Lex merasa sedikit khawatir dengan sikap Moon, tapi dia terlalu sibuk untuk memikirkannya. Lagipula, adiknya itu memang sering bertingkah aneh.
Lex pada dasarnya sedang menyelesaikan semua pekerjaan yang selama ini dia tunda sebelum pergi ke dunia baru. Terakhir kali dia cukup beruntung bisa kembali dalam sehari, tapi tidak ada jaminan hal itu akan terjadi lagi.
Akhirnya, setelah menunggu cukup lama, dia menerima notifikasi dari sistem:
[Tuan rumah kini dapat menggunakan Tiket Emas!]
Tanpa ragu, dia memanggil tiket itu dan merobeknya menjadi dua bagian. Kedua bagian itu menghilang dalam cahaya yang bersinar, dan sebuah panel muncul di depan matanya.
Planet Tersedia: 2.
Planet: Nibiru
Rating Planet: 1 Bintang
Jarak Planet: 3 Sektor
Lingkungan Planet: Sangat Semarak
Planet: Dunya
Rating Planet: 5 Bintang
Jarak Planet: 8 Sektor
Lingkungan Planet: Energi spiritual sangat pekat
Hanya dua planet yang tersedia kali ini, tapi sebelum Lex sempat membaca lebih detail, dia menerima notifikasi lain.
[Misi Baru: Tuan rumah telah menemukan planet yang sangat cocok untuk mencari tamu. Bangun koneksi ke Dunya!]
[Batas Waktu Misi: Tidak ada!]
[Hadiah Misi: 1 Peningkatan Penginapan Gratis!]
[Catatan: Mohon cuci muka sebelum pergi ke Dunya. Sistem akan malu jika dikaitkan dengan orang yang kelihatan kotor!]
Bibir Lex berkedut, dia merasa ingin memukul seseorang. Dia sudah menunggu misi, tapi untungnya misi ini tidak punya batas waktu karena mustahil dia akan pergi ke dunia 5 Bintang dengan kultivasinya saat ini. Dunia 1 Bintang saja hampir membunuhnya. Ini adalah urusan untuk masa depan. Tanpa membuang waktu lagi, dia memilih Nibiru dan menghilang.
Lex sangat tegang saat dia muncul kembali, dan dengan cepat menganalisis sekelilingnya untuk mencari ancaman! Untungnya, kedatangannya kali ini berbeda dari sebelumnya. Dia mendapati dirinya berdiri sendirian di tengah jalan tanah yang lebar di sebuah dataran tinggi. Sepertinya masih pagi, dan cuaca yang menyenangkan serta angin sejuk menyambut Lex seperti teman lama. Di sebelah kirinya, ada hutan, tapi di sebelah kanan dataran tinggi itu, Lex bisa melihat beberapa petani bekerja di ladang yang terlihat seperti sawah.
Lex sedikit rileks, dan menjauhkan tangannya dari Heavy Harley yang terselip di pinggangnya. Pedang pendek yang baru saja dia beli tergantung di punggungnya, dan belatinya di sepatu botnya. Dia mengenakan pakaian kamuflase pertahanan serta ransel barunya, jadi dia tampak mencolok di lingkungan pedesaan yang sangat tradisional ini, tapi dia lebih mementingkan keamanan langsung daripada menarik perhatian. Setelah memastikan tidak ada yang salah, dia mengirim kembali sandal kamar mandi itu ke inventaris sistem. Tapi, karena dia memakai sepatu bot, bagaimana dia bisa juga memakai sandal? Begini, Lex menyadari bahwa dia tidak benar-benar perlu memakai sandal di kakinya untuk mendapatkan efeknya, cukup memakainya di tubuhnya. Jadi dia menggunakan tali cadangan yang dia punya di apartemennya dan mengikat kedua ujungnya ke masing-masing sandal, lalu menggantungkan sandal-sandal itu di lehernya. Itu terlihat mengerikan tapi lebih praktis. Lagipula tidak ada yang melihatnya, jadi tidak masalah.
Tepat saat dia hendak bergerak, dia mendengar suara gemerisik dari hutan dan menoleh tepat pada waktunya untuk melihat seorang pemuda berantakan berlari keluar dari hutan, kehabisan napas. Pemuda itu mengenakan jubah yang terlihat seperti jubah sarjana, sesuatu yang sangat tidak cocok untuk berlari, dan wajahnya yang agak kotor dipenuhi goresan. Kegembiraan terlihat di wajahnya saat dia keluar dari hutan, dan bergegas menuju jalan. Namun, ketika anak itu melihat Lex di jalan, dia membeku, terkejut dan ngeri.
Mereka berdua berdiri saling berhadapan beberapa meter, saling menganalisis. Lex berpakaian terlalu aneh, dan dari wajah orang itu dia bisa tahu berbagai macam asumsi sedang dibuat tentang dirinya. Lebih baik mengambil kendali situasi sebelum sesuatu yang tidak terduga terjadi.
