Unlike the taverns and various gambling dens in town, the Adventurers' Guild at night was noticeably quieter than during the day, leaving the entire hall feeling empty.
Of course, while it was quiet, a few adventurers could still be seen moving back and forth, handling their business; it was simply not as crowded and noisy as it was during the daylight hours.
Following the receptionist, Mar, Shanan walked across the hall and arrived at the trading room located on the second basement level.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
The crisp sound of knocking echoed through the humid air.
"Come in."
The male voice coming from inside the room was slightly muffled by the wall, yet it sounded inexplicably familiar.
Shanan raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open.
Sure enough, a figure he had seen before came into view.
"Ellison?"
Sitting across the table was a haggard middle-aged man wearing a windproof fishing cloak. This was indeed Ellison, whom Shanan had encountered once during his trip to Crag Rock Isle.
He remembered meeting the man by a wooden hut on the northern cliffs of Crag Rock Isle while searching for clues about Morton. He recalled being treated to grilled fish and receiving clues about the coastal caves of the island before departing.
It was precisely because of this that Shanan had been able to rendezvous with the Silver Claw Osprey squad and eventually encounter the shark-beast within the cave.
He had originally thought the man was just a random passerby encountered during a mission; he hadn't expected him to be the buyer for his [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod].
Thinking about it now, there had actually been hints regarding the connection between the two.
When Mar had helped him inquire about the buyer's whereabouts, she mentioned that the man had gone fishing in the outer seas. Similarly, while chatting with Shanan on Crag Rock Isle, Ellison had mentioned that he hailed from Barracuda Bay and came here to fish every so often.
It was indeed quite a coincidence.
Meanwhile, Ellison, sitting in the room, was stunned upon seeing Shanan appear at the door. He hadn't expected the youth to show up here.
"Shanan?" He rose from the table, glancing at the receptionist Mar, who was helping close the door behind Shanan. His expression was slightly surprised. "So, you're the consignor of this piece of equipment?"
"Obviously."
Shanan nodded in response, unbuckling the twin swords from his back before sitting across the table.
"Sorry, sorry." Perhaps Shanan's attitude had caused a misunderstanding; the haggard and weathered middle-aged man gave an awkward smile. "I thought you wouldn't be here until next year. After all, there's quite a distance from River Valley Town to Barracuda Bay, so I took a trip far away."
Shanan's primary reason for coming to Barracuda Bay was to find the key to the [Dream-Weave Corridor]; selling equipment was merely a side task. He wouldn't have minded if it didn't sell and he had to keep it for himself, so he didn't feel much about the man returning a few days late.
His gaze swept across the table. Beside the [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod], which was the subject of the transaction, there sat a medium-sized fish tank.
Inside, a fish about the length of a forearm swam listlessly. It had a flat head and a grey-white body covered in black spots like a cow; its appearance was very peculiar.
"Looks like you had a good harvest?"
"A Mottled Whale. This one just reached adulthood," Ellison explained. "It was for this little guy that I stayed on Crag Rock Isle for so many days."
Mottled Whale?
Pondering the name of this strange fish, Shanan subconsciously glanced toward the [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod].
One had to understand that as a "chumming" divine tool, the only usage restriction of the [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod] was that the spear-tip needed to strike a living, healthy cetacean at a frequency of sixty times per minute for ten continuous minutes.
In Shanan's impression, "cetaceans" were supposed to be behemoths often ten or twenty meters long, making it completely impossible to carry one around.
If one had to specifically hunt for a whale to trigger the equipment before every fishing trip, it would be far too tedious.
Therefore, regarding the [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod], even after he had gradually developed an interest in fishing, he still found it useless—a "chicken rib" with no practical application.
But now, if this Mottled Whale, which was only the length of a forearm, could actually satisfy the trigger conditions of the [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod]...
"So, you specifically went to catch this fish for the sake of the rod?"
Not expecting such a solution, Shanan asked, finding it interesting.
"You could put it that way." Ellison nodded. "Normally, I go out fishing around this time every year anyway. But since I'd caught this kind of Mottled Whale on Crag Rock Isle before, I thought I'd try to catch another one to keep. Once the rod transaction is complete, I'll see if I can trigger the condition."
