Chapter 21: Dark Swamp Crawler

As soon as he left the medicine shop, a look of worry appeared on Gao De's face.

He knew his time was running out, but he didn't expect it to be this tight.

The last day of the month.

Now it is the 13th day of the Awakening Month.

Gao De silently calculated his time in his heart.

A year in this world is also twelve months, which are called: Frost Month, Awakening Month, Spring Bud Month, Green Leaf Month, Flower Flame Month, Sunshine Month, Harvest Month, Dark Night Month, Frost Gold Month, Mist Frost Month, Ice Seal Month, Winter Solstice Month.

It's just that there is no distinction between single and double months, and they are all 30 days.

The day he woke up was the second day of the Awakening Month.

Today is the 13th day of the Awakening Month.

There are only 17 days left until the end of the month!

After learning the exact news from Phil Magic Potion Shop and accurately calculating how much time he had left, Gao De came to Pierre's Grocery Store with a heavy heart.

This trip was naturally not for consumption.

In fact, since the last purchase of spell formulas, his savings had been stretched thin and could not afford any consumption.

"You mean you have the ability to repair damaged magical items?" In the grocery store, Pierre looked at Gao De in surprise, as if he couldn't believe it, suspecting he had misheard.

Gao De nodded affirmatively, "Repairing some relatively low-level magical items should be no problem."

"Aren't you a magic potionist?" Pierre asked suspiciously: "Could it be that you are also an alchemist?"

Magic potionist, alchemist, runemaster—the three major side professions in the magic user world.

Gao De shook his head: "Can't be considered an alchemist, at most an enchantment repairer."

Alchemists can make various magical items, including repairing magical items.

And enchantment repairers only specialize in repairing damaged magical equipment or utensils; the nature of the profession is more inclined to craftsmanship, and the technical level is far lower than that of alchemists.

That's what he said, but Pierre still showed a look of awe, as for whether it was true or specifically done for Gao De, it is unknown.

"In a place like ours, being able to see a magic user apprentice who practices both magic potion studies and enchantment studies, and is so young, is incredible."

"Only mastered some fur, not worthy of the boss's praise," Gao De said modestly.

"Well, I happen to have a damaged Ring of Divine Guidance in my hand, which has been damaged for several years."

"In the small city, I have never been able to find anyone capable of repairing it, but it is only a 0-circle magical item, and it is not worth making a trip to Bremen City to repair it, so I'll let you try it." Pierre fumbled under the counter for a while, then took out a dark gray iron ring.

In a small city like Hogen City, magic users who practice magic potion studies can be seen quite a lot.

Because no matter where, the market for magic potions is very broad.

Where there is demand, there is a market.

But magic users who practice enchantment studies are really not seen at all—in a small city, you can't find a few magical items, let alone damaged ones.

People with this craft either starve to death or move to big cities.

Just like a doctor can make a living in the countryside, a car mechanic in the countryside is 80-90% likely to drink northwest wind.

"If you can repair this ring, I can give you a repair fee of 30 silver." Pierre made a gesture similar to "OK," indicating a labor fee of 30 silver.

1 gold is 20 silver, 30 silver is 1.5 gold.

The price of a 0-circle magical item is generally between 12 and 15 gold coins, and a repair fee of 1.5 gold is equivalent to one-tenth of the value of the item itself, which is already a very reasonable price.

From the first time he sold the primary spider venom potion at Pierre's, Gao De realized that this boss was worth dealing with.

The facts were also the same; Pierre was indeed kind.

"Deal, I will repair it and bring it to you tomorrow," Gao De took the ring from Pierre.

The iron ring body was of moderate width, and the surface was polished as smooth as silk, which could ensure the wearer's comfort, and mysterious rune patterns were carved on the outside of the iron ring.

These rune patterns are the source of the magical power of this ring.

It's just that there is a crack on the ring body, and the crack, while destroying the ring body, also runs through the rune patterns, making the magical power of the ring ineffective.

Pierre nodded, very relieved, waved his hand and said: "No hurry, whenever you can do it, bring it over."

It's not that he became friends with Gao De after a few interactions and trusted him immensely; it's mainly because the damaged 0-circle magical item itself is not worth much.

0-circle magical items are not like high-level magical items, which use precious materials to carry high-circle spells. Cantrips only need the most ordinary refined iron to carry.

So if the added value of the spell is lost, this Ring of Divine Guidance is actually just an iron ring.

