The adventurer at the bottom is fantasizing again.

Chapter 115 Morning Exercise, But with Lily (4K)

After settling things with Gary, Lorraine prepared to go to the backyard to try out her newly drawn trick, "The Morning Exerciser's Reward."

After activating the [Vitality] state, go find Glenn and ask him about entering that strange state before.

He felt that if anyone in Frostvale could explain that to him, Glenn, that "elite" warrior, would definitely be one of them.

A soft sound brought him back to his senses.

Lorraine turned to look.

Lily hummed a broken little tune as she walked in through the back door of the tavern, casually taking the apron hanging on the back door and tying it around her waist.

Today she wore a beige high-necked wool dress, the hem of which just reached below her knees, while the collar loosely gathered around her neck.

The northern border of Melting Snow Moon had not yet fully warmed up, and she was dressed rather poorly. Her ears and the tip of her nose were slightly red from the cold, and a few strands of hair were blown to her forehead by the wind brought in from outside the door.

"Good morning... Hmm? The old man is dozing off again."

She rubbed her hands together, glanced at Gustav who was dozing off behind the bar after she had just finished cleaning the tavern, then quietly closed the back door and tiptoed toward the kitchen.

Good morning, Lily.

Lorraine smiled and greeted her softly.

Lily was startled by the sudden greeting, and then she noticed Lorraine sitting in the corner.

"Oh...good morning, Mr. Lorraine."

She smiled, her eyes crinkling, and walked over to his table. Looking down at the stew, which was already mostly eaten, she asked curiously, "Mr. Lorraine, do you get up this early every day? Didn't you just finish a mission yesterday? Why didn't you rest a little longer?"

"I'm used to this time. But you look beautiful today," Lorraine complimented.

"Really? I think so too." Lily raised her eyebrows at the compliment. She pinched the hem of her skirt with her fingers and twirled gently. "I found this fabric at the market last week when I was off work. Mia said the color suits my hair color very well, what do you think?"

Lorraine nodded seriously and said, "She has a good eye."

"Hehe... So... what are your plans for today, sir, adventurer who's up so early to get to work?" Lily bent down slightly, tilted her head, and whispered to him.

"I'm going to the guild later, but right now..."

""

Lorraine glanced at the sky outside the window; the sun had only just begun to emerge, casting a faint golden glow across the sky.

He looked up at Lily's nose, which was slightly red from the cold, and smiled, "Speaking of getting up early, I was just getting ready to go for my morning exercise."

"Morning exercise? You're so serious about it. No wonder Mr. Lorraine is so amazing."

Lily glanced at the just-dawning sky outside the window and sighed, "The backyard is still empty, but it's a bit chilly this morning."

Her voice grew softer and softer until she murmured a thoughtful "Hmm?" as if she had sensed something was amiss.

"So we need to find a warmer place." Lorraine stood up from her chair, looked into her eyes, and smiled gently.

"After that day, I thought you..." Lily licked her lips, her eyes suddenly turning cunning.

She glanced quickly back at Gustav, who was still dozing, then gently tugged at Lorraine's sleeve and said, "The wine cellar is warm; perfect for a 'morning workout.'"

The entrance to the wine cellar was in a corner of the backyard, a trapdoor that slanted downwards. The two carefully closed the back door of the tavern and entered the backyard.

"The old man won't come to the wine cellar in the morning, so we'll be fine if we keep our voices down." Lily unlocked the trapdoor with her key, turned around, and gently placed her fingertips to her lips, making a shushing gesture.

"it is good."

Lorraine responded softly, and the trapdoor closed behind him, shutting out all the sounds.

The surroundings quieted down, leaving only the increasingly clear breathing of the two people.

Lily leaned gently against an empty oak barrel, tilting her head back and gazing at him with bright, dreamy eyes.

"It's your turn now," she said.

A sliver of light shone through the crack in the door, illuminating her face and allowing Lorraine to see the contours of her features and her upturned eyes.

He put his arm around Lily's waist and leaned down to kiss her.

"Um.

""

Lily's fingers ran through the hair at the back of his head, her nails gently brushing against the roots, sending a tingling, ticklish sensation through him.

His hand slid up Lily's waist, feeling her skin tremble slightly in his palm.

At first, Lily could whisper a few teasing words in his ear, but soon she could only bite her lip.

Later, she didn't even bother biting her lip anymore. She buried her face in Lorraine's chest, gripping his back tightly with her fingers, and exclaimed, "No...no...what's wrong with you?"

