Above the mage

Chapter 21: Creeping in the Dark Swamp

As soon as he left the pharmacy, a worried look appeared on Gao De's face.

He knew his time was limited, but he hadn't expected it to be this urgent.

The last day of the month.

It is now the thirteenth day of the Awakening Month.

Gao De silently calculated his own time in his mind.

The world also has twelve months in a year, which are called:

Frosty Moon, Awakening Moon, Spring Sprout Moon, Green Leaf Moon, Flower Flame Moon, Sunlit Moon, Harvest Moon, Dark Night Moon, Frosty Gold Moon, Foggy Frost Moon, Frozen Moon, Winter Solstice Moon.

However, there is no distinction between odd and even months; all months have 30 days.

He woke up on the second day of the Awakening Month.

Today is the thirteenth day of the Awakening Month.

There are only seventeen days left until the end of the month!

……

After obtaining accurate information from Phil's Potions Shop and precisely calculating how much time he had left, God arrived at Pierre's General Store with a heavy heart.

This trip is certainly not for spending money.

In fact, since his last purchase of the spell recipe, his savings have been stretched thin, making it impossible for him to afford any expenses.

"You mean you have the ability to repair damaged magical items?" In the general store, Pierre stared at God in surprise, seemingly unable to believe it and wondering if he had misheard.

Gao De nodded affirmatively, "Repairing some lower-level magical items shouldn't be a problem."

"Aren't you a potion master?" Pierre asked suspiciously. "Or perhaps you're an alchemist?"

Potion Master, Alchemist, and Rune Master: the three main secondary professions in the world of magic.

Gao De shook his head: "He can't be considered an alchemist, he's more like an enchanter repairman."

Alchemists can create all sorts of magical items, including repairing them.

Enchanting repairers, on the other hand, are only skilled at repairing damaged magical equipment or tools. Their profession is more like that of a craftsman, and their skill level is far lower than that of an alchemist.

That's what he said, but Pierre still showed a respectful expression upon hearing it. Whether it was genuine or just for show for Gode is unknown.

"It's amazing to see a mage apprentice in a place like ours who is studying both potion-making and enchanting, and so young at that."

"I've only scratched the surface; I don't deserve such praise from the boss," Gao De said modestly.

"Very well, I happen to have a damaged divine guide ring on hand, which has been damaged for several years."

"I haven't been able to find anyone in this small town who can repair it, but it's only a level 0 magic item. It's not worth making a special trip to Bremen just to repair it, so I'll give it to you to try." Pierre fumbled under the counter for a while and then pulled out a dark gray iron ring.

In a small city like Hogan, you can still see quite a few mages who study potions.

Because the market for potions is widespread, no matter where you are.

Where there is demand, there is a market.

But you can't find a single mage who studies enchanting—you can barely find any magical items in small towns, let alone any that are broken.

People with this skill either starved to death or moved to big cities.

Just like doctors can at least make a living in rural areas, car repairmen in rural areas are mostly left with nothing.

"If you can repair this ring, I can give you 30 silver for the repair fee." Pierre made a gesture similar to "OK" to indicate the 30 silver labor fee.

One gold is equivalent to 20 silver, and 30 silver is equivalent to 1.5 gold.

A level 0 magic item is generally priced between 12 and 15 gold coins. The repair fee of 1.5 gold coins is equivalent to 10% of the item's value, which is a very reasonable price.

From the first time he used Pierre's basic spider venom potion, God had already realized that this boss was someone to be trifled with.

And indeed, Pierre was a kind man.

"Deal. I'll fix it and bring it to you tomorrow." Gao De took the ring from Pierre's hand.

The iron ring is of moderate width and its surface is polished smooth as silk to ensure the wearer's comfort. Mysterious rune patterns are engraved on the outside of the iron ring.

These rune patterns are the source of the ring's magical power.

However, there is a crack on the ring. The crack not only damages the ring but also penetrates the rune pattern, rendering the ring's magical power ineffective.

Pierre nodded, quite relieved, and waved his hand, saying, "No rush, bring it over whenever you're ready."

It's not that I instantly became close friends with Gaode after only a few interactions and developed complete trust in him; it's mainly because the damaged 0-ring magic item itself wasn't very valuable.

Unlike high-level magical items, 0-ring magical items do not use precious materials to support high-ring spells.

The magic trick can be carried by the most ordinary fine iron.

Therefore, if the added value of magic is lost, this Divine Guidance Ring is actually just an iron ring.

