessly stupid?"
John: "?"
The act of eating poop was already disgusting, but Exiled Immortal observing the whole thing made it even more disturbing...
"You... What kind of weird hobby is that?"
"I just found it amusing. Don't misunderstand, John!"
Realizing he might have said something wrong, Exiled Immortal tried to explain but found it difficult to clarify his intentions, mumbling without making much sense.
"Alright, I get it. You don't need to explain further. Just head back so Helena doesn't worry. If they ask, tell them I'm handling some personal matters and will be back soon."
"Got it."
Exiled Immortal made an 'OK' gesture, then casually waved his hand. A green wind swirled around him, lifting him into the sky and quickly out of John's sight.
Confirming on the map that Exiled Immortal had indeed left, John finally sighed in relief.
If the [Deception Apostle] situation were to be exposed, John wasn't sure how he would explain it to Exiled Immortal. It was better to keep it hidden as long as possible.
With this in mind, John turned towards the cave goblins, bound tightly in chains and unable to escape. He selected a goblin with a relatively intact body and minor injuries, then gently placed the black top hat on its ugly head.
The next moment, the black top hat began to constrict like a vice, squeezing the goblin's skull. The intense pain made the goblin scream shrilly.
John frowned, enduring the discomfort until the goblin gradually fell silent. [Deception Apostle]'s aura started to emanate from the goblin, gradually enveloping it until the descent was complete.
"So, this is the vessel you found for me?"
Noticing he had become a goblin, [Deception Apostle]'s mood soured instantly.
The dirty, smelly body, pitifully short stature, sparse hair, and raspy voice filled [Deception Apostle] with disgust!
How did this match his refined demeanor? It was completely the opposite!
"Time was short, so I had to use a goblin. The effect is the same, isn't it?"
"I seriously suspect you did this on purpose!"