Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 205 Maple Syrup

I was born in a small village called "Maple Breath Village".

Because it is so remote, it takes many days to get to the nearest large town, so it is difficult to describe its location precisely.

It should be located in a mountainous area in the southeast of Panyun Province.

The village is small, and the mountains are very high.

It is far from the trade route, and the misty forest is even further away, on the other side of the sky.

Therefore, even the green-skinned goblins, who were rumored to be as rampant as cockroaches, only occasionally appeared in the mouths of drunk men in the village.

But the scenery should be nice.

At least that's what my father said—he had worked with a racing team for a few years.

Every year during the months of Eli and Mano, the entire valley is dyed a golden-red by the maple trees.

A strong wind blew, and the leaves, even more crimson than the setting sun, swayed, layer upon layer, as if the valley were breathing.

This is also the origin of the name "Fengxi Village".

My childhood memories are long gone, but I must have been like "Little Allen" now, running wildly through the woods all day long.

He was very obedient and always got home before dark, much more so than I was when I was a child.

Of course, I suspect he was just too timid and was scared by the few scary little stories his mother made up before bed.

I am somewhat dissatisfied with this.

As my younger brother, he should be braver. Even if he doesn't become a trainee knight like "William" in the future, he should at least be able to support this family in critical moments.

William was the village chief's second son.

He was handsome and brave, and several years ago he was noticed by a knight from the neighboring town and trained as an apprentice.

I must admit that, as a teenage girl just beginning to experience romantic feelings, I harbored some rather unusual emotions towards him at the time.

Even now, when I occasionally think about it, I can't help but sigh with emotion.

Of course, all that's left is to sigh.

That day must have been in the afternoon.

I collected maple sap as usual.

Drill a small hole, about an inch deep, into the bark with a wood drill, insert a tenon, and hang the leather bucket below. The crystal-clear maple sap will then drip down one by one.

This is the main source of income for our family, or rather, for the entire Fengxi Village, throughout the year.

How well we get through winter depends on these two months.

Although I am not very old, I have some experience in this area.

This year's profits should be good.

At least in winter, filling your stomach shouldn't be a problem.

Just when I thought today would be no different from any other day, as the sun was about to set, I was carrying a full bucket, ready to go home.

A short, sharp bird call suddenly came from the depths of the nearby woods.

Various animals often roam the woods, so it's normal for them to make strange noises; I've never been particularly curious about that.

But for some reason, it was on that particular day that I became interested in it.

Thinking it was just a casual glance, I walked over in the direction the sound came from.

Then I saw the feathers scattered on the ground, the convulsing carcass of a jay, and the black cat lying in the shade, enjoying its prey.

Hmm, it looks a bit strange.

Its body frame was much thicker and heavier than those of the wild cats in the village, its head was longer, its cheekbones were wider, and its limbs were noticeably shorter, but its muscles and the fat under its skin were exceptionally thick.

Its tail is very short, only a small tuft protruding from its rump; its ears are semi-circular and droop on its head; and its small eyes are as black as buttons, reflecting a faint light.

It's less like a "cat" and more like a miniature black bear.

The strange creature did not react in any particular way to my appearance, nor did it exhibit the typical food-guarding behavior of wild animals.

Even when I approached it, within a few dozen centimeters of it, it showed no resistance whatsoever.

This aroused my curiosity, and on some inexplicable impulse, I reached out my left hand toward its furry head.

"Shh!"

The miniature black bear was very fast, and in the blink of an eye it disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

Only the half-eaten carcass of a jay remained on the ground.

And on the back of my hand, there was a bloody, raw wound.

I've forgotten how I got home that day.

But afterwards, he must have been given a stern lecture by his parents, and then his wound was carefully bandaged.

Although their tone was very stern when they reprimanded me, neither they nor I actually took it seriously.

After all, in this remote corner of the mountains, it's perfectly normal for children to get hurt while running around.

"it's not a big deal."

That's what I was thinking.

A few days later, a sudden fever kept me in bed for three whole days.

