Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 387 "Salmon Roe"

Shuyu Bay is not a natural harbor.

At least in ancient times, it was far less prosperous than it is now.

Two narrow peninsulas, shaped like the teeth of a barracuda, extend from both sides of the coast, curving into a perfect arc, almost meeting at their ends, leaving only a relatively small entrance in the vast sea.

This creates a deep and calm open sea inside the Bay of Fish and Fish, large enough to accommodate a large number of ships.

However, it is as if the Creator, with a wicked sense of humor, has planted a natural trap within the gift.

Right at the intersection of those two barracuda-tooth-like peninsulas, the dividing line between the calm bay and the turbulent sea outside, we entered the only entrance.

It is densely populated with numerous deadly reefs and undercurrents.

Even the most experienced captains would find it difficult to say whether they could safely maneuver their boats through this area.

For this reason, for a long time, even though the natural environment inside Suyu Bay was quite superior, only a few reclusive sea people or fish-people tribes settled there.

Until countless years ago.

A legendary treasure ship from an ancient elven kingdom, after experiencing a brutal war in which divine blood rained down, was swept into a bay by undercurrents, and the reef at the entrance became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

It sank in the Bay of Fish in an extremely tragic manner.

Most of the crew members were followed by a relentless storm and thunder that claimed their lives and buried them at sea. The few survivors who were rescued by the local indigenous people also died young under the influence of the curse in the depths of the ocean.

All that remains is a vague legend of a treasure ship carrying enough treasure to buy an entire kingdom.

Perhaps it was the sheer scale of the destruction of this legendary ship, with its massive thunder and storms, that made one think of the great beings that protected this sea area.
It's also possible that the curse on the surviving crew members was so terrifying that they subconsciously fell silent, afraid to talk about anything related to it, lest they be affected by the curse.

Initially, this legend did not circulate much on the continent of Aifara, or even in the nearby seas.

Until several hundred years ago, a destitute seaman who had been expelled from his tribe discovered, during an extremely low tide that was rare in decades, the slight wreckage of a legendary treasure ship among the exposed reefs, as well as several enchanted pieces of equipment that, after being submerged in the depths of the sea for many years, still radiated a magical glow.

The secret spread outwards like ripples on water, along with the sudden disappearance of the Sea People and the circulation of shipwrecks and enchanted equipment on the black market.

A secret from ancient times, a long-lost treasure, and recyclables that fetched astronomical prices at black market auctions...

Adventurers, pirates, merchants, impoverished nobles... Speculators and outlaws, as if smelling the blood of sharks, flocked madly into Barracuda Bay.

From the initial temporary campsites to the later small gathering points consisting of canvas tents and simple wooden buildings, driven by profit, Suoyu Bay developed at an extremely rapid pace.

Of course, it went through a very chaotic period. Its special geographical location at the southernmost tip of the Kingdom of Servia, near the sea, made it a springboard for fugitives from the kingdom to leave the mainland at certain times.

It's a melting pot of all sorts of people: wanted and vicious adventurers, pirates, cultists, and ignorant alien races from overseas... almost every evil force you can imagine lurks here.

For a long time, Suyu Bay was even known as "Pickpocket Island" and "Skeleton Island".

Chaos cannot sustain wealth creation, and the ever-growing dangers here have made it impossible for the official authorities of the Kingdom of Servia and various orthodox churches to remain indifferent.

And so, after a brief but violent and bloody crackdown, Fish Bay returned to its former tranquility.

The valuable assets it left behind during its period of unbridled growth, as well as its reputation that spread across the continent because of its ancient treasures, were naturally preserved as part of the kingdom and continued to develop.

As for the dangerous reefs and undercurrents at the entrance to the bay...

All that can be said is that when King Serbia sat on his throne, adorned with dazzling jewels and fine goose down, in that extravagantly luxurious palace, and faced with the documents presented by his ministers regarding the development of Barracuda Bay, he casually nodded slightly.

Those things that dared to hinder the development of Fish Bay were leveled by powerful professionals sent by the kingdom, just like the scattered corpses of desperados and fugitives in the depths of the sea.

From chaos and bloodshed to prosperity and flourishing.