After putting the ring away, Gao De thought for a moment and then asked, "Is there anywhere in the city where I can buy live ley line creatures?"

"Living ley line creatures?" Pierre frowned upon hearing this, but without asking God's intentions, he pondered for a moment before replying, "You can still see some in big cities like Bremen, but it's difficult in Hogan."

"The manpower and resources required to capture ley line creatures alive far exceed those required to hunt them, and there's no market for it in a place like Hogan City, so you understand."

Gaode nodded silently in understanding—just like in his previous life, only big cities had "pet shops" and "zoos".

Suddenly, a series of neat and powerful footsteps came from the street outside the alley, growing louder as they approached, interrupting their conversation.

Gao De and Pierre looked up upon hearing the sound.

I saw a group of city guards in uniform walking by on the main road outside.

Two of the city guards broke away from the group as they passed the alleyway where Pierre's Grocery Store was located, and entered the alleyway, heading in the direction of the two men.

The two city guards wore dark blue long-sleeved belted coats with epaulettes indicating their rank.

The uniform also features the city crest of Hogan on the chest, giving it an exceptionally dignified appearance.

They approached and stopped outside the shop. Seeing that they had caught Pierre's attention, they bowed slightly, and one of them stepped forward, announcing in a tone that was both serious and polite:

"Mr. Pierre, I am here on behalf of the city's sheriff to deliver an urgent notice."

His voice wasn't loud; it was even a bit deep, but it was incredibly clear, conveying an undeniable sense of urgency.

A flicker of surprise crossed Pierre's eyes, but he quickly adjusted his expression to show respect for the city guards.

Gao De also kept his eyes fixed on the city guards, waiting for the information to be revealed.

"The number of swarms of worms in the city's sewers has increased dramatically recently, and they are unusually active. The city's annual trading day is just a few days away. To ensure the smooth running of the trading day, the sheriff has ordered all businesses on the streets to clean the sewers and clear the sewer sections covered by their shops."

The city guard's words were brief and powerful.

Pierre's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, revealing that the news had indeed caused him some trouble.

However, he quickly composed himself, nodded slightly to the city guards to express his gratitude, and said, "Okay, I will finish cleaning the sewers before the trading day."

After giving the order, the two city guards turned and left, returning to their posts.

"What is a trading day? And what is a Dark Swamp Worm?" Compared to Pierre's confusion, Gao De was more curious.

"You, a resident of Hogan City, don't even know about trading days?" Pierre asked, looking surprised.

"I rarely go out, so I've never participated in a trading day." Gao De's expression remained unchanged, understanding that it was another problem caused by incomplete memory inheritance, and he casually made up an excuse.

Although Pierre was surprised, he didn't think too much about it or ask any questions. He casually explained the trading days to Gao De.

Mid-Awakening time each year is the busiest trading day in Hogan City.

At that time, the Hogan City Council will open the town square to everyone and hold a trading market where citizens can buy and sell all kinds of goods, including second-hand items and old things.

On trading days, it wasn't just merchants selling goods; all sorts of ordinary people were also involved.

The goods traded were incredibly diverse, ranging from handicrafts made by ordinary people to old clothes, furniture, and other personal items that were no longer needed, as well as collectibles of unknown origin and purpose.

If you have enough luck and a good eye, you might be able to find some good things at extremely cheap prices at this market.

According to Gaode Maps, it's a flea market.

The concept of flea markets doesn't exist in this world yet.

"As for the lurking worms in the dark swamp," Pierre said with a look of dismay.

"It is a type of worm that typically lives in dark, damp swampy environments, including urban sewers."

"These worms themselves are not dangerous; they just constantly secrete extremely viscous mucus."

"If left to grow and move freely, after a period of time, the mucus secreted by these worms will clog the sewers, affecting the city's sewage discharge and causing the city to smell terrible."

"So every now and then, the city council organizes people to regularly clean up the hidden worms in the sewers."

"Whenever there are occasional outbreaks of swarms of worms, the city council is short-staffed and will require each business owner to be responsible for the section of sewer that their store is located in."

"Is this task difficult to complete?" Gao De asked.

"These worms are not dangerous, but as creatures of the earth's veins, they have a certain ability to camouflage themselves and are good at hiding. They also live in the sewers, so they are not easy to find and clean up."

"Wait a minute," Gao De's eyes gradually lit up, "Boss, are you saying these worms are ley line creatures?!"

(End of this chapter)