“Halo, kawan,” sapaan Lex hangat sambil tersenyum, “Namaku Lex. Sepertinya aku tersesat. Bisakah kau menunjukkan ke kota atau desa terdekat? Aku akan berterima kasih.”
Pemuda itu menenangkan diri saat mendengar Lex berbicara. Ketakutan di wajahnya hilang, tapi kecurigaan jelas terlihat di wajahnya. Jelas apa pun yang awalnya dia asumsikan tentang Lex salah, tapi dia tidak bisa menilai kebenaran kata-katanya.
“Namaku Tif- eh, Tom. Kau bisa memanggilku Tom,” katanya. Atau lebih tepatnya, dia. Begitu dia berbicara, Lex bisa tahu itu perempuan, suaranya jelas memberikan petunjuk. Dia menyamar dengan baik, belum lagi rambut pendek dan wajah kotornya menambah penyamaran itu. Tapi begitu Lex menyadarinya, menjadi jelas bahwa ini sebenarnya bukan laki-laki. “Kau hanya akan menemukan petani di sini. Desa terdekat berjarak dua hari perjalanan dengan gerobak keledai. Kau hanya perlu mengikuti jalan ini. Sekarang permisi, aku harus pergi.”
‘Tom’ merapikan jubahnya dan mulai melenggang menyusuri jalan seolah tidak punya rahasia, meskipun langkahnya yang cepat menunjukkan sebaliknya.
“Kau tidak apa-apa, Tom? Butuh bantuan?” tanya Lex, geli.
“Tidak, maksudku ya, aku baik-baik saja. Aku sangat, sangat baik-baik saja. Aku tidak butuh bantuan. Aku benar-benar tidak butuh bantuan sama sekali…” tepat saat Tom berbicara, empat pria berpakaian serba hitam menerobos keluar dari hutan dengan marah. Mereka memegang belati di tangan, dan begitu melihat Tom dan Lex, mereka berteriak dan menyerang.
Sebelum Tom sempat bereaksi, Lex mengangkatnya dan mulai berlari, senyum di wajahnya. Tom, yang terkejut, berteriak, tapi segera berhenti ketika mendengar Lex berkata, “Kau yakin kau benar-benar baik-baik saja? Bahkan tidak butuh bantuan sedikit pun?”
Keempat pengejar itu adalah manusia biasa dan tidak akan mampu mengimbangi kecepatan Lex, jadi dia merasa tidak tertekan sama sekali. Dia sebenarnya bisa melawan mereka, tapi dia tidak ingin bertarung – dan berpotensi membunuh – orang sembarangan tanpa alasan. Lebih penting lagi, akting Tom yang buruk dan penampilannya yang berantakan membuat Lex ingin menggodanya. Tapi yang terpenting, dia menerima notifikasi lain dari sistem:
[Misi Baru: Tuan rumah telah bertemu seseorang yang membawa kehendak dunia Nibiru. Lindungi keselamatan mereka dan bantu mereka menyelesaikan tugas mereka untuk mendapatkan niat baik dari Nibiru.]
[Hadiah Misi: Tergantung pada waktu yang dihabiskan untuk menyelesaikan. Semakin cepat selesai, semakin baik hadiahnya!]
[Hukuman Kegagalan Misi: Penurunan drastis keberuntungan saat berada di Nibiru! -1000MP (jika tuan rumah tidak mampu membayar, akan mengakibatkan kematian segera)!]
The next day during Lex’s early morning workout Mary informed him that Helen had been completely healed. However, since she had woken up she had not spoken with anyone and had asked to be left alone. She had been sitting in the lawn behind the Inn, looking forlorn and lost in thought. Since she wanted to be left alone Lex did not disturb her, but instructed Mary to have a Saturn cake sent to her when she was feeling better. Lex did not know if there were other things on her mind, but coming so close to death would definitely traumatize anyone. Although he’d be paying for the cake himself, he considered it a little gift to Alexander for all his spending – not to mention it would give him a good idea of how effective the Saturn cake was at making the eater feel euphoric.
With that he put her out of his thoughts and continued his training. He also tried to look up other information about what happened in Egypt, but there were only rumors online. He also finally met up with Elaine and Harry, his friends from his previous job. Giving as little detail as possible he filled them in on his new job and asked them how things were going at their old place. He was particularly interested in what Jessica, his old boss, was up to but his friends mistook his interest as romantic. Elaine and Harry shared a secret look, but Lex missed it and was thus completely unaware that his friends had started considering how to get Lex and Jessica together for a romantic rendezvous. Lex also finally got around to having a video call with his family, taking particular care in letting them know that New York was not a place they’d be interested in visiting and should not consider doing so. His youngest sister, Moon, was behaving especially suspicious during the call but Lex couldn’t be bothered to investigate.
Lex was basically checking all the chores he had been avoiding off his list before his travel to the new world. Last time he had been fortunate enough that he returned within a day, but there was no guarantee of such a thing happening again.
Finally, after all his waiting, he received a system notification:
Host can now use the Golden Ticket!