Today, Barracuda Bay has transformed from an obscure and remote bay hundreds of years ago into a massive port that brings in huge amounts of tax revenue for the kingdom every year.

Xia Nan had some understanding of its past before setting off, based on information from the Adventurers' Guild and highly subjective accounts from tavern patrons.

However, since I haven't experienced it firsthand, I don't have a very detailed and comprehensive understanding of it.

As for the current prosperity and flourishing state of Suoyu Bay, he can get a sense of it from his own experience.

As he and Colin descended the mountain path and stepped onto the stone-paved main street,

What comes first is a complex and massive invisible torrent.

What were just blurry black dots have now become real entities, imbued with their body heat and power.

The laborers' linen clothes soaked with sweat, the wealthy merchants' thin, silky robes, the adventurers' armor reflecting a metallic sheen...

There was no chance to stop and observe carefully; like a small boat in a turbulent river, the two were pushed forward by the crowd.

To be honest, I didn't feel that much discomfort.

But for Xia Nan, this was not a pleasant experience.

The exceptionally strong physical abilities and keen perception result in capturing more information than the average person.

He could clearly distinguish, among the cacophony of sounds echoing in his ears, the shattering of cups and plates from the tavern next door, the haggling at the street stalls, the distant flute music from a street performer, and the crying of children…

In addition to the increasingly strong salty smell in the air, there was the pungent, fishy odor emanating from the fish stalls, the strong, irritating aroma from the spice shops, and the acrid smell of burning coal coming from somewhere in the blacksmith's shop...

On a visual level, considerable control is required to prevent the chaotic scene in front of you from completely engulfing your attention.

The densely packed houses, crammed together, resemble two brightly colored walls, completely blocking off both sides of the street; even overhead, clothes are hung from bamboo poles on the second floor to dry.

It seems that not a single inch of space here can be wasted, with the exterior walls covered layer upon layer with wanted posters, missing person notices, and various advertisements.

If Xia Nan didn't restrain his senses at this time, but instead expanded them outwards as usual, recklessly observing details, his brain would probably have already been working overtime and entered a state of red-temperature overload.

Xia Nan casually slapped away a childish hand reaching for Colin's waist pocket from the crowd, pulled the boy to her side, and told him to stay close to her so he wouldn't get lost.

Looking into the crowd, I noticed the children scurrying between adults' legs like mice, occasionally stealing the wallets of a careless traveler or two. My brow furrowed slightly.

Xia Nan was able to keenly observe that their targets were usually ordinary people dressed in relatively simple and plain clothes, rarely touching local merchants dressed in fancy and luxurious clothes, and they dared not even get close to adventurers like himself.

Without a doubt, like River Valley and Newme, Barracuda Bay has its own unique ecosystem.

These young pickpockets, though seemingly inexperienced, were clearly professionally trained and likely part of an organized group. Being new to the area and unfamiliar with everything, it was best to avoid getting involved for now.

"Your Uncle Paddy's shop should be on this street, right?"

His downturned lips made his already cold and sharp features even more chilling and fierce. Combined with his black hair and black eyes, as well as the dark-colored metal equipment he was wearing, Xia Nan exuded an icy aura that kept strangers at bay.

As a result, the unseen gazes that had been lingering on Colin in the crowd subconsciously turned away, avoiding his gaze.

“It’s just ahead, Mr. Xia Nan.”

"But maybe... we'll need to go around a couple more turns? After all, I've never been here before, let's look for it first."

Feeling the chilling aura emanating from him, Colin instinctively shivered.

Of course, he knew that the other party's actions would help the two of them reduce a lot of unnecessary trouble. The boy recalled the story with a hint of gratitude in his voice.

His uncle, Paddy, had been away from home for many years. Although he would occasionally send letters and money and supplies to the village through passing caravans, he had not seen him for many years and even his memory of Paddy's appearance was vague.

Even though he knew the other party's detailed address, the boy still seemed unsure, fearing that something might have gone wrong.

The bustling activity at Fish Bay far exceeded Colin's expectations.

This naive young man, who had lived in a remote village since childhood, seemed extremely uncomfortable in such a place, and even felt a faint sense of fear deep in his heart.

