Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 187 Return
Newme, post station.

The Lunar Feast holiday is not yet over, but the place is already packed with busy crowds.

A long-bearded dwarf, dressed in a bearskin and looking like an upright bear cub, brandished his horsewhip and hurled vulgar insults at pedestrians blocking his path.

Bare-chested, his strong, muscular body bulged and writhed beneath his sweat-drenched, pale green skin. The orc, his face contorted with rage from exertion, hauled several heavy sacks off the carriage.

While the Lunar Feast is certainly worth celebrating, for many impoverished residents in the slums who struggle to even fill their stomachs, it's at most a relatively lavish dinner on the day of the festival.

"Holidays" and "rest" are things that only "city dwellers" with regular jobs and stable incomes can afford.

Given their situation, if they work one less day, they'll go hungry for one more day.

No one would be willing to give up a chance to make money for those vague and unrealistic holiday customs.

Breaking news! Breaking news!

"The Church of the Moon Goddess has been attacked, and an evil entity is suspected to be circulating in the city!"

"..."

The newsboy's cries echoed through the crowded streets, reaching our ears.

This caught Xia Nan's attention.

Looking around, one could see a familiar, thin figure standing high on the saddle of a carriage nearby, vigorously waving a newspaper and trying to sell the day's news to passersby.

I have a vague recollection of what it was like when I first arrived in Newme; it seems that this was the person I encountered.

I was planning to buy a newspaper, but I didn't because the escorting motorcade guards drove me away.

Today, we ran into each other again.

I felt it was a coincidence.

Xia Nan stepped forward, took out two copper coins from his pouch, and handed them to the other person.

"Give me one."

"Ok sir."

A major event that suddenly occurs in the city might be a dangerous incident that keeps some people up all night.

But for these newspaper boys who rely on newspaper revenue to support themselves, it was a good time to make money.

As long as it doesn't affect them, they'd love to have big news every day, and they wouldn't mind changing the city lord every day.

The sensational news headline kept Little Snot busy, and he didn't even recognize the adventurer he had seen once before through the car window.

Smiling, he took the two copper coins from Xia Nan's hand and then handed over a copy of the newspaper from his pocket.

They didn't care about that.

With one hand lightly resting on his fanny pack, Xia Nan pushed through the crowd, found a quiet corner, and began to read the newspaper.

The first thing that catches the eye is naturally the front-page headline the newsboy had just mentioned—

The Luna Church has been suspected of being attacked by cult members, resulting in heavy losses for the city's guards.

【Moon Maiden】Serenne has a wide following, and her clergy have always followed her teachings, guiding the lost and helping those suffering.

The Luna Church enjoys a very high reputation not only in the West End where it is located, but also in the slums far away from it.

The attack on the night of the Lunar Feast completely overshadowed the recent high-level turmoil in Newme and became the hot topic of discussion among most residents in the past two days.

In the taverns large and small throughout the city, all sorts of strange and unusual speculations were put forward regarding this incident.

Some say that a devil from hell seduced a nun in the church whose faith was not firm enough, thus causing her to betray the goddess and stir up trouble.
Some people suspect that the incident itself may be related to the city lord's position, which has been shrouded in gloom recently, and believe that the church's chief priest, Isidore, is in cahoots with a certain nobleman.

Some even believe it's related to the adventurers returning to Newme after the hunting day, thinking it's the evil power brought from River Valley and Misty Forest by these dangerous people after their killings.

Of course, most people just laugh off this last point, dismissing it as the nonsense of a daydreamer.

Then, also on the front page, immediately following the headline about the church attack:
Urgent Recall! Forbidden statues are circulating in the city. If you encounter one, please contact your nearest sheriff. Possession may be considered "blasphemy."

The report linked the statue to the attackers of the Luna Church, suggesting it was a conspiracy orchestrated by cultists, and demanded that residents who possessed such wooden carvings hand them over as soon as possible, otherwise their lives might be in danger.

A helpful image of the statue's front was even included next to it to help citizens distinguish it.

Looking at the picture of the "Sheep-Deer-Human Statue" with deer antlers, a sheep's head, and a human body on the newspaper in his hand.

