The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 114 Leaving the Team (Please Subscribe!)

"Try this, it's from the 'Sewer Pipe'—that Deep Well District tavern's 'Sewer Stout.' You'd be hard-pressed to find ale in Dragon Gold City that only costs copper coins, let alone one with such a rich flavor."

The inn's tables and chairs had been replaced with brand new ones, allowing the dwarf to tiptoe and carry the wine barrels onto the tables.

"One for you, one for me, and kobold, have one too!"

"Well, someone without a brain probably can't drink, so forget it."

Tang Qi sat opposite the gravel, watching the wine glass that was pushed towards him, filled with murky, brownish-black liquid.

The dense foam occasionally bursts with a single bubble, making the ale floating in the glass seem to come alive.

The gravel slapped the table, ordering Kuru to move:
"Quick, add some ice to the beer!"

"Rua!"

The four [freezing rays] failed to freeze the four glasses of ale. Instead, they were like a whole ice crystal that was placed inside and then allowed to break apart in the ale, allowing the cold air to penetrate every inch of the glass.

Kuru had never drunk alcohol before, but this glass of "offal stout" was its reward for having ice, so it stuck out its long, slender tongue and licked the inside of the glass.

"bitter!"

"Now that's what I call flavorful."

Stone didn't expect a kobold to understand the aroma of beer, so he placed the fourth beer next to him.

There was no one sitting there.

"We two can't possibly finish this whole barrel of wine."

Tang Qi estimated that the entire keg of dark beer contained at least fifty liters.

"The two of us? You must have got it wrong."

Shattered Stone pointed to Tang Qi's cup.

"this is yours."

He then pointed to an entire barrel of wine:

"this is mine."

"Are you planning to just get drunk and pass out at the hotel?"

"This little bit of wine is just to whet your appetite! Let's have some snacks to go with it!"

Shattered Stone laughed and slapped the table. Soon, Chuck brought over a bowl of golden-brown French fries and poured milky-white sauce over them in front of everyone.

I'm not entirely satisfied with the gravel:
"Cut off his goatee, and the fries definitely need to be topped with meat sauce! Mixing minced meat, tomatoes, and spicier sauce together is the real deal!"

"Completely wrong! French fries are the perfect match with mozzarella cheese and honey sauce!"

Chuck gave a soft snort, then put his hands on his hips and went back to the kitchen.

"I like this guy. He's smart, enthusiastic, and most importantly, he has his own principles."

People with this kind of dedication usually cook pretty well.

The pebbles didn't mind the debate about sweet versus salty flavors; on the contrary, they were quite happy.

Tang Qi, however, said:

"I thought you were attracted to his short stride and fast pace, just like you who walks slowly."

"Damn it, if I wasn't in the mood today, I would have smashed your head in."

"It's the knee."

"You don't need to repeat yourself twice!"

The dwarf downed the entire glass of ale in one gulp, then poured himself another.

"So, you've successfully brought those refugees out. What are your plans now?"

"Let's linger for a while and finish writing 'The Dawn and Dusk Forest Guide'."

As Tang Qi recounted his previous thoughts, he also swallowed a mouthful of mellow liquor.

A malty, roasted aroma mingled with the rich foam on his tongue, initially bitter yet smooth. The mellow aftertaste lingered, making him linger and prompting him to take another sip.
"Hmm, this dark beer tastes really good."

"The Guide... it certainly sounds like something you could write. After all, you always seem to know information that even Mark Wen couldn't reveal—"

If it were ever written into a book someday, it might even become a 'beginner's guide' for adventurers?
This will reduce the number of casualties among those greedy and arrogant newcomers.

Damn, with these, maybe one day you really can become famous and successful.

This is a book that Shatterstone had never seen in his long adventurous career.

"So you also think it has potential?"

"Of course. Although I don't know how to write books, I do know how to take risks."

With the approval of a seasoned adventurer, Tang Qi felt more confident.

"Then I look forward to seeing your book in someone's hands someday, and hearing the name 'Donkey Weinberger'—cheers!"

"cheers!"

The clinking of glasses spilled a little wine, making Tang Qi realize another fact.
"So you're planning to leave this—well, team?"

He hadn't decided on a name for the squad yet, so he could only give a rough name.

"Leave? Please, when did you ever invite me to join?"

"I thought this was already a tacit understanding, after all, we've been through a lot together."

“Hey, I’m going to protect Catherine to Dragon Gold City, and you’re going to protect Catherine to Dragon Gold City too—that’s why we’ve come together because we share the same goal.”

Isn't this considered being in the same industry?

Now that I have fulfilled Black Serpent's will and bequeathed his estate in Dragongold City to Catherine, what reason do I have to remain here?

"Reason—for example, we're friends, aren't we?"

Tang Qi picked up a few fries and threw them into his mouth.

