Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 287 [Mission Number]: D-6027
Three days flew by in a blink of an eye.

It's like "sofa time" after taking off your work clothes, a short lunch break in a busy work environment, a moment of leisure amidst the hustle and bustle.

Having just finished a long journey, Xia Nan spent the most leisurely and relaxing three days of the past few months in River Valley Town.

Actually, nothing special was done. Just like the usual days, I filled my schedule with a regular training plan, and in the evenings, I would sit in a corner of the tavern hall, listening to adventurers from all over the world chat about this and that, and the day would pass by.

But it is precisely this kind of life—where he doesn't have to endure the elements or be constantly on guard against potential dangers, and can sleep in a safe and soft bed every night and enjoy hot, fragrant creamy mushroom soup with every meal—that was something he could never achieve when he was trekking through the wilderness, eating dry, cured meat.

When Xia Nan first transmigrated, he was also annoyed and bored by the lack of entertainment options in this world. Without a mobile phone or computer to pass the time, every second after nightfall felt particularly unbearable.

But now, more than a year later, he has long since gotten used to this relaxed and leisurely slow-paced life.

On the way back, he was caught in a downpour. He even sat alone by the cave entrance for several hours, watching the rain dripping down.

This was an unprecedented experience for him, who had spent countless nights buried in his desk in his previous life.

But... not annoying.

Today, it's the same as always.

As the sun began to rise and the streets began to bustle with life, Xia Nan, who had just finished her morning exercise and washed herself in a stream in the suburbs, returned to town with her head of wet black hair.

The "Rockhammer" blacksmith shop also opened very early. When Xia Nanmai stepped into the shop, the shop owner, Barn, was already standing behind the counter, wiping a single-edged axe that had been on the shelf for a long time with gauze.

“You’ve come at just the right time.” Hearing footsteps and looking up at the black-haired youth in front of him, Barn was not surprised. “I’ve almost finished checking that silver ingot.”

He turned and went into the inner room, and a moment later he came out carrying a dark brown iron box.

Place the box on the counter and open it gently.

A scalding hot current, carrying a fine mist of water, surged out instantly, revealing the [Molten Ash Silver Ingot] that Xia Nan had left in the shop for appraisal three days ago.

Compared to before, its appearance hasn't changed much, but judging from the blacksmith's expression, it's clear that it has undergone a comprehensive and detailed test.

"Although I don't know where you got it from, to be honest, this type of silver ingot... is the first time I've seen it in all these years."

Without making a fuss, Barn stared intently at the silver ingots lying quietly in the box and said directly.

"Its characteristic of emitting heat is somewhat similar to 'hell metal,' but its color and texture are completely different, and it does not involve the soul level, so there is no possibility of a mutated branch of hell iron."

"Its density is much higher than that of ordinary refined silver, but its thermal conductivity is unexpectedly poor, which is somewhat abnormal. I suspect that some kind of special energy may be needed to unleash the full potential of this metal."

"In addition, although it appears to exhibit the characteristics of high-temperature melting, the tensile strength of silver ingots is actually far greater than that of ordinary metals, and its toughness is also quite good. In the test, it also showed a slight shape memory property."

"In general, it is a forging material with high strength and suitable for most types of equipment."

"It's a pity the quantity is too small; it can only be used in combination with other ingredients."

"Otherwise, if we used this metal as the main material to make a plate armor, it might be enough for you to wear until you change jobs."

The burly man stroked his braid, his weathered face filled with regret, seemingly still obsessed with the extremely high drop rate of the armor he had forged on Xia Nan.

"This is the only piece I have."

Xia Nan shook his head, but felt a slight sense of relief.

Although the attribute panel indicated that he might be able to use it as a forging material, he was only relieved when Barn, the forger, confirmed it.

"How well does it match the 'gray steel' of the decapitation sword? Can it be used for reforging and strengthening?"

Upon hearing his question, Barn paused, a hint of hesitation appearing on his face.

"I've tested this in the last few days, and the result... it's possible, but there might be a slight problem."

“I think I’ve told you before that the main material of the decapitation sword, gray steel, comes from a new pit opened by my Steelbeard Clan at Flameforge Peak.”

“Gray steel is not unfamiliar to us blacksmiths, but even the most common copper and iron on the market have subtle differences due to their place of origin.”

