Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 286 Adeline, Abby, and the Sulphur

Spin.

Without the aid of any tools, the viscous surface rippled with silk-like waves, stirring and a small vortex appeared within it.

Coated with tiny bits of mushroom bits, warm steam rises from the milky white broth—a blend of the sweet aroma of cream and butter, the umami of mushrooms brought out by the heat, and the fresh, herbaceous scent unique to parsley.

Scoop up half a spoonful, the thick white soup clinging to the spoon, the diced mushrooms sprinkled with black pepper trembling, and put into your mouth.

Gently pressing the palate feels like spreading a layer of velvet on the tip of the tongue, filling the mouth with delicacy and sweetness, and creating a wonderful contrast between the smoothness of the cream and the grainy texture of the mushroom pieces.

Distractions and anxieties were swept away by an indescribable sense of satisfaction, leaving the mind blank, with only the purest, most fundamental, and simplest thoughts remaining.

happy.

Adeline sat across the table, watching the black-haired youth in front of her, who seemed to be the most severely addicted to magic, absorbing magic power as if his soul had been detached from his body in an instant.

The expression on his face was incredibly strange.

Is it really that delicious?

She muttered to herself, then scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.

Unlike his usual hasty swallowing, this seasoned adventurer, who was more manly than a man and whose arm muscles could even strangle a goblin, deliberately pursed his lips and savored the creamy mushroom soup on his tongue for a few more seconds before slowly swallowing it.

"The taste is indeed quite good." She smacked her lips, looking utterly puzzled. "But it shouldn't be this exaggerated..."

"It's just a bowl of mushroom soup. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were drinking some kind of dragon's blood medicinal soup."

"You do not understand."

Xia Nan simply squinted his eyes and gently shook his head.

Whether it's goblins or cream of mushroom soup, he was certainly aware of these little quirks that he gradually developed as he went further and further on his adventurer's journey.

But he has no intention of controlling the intervention.

With so much pressure, there's bound to be a way to release it.

Drinking a few bowls of cream of mushroom soup and tearing apart a few green goblins is much better than wasting energy on the card table and in alcohol.

Xia Nan didn't say much at the dinner table.

Instead, in front of Adeline, with an expression of unparalleled bliss, he emptied the entire bowl of creamy mushroom soup, swallowing the last drop of broth remaining on his tongue.

He gradually came to his senses and looked ahead at "Green Blood" Adeline, who had already finished her "battle" and cleaned the food off her plate.

"Judging from your appearance, you've already obtained a job level?"

Compared to before, Adeline's appearance has not changed much.

He still wore the same blood-stained scale armor that looked like it had been through many battles, and his hairstyle was still the same messy, unkempt short hair that resembled fur after a butcher had processed it.

But beneath the armor, the muscular bulge, noticeably larger than usual, stretched the inner lining, and the solid aura surrounding the body was distinctly different from that of other adventurers.

With his keen senses, Xia Nan noticed the qualitative change that had taken place in his old acquaintance the moment he saw him.

Thinking back to many days ago, before I received the escort mission, the other party mentioned that I was only one step away from becoming a "professional".

The reason for Adeline's change is then obvious.

As expected, without any attempt to hide it, she nodded earnestly:

"It hasn't been long. Just a few days ago, when I was training in the suburbs outside the town, I grasped it for a couple of seconds."

"That step has been taken."

Following the unspoken rules among adventurers, Xia Nan had no intention of prying into the other person's class. He simply guessed that it was probably a "warrior" or "barbarian" and took the initiative to speak:

"You haven't completed the advancement quest yet, do you need my help?"

As former teammates, even after they parted ways after the "hunting day" ended, the two maintained a very good relationship and often ate and chatted together in their free time.

Adeline is also one of Xia Nan's few friends in this world.

If someone encounters difficulties, it's perfectly normal to lend a helping hand within your capabilities.

He had even made an agreement with the other party long ago that once they obtained a professional level and needed to complete association advancement tasks, they could simply ask him for help without having to think too much.

Adeline patted her chest and promised, saying she "wouldn't waste her relationship with 'Grey Sword'."

But unexpectedly, when the other party actually needed to complete the advancement task, they hesitated.

After gripping the weapon handle for a long time, her knuckles calloused, she held the spoon tightly for a while before slowly opening her mouth:

"As you probably know, I'm not the kind of person who would make unreasonable demands just because we're friends."

“You’ve been away on this mission for so long, and you haven’t even had two days to rest back in town before I dragged you out again… We’re not even in the same team anymore, it’s not appropriate.”

"On the other hand, I've also reviewed the mission details assigned by the association. It's not difficult; any ordinary adventurer could complete it, and it must be done in a small team temporarily assembled by the association..."

"I understand what you mean."

Xia Nan waved his hand, indicating that the other party did not need to say anything more.

He certainly understood what Adeline was trying to express.

