Chapter Eleven: World Background and Hidden Quests

"Heh, you come from the all-powerful Paradise World, yet you have questions for a humble native like me? That's truly hilarious!"

Although their relationship was no longer hostile, Bob Jr.'s cold demeanor made it impossible for him to feel any fondness toward Ash and Wine Deepening. This wasn't just because of the presence of the Gardener, but also due to the fact that both of them hailed from Paradise World. Most humans from Paradise who understood the division of worlds regarded their kin from other realms as mere natives, even those from future timelines of Paradise itself. The reason was simple: as Bob Jr. put it, Paradise World was currently the strongest of all worlds, and the gap in power was vast—almost unfathomably so.

Despite his sneer, Bob Jr. agreed to Ash's request. "No matter what, I owe you both for letting me catch this ride. Otherwise, with my strength alone, getting into the Central Ring would have required tricks. The Shavers are too much trouble, and the Spitters are disgusting beyond belief. I honestly don't know how the two of you managed it!"

"What do you mean?"

At his words, Ash and Wine Deepening's hearts leapt. They hadn't expected their suspicions might be true!

"In the Wasteland World, the roaming Corpse Nests are always elusive, impossible to track. But once they enter the Life Forbidden Zone, they're bound by the rules here—they can only move randomly within the zone." Bob Jr. looked up at the endlessly shifting muscular walls, calculating that the time for movement was near. "Yet, what's strange is that this Corpse Nest can't leave the zone, and every so often, it teleports directly into the Central Ring. Back when we were searching for an exit in the Central Ring, we ran into this Corpse Nest three times. Later, due to an accident, we were forced to hide inside and, by sheer luck, discovered a pattern."

Bob Jr. drew several circles on the ground to indicate the general layout of the Life Forbidden Zone.

"Every twenty minutes, this Corpse Nest teleports—each time drawing closer to the Central Ring. During this period, that pool of blood gives birth to a witch. The moment the witch is formed coincides exactly with the Corpse Nest's teleportation into the Central Ring. The resurrected witch dies in the Central Ring, and when time is up, the Corpse Nest returns to the edge of the Forbidden Zone. The cycle repeats endlessly, never stopping."

As Bob Jr. explained his discovery, he couldn't conceal his sense of disbelief. Watching Ash and Wine Deepening mirror his expression, he chuckled softly. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'd never have believed it. Only after we preemptively killed the witch and entered the Central Ring, driven by curiosity to use that invitation, did we begin to understand a little of the truth."

Perhaps the experience was too harrowing, for Bob Jr.'s smile was tinged with bitterness. He looked at Ash and Wine Deepening with a fearful glint in his eyes and asked quietly, "Do you believe it? This witch may very well be the cause behind the premature expansion of the Life Forbidden Zone! She somehow escaped from that nightmare fairy tale that had become her cage, triggering a shockwave throughout the zone. Overnight, the former Wasteland Camp was annihilated."

"Are you saying... this witch is a fairy tale character?"

Still unfamiliar with the major worlds, Ash asked in confusion. Seeing both Ash and Wine Deepening looking lost, Bob Jr. suddenly realized that Paradise World had actually sent two rookies on such a mission.

Bob Jr. let out a wry laugh and had to explain patiently, "The worlds parallel to your Paradise are called the Fairy Tale Worlds. As the name suggests, they are illusory worlds formed from fairy tales."

"Why did something so strange happen?" Wine Deepening interrupted, curiosity piqued. Her question instantly provoked Bob Jr.'s wrath. "Why? You really have the nerve to ask why? Isn't it all because your Paradise World is too powerful?"

"You’re so strong you can alter your enhancement choices at will before your metamorphosis! And what about us? Apart from the core members of the Wasteland Group, no one else has the privilege to freely change their attribute enhancements. If we want to survive out here, we have to plan every step, making cautious choices—most people end up mediocre, forced to pick those low-reward but fiercely contested missions! Meanwhile, you can approach every mission in perfect form. That's why the gap keeps growing!"

Bob Jr.'s resentment toward Paradise World boiled over, making Wine Deepening indignant. She was just a grunt on assignment—if only he had the guts to rage at the Foundation instead! If he weren't a game character, she'd have pulled a weapon already.

Ash gently patted her shoulder, signaling for patience. Wine Deepening pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose at him, her eyes conveying, "A true adult lets the small stuff go." Ash couldn't help but laugh. After countless battles, he listened to Bob Jr.'s account with new ears, feeling as if he'd overlooked certain facts and thus gravely underestimated his own strength.

