Chapter 107: Book Box

Adventurer Association, Main Hall.

Xia Nan protected the money pouch at his waist, squeezing through the crowded people in front of him.

A faint smell of blood mixed with the rotting stench from Wuwu Forest, the light sound of metal armor rubbing and colliding in the shoving, and heavily accented Common Tongue from who knew where on the continent...

With dual swords on his back and two layers of armor on, if he were in any ordinary small town on the continent, people would look at him twice just walking down the street.

But in the current Adventurer Association, it was nothing but normal.

Walking on a tightrope, accompanied by countless dangerous and deadly monsters.

Enhancing combat power to the fullest possible extent, increasing the probability of returning alive to the maximum degree.

Aesthetics, elegance, appearance... were all unworthy of mention.

For an Adventurer, staying alive is the foundation of everything.

Having struggled to squeeze out of the crowd, Xia Nan took a breath.

Before his eyes was a mission board that almost filled the entire wall.

He had finally practiced 【Tooth Hunt】 to the point where it appeared on his Attribute Panel.

He had already formulated a plan, intending to use the upcoming time to improve the Proficient level of 【Tooth Hunt】 as much as possible while looking for other suitable combat techniques.

If he could take this opportunity to raise it to the "Mastered" lv5 level, based on his previous experience with 【Spinning Slash】.

Besides the Attribute Point reward, he might even gain a related Feat.

It would be a huge boost to his current combat power.

Of course, he was at least an Adventurer who had completed several missions.

Xia Nan certainly wouldn't be so foolish as to rush straight into the forest to grind hard.

After all, he still needed to save money to upgrade his arm shield; if he could also earn a bit of money along the way, that would be even better.

【Mission Number】: 26

【Type】: Reward

【Reward】:

150000 Gold (crossed out)

300000 Gold!!! (marked in conspicuous red font)

【Mission Brief】: A Transcendence-class Bog Druid (Spore Society) polluted the water source of Niumu's Lower City District, then destroyed nearly half of Kalanfur's city district, and is now missing.

Anyone with relevant information should contact Mr. Fran, the Sheriff of River Valley Town.

【Time Limit】: None

The first thing that came into view was still the wanted poster for that high-level Druid.

But the content had undergone huge changes compared to when Xia Nan first arrived at the Association.

Not only had the Reward amount reached a staggering 300000 Gold, but the Mission Brief had also added a section on the opponent's "battle record."

— Destroyed half of Kalanfur.

Seeing this, Xia Nan's expression paused.

"Bog Druid," "Spore Society"...

Unconsciously, the image from that night not long ago floated up in his mind: accompanied by wolf howls, amidst the afterglow of a sun-like brilliant light, dark purple tiny particles filling the air.

"Perhaps the target Fugang is tracking is this Druid?"

He guessed in his heart.

"But since we already know the opponent is the culprit behind the Kalanfur incident, such a huge commotion, the existence of the Barbarian couldn't possibly be hidden."

"Yet there is no related Reward on the mission board..."

"In terms of the Bog Druid, do the Association and Fugang share the same stance?"

Unconsciously, a strange feeling arose in Xia Nan's heart.

He was just an ordinary low-level Adventurer who hadn't even obtained a Professional Level.

Matters of this level should have had absolutely nothing to do with him.

But by a twist of fate, a kindness unintentionally formed with a mission teammate months ago had actually blossomed and borne fruit later, allowing him to come into contact with the Barbarian Fugang, who was of the same power tier and had intricate connections with the Druid.

Like suddenly bumping into a big star who frequently appeared on TV screens while shopping, and even discovering that the person was one's distant cousin.

"Interesting."

Xia Nan sighed in his heart, but his gaze shifted away.

He still knew his own worth.

Just the aftermath of the battle between the Druid and Fugang at that time had almost cost him his life.

Such a dangerous person of this level, it was best for him to stay far away.

His gaze moved down.