Relationships between people cannot always remain unchanged.

Last year, even though I hadn't yet become a professional, my combat ability might have been slightly higher than yours. But overall, the two sides maintained a relatively balanced state. Your opponent might even have occupied a more central position in the team because of their status as "captain" and "veteran adventurer".

As the "Hunting Day" ended, having mastered the basics of [Gravity Control] and obtained the professional level, even though his daily interactions with acquaintances remained largely unchanged due to the influence of his previous life's values, their attitudes towards him subtly shifted, even becoming somewhat distant.

Abina's drastically different performance from before is a substantial manifestation of this change.

To some extent, it's quite rare in this world that Adeline, who hadn't yet achieved a professional rank, was able to maintain a close, friendly relationship with him that hadn't changed much.

This requires both parties to have corresponding personalities and ways of handling things, and not to harbor resentment towards each other because of some deeply rooted preconceived notions in people's minds.

Right now, Xia Nan could easily help the other party resolve the association's advancement task with a simple "we're all brothers".

So what happens then?

Often, when there is a significant difference in their levels of strength, maintaining a harmonious and normal friendship requires careful and cautious maintenance from both parties.

“You’re right. This mission of mine almost circled half of the Panyun Province around the Molten Scale Mountains. I killed countless goblins along the way, so I definitely need to rest in town for a while.”

"Goblins? These bastards are like cockroaches, they're everywhere. I practically wiped out all the nests near Riverdale a few months ago, but they just sprouted back up from the ground in a couple of days. If you ask me, the Kingdom should..."

Clearly, the shared topic of green-skinned goblins brought the previously somewhat quiet table to life once again.

They chatted until night fell outside the window before Adeline said goodbye and left, returning to her rented single room near the pub.

"Tap, tap."

He tapped his fingertips lightly on the wooden tabletop and nodded to the waiter who was clearing the table.

Xia Nan looked thoughtful.

He had finished processing all the spoils of his mission within the entire day.

Needless to say, the blacksmith's shop contained materials from monsters collected along the way, plus coins scavenged from orcs and goblin lairs, totaling 42 gold, 3 silver, and 5 copper.

In addition, there is 630 gold as a reward for the escort mission (of which 130 gold is the exchange price of the Dragonborn Sava equipment).

Finally, subtract the 198 gold he spent on the plate chainmail armor he bought that morning.

Currently, Xia Nan's cash assets have reached 1089 gold, 9 silver, and 6 copper.

The dream I once had still sits in the center of the "Rockhammer" blacksmith shop's shelves today; I'm only one-third away from having that full set of heavy plate armor that's armed to the teeth.

Needless to say, small purchases like mushroom soup are also common.

He had no intention of squandering the money; in fact, he was even thinking about where to get more money.

After all, the decapitation sword was lying in the blacksmith's shop. After three days, once Barn had done a good job of researching the properties of the [Molten Ash Silver Ingot], they would have to start working on the forging of the sword.

Referring to the Hand Arm Shield, even though I provided the main materials, it still cost a full thousand gold to finally obtain the finished product.

As a weapon that has always been significantly more expensive than other types of equipment, the cost of reforging the Decapitation Sword will only increase. 1000 gold may not be enough in the end.

He'll rest for three days first, and once Barn confirms, he'll have to get started on his money-making plan.

Speaking of which, the [Tidal Surge Lure Rod] that was previously consigned to the association has not been touched yet and is still quietly stored in the association's warehouse on the second floor, unable to be converted into cash.

"Could it be that none of the anglers in this world ever get a 'snowball' (no successful fishing)?"

"The conditions for using this equipment are indeed a bit harsh, but if someone deliberately tries to find loopholes, it's not entirely impossible to avoid them, so it shouldn't be too difficult to sell."

Xia Nan thought to himself.

However, there's nothing he can do but patiently wait for the "destined one".

It's worth mentioning that the [Iron Stomach Flail], which he brought back and even briefly tested in several goblin lairs along the way, is now on the guild's second-floor inventory list.

Although it's a white-grade weapon, its attributes are all decent. As long as the weight-related trigger restrictions are met, it can be considered a pretty good weapon.

Selling it directly to a grocery store like this would be a huge loss.

So he stored it in the association's warehouse, hoping that someone might recognize its value in the future and contribute some extra income to him.

……

……

Meanwhile, on the other side of River Valley Town.

Inside a bustling "tavern (casino)".

Abby was squeezed in the crowd, his eyes bloodshot, his chest heaving as he involuntarily gasped for breath.

Reflected in his eyes was the dice cup on the card table in front of him, making a crisp sound and shaking constantly.

The violently shaking dice determine the outcome of this gamble and who will have the last few chips he has.

That was the only thing he gained from this mission.

The result... was naturally the same as the previous few rounds.

Abby lost his last coin.