"Not only that," Bob Jr. continued, "but even when you leave Paradise World, you still retain power that was never meant to be yours! Don’t think it’s impossible—if I entered Paradise World, I’d be limited to skills honed over years of training and whatever physical enhancements I’ve managed. Unless the Wasteland Group poured resources into me, there’s just no way I could resist Paradise World’s overwhelming suppression!"

"It's like how humans grow by eating and drinking. So it is with world-planes. But resources are finite—if you take more, I get less. Paradise World not only gobbled up all the resources, but then eyed its own twin. In the end, only a few tiny lands remain, bearing the burden of the Life Forbidden Zone."

Ignoring their silent exchange, Bob Jr. pressed on. "The heroes of the Fairy Tale Worlds were driven to desperation and had to seek another path, building sub-worlds from spiritual energy. Using fairy tales from Paradise as a foundation, they created their own fairy tale worlds, siphoning spiritual energy from Paradise in return. This let them hold their ground and even surpass Paradise on the spiritual plane, achieving astonishing results."

"Sadly, whether it was the physically mighty Paradise World or the spiritually unfathomable Fairy Tale Worlds, neither escaped the Great Cataclysm that was destined to come." Bob Jr. looked down at his feet, his bravado fading into loneliness. "I don't know much about what happened next in Paradise World, but the Fairy Tale Worlds, being near the Life Forbidden Zone, were all swallowed by the Dark Curtain. When we used the invitation and summoned the Nightmare Pumpkin Carriage, we experienced a nightmare spun from fairy tales..."

"The witch, unable to withstand the nightmare's torment, forced her way out. But you saw her fate—dragged back, imprisoned by the Corpse Nest, forced to return to the Central Ring after every resurrection to endure more nightmare torment." Bob Jr. glanced again at the invitation card in Ash's hand and let out a bitter laugh. "It wasn't until we used that invitation that we realized it was meant to let someone else suffer the witch's nightmare in her place. But by the time we figured it out, half our squad died there. If not for the Gardener, we’d have been wiped out. The irony is—it was him who saved my life!"

Ash, understanding the tangled emotions, could sympathize. After all, it was a cruel twist to have your savior become your mortal enemy. Looking at Bob Jr., he still asked the most sensitive question: "So why didn't you join the follow-up operation?"

"Because I was injured—badly. I had to leave the Forbidden Zone for treatment."

Bob Jr. didn't shy away from the question, his voice calm. "After that calamity, the squad needed time to recover. We returned to camp, but then I heard the Wasteland Group’s Giant Tree Research Institute was planning a major expedition into the Forbidden Zone. My father didn't want to miss out on the rewards, so he and the Gardener set out again. But they never returned. Later, I was even hunted by the Institute and forced to hide until I finally got the chance to sneak into the Forbidden Zone again."

"I'm truly sorry for what you've been through. If possible, let me and my companion help you take your revenge."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

[Prompt: You have accepted the hidden quest 'Bob Jr.'s Revenge' (First Stage)!]

...

Quest Name: [Bob Jr.'s Revenge] (Hidden Quest, Stage One)
Objective: Help Bob Jr. search the Central Ring for the notes left by Elder Bob.
Reward: Unknown (Cumulative rewards; final rewards will be granted based on overall completion)
Description: Bob Jr. has learned that his father, a renowned scholar who once traversed the wilds, left part of his investigative notes in the Central Ring where Fairy Tale Town is located. He hopes you can help him recover them.
[Prompt: Elder Bob’s investigative notes will help you complete this trial. The more notes you find, the easier it will be to uncover the secret of the Sun Steps.]
[Prompt: Bob Jr.’s favorability towards you has increased from 'Aloof' to 'Neutral'.]
...

A hidden quest?

Phew!

Ash and Wine Deepening exchanged a look, both seeing the surprise in each other’s eyes. As if a main quest wasn’t enough, now a hidden quest appeared as well—proof of how difficult this trial was. No wonder it surpassed the level of mere hardship!

"My father left his notes in the Central Ring. Don't worry, it won't take much time. I know the place well, and my father always left marks. Finding the notes will also help you explore the Sun Steps. Besides, I still strongly advise you not to use the Nightmare Invitation—it could truly become your nightmare. As for that other item you have, I don't know what it is. Maybe you two can figure something out."

With his favorability once again increased, Bob Jr. seemed much calmer. He leaned alone by the window, lost in thought, giving Ash a chance to examine the two items he had just acquired.