Within an hour, Jin managed to release the Emergency Dungeon Raid, “The Battle in Salamander Lord’s Keep” to the public. Considering that he did not have to create the environment nor any monsters, it took him more time than usual.
He spent the time mainly to create the reward system and Jin knew that he needed to prepare an incentive system since the raid would be nigh impossible, especially for the first few waves of cultivators entering.
When Jin published the Emergency Raid instance into his shop, a wave of notifications was sent throughout to the Pandamonium App network as proposed by the dungeon supplier. Unsurprisingly, the first few to respond were a group of elderlies who had used Jin’s shop as a place to catch up with friends and relatives.
The reason for this neighbouring group of elderlies to always gather in Jin store was mainly because Jin had provided them with an activity that allowed them to exercise on a regular basis. But most importantly, they had taken a liking for Jin’s store due to his food. (at reasonable prices!)
Though Lynn had always provided savoury food with the bulk of the cultivators, she had purposely made an elderly friendly menu that was priced at a reasonable cost and suited the taste palate of the uncles and aunties. (not to mention filled with nourishment!)
Hence, it was a place of convenience to gather for food and exercise while enjoying the modern trend of those youngsters, what was there not to like?
As a group of them was waiting for some of their friends to arrive early in the morning for the usual workout before the crowd comes in, the notification of the Emergency Raid instance came without warning. Accompanied with the shop instance blinking with red lights, the sudden atmosphere change startled the group of ‘young’ elders.
“What is happening?” Xia Mao, a recently retired 60 year old gentleman, checked his phone when he felt the vibration coming from his phone. He squinted his eyes a little to check the contents of the notification and realised it was from his Pandamonium App.
Zi Dan, a friend which Xia Mao acquainted from this casual weekend gathering, also took his phone out to check the notification out. “Hmmm, Emergency Raid Instance? Is this something new? I thought the current raid was the Christmas one?”
“Should be new, I guess? It stated that if we decided to respond and join the raid within an hour, we would be able to enter for free once and earn 100 panda medals regardless of the raid outcome.” Xia Mao replied.
“Seems like everyone in the shop instance is receiving the notification. Some are not hesitating and accepted the Emergency request.” Jing Yu, one of the few seniors that had started this casual community gathering in Jin’s store, observed the commotion within the shop instance.
“Hmm I think we can give it a try first, it affirmed that this new dungeon is a community raid, similar to the Goblin Raids and of limited time only. Must be Boss Jin trying out new stuff again. Oh does this guy ever stop thinking us as some guinea pigs?” Xia Mao commented which made Zi Dan laughed.
“But you never fail to participate for every dungeon of his ever since you join us! The way I see it, you liked to be part of his experiments! Hahaha!” Zi Dan chuckled as he accepted the notification request too though he did not enter the instance just yet to see the response of his two other friends.
“You don’t wish to wait for the others?” Jing Yu questioned, but her intentions were painfully clear for the other two old men.
“Don’t tell me you are still waiting for Heng Li to come? Because I know that you do not really give much of a concern to most of our other group mates. Did he not say he is returning back to his hometown to celebrate the incoming new year with his children and grandchildren?” Zi Dan was the first to say it out loud.
“Even though I am not much of a position to say anything but I think you should give up on him. Do not mistake his kindness any more than what it supposed to be.” Xia Mao said, and it made Jing Yu flustered for a moment.
“What are you two talking about? Of course, I am definitely waiting for the others to come! You said it was a community raid kind of instance right?” Jing Yu pretended not to care much about the person that they were talking about.
“Say whatever you want, your actions spoke louder than words. We are not young anymore. Just take the chance whenever you can, even though it is going to fail. At the very least, you can pass on to the next life with one less regret.” Zi Dan rolled his eyes at the apparent lie Jing Yu was weaving.
“So…are we still waiting for the rest? Apparently, they received the notice from Pandamonium group chat, but we can check the raid out before them. Besides the first time is free and we know how money grabbing Jin’s raids are. We need to complete it at least a few times to earn his rewards.” Xia Mao asked once more, and the trio decided to enter the dungeon so they could at least guide the rest when they arrive.
“Heh! That is probably your karma for taking other people’s money when you are still working! Besides, the food vouchers they offer as rewards is simply too enticing for me as well.” Zi Dan saw the sample list of rewards they offered was extensive. There was even once he worked hard to get the Christmas plushie for his granddaughter and she loved it a lot.
The premise for the Emergency raid was straightforward for once. Nothing too fancy and the storyline from the promotional video which came with the notice portrayed a frog swordsman fighting to get revenge from the people who murdered his family and later slaughter his entire village. (Jin clearly left out the cannibalism part to make it more …community friendly.)
But as the frog fought against his nemesis, the Salamanders, he found out that their King was possessed by a mystical being which had superior powers. Thus, the frog swordsman Gaeru had to retreat temporarily and rallied for aid to come.
That was where the cultivators came in.
His prayers were supposedly answered by a Panda God which decided to reward him for his courage to face the Salamanders alone and made it that far. Most of the customers grasped the concept of the Panda God was none other than Jin himself, and many giggled at the fact that he called himself a god during the promotional video.
“Well, in a way, Boss Jin is a god since he created works to suit the storyline and make it a possibility for the frog to be victorious. Ahh, I assume he is gonna win with our help.” Xia Mao chuckled to Zi Dan as he checked his gear once more before going in.
“I just hope this current raid is not as strenuous as the Christmas one. Darn, I recalled hearing my joints cracked a few times doing that dungeon.” Zi Dan stretched his back and move his waist a little.
“If not for the increase in cultivation after attending Jin’s store, I don’t think I will be so active during my retirement years as well.” Xia Mao replied with a smile as they both looked towards Jing Yu’s changed outfit.
“What? Anything wrong with my outfit?”
“Sometimes, I wonder why you go to such the lengths to change to this traditional Hanfu (Han’s clothing) outfits.” Zi Dan questioned, even though he roughly knew why she had to wear that. “But it still looks great on you though despite your age.”
“Cut the crap. Use that sweet mouth of yours to younger girls. Not me.” Jing Yu said with some irk.
“Hahah, I think it’s because she looked funny wielding her two swords in modern clothing.” Xia Mao replied with the obvious, but Jing Yu was already ignoring the two old man as she pressed the ‘Enter’ button for the Battle in Salamander Lord’s Keep instance.
The other two quickly followed on and wondered what surprises this new dungeon raid will provide.