"I can't guarantee that," Shanan replied cautiously.
Although he possessed a status panel and could confirm the special effects of the [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod], he wasn't certain if the loophole Ellison was trying to exploit would actually work.
To avoid any future disputes, he felt it was better to make things clear now, even if it meant the transaction could not be completed.
"It's fine. Even if it turns out not to work... I can try other methods."
Clearly, when it came to such a "chumming divine tool," a fisherman's patience was extraordinary, and their subjective initiative went without saying.
Though it sounded like the "Emperor's Golden Hoe" fable, Shanan even suspected that if a transcendent or legendary powerhouse obtained the [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod], they might actually dive into the ocean to find a whale every time they wanted to use it...
Compared to the twists and turns of their meeting, the transaction itself was very smooth.
Perhaps as compensation for leaving Shanan hanging for so long, Ellison's offer was high.
For a piece of second-hand white gear like the [Tide-Surge Lure-Rod], which had harsh trigger conditions and no combat value, the opening bid was 120 gold, far exceeding Shanan's expectations.
After a bit of bargaining, the final price reached 135 gold.
After deducting the Guild's 5% commission, Shanan received approximately 128 gold.
The two did not leave the room immediately after the transaction, but instead engaged in some small talk.
"It'll be the New Year in a little over a month. Do you plan to return inland?"
Taking a sip of the tea in the meeting room, Ellison asked casually.
"I still have some things to handle in Barracuda Bay. I'll likely stay until at least February of next year."
He still had to attend the Moon-Tide Feast, so he naturally wouldn't leave so early.
"So you've been staying at the tavern during this time?"
"Yes, the Three-Legged Sea Dog. You can come find me for a drink when you're free. I remember I mentioned treating you to a meal back then, right? Come anytime, and I'll make good on it."
"Heh." Ellison smiled friendlily, his words carrying a hidden meaning. "The expenses at the Three-Legged Sea Dog aren't low. In a place where adventurers gather like that, one meal probably costs as much as a day's stay at other inns, right?"
That was true. Just as Ellison said, whether it was the White Tit in River Valley Town or the Three-Legged Sea Dog in Barracuda Bay, the prices inside the establishments were much higher than in the market.
But on the other hand, for an adventurer like Shanan, while money was important, if spending a few extra gold coins meant he didn't have to keep a vigilant night watch or worry about his property being stolen while adventuring, it was entirely worth it.
Furthermore, from a profit perspective, if you ordered a dinner and sat in a crowded spot in the tavern hall for a while—paying close attention and discerning the talk—hearing even one or two useful pieces of intelligence from those adventurers would be worth more than the price markup of the tavern's goods.
Given Shanan's understanding of Ellison, a veteran like him couldn't possibly be unaware of this logic.
The reason he asked was clearly for another purpose.
Thus, Shanan didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gave a grin and looked at the man silently with his dark eyes.
"Alright, alright."
Knowing his intention had been exposed, the haggard middle-aged man waved his hand and said helplessly
"I'll just say it directly."
"Do you have time recently? I have a commission and need a reliable adventurer to help handle it."
"Oh?" Shanan shrugged. "Unfortunately, you're a bit too late."
"I just agreed to join someone else's party. I'm afraid I won't have any free time for a while."
"A temporary member?" During their previous exchange, Shanan had mentioned he didn't have a fixed adventurer party. Hearing this, Ellison quickly realized the situation.
"Yes, 'Blade of Vowed Hatred,' Lorinne. You've probably heard of her."
It wasn't information that needed to be hidden, so Shanan answered plainly.
Unexpectedly, the moment those words left his mouth—or rather, the instant he mentioned "Blade of Vowed Hatred" and "Lorinne"—Shanan keenly observed a sudden change in the middle-aged man's expression.
His pupils trembled, his nostrils flared unconsciously, and his lips parted slightly.
This was certainly not a normal reaction.
In the next second, Ellison snapped back to his senses. His instinctive attempt to mask the change in expression with a facade of indifference only confirmed Shanan's suspicion.