Mr. Xia Nan has safely brought himself to Fish Bay and completed the mission. If, if… Uncle Paddy wasn't found in the end…

Wouldn't I be left here all alone...?

Colin didn't have time to worry too much.

The next second, the tall, cold yet reliable figure in front of him pushed through the crowd and continued forward.

He dared not be distracted, for fear of getting lost in the crowded surroundings.

Focus your attention and quickly catch up.

……

……

The address provided by Colin is accurate.

Although the dense buildings in the Suyu Bay port area made it very difficult to find, the two wandered around in various alleys and short streets for a long time.

But in the end, after a complicated journey of more than half an hour.

Finally, deep in a port, at the corner of a secluded alley, the two found the grocery store called "Salmon Roe," which was said to be run by the boy's Uncle Paddy.

Although it felt impolite, Xia Nan still had to say it: he didn't think a shop located in such a remote corner could have any business.

The alleyways on the way here were incredibly narrow; if two slightly burly sailors wanted to walk side by side, their shoulders would probably scrape against the mud on the walls on either side.

The air was thick with an increasingly strong fishy smell, and the place was musty and damp. Water of unknown origin seeped from the cracks in the walls, making the already uneven stone path even more slippery and muddy.

Unless someone like Xia Nan knew in advance that there was a general store here and specifically targeted it.

Otherwise, he didn't think any traveler or merchant would endure such a complicated journey and such a dirty and unpleasant environment to come here and spend money.

Unless you get lost...

As if it hadn't been maintained for a long time, even the signboard of the grocery store, with its blurry charcoal drawing of salmon and fish roe, had been blurred by the damp air and was held in place by a single rusty nail, swaying slightly in the wind and making a "creaking" sound.

The two wooden doors do look quite respectable, pieced together from recycled ship planks, seemingly designed to mimic a nautical style. The mottled marks on their surfaces, caused by lack of maintenance, are presented as if they were part of a deliberately designed aesthetic.

Xia Nan reached out and patted Colin, who looked a little nervous, on the shoulder, then stepped forward and pushed open the door of the general store.

"jingle……"

Accompanied by the slurring sound of door hinges rubbing together, a crisp bell rang out in the room.

Surprisingly, the environment inside the grocery store was quite nice.

Perhaps due to the use of some special aromatherapy, the fishy and musty smell of the alley outside was masked by a refreshing fragrance, which also reduced the damp and greasy smell in the air to some extent, making the overall atmosphere much more comfortable.

Bundles of dried seaweed hung from the rafters, below which was a bronze lamp casting a soft glow; the walls were cluttered with various objects: heavy, rusted metal hooks, worn-out knots, fragments of nautical charts...

On the other side, the wooden shelf was crammed with ceramic jars and glass bottles containing coral fragments, colored sand grains, and an unknown, suspicious powder.

At the very front, directly opposite the main entrance, is a wooden counter made from the hull remnants of a decommissioned small boat.

The goods arranged on it, like those on the wooden shelves along the side wall, were so numerous that they appeared somewhat chaotic:

A black wooden pipe covered in burn marks, a long, strangely shaped, pale fish skeleton, a bottle of pickled liquor containing unknown insects, and a few old coins of unknown origin...

Looking at the scene before him, Xia Nan felt for the first time that the words "general store" were so fitting and appropriate.

At the same time, he also observed some noteworthy details in the shop.

Just like the incense in the air, although the goods in the general store look incredibly messy and disorganized, careful observation reveals that their placement and location actually follow a fixed pattern, rather than being randomly placed.

Even the top corner of the wooden shelf, which is most easily overlooked, has no obvious dust, indicating that the owner of this general store has a habit of cleaning and tidying up regularly.

It contrasts sharply with the outside.

Was it set up this way on purpose?

If the goal is to create a sense of contrast in this way... it might actually be a design element that increases customer interest in purchasing.

Xia Nan wondered to himself.

Ahead, the sound of a door opening could be heard, and from the innermost part of the shop, in the living area separated by a faded indigo canvas, came greetings:
"Coming! Coming!"

(End of this chapter)