Chapter 349: You should be a little calmer

The tavern owner's suddenly changed attitude made Xia Nan feel strange.

It wasn't that he was angry, either.

It was just that he felt the other party's performance was unexpectedly somewhat similar to Holake's.

One was extremely generous, and for a strange adventurer he met for the first time, he could directly give away the expensive jewelry and accessories on his body, but when the object they were interested in became the pastel gem on him, he rarely took it out for display, and the only time was holding it in his own palm, keeping a safe distance, only letting everyone watch from afar;

One was exceptionally enthusiastic to guests coming to the tavern for the first time, inviting them to drink lemonade and giving them oranges to eat, and answering all questions about various things, looking like a good-hearted and enthusiastic boss, but he suddenly seemed to have become a different person when mentioning the rumors of the gem, being incomparably cold and even revealing a trace of hostility and alienation.

Xia Nan was not a fool.

However, after simple thinking, he perceived the common point between the two:

——Pastel Gem.

Recalling the scene of a hasty glimpse in Holake's hand that day, Xia Nan couldn't help but reveal a thoughtful expression on his face.

He had already had a few more suspicions about the mine that might exist in Holake's mouth and the gems produced from it.

It was just that, after all, they were just some guesses.

Without physical objects for research and judgment, the sample quantity was too scarce, and key evidence and clues were lacking, making it difficult for him to draw conclusions.

He could only wait for the next few days to investigate and see if there were any gains.

Sitting in front of the bar, Xia Nan, who perceived the change in the other party's mood, naturally couldn't go to ask for trouble again.

He changed the subject somewhat stiffly, wanting to return to the aspect of life in town, planning to understand some local customs.

It was just that, perhaps his conversation skills were too rough, or perhaps that sentence about the rumors of the gem had just hit the other party's sore spot, causing the tavern owner's attitude toward Xia Nan to undergo a decisive change.

No matter how Xia Nan tried to talk, the plump middle-aged man in front of him always maintained a relatively distant attitude toward strangers, and the polite attitude when treating guests as a tavern owner.

There was no more enthusiasm.

"So serious?"

Xia Nan shook his head in his heart, just feeling it was a pity.

If his eloquence could be slightly better, and the transition of the topic could be smoother, maybe he wouldn't have fallen into such a scene.

However, things had reached this point; with the tavern owner's current attitude, if he wanted to get the information he hoped to know, he could only force it with force, and this was not his style of conduct.

Xia Nan restrained his words and just sat in front of the counter peeling oranges to eat.

He didn't wait too long.

Only about five minutes later, the two of the Black Wood Squad packed their luggage one after another and walked down from upstairs.

Throwing the fruit basket he had just finished peeling into his mouth, Xia Nan left a few copper coins at the front desk after asking for the price, then directly picked up the fruit basket filled with oranges and walked straight toward the direction of his two temporary teammates.

"How is it, have you thought about it?"

Xia Nan threw the fruit basket on the table, signaled the two not to be polite, sat opposite the wooden table, and asked casually.

Knowing that he was asking whether they two intended to stay in town to help Holake investigate the source of that pink gem, or not participate in it and just do their own part.

Margaret didn't mean to hide it; her calloused hand took an orange from the fruit basket, and unlike Xia Nan who peeled the outer skin slowly, she just exerted a little force and broke the honey tangerine in her hand into two halves without destroying the fruit meat.

"Decided."

The female swordsman said calmly.

But when she stuffed the orange meat into her mouth, her eyebrows raised subconsciously, and even the dark golden hair tied behind her head swayed slightly.

"We need money." Margaret said and reached out to grab two more honey tangerines from the fruit basket, answering very directly.

"You also know the situation of 'Oath-Keeping Black Wood' now; no matter whether it's cultivating newcomers later or finding some veteran adventurers with friendships, it takes a considerable amount of time to fully grind."

"The team's reserve fund is almost exhausted; we can't stick the old capital we intend to retire on, so being able to earn a little more is always good."

On the other side of the table, Dwarf Solting also echoed:

"Hehe, to tell the truth, I am also quite interested in that pastel gem in Holake's hand; even if he gives less remuneration, I am willing."

"Not to mention this wealthy gentleman is so atmospheric."

He also held an orange in his hand.

It was just that as a Dwarf 【Shield Warrior】, his fingers were too thick and full of strength, and he misjudged the thickness of the honey tangerine skin; he didn't feel how much force he used, and the honey tangerine, which was as small as a quail egg against the background of his thick palm, cracked open like an explosion.

He didn't dislike it either, just like treating the foam that was about to overflow the cup on the surface of beer, the Dwarf pressed the hair braids on his chest with one hand, not letting them be stained by the juice, but his head had already leaned over.

Eating messily for a few mouthfuls, he even chewed two pieces of fruit peel into his mouth.

But seeing the delicious expression he revealed immediately afterward, it was obvious that the taste of this honey tangerine was quite to his liking.

"What about you?" Stuffing a piece of orange meat into his mouth again, Margaret glanced at the somewhat sloppy Dwarf beside the table, and her gaze looked at Xia Nan opposite.

"Still planning to continue setting off after resting in town for a few days as planned before?"

She naturally considered inviting Xia Nan to join the Oath-Keeping Black Wood Squad.

After all, the other party's strength and character had been verified by practice, and he was so young, almost a perfect candidate for a teammate.

In fact, as early as the journey from River Valley Town to Sheep Horn Town a few days ago, the female swordsman had hinted at this invitation to the other party several times.

It was just that the replies received were all refusals.

It was precisely because she learned of the black-haired youth's habit of acting alone that she no longer hoped for it.

I didn't expect that with the proposal of the merchant's commission, this once extravagant hope seemed to really have the possibility of realization.

Margaret and Solting naturally knew that under the condition of fixed mission remuneration, if one more person was added to the team members, the remuneration they two shared would also be less by a not-small part.

But the experience of the Infernal Devil event in the underground lair made the two clearly realize what kind of experience with a great sense of security it would be if there was a teammate like Xia Nan in battle.

And to some extent, the "Oath-Keeping Black Wood" squad could still exist, and the two could sit here peeling fruit to eat, precisely because of the other party. ===== CHAPTER 350 =====