Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 349 Extra Meal
Xia Nan eventually accepted Horak's gift.

It's not that he's greedy. Under normal circumstances, if just any random person on the street came up to him and said they wanted to give him money, he would be fine.

His attitude would only be resistance and hostility, suspecting that the other party might have ulterior motives.

But right now, as a legitimate professional whose combat abilities are recognized by his peers, he joined the caravan as a temporary bodyguard without even asking for extra pay. He was just looking for a ride, and the price he would pay was that if any trouble arose along the way, he could help resolve it within his capabilities.

Given the average reward for adventurers of his caliber, the caravan was undoubtedly making a huge profit.

Under these circumstances, if the team owner, Horak, insists on repaying Xia Nan in various ways, he will not refuse too much within reasonable limits.

On the other hand, the gift this wealthy businessman gave as a token of their greeting—a silver chain pocket watch adorned with pearls—was actually more for show than substance.

If converted to actual gold coins, it would probably be around 50 gold coins? Xia Nan wasn't very familiar with the actual price of such items, but in any case, it certainly wouldn't reach three digits.

It's not even as profitable as the F-level mission on the second floor of the association.

Compared to Xia Nan's level and strength, and considering the reward he would normally receive for a long-range escort mission, the caravan is still the one that profits more.

Seeing that Xia Nan accepted the pocket watch, the generous Mr. Horac was very pleased, as if accepting the gift was a great honor for him.

They even offered to pay Xia Nan the same guarding fee as the Oath-Swearing Blackwood Squad.

However, Xia Nan promptly rejected him on the spot.

The gift is fine, but the reward... is a completely different matter.

I had already discussed it with Mr. Horako's assistant, the person in charge of the team, and that I was just hitchhiking and did not need any extra payment.

Even though no actual contract was signed, he had no intention of going back on his word.

More importantly, after Xia Nan learned over the past two days that the details of the mission entrusted to Margaret and her companion were that they were required to escort the convoy loaded with goods to the town where it was located, make a short stop, and then escort it back to River Valley Town.

That's equivalent to a complete round trip.

After resting in that small town, I will leave the convoy and continue south.

It is a one-way ticket.

It would be unfair to receive the same pay for only half the amount of work done by the other party.

Even this ride I got was only possible because the two of them vouched for me.

Xia Nan would never do something so morally reprehensible for such a small amount of gold coins.

Whether intentionally or not, Horako clearly realized that his suggestion of offering extra compensation was inappropriate after saying those words.

Seeing that Xia Nan refused, without any anger on his face, he could only change the subject in a very smooth and imperceptible way, as if making a joke, while giving the two members of the Blackwood Squad an apologetic smile.

The dwarf Soldin was thick-skinned and didn't realize the implications. He just thought Xia Nan was quite principled, and that he meant no money if he said he wouldn't take it.
After Xia Nan refused, Margaret seemed to notice something, but judging from her expression afterwards, it was clear that even if Xia Nan had agreed, she wouldn't have cared much.

The one in the Oath-Keeping Blackwood Squad who was truly likely to clash with Horak over this, and who would hold a grudge... had already died under the claws of the Hellfire Demon.

Xia Nan arrived at the station almost exactly on time.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the people in front of him, the second-in-command of the convoy, a thin man with a serious face, came over and signaled to Horak that the team was ready.

The portly and upright businessman, following his assistant's lead, said a few more polite words to smoothly conclude the conversation.

The group returned to their respective carriages.

The shouts of the coachman and servants came from outside the carriage window, mixed with the noise of the post station. Amid the rolling wheels and the neighing of the packhorses, the caravan officially set off and gradually drove away from the river valley town.

……

……

The journey was very smooth.

In the blink of an eye, another seven days have passed.

Xia Nan has never been confident about the unexpected situations that might occur during the journey, given his experience of being here for over a year.

From the very first mission he took upon arriving in this world, it was as if the truck that gave him the identity of a "transmigrator" was the one that kept inexplicably crashing into him at some rather delicate moment, in an indescribable way.