"What, do you know Lorinne?"
Not hiding his thoughts, Shanan asked directly.
But Ellison clearly didn't want to explain. He forced a smile and explained
"The 'Blade of Vowed Hatred' has such a loud reputation. I've lived in Barracuda Bay for many years; of course I've heard of her."
"I just didn't expect you to become a member of that team. I remember their requirements are quite high; normally, one needs a period of observation just to serve as a sailor on their ship."
"Congratulations."
This was not the truth.
With his keen perception, even though Shanan hadn't studied psychology and his experience with people wasn't vast, he could still clearly feel whether someone was lying or speaking falsehoods.
Without a doubt, these were excuses Ellison used to hide his inner thoughts.
But... it had nothing to do with him.
Shanan wasn't a detective, and the man wasn't a criminal.
Since Ellison didn't want to reveal his relationship with the "Blade of Vowed Hatred," Shanan wouldn't pry further. There was no need to sour their relationship over this.
He would just keep it in mind. If he was truly curious, he could ask Lorinne and the others later.
The transaction was over, and he had intended to say goodbye, but after a thought, Shanan mentioned one more thing before leaving
"Regarding that commission of yours, can we talk about it in detail? If the conditions and timing are right, I might be able to lend a hand."
"Of course!" Ellison nodded.
"It's actually nothing much. I've just heard some news that some things I might be interested in have appeared in a certain area of the sea. I need an adventurer to go and investigate. Whether it's discovering a special item or a strange maritime phenomenon, as long as it's recorded, that's enough."
"Where specifically?"
Ellison hesitated for a second before slowly saying
"The Twin Oceans."
...
...
Shanan truly hadn't expected that simply trading a piece of useless white gear—which should have been sold half a month ago—would lead him to news of a secret realm.
He was, of course, no stranger to the name "Twin Oceans." After all, just today, he had heard the name from the thugs of the Hammerhead Gang.
That exotic scalpel had come from there.
He had already planned to find a gap in the team's commissions to head there alone and search for clues about the secret realm.
Hearing the name suddenly from Ellison's mouth felt quite subtle to Shanan, so he naturally asked about the source of the information.
Ellison didn't reveal the specific channel, but it was generally known that many items with an exotic style had recently appeared on the black market. Although they weren't enchanted equipment or special tools and could only be used as collectibles, they had piqued his interest.
The reason Ellison gave was that he suspected the Twin Oceans held a treasure left over from an ancient era... Shanan remained skeptical of this answer.
Regardless, since it was related to the secret realm, he was definitely going to make a trip there anyway, so he accepted Ellison's task as well.
In the blink of an eye, another three days passed.
Shanan's life in Barracuda Bay didn't undergo any major changes. Although his reputation had gradually spread among the town's adventurer community due to the downfall of the Hammerhead Gang—resulting in "attentive gazes" whenever he entered or left the tavern, and even earning him the nickname "Sea Fang"—it didn't disrupt his daily routine of "eating, training, and resting."
It was worth mentioning that during these three days, the cleanup work on the Baron's end was completed, and the promised rewards were all distributed.
The few people who participated in the mission shared the spoils.
As for Heinn and the twin warriors, Shanan didn't inquire about what they did with their money. But Alton, the halfling blessed by the Goddess of Luck, rushed into the casino with all his gold coins on the very afternoon he received his reward. As for the result...
Anyway, when Shanan saw the little guy in the tavern, the latter was sitting at the bar, smiling and flipping his single copper coin—Shanan had paid for his drinks.
As for Shanan, while chatting at the Baron's manor, he learned that the Baron was currently considering renovating his ships. Baron Faro had originally wanted to give him a new ship directly as a reward for the mission.
However, considering that the value of a sea vessel far exceeded the reward he should have been allocated for this mission, and that it might create an overly burdensome debt of gratitude toward Baron Faro, Shanan declined after consideration. He suggested using the ship's renovation costs as his reward instead.
Converted, this amounted to at least four digits in gold coins, saving Shanan a vast amount of expenditure and leaving him with sufficient funds to pay for the forging of his new armor.
(End of Chapter)