The adventurer at the bottom is fantasizing again.

"The monster that attacked the boats on the river... was it that rock-dwelling salamander?" Lorraine immediately thought of the bounty.

He remembered it very clearly: 80 gold coins.

Nathan slammed his fist on the desk angrily and said:

"That's right! You saw the bounty I posted? That beast might not even show up once a month before, but lately, for some reason, he's been attacking people every few days."

He sighed again, his brows furrowing so deeply they almost met, then, as if suddenly remembering something, he looked expectantly at Lorraine and asked:

"You took care of the kobold expedition outposts before, but the scale warlocks and dragon shield guards are not easy to deal with."

"You must be fully-fledged professionals by now, right? Are you interested in taking our bounty?"

Me? Go fight that monster that can capsize a ship?

Lorraine looked puzzled and immediately shook her head, politely declining:

"My companion and I are not professionals yet. We were only able to wipe out that outpost team by luck. We were probably no match for it."

How can a non-professional defeat a Dragon Shield Guardian and a Scale Mage? They don't even have combat skills, they just rely on brute force? What a joke.

Nathan rubbed his temples, thinking that Lorraine was unwilling to accept the offer because the bounty was too low and the risk too high.

So he sat down slightly forward, leaned down a little, and began to recount the whole story in detail:

"Grand Duke Caspar already knows about this. Coincidentally, three of his subordinates will be passing through here soon and will also participate in this siege. You don't need to worry."

His attitude toward Lorraine has subtly changed.

"As for the reward... I really can't help with adamantite. This rare material is different from mithril; it can't be bought with money alone."

But I will definitely find one of these three things for you: fire oil grass, salamander tail gland, or fire beetle shell.

However, the reward money might need to be split among the five of us. What do you think?

Lorraine admitted that she was somewhat tempted.

Even if they split it equally, he and Piper would each get 16 gold coins, which would be more than enough to cover the enchantment cost, with a little left over...

Are they really a match for that thing?

"Are those three all professionals?" Lorraine asked.

Nathan nodded quickly, his face beaming with joy, and said, "Of course! They've all been certified by the guild, and one of them is even a spellcaster."

Lorraine pondered for a moment, then decided it was necessary to first ascertain the monster's condition. He asked:

"Has it been confirmed that it is a rock-dwelling newt? Is there any relevant information?"

"Please wait a moment."

Nathan rummaged through a pile of documents on his desk for a moment, then pulled out a piece of parchment covered in writing and handed it to Lorraine.

"This contains eyewitness accounts of the caravan, as well as the investigation I had conducted. You can take a closer look."

Lorraine took the parchment and began to examine its contents word by word:

[Summary of eyewitness accounts and caravan member testimonies]

Recorder: Vincent, Secretary of the Shallow Beach Town Chamber of Commerce

Compilation time: 29th / Resting month (December) / Fermat calendar 932

Information sources: two caravans, two unnamed riverside fishermen

1. (The escort officer of the caravan's "Blackwater Barge" has his name in black)

"That night we camped at a bend in the lower reaches of the Blackwater River. In the middle of the night we heard strange noises in the water, which sounded like something falling into the water."

I thought I'd go check on things to make sure no one had fallen into the water while drunk, and then I saw a section of the grayish-black back of some kind of fish sticking out of the water.

My goodness, it was at least four feet wide, huge! I quickly made a cut, but unfortunately, the thing probably swam away and didn't take the bait.

II. (First Mate of the Independent Caravan "North Wind", Old Gil)

"I've been sailing for over twenty years and I've never seen anything like it. That evening, we were about two days' journey from Shallow Beach Town when our boat suddenly hit something."

At first I thought it was a tree stump and was about to go to the bottom of the hold to check if there was any damage when the boat was suddenly bumped from below by something.

Then I saw a large patch of mud rise to the surface of the water, but it was very murky, and I could vaguely make out a tail? Anyway, I didn't see it clearly before it retreated.

3. (Two brothers, fishermen on the riverbank, names not recorded)

"We usually set our nets downstream. Those days the catch was particularly low. One night we went to collect the nets, but there was nothing in them. However, there was a layer of slimy mucus stuck to the net ropes, which smelled disgusting."

When we went back the next day, we suddenly discovered a row of crawling tracks on the riverbank, stretching from the water all the way to the bushes on the bank.

The width of that mark (gesturing with his finger) is about this wide, note: roughly a little over a foot.

[Note: Based on the eyewitness accounts of the rock breaking, loud breathing sounds, and the odor of the mucus, it can be basically confirmed that it is a rock-dwelling salamander.]

But strangely, this creature usually doesn't actively approach human settlements. The old riverbeds have been abandoned for a long time, and the water source should be insufficient for its long-term habitation. I suspect it may have swum from deeper mountains via underground rivers.

[The following is attached: Information on rock-dwelling newts]

Compiled by: Edmund Verek / Pure White Tower / Chief Editor of Warcraft Ecology

Category: Amphibian - Large Cave-dwelling/Amphibious Monster

Distribution: Commonly found in deep pools, underground rivers, and waterlogged areas of abandoned mines in mountainous regions.

Threat Level: Official/Intermediate (Recommended to be handled by a team of 3-4 "Official" level professionals)

Body length: 8 to 15 feet for adults (sighted individuals appear to be close to the upper limit).

Weight: Estimated 800 to 2000 pounds

Habitat: Prefers deep pools, entrances to underground rivers, or puddles in abandoned mines; hides during the day and is active at night or on cloudy days.

Diet: Carnivorous, primarily feeding on fish and medium-sized mammals; will attack humans or livestock when hungry.

Attack methods: Bite/Tail sweep/Charge

Weaknesses: Intellectual disability / Weak abdomen

Notes: None

......

This record is quite detailed.

Would you recommend three to four full-time professionals?

If we include the three people Nathan mentioned, plus myself and Piper, maybe we can give it a try.

If I manage to kill it, I wonder how many exploration points I'll get?

"People die for money, birds die for food. It used to take a lot of effort to kill some rats, and now they're thinking of ganging up on such a powerful monster..." Lorraine said with self-deprecation.

He took a deep breath to calm himself down before replying, "I need to discuss this with my companions."

"Okay, but please hurry. Judging by the time, those other guests should be arriving soon."

Nathan gave a reminder, then winked at the guard beside him: "Why aren't you taking Mr. Lorraine to get his things?"

"Yes, sir!"

The captain of the guard nodded and was about to step forward to lead the way when Lorraine interrupted him.

"What about the cost of the sulfur crystals? After all, I haven't agreed yet, so I can't just take your stuff for free."

Lorraine insisted on paying.

"Well... how about I just take one gold coin?" Nathan said hesitantly.

Lorraine nodded, took out a gold coin and handed it to him, then stood up to take her leave, saying, "In any case, thank you for helping me find the materials. I will remember this kindness."

"Just providing help within my capacity."

Nathan waved his hand, completely unconcerned.