Chapter 26 The Token

“Wood, we have already delayed too much time in Rivervale.”

With strands of silver-white hair fluttering in the wind, Haian spoke softly to his most loyal guard beside him.

Just like those “long-ears” dwelling deep within the sky-piercing sea of trees, although the half-elf possessed a kind and gentle disposition nurtured by the teachings and examples of his elders, he could occasionally display a stubborn side as well.

“Mother once said, the waters of the Vienna River never stop (an Elven proverb). We cannot drag this out any longer.”

As if hearing a certain keyword in his words, Wood—who had originally intended to show his attitude a bit more firmly—opened his mouth, but in the end, he swallowed his words back down.

Although Larry’s performance was usually less than reliable, the suggestion he had just offered wasn’t a bad option.

Haian weighed it in his mind.

He himself had not yet advanced to a professional class and possessed limited strength; although he mastered a few combat techniques learned from his mother, they were all oriented toward ranged combat.

Larry appeared superficial on the outside, but his family was wealthy, and professional adventurers had been hired to give him special training since childhood. He had a bit of combat capability, but not much.

Doris… wasn’t worth mentioning for now.

Wood was a genuine, full-fledged professional. In the outer fringes of the Mist Forest, there were almost no magical beasts that could threaten him. However, judging from his performance during several previous excursions, no matter how fierce a battle they faced, he would only stay by his side to protect him.

Right now, they were still a distance away from their destination. Being in the Mist Forest, after all, wanting to completely avoid combat was entirely impossible.

With this as a premise, their squad indeed needed an adventurer with decent combat capability who could engage in close-quarters combat.

Haian lifted his head, focusing his gaze on the vigilant, black-haired youth on the opposite side of the clearing.

Pausing for a few seconds to organize his words in his mind, he then slowly spoke:

“As compensation for accidentally involving you, I will leave thirty gold coins.”

Under normal circumstances, no matter how kind one’s personality was, they wouldn’t go to such lengths for a strange passerby.

But in order to salvage his squad’s image in the youth’s heart, and even more so for the invitation to join the team that would follow, Haian chose to show his sincerity using this most practical method after a moment of decision in his heart.

“Furthermore, I hope to employ you for seventy gold coins as a temporary member to assist with the mission our squad is currently undertaking.”

Hearing this, Xia Nan—who was currently hesitating in his mind whether to run away directly with the gold coins or hand the spoils of war in his hands over to them—suddenly froze for a moment.

Then, his very first reaction was—

30 + 70 = 100 gold.

No, no, no. Xia Nan reined in his thoughts, judging the authenticity of the other party’s invitation in his mind.

First of all, he possessed items worth nearly eighty gold coins on his person (the Firefly Garlic Vines + the duo’s spoils). As long as he could bring them back to Rivervale, it would be a massive profit. There was no need to take unnecessary risks for these one hundred gold coins.

As a bottom-tier adventurer acting alone, he had to consider the possibility that the other party was merely making a fake invitation to lure him close and take the opportunity to surround and kill him.

Secondly, regarding these four people in front of him, Xia Nan felt a bit awkward.

Even a bottom-tier adventurer team like the previous Bottom Feeder Squad possessed a composition of a front-line warrior (Gagu) + a ranged marksman (Maji) + an assassin (Erki).

What about the four people opposite him?

The half-elf and his guard could still be considered normal, but what kind of role did that fat guy—whose equipment didn’t even fit and who looked like even more of a newcomer than himself—play?

Not to mention that blonde lady at the very back of the team, whose face was so pale she looked like she could be blown away by a gust of wind.

Rather than calling them an “adventurer squad,” they resembled wealthy scions who had come from the city to the countryside for a picnic.

Thinking up to this point, Xia Nan’s train of thought couldn’t help but stall.

Then, with a bizarre expression, he carefully examined the few individuals once more.

It couldn’t really be, right…

He couldn’t help but feel it was both funny and annoying; he had almost been sweet-talked onto a pirate ship.

“With a setup like this, let alone a hundred gold, I wouldn’t dare join even for ten thousand gold.”

Though he thought this in his heart, his face remained expressionless and taut.

Facing Haian’s invitation, he shook his head resolutely and firmly.

“One hundred gold! I’ll give you one hundred gold!”

Seeing Xia Nan refuse, Larry, who was beside the half-elf, seemed to grow a bit anxious. He raised his index finger and shouted loudly.

Like I said, not even for ten thousand gold! Xia Nan grumbled internally.

At the same time, he fell into silence again and shook his head.

“You…” Facing his consecutive renewals of refusal, Larry’s face turned flushed. He waved his arms, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly, as if he were brewing a figure that would make it impossible for the opponent to refuse.

Slap—

A well-defined, fair palm pressed onto his shoulder.

“Forget it, Larry.” Within Haian’s silver-grey eyes, the figure of Xia Nan ahead—who looked as though he could vanish into the dense forest in the next instant—was reflected.

“There is no need to force it.”

Although the other party didn’t speak, the half-elf could sense the resoluteness displayed by this human youth when he refused.

Taking out a coin pouch from the backpack behind him, he threw it far across the clearing toward Xia Nan.

“Thirty gold, keep it safe.”

Xia Nan felt surprised for an instant, but he did not relax his vigilance in the slightest.

Using the tip of his sword to pry open the mouth of the bag, he inspected it carefully, ensuring no tricks were hidden inside. Only then did he tuck the coin pouch into his bosom.

Holding onto credit like this?

Even though he had already confirmed he wouldn’t join the squad, the half-elf still threw the thirty gold coins from the verbal promise to him. Was his inherent character just like this, or were all the elves of this world like this?

Feeling the heavy weight of the coin pouch, Xia Nan couldn’t help but feel that the other party seemed slightly more pleasing to the eye.

At the same time, seeing Xia Nan refuse, Wood, who had been staying silent on the side, subconciously let out a sigh of relief and said:

“Young master, the Mist Forest is still far too dangerous. With just me alone, it is very difficult to guarantee your safety. How about… we return to Rivervale first to rest and recuperate for a few days before making further plans?”

“Our destination is only in the outer fringes, and aren’t you a professional? What is there to be afraid of?” Having been refused twice consecutively by Xia Nan, Larry wasn’t in a very good mood, and his words carried a faint trace of complaint.

To this, Wood merely gave him a cold glance without speaking. Larry instantly shrank his neck as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, closing his mouth.

Toward Haian, he was incomparably respectful, but for the other people in the squad, Wood had no necessity to put on any pleasant expressions.

“Furthermore, those people just now didn’t look like adventurers at all.” Seeing that Haian seemed to be swayed by his words, Wood struck while the iron was hot, adding, “I suspect it’s from the side of Newm…”

The words were only spoken halfway, but Haian clearly understood his meaning, and his expression darkened instantly.

“No, it won’t be. Right now… it’s not the time yet. They shouldn’t go as far as to do this.”

Haian seemed to be comforting himself. Murmuring, he pulled out a pitch-black token from his bosom.

“Wait a minute!”

Suddenly, Xia Nan’s voice cut through the air.

Having originally intended to leave this place with his huge sum of over a hundred gold coins, he abruptly halted his footsteps.

The half-elf’s hand held a dark token that was narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, its surface seemingly carved with some ancient, simple symbol. With just a single glance over, it brought him an exceptionally strong sense of familiarity.

That highly characteristic classical style was something he had seen countless times in his memory.

But the “memory” here did not come from his original body.

Instead, it was in the truest sense—

From his past life.

(End of Chapter)