The group then started their work, making their way through the sewers.
Never one to stay idle, Kase asked, "So we don't have to fight this time?"
"Aside from the gangs, if any monsters show up, we'll have to trouble you for help," Kiran said with a smile.
Colin chimed in, "What kind of monsters might show up? Do they have any weaknesses?"
Ever since he had success using fire against those twig monsters, he felt it was necessary to study up on these creatures.
'Who knows? It might come in handy at a critical moment.'
"Usually, it's just giant rats or Oozes. The former aren't hard to deal with; kill a few, and they'll run away on their own. If you run into the latter, just run."
"Other than that, there are things like goblins. But they mostly work for the gangs. As long as you show them something that identifies you as City Watchers, they won't dare to make a move."
Kiran explained as they walked.
'This mission really does seem pretty easy,' Colin thought.
'The most troublesome ones, the goblins and the gangs, can be handled just by showing them the ring. And the giant rats... no matter how tough they are, could they be harder to deal with than a Wolf Pack?'
"And then, the most troublesome things are actually the Carrion Insects."
"Carrion Insects?" Colin asked.
"Yes. They're big bugs that love to eat rotting flesh. They look like slugs, and it's said the largest ones can be the size of a horse."
"They have many tentacles on their faces and are covered in a paralyzing slime. Just touching it is enough to get you."
Kiran added, "But they're very rare."
"Not necessarily," Colin muttered.
Another, older cleaner chimed in, "I've been doing this for over a decade and have never seen one. He's just messing with you."
"The gang wars have been fierce lately. Where do you think the gangsters dump the bodies? If these Carrion Insects really exist, I don't think the chances of running into one are that small."
Kase clapped Colin on the shoulder. "I think you all had better believe him. This guy's paranoia has saved our necks many times."
His words added a new layer of tension to the group's atmosphere.
Tense or not, the work had to be done.
The cleaners' specific duties were minor tasks like clearing clogged-up garbage and noting locations that needed repairs.
Of course, while the tasks were small, it was thanks to their efforts that the sewer system of Thousand Masts City was still operational.
They hadn't gone far before the cleaners found a partially clogged area. The four of them picked up their muck rakes and began to clear the trash.
Colin and Kase couldn't help, so they could only stand by and watch.
'It was boring, but it was a damn sight better than losing your life.'
Just as the cleaners were working, Colin suddenly heard a rustling sound.
Standing to one side, Kase drew the Javelin slung across his back and said, "Something's coming. Let's hold our ground here."
The two stood their ground and waited. Sure enough, several dark figures approached from the opposite end of the passage, slowly moving into the light.
Colin took a closer look and saw that they were a pack of giant rats.
These uninvited guests were the size of large dogs, but their bodies looked bloated.
Their matted black fur was dotted with dense clusters of pustules, a truly disgusting sight. He could clearly see their yellowed, thumb-sized incisors.
'It goes without saying that getting bitten by one of those would be no joke.'
"Are all the rats in the south this big?" Kase complained, drawing the sling from his hip and pulling out a few Stone Bullets.
Colin immediately drew his weapon.
'If this pack of rats charges, I'll have to trust the thick Leather Boots on my legs.'
The nearby cleaners stopped their work and looked over.
Kiran asked, "Do you need help? If you get bitten by a rat, you'll get sick. You'll have to spend a fortune at the Divine Hall afterward."
"A rat isn't a wolf. These things aren't Hunters."
As Kase spoke, he began to swing his sling with a powerful whoosh.
A flare of light erupted in the darkness as Colin also began Casting and chanting.
The watching cleaners let out a few gasps of surprise.
In their eyes, Magic was usually a weapon of the wealthy.
The men already began whispering amongst themselves, wondering if Colin was some runaway young master from a rich family.
WHOOSH! The lead giant rat was struck, its head smashed open. The rat gave a violent jerk, and its uncontrolled body began to twitch violently on the ground.
[Flaming Arrow] followed close behind, slamming directly into another giant rat's forehead. Flame danced on its head, and after a moment of struggling, the creature went still.
The light from the Flame made the huddled giant rats squirm frantically.
Clearly, these creatures of darkness did not like the light of the fire.
Then another stone flew out, crushing another giant rat's head.
Seeing their companions fall, the surrounding giant rats didn't press their attack. Instead, they immediately turned and began tearing at the flesh of their fallen comrades. For a moment, the sewer tunnel was filled with the wretched squeals of rats.
Colin let out a sigh of relief and continued chanting.
'This pack of rats is a far cry from a tightly coordinated Wolf Pack.'
Under the relentless assault of stones and [Flaming Arrow]s, the rat pack couldn't hold out.
Seeing that the enemy's attacks showed no sign of stopping, most of the rats chose to rip a few chunks of flesh from their companions before retreating into the darkness, showing no intention of returning.
In that short time, the cleaners had just about finished clearing the garbage.
"You two are really something. As capable as a four-man squad," Kiran said with a laugh. "Don't forget, you can trade a giant rat's tail to the guard captain for one Silver Coin."
"That's not too bad."
Kase walked forward with a smile to take a look, but his face immediately fell, and he spat out a few curses in the Orc language.
Walking over, Colin saw that the tails of many of the giant rat corpses had been chewed off and dragged away. He didn't know if it was because the tails were tastier or for some other reason.
In the end, the two of them only came away with a measly two giant rat tails.
As for the rat pelts and meat...
The former was impossible to sell, and eating the latter would make you sick. They were both useless garbage.
After that, they didn't encounter any more monsters. The only thing blocking their path was the clogged-up trash.
They worked patiently for the better part of the day.
Before they knew it, it was time for their midday break.
The group climbed out of a manhole to the Surface.
"We get an hour for lunch. We're planning to grab a bite at a tavern near my place. Want to join us?" Kiran asked.
"Sounds good," Colin said, hoisting himself up out of the sewer entrance.
After walking two blocks, the tavern Kiran mentioned came into view.
The tavern was called the "Dream of Returning Harbor." Compared to the previous tavern in the Dock District, this one was farther from the docks, so it had fewer customers and a much quieter atmosphere.
The group found a table near the entrance, sat down, and ordered some food for lunch.
The stench of the sewers still clung to them.
As Colin ate his bread, he could have sworn he tasted a hint of that foul smell in it. He had no idea how these cleaners endured it day after day.
Just then, he heard the sound of footsteps from behind.
Colin reached for the hilt of his sword and turned to look, only to see a child of about five or six run up and throw their arms around Kiran, who was sitting in his chair.
Following close behind, a woman in a simple long dress walked over with a smile.
She carried a basket, and her presence was like a gentle spring breeze.
"Was your day okay, Kiran?"