【Mission Number】: 320C

【Type】: Reward

【Reward】: 120 Gold

【Mission Brief】:

A tribe of Gnolls from the Western Wasteland attacked several small villages around River Valley Town. Later, driven away by Professional Adventurers, they fled into Wuwu Forest.

【Time Limit】: 200 Days

【Additional Information】:

The colony contains an elite "Flesh Eater" individual; please exercise caution.

"Chailangren Flesh Eater?"

Xia Nan frowned slightly, recalling related information in his mind.

To some extent, the ecological niche of the Chailangren is actually much the same as that of the Goblins.

They also live in groups, are equally fierce and violent, harbor malice toward other intelligent beings, and frequently attack passing caravans and Human villages.

It is just that their numbers are far fewer, and their individual strength is somewhat greater.

Indeed, just like the "Hobgoblin" and the "Bugbear," the Chailangren also possess elite individuals of their own race.

The "Flesh Eater" is one of them.

As for specific combat power...

Just like the Bugbear, the Challenge Rating is "1."

It is not a target I can handle.

Rejecting it in his heart, Xia Nan continued looking further down.

【Mission Number】: 412D

【Type】: Investigation

【Reward】: 300 Gold Coins

【Mission Brief】:

The "Fairy Wind" general store was robbed by thieves; the owner, Mr. Farilue, hopes an Adventurer can help him find the pickpocket and recover the lost property.

【Time Limit】: 365 Days

【Additional Information】:

"Gold Coins, jewelry... as long as you return that item to me, everything else you find is yours!"

— "Fairy Wind" Farilue

"No wonder he looked so unsettled back then; it turns out he encountered a thief."

Recalling how Mr. Farilue was distracted when appraising stones at Fairy Wind earlier.

Xia Nan understood clearly in his heart.

"This reward is actually quite generous, a full three hundred Gold Coins."

Combining this with the message left behind, this general store owner, who is quite famous in River Valley Town, must have suffered a heavy loss.

"I wonder who had the guts to strike in a place like River Valley Town; aren't they afraid of retaliation?"

"Fairy Wind" has been open in the town for some time; its careful and serious attitude and superior professional ability have made the owner, Mr. Farilue, not only highly renowned among low-level Adventurers but also acquainted with many powerful Professionals.

Normally, even seasoned thieves with Proficient theft techniques would not choose such a target.

The risk is too great!

Those daring to do such a thing are probably desperate men who strike once and run, never to return.

Xia Nan shook his head.

A reward of 300 Gold Coins is incredibly tempting, but he does not possess any combat skills related to tracking, and in his past life, he was merely an office worker with no relevant experience.

"These Gold Coins are not something I can earn."

He continued looking down.

【Mission Number】: 603H

【Type】: Reward

【Reward】: 25 Gold Coins

【Mission Brief】:

Clear a Goblin nest located in the outer perimeter on the eastern side of Wuwu Forest; for the specific location, please consult the relevant staff of the Association.

Xia Nan's eyes brightened involuntarily.

"This fits!"

Since I transmigrated, I am still far from reaching my Professional Level; I have seen plenty of monsters like Shihua Xiyi, Spined Devil, and Bugbear.

Tasks like chopping down Goblins and clearing nests are exactly what I should be doing.

Moreover, the main purpose of Xia Nan's outing this time was to increase the Proficiency of 【Tooth Hunt】.

Previously, following the Barbarian to sweep many Goblin caves, he had gained some experience.

This time, he actually intended to use the green skins for practice.

This kind of task right now matches his intentions perfectly.

He can accumulate combat skill Proficiency through battle, and conveniently take on a mission to earn some living expenses.

Killing two birds with one stone!

After glancing over it twice and noting the mission number, Xia Nan walked toward the front desk.

Ten days ago.

The air was filled with the scent of alcohol and food; a wooden cup stood still on the dining table, its crystal-clear liquid rippling slightly due to the noisy footsteps of guests coming and going around it.

Vig sat alone in the hall.

His expression was calm as he drank alone.

From time to time, he cast his gaze out the window, observing the gradually dimming sky outside.

