“I need you to find me a mercenary, preferably two at the very least, that hasn’t killed Xun Guan yet,” Lucas explained. “But the problem is that it’s just as you said earlier: I’m marked as a PKer. If I go to the starting town like this, a group of players might take advantage of my tag and kill me on sight.”

“Ugh. Really? You want me to talk to people and put together your stupid group? Are you at least planning to pay them too?”

Lucas nodded. “Yeah. I’ll throw you five gold coins for each person you bring. You can give them less than the five I’ll give you if they’ll take it, but make sure they’re Human,” he added. “This is a racial quest.”

“What’s the quest?” Nick asked. “I can’t get people to join if I don’t tell them first what we’re planning to do.”

“We’re going to kill Sir Kegan,” Lucas said.

“Okay. I’ll go get some people, but where are we gonna meet?” Nick asked. His tone was terse, but Lucas could tell that the idea of money, a rare class, and a unique quest had caught his attention.

“Actually . . .” Lucas paused and considered how tough the fight with Kegan might be. “You’ll need to finish your side of the quest first, join the Imperium, and then meet up with me, so go ahead and take care of that. Just follow Xun Guan’s instructions and then find some players and meet me in the village just outside of Kegan’s manor. I’m going to go there ahead of you and do some reconnaissance.”

“Got it,” Nick answered, turning and walking back toward town. “Just don’t forget to bring my plat!”

“Wait!” Lucas shouted, stopping him once more.

“What is it now?” Nick asked vexedly.

“You forgot your staff.” Lucas tossed over the one he already held in his hand and then withdrew his second from his bag. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Nick not to kill him now—the greed in the man’s eyes was as clear as day—but with the PK status effect, he didn’t want to chance someone else finishing him off. After encountering Nick on the road back, he was now feeling extra wary.

Some villain I am. Lucas shook his head, chastising himself as he changed his direction and headed north-northwest. I can’t even walk down the road without having to buy my way out of trouble.

——-

Lucas reached Borken, the town near Kegan’s manor, after a short walk, and he wasn’t surprised at all to find exactly how empty the village was. Without players coming in and out of it constantly, like starting towns or establishments housing important and frequented quests, this particular location was void of any foot traffic.