Chapter 260: Elf and Sugar 1

Shane Rhodes was the first to react. This person couldn’t have been acting alone. He must have had other accomplices.

As for the roles these accomplices played, he already had a good idea.

Aaron Ford nodded. "However, these people were always active in Sector B before. This is their first time in Sector A."

After finishing his explanation, Aaron Ford led the man away.

As for his accomplices, they had fled the moment he was captured.

After they left, Kai York suddenly turned to Moira and said, "Moira, you haven’t trained for a few days, have you?"

Moira wasn’t sure why he was suddenly asking. She answered truthfully, "It has been a few days, but I’ve still been working out. Why the sudden question?"

Shane Rhodes pointed behind him. "These past few days, whenever we’ve been doing combat training, the NPC in combat mode keeps asking about you."

Kai York nodded. "Moira, do you think the mode has a virus or something? The NPC actually thinks we’re keeping you from showing up. Can alien machines even get viruses?"

"So should we download some antivirus software and run a scan?"

Moira waved her hand. "Better not. I don’t want the background to change to some cheesy bird wallpaper in the middle of a fight."

In the end, Moira didn’t go in. The reason was simple: the next game was about to start, and she didn’t want to go in injured.

As was their custom, Moira and the others prepared their food for the next game in advance.

「The day of the next game arrived quickly.」

Moira was ready bright and early.

She coiled her hair up, slathered it with a thick layer of gelatin, and let it dry. Afterward, her whole head was rock-hard, like she was wearing a helmet. It even saved her the trouble of wearing a hat.

As soon as it struck twelve, that familiar darkness fell over her vision.

The players were all used to this by now, each one appearing calmer than the last.

Inside the game, as long as you didn’t actively go looking for trouble, you were safe most of the time. The real danger to be wary of was the other players around you.

When she opened her eyes again, Moira looked at the scene before her and felt as if she had entered a fairy-tale world.

Everything was lush and vibrant. Treehouses could be seen everywhere, perfectly complemented by the artfully cascading vines.

Gasps of amazement echoed all around her.

Moira scanned her surroundings but didn’t see any familiar faces, and she breathed a sigh of relief. ’Looks like I can go all out this time without holding back.’

The players around her were obviously stunned by the scenery. They also seemed to be breathing a collective sigh of relief. ’Judging by the environment, this mission probably won’t be too hard.’

She pulled her face mask up a little higher and counted down in her head. ’Three, two, one.’

As soon as she finished the countdown, the familiar game prompt sounded in her ears.

[Dear players, we are delighted to see you again.

Before the game begins, I will issue an important announcement. Due to the high player elimination rate in previous rounds, and the sudden appearance of many new Awakeners on Caelus...

...the game system has decided to increase the number of player slots again after this round concludes. Everyone, including previously eliminated players, will have a chance to be chosen.

Now, let’s begin the mission briefing.

The Elven Race is one of the oldest species in the galaxy, and they are divided into many subraces. Among them, the Sea Sprites specialize in providing all manner of sweets for the rest of the elves.

The Elven Race’s love for sweets surpasses all other foods. They can go without meals and without sleep, but they cannot live without their desserts.

To increase the production of Elf Syrup, a group of outsiders has been hired to help them cultivate Gargantuan Sugarcane.

Please help plant as much as you can within three days. Your efforts will be noted by the Sea Sprites.

At the end of the game, the top-performing player will receive a mysterious reward from a Flower Sprite.

Friendly Reminder: Do not attempt to deceive us. You will be eliminated.]

’There’s no required quota to complete. That should be a good thing, right?’

’As long as I work hard, I probably won’t get eliminated.’

’Thinking back to what the game system said about increasing the number of players... it seems like too many people got eliminated in the last few games.’

’But...’

Moira looked at the mission description. ’Didn’t they say there was a flood of Elf Syrup? So why are we here planting Gargantuan Sugarcane?’

After hearing the mission details, the other players went to work without a second thought. Gradually, Moira was left behind.

"Patience, help me contact Eleanor Vaughn... wait, no. I’d better do the mission first."

Moira hesitated for a moment, then decided to focus on the mission. Contacting Eleanor Vaughn could wait until night.

Following the other players, Moira arrived at the work site.

Two deep-blue-skinned Sea Sprites stood nearby with their arms crossed, looking at them as if to say, ’What took you so long? We’ve been waiting for ages.’

When the players stood before the two Sea Sprites, each person was handed a tool—some received axes, others saw blades.

Moira stared at the rather plain-looking axe in her hand, lost in thought.

’Isn’t this the interstellar era? Why are we using such crude tools?’

[The Sea Sprites enjoy peace and quiet; the noise from machinery would disturb their rest. Furthermore, The Elven Race believes that mechanical production ruins the flavor of the sugar, so they have always insisted on crafting by hand.]

"Fair enough."

Moira sighed and gave the axe in her hand a swing. It was sharp enough.

The two Sea Sprites led them to a dense, colorful bamboo forest.

It was called a bamboo forest, but the stalks here were far larger than any ordinary bamboo. Each one was as thick as a bucket, probably hundreds of meters tall, and they grew packed tightly together.

Moira twitched her nose, catching a faint, sweet aroma.

One of the Sea Sprites pointed to the vast expanse of colorful bamboo. "Your task is to clear out this entire patch of Gargantuan Sugarcane. Be careful when they fall, and don’t get crushed."

Thanks to Cathaya’s efforts to popularize the interstellar language, the players now had a basic understanding of it. While speaking it might still be a struggle, they could at least grasp the gist of what was being said.

After listening to the two Sea Sprites, the players immediately found spots and began to work with gusto.

As Moira gazed at the colorful bamboo forest, the voice of Patience sounded in her ear.

[Gargantuan Sugarcane: As it grows, it produces a sweet, refreshing, and delicious juice with a fruity taste and aroma, beloved by many races.

PS: Overripe Gargantuan Sugarcane accumulates an excess of sugar, making it overwhelmingly sweet. Its texture is far inferior to that of fresh sugarcane, so it is usually discarded.]