When Xia Nan was in the "Stinky Fish and Shrimp Squad," he hadn't even had time to fully understand the cheat codes on his attribute panel before he was attacked by goblins. The dwarf in the squad died on the spot. After finally killing all the attacking enemies, the orc suddenly had a brilliant idea that the goblin nest had an opportunity to take advantage of the situation when the main force was out of the way... Then there was that bear goblin that gave Xia Nan a nightmare, which gradually developed into a kind of strange sadistic homicidal fetish.

Thinking of doing some simple gathering quests that newbies should take on, I unexpectedly ran into Hai'an and Wood, and eventually encountered that petrified lizard that has now successfully taken its revenge, but back then could only be chased and fled in a sorry state...

The strange things that followed need not be described further.

Sometimes Xia Nan even wondered if it was because that halfling gave him the "Coin of Fate" that the goddess of fortune noticed him, and at the same time, also made his sister, a goddess with a stubborn and jealous personality who controlled the opposite of "luck," notice his existence.

However, considering that he is not only able to stand here with all four limbs intact, but his strength has also increased dramatically compared to before, it is obviously not a bad thing.

And his experience over the past seven days seems to confirm his guess: how could the goddess of misfortune possibly pay attention to a nobody like him?
Based on the experiences of countless adventurers and merchants, this route is even more detailed than Xia Nan's, featuring a clearly planned route, well-equipped guards and skilled drivers, and meticulous and comprehensive supply preparations...

For seven whole days and nights, the caravan traveled along the trade route at a steady and unhurried pace without encountering any dangerous situations that could threaten the safety of the goods or the people.

Attacks have certainly occurred. Those green-skinned goblins, scattered like cockroaches and mosquitoes in every corner of the world, are not like the somewhat intelligent bandits in the forest who would retreat far away after noticing the convoy's formation.

To the disgusting green-skinned men whose bodies are driven by desire, there is no essential difference between a donkey cart from a nearby village, a well-equipped convoy, or a group of soldiers on the march.

And their fate, naturally, was the same as that of countless others in their underground nests who had already died and turned into fertilizer for the forest: their heads were mercilessly chopped off.

With two level 4 professionals and Xia Nan, whose actual combat strength far exceeded their level, as a backup, the goblins attacking the convoy were easily wiped out without even managing to kill any of the convoy members.

Their overwhelming and decisive performance in battle further elevated the status of these adventurers within the caravan.

In such a wilderness, having three professionals as bodyguards would be an extremely reassuring experience for any ordinary person who doesn't possess superpowers.

It's worth mentioning that, because of the large number of people around, Xia Nan didn't really unleash his desires. When clearing out the goblins, he held back a bit and only chopped off their heads.

Considering the time constraints, he didn't follow the trail to find the goblin's lair, which left him slightly disappointed. But thinking that he could endure for a few more days until the caravan reached its destination and they parted ways, he could then freely seek out greenskins to vent his pent-up desires while traveling alone, so Xia Nan persevered.

As evening approached, the convoy found a relatively open and easily defensible location and stopped to rest.

Under the direction of the team leader, the coachmen surrounded the carriage of the wealthy merchant Horako in the center, while the other carriages formed a semi-circle at certain intervals, and the horses were taken care of in a concentrated manner.

The guards and servants set up camp nearby, and bright campfires and sturdy tents rose rapidly in the open space to the side.

With physical fitness far exceeding that of ordinary people, Xia Nan did not feel particularly tired after several days of travel.

Even though he wore heavy metal armor for a long time, he did not show any signs of fatigue on his face.

He simply sat by the campfire, quietly wiping the gray-black straight sword on his knees, meticulously maintaining his equipment.

Her movements were practiced, clearly indicating that this wasn't the first time she had done this. Only when she got to the silver-gray nail guards on her upper body did she seem a little rusty, as if she had no experience with nail care.

I looked up at the sky.

As if realizing something, he glanced briefly at Margaret across the campfire and saw that the female swordsman was organizing her backpack and not paying attention to him.

