The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 145 Humans Are Always Like This (5k1w)

"[Swamp vegetable salad], [frog meat sandwich], [mud snail and mushroom soup]—two dishes and a soup—that's the best we can manage."

If it weren't for the difficulty in finding suitable, non-toxic, and non-rotten ingredients in the swamp, Little Baldy's cooking skills would have been able to produce an even more abundant meal.

In other words, you can enjoy it with peace of mind, because these ingredients have been identified by magic that detects toxicity and disease, guaranteeing they are non-toxic.

As the man with the mustache moved a black pot, shaped like a shield, in front of Tang Qi and lifted the lid, a wave of steam rushed out. When it entered Tang Qi's nostrils, he could smell a rich, savory aroma, faintly tinged with the saltiness of the sea.

Tang Qi quickly searched for the recipes he had just acquired, opened the 'Swamp Recipes' section, and read out how to make this dish:
"Grease the bottom of the pot with butter, dice and mash some of the reed mushrooms into a paste, and add it to the pot along with their juice. Pour in water and simmer. Then add the cleaned mud snails, bracken roots, cranberries, and vine sap in that order, and finally sprinkle with black pepper and salt—"

He suddenly realized what was happening, his gaze shifting to the pot of broth, and finally landing on the man with the mustache.

"You guys actually carry black pepper with you?"

"In the sandalwood forest, spices are an essential part of the adventure. They can help you get through countless tough days and nights."

The man with the mustache answered earnestly, scooped a spoonful of hot soup, and sighed contentedly as he placed it on his tongue.

Tang Qi noted this sentence down in his "Guide to Sandalwood Forest," which he hadn't yet begun writing, and then asked:
"Is this a custom, a habit? Or some lesson learned from being taken advantage of?"

The little bear goblin stretched out his arms and sandwiched the grilled, pepper-sprinkled frog meat, along with some side dishes, into rye bread soaked in mud snail soup, creating a frog meat sandwich:

"Because in the Sandalwood Forest team, there is either a druid or a ranger - basically everyone has to have a [Divine Berry] spell."

The Divine Berry is a delicacy from the very first bite; you'll marvel at how such a sweet and delicious fruit can exist in the world.

During the first week, you might start to find it boring and want to switch to something lighter, but it's still acceptable.

The first year after you take a bite, ha, believe me, you'll feel nauseous and want to throw up the moment you see it.

【Divine Berry Spell】, a first-level spell, transforms 10 delicious berries from a single mistletoe. Consuming the berries allows one to recover a certain amount of vitality without needing to eat for a day. The effects of the berries last for 24 hours.

Generally speaking, with the Divine Berry Technique, there is no need to prepare too much food for the journey.

However, it is clear that the desire for food is an obstacle to saving money—adventurers will eventually get sick of eating, which is why they need the recipes from Sandalwood Forest to improve their meals.

Tang Qi put the chopped frog meat into a bread roll and put it into his mouth along with the fern salad.

These frogs were also sourced locally from the swamp beforehand, and they seem to have been blessed with dragon's blood, making them bouncy, smooth, and tender.

Beyond the taste, the spiciness of the spices hits the palate, followed by a salty and savory flavor lingering on the lips.

As you chew, the fresh aroma of lettuce mixed with a slight sourness rises to your taste buds. After swallowing, a slightly bitter taste lingers on your tongue and takes a long time to dissipate.

Whether something is delicious or not is a matter of comparison.

This certainly can't compare to the taste of a restaurant on the ground, but it's far better than simply bread and wine.

Tang Qi was generous and shared the plum wine he brought with those who were still sober:
"So, there is another druid in your group."

“Yes. We could have easily crossed the third level of the swamp by relying on Little Rascal's protective poison, but things happened so suddenly that we have no choice but to return to the surface for now…”

He took the glass of wine offered to him, took a sip, and his eyes visibly widened.
"I've never tasted fruit wine before; it's almost as good as the craftsmanship of us half-sheep people."

