Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 151 Conditions and Unexpected Events

Professional.

For ordinary civilians who never come into contact with any extraordinary power in their entire lives, there seems to be no obvious difference between them and ordinary adventurers.

They also wear heavy and expensive armor, fight and kill dangerous monsters, and earn a fortune that they could never earn in many years.

Only occasionally do you see those aloof adventurers, who seem to look down on even the knights in the castle, display an expression of envy and awe when they mention the relevant words.

Only then did I vaguely perceive the difference between the two.

And when he threw down the hoe, picked up the longsword, faced the warm air rushing towards him as the monster roared, and felt the sticky sensation of blood flowing down his cheek.

Watching their teammates, with whom they had spent every day, being torn to pieces by monsters, they would exchange their hard-earned gold coins for expensive drinks to numb their senses.

Then you will finally know what "professional" really means.

Compared to the uncertainty faced by lower-level adventurers.

For most organizations on the continent of Aifara, the improvement in a person's strength is only a negligible part of their overall strength if they obtain a professional rank.

More importantly, it achieved a breakthrough from "0" to "1" on the road to extraordinary achievements.

To some extent, becoming a professional, even at the most basic level 1, represents a relatively stable and attainable bright future.

It also truly possesses the value of cultivation.

The Adventurers' Guild is a colossal entity that spans the entire continent and wields an astonishingly wide range of influence.

Its unique organizational nature naturally attracts a huge number of adventurers.

As for those individuals who are exceptionally talented or simply lucky, they may obtain a professional level.

The association will also provide some encouragement and support.

"High-level combat skills that are truly effective, high-quality alchemical potions that are inexpensive, secret intelligence that is usually difficult to obtain, and even invaluable magical equipment..."

"After you obtain a professional level as an association member, it will be provided to you as a benefit through the corresponding redemption channels."

"Jasmine," the receptionist with short blonde hair, said earnestly.

At this moment, this girl, who was usually listless and seemed exhausted every second of her workday, was now standing up straight, full of energy, and showing no signs of sleepiness.

It was as if he had become a completely different person, introducing Xia Nan to the generous benefits offered by the Adventurers' Guild after becoming a professional.

The two are no longer in the crowded association hall.

Instead, they were moved to a quiet room inside the building, similar to a small conference room.

As for her original shift, it has been replaced by other staff members who were temporarily called in.

Xia Nan sat across the table, her thoughts wandering.

It's pretty much as we guessed before.

The guild does not provide a large amount of resources directly to adventurers like myself who have just obtained their professional rank.

Instead, it provides a clear path for advancement.

That's normal.

After all, given the size of the Adventurers' Guild, and influenced by its own faction and operating methods, it doesn't urgently need to replenish its combat power like other small and medium-sized organizations.

There's no need to rely on welfare benefits to increase attractiveness.

The words "Adventurers' Guild" and the meaning behind them are enough.

Of course, similarly, while the association doesn't offer many direct rewards to professionals, it also doesn't impose many restrictions.

It doesn't dictate who you have to be an enemy of, what you can't do, or that you have to kneel and bow to certain people.

In some ways, it's more like a "platform".

Adventurers obtain gold, combat skills, and advance their careers through quests issued by the guild.

The association also expands and increases its influence through its numerous adventurers.

"Please rest assured, it's not the kind of deep bond that requires you to sign a contract or make an oath."

Seeing that Xia Nan was sitting silently, and worried that she hadn't explained things clearly and that the other person might have misunderstood something, Jasmine quickly added.

"The benefits I mentioned earlier will be provided free of charge to professionals in the association, as long as you meet the exchange requirements."

After all, in most cases, it is perfectly normal for a high-level professional to have many identities at different levels.

A legendary adventurer renowned throughout the continent, perhaps also a fanatical follower of a certain god, holding an important position in the church, and possibly a member of a fishing enthusiast club.

As the most famous neutral organization on the continent, the Adventurers' Guild does not impose any restrictions on the professionals within it; in many cases, it is just one of the most inconspicuous aspects of the background information.

The association itself even maintains cooperative relationships with many organizations from different camps.

To give a simple example, like the "Hunting Day" that just ended a few days ago, the bounty for goblins was increased to 5 silver coins per goblin, which was funded by the Kingdom of Servia.