After putting away the ring, Gao De thought for a while and asked: "Is there any place in the city where I can buy live earth-vein creatures?"

"Live earth-vein creatures?" Pierre frowned when he heard this, did not ask Gao De's intention, thought seriously for a while, and replied: "You can see some in big cities like Bremen, but it's difficult in Hogen City."

"The manpower and material resources required to capture earth-vein creatures alive are far greater than hunting earth-vein creatures, and there is no such market in a place like Hogen City, so you understand."

Gao De nodded silently to show understanding—just like in his previous life, only big cities have "pet shops" and "zoos."

Suddenly, a neat and powerful sound of footsteps came from the street outside the alley, from far to near, interrupting the conversation between the two.

Gao De and Pierre looked at the sound.

They saw a team of city guards in uniform passing by on the main road outside.

Two of the city guards broke away from the team when passing the alley of Pierre's Grocery Store, walked into the alley, and came toward the two.

The two city guards wore dark blue long-sleeved tunics with shoulder straps indicating their rank.

On the chest of the uniform, the city emblem of Hogen City was also sewn, looking exceptionally majestic.

They approached, then stood still outside the shop door, seeing that they had attracted Pierre's attention, bowed slightly, and one of them stepped out and notified in a tone that was both serious and polite: "Mr. Pierre, I represent the city magistrate to convey an emergency notice."

His voice was not high, and even a bit low, but it was extremely clear, conveying an urgency that could not be ignored.

A look of surprise flashed in Pierre's eyes, but he quickly adjusted his expression to show respect for the city guards.

Gao De also watched the city guards, waiting for the information about to be revealed.

"Recently, the number of Dark Swamp Crawlers in the city's sewers has increased sharply, and they are exceptionally active. In a few days, it will be the city's annual Trading Day. To ensure the smooth progress of the Trading Day, the magistrate requires all merchants on the street to carry out sewer cleaning work, cleaning the sewer section covered by their own storefront."

The city guard's words were short and powerful.

Pierre's expression changed slightly after hearing this, showing that this news did indeed cause him some trouble.

However, he quickly restrained his expression, nodded slightly to the city guards, and expressed his gratitude to the city guards, "Okay, I will complete the sewer cleaning work before the Trading Day arrives."

The two city guards turned and left after conveying the notice task, rejoining the team.

"What is Trading Day, and what is Dark Swamp Crawler?" Compared to Pierre's trouble, Gao De was more curious.

"As a Hogen City person, you don't even know about Trading Day?" Pierre was surprised when he heard Gao De's question.

"I rarely go out, so I have never participated in Trading Day." Gao De's expression remained unchanged, understanding that it was another problem caused by the incomplete inheritance of memory, and casually made up a reason.

Although Pierre was surprised, he didn't think much or ask much, and introduced Trading Day to Gao De.

Every year in the middle of the Awakening Month, it is the liveliest Trading Day in Hogen City.

At that time, the Hogen City Council will open the town square to everyone, hold a trading market, and allow citizens to buy and sell various goods, including second-hand items and old things.

And those who sell goods on Trading Day are not just merchants, but also various civilians.

The traded commodities are even more varied, including handicrafts made by civilians themselves, as well as old clothes, furniture, and other personal items that are no longer needed, and even hidden objects of unknown origin.

If you have enough luck and vision, you might also be able to find some good things in this market at an extremely cheap price.

According to Gao De's understanding, it is a flea market.

It's just that in this world, there is no such saying as a flea market.

"As for the Dark Swamp Crawler..." Mentioning this, Pierre looked unlucky.

"It is a kind of worm that generally lives in dark and damp swamp environments, including city sewers."

"This kind of worm itself has no danger; it's just that they will constantly secrete extremely viscous mucus."

"If left to grow and move, after a period of time, the mucus secreted by these worms will block the sewers, affecting the city's sewage discharge and causing the city to stink."

"So every once in a while, the City Council will organize personnel to regularly clean up a wave of Dark Swamp Crawlers in the sewers."

"Occasionally, when Dark Swamp Crawlers are rampant, the City Council doesn't have enough manpower, so they will require us merchants to be responsible for the sewer section that passes through our own storefronts."

"Is this task difficult to complete?" Gao De asked.

"Although these worms are not dangerous, as earth-vein creatures, they have a certain camouflage ability, are good at hiding, and live in the sewers, so they are not easy to find and clean up."

"Wait," Gao De's eyes gradually brightened, "Boss, you mean this kind of worm is an earth-vein creature?!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 22 =====