Seeing Matthew approach, Uncle Delank looked up, a smile spreading across his face.
“Matthew, you're back just in time. We've bought almost everything we need. We can set off first thing tomorrow morning.”
With that, he handed a small coin pouch to Matthew. “This is the money from selling the beast pelts—seventy-six silver coins. Count it.”
Matthew took it with a smile and tucked it away without counting. He then asked,
“Do you happen to know what's going on with Old Joel from our village? I commissioned him to buy some items, but I haven't seen him return home in a long time. I wanted to ask if you knew anything.”
“Old Joel...” Hearing this, Uncle Delank stopped counting the goods and frowned slightly in thought.
“I don't interact with him much, so I'm not really sure about his situation.”
Delank looked at Matthew, his tone carrying a hint of concern.
“Is it serious? The boys and I can help you look for him.”
“No need to trouble you, Uncle. It's nothing major. Besides, we have the village's supplies to transport; we can't afford any delays. I was just asking out of curiosity. Since you don't know either, let's just forget about it.”
Matthew waved his hands repeatedly in refusal.
Seeing this, Delank didn't press further.
After chatting with Uncle Delank for a few more minutes, Matthew turned and walked into the tavern. Without stopping, he went straight through the lobby and returned to his room. He bolted the door behind him. The room still smelled musty, and his belongings were safely in place.
Dusk was deepening outside the window, and the faint sounds of the town drifted in from the distance, but none of it had anything to do with him.
Right now, his mind was entirely occupied with his Green bow!
After pondering for a moment, Matthew came up with two guesses regarding Old Joel's whereabouts.
Either he had met with an accident on the road, losing both his life and the money. However, the probability of this was low. Old Joel had been in this line of work for many years and had never run into trouble...
Could he really be so unlucky that something happened the very first time Matthew hired him?
Or... he had run off with the money. After all, one gold coin was a substantial sum, enough to live comfortably in town for a year.
However, upon closer reflection, Matthew felt that running off with the money was also highly unlikely.
First, when he had interacted with Old Joel before, there hadn't been the slightest hint of dishonesty in the man's words or demeanor.
Second, Old Joel had been recommended by Instructor Calm, and Matthew trusted the instructor's judgment.
Regardless of the scenario, the outcome was the same for Matthew... That gold coin, along with the Green bow he had high hopes for, was probably gone for good.
At this thought, Matthew sighed, chalking it up to bad luck. He put the matter aside for now, refusing to dwell on a loss he couldn't undo.
The priority now was to head to the blacksmith shop first thing tomorrow morning to retrieve his chainmail, which was being repaired.
This armor was a far more important piece of equipment to him than the Green bow, and he couldn't afford to lose it. He would also see if there was a chance to buy a bow... though the chances were slim.
The sky had turned completely dark, and Matthew's stomach began to rumble with hunger.
He lit the dim oil lamp in his room, pulled out some high-quality dried meat he had recently purchased from his backpack, and began to chew on it slowly, washing it down with water.
The hearty, savory flavor not only filled his stomach but also gradually calmed his restless thoughts.
After eating, he sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to run the 【Elemental Meditation Method】, allowing his Spirit to slowly grow in the silence.
Improving his own strength was the fundamental way to deal with any unforeseen changes.
The next day, the autumn sun had passed the coldest hours of the early morning and turned warm, filtering through the clouds to cast its light upon the streets of Anda Town.
Uncle Delank and the young boys had already loaded the donkey cart and secured the goods. They were gathered outside the tavern, chatting and occasionally glancing toward the corner of the street.
Before long, a youth walked over from not far away. He was tall and well-proportioned, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His steady, measured steps revealed a solid physical foundation and the marks of long-term training.
It was Matthew. He had just retrieved his chainmail from the blacksmith shop, and the armor now fit snugly against his body.
As for a Green bow... just as he had expected, he hadn't seen any for sale.
As for the adventurer guild, he had kept an eye on it yesterday. While ordinary one-handed swords, bows, and other weapons were always in stock, higher-quality items were consistently sold out.
It seems some specialized matters still need to be left to professionals. But why did this professional drop the ball this time...
After meeting up with Uncle Delank, Matthew and the group departed from Anda Town, embarking on the journey back to the village.
On the way back, everyone was much more relaxed than when they had arrived, and their moods were noticeably lighter.
The goods had been successfully sold, and all the necessities had been purchased.
More importantly, thanks to Matthew's decision to stay overnight in town, they didn't have to waste time heading back into town in the morning like they usually did.
This time, everyone had plenty of time. The boys who had saved up a bit of spare cash had wandered around the town stalls, buying small trinkets or snacks they liked, all of them wearing satisfied smiles.
Matthew sat on the bumpy donkey cart, swaying gently to the rhythm of the wheels.
He reached up and patted his chest, which was met with the clinking sound of iron links.
“Not bad. I didn't expect the blacksmith in Anda Town to be so skilled.”
When he retrieved the chainmail from the blacksmith shop this morning, he had inspected it closely. The tear on the shoulder had been repaired so well that it was barely noticeable. The chain links were tightly interlocked, and the clinking sound was solid and uniform, showing that real effort had been put into it.
The only drawback was probably...
With a thought, a familiar line of black text appeared in his vision:
【Equipment: Steel Chainmail
Quality: Green
Equipment Requirement: Constitution: 3
Description: A fine piece of defensive armor crafted by the Fiery Lion family for its members. Tightly woven from steel rings, it has a resilient structure and a moderate weight, making it highly effective at resisting slashes and thrusts from sharp weapons.
Due to repairs made to the left shoulder's links, the structure of that area is slightly different, leaving its defense somewhat weaker. Care should be taken to avoid concentrated attacks to this spot.
Effect: Slightly increases defense against blunt attacks.】
Matthew withdrew his gaze, and his thoughts were interrupted by a gruff voice:
“Matthew, Mute Pass is just ahead. Should we...”
Matthew nodded slightly, his calm gaze sweeping over the shadows of the cliffs on both sides. He quietly rested his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
“Go in. Just be careful.”
His voice was calm, yet carried an unwavering decisiveness.
Hearing this, everyone stopped chatting and laughing, their expressions turning alert. The donkey cart slowly entered the narrow path of Mute Pass in the deepening dusk.
...
Rate on N.U.