Many of the kingdom's high-ranking officials are actually from associations.

In my youth, I also cut down goblins in the Misty Forest, earning a couple of gold coins, which I would then use to boast and chat in the tavern in Vale Town.

Even so, it did not prevent them from joining the Kingdom's camp after growing up with the resources of the Association, as their strength increased and their thinking changed, and even arguing endlessly with the high-ranking members of the Association's branches over the terms of cooperation.

The more you want, the more restrictions you face, and the more stringent the conditions become.

Of course, the Adventurers' Guild is not only comprised of free members from other factions.

It also has a considerable number of core members; otherwise, it would be impossible to support such a large organizational structure.

However, these things are still very far from what Xia Nan is experiencing now.

"Regarding the details in this regard... although I know some, due to regulations, I really cannot disclose too much. You will need to go upstairs and ask the relevant staff for more information. I apologize."

Jasmine carefully chose her words and explained cautiously.

At the same time, he stared intently at Xia Nan in front of him, seemingly observing his expression, afraid that he might get angry.

Xia Nan did not feel offended by this.

What he was thinking at that moment was...

As the other party had previously stated, if he wanted to receive more resources or even be absorbed into the organization's core in the future, he would have to demonstrate his potential and value and sign a relevant contract to show his loyalty.

On the one hand, he has only been in this world for less than two hundred days, and he has not yet come into contact with many people and forces. He does not want to be bound to a certain faction too early.

On the other hand, I have only just obtained my professional level and have not made any special contributions. I am still far from being actively recruited by the association, so I am not in a hurry at all.

He nodded, indicating that he understood, and went straight to the point:
"So, to get to the second floor of the association, we don't need to sign any contracts or anything like that, right?"

"That's right, Mr. Xia Nan!"

"Then..." With a hint of doubt in his eyes, Xia Nan's gaze swept across the conference room where he was.

Seeing this, Jasmine's expression immediately became somewhat awkward. She coughed twice, and as her lips moved, she recited the speech she had already memorized:
"Uh, esteemed Sir... Lord Xia Nan, the Adventurers' Guild has always upheld the collaborative principle of 'shared authority and responsibility.' Just as a sword blade needs careful measurement to perfectly fit its sheath, a practical test is a necessary procedure to ensure you understand the equivalence of a professional's authority and responsibility. It is not merely an assessment of authority, nor is it a questioning of your qualifications; on the contrary..."

The highly familiar official rhetoric made Xia Nan's expression suddenly become somewhat subtle.

Outwardly, he remained extremely polite, listening attentively to the speech that the other party had clearly memorized with great difficulty, but inwardly he had already consciously omitted the useless embellishments and quickly extracted the key information.

Only after Jasmine had recited everything did he ask again:
"So, to sum it up, you mean I need to complete a task before I can officially ascend to the second floor as a professional, is that right?"

"Yep!"

Jasmine had been considering skipping over the explanation again, but seeing that Xia Nan immediately understood what she meant, she nodded repeatedly with a surprised expression. "The difficulty level is generally not too high, and even those professionals with slightly weaker initial abilities can complete it easily."

"However, due to a minor issue during the recent hunting days, the staff responsible for issuing the relevant tasks are not in River Valley Town, so you will probably have to wait for three or four days."

Seeing Jasmine's apologetic expression, Xia Nan waved his hand, indicating that she didn't need to worry about it.

Having just been promoted to a professional, he originally wanted to take a short break to practice his newly acquired combat skills.

Three or four days was actually too short for him.

However, since the other party has said that it is a task that even the most ordinary professional can complete, given his current "supermodel" attributes, there shouldn't be too much of a problem.

"Then I'll come back in five days."

Xia Nan got up, intending to leave.

Seeing that he was so easy to talk to, Jasmine's tense heart couldn't help but relax.

As if remembering something, even though there was no one else in the room, he still looked around guiltily, leaned closer, and whispered a reminder:

“Mr. Xia Nan, although the specific details of the mission are still unclear, based on the information I’ve heard in recent days, the mission location has been roughly confirmed.”

"Oh? You said."

"It should be... Newm."