He lowered his head, pretending to continue wiping the straight sword, while concentrating his attention on the blade, using the reflection on its surface to bring up his own attribute panel:
……

Gravity Etching lv3 (29/100)

—Remaining uses (3/3)

……

It has been more than a month since [Gravity Etching] was upgraded to level 3. Perhaps due to the many battles it has gone through, its proficiency has increased very quickly, and it is almost one-third of the upgrade progress bar in the blink of an eye.

Although they are currently in the middle of a mission, the pressure is relatively low, so Xia Nan did not deliberately preserve the three complete charges.

Instead, as usual, it operates on a "recharge and cool-down cycle every six hours," like a clock that is set to deplete its power at regular intervals.

He even made slight adjustments in the middle to ensure that the CD finished spinning at the exact time before he set off in the early morning, after lunch break, and after resting at night, so that it would be convenient for him to leave the camp for training.

That's perfect right now.

The area around where the convoy is stationed has been searched, and there is no trace of dangerous monsters. I can go out to train with peace of mind.

Even if there is any emergency, as long as he doesn't stray too far from the camp, his perception ability will allow him to quickly detect it and return in time.

With a thought flashing through his mind, Xia Nan lowered his right hand, which was gripping the sword hilt, behind his back. With a soft "click," the straight sword slid into its sheath.

He slowly stood up and patted the dust off his pants and leg armor.

Noticing the commotion, Margaret, sitting opposite the campfire, subconsciously looked up, her dark golden hair swaying on either side of her face, her bright eyes reflecting the firelight.

"Go out for training?"

After seven days of traveling together, I've gradually gotten used to the boundless energy of the young man with black hair ahead, and his unusual level of effort as if he's trying to seize every spare moment to improve himself.

Without Xia Nan even needing to explain, Margaret had already guessed where he was going.

No wonder the other party has such strength at such a young age.

My father was an adventurer, so you could say I grew up in taverns.

Margaret knew perfectly well what it meant when such a young and exceptionally talented adventurer, who already had a certain reputation and status in a small circle, continued to demand the same level of self-discipline and habitual effort from himself after becoming a professional, just as he had when he first entered the profession.

In seven days, she didn't even see Xia Nan drink a single drop of alcohol.

If she hadn't occasionally noticed the slight fluctuations in the other person's emotions during meals, she would have even suspected that this black-haired youth named "Xia Nan" was a humanoid puppet created by some powerful mage.

Of course, from another perspective, it may be precisely because the other party worked so hard that they were able to defeat the material projection of a demon nobleman at such a young age.

Margaret couldn't help but recall the dark red flames that had engulfed the entire goblin cave more than a month ago, amidst the shrieks of the infernal demons.

Recalling that sharp sword shadow that left sparks in the air;

Recalling those two dead figures...

Her breathing became rapid for a moment, and her knuckles turned slightly white from the force she used.

The tips of the thumb and forefinger are adorned with a badge issued by the association, engraved with a shield featuring a black oak pattern.

That's the badge of the "Oath Keeper Blackwood" adventurer squad.

It was the most precious and important keepsake her father left her.

It is also something Margaret swore to protect.

As long as she lives, the name "Kuzuku Blackwood" will never be lost.

Xia Nan stood opposite the campfire, looking at the heroic female swordsman who had asked him a question before suddenly falling silent.

He wanted to ask if the other person had encountered any problems, but his keen perception allowed him to sense the turbulent emotions hidden deep within their silence.

After a moment's hesitation, I decided not to ask any more questions.

Turning around, his gaze swept across the nearby woods, discerning directions while also searching for a suitable training location.

Just then, a sturdy figure that had disappeared after the team leader announced the rest and camping suddenly emerged from the bushes not far away.

His short, broad body resembled a rolling ball in the twilight. Before he could even get close, Soldin's rough voice, accompanied by the metallic scraping of armor and hurried, heavy footsteps, came from the air:

"Come with me quickly, we've found something good!"

"Let's have a really big meal today!"

(End of this chapter)