Free Web NovelChapter 136: Chapter 112: Undead Mage and Bountiful Rewards
"Mr. Alton, Mr. Lin Mo, you’re here."
Feney greeted them first, then made an introduction. "This is Grandpa Fletcher, the Bishop of the Church in Silver Stream City."
’A Bishop?!’
Alton was startled. This was a very important person, someone whose standing was only slightly below that of City Lord Ravel and on par with the chairman of the Adventurer’s Association.
"So, has something happened? ...Could there be a problem with this tiger pelt?"
Lin Mo looked at the tiger pelt spread out on the mat.
Feney shook her head. "No, no..."
"The problem isn’t the pelt itself... It’s this wound here."
Bishop Fletcher pointed to the wound on the pelt’s abdomen. "You weren’t the ones who made this, were you?"
"We weren’t."
Lin Mo nodded, also recalling the various strange things about the Crimson Flame Tiger. "The location where this adult Crimson Flame Tiger appeared was strange in itself."
"Priest Feney has already told me all of that."
Bishop Fletcher nodded. "The issue lies in the reason for the Crimson Flame Tiger’s mysterious injuries..."
His expression was exceptionally grave as he spoke, enunciating each word clearly. "The wounds on this Crimson Flame Tiger’s abdomen and front paws... bear the aura of the Undead!"
As soon as he said this, the expressions of everyone around him changed instantly.
"The Undead?"
"How could there be Undead in Loran Forest?"
Alton exclaimed, "I’ve been an Adventurer for decades and have never heard of such a thing."
"Which is exactly why this is so unusual..."
Fletcher’s brow was tightly furrowed. "This matter requires further investigation. An Undead capable of injuring an adult Crimson Flame Tiger is not to be underestimated. If we consider the worst-case scenario, there might even be an Undead Mage active in Loran Forest right now!"
An Undead Mage.
On this continent, that name alone was a nightmare, the kind used to stop children from crying at night.
These individuals who had fallen to heretical paths desecrated the living, transforming corpses into Undead to serve as their minions. To expand their Undead armies, weaker Undead Mages would resort to robbing graves and digging up tombs. But once they grew powerful, they would choose to create corpses themselves.
They commanded the Undead armies they created, consuming villages, swallowing towns, until they formed a terrifying "Undead Calamity."
In the year 112 of the Sun Calendar, an enormous Undead Calamity erupted. The Legendary Level Undead Mage, Rod Richie, unleashed a disaster that nearly swept across the entire continent.
According to incomplete statistics, the number of people who perished in that Undead Calamity reached over a hundred million!
The disaster, which lasted for several years, left the afflicted Ancient Empire unable to recover. It soon fractured, and the former Royal Family split, establishing the three New Empires that exist today. Some of the nobility established their own various kingdoms, creating the current political landscape.
These stories have been recorded in various historical records, anthologies, and picture books, passed down to this day.
That unprecedented catastrophe became the source of the fear and hatred people now hold for Undead Mages.
"I will consult with City Lord Ravel and the Association’s Chairman Vick afterward. We will treat this as a top priority and dispatch more personnel to investigate the depths of the forest. You all must also be extra careful during your future adventures. If you discover anything unusual, remember to report it immediately."
"Alright, I’ll remember that."
Alton nodded with a solemn expression. He then pursed his lips and tentatively asked, "Then, about this tiger pelt..."
"It’s fine."
Fletcher shook his head and raised his staff. A dazzling Holy Light shone down, and wisps of Black Fog immediately rose from the tiger pelt, quickly dissipating under the light.
"Now, it can be sold and used normally."
"Thank you, Bishop."
Everyone thanked him. Fletcher shook his head. "It was a small effort. Well then, the situation is urgent. I will go find Chairman Vick to discuss this matter now."
After speaking, he waved his hand and walked deeper into the Association building.
The remaining group fell silent for a moment. Finally, Solan was the first to speak, trying to liven things up. "Alright, alright, let’s not overthink it. Even if something is going on, didn’t we discover it in time? The rest isn’t for small fries like us to worry about. We can leave it to Bishop Fletcher and the others."
"True. Let’s turn in the quests first. Our haul this time is especially bountiful..."
Alton also quickly adjusted his mindset and led the group to Lena’s counter.
"Miss Lena, we’d like to turn in quests E4566, E6127, and E2283."
"Of course, please wait a moment!"
Lena immediately started processing the quests. "Quest E4566: Clear out Goblin Settlement number 69. The Association has received the deposited spoils. A total of 164 Ordinary Goblins, 7 Mutated Goblins—two of which were adults—and one Quasi-Bronze Goblin."
’Quasi-Bronze Level?’
Lin Mo recalled the Goblin Leader from before. It did seem to have some faint grayish-blue markings on its body.
’Including that Goblin Caster from before... so that kind is called a "Bronze Goblin."’
’But neither of them was a full Bronze Level Goblin, so they could only be called "Quasi-Bronze."’