……

……

Outside the Adventurers' Guild, the streets were bustling.

It was already close to evening.

As Xia Nan walked toward the White Sparrow Tavern, he recalled his conversation with the association's receptionist, "Jasmine."

"Five days... Newme..."

To be honest, he had heard of this largest city near the river valley town before.

I've been thinking about going there to broaden my horizons sometime, but due to a constant stream of missions, I haven't had the chance.

Taking advantage of this "business trip" opportunity, I can say that I've fulfilled a small wish.

While I was pondering this, a commotion suddenly arose from the roadside.

His gaze unconsciously drifted towards that direction.

A slightly plump woman with curly hair and frameless glasses perched on her nose stood on the side of the street with an angry expression.

He was still holding a long soup ladle dripping with thick liquid.

"Ms. Edwina?"

Xia Nan immediately recognized the owner of the "Green Grass Crucible".

I felt strange.

In his memory, although Ms. Edwina had a fondness for strong liquor, she was known for her gentle nature, and the various ointments and patches sold in her shop were much cheaper than those in the alchemist's shop in the guild.

It has a very good reputation among adventurers.

Why are you so angry now...

Following the direction of the other person's angry glare, he immediately understood.

The middle-aged man who had been kicked out of the blacksmith shop by "Rockhammer" Barn was now standing awkwardly and embarrassed in front of the woman, carrying a small package and backing away.

Undoubtedly, the attempt to stage an accident failed again.

Having worked among adventurers for about half a year, I know that the lower-level adventurers are a mixed bag, with all sorts of people.

But this was the first time he had ever seen someone as fearless as the man before him.

From "Rock Hammer" to "Grass Crucible," it might even have messed around with "Fairy Wind."

Given the speed at which information spreads in River Valley Town, the other party's identity and characteristics will likely be known to every shop in town, big or small, by tomorrow night, and they will be blacklisted.

Without supplies, adventurers venturing into dangerous monster-infested areas face certain death.

She shook her head slightly, not intending to pay any more attention.

Suddenly, a young, square-faced adventurer stepped out from the crowd.

As a well-known herbalist in town, there were many people who wanted to get on good terms with Ms. Edwina.

Regardless of future discounts, the simple act of kindness is enough to make many adventurers "generous" enough to lend a helping hand.

Even when this clever, square-faced adventurer stepped out with his sword, many onlookers in the crowd showed expressions of regret, lamenting that they hadn't thought of that.

It's impossible for him to kill someone in the street. The square-faced adventurer only wanted to take advantage of the large number of onlookers, show off, gain favor, and make a few threats.

The middle-aged man standing in front of her on the street looked as if he had been stimulated by something; his face was pale, he looked lost and disoriented, and even his eyes seemed to have become unfocused.

Facing the square-faced man wielding a weapon, the thin man staggered forward to meet him.

"you dare!?"

Seeing the other party's actions, the square-faced adventurer assumed that the other party was angry because the attempt to extort money had failed. He immediately raised the one-handed sword in his hand, which was originally pointing downwards, and prepared to attack, intending to teach the other party a lesson.

"Hiss...whoosh!"

Then came the dull sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh, followed by a momentary silence and then an uproar from the surrounding crowd.

From Xia Nan's perspective, it was very clear.

Facing the square-faced adventurer who was poised for battle with his sword held at an angle, the middle-aged man neither dodged nor evaded, but instead embraced him head-on.

And for some reason, Fang Lian also seemed to lose his ability to react for a short time, and stood there stunned.

She let the middle-aged man walk in and hug her tightly.

Let the blade pierce through his chest and abdomen.

hum-

The adventurers who had been gathered around the area were suddenly thrown into chaos.

Some cried out, some ran away, and among them were even petty thieves.

Within seconds, the dozens of onlookers, including the square-faced adventurer, had all fled.

Only Ms. Edwina remained, standing bewildered on the street, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.

On the cold ground, a middle-aged man lay motionless, his death eerily peaceful.

Too lazy to get involved, Xia Nan quickened his pace to leave.

However, I sensed something strange in my heart.

After the riot, the package that the middle-aged man had been carrying disappeared from his body.

"They're pretty bold. I wonder who stole it."

(End of this chapter)