"call……"

Leaning against the wall, feeling the cold air outside, I looked at the pedestrians coming and going on the street ahead.

The man, whose face still held a hint of youthfulness but whose demeanor was no different from the gamblers, seasoned veterans, and low-level adventurers in the room, did not appear particularly angry.

He was already used to it; his empty pockets were like his heart after releasing the pressure, empty and devoid of anything.

A few months ago, when Abby was still in the "Green Blood" team, he would never have gone near such a place, nor would he have ever put his hard-earned money at the card table.

Neither his parents' and elders' teachings nor the stubborn but responsible captain in the team would allow him to do such a thing.

But right now...

He hasn't sent money home for three months.

A few days ago, his parents asked his literate uncle to send him a letter, worried that he might have encountered some danger, and attached a considerable amount of savings that he had previously sent back.

This made Abby determined that after the mission was over, she would send the money over first, and then use it for her own expenses.

The process went quite smoothly, thanks to their former teammate, the famous "Gray Sword" in town. Their team didn't even have to kill a single goblin to receive the mission reward.

As an old acquaintance of "Gray Sword" in the squad, he received nearly half of the mission rewards.

Abby really wanted to send the money home because he knew perfectly well how much those few gold coins could improve the lives of his parents and his two younger sisters.

But on the way back to the hotel... he finally couldn't resist.

When they came to their senses, the gold coins that should have been stuffed into the envelope had already been turned into chips and pushed onto the poker table.

"Damn it." Feeling increasingly annoyed, Abby couldn't help but curse under his breath.

Sometimes he would think that it would be great if he could become a professional like "Green Blood" and "Gray Sword".

At that time, you can easily earn tens or hundreds of gold coins from a single professional-level task.

Even if you only send half back, you can still keep a few dozen gold coins on you, enough to drink yourself into oblivion in a tavern and indulge in a night of revelry in a casino.

Perhaps he once had a chance. If he had stayed behind Adeline, given her personality, she would definitely have taken care of him even if he had become a professional.

Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it now.

That country bumpkin in the team should send his reward home tomorrow morning. I'll see if I can "borrow" a few gold coins from him when I get back later. If...

Suddenly, a sharp abdominal pain interrupted Abby's thoughts.

He instinctively bent over, clutching his stomach, his face contorted in rage.

"Damn it, it must be those meat skewers I ate by the roadside this afternoon!"

"No wonder it tasted sour when I chewed it. That damn stall owner deserves to go to hell! He even lied to me and said it was some kind of beef. Don't let me... ugh..."

The casino was too far from his hotel, and the room was crowded; he'd probably have to squeeze in for several minutes just to get to the toilet.

Abby looked around on the street and saw that there were few people in a nearby alley. He bent over, clutched his stomach, and ran over in small steps.

Before he even got close, several burly orcs with their faces covered by black cloths emerged from the alley and brushed past him, their bodies reeking of blood.

They were all adventurers, and there were no facilities for bathing in the wild. They weren't very particular about bathing. When they came back, it was common to see them covered in blood, bits of flesh and entrails. Abi was suffering from severe abdominal cramps, so he didn't pay much attention to it.

He blindly rushed into the alley, found a corner, pulled down his pants, and began to relieve himself.

It wasn't until more than ten minutes later, after he had completely emptied his bowels, that he managed to get up, sweating profusely, supporting himself against the wall, muttering to himself:

"Damn it, what kind of meat is this? It's so strong."

"It couldn't be a goblin, could it...?"

The intense abdominal pain subsided, and consciousness returned to the brain.

Immediately, he smelled the strong stench of blood deep in the alley.

His expression faltered, and he recalled the few furtive orcs he had encountered on the road earlier.

Abby swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Mustering his courage, he cautiously made his way over step by step.

At the end of the alley, two short, stocky corpses came into view.

His body was covered in knife wounds, and blood was everywhere; he was clearly dead beyond any doubt.

Abi recognized the two dwarves; they had been performing by the roadside during the day when the group returned to Valley Town. They seemed to be street performers from who-knows-where.

I even complained to the team leader a couple of times back then because the other person sang terribly, I never expected things to turn out like this...

In the pitch-black night, his gaze flickered uncertainly.

Abby suddenly turned around and looked around. Seeing that the alley was dead silent, he ignored everything and bent down to get closer.

He felt the thick, warm touch of fresh blood on his fingertips as he groped the corpse with both hands.

Suddenly, as if he had touched something, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

"These orcs, they didn't even search the place after killing people? They just let me get away with it."

He was just thinking of stuffing the dwarf's money bag into his own pocket.

Suddenly, a strange, acrid sulfurous smell rushed into my nasal cavity with each breath, reaching all the way to the top of my head.

His face was blank, not yet realizing what had happened, when a hoarse, magnetic male voice, seemingly possessing some indescribable charm, resounded in his mind:

"Kid, come closer..."

(End of this chapter)