Monster Hunter: I can hear the monsters' thoughts

Chapter 369 The Grand Elder's Commendation
"To put it simply, I believe that the Bond Stone is actually the embodiment of the bond between humans and monsters. In order to obtain the Bond Stone, one must first form a sufficiently deep bond with the monster."

The Grand Elder raised a slight white eyebrow. This statement was somewhat fantastical, but he did not offer any opinion, simply waiting quietly for Lin Lin to continue.

“Take Da Kong and me as an example. I rescued it when it was still an egg, took good care of it to hatch it, fed it little by little and taught it to find food. In this process, we formed a strong bond.”

"In addition, based on my repeated reflections on the scene of the Bond Stone's appearance that day, another condition for the Bond Stone's appearance is likely that the spiritual compatibility between the two parties reaches its peak."

"A large part of our success at that time was due to Lanlong, because of the immense life-or-death pressure it brought. At that time, Da Kong and I were thinking about how to survive Lanlong. In a way, we achieved a unity of purpose?"

"Then, the Bond Stone appeared."

After Lin Lin finished stating his judgment, he also described the situation in as much detail as possible so that the Grand Elder could better analyze the situation.

After a long silence, the Grand Elder sighed, "I understand."

To say that one is not disappointed would be impossible. Although Lin Lin said that this should be a replicable miracle, the conditions are too harsh, and a large part of it is still personal subjective speculation. There are too many uncertainties, making it difficult to promote it like the training of hunters.

But to say I'm utterly disappointed isn't quite accurate; at least it's not completely hopeless for mass production, right? In any case, it's a good thing. I'll talk to someone about doing a small-scale trial later…

"Phew... In any case, I still want to thank you for providing this information. Is there any reward you would like?"

Huh? An award?

Lin Lin was stunned. Was he going to be rewarded?
He chose to reveal this information only to try and get information about other riders; he hadn't considered the issue at all.

If you think about it a little, it's perfectly understandable. If the information he shared could help the guild train a few riders, it would indeed be a great achievement, and the Grand Elder would want to reward him, so naturally he wouldn't refuse.

But the problem is, he hasn't thought about what kind of reward he should receive!
No, I need to think of something quickly. I can't let this opportunity to fleece the guild slip by!

Money? No, that's too vulgar. Besides, I have plenty of ways to make money!

Status? He had only recently reached five stars, and he felt completely unprepared to advance to six stars.

Reputation? That's completely useless to me; it's all meaningless.

Strength? But strength has to be honed little by little by oneself. There are no rare treasures in this world that allow you to instantly ascend to immortality just by eating them...

and many more!

Lin Lin suddenly looked up, his gaze eager as he looked at the Grand Elder, "Um... is a protective stone acceptable?"

"Oh?"

The elder smiled, stroked his beard, and nodded slightly.

Sure enough, he was right. This young man was quite remarkable, completely different from those who hid behind the city walls, thinking they were safe and sound with the hunter's protection.

"Of course, the Grand Elder has collected many high-grade protective stones so that they can help hunters who need them one day."

"Let me think. You and Kevin are both shield and axe users, so... there's a charm that would suit you perfectly!"

"Really? What kind of talisman is it?"

Seeing Lin Lin's eyes light up instantly, the First Elder chuckled twice more.
"It's a Queen-grade talisman. As for its specific protective effects, I'll keep you in suspense for now. You'll know the effects once you get your hands on it. Consider it a surprise, hehehe..." "Alright, that's all for today. You've had a long journey and deserve a good rest. I won't take up any more of your time, young people. Someone will deliver the talisman to you in a little while."

The Grand Elder was about to end today's conversation, but Lin Lin didn't move, instead looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Seeing this, the Grand Elder looked slightly puzzled. "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Lin Lin bowed respectfully, "There are still some matters I need to clarify for the Grand Elder."

"Hoo-hoo—tell me about it?"

"I'd like to know if there are any records of observing a solar eclipse in the guild's logs?"

Previously, the Grand Elder had read the letter from Jieyun Village repeatedly and knew it by heart. Upon hearing Lin Lin's question, he immediately recalled the strange incident mentioned in the letter.

"You mean the solar eclipse that only you saw?"

"Yes."

"Unfortunately, I don't seem to have any corresponding memories, but I will arrange for someone to check the ancient books to see if there will be any discoveries."

As Lin Lin expressed his gratitude and prepared to take his leave, the Grand Elder suddenly asked another question:
"By the way, Lin Lin, you mentioned before that after obtaining the Bond Stone, you could vaguely sense the thoughts of monsters that have no bonds, right?"

"Yes."

"So, when Lanlong finally retreated, do you know what it was thinking?"

Lin Lin suddenly looked up and saw the Grand Elder staring straight at him, his sharp gaze seemingly able to see through people's hearts.

As expected of the guild's top manager, his thinking is sharp; he grasped the suspicious point instantly.

Lin Lin hesitated for a moment, then nodded:

"It is afraid because of the solar eclipse."

The Grand Elder's pupils suddenly contracted.

……

Two flowers bloom, each telling its own story. Lin Lin was analyzing intelligence for the Grand Elder in the Great Hall, while Ye Zi was looking around in amazement at the magnificent city, marveling at everything she saw, looking exactly like a country bumpkin visiting the city.

Well, that doesn't seem wrong. As a village girl from Yanhuo Village, isn't she just a country girl?

"The inner city of East Doruma is generally divided into three layers. The outermost layer is the commercial area at the foot of the mountain, the second layer is the residential area, and the innermost layer is the central area located halfway up the mountain. The airport we just landed at is located in the central area—although it is a bit remote, it is indeed within the central area."

As Kevin walked, he pointed out the surrounding buildings to the three of them.

"As the core of East Doruma, the central area is where most important institutions are concentrated, including the airport we just landed at. Oh, by the way, look over there, that large cluster of wooden buildings is the headquarters of the Ancient Dragon Observation Bureau."

"Huh? The headquarters of the Ancient Dragon Observation Bureau is actually this... dilapidated?"

(End of this chapter)