The aroma of ale and oak in the cellar overwhelmed their original scents, and Lorraine felt as if she were being soaked in warm water.

He heard his own breathing echoing softly in the wine cellar, the occasional soft protest from the wooden barrel, and the suppressed groan from Lily as she raised her head.

In a distant corner, water droplets seeped from the stone wall, falling one by one into the unseen pool of water with a fine and even rhythm.

"That's enough... I can't take it anymore."

Lily breathed a sigh of relief, as if acting coquettishly, and gently pushed his chest with her hand.

Her hair was loose on the oak barrel lid, and the blush on her cheeks spread all the way to her neck. There was also a faint tooth mark on her lips.

"That's not enough?"

Lorraine chuckled and took a half-step back.

His morning exercise had already triggered his energy levels, and his physical strength recovered much faster than usual. He not only didn't feel tired at all, but he was even more energetic than when he came in.

"Don't you even care about me?"

Lily leaned against him for a while, her legs weak, greedily inhaling his scent, before she finally came to her senses.

"You're covered in my scent now, so be careful not to let that young mage smell it."

She lowered her head and sniffed her collar, then wrapped her arms around his neck and sniffed again, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction.

"Is that so?"

Lorraine smiled and raised her eyebrows.

He released the "protection of the cliff cypress," and the sweet scent that Lily left on him was quickly overwhelmed by the familiar smell of pine forest after the rain.

Lily twitched her nose twice and said coquettishly, "Hmm? Is this magic? How annoying."

"Alright, let's go, it's getting late."

Lorraine patted her head, straightened her clothes, and finally lifted her off the wooden tub.

"Hmm... I'll go out first, you can come out in a little while. Also... remember to call me next time you do your morning exercise." Lily tiptoed and gave him another peck on the corner of his mouth.

"it is good."

Lorraine stayed in the wine cellar for a while longer before leaving, then headed to the Adventurers' Guild looking radiant.

There weren't many people in the guild hall yet, only a few early-rising adventurers gathered around the bulletin board, whispering to each other over a quest sheet.

"Mr. Lorraine! Good morning, are you here to pick up a mission today?" Vanessa greeted him warmly.

"I'm here to see Mr. Glenn. Has he arrived yet?" Lorraine answered casually, but her eyes drifted to the eye-catching task list on the bulletin board.

It was several times larger than all the other bills around it, and it was painted with a red circle around it. The words "Joint Suppression" were written in bold on top.

"Oh, okay, Mr. Glenn has arrived, at the usual place." Vanessa seemed a little disappointed.

"Okay, thank you."

Lorraine curiously approached the notice board and looked up at the contents of the task list.

Joint Extermination Order/Wolf Plague to all adventurers in and around Frostvale:

According to the joint resolution of Viscount Hermann's Mansion, Frostvale Adventurers' Guild, and Northern Alliance Guild, effective from the date of this decree, the bounty for all operations targeting wolf packs in the northwestern villages will be increased by 20%.

Details are as follows:

Gray Wolf: 12 silver coins each; Large Wolf: 3 gold coins each; Wolf Pack Leader: 120 gold coins. Gray Wolf/Large Wolf Bounty: Redeemable at any guild office or frontline outpost with either the left ear or a complete pelt.

The wolf pack leader must preserve the body intact, or record evidence of the kill using magical images, imprints, or other means.

Also, please be aware that several villages in the northeast have been attacked by wolves since the beginning of winter, resulting in the deaths of several people and the destruction of a large number of livestock and stored grain.

According to the latest intelligence, the wolf packs attacking the villages were not fighting individually, but rather advancing in an organized manner along the trade routes.

We found footprints at several attack sites that were much larger than those of ordinary gray wolves, suggesting the possibility of a special leader within the pack.

All adventurers participating in the clearing operation must travel in groups to avoid venturing deep into enemy territory alone.

If you spot the leader, please report it to the guild immediately.

Please note: Any unofficial individuals should stay away from Frozen Lake Town! (Bold text)

Frostvale Adventurers' Guild, Viscount Herman's Mansion Adventurers' Northern Alliance Guild, Wolf Scourge? The leader's bounty is a full 120 gold coins?

Lorraine took a closer look at the description on the mission sheet.

He remembered that the bounty for the Rock Salamander's official mid-ranking quest was only eighty gold coins. Did the guild think that this wolf pack leader was stronger than that Rock Salamander?

