The Game of Global Mining

Uriel teleported to room 233 and saw Bobona, dressed in black veil and black silk with long black hair, sporting two black dragon horns on her head, reading a magic book.

"Hello, welcome sir to visit. What brings you here?"

Bobona's proud elegance blended with warmth and courtesy gave Uriel a sense of the immense power hidden within her gentleness at first glance.

Uriel took a deep breath: "Hello, I am Sage Uriel. I have high hopes for the development of our guild, and I would like to join. May I ask what the requirements are?"

Bobona, indeed, showed much more respect, adjusting her black silk: "So you're the Sage sir! Even though I'm far away at Black Dragon Fortress, I've heard of your reputation."

Uriel always enjoyed being respected, especially by powerful and beautiful women: "Thank you for the compliment, miss. I will never stop moving forward."

Bobona sighed: "But our guild is 1 billion in debt, and what we urgently need right now is to pay off these debts. Could it be that the Sage sir wants to pay off the debt for us?"

Only a billion! Just let these fools start mining for a few months, and they'd have it, but the problem is players can't transfer funds among themselves. What a bummer!

Uriel could only say: "I am optimistic about the development of the guild, these debts are just challenges to overcome. Leave it to me."

Bobona wondered: "But I don't think the Sage sir has assets worth 1 billion, do you?"

Uriel, familiar with the procedures, cut to the chase: "Please test me, miss. If I can manage it, would you allow me to join the guild?"

Bobona nodded: "Since the Sage sir asks so insistently, I'll give you your first task. There are three Mining Grandmasters in the Vassal City of Lost Paradise: the Minotaur Minotaur, the Goblin Duodolin, and the Dark Elf Bast. If you can recruit any one of them to our guild, we would sincerely welcome you to join us and hold a managerial position."

Uriel was taken aback: "Miss, those are Grandmasters! The guild's entry requirements are...?"

Bobona laughed: "But you're a Sage! Isn't it fair for a Sage to recruit Grandmasters? Actually, this isn't the guild's standard, we haven't set one. It's merely my personal preference, and I'm incredibly curious about your Sage prowess. I truly wish to witness it."

Uriel was having a headache. This Bitch is the typical "celebrity-trapper" type; the higher one's status, the higher her price demands. But what's more annoying is this country bumpkin Bitch actually doubts me, which is very displeasing!

However, this test really hit a nerve with Uriel. He indeed wanted to challenge this level of difficulty to test the credibility of his privileged player status.

But if recruitment fails, it would diminish his reputation and spark ridicule; the consequences would be unpredictable, so the selection must be made carefully.

The strength of these three, of course, is their Grandmaster arrogance, but their disadvantage is they're second or third-class Demon People. Especially the Goblin Grandmaster is from the third-class cannon fodder race, making him the most likely to be recruited. But the more outstanding someone from a low status is, the more...

How to say it, it's like your own butler, who always teaches his son to take pride in being the best butler. Although that's reassuring, it also means the master absolutely cannot lower themselves to beg him, it would make him uneasy.

So if I were to ask a Goblin, with my status, he would definitely feel uneasy or even start doubting me as a Sage. Better rule him out!

As for the Minotaur, this race is simple-minded yet paradoxically holds an unshakeable sense of dignity when at the bottom, known as sheer stubbornness! A Grandmaster is stubborn at a Grandmaster level! Capital fears stubborn types the most, being irrational. Best to avoid.

Then the ideal candidate would be the Dark Elf, an ambitious, ruthless, cunning second-class race. Dealing with them isn't easy, but paradoxically it's easiest! They are like a skilled chess player, every move logical. It's all about having logic.

He's the one!

Uriel made up his mind: "Then Miss, await my good news."

Bobona handed out an invitation: "Looking forward to it! The sooner you accomplish it, the better!"

"Understood."

Leaving the guild, Uriel suddenly felt a nameless complex emotion. If those hundreds of fools knew my grand package was taken, how would they laugh at me? Of course, they wouldn't dare to my face, but behind my back, surely.

But if those few found out, let alone others, Sariel would definitely mock me in person! This cannot stand.

In any case, I can no longer rest, as they sleep, go settle that Dark Elf Grandmaster...

...

Meanwhile, in the Royal Headquarters video conference room.

Ma Yinglong's Black Iron Division of the Royal Family successfully secured residency rights in Southern Canyon Village. Feeling emboldened, he convened a video meeting with presidents, coaches, and top players of all professional teams in the national server to both show off and celebrate, and then to collaboratively study this bill from Bilenna.

The list on the bill contained dozens of NPCs, with the principal reaching as high as 2.3 billion. Besides what seemed to be mostly descendants of Black Iron City's NPCs, there were some suspected to have migrated to other cities. Given the Royal Family's branches evenly spread in all cities, they decided to start with the minor debtors who moved to other cities, since they would be more isolated without the deep roots like those in Black Iron City.

President of Dragon Slayer, Brother Tao, was quite helpless: "Brother Long, first, congratulations on securing one village! But we all understand this situation, according to that Chun said—"

Ma Yinglong corrected: "Call him Brother Chun! We'll depend on him to spearhead from now on."

Brother Tao, even more helplessly: "Alright, Brother Chun then, this is clearly a sham pirate sent over. Are we seriously going to track a century-old debt from NPC bigwigs because of this bogus agent? Even if we collect the debt, what benefits does Brother Chun get as the lead? Are we acting as his runners?"

Ma Yinglong sighed: "I know this is tough—"

Brother Tao impatiently interrupted: "Then just drop it!"

Cyan Peak angrily said: "Brother Tao, how can you speak to Brother Long this way?"

Brother Tao slammed the table in rage: "When I fought Shabak with Brother Long, you were still in kindergarten playing with mud, do you have the right to speak to us like this?"

Cyan Peak retorted: "I was programming in kindergarten!"

"Then why don't you get into Qinghua Jing University? Win eight championships then! What are you rambling about!"

Everyone quickly advised: "Calm down, calm down, aren't we here to discuss solutions?"

Brother Tao reluctantly said: "Brother Long, I'm not trying to disrespect you, but this is nonsense, I'm out."

Ma Yinglong, quite helpless: "Brother Tao, I'm really in a bind!"

Just then, Dragon Slayer's top player, Midnight Moore, spoke up: "Brother Tao, Brother Long, how about this, since I also have a hidden profession task, which involves running around the Five Great Cities, I'll ask about it along the way! If I can't even handle a few minor debtors, then this hidden profession isn't worth doing."

Brother Tao finally relented: "Alright, I'll leave it to Mo then..."