“Boss, five orders of stewed beans! Bring plenty of bread and get two pitchers of ale out here first!” shouted a man at the head of the group, his voice raspy.
“Coming right up!” the owner called back, hurrying off to get to work.
This group had clearly just returned from the wilderness, and the atmosphere around them was somber.
A young member of the group rubbed his shoulder and complained, “That commission was a complete waste of time. We didn't find a damn thing! Total waste of effort!”
“Keep it down,” another older member whispered.
“Am I wrong?” the young man retorted defiantly. “Klara Village is nothing but ruins now. There’s nothing left—not even a drop of blood. Can monsters really lick a place that clean?”
Klara Village!
Bai Xuan’s grip on his water cup tightened abruptly. He lowered his head and strained his ears to listen.
The leader of the squad shot the young man a fierce glare.
His voice was low and his expression stern. “Shut up! Are you trying to cause trouble? We report exactly what’s expected: ‘Suspected strike by a large-scale monster tide; no survivors at the scene; cause pending further investigation.’”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over his subordinates as he added pointedly, “Don't say another word. If it’s not your job, keep your mouth shut.”
Soon, the owner brought out the stewed beans and bread.
Bai Xuan ate without tasting a thing, his mind entirely consumed by what he had just overheard.
After finishing his meal, it was time to rest. “I’ll be staying the night and leaving tomorrow morning. How much?”
“I’ll tell you upfront, wilderness post houses aren't cheap. One night’s stay, including breakfast, is five silver coins.”
“The stewed beans and bread for dinner come to sixty copper coins. That’s five silver and sixty copper in total,” the owner rattled off the price efficiently.
Bai Xuan nodded and reached into his robe, but his movement faltered for a moment.
The small leather pouch Colin had given him contained only those thirteen gold coins. They were heavy and felt very “conspicuous” to the touch.
If he just pulled one out... He instinctively glanced at the other guests in the post house.
The bald owner seemed to notice his hesitation; his movements wiping the mug slowed, and a look of suspicion entered his eyes.
Bai Xuan didn't want to flaunt his wealth in a place like this.
He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice to ask, “Boss, do you... accept Magic Cores here?”
He remembered that he still had a few Magic Cores from the Dreadboar and the goblins in his Space Ring.
Hearing this, the owner smirked.
He lowered his voice, offering advice like a seasoned veteran. “Young man, who would buy Magic Cores out here in the middle of nowhere? What would a little post house like this do with those things?”
“You need to go to a general store, an alchemy shop, or the Adventurer’s Guild in a town for someone to take those off your hands, and even then, it depends on the quality and attributes. Here, I only recognize coins minted by the Kingdom.”
The Adventurer’s Guild!
Bai Xuan immediately seized on the term that piqued his interest.
The “Adventurer’s Guild” he had fantasized about countless times in novels and games in his previous life—it actually existed in this world?
His eyes lit up instantly, making him forget his awkwardness about the money.
He instinctively pressed for more, “The Adventurer’s Guild? Boss, what can you tell me about this guild... specifically?”
The owner gave Bai Xuan a surprised look. “You don't even know about the Guild? You're not from around here, are you?”
“That’s right. I’ve come from a very long way away, so I’m not familiar with the local customs,” Bai Xuan explained.
“No wonder,” the owner muttered. He didn't pry further, but he didn't seem inclined to answer either.
Left with no choice, Bai Xuan reached into his robe, pulled out the small leather pouch, pinched a gold coin between his fingers, and placed it on the counter.
Clink—
The crisp sound was exceptionally clear in the relatively quiet post house.
The squad of adventurers at the next table all looked over, and even the lone cloaked figure slightly turned their head.
A gold coin was not a common sight at a border post house, especially when produced by a young man in a tattered white robe.
The bald owner stared at the gold coin on the counter. He froze for a second, then a look of “I knew he was loaded” spread across his face.
He picked up the coin, weighed it in his hand, and held it up to the oil lamp to check its purity with practiced movements.
“Purity looks good.”
The owner nodded and placed the gold coin back on the counter. “Five silver and sixty copper. I’ll give you change. But listen to me, kid: when you’re out on the road, especially alone, don't show off your wealth.”
“Next time, try to carry some silver and copper coins. It’s more convenient and draws less attention.”
As he spoke, he turned around and pulled a large box of silver and copper coins from a small iron safe behind the counter, counting them out with a brisk clatter.
“Here, ninety-four silver coins and forty copper coins. That’s exactly right. Your room is at the very end of the second floor. Take your key. I’ll have some hot water sent up in a bit.”
“And about the Adventurer’s Guild...” Bai Xuan said as he took his change, waiting for the owner's answer.
The owner went back to wiping his mugs, speaking in a conversational tone.
“The Adventurer’s Guild... I’ve heard it’s a massive organization that spans many countries. They’re very powerful. Even in a border region like ours, there’s a branch in Blackcreek Town. It’s small, but it has all the standard functions.”
“Simply put, it’s a place where locals go to solve problems or post commissions. Clearing out monsters, escorting cargo, finding lost items... all sorts of random requests.”
“If you want to join, you’ll find out once you get there; they have their own rules and procedures. However...”
The owner looked Bai Xuan up and down, eyeing his filthy white robe and that iron rod. “You aren't thinking of becoming an adventurer, are you? That life isn't easy.”
Bai Xuan suppressed his excitement and curiosity, simply nodding. “I’m just asking around for now.”
He needed to get to Blackcreek Town as soon as possible.
The owner handed over a brass key. “Room at the far end of the second floor. It’s quiet. Hot water will be up shortly.”
Bai Xuan climbed the creaking wooden stairs to the second floor, where the hallway was narrow.
He opened the door to his so-called “single room.” It was indeed tiny, with barely enough space for a bed and a table.
The walls were made of rough-hewn logs, and he could faintly hear the muffled sounds of conversation from the neighboring room.
The bed was covered in coarse linen sheets and a rock-hard pillow.
But Bai Xuan was more than satisfied.
He took off his dirty, tattered outer robe. Although the water the owner sent up was only lukewarm, it allowed him to give himself a good scrub, washing away the dust of the past few days.
As he lay on the hard wooden bed frame, his body was utterly exhausted, but his mind continued to churn slowly.
The Adventurer’s Guild. Thinking about the organization he had fantasized about in his previous life, Bai Xuan grew more and more eager to reach Blackcreek Town.
Eventually, the excitement faded, leaving only the clear line on his status panel: 【Level: Lv.3 (0%)】.
He hoped he could find a solution to his stagnant experience gain in Blackcreek Town.
Rustling sounds came from next door, but in a post house filled with the presence of others, the noise served as a comforting background ambiance.
His long-tense nerves slowly began to relax...
...
Clang!
Crack!
Boom! A final, deafening crash.
Immediately following was a sharp, inhuman shriek that violently dragged him out of his deep sleep.
He snapped his eyes open and sat up, his heart pounding frantically from the sudden surge of tension.
“What was that noise?!”
For a second or two, he didn't realize where he was. He instinctively reached for the iron rod by his pillow, his body tensing as if he were still out in the wilderness.
Then, more sounds pierced through the thin wooden walls and floor—the clashing of metal, the panicked shouts and roars of men, and the shattering of objects.
And... a squirming sound that made his skin crawl?
Rate on N.U.