Wearing simple cloth robes, he seemed like an ordinary townsman, standing out in the Baishanque Tavern where the vast majority of guests were Rogues.

Only occasionally, due to the loud shouting of a dwarf at the neighboring table, did he reveal a hint of disdain and disgust.

"It's been years since I returned, and this countryside place is still the same."

Although he had once struggled in River Valley Town, sweating and bleeding, ever since he advanced to "Rogue" and attained his Professional Level.

He returned to Niumu, leveraging his identity as an Adventurer and his accumulated savings to live a decent life.

But being of Adventurer stock, the precarious life had long accustomed him to extravagance.

Back in River Valley Town, it had been fine; various bounties from missions yielded rich rewards, enough to cover expenses.

But upon reaching Niumu, facing unyielding high prices while insisting on living like a Noble, with no source of income, his previously saved small treasury quickly ran dry.

He was forced to rely on taking some unsavory "dirty jobs" to fill the bills.

"Damn it, if not for those bastards of the Wickliffe family, I wouldn't be reduced to not even surviving Midsummer Day, forced to return to this ghost place."

He cursed in his heart.

Vig raised his head again, glancing at the sky outside.

Seeing that the sun had completely set and night had fallen.

He drained the last layer of liquor from the bottom of his cup, stood up, and walked toward the tavern entrance.

"Karin's maggots!" "Wind Servant!" "%￥#@￥"

Behind him, the red-bearded dwarf who had just been chatting loudly with his tablemates seemed to have quarreled with someone; pushing and shoving ensued, and the tavern guests in the hall began to gather here.

He let out a sneer, his face showing undisguised contempt.

Vig bypassed the black-haired youth sitting ahead, who carried dual swords on his back and was watching the commotion.

Stepping out of the tavern, he suddenly felt a cold wind blow through the stifling air.

Instinctively, he shivered.

He looked left and right in confusion, finding nothing.

Only then did he spit a mouthful of phlegm viciously at the tavern entrance before turning and leaving.

And not long after his departure, accompanied by increasingly fierce and chilling cold winds, a burly figure draped in a Wolf Skin Cloak slowly entered the tavern.

Vig's mission this time was very simple.

No killing was required, nor did he need to face dangerous monsters.

If lucky, he wouldn't even need to draw his blade.

— Steal an item from Fali Lue of "Fairy Wind".

For a Rogue, "theft" was not a difficult matter.

Especially since he already disliked the target.

"Pretending to be something, wearing glasses and thinking you're some kind of master."

"Relying on the ability to read a few stones, keeping a stern face, unwilling to part with even two extra Gold Coins."

"Deserved to be hated!"

As if recalling his experiences as an Adventurer, Vig's expression grew considerably gloomy, with a hint of glee faintly revealing in his eyes.

The mission was clear, and he knew the target inside out.

But he was at least experienced.

He did not choose to act on his first day back in River Valley Town.

Instead, he patiently staked out outside the "Fairy Wind" shop for several nights.

Until he had thoroughly figured out the target's schedule and living habits.

Only then, on a certain late night a few days later, did he begin his operation.

Cloaked in a black night-riding cloak, his footsteps made no sound.

His fingertips, wielding a thin wire, merely brushed lightly against the door lock; accompanied by a barely audible faint click, the shop door swung open.

Fali Lue was unmarried, so naturally there were no offspring; he lived alone.

He rarely went out, but when he occasionally went to the Baishanque to drink, he would always drink until dawn the next day before returning home.

Plenty of time.

With the employer's promised generous reward in mind, his figure moved with agility, like a ghost in the darkness.

In just over ten minutes, he discovered the wall cavity Fali Lue used to hide things, located behind a certain picture frame hanging in the inner room.

A small box with an utterly ordinary appearance.

He casually broke the mechanism and pulled it open to look.

Inside lay a thin book with a pale red cover.

He flipped through two pages, confirming it was the target of his mission.

Vig did not waste time; he stuffed the book along with the box into his chest, just thinking of leaving.