As you chew, you experience the aroma of milk and the sweetness of honey, along with the saltiness of potato and salt.

After three dishes, he had concluded that halflings preferred a 'salty-sweet' flavor.

Hearing Tang Qi's hesitation, Sui Shi couldn't help but sneer:

"'Friends'? No, don't say that. We've only known each other for a few days, how can we be considered 'friends'? We dwarves have an old saying, 'It takes almost a hundred years from acquaintance to friendship'—"

That's certainly an exaggeration, but how many humans can live to be a hundred? Can you?

By the time I truly understand you, your life will be nearing its end.

Perhaps one day, at your funeral, as I see you close your eyes and be buried in the earth, I'll shed a tear for you, and then we might be able to call each other 'friends.'

Longevity is one of the few 'advantages' of dwarves.

And it's not just dwarves; every long-lived species has a different concept of time.

This is reflected in every aspect.

Just as halflings prefer to process ingredients in complex ways, often with cycles measured in months.

For dwarves, it's even more extreme; it could take up to a year.

Because of their long lifespan, enjoying a 'slow-paced' life is their norm.

It cannot be ruled out that some people might enjoy this, but most people would find the process unacceptable.

They must experience as much of the infinite possibilities as possible within a limited time.

This is where the differences between races come into play.

In fact, Tang Qi had already fully trusted the broken stone.

This dwarf is powerful, reliable, and funny; he makes you laugh just by standing there.

In short, it fulfilled all his fantasies about dwarves.

The feeling of interacting with such a veteran soldier kept him in a good mood.

But it was only today that I realized that in the other person's eyes, I was just a passerby who had traveled with them for twenty days.

Not exactly frustrated, Tang Qi even hoped to retain this sense of difference.

This made him realize more deeply that he had entered a completely different world and was enjoying it.

"What if we're just teammates?"

He couldn't help but try to recruit them.
"Although Kuru is currently only a half-baked spellcaster, and Dawn will encounter all sorts of problems—at least I'm relatively reliable, right?"

With a party of two spellcasters and a paladin, plus you, a seasoned warrior, we're terrifyingly superior to most adventure parties that can't even find a single spellcaster.

"Ha, going on an adventure with you guys is indeed a good choice—but certainly not because you're so 'strong'."

Rather, it's hard to find another team in the world as oddly shaped as yours; you're interesting just to look at from afar.

So join us.

"If I can't find another team before you finish writing the book, I will definitely consider it."

"You can't wait that long?"

"Come on, some new things have recently appeared in the underground city right under our butts, which has stirred up all the gold prospectors in Dragon Gold City. I can't wait to see them."

"We'll be heading to the dungeon later."

"What if the underground city has already been hollowed out?"

The gravel shook its head.

"You have no idea what these gold diggers in the Deep Wells are like."

Damn it, these bastards are like swarms of locusts, constantly appearing whenever the dungeon changes, creating new passages or treasure vaults...

Within three months, you'll only be able to find the leftovers they chewed up and spat out.

Watching Shi Shi down glass after glass of dark beer, and then grab a handful of fries and stuff them into his mouth without a care for appearances, Tang Qi couldn't help but say:

"It's hard to imagine that you can still maintain this passionate enthusiasm for adventure."

I remember Black Snake saying that he had traveled to every corner of the world and felt confused about adventure, which led him to want to return to Starplum Town.

"Perhaps it's not because Lao Tzu still has a passion for adventure."

Or perhaps the latest changes to the dungeon have awakened a desire for exploration?

Shattered Stone scoffed and slammed his wine glass heavily onto the table.
"Hey, I'm an adventurer—what else can I do besides adventure?"

Tang Qi felt that the rubble might be mocking him.

The bitter taste of the dark beer seemed to amplify his distress.

So he said:

"Looking for some other challenges? Or like Black Snake—going home for a rest."

"Go home? No, no."

The dwarf shook his head.

"What's the point of going back? I left Ironforge when I was still a 20-year-old baby..."

"I'm already 200 years old. What difference would it make if I went back? Who would recognize me?"

He didn't want to bring up the topic and waved his hand at Tang Qi:

"Let's drink! Let's drink!"

After clinking glasses with him, Tang Qi couldn't help but ask curiously:

"If you're so passionate about adventure, why do you choose to live with Black Snake in that remote corner of Star Plum Town?"

"If it weren't for repaying a debt of gratitude, who would willingly stay in such a godforsaken place with him?"

Star plum wine is certainly good, but it's more like the sweet drink that women like to have, and it's not refreshing or satisfying enough.

Before today, I hadn't had a shot of "offal beer" for three years!

"Repay a favor?"

Tang Qi grasped the key words and recalled the rumors he had heard before.

"Is it because of... the Great Desert?"

(End of this chapter)