Chapter 14: Cooling Down

"Whew..."

The morning was cold, and the mist in the air was exhaled like white smoke with every breath.

A nail-headed hammer, a hand axe, and two daggers tucked at his waist.

Carrying a heavy bundle on his back, Xia Nan felt a faint sense of exhaustion.

But the moment he thought about the price he could fetch for them upon returning to town, he felt a surge of renewed energy in his heart.

This trip was earning him far more than farming back home ever could.

Morning light filtered through the gaps in the canopy, casting dappled spots of light upon the lush green meadow.

Walking with mechanical rhythm, Xia Nan's thoughts began to wander.

Regarding the deceased Magi, he simply felt that the man hadn't deserved such an end.

Even though he had absorbed eighteen years of memories from his predecessor, the one controlling this body was a true soul from a modern civilized society.

It wasn't that he wanted to act hypocritically; Xia Nan felt that Magi didn't need to put on a show of magnanimity like he did that day. He only needed to state his demands clearly and discuss things further if problems arose.

After all, the hobgoblin was a joint kill. Magi's two arrows had respectively triggered the cooldown of the [Deadline] ring's "Deflection Field" and pierced the enemy's eye, inducing a paralysis state.

It was only then that Xia Nan had the opportunity to use his upgraded body to deliver the killing blow.

Magi had played a crucial role.

Under such circumstances, as long as Magi was upfront—even if he wanted that enchanted ring, as long as he made up Xia Nan's fair share—Xia Nan could have fully accepted it.

In his view, if he could achieve such gains on his first adventure, his future earnings following an experienced adventurer like Magi shouldn't be too bad.

Reflecting on the entire ordeal now, Xia Nan felt he had made two mistakes

First, his mindset had not yet fully shifted.

Despite having transmigrated to another world, he still subconsciously applied the thoughts and values of his previous life to the people and events around him.

Perhaps he needed to be more "down to earth"?

The second point was that he had been thinking "as a matter of course" without having a clear understanding of how adventuring worked.

The fact that even a veteran hunter like Magi would take the initiative to adventure alone to keep the loot for himself...

It seemed that in this world, or at least among low-level adventurers like them, magical items were far more precious than he had imagined.

Time passed, and the mist dissipated.

The temperature in the air gradually rose, and the dense jungle in his line of sight grew sparser, with occasional man-made paths visible.

With wisps of cooking smoke rising, several medieval-style brick and tile houses appeared in Xia Nan's vision.

A clear stream meandered by, where several women dressed as farmwives were squatting to wash clothes, occasionally breaking into laughter.

Two young children were playing by the roadside; one held a crude wooden sword with a serious, righteous expression, while the other was flailing about, seemingly playing a monster.

Having spent a long time in the Mist Forest, far from human habitation, Xia Nan felt his previously tense mind relax as he faced this scene filled with the warmth of human life.

The town held the nearest Adventurers' Guild, and the locals were clearly no strangers to adventurers.

Watching Xia Nan, who was walking alone along the country road with large bundles, the two children looked curious, but perhaps because their parents had warned them, they did not approach, merely watching him from a distance with wide eyes.

Having just escaped the high-pressure, danger-filled environment of the Mist Forest, Xia Nan was also feeling somewhat relaxed.

Noticing the children's thin frames and malnourished appearance, he pulled a piece of dried meat from his bosom, broke it in two, and beckoned them over.

Seeing the dried meat in Xia Nan's hand, the children's eyes lit up instantly, and they immediately jogged toward him.

Watching the two devour the food, Xia Nan gently patted one of their heads and asked casually

"What are your names?"

"Moses." "Faye..."

Xia Nan nodded. Just as he was about to speak, an urgent and worried voice came from behind him.

"Sir! Sir, I'm sorry!"

Turning around, he saw a blonde woman wearing an apron.

She looked to be under thirty, with a full figure, freckles on her cheeks, and two braids hanging over her shoulders, giving her a simple, rustic appearance.

She was likely the children's mother; as soon as she appeared, the two children ran to her.

"Didn't I tell you not to talk to... men like this?"

"But Mama, dried meat!"

"Forget the meat, not even sweets! Behave!"

The deliberately lowered voice drifted through the air, and Xia Nan's initial joy from leaving the Mist Forest gradually cooled.

Noticing him watching her, the woman hurriedly pulled her two children behind her. Ignoring her sweat-streaked face from running, she bowed repeatedly in apology

"I am sorry, sir. Truly, I am sorry."

Xia Nan glanced at the two young boys who were hiding behind their mother in silence, looking as if they had committed some grave sin.

Looking at the woman, who was visibly nervous and forcing a stiff smile, Xia Nan suddenly lost interest in speaking.

He waved his hand and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, not far from Xia Nan, inside a house with tightly closed doors and windows.

"What do you say, Big Brother? Should we move?"

A burly man with a somewhat dull expression crouched by the windowsill in a rather awkward posture, asking in a thief-like manner.

"No rush. Let's observe a bit more."

The one responding was a man with a fierce countenance and a buzz cut.

"What are we waiting for? I saw him, he's all alone!" The dull-looking man seemed impatient. "He's got hammers and axes; he must have plenty of valuables on him! If we don't move now, someone else might grab him!"

As he spoke, he gripped a pitchfork resting on the ground, looking as if he might burst through the door at any second.

His response was a slap to the back of his head.

"You think he's just carrying weapons?" the buzz-cut man hissed.

"Just one person, strolling brazenly out of the Mist Forest without even a scratch on him."

"You really think he's easy prey? You think every good thing just falls into your lap?"

As he spoke, the buzz-cut man felt increasingly certain he was right.

He leaned closer to the wall and whispered boastfully to his subordinate through the window crack

"Look, the adventurers we usually encounter, which one isn't in groups of three or five?"

"Even if they are alone, they are usually covered in wounds, having barely escaped the forest alive."

"How many have you seen walking right down the middle of the road like that, carrying so much gear without fear of being targeted?"

"I haven't seen anyone like that, indeed." Hearing this, the dull-looking man scratched his head.

"Then what do we do next, Big Brother?"

The buzz-cut man glanced out the window once more with a hint of wariness before withdrawing his gaze.

"The kid looks young, but he probably has some tricks up his sleeve. He won't be easy to deal with."

"Forget it for this time. We'll wait a couple of days and see if a better target comes along."

"We're leaving anyway, so we'll just pull one job and run. So many adventurers die every year; if we just toss the bodies into the forest, who would ever know?"

"Big Brother, I'll do whatever you say!"

(End of Chapter)