Then came the constant exhaustion and weakness, intermittent periods of extreme excitement.

I gradually became able to hear the soft rustling of mice gnawing on wood in the attic late at night, and the roaring sounds coming from the depths of the night.

Dislikes the feel of insoles, but enjoys the direct contact between the soles of the feet and the soil and fallen leaves; appetite gradually diminishes, but a strange craving arises for raw food with a fishy smell.

Even the innocent feelings for a peer, after a chance encounter, transformed into a twisted, instinctive desire for muscles and smells.

I noticed that something was happening to my body.

And all of this likely stemmed from the black bear that disappeared deep in the forest.

Time passes day by day.

My condition is getting worse.

Not only do I often hear inexplicable murmurs, as if someone is whispering to me, but even the way I look at the people around me has changed.

Little Allen said I've become somewhat frightening, with a cold gaze like that of a wild beast in the jungle, and my former playmates in the village have gradually drifted away.

I don't know what happened.

I want to go back.

But I can't control it.

Later, on a bright moonlit night, I had a dream.

In my dream, I seemed to become that tiny black bear, about the size of a cat, running freely in the woods. When I was hungry, I would catch a few birds and squirrels to eat; when I was thirsty, I would dig a hole in a tree to suck honey; and when I was sleepy, I would find a corner by a tree root to take a nap.

All the pain and torment I had endured during this period seemed to be relieved in this short dream.

Then, I woke up.

I've never had the habit of sleepwalking, but when I opened my eyes that morning, my body was already at the village entrance.

I suddenly realized something was wrong.

What hangs high in the sky is not the rising sun, but a full and bright silver moon.

The golden-red color before our eyes was not maple leaves, but blazing flames that ignited the entire village.

A sticky sensation came from my fingertips. Looking down, I saw a patch of scarlet blood mixed with bits of flesh.

He subconsciously licked his lips.

Oh, so it's not maple syrup, it tastes like blood.

But... it's equally sweet. It leaves a lingering aftertaste.

……

……

"Pooh!"

As if he had eaten something unclean, Xia Nan grimaced and stuck out his tongue.

In his hands, he held a jar about the size of his palm.

That was a "little surprise" he discovered this morning when he was packing his backpack after leaving the camp.

It was probably a supply item prepared for a previous mission, which I didn't notice and left deep inside my backpack.

The jar contained premium honey that he had specifically purchased from the "Grass Crucible".

I spent a lot of money and was originally planning to enjoy myself during the adventure.

He forgot about it later, and only just now did he take it out of his bag.

In my mind, honey should have a very long shelf life, so, not wanting to waste it, I took a bite.

I didn't expect it to have completely spoiled; it almost made his tongue feel bitter.

"Is this honey from a snail-shell bee?" Cash, with a smile on his face, kindly reminded him, "It tastes good, but it can only be stored for a month. If you leave it any longer, it will turn sour."

"Speaking of which, if you really like similar seasonings, I recommend maple syrup, a specialty of Panyun Province. It tastes better and is easier to preserve. You should be able to buy it in Hegu Town."

Upon hearing this, Xia Nan nodded, indicating that he understood.

I have already memorized it.

The mission was tedious, and I didn't have any particular hobbies.

I've long been used to using delicious food to add variety to my meals.

Even if it costs a little more money, it's totally worth it to make your journey more enjoyable.

Xia Nan even considered learning a musical instrument to enrich her dull life in another world.

However, considering the perilous nature of the adventure environment and the potential for the sounds of musical instruments to attract unnecessary danger, the matter was dropped.

It's not too late to consider this when we have methods to block sound transmission in the future.

The two chatted idly, with Vera strolling along the side of the line and Mint following behind.

The entire Seathorn Squad seemed somewhat relaxed, unlike what one would expect from someone in the Misty Forest.

In fact, they were not in the Misty Forest.

The Seathorn team is currently traveling along a country road.

On both sides are vast plains with few obstructions, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the view is unobstructed.

Even during the bright daylight.