Since the attack area was so close to Frostvale, he felt he should ask Vanessa for details, even if they weren't planning to get involved, so they wouldn't be completely clueless if they encountered it while doing other missions.

"Vanessa, when was that order to exterminate the Wolves posted?" He walked back to the counter and pointed to the mission sheet.

"That one... it just arrived the day before yesterday afternoon."

Vanessa followed his finger, her expression becoming somewhat serious. She explained to Lorraine, "Wolf packs occur almost every year. During the Snowmelt Moon, those guys attack villages and towns everywhere. Usually, the local lords handle these matters themselves, and if they can't manage it, they issue bounties to the Adventurers' Guild."

She gestured towards the stamps at the bottom of the notice and continued, "However, this time the wolf pack's activity area spanned several lords' territories, so the guild discussed with Viscount Herman's Mansion and the Northern Alliance Guild and raised the bounty by 20%."

"No wonder the bounty is so much higher than usual. And what's with that leader who only got 120 gold coins?"

Lorraine only cared about the wolf pack leader; ordinary wolves were now nothing more than a fire arrow to him.

"Well..." Vanessa lowered her voice and said cautiously, "Ten days ago, the town of Frozen Lake in the northeast was attacked by a whole pack of wolves. Logically speaking, the town has a fully armed patrol team, so they shouldn't have been unable to deal with a few wolves."

'

"and then?"

"Those wolves didn't even attack the town! They completely surrounded Frozen Lake Town, and the moment someone went out, they pounced and killed them. If it weren't for a caravan passing by and a few people escaping, no one would have even known what was happening!"

"I understand... So the guild thinks the wolf pack has a wise alpha wolf leading it?" Lorraine suddenly realized.

"Not just exceptional intelligence... Mr. Lorraine." Vanessa looked somewhat frightened, biting her lip as she said, "Only one kind of wolf possesses this kind of intelligence, and that is—the winter wolf."

"Winter Wolf?" Lorraine asked, puzzled.

"Mmm!" Vanessa nodded her round head emphatically and began waving her hands to explain how terrifying the monsters were: "They're much bigger than ordinary gray wolves, and adult winter wolves can even be as big as a horse! Most importantly, they're not ordinary wild beasts; they can even communicate with humans in a simple common language and breathe out terrifying cold air!"

As she spoke, she shuddered, hugged her arms, and rubbed the goosebumps that had risen on her skin. She looked lingeringly frightened, as if she were among the people who had escaped from Frozen Lake Town.

Lorraine was also somewhat intimidated by what she said.

They weren't afraid of a wolf as big as a warhorse at all.

But a magical beast that leads an entire pack of wolves, possesses intelligence almost identical to humans, and is also capable of using magic...

He could already feel the oppressive feeling of that thing.

No wonder they emphasized the warning to stay away from Frozen Lake Town; even for a regular professional, going there rashly would be suicide.

However, this also serves as a guide, clearly indicating that the winter wolf is lurking near Frozen Lake Town, so that truly capable adventurer teams no longer need to search everywhere.

These adventurers, whose strength is average and who lack the qualifications of formal professionals, are probably mostly eyeing the bounties from gray wolves or large wolves.

After all, the generous reward of 20% more than usual was enough to make them prioritize clearing out the wolf packs hiding around the town and villages.

"That's the familiar style..." Lorraine suddenly remembered the quest he had seen in Shallow Beach Town to track down the red dragon.

"Vanessa, do you know what the Winter Wolf's weaknesses are?" he asked.

Vanessa hesitated visibly. She glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to them, then looked up at his face before lowering her voice and whispering furtively, "Please don't tell anyone I told you this. This kind of information normally sells for money... The guild's intelligence records clearly state that the Winter Wolf is extremely afraid of fire. Also, while its frost breath is terrifying, it takes some time before it can breathe again after each breath."

"Thank you, this information is very useful to me."

Lorraine silently memorized these points; their fear of fire was a significant advantage.

"Mr. Lorraine, you wouldn't be thinking of..." Vanessa's eyes widened, her tone urgent as she reminded her, "That's a Winter Wolf! It would take at least five professional warriors to deal with it, and besides, Frozen Lake Town is now teeming with wolves. Going there might be..."

""

"Don't worry, I don't do things without preparation."

Lorraine thanked her for her kindness.

Although 120 gold coins may not seem like much compared to the risk involved, the value of the Warcraft itself is likely quite high.

He decided to wait until he got back and ask Eileen for her opinion, to see if she was interested.

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