Then, as if remembering something, he paused his steps, gazed at the surrounding shelves, and instinctively licked his dry lips.

He dared not delay too long; taking too many things would hinder his escape.

He merely grabbed a handful of Gold Coins and jewels by the way, stuffing them into his waist pouch.

Taking advantage of the night, he hurriedly left Xiao Zhen and mounted the horse he had prepared outside the town during the day.

Carrying the book box in his chest, he rushed toward the direction of Niumu Cheng.

"After this mission ends, I should be able to live freely for a few months!"

His body rose and fell with the galloping horse; the operation went smoothly, and Vig's heart naturally relaxed a bit as he indulged in daydreams.

"Wait a while longer, then ask a few friends about Fali Lue..."

Boom—

On the distant horizon, a brilliant golden orb erupted like the sun.

The galloping horse, startled, reared its hooves high.

Vig, caught off guard, was thrown clear off its back.

Fortunately, the Rogue's instinctive training allowed him to adjust his posture midair, maintaining his center of gravity.

He landed lightly on the ground, then rolled sideways, avoiding the falling hooves.

"Shit! What the hell!"

His eyes reflected the blinding light from afar, carried by wolf howls and spores—a scorching, surging wind washed over his body, flaring his cloak violently.

His face still pale with shock, he gripped the reins, about to leap back onto the horse.

Above him, suddenly, came the muffled thrum of flapping wings.

The wind cut sharply.

Vig instinctively dove sideways.

The next instant, a demon with membranous wings on its back and bony spines covering its spine and tail, wreathed in dark purple spores, dove like a falcon and crushed his mount into a bloody pulp.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!"

"How the hell could there be a Spined Devil here!?"

His pupils contracted; he clenched the Poisoned Dagger tightly.

Vig screamed in despair inside his mind.

Knowing escape was impossible, he clung to a sliver of hope and lunged forward.

The Shadow power granted to the Rogue, combined with his agility, allowed him to hold his own at first.

The Poisoned Dagger, its edge glowing faintly blue, carved wound after wound into the Spined Devil.

In the midst of the struggle, the Spined Devil's eyes, clouded by spore corruption, flickered with one final trace of humanity.

It exposed an opening—Vig drove his blade deep into its chest, the toxin on the blade's edge seeping into its flesh.

At the same time, its long tail lashed out, firing a bone spike that pierced the unlucky thief clean through.

The last of its sanity vanished under spore corruption; the Spined Devil let out a piercing shriek, beat its wings, and lurched unsteadily into the air, vanishing into the depths of the night sky.

Still clutched in his arms was the book box stolen from the general store; Vig's corpse lay still on the ground.

How long passed, no one knew—perhaps the stench of rotting flesh drew them.

Several Goblins wandering the wasteland discovered Vig's body.

They immediately let out shrill cheers, swinging their wooden clubs to smash the softened, decaying flesh, then dragged it back to their cave.

His tattered, bloodstained clothes were torn apart; the wooden box holding the thin book was carelessly tossed into a corner of the cave.

The cave echoed with the gurgling of boiling broth and the sound of chewing.

A bone still clinging to bits of meat fell beside the book box.

In the damp, stifling cave, within just a few days, the cooked flesh strips began to stink.

"Ssiga!"

Suddenly, the Goblins' excited, greedy shrieks erupted densely throughout the cave.

Right after came the dull, sticky sound of a blade piercing flesh.

The air compressed, emitting a faint howl like that of a wolf.

Shriveled, twitching limbs fell to the ground; thick, pus-filled blood splattered across the surface of the book box.

In barely a dozen seconds, the green-skinned creatures' cries shifted from jubilant to angry, then to panicked.

Finally, silence.

Inside the cave, only a slow, steady breath remained.

The book box still lay quietly in the corner.

Footsteps drew nearer.

The wooden box was picked up from the ground.

Opened.

Facing the faintly red, thin book inside was a black-haired young man with sharp, angular features.

(End of Chapter)