"The gray steel used to forge the longsword should be compatible with silver ingots, but perhaps due to the Flame Forging Peak, upon inspection, there is indeed a slight conflict between them."

At this point, Barn's tone became somewhat awkward.

"Forcibly melting silver ingots into it for recasting is certainly possible. The conflict between the gray steel and the steel itself will not affect your normal use. However, if you accidentally encounter some special situation that I have not yet detected during a fierce battle, it is very likely to cause cracks in the blade or even break it directly."

"It is a defect that is unlikely to occur but has an extremely negative impact."

Most blacksmiths with exceptional skills and aspirations for their future careers are true perfectionists when it comes to their work.

Of course, Barn could choose to conceal the conflict between the two materials and trick Xia Nan into placing an order with him.

However, their professional ethics and pursuit of finished product quality are also important.

Even if he earns a few hundred less gold coins, he will tell the other party everything he knows about the longsword.

Upon hearing this, Xia Nan frowned.

Feeling the scorching heat emanating from him, he asked:
"Is there any solution? Gold coins are not a problem."

Barn seemed to have been prepared for this, already having a solution in mind. As soon as Xia Nan finished speaking, he added:

"From a forging perspective, the problem between these two metals is actually quite simple. Their similar properties make their fusion like colliding two pieces of steel that lack toughness with each other. It's a conflict between fire elements that are too concentrated but have different properties. Under external stimulation, it can easily produce an unnecessary explosive reaction."

"I'm sorry, it might be a little hard to understand, but in short, I have two solutions."

Barn held up two thick fingers, as thick as short radishes, to Xia Nan.

"The first option is to abandon the original plan and find other suitable materials to reforge the decapitation sword, while the silver ingots are used to make other equipment."

"The advantage is that you can directly bypass the conflict between the materials I just mentioned, which is equivalent to starting over; but the disadvantage is that you may have to wait for a period of time, or endure the result that the quality of the finished product after the decapitation sword is not as expected."

“After all, the silver ingot you provided is of extremely high quality. The blacksmith shop currently does not have materials of the same level, so I need to order it from the clan.”

"Of course, if we purchase additional materials, the price will definitely be much higher than it is now."

"What about the other option?" Xia Nan pondered, carefully considering the matter.

“The second method.” Barn met the gaze of the black-haired youth in front of the counter, his expression serious and earnest. “Directly resolve the conflict between these two materials.”

"By using auxiliary materials, a buffer zone can be set up between the conflicts, or even the conflict points between gray steel and silver ingots can be directly dissolved, allowing the two to fuse perfectly and achieve an effect greater than the sum of its parts."

Xia Nan raised an eyebrow as he caught the key words in the other person's words.

"Auxiliary materials? What auxiliary materials? Are they sold in town? How much do they cost?"

Having anticipated this, Barn shook his head slightly when faced with Xia Nan's questioning.

“Any material containing inert water elements will do, but I asked around the town yesterday and none of the shops had any in stock.”

"So... do we have no choice but to give up?" Xia Nan asked. "No, no, no."

Barn shook his finger, a strange smile appearing on his face.

"It's just that I'm quick-witted. After asking around yesterday, I thought I'd go to the second floor of the association one last time and see if there was any relevant information."

"And then... we found this."

……

[Mission ID]: D-6027
[Type]: Hunting
[Reward]: 500-1000 Gold / 15-30 Points
[Task Summary]:
An adult petrified lizard (Challenge Level 3) has recently been discovered near the exotic ruins on the eastern outskirts of the Misty Forest. Adventurers/teams with relevant experience are needed to drive it away or hunt it down. Rewards will be given based on the completion of the quest.

[Time Limit]: 180 days

[Additional Information]: Please prepare your own petrification resistance potions!
……

"Mr. Xia Nan, this is the case you're looking for, right?"

Her short blonde hair was tucked behind her ears, revealing a delicate, small, silver stud earring in the middle of her earlobe.

Wearing the association's uniform, the receptionist "Jasmine" had a beautiful, fair face with an incredibly professional, kind, and warm smile that was not obsequious.

“I remember this task was just approved by the association a few days ago. You haven’t been back in town long, so it’s normal that you don’t know about it.”