The little rascal showed no mercy: "I actually think it tastes better than your half-goat people's wine; it's not as strong."

The man with the mustache looked rather stern, as if trying to prove that the half-goat's brew was far superior to that of humans, or even dwarves.

But before he could speak, Tang Qi had already raised his glass to him:
"The most memorable taste is always the taste of home."

The man with the mustache's eyes lit up. Looking at the purplish-red liquid reflecting the glow of the campfire, he clinked glasses with the man and drank it all in one gulp.

"You're right. Is this also wine from your hometown?"

"This is Star Plum Wine."

“I’ve heard of it, but I can’t afford it. There’s no reason in Sandalwood Forest where five gold coins can only buy one cup of wine.”

"Then you can go to the Golden Oak, the tavern in Dragontail Pass. It only costs 1 gold coin there—mine, well, it's run by a friend."

"woman?"

The bald guy might be really observant, always able to find some facts in the smallest clues.

"Ah, yes."

"If you like it, just go for it."

He handed Tang Qi a parchment scroll. Upon opening it, he found a third-layer hand-drawn map, meticulously traced and copied by the bald boy, with the location of the 'giant snail' clearly marked.

He actually drew a snail on it.

"No, I didn't have that thought."

Tang Qi suddenly realized that he didn't seem to know how to introduce Catherine to outsiders.

Because he didn't actually pay much attention to their relationship.

Wife, girlfriend? Don't be ridiculous, that responsibility is far too heavy.

Partner? That sounds a bit unfamiliar.

The friend who sets off firecrackers? That seems to be the case, but it's a bit awkward to introduce him like that.

Let's skip this topic.

Tang Qi pointed to another mark on the map, where a very ugly woman was drawn:
"So, you met that witch here?"

The man with the mustache glanced at it and nodded, saying:

"Yes, I almost died there, but luckily I had a friend with the [Silver Medal] to help me. There's an entrance to the fourth floor nearby—"

I heard it's a forest filled with sunshine, and the little rascal said he wanted to see what a forest with eternal daylight would look like.

The inhabitants of the sandalwood forest always have a special passion for all kinds of forests.

"If they have a clear objective, it will be very difficult to catch up with them..."

Tang Qi sighed, realizing that he might miss out on the Dragon Treasury.
"Then let's wish them well."

"At least the location of the witch is quite far from the giant snail, and there is a camp of mad frogmen in between—if you don't provoke them, they won't bother you."

"I understand, thank you for the map."

Tang Qi put it back into his dimensional bag, but in his mind he was wondering whether he should deliberately cause some trouble.

After all, Hope had mentioned that the Red Scarf Gang wouldn't take action unless they were confirmed to be exhausted.

After much hesitation, Tang Qi made his decision:

"Now that we have the map, let's set off as soon as possible."

Hope blinked. "We haven't had a break all day."

"Are you tired?" Tang Qi asked.

"It seems... alright?"

The "Relaxation Song" not only helps them regain their energy but also relieves much of their fatigue.

"Since you're not tired and have had a good meal, it's best to finish the mission as soon as possible and return to the surface. Or you could go back with them first?"

Tang Qi pointed to the small team beside him; they clearly didn't mind taking Hope back to the surface with them.

But after some hesitation, Tiftin shook his head:
"How can you be a good guide if you haven't witnessed the view from the third level firsthand?"

As she spoke, she resolutely got up and left the tent.

When they returned, they were holding a small bottle containing a green aqueous solution. That was the [Antidote], which could help increase immunity to toxins for at least 8 hours when entering the swamp.

She said with a pained expression:
"Then let's leave now?"

"This knight friend hasn't eaten yet."

The bald boy pointed to the dawn and carefully reminded him.

"It's okay, she's not hungry."

"She's actually a woman?"

The fact that the third-person pronouns in the common language are quite different surprised the team members.

The knight had been silently guarding the door, and they hadn't recognized her at all.