Without hesitation he summoned the ticket and tore it in half. The two pieces disappeared in a shining light and a panel appeared before his eyes.
Planets Available: .
Planet: Nibiru
Planet Rating: 1 Star
Planet Distance: 3 Sectors
Planet Environment: Extremely Vibrant
Planet: Dunya
Planet Rating: 5 Stars
Planet Distance: 8 Sectors
Planet Environment: Extremely dense spiritual energy
These were the only two planets available this time around, but before Lex could get a good read on he received another notification.
New Quest: Host has encountered a planet extremely suitable for finding guests. Build a connection to Dunya!
Quest Time limit: None!
Quest Reward: 1 Free Inn upgrade!
Remarks: Please wash your face before going to Dunya. The system will be embarrassed if it is associated with a dirty looking fellow!
Lex’s lips twitched, and he felt like beating someone up. He had been waiting for a quest, but it was a good thing that this quest had no time limit as there was no way he’d be going to a 5 Star world with his current cultivation. A 1 star world had almost killed him. This would be something for the future. Without wasting any further time he selected Nibiru and disappeared.
Lex was extremely tense when he reappeared, and quickly analyzed his surroundings for any threats! Fortunately, his arrival this time was different from last. He found himself standing alone in the middle of a wide, dirt road on a plateau. It seemed like early morning, and the pleasant weather and cool breeze welcomed Lex like a fond friend. Some distance on his left there seemed to be a forest, but on his right down the plateau Lex could see some farmers working in what looked like rice fields.
Lex relaxed a little, and moved his hand away from the Heavy Harley that he was wearing on his hip. The short sword that he had recently bought was strapped to his back, and his dagger in his boot. He was wearing his defensive, camouflage gear as well as his new backpack so he stood out like a nail in this very rural environment, but he was more concerned with his immediate security rather than attracting attention. Making sure that nothing was amiss, he sent the bathroom slipper back into the system inventory. But since he was wearing boots, how was he also wearing the slippers? Well Lex had realized that he didn’t really need to be wearing the slippers on his feet for them to have an effect, only have them on his body. So he used a spare lace he had in his apartment and tied both ends onto one slipper each, then hung the slippers around his neck. It looked hideous but it was more practical. Not to mention no one saw it so it didn’t really matter.
Just as he was about to move, he heard rustling from the forest and looked just in time to see a ruffled young man running out of the forest, completely out of breath. The young man was wearing what looked like scholar’s robes, something very unfit for running, and had numerous scratches on his somewhat dirty face. Glee could be seen on his face when he exited the forest, and scurried towards the road. Yet when the boy noticed Lex on the road he froze, gripped with shock and horror.
The both of them stood facing one another a few feet apart, analyzing the other. Lex was dressed too peculiarly, and judging by the other face he could tell that all sorts of assumptions were being made about him. It would be better to take control of the situation before something unexpected happened.
“Hello there friend,” Lex spoke warmly with a smile, “My name is Lex. I seem to have gotten lost. Could you point me towards the nearest town or village? I would appreciate it.”
The young man gathered himself up when he heard Lex speak. The fear on his face disappeared, but suspicion clearly painted his face. Clearly whatever he had originally assumed about Lex was wrong, but he could not judge the truthfulness of his words.
“My name is Tif- no, Tom. You can call me Tom,” he said. Or rather, she said. The moment she spoke Lex could tell it was a girl, her voice a clear give away. She had disguised herself well, not to mention her short hair and dirty face adding to it. But once Lex realized, it became obvious that this wasn’t really a boy. “You’ll only find farmers here. The nearest village is two days away by a donkey cart. You only need to follow the road. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to be leaving.”
‘Tom’ fixed up her robes and started strutting down the road as if she had nothing to hide, though her unusually quick pace spoke otherwise.
“Are you alright, Tom? Do you need any help?” Lex asked, amused.
“No, I mean yes, I am completely alright. I am very, very alright. I don’t need any help. I completely do not need help at all…” just as Tom was speaking, four men dressed completely in black broke out of the forest in a fury. They were holding daggers in their hands, and as soon as they saw Tom and Lex they yelled and attacked.
Before Tom could react Lex picked her up and started running, a grin on his face. Tom, taken by surprise, yelled, but quickly stopped when she heard Lex say, “Are you sure you’re totally completely alright? You don’t even need a little help?”
The four pursuers were mortals and thus would not be able to keep up with Lex’s pace, so he felt no pressure at all. He could have also fought them, but he didn’t want to fight – and potentially kill – random people for no reason at all. More importantly, Tom’s bad acting and disheveled appearance filled Lex with the urge to tease her. But most importantly, he received another notification from the system:
New Quest: You have encountered someone carrying the will of the world Nibiru. Protect their safety and help them complete their task to gain goodwill from Nibiru.
Quest Reward: Depends on time taken to complete. The quicker the completion, the better the reward!
Quest failure punishment: Drastic drop of luck whilst in Nibiru! -1000MP (if the host is unable to pay, it will result in immediate death)!
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