Chapter 18: Haian

Just as Xia Nan had seen in various films, anime, and novels in his previous life.

The owner of the Baishanque Tavern was a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache, who was wiping a wine glass with a focused expression.

Having seen countless adventurers, the man naturally wouldn't spare an extra glance at Xia Nan's youthful appearance.

Even when he walked straight over and sat at the bar, the tavern owner only raised his eyelids.

"Accommodation is one silver coin per night, right?"

Referencing the information provided in the 【Adventurer's Handbook】, Xia Nan confirmed.

The man nodded slightly.

"What about long-term stays? Is there a discount?" Drawing on experience from his previous life, Xia Nan asked next.

"That depends on how long you stay."

Hearing this, he nodded and didn't ask further.

The Baishanque Tavern's price of "1 silver coin/night" was already relatively cheap for the town; any lower, and neither comfort nor safety could be guaranteed.

Although long-term rentals had discounts, if he wanted to continue deeper into the adventurer's path, such temporary lodging lacked a sense of belonging.

Moreover, there were certain risks involved in both storing items and daily living.

Xia Nan actually leaned more towards buying a property of his own in town.

Of course, that was on the condition that he had a certain understanding of the surrounding environment and sufficient funds.

"Perhaps I'll have a chance to chat with some real estate agents?" he thought to himself.

At the same time, urged by the hunger in his stomach, Xia Nan's gaze drifted to the menu hanging on the wall.

"Set Meal No. 3, please."

The price was two silver coins, the daily wage of a laborer.

It included a large portion of soft, fragrant stewed meat, a bowl of rich and mellow mushroom soup, a few slices of white bread with butter and cheese, and a large mug of refreshing ale.

As a meal, it was perhaps a bit pricey.

But for Xia Nan, who had just finished a dangerous journey and harvested a "massive fortune," it was the best choice to soothe his body and mind.

Honestly, the taste was quite good.

The stewed meat was savory and flavorful, the mushroom soup was exceptionally fresh and sweet, especially when paired with the toasted bread, allowing the freshness of the soup to seep into the crust, and topped with a small slice of soft, salty-sweet cheese.

Even Xia Nan, who had been accustomed to countless delicacies in his previous life, felt a sense of amazement.

Of course, it might also be because he had been gnawing on dried meat and flatbread in the forest for many days, making everything taste delicious now.

With the food in his stomach, his whole body felt as if it had been nourished, turning warm and cozy.

Sitting at the bar, Xia Nan's gaze swept across the tavern.

It was somewhat surprising; despite having arrived in an otherworldly setting with a Western fantasy background, he hadn't seen many intelligent beings of other races since crossing over.

Probably only one or two out of every ten people.

And most were Gnomes or Halflings; he hadn't seen a single one of the Dwarves or Elves that were so active on the silver screen in his previous life……

Xia Nan's gaze suddenly paused.

"Well, I see one now."

By a window in the tavern, at a rectangular wooden table, sat four figures of varying appearances:

A golden-haired girl with a graceful figure and a pretty face, in her early twenties, sat with her arms crossed and legs crossed, looking indifferent;

Beside her was a plump man dressed in luxurious, bright clothing with affected manners, who was fawning over the girl beside him.

But the one who caught Xia Nan's attention was the last person, sitting alone on one side of the table, a tall man.

A head of shoulder-length silver hair, revealing his Elven lineage, was neatly tied back; his features were exquisite and delicate, his skin fair, and his eyes were the silver-grey unique to Elves.

But observing closely, one could see that while the rims of his ears were pointed, they were not as long as traditional Elves, and his build was weaker than a normal male, yet not as slender as an Elf.

"So, probably a Half-Elf?"

Xia Nan guessed with his meager knowledge of the other world.

"Carrying a longbow on his back, that fits my traditional impression of Elven career choices. But, are these four a squad?"

"Wait! Four?"

He suddenly realized he seemed to have overlooked something.

It was like the TV remote that you couldn't find despite it being right in front of you, or the phone you thought you'd lost while holding it in your hand.

Just as he sensed something was wrong, the last person he had subconsciously ignored appeared in Xia Nan's line of sight.

A middle-aged man dressed in tight-fitting combat gear with a plain, unremarkable appearance.

Compared to the three people around him, there was nothing noteworthy about him; he looked like just another passerby sitting at the same table.

And precisely because of this, when Xia Nan realized something was wrong, his heart skipped a beat.

His gaze swept over the short dagger wrapped in coarse cloth at the man's waist, and he instantly withdrew his eyes as if electrocuted.

"Wood, what's wrong?"

Haian tightened the somewhat loose ponytail at the back of his head, noticing the abnormal behavior of his guard, and couldn't help but ask.

"Nothing, Young Master."

Wood frowned slightly, glanced in the direction of the bar, watched for a moment, and then turned his head back to reply.

"Don't be too nervous. Although we are near the Mist Forest, this is River Valley Town. With so many adventurers coming and going on the street, there won't be any danger."

Hearing this, a trace of helplessness appeared on Wood's previously expressionless face.

"Young Master, it is precisely because this place is full of adventurers that we should be even more careful."

Haian naturally understood what his guard meant, but perhaps due to his recognition of the man's strength, or perhaps due to his own personality, he just smiled and replied:

"Rest assured, the Adventurer Association is right next to this tavern. Who would be bold enough to cause trouble here?"

"Instead of worrying about this, we might as well take this time to discuss our subsequent plans."

To this, the guard Wood couldn't help but frown even deeper.

"Young Master, although I have said it countless times, I must remind you one more time."

"The Mist Forest is extremely dangerous!"

"Even for me, if I were to go deep inside, I might not be able to come out safely. You……"

"Alright, alright." The silver-haired Half-Elf waved his hand; although there was no impatience on his face, he interrupted the other party's words and joked, "Then I will reiterate once more: our target this time is on the outskirts of the Mist Forest, the outskirts!"

"Fine." Wood had actually compromised in his heart long ago, otherwise he wouldn't have let the other party come here. "But there is one thing you must agree to."

"Go ahead."

"We need to add a few more hands."

Following the guard's gaze, the Half-Elf looked at the two people opposite him, and a look of agreement couldn't help but appear on his face.

"You're right."

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 19 =====