Xia Nan's emotions were somewhat complicated.

After returning home, he naturally reviewed everything that had happened that night.

He also realized that the reason why the strange blonde elf had ventured into the slums to find him was most likely to get him to read out the so-called "real name" in the note.

The reason I attracted the other party's attention should also stem from my first encounter with the [Sheep-Deer Statue] in "Fairy Wind".

This wooden sculpture is the origin of everything.

In other words, he was relatively calm and also quite lucky, and found the key to escape in the secret realm constructed primarily from his own memories.

And with his strong will, he managed to withstand the mental shock of the sculptor whose face he could not see.

They turned misfortune into a blessing, gaining special skills and attributes.

otherwise……

Recalling the eerie environment within the secret realm, and the unspeakable encounters in the attic that I cannot bear to recall.

Xia Nan felt incredibly fortunate.

My gaze continued downwards, automatically ignoring several advertisements and job postings such as "Elf Leaf Bakery's New Arrivals, Packed to the Breadth" and "Fireplace Hotel Urgently Hiring Front Desk Receptionists."

The only news that could possibly catch his attention was headlines like, "Large swarm of grey rats confirmed in West End sewers, causing some casualties; Newme City Hall advises nearby residents to stay away unless absolutely necessary!"—news he might have already encountered.

Suddenly, I remembered that night when I encountered Buck in the sewers.

After so much time, the corpses of those badger gang members have probably been completely eaten by the grey rats.

Iron Head, the lucky gang leader, survived because of his own actions.

I wonder what they're doing now.

Shaking his head, Xia Nan stopped thinking about it.

Whether it's a pack of rats or a gang of badgers.

For him now, there's no point in thinking about it any further.

Because he was about to leave Newme and return to River Valley.

The blonde elf, officially labeled a "cultist," the sheep-deer statue that circulated quietly and was then urgently recalled, and the chaos within the city's upper echelons, all hang like a deep shadow over Newme, making it impossible to uncover the truth.

The water is too deep!

Xia Nan was just a new professional who had recently obtained a professional level, so it was impossible for him to actively get involved in an event that might involve high-level forces.

Buck is now dead; the mission is over.

He certainly didn't want to stay in the city any longer and was already prepared to return.

"Xia Nan, over here!"

My gaze followed the direction from which the sound came.

In the crowd, Jeff was standing on his prosthetic leg from the "Rockhammer" blacksmith shop, waving to Xia Nan.

Behind him stood several men dressed as coachmen, who were slightly younger.

Just after the grand feast of the moon, it was time for the countless people who had come back from the surrounding towns to celebrate the festival to leave.

The rest stop has been exceptionally busy these past few days, and it's nearly impossible to secure a spot without advance booking. But having been with the caravan for so many years, Jeff has quite a network of connections at the rest stop.

Upon learning that Xia Nan planned to return to Hegu Town, he took the initiative to contact several of his acquaintances and found him an empty seat in a convoy heading to Hegu Town.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a few more days? There are so many places in Newme you haven't explored yet, have you?"

Jeff looked at Xia Nan as she approached and sincerely urged her to stay.

"No, thank you." Xia Nan smiled and declined. "I have to go back to the association to hand in the mission. I don't know if it counts as completed. Otherwise, I might have to make another trip out of town."

"We're already professionals, there's no need to work so hard."

Jeff patted Xia Nan on the shoulder and comforted her.

"You're so young, you have time to take a few more days off, or find a suitable woman to settle down with."

Xia Nan didn't speak, but simply shook his head.

During breaks between missions, although he spends a lot of time training his combat skills every day, he has actually recovered quite well both physically and mentally.

If he really feels too much pressure, taking a couple of days off won't make him feel guilty.

As for starting a family...

He had already thought about it very deeply long before he even obtained a professional rank.

I will not consider it until I have enough strength and can provide a sufficiently safe environment for the people I care about.

With his gaze fixed on the unassuming middle-aged man before him, Xia Nan earnestly reminded him:

"Although I've already said it, I still have to remind you again."

"Avoid contact with those strangely styled statues and keep your distance."