Tang Qi didn't explain much. He pulled up Kuru, who had finished his meal and was already huddled in a corner engrossed in his studies, and waved to the others:

"Anyway, it was a pleasure to meet you all. When that girl wakes up, please remember to give her my regards."

Without stopping, they headed for the entrance to the third floor.

The small team was left looking at each other in bewilderment.

The little rascal asked in surprise:

"He actually called [Little Rascal] a little girl?"

Looking at the fairy 'girl's' youthful appearance, the man with the mustache shrugged: "Humans are always like this—they only look at appearances, not age."

Wasn't there a 20-year-old human in the Sandalwood Forest who wanted to woo the 1000-year-old elf grandmother?

The little rascal scratched his head:
"Oh, I remember, I was coldly rejected. I remember that elf was a distinguished guest of the Sandalwood Forest..."

“Saltie, a henchman of the Sandalwood Forest. Her hair is as white as snow.”

"You remember so clearly? We've only met her once, it seems."

"I've always been very meticulous."

The little bald man said proudly.

"Wait, I noticed something in your hand, you little rascal!"

"Huh? I accidentally took this from that Tiflin."

The man with the mustache couldn't help but tap him on the forehead:
"When are you going to change this habit! Didn't you learn your lesson when you stole the manhole cover for the sewer pipe?"

"Sorry, it's an occupational hazard. I couldn't resist seeing the bulge on the outside of her boots. I'll return them to her later—"

As the little rascal spoke, he weighed the stolen item in his hand a few times, but then, along with the other two, he froze on the spot.

He stole a knife.

A short knife tightly tied with a red scarf.

……

【Tang Qi's Guide to Longjin City】

Once you've successfully traversed the first level of the bunker and the second level of the cave, you'd better hope you don't have a fear of heights.

Yes, there is only one entrance to the third level, and it is a cliff.

If you're not quite ready yet, you can choose to camp overnight by the pond below the waterfall.

But if you want to go any further, you'll have to cross the suspension bridge that connects the cliff to the third level of swamp.

It looks very sturdy, and it's unclear whether it's due to magic or special construction techniques that it can reach a length of nearly 500 meters without swaying.

But you'd better not run around or jump on it, because everyone who loves extreme sports believes that they won't be the next one to die.

If you have made sufficient preparations and anticipated the situation, but are still uneasy, then I would suggest that you bring along a spellcaster who has studied the 'Featherfall Spell'.

This does not mean that you will not die.

At most, they won't die immediately from the fall.

After all, the abyss below the cliff is so deep that not a single ray of light can penetrate it; when you gaze into the abyss, it also fantasizes about making you fall in…

As Tang Qi crossed the suspension bridge, turned back, and gazed at the bottomless cliff, he finally wrote his final comment:
"The air is fresher than I expected."

He was on a high slope, but he couldn't see the entire third level. He could only see a wide river disappearing into the depths, and the vines and grasses that rose above the water all around him had some leaves with a faint glow at the tips, becoming the only source of light in this underground city.

“The third layer is not entirely swampy; at least one-third of the area is simply wetland.”

Hope's last bit of knowledge was also exhausted, and she immediately took out her notebook and followed behind Tang Qi, wanting to draw a map that was uniquely her own.

Tang Qi didn't expect her to be of any use, as long as she didn't get in his way. So he walked down the moss-covered, slightly slippery stone steps, one by one, until his boots were completely covered in soft mud.

He felt as if he were walking on clouds or soaked cotton, so much so that he had to be careful of sinking under his feet as he walked, which undoubtedly slowed down their progress.

The view was covered by wildly growing upright aquatic plants, which were slightly yellow, like reeds, but with long, pointed leaves.

As dawn broke, the sun often had to push aside the water plants to see the road ahead.

“We will follow the river until it splits into two branches, then we will proceed along the right-hand branch.”

Tang Qi issued orders in accordance with the team's previous instructions.

Unlike caves, this vast wetland cannot be mapped by room or corner; the river can only be used as a reference point.

