Chapter 217: Return, Quiet Changes

"Cling..."

The metal spoon scraped against the bowl wall, making a slight sound.

The thick soup dotted with emerald parsley leaves rolled and surged, and the sweet, milky fragrance drifted into the air with the warm white smoke rising from the bowl.

Specifically scooping up a few mushroom slices, wrapped in the mellow milky taste, he sent the soup into his mouth.

Feeling the wonderful taste of fresh sweetness and silkiness on the tip of his tongue, Xia Nan couldn't help but squint his eyes in enjoyment.

Opposite the dining table, Abi sat upright, his shifting and dodging gaze and the posture of his body leaning forward, sitting only on half the chair, clearly showed his unease.

Even the flushed alcoholic intent on his face had faded a lot, completely without the classic posture of a "drunk adventurer" just now.

"Where is Adeline, why didn't she come with you?"

The voice that suddenly came from in front made Abi's body stiffen slightly, and he replied hurriedly:

"Boss went to the grocery store to process the loot, that one 'Kukunuer', I had nothing to do, so I came to the tavern for a few drinks."

His gaze swept over the claw marks on the surface of Xia Nan's plate armor, touched and then dodged, not daring to look more or ask more, just adding in a hurried tone.

"We also just returned to town not long ago."

Hearing this, Xia Nan nodded without speaking.

After returning from Niumu, although he was busy with various beast clearing missions in the Sea Thorn Squad, he was not completely out of touch with "Green Blood" Adeline and the rookie Abi.

Occasionally, when the time between missions overlapped, they often gathered for meals in the tavern to exchange recent situations.

He could perceive the changes in the two, especially Abi.

The greenness as a newcomer had gradually faded, faintly showing the posture of an experienced adventurer.

The equipment on his body had also become increasingly sophisticated with the completion of mission after mission, clearly earning a lot of money.

But at the same time, with the deepening of the "adventurer" industry, and the influence of the mixed environment of the tavern.

He was also assimilated by the old oilers at the wine table at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Adeline was fine; after all, when the two first met, the other party was already a senior adventurer with a name in town, and her worldview was already mature.

But Abi, this rookie who was once reckless and brave, stubborn but obedient, slowly carried something indescribable on his body as his adventure experience enriched.

In the last few meetings, the other party didn't even dare to look him in the eye.

Considering that Adeline's attitude toward him had no obvious changes, Xia Nan didn't think it was his own reason.

The spoon stirring the cream mushroom soup paused slightly, Xia Nan raised his eyebrows slightly and asked casually:

"Still drinking? Shall I treat you to one?"

"No, no!" Abi waved his hands hurriedly, and the expression on his face couldn't be said to be panicked, but it was not much different.

"Had enough... I already drank too much just now."

Xia Nan just glanced at the other party.

The pressure on adventurers was extremely high; every time a mission ended, to some extent, it was a narrow escape from death, equivalent to trading one's life for money.

Using alcohol to vent the burden in one's heart was very normal for them, and he could fully understand it.

If one kept all the pressure they bore in their heart without saying a word, it would be like a warehouse full of gunpowder, and just a spark could detonate it.

Sooner or later, there would be a big problem.

But...

Recalling Abi's indulgent performance at the tavern door just now, and the changes in his body during this period of time.

Xia Nan opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

Let's talk to Adeline when there is a chance later.

"Boss is also, why hasn't she come back after being gone for so long?"

"You eat first, I'll go outside and find her, in case she encountered any trouble."

"Really sorry, Mr. Xia Nan, I'll treat you to a good meal later."

As if he had already prepared the draft in his heart for a long time, Abi said this passage very fluently, without even taking a breath.

Since it had come to this, Xia Nan didn't say anything more and nodded slightly.

"Then that's it, help me say hello to Adeline."

"Okay, okay, goodbye, Mr. Xia Nan."

Immediately, the sharp noise of chair legs rubbing against the floor reached his ears, along with the gradually accelerating, distant footsteps.

He shook his head imperceptibly and sent another mouthful of cream mushroom soup into his mouth.