Xia Nan's gaze swept over the task list on the counter in front of him, his expression somewhat strange.

"Petrified lizard...exotic architecture..."

Could it be the same one from before?

If that's true, then this trip will settle both old and new grudges.

The auxiliary materials required for "Rock Hammer" Barn must contain inert water elements.

According to him, the petrifying mucus secreted by glands located at the back of the petrified lizard's brain has this special property.

Barn himself only remembered it because he accidentally saw the bounty on the second floor.

And petrified lizards... are not unfamiliar to Xia Nan.

After all, he encountered this creature during his second mission after transmigrating to this world.

They were almost wiped out.

If it weren't for the half-elf Haian and his guard Wood helping him at the crucial moment, he probably would have been crushed to death by the other side.

It was during the pursuit of the lizard that he unexpectedly entered the secret realm where a huge snake corpse resided, which was also the source of the snake scale arm shield and the blue wooden sword on his body.

Considering the description of the monster's activity area on the quest board, it is highly likely that the petrified lizard that is the quest objective is the same one that I encountered back then.

This gave Xia Nan a chance to take revenge.

He wasn't in a hurry; he remained calm and carefully analyzed the feasibility of the task.

First and foremost, about the petrified lizard itself.

Although it is a monster with a "challenge level" of 3, it relies heavily on its eyes that can turn its prey into stone sculptures in combat. It is estimated that at least 1.5 of its challenge level 3 comes from its "petrifying gaze".

Aside from this special ability, the petrified lizard's physical attributes and actual combat capabilities are far less impressive than people imagine.

In comparison, the owl bear I encountered in the beastman mission, although at the same challenge level, was clearly much more troublesome.

That's because the Owl Bear's challenge level comes entirely from its robust and powerful body. It's a complete "numerical monster" and doesn't need any other special abilities. Its physical template alone is enough to support its combat power.

This is the result Xia Nan came to after experiencing it firsthand.

So... can a petrified lizard handle itself?
His answer was that it was highly likely.

Things are different now. When I first met him, I hadn't even learned the [Fang Hunt] yet. I was just using the [Spinning Slash] to bully the green goblins. It was normal for me to be chased around.

But right now, he is a proper level 2 professional, and considering the significant improvement he has made after multiple dungeons, his physical attributes far surpass those of adventurers of the same level, his full set of magical equipment, multiple trump cards, and several high-quality combat skills.

She herself is like a "supermodel".

If we apply the rating system used to measure the danger level of monsters to him, his challenge level might be higher than his job level, making him an "elite/boss" template.

Back when I was a newbie, I was able to resist the corrosive effects of the petrifying gaze with sheer willpower. Now that I'm prepared and have even stocked up on anti-petrification potions, I can't possibly be any worse off than before.

Without the effect of the petrifying gaze, the petrified lizard's bulky body posed almost no threat to Xia Nan.

It works!

He made a decision in his heart.

“Yes, this is it.” Nodding to the blonde girl in front of him, Xia Nan pointed to her mission manual. “The association should have relevant information about the petrified lizards’ detailed activity range, right?”

"Yes, sir!"

Jasmine smiled warmly, bowed slightly, and nodded repeatedly.

"I'll go get it for you right away!"

……

After half an hour.

At the entrance of the Adventurers' Guild.

Carrying a wooden sword, Xia Nan squeezed through the crowd.

Compared to before, his bank account balance had decreased by 160 gold coins, dropping back to three digits.

However, two bottles of [Petrification Resistance Potion] also appeared in his waist pouch. They came from the Alchemist Guild's apothecary within the guild. They were of excellent quality, and each bottle's effect could last for six hours. He could drink them in advance when he got close to the petrified lizard's activity area.

I felt a pang of heartache, and then I thought of the decapitation sword waiting to be forged in the blacksmith's shop, which would cost an unknown amount of money. I felt that my hard-earned savings would soon be wiped out.

He was thinking to himself that when he killed that lizard, he would try to get as much meat as possible from it and see if he could sell it for a good price.

Of course, before that, he needed to find some more channels to learn more detailed information about the petrified lizard.

Just as he turned to leave, a familiar figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of the tavern across from the association.

Xia Nan paused involuntarily, feeling surprised:

"Abby?"

(End of this chapter)