"Ordinary Goblins are 3 Silver Coins each, so for 164, that’s 4 gold and 92 silver coins. Four Sub-adult Mutant Goblins at 1 Gold Coin each, for a total of 4 gold. One Adult Mutant Goblin for 5 Gold Coins. One Quasi-Bronze Goblin for 10 Gold Coins... That all adds up to 23 gold and 92 silver coins. Plus the quest reward of 18 gold, the total reward is 41 gold and 92 silver coins, meow."
"Quest E6127: Gather Hemostatic Grass. A total of 19 stalks were harvested, at 1 Gold Coin per stalk, for a reward of 19 Gold Coins."
"Quest E2283... Ah, Madam Chacher, please come over here, meow."
A still-graceful middle-aged woman happened to walk into the Association at that moment. Hearing Lena’s call, she walked over to the group.
"You’re the team that accepted my quest? You all look like very fine young people..."
She greeted them with a friendly smile.
"Well, Madam Chacher, there were some unexpected complications with this quest..."
Lena explained the details about the Crimson Flame Tiger, including the matter of the Undead aura and how Bishop Fletcher had helped with the Purification.
"I see. I understand."
Madam Chacher nodded after listening. "May I see the tiger pelt?"
"Of course, meow. It’s right over here."
Lena went to the front of the counter and led Madam Chacher over to examine the tiger pelt, along with the tiger fangs and claws that were placed beside it.
Madam Chacher crouched down, inspected it carefully, and then nodded.
"Mm, although there’s some damage to the abdomen, the main torso is very well-preserved. And it is indeed the pelt of an adult Crimson Flame Tiger... In that case, I’ll have to raise the purchase price."
She thought for a moment, then said, "180 gold. What do you think?"
"180 gold? That much?!"
It wasn’t that Alton was bad at haggling; the price was just far beyond their expectations.
Normally, the materials from an adult Crimson Flame Tiger were only worth around 160 Gold Coins.
"Hehe~ It is Little Feney’s first quest, after all. I should look out for her a bit. Besides, the pelt’s value is indeed close to that price."
As she spoke, she took out a coin purse, counted out 90 gold coins from it, and placed them on the counter.
’We’re benefiting from Feney’s connections again. As expected, people with status get special treatment wherever they go.’
"If you need anything in the future, remember to come find me at Chacher’s Alchemy Workshop. I can give you a discount, you know~"
With that, she waved and turned to leave.
As for the materials, Association staff would naturally be responsible for delivering them to her shop.
"Thank you, Granny Cha... Auntie Chacher."
Feney almost used the wrong form of address. She quickly covered her mouth and corrected herself.
Chacher’s steps faltered slightly, and she touched her forehead with a helpless sigh.
When Feney was little and fell ill, Chacher had specially concocted a Potion and sent it to the City Lord’s Mansion. However, the exceedingly bitter Potion left a very bad impression on Little Feney. From then on, in Feney’s eyes, she became the "old witch" who brewed terribly bitter potions.
It was only after Feney grew up and became more sensible that she stopped being so averse to her, but some habitual forms of address were probably hard to change.
Next up was the very important matter of splitting the earnings.
Feney took out a white cloth pouch filled with many coins.
Among them was a type of translucent coin that shone with particular brilliance under the Association’s lights.
"What’s this?"
It was Lin Mo’s first time seeing such a coin, and he couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.
"A Crystal Coin... One is worth 100 Gold Coins! I never thought I’d live to see such a high-denomination coin."
Solan answered for Feney.
"Um, the total quest rewards are..."
Feney hadn’t remembered the numbers Lena had just rattled off.
"The total reward for the first two quests is 60 gold and 92 silver coins."
Alton reminded her.
"Okay."
Feney immediately counted out 61 gold coins from her purse and placed them next to the pile of money on the table.
This brought the total to 121 gold and 92 silver coins.
Alton had already figured out the percentages for the split while soaking in the bathhouse earlier. He spoke up, "For this expedition’s earnings, how about this: Lin Mo gets 30 percent; Miss Feney, Ali, and I each get 15 percent; and the remaining 25 percent is split evenly between Carson, Rick, and Solan."
"I have no objection."
Lin Mo certainly had no objections. After all, for the third quest, which was the main haul, he was entitled to 80 percent all to himself.
"I... I don’t actually need a share."
Feney waved her hands, insisting she didn’t need the money.
But Alton shook his head. "Miss Feney, extra rewards and the team’s split are two different things. Since you are a member of the team, you must naturally take part in the division of the quest earnings."
"Then... all right..."
Hearing that, Feney stopped refusing.
The rest, including Ali, also had no objections. Carson and the others even felt they were getting too much, since their contribution to these quests had been rather limited.
Lin Mo’s thirty percent came out to 36 gold, 57 silver, and 6 copper. Alton gave him 36 gold and 58 silver directly.
This brought his total assets to 194 gold and 16 silver.
With this account settled, the third quest was the main event yet to come...