The journey from the Mist Forest back to Hegu Town was very smooth, basically without encountering any trouble.

It had to be admitted that although his teammates had died accidentally, leaving only him to return to the city alone.

But as long as one had some vision and even a little bit of adventure experience, seeing Xia Nan on the road, they shouldn't have any extra thoughts.

An adventurer who had clearly just finished a mission but was walking on the return journey alone, looking a bit embarrassed, but looking closely, there were no obvious injuries, sophisticated equipment and a cold temperament, plus the five ferocious claw marks on his chest that nearly pierced the iron plate...

It could only be said that for knowledgeable adventurers, people like Xia Nan were the most difficult and daunting.

They would hide in time, so how could they provoke him for no reason.

His empty left fingertips tapped the table, pressing the extra distracting thoughts to the bottom of his heart, and Xia Nan began to think about his next arrangements.

Coming to the Baishanque Tavern and the bowl of cream mushroom soup on the table in front of him were just because he "happened" to pass by and came in to drink a bowl temporarily.

It was only ten minutes in total, not a formal meal.

His primary purpose now was to go to the Adventurer Association first, hand in the investigation mission, and get the reward.

Then, through the association's channels, find a way to remove the beast-transformation curse; whether it was gold coins or points, he was already prepared for his small treasury to shrink significantly.

It was worth mentioning that the wound on his right forearm scratched by Bo He had healed at a speed far exceeding expectations in the past few days through the high-intensity treatment of 【Tears of Spring Breath】's "Lesser Healing," and not even a scar was left.

And the potentially contagious beast-transformation disease showed no signs of onset.

Xia Nan felt it very carefully and determined that he did not have the strange whispers or special desires for humans or raw food that he had learned about before regarding the "signs of beast-transformation infection."

Of course, this did not mean that he had completed the resistance to beast-transformation disease.

Just like those diseases with very long incubation periods in his previous life, if he held a fluke mentality of not caring now, it might be too late when it really broke out later.

To be on the safe side, he must take corresponding measures; for this kind of ancient and terrible disease, one could not be too careful.

And after that, it was the processing of various loot obtained in this mission.

Including but not limited to: Bo He's broken purple yew staff, Kashi's 【Tidal Lure Rod】, Weiruisi's two daggers, poison, and eye props.

The types were very mixed, and he had to run to every shop in town, which was relatively time-consuming.

Finally, he had to go to the Rock Hammer blacksmith shop to ask Ba'en if there was any possibility of repairing the plate-chain composite armor on his body, and at the same time communicate with the other party about the upgrade of the 【Snake Scale Arm Shield】.

There were many things to deal with, Xia Nan drank the cream mushroom soup in his hand. He greeted Chaputun, who was wiping a wine glass behind the front desk, and left the Baishanque Tavern with two longswords on his back.

Hegu Town Adventurer Association branch.

Recently, the beast riots in the Mist Forest were just a small episode that adventurers in town could encounter several times a year.

After all, such a large monster gathering place, it was normal to have some special situations occasionally.

They also knew that these beasts didn't have the reproductive ability of Goblins; perhaps they were stronger in terms of individual strength, but as one piece of beast fur and claw material after another sold for a good price in the market.

Under the influence of greed for money, these beasts would sooner or later be killed back into the depths of the forest by adventurers.

And the result was just as they expected, even faster; recently, the number of beasts appearing on the outskirts of the forest had dropped significantly, and there were not many related commissions left on the association's mission board.

Often, as soon as it was posted on the wall, it was snatched by quick-eyed adventurers.

There was no longer the grand occasion that occupied half of the commission board before.

It also caused many adventurers who were not so experienced and wanted to take the opportunity to make a fortune, thus preparing many corresponding supply props, to lose everything.

"Hello, the association does not have related rewards for 'Blue-patterned Leopard', perhaps you can go to the grocery store opposite and ask, maybe they can give a good price."

Golden short hair swayed gently with the words, wearing the staff uniform of the Adventurer Association, Moli lay on the front desk, saying listlessly.

Standing in front of her was a hulking half-orc covered in blood, who didn't know how many days he hadn't washed, exuding a strong stench.

