My inventory is full of monster materials.

Chapter 44 Lord-level Monster?

Brady stepped out of the tent, strode across the camp, and arrived at the lonely little cabin on the edge of the camp.

A faint candlelight flickered in the window of the wooden house, casting a shadowy figure moving back and forth, clearly indicating that the person inside was busy.

But when Brady got within a few meters of the door, a complex odor, a mixture of pungent preservatives, disinfectant, and a faint smell of decay, suddenly hit him.

"Gurgle~"

Brady's throat tightened, a chill running down his spine.

Before setting off, while he and Uncle Henry were moving supplies, he was curious about what good things were locked in the wardrobe.

So on the day the camp was completed, he coaxed his senior to open the wardrobe and show off his treasures.

In front of everyone, Mark opened a cabinet full of monster limb remains, neatly arranged glass jars, and specimens soaking inside.

The scene terrified Emily so much that she burst into tears, and of course, the expressions of the others were no better.

Brady's image of his predecessor as a gentle and refined man crumbled completely.

However, recalling all the past interactions, the senior members' care for the team—keeping the rewards equally despite having the greatest contribution, and allowing them to mooch meals when they couldn't afford to...

Brady took a deep breath, banishing words like "necrophilia" and "pervert" from his mind.

Once you're called "Big Brother," you're a Big Brother for life!

Just then, the wooden door creaked open from the inside.

Mark looked at Brady, who was standing there in a daze outside the door, and asked.

"What are you doing out there?"

"Huh? Oh. Um, um..."

Brady's mind went blank for a moment, and he suddenly forgot what he was supposed to do.

Seeing this, Mark roughly guessed the purpose of his visit.

"Did Henry ask you to call me to a meeting?"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes."

"Let's go."

The two walked toward the tent, one after the other.

Mark casually asked a question.

"Did they come to any conclusions during their discussion?"

"Well..."

Brady opened his mouth, and an awkward expression instantly appeared on his face.

Mark shook his head, then turned around and patted him on the shoulder meaningfully.

"Adventure isn't just about fighting and killing; it also involves human relationships and social interactions. You'll have to take responsibility when we're not around."

"Mmm."

Brady nodded repeatedly and followed obediently behind.

As they were talking, they arrived at the tent.

Mark was the first to lift the tent flap and enter the room, immediately sensing that the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

Henry's eyes lit up the moment he saw Mark, and he quickly pulled him over and said...

"Mark! I've been waiting for you!"

He naturally stepped aside to make room for Mark, gesturing for him to look at the map and situation layout on the table.

But Mark didn't rush to look at the map. Instead, he took out the neatly arranged manuscript paper from under his arm and distributed it to Henry and Clyde.

The two took the manuscript and quickly scanned it, their brows furrowing in deep concern.

Mark had originally intended to distribute the manuscript paper to the other three as well.

But it was clear that none of the three were in the right state of mind.

Emily pretended to close her eyes and lower her head, clasping her hands together and muttering a soft prayer.

Orion stopped pretending and stood straight, his posture as upright as a knight statue in the tent.

Brady had barely stepped inside when he caught a glimpse of the manuscript on the table and the solemn expressions on everyone's faces. He immediately shrank back quietly, whistling off-key, and walked away into the distance.

"These young men, while everyone else is eager to participate in core decision-making, they're all rushing out."

Mark sighed inwardly, his gaze returning to Henry and Clyde.

Henry scratched his head, stared wide-eyed, and looked at the manuscript over and over again. His face showed that he didn't understand it, but he couldn't put the manuscript down.

Fortunately, Clyde had a background as a pharmacist. Although he wasn't an expert in biology, he was able to grasp the key information from the records.

"Neuropsychedelics?"

Mark nodded and explained.

"Yes, that's a temporary name I gave it."

"These days, we extracted this substance from the dissected monsters, and then conducted several rounds of control experiments on field mice, and finally we can confirm it."

"It is a substance with properties similar to hallucinogenic mushrooms and psychedelics, capable of inducing strong hallucinations and addiction."

Upon hearing this, Clyde seemed thoughtful, his tone tinged with hesitation.

"Doesn't that sound a bit like the 'silver carat' trend in aristocratic circles?"

"Silver carat?"

Mark and Henry both looked at each other with unfamiliarity—they knew little about the affairs of the nobility.

Clyde considered for a moment, then slowly explained.

"I've heard from my colleagues that some noble circles in the kingdom are now into using a silvery crystalline substance called silver carat."

As he spoke, Clyde briefly described the properties of silver carat and the effects of taking it.

After hearing all this, Mark had already made up his mind—it was either numbness or ice.

He had no interest in the lives or deaths of the nobles at the moment, so he quickly steered the conversation back on track.

"In short, all the creatures in this area are affected by this neurotoxin, and the concentration gradient decreases outward from the waterfall."

"So I think all of this is related to that Slime King."

Upon hearing this, Clyde visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and his tone became much lighter.

"I knew it! How could it be a lord-level monster? It turns out it uses this kind of drug to control monsters as vassals."

Mark didn't reply, but just glanced at Clyde a few times without making a sound.

The response was far too lenient.

Perhaps the apothecary was worried that the "White Eagle" team would abandon the mission altogether because the "Lord-level Slime King" was too risky.

On the other hand, Henry had already accepted this explanation and began to move the operation to the next stage.

"The outer vassal monster groups have been mostly cleared out; the next phase is close combat."

Henry tapped his fingertip on the dark wooden block below the waterfall, the one that represented the Slime King.

"The main objective this time is to test the enemy's combat strength. We don't necessarily have to take them down, but we must figure out their capabilities and retreat immediately if there is any risk."

Henry's plan of action was conservative, which made Clyde somewhat hesitant.

"Aren't you afraid of alerting the enemy? What if the Slime King escapes?"

No, it won't.

Mark was the one who answered.

"It's not good for something as big as it to run around in the Golan Forest. It's better to keep it in its own territory."

"Um."

Henry and Clyde both agreed with this.

Then, Henry turned to Mark and asked with a hint of confirmation.

"Are you alright? We'll need you to control the Slime King then."

Mark also briefly stated his terms.

"No problem, but we'd better get some intelligence over there. After all, my 'Frozen Path' takes 10-15 seconds and has an effective range of 20-25 meters."

At this point, Clyde took over the conversation.

"Don't worry about that, I have a way to indirectly contact the Slime King."

"Oh!" x2

Henry and Mark were both a little surprised.

This pharmacist had other methods up his sleeve.

But upon closer reflection, it becomes clear.

Clyde is a prospective professional who has already triggered the "Wisdom Emblem".

Although I don't know what conditions are required to advance to "Alchemist".

However, their attributes and skills are likely to be quite high.

It is estimated that Clyde himself also possesses some level 1 or level 0 spells.

As for why the goddess didn't fancy him...

That probably means their magic skills aren't very good.