"And if you see the blonde elf in the newspaper, run away immediately, don't hesitate."

"Business can be done again anytime, but you only have one life."

"If you encounter any truly difficult problems, you can go to the city lord's mansion and find a man named 'Wood.' Mention my name, and he might be able to offer you some help."

Mrs. Daisy, a master chef whose cream of mushroom soup is especially exquisite; Lilina, who appears shy but is actually quite lively; and Jamie, who is studying at the academy and is always very polite when he occasionally comes home…

Although they didn't spend much time together, Jeff's family left a very good impression on Xia Nan.

Even though it was only their first meeting, she treated him like family, taking meticulous care of him and showing concern for every aspect of his life in the city.

Therefore, when it was time to part ways, Xia Nan couldn't help but say a few more words.

Always reliable, Jeff listened carefully to Xia Nan's explanation, then nodded seriously and attentively, indicating that he would write it all down.

Then a smile appeared on his face, and he turned his body to make way for the crowd.

"It's getting late, let's get going."

"When you come to Newme again, be sure to look for me. That guest room in my house will always be reserved for you."

Waving his hand, Xia Nan stepped into the carriage.

The wheels creaked as they turned.

Outside the window, Jeff stood still, watching the departing figure.

……

……

They replenished supplies and set up camp for rest along the way.

Traveling at various stops, more than half a month passed quietly.

There were no dangers such as bandits or monsters, except for a pack of wolves that passed by the camp one night, which startled the caravan leader. Otherwise, the most tedious thing was the unchanging wilderness outside the window and the bumpy carriage.

Finally, on a sunny morning...

The convoy returned to River Valley Town.

The familiar clamor filled my ears, and even the profanities mixed in sounded pleasant at that moment.

Pushing open the car door, my leather boots landed firmly on the stone floor.

What came into view was no longer the ordinary citizens of Newme, whether they were dressed in rags or in pristine clothes.

Instead, there was the dazzling cold light reflected from the blade under the sunlight, and the crisp sound of metal armor colliding and rubbing against the scabbard.

Even the air carried a faint, unmistakably familiar scent of blood.

"Grey Sword, you're back?"

Someone who recognized him glanced at the decapitation sword behind him and called out from afar.

He nodded in greeting.

Xia Nan started walking, heading towards the town center along the street.

After the mission is over, it's time for the classic loot disposal.

Although he didn't get any biological materials like goblin ears or rusty monster venom sacs from this "adventure," he did get a few shiny little stones from the gray badger gang.

A trip to Fairy Wind should be enough to get you a few bags of gold coins.

On the way to Neum, he helped the caravan deal with the bandits who attacked them.

The horses and equipment, which were spoils of war, should have already been exchanged for gold coins and stored at the White Sparrow Tavern as agreed, waiting for him to collect them.

He wasn't seriously injured, but his two pieces of armor had melted into molten iron under the strange power of the golden-haired elf, rendering them completely useless.

We need to go to "Rock Hammer" to purchase two more sets.

Of course, he wouldn't forget.

Before leaving River Valley and heading to Newme.

He spent a full 500 gold to commission Barn at the "Rockhammer" blacksmith shop to make him a defensive magical item.

Judging by the time frame, it has been almost two months, so it must have been completed by now.

I don't know exactly what type it is.

If it happens to be a type of armor, it can actually save you some money.

I couldn't help but feel a little expectant.

Of course, all of this comes before that.

Xia Nan first needs to go to the Adventurers' Guild to turn in his promotion quest.

If he completes the task, he will be qualified to go to the second floor of the association, enjoy the relevant benefits that the association provides to professionals, and may even gain some advanced knowledge about upgrading or changing jobs.

If you haven't completed it... at least you have to register the task you have on hand before you can take on a new advancement task.

If possible, make appropriate resupply according to the mission information.

The tasks to be done flashed through my mind, and the familiar streets I had walked through countless times passed before my eyes. Without needing to figure out the direction, I instinctively stepped back on both sides of my body.

When Xia Nan raised her head again.

In front of him was a tall, natural wooden building that resembled a treehouse.

He had already arrived at the entrance of the Adventurers' Guild.

(End of this chapter)