Even the most experienced wanderers would find it difficult to ambush and launch a surprise attack in such an environment.

The reason for not entering the forest directly based on the location information provided by the association was due to other considerations.

Unlike the previous beast-clearing missions, the type of beastman mission is "investigation".

It doesn't require you to bring back the beastman's head directly. To some extent, as long as you confirm the beastman's existence and provide some specific information about him, the mission is considered complete.

Of course, if this is done perfunctorily, the task rewards will be significantly reduced.

After all, the "Reward" section of the bounty already specifies the reward range:

—30-300 gold / 1-10 points.

If Xia Nan wants to obtain enough Corrosion Steel to upgrade the Serpent Scale Arm Shield, simply gathering some information and returning to complete the quest will definitely not be enough.

In his view, to be on the safe side, it would be best to eliminate the trouble caused by the beastmen in one go.

But the forest is so vast. Although the association provided location information, if the beastman really exists, how could he possibly stay put?

Entering rashly would not only waste time, but also put them at a disadvantage if a battle broke out, as they would know nothing about the enemy and would also have to worry about being infected with the beastification disease.

very troublesome.

Therefore, before officially entering the forest, the Seathorn team planned to visit "Green Wheat Village" first.

—A small village located near the eastern side of a misty forest.

It is said that this place once hosted several adventurers who were suspected of being attacked by beastmen.

Since the adventurers were nowhere to be found, they wondered if they could get some information from the villagers.

Qingmai Village is not a particularly prosperous human settlement.

Otherwise, its suffix would not be "village".

The overall environment is inferior to that of River Valley Town, Caranford, and even Xia Nan's promotion site, "Emerald Creek Village".

Looking into the distance, only a few somewhat dilapidated houses are scattered on both sides, and residents dressed simply can be seen coming and going on the road.

Of course, since it is relatively close to the Misty Forest, adventurers often come and go.

The villagers were curious about the Seathorn team that suddenly entered the village, but they did not do anything too outrageous.

At most, he would stand by the roadside and watch a few people.

The village is small, so news travels quickly.

As soon as I entered the village, after walking only a few steps, an elderly man, whose clothes were fairly clean, came up to greet me.

The visitor was naturally the village chief of Qingmai Village.

The person in charge of negotiating with them was the squad leader, Cash.

Without much small talk, and after politely declining the village chief's invitation to come inside and discuss things in detail, he went straight to the point and explained his purpose.

Xia Nan stood at the back of the line, not saying a word, but silently observing the expressions and actions of the people in the line.

Mint remained silent, her head bowed, her fingertips gently stroking her branch-shaped staff.

Vera, on the other hand, seemed to have nothing to do, looking around listlessly, her expression completely different from when she was in Riverdale.

If I had to put it into words, it would be the difference between being in the office and commuting on the subway in my past life—a feeling of no longer needing to socialize with colleagues and being isolated from the people around me.

Cash, who was talking to the village chief, made it even more obvious.

Although he did not show much aggression, his subconscious body movements and the words he used in his speech revealed a superior attitude.

It was as if the person standing in front of him was not an elderly man several generations older than him, but a subordinate or butler.

Unexpectedly, yet understandably, the village chief did not show any aversion or anger. On the contrary, he took the initiative to adopt a humble attitude during the conversation.

In just a few minutes, Xia Nan gained a new understanding of the relationship between "adventurers" and "ordinary civilians" in this world.

Then he suddenly paused, startled.

"I myself... I shouldn't have changed much, right?"

He realized that less than a year was not enough to change the well-established worldview he had built up over decades in his previous life.

But I also know in my heart that whether a person is strong or not has no direct correlation with whether their mind is resilient.

Power, status, and wealth can easily transform a kind person into a twisted, greedy beast.

Subconsciously, I began to reflect on my recent interactions with ordinary villagers and town residents.

But I didn't have time to think about it much.

Cash, who was at the front of the group, turned around and called to the others.

"Let's go, we've found the person."

(End of this chapter)