Moments later, the tunnel floor ended at a crossroads, the path open in three directions. To the left, the tunnel was blockaded with large metal grates. To the right, the passage curved upward slightly. Straight ahead, a broken wall with crumbled bricks revealed a dark hole beyond.
"Now which way do I choose?" he pondered with a thoughtful look on his face.
A faint breeze blew, carrying a scent of fresh air mixed with rot. This was the most pleasant smell Gabriel had encountered since stepping into the city sewer.
While he stood there, he considered his options.
The left path would probably lead nowhere due to the grate. The right path sloped upward, likely back to the surface, though uncertain if it would end inside some building.
The straight path looked suspicious. Beyond the broken wall, he could see what looked like light, and the scent of fresh air was stronger that way.
...Possibly this was the source of the infiltration—a breach left open.
Without hesitation, Gabriel started toward the hole where the fresh air felt stronger.
He stepped carefully through the gap and found himself in another corridor.
This corridor was narrower than the others, with walls pressed tightly on both sides. They weren’t made of stone bricks but looked like carved rock—possibly an old storm drain or older infrastructure.
This wasn’t the first time Gabriel had taken a sewer infestation quest. Like every other player, he had once thought the developers were geniuses for putting in such little details.
Right now, he felt like laughing at his past self.
The water in this border section rose up to his knees, but it didn’t slow him. The terrible stench was gone, replaced by a faint breeze that hinted at an exit ahead.
Finally, the corridor ended in a small room, and Gabriel froze as a trace of shock flickered across his face.
Standing before him was a heavy, rusty metal door. It was partially open, and through the cracks he could see daylight.
If someone told him the door was a hundred years old—or more—he would believe it. It didn’t look like something from this era.
Once he pushed it open fully, Gabriel stepped out and found himself at the edge of an abandoned section just outside Leo District, close to the city walls.
All around, overgrown grass and rocky hills stretched wide. Further down, one hill’s summit held a ramshackle building that looked like an ancient watchtower.
Gabriel recognized it instantly. It was a forgotten place from an old map—a section sealed off for decades, according to legend. And now, it looked like the monsters’ nest.
His eyes flashed sharply. ’So this is the source of the infestation.’
It wasn’t some hidden lab under Leo District. It was simply nature reclaiming an old sewer entrance near the quarry, now home to mutated creatures. The warm water upstream likely came from underground vents heated by the earth. Wildlife had slipped in, and something about the environment had twisted them—possibly radiation from an old sealed reactor, or magical taint.
’I’ll have to report all this.’
Some time later, Gabriel closed the door. He studied the wall before him and found a smaller opening at his feet.
It reconnected to the sewer system inside the city. If beasts had escaped to the surface, this was likely their bypass.
Sweeping his gaze around, he spotted a giant rock. Rolling it over—at least a ton in weight—he sealed the entrance, making sure nothing could slip through.
Satisfied, he followed the pipes to navigate back. The return was straightforward; no new creatures attacked.
Apparently, all the monsters were clustered near that open exit, none wandering back toward the city. Retracing his steps, he passed again through the narrow tunnels, stairs, and corridors he had already cleared.
Eventually, he reached the stairway where he had begun and climbed up to street level.
Seeing him step out of the sewers, the guards there were slightly startled and couldn’t help but speak.
"Sir Gabriel, we weren’t expecting you to return so fast."
"All the monsters have been cleared, and I’ve blocked the entrance to the city," Gabriel replied simply before heading back into his Kesla truck.
"So fast..." The guards were still in disbelief. Only after they went down and checked for themselves did they truly believe him.
Once inside his vehicle, Gabriel quickly swapped his clothes using his inventory feature and headed back to the Adventurer’s Guild to submit his report.
Back at the guild, the clerk recognized him immediately and stepped aside as he approached the elite missions counter.
"Status report on the sewer quest?" she asked.
Gabriel gave a short summary. "The creatures came from a broken tunnel outside the city in an old abandoned section. I found the opening, neutralized everything inside, and sealed it off. The pipes have been cleared."
"Very thorough, Sir Gabriel," she said with a smile, then handed him the rewards for completing the quest.
He received 5,000 Valerian dollars in cash. The +3 reputation gain was natural and didn’t needany special notification or tab.
Lastly, the 4,200 experience points were stored in the system, pending completion of his class advancement quest.
Afterwards, Gabriel went downstairs to the receptionist desk and picked up the guild creation form.
The requirements were clear: one needed to be part of an existing guild and complete ten missions—which he had done. Another was reaching level 35, depositing 100,000 Valerian dollars, and finally, having three members present. At the moment, he didn’t meet the last condition, since his subordinates were still back at camp.
Fortunately, there was an alternative. Stepping out of the Adventurer’s Guild, it was easy to spot several players moving about, looking for quests and forming parties for hunts.
He approached a group of three. When they saw him, they froze, awestruck, forgetting even how to speak.
Gabriel displayed a warm smile that didn’t reach his eyes as he said, "Otherworlders, would you like to join a guild?"