He paused, then added quickly, "They looked exactly like the descriptions in the records. If they didn't, I'd never have come forward." Aiden's expression stayed steady. "That's fine. They haven't shown themselves for centuries. It's normal to doubt what you saw. Tell me what race you believe they were and where you found them." The guard's face turned grave. "If my eyes didn't deceive me, they were Dwarves. Their settlement sits inside a forest not far from Leafport." "Inside Leafport's outskirts?" Aiden asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and disbelief. He was surprised they hid so close. Before the guard could answer, Alan spoke. "Interesting, isn't it?" he said. "A few days ago, this man was sent on a mission and got lost in that same forest. By chance, he wandered into the Dwarves' territory." Alan nodded toward the guard. "But the Dwarves are extremely wary of outsiders. He hid the entire time, afraid to be seen. "Then yesterday, when the eerie creatures attacked, the whole forest fell into chaos. He managed to escape during the confusion." "So the dwarves are still there?" Aiden asked, thoughtful. The guard shook his head. "No, sir. Those creatures were too strong. The dwarves were nearly wiped out. Their settlement was destroyed. But then, for some reason, the monsters stopped attacking and retreated." He clenched his fists slightly as he spoke. "That's how I escaped. If they hadn't pulled back, I'd have died there too." The memory made his breath unsteady. He had barely escaped with his life. "They retreated?" Aiden asked, his brow narrowing. Alan let out a laugh. "My guess? It's because the three Lord-level 100 eerie creature bosses were killed. That ended the invasion early. The forest isn't far, so the ones there must've pulled back too." "Which means, this might actually be your doing. We'd never have gotten the news had the invasion succeeded."Aiden tilted his head and nodded once. "It does seem that way." That explanation sounded completely logical. No wonder he had never heard about the lost race anywhere near this region in his previous life. They probably hadn't lasted long enough to spread word before the eerie creatures wiped them out. Of course there wasn't any clue about them. This time, things had shifted. The invasion had ended ahead of schedule, leaving a handful of survivors behind. "Mr. Nighthale," the silver-armored guard said, his tone firm and respectful. "I owe you my life. You didn't only save Leafport. You saved me as well. Please, I must thank you." "It was just a coincidence," Aiden said with a faint smile. "Forget the gratitude. Tell me where those dwarves are now." "They're not far off," the guard replied quickly. "When I escaped, I saw them packing to move to Northward." "Then we're leaving," Aiden said. He didn't waste a single second. The two of them set off right away. … At the same time, Northward... "Holy hell, look at that! Hidden NPCs! They look like tiny bodybuilders in armor! Are those Gnomes?" "No chance. Gnomes look like little goblins. These guys are way too human. They've got to be Dwarves." "Yeah, that fits. Every one of them's holding a hammer. That's textbook dwarf behavior. Wait a second... aren't Dwarves supposed to be the lost race?" "Oh my god, you're right! I'm about to be rich!" "Shut up, kid! I saw them first! Nighthale better hold up! Those epic items and marks are mine!" Players on their way to Leafport started noticing the chaos. Those with higher agility dashed off immediately, sprinting toward the city to report what they saw. The slower ones stayed back, watching from a distance, hoping they could squeeze some profit out of the situation. "I heard Dwarves are expert blacksmiths. If one of them makes me a weapon, maybe even an artifact, that'd crush any epic gear." "Exactly! They're walking gold mines! Anyone who skips this is out of their mind!" Their eyes gleamed with hunger. Everyone knew what an artifact meant. Back when the beta first ended, a lucky player had found one by accident. His mother was sick in real life, and his family was desperate for money. He ended up auctioning it off. A billionaire bought it on the spot—for several million dollars in cash. The news went viral overnight. That one deal flipped the entire industry upside down. Players started risking everything for the smallest chance to strike it rich. The profits were better than the drug trade. Even criminal groups overseas dropped their scams and started forcing people to play Doomsday to grind for gold and loot. If they didn't meet the quota, they got beaten.If they got unlucky, they lost a lot more than their gear.