Thinking of this, Tang Qi suddenly turned around and asked:
"You said before that once you go deeper, the entire landscape will change frequently due to the effects of the dragon's blood, is that right?"

"That's supposedly how it is. But there's no pattern to the timing or location of the changes."

"Wouldn't it be pointless to draw maps at such a depth?"

"Not necessarily, because there are periods when the dungeon will not change for a long time, so how long a map can be used depends entirely on luck."

Moreover, it can at least help you identify some reference points, thus allowing you to determine direction more quickly—of course, compared to shallower layers, the significance of a map at deeper levels is indeed not as great.

"Is it that fork in the river ahead?" Chenxi asked as they walked.

"Yes, then go straight for about five kilometers, and you'll enter the swamp area—"

"Tang Qi, damn it! Waaah!"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly heard Kulu, who was walking at the back, exclaim in surprise.

When he turned around, he found that Kulu's figure was obscured by the upright water plants, but it seemed to be waving its hands haphazardly and struggling for something.

He hurriedly went over to check the situation, and then, his "alertness" kicked in, and the water plants covering his feet seemed to come alive, about to entangle Tang Qi's legs.

The 'snake's kiss' flashed its sharp edge amidst the vine-like, meandering water plants, easily slicing a clean gash in their midst.

"Squeak!"

A sharp and strange howl suddenly rang out. Tang Qi quickly took two steps back and then realized that the wet soil beneath their feet seemed to be moving silently.

Instinctively, I threw a bottle of flaming glue back to its original spot. The bottle shattered on the ground, and the burst of flames engulfed the aquatic vegetation, burning even the moisture.

The flames gradually spread, engulfing an area of ​​five meters. A circle of water plants was burned to ashes, revealing the "Withered Vine Monster" disguised as water plants beneath the soil.

They look like a black mass buried in the ground, without any limbs or torso.

They always move by crawling and gliding, hiding in unnoticed corners and using the surrounding vegetation to launch surprise attacks.

"Dawn! Rescue Kuru!"

After confirming their identities, Tang Qi's nerves were actually less tense.

Because he was certain that it was just a minor incident.

So, after giving brief instructions, he picked up his pen and wrote down the story.

When you encounter a 'withered vine monster', it's best to keep your mouth shut beforehand.

After all, if you're not careful, you could be surrounded and ensnared by the overgrown vegetation, and those water plants or vines might even crawl into your throat and tongue through your open mouth and nose—

Don't get the wrong idea; their purpose is simply to suffocate you.

Since they are not man-made traps, nor are they magical effects, even the most experienced adventurers can be caught off guard and ambushed because of their easily concealed appearance.

Unfortunately, with his [Awareness] specialization, Tang Qi is immune to sneak attacks.

After taking notes, Chenxi, who was standing to the side, had already used his broken sword to smash the bodies of several withered vine monsters, and almost by brute force, he tore off the reinforced water plants on Kuru's body.

"Kuru, learning, fire, magic!"

The kobold spat out the water plants from its throat, seemingly finally realizing that its magic was as rotten as that of the necromancer.

He secretly vowed that one day he would learn some powerful spells and burn this wetland to the ground.

Tang Qi then looked at Hope.

She was in relatively good condition; thanks to her quick reaction, only her legs were bound, which Tang Qi easily slashed open with his curved blade.

However, the worry in his eyes was hard not to notice.

"Do you regret coming with us to the third floor now?"

"It's really okay."

Hope stood up, brushed the mud off his leather pants, and then washed his hands with river water.

"If I were leading a group of ordinary adventurers, I might indeed regret it."

"You trust us that much?"

"Trust Tifflin's judgment."

Hope flicked the water droplets off her fingers and followed Tang Qi onward.

But without realizing it, she bent down and touched her boots.

In the brief moment she was entangled in the water plants, she instinctively reached for the short knife hidden beneath the outer lining of her boot—

When exactly did they disappear?

(End of this chapter)