Goblin Dependency-Chapter 682 - 342: Follow-Up Plans and Loot Material Handling (Part 2)
Perhaps within the entire Aifala Continent, and even the professional circle of the Sevia Kingdom’s Pan Yun Province, Xia Nan might belong to the most obscure level at the bottom of the pyramid.
But in River Valley Town, which has a large number of low level adventurers active throughout the year, the name "Gray Sword" has become widely known over the past year of hard work.
Black hair, black eyes, dual swords, a cold and sharp demeanor, young...
His distinct appearance, demeanor, and special weaponry make him quite recognizable.
Unless under special circumstances, which of these ordinary adventurers, who even struggle to deal with a few goblins, would dare to offend this "Big Shot" who is said to have reached a professional level and ascended to the Association Second Floor.
Just sitting there, even doing nothing, the meaning attached to the name "Xia Nan" by itself isolates ninety-nine percent of the malice that should have unreservedly fallen upon them.
Time quietly passed by.
When Xia Nan put the last spoonful of cream mushroom soup into his mouth, most of the food on the table was already gone.
The majority of it was dealt with by him, and his excellent physical condition also meant higher energy consumption, requiring sufficient nutritional supplementation.
Dong Shu and Lilia were also full, their previously tight nerves relaxing considerably as the fulfilling sense of safety worked on their now satiated hunger under the influence of bodily instincts.
Seeing the two young people across the dining table finally no longer as nervous as when they first arrived at River Valley Town, Xia Nan pondered for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth and asked:
"Let’s talk, what are your plans for later?"
Lilia, having already formed a plan, wiped her mouth with a clean towel brought by the server, and replied first:
"I... I’m planning to look around town to see if there are any jobs in weaving or sewing."
Her thought was very pragmatic.
Having never undergone combat training and being physically weak, despite knowing that adventurers earn a high income, she never entertained the idea of entering the field.
She just wanted to survive in a corner of this unfamiliar little town using the skills she was familiar with.
"I was quite skillful in the village, but I’m not sure about here... Or maybe, I could do laundry, help with cooking, those kinds of jobs too."
Upon hearing this, Xia Nan nodded slightly.
For ordinary residents living in River Valley Town, it’s precisely this kind of person, unaffected by the lavish spending around them by adventurers, who can live steadily within their means and continue to survive in the long term.
Otherwise, if they blindly follow the crowd and are lured by those dazzling gold coins into places like gambling dens... A distorted view of money will only cause these ordinary civilians to fall into a bottomless abyss, ultimately forcing them to pick up worn-out rusty Iron Swords and become one of the countless low-level adventurers in town, their bodies left to decompose in some corner of the forest, turning into nutrients that nourish nature.
After Lilia finished speaking, Dong Shu also lifted his head.
There was still a bit of sauce at the corner of his mouth, but his clear eyes were no longer confused and instead bore a clear light that appeared after some deliberation:
"I still want to try and see if I can become an adventurer."
He once again expressed his dedication to the path of an adventurer, but the following supplement indicated that it wasn’t on a whim.
"But I’m not very clear about the ins and outs of this industry, and I might not even be able to hold a sword steadily in the face of danger, going out blindly would just be asking for death."
His gaze swept over the armor and weapons of the adventurers in the tavern, showing a serious expression:
"So I’ve decided to find a job that has more frequent interaction with adventurers to carefully study the specifics of this industry."
"Maybe... working as an apprentice at a stable, helping take care of the horses? Or finding a restaurant that adventurers frequently visit and applying for a waiter position?"
Xia Nan’s expression didn’t change, but inside he showed a trace of admiration.
The young boy and girl before him were from the countryside, not having seen much of the world. Their ability not to be blinded by the false façade of the "adventurer" industry, but instead make such plans based on their actual abilities, is truly commendable.
Taking a sip from the wine glass beside him:
"Not bad, keep it up."
"If you encounter any trouble in the future, you can come to me."
Since he is soon to embark on a journey to the Southern Islands in search of clues for the Dream Weaving Corridor key, he naturally cannot afford the time to mentor the two newcomers before him.
But having worked hard in the town for such a long time, at least he has some connections.
Thinking in his heart, by the time he returns from the Southern Islands, Dong Shu should have a sufficient understanding of the adventurer industry. If at that time he still plans to pursue a related profession, perhaps Xia Nan can help find channels and give him a little boost.
It’s also unclear what the current situation with Adeline is, and whether she is still mentoring newcomers.
Having a considerable friendship with this competent woman referred to as "Green Blood," and having worked together for a while, Xia Nan is aware of her working style. She herself belongs to the rare type of adventurer who is very responsible towards her companions.
If Dong Shu can enter her team, it should be a very good start.
However, a few days ago, Adeline was promoted to a professional. Although she still leads a few of her previous teammates, after such a long time, there may be other changes.
Whether she continues to clear goblins as before or seeks development in the professional sphere is also possible.
A chance must be found to chat with her and ask about her thoughts.
While Xia Nan pondered these matters in his heart, he didn’t disclose any relevant information to the young boy and girl before him.
He just advised them to work diligently and assured them they could always come to him with any issues, then parted ways.
Being newcomers, Dong Shu and Lilia had many matters to attend to, not only looking for appropriately priced accommodations but also finding suitable jobs promptly to secure a source of income to support themselves;
Xia Nan also needed to make good use of his time, complete the commissions he had, deal with the battle spoils he brought back, and then head to the Rock Hammer Blacksmith Shop to repay the 500 gold and retrieve the newly forged Enchanted Armor, while also preparing the necessary supplies for a long journey.
Busy yet fulfilling.
...
Two hours later.
In front of the Green Grass Cauldron Herb Shop.
Xia Nan tightened the backpack on his back, his face still without much change in emotion, but the cloth pouch by his waist was noticeably fuller compared to when he left the tavern.
The bounties tied to clearing two goblin nests during the adventure had all been completed, and the rewards for the two tasks added up to about 60-70 gold, although the exact amount would depend on confirmation from the association in a few days, after which it would be transferred to his bank account.
The spoils collected from these two nests were all handled at the grocery store, along with some miscellaneous coins, totaling 18 gold, 7 silver, and 3 copper coins.
At the same time, he also carried with him 27 gold coins found at the Druid’s cabin in the canyon, together with a diary.
All together, this yielded an income of over a hundred gold coins.
Combined with the over four hundred gold coins in his savings currently, it was enough to cover the cost for the Enchanted Armor forging and still leave a surplus of dozens of gold coins. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
Oh, nearly forgot, Barn mentioned before that if he returned from the mission with the Chain Armor in good condition, he could offer a very nice recovery price for it.
According to past norms... Xia Nan hadn’t really given it much thought, but it turned into an unexpected income for him.
Of course, this was just additional income from this adventure.
The real "large sum" was the "15-150 Gold Coins" commission reward for the Fog Lamp Grass collection task.
Xia Nan brought back an entire backpack full of Fog Lamp Grass, and it was all of a higher quality as Ms. Edwina had previously specified.
The return journey was also very smooth, with little time wasted, and all the stocks were well preserved, with no immediate danger of deterioration for the Fog Lamp Grass.
Even if not managing to get the full 150 gold, securing 100 gold was assured.
In parallel, he also carried the biological materials gathered from that mutated Fog Lamp Monster.
Including a core of the Fog Lamp Monster in crystalline form and several bunches of its most resilient thorny vines.
He wondered if they could be sold at a good price.
Thinking to himself, Xia Nan stepped forward and gently pushed the door open to the Green Grass Cauldron.