Regardless of the explanation that Moli had explained three times, he just used both hands to forcefully unfold the beast skin that was still hanging with flesh and blood and had pale blue patterns.

Just like a peddler promoting goods to customers, he stuttered, with a thick tribal accent, repeating a few crude common language words:

"Leopard skin... good... three gold coins... make clothes... warm..."

Maybe he wasted too much time at the counter, making the adventurers waiting in line behind him feel impatient.

A short-tempered dwarf carrying a hammer, with braids hanging to his chest, cursed loudly:

"Where did this green-skin come from, not even knowing the rules?"

"Don't waste your father's time, get out with that worthless thing, gro-lak!"

At first, the half-orc actually didn't have much reaction to the cursing of the short-tempered dwarf.

Although he could feel the tone and emotions in the words, he had just come out of the tribe, and he really didn't understand such a long string of fast-spoken common language.

Until the last few words sprayed from the dwarf's mouth:

—gro-lak.

Orc language, which could be translated directly as "excrement of maggots."

Adventurers who had been mixing in taverns all year round, not to mention their professional ability, were absolutely clear about the insulting vocabulary of various races.

Facing this half-orc who was occupying the position and wasting time, the dwarf naturally hung this vocabulary on his mouth.

As for what happened next, it was the same as all bystanders on the field expected.

Cursing in their respective languages—pushing each other—falling to the ground and wrestling—being thrown out of the door by the security staff of the association.

Sitting at the front desk, Moli's expression remained unchanged; she had long been used to such broken things.

Taking a rag from under the counter, she wiped away a few drops of blood splashed on the countertop.

She sighed silently and reached out to the bell on the side, just about to press it.

A familiar figure suddenly appeared in her line of sight.

The golden-haired girl's eyes lit up instantly, and her whole person became energetic.

"Lina, take half a day off for me, I'll pay you back at once!"

Saying that, she jumped up, pushed open the back door of the counter, and walked out with small steps.

Open and quiet small conference room.

Moli closed the document in her hand with a "pop" and said seriously and solemnly to Xia Nan sitting in front:

"Thank you again for your contribution to the association, Mr. Xia Nan!"

"Regarding the investigation results of the commission with mission number 'e-20279', I have recorded them all in the file. If you need it, you can check it at any time."

"After the association confirms it, the corresponding reward will be recorded in your account, and the physical reward can also be picked up directly from me at that time."

Saying that, she even packed a small cloth bag with the wooden box marked with the mission number on the desktop and pressed it on the document.

—It contained Bo He's left ear.

Xia Nan didn't know how the association verified his investigation results; after a few days, the corpses on the field were estimated to have been eaten by beasts in the forest.

He didn't know how the other party would judge whether he was lying.

He just told the other party everything he encountered in the Sea Thorn Squad, after omitting information that might involve his own intelligence, along with some subjective guesses.

"About how many days will it take?" Xia Nan asked Moli opposite.

"Three days, Mr. Xia Nan."

The waiting time was not long.

Xia Nan pondered in his heart.

Regardless, he confirmed the identity of the "beast-kin" in the investigation mission and killed her, which should satisfy the conditions required for the completion of the commission to the greatest extent.

Not to mention that the reward was pulled to the fullest, the materials for the arm shield upgrade should be enough.

Of course, if there were extra gold coins or point rewards, he naturally couldn't refuse.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"The headquarters just issued a batch of good materials recently, on the second floor, do you need me to introduce them to you?"

"In addition, the professional tasks on the second floor have also been updated during this period, and several of the rewards are very good. I can help you contact those who have team needs."

Moli was very active, and it could be seen that she was very eager for performance.

"Don't worry about these first." Xia Nan shook his head and looked at the short-haired girl sitting opposite the table.

"I have one thing that I need you to help me check."

"I don't know if there are purification potions for curses like beast-transformation disease in the association, or magic scrolls containing spells like 'Remove Curse'."

"Well, it's best to have their approximate price and specific usage method."

"Okay, Mr. Xia Nan, I'll go ask!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 218 =====