Free Web NovelChapter 137: Chapter 113: New Weapon
The final reward for the last quest, slaying the Crimson Flame Tiger, was 180 Gold Coins. Feney simply took out two Crystal Coins from her wallet and placed them on the table.
I guess when you’re rich, you can do whatever you want...
plus 200 totaled 380. According to their prior agreement, Lin Mo would take 80% for this quest, Feney would take 10%, and the rest would split the remaining 10%.
Lin Mo pulled out 76 Gold Coins, separating them into two piles. He gave one pile to Feney, and the other was for Alton and his group to split evenly. Each of them was due 7.6 gold, and they would use Silver Coins to make change.
Feney tossed the Gold Coins directly into her money pouch and then asked impatiently, "When does our next adventure begin?"
The question caught Alton off guard.
Normally, they would rest for a while after completing a quest. Not to mention, they had made a fortune on this one, so they had even more reason to relax for a few days.
However, considering that a good thing like a double reward didn’t come around often, Alton was also well aware that their time teaming up with Lin Mo and Feney was limited.
Lin Mo’s strength was growing by the day, and the other members of the Bull Run Squad, including Alton himself, were already struggling to keep up with him. If they continued to team up, it would become difficult to choose quests; they would either be too simple for Lin Mo or too difficult for the rest of them.
When that time came, it would be best for them to part ways. A timely separation was better for everyone. If they dragged it out too long, this disparity would inevitably breed resentment.
"Let’s make it the day after tomorrow, then."
Alton finally made a decision. "The morning after next, we’ll meet back here."
"Okay!"
Feney nodded happily, but Lin Mo caught the hidden meaning in Alton’s words.
’After all, this wasn’t the first time he’d gone through something like this.’
’That previous squad... I wonder if Bain managed to successfully advance to a Professional?’
’After Evan learned that Skill, did his path as a Professional go smoothly... When will he and Millian have saved up enough money to buy a house and get married?’
’Thinking about it now, he felt a pang of nostalgia for a time and people that were gone.’
But parting and reuniting were simply part of the adventurous life. Learning to accept farewells was also a form of growth.
Lin Mo didn’t feel too sad. He had to keep moving forward; it was far too early for him to stop and look back.
He had no plans to look for new teammates in the near future, however.
He had a few Low Level Skills he needed to practice, and solo adventuring was more efficient for that. Besides, with the current situation in Loran Forest, it wasn’t a good time to take on difficult quests deep inside. It was better to wait until things stabilized.
For now, he didn’t dwell on it further. With a huge sum of 461 Gold Coins in his hands, it was time for a spending spree.
Of course, he still couldn’t afford the 800 Gold Coin Secret Silver Gloves yet. Even if he sold the [Ice Cone Skill] Scroll he had, it wouldn’t be enough. He couldn’t just hoard his money until then. It was better to spend some money to upgrade his current equipment and increase his immediate Combat Power.
It was getting late, so they skipped a group dinner. Everyone said their goodbyes and parted ways. Lin Mo, Ali, and Lena headed back to the inn together.
On the way, seeing the cat girl Lena in seemingly high spirits, Lin Mo couldn’t help but ask, "Lena, how has work been at the new Association lately?"
"It’s great, meow!"
Lena’s voice was full of unconcealed happiness. "Dozens of Adventurers come to my counter every day! I get lots and lots of commission!"
In reality, compared to the other receptionists at the Association, Lena’s counter still had the fewest people. It was just that Silver Stream City had high foot traffic, and there were more Adventurers in a hurry to accept quests, so Lena still got a few customers every day.
"As long as work is going well..."
Lin Mo smiled. "What do you want to eat? I just made some money today, my treat."
"No need... You and Ali have treated me before. It’s my turn this time, meow."
Lena patted her flat chest, creating the comical image of a child trying to act like a grown-up.
But she insisted on treating them, so Lin Mo couldn’t refuse. They went to a slightly more affordable restaurant, but the meal still cost the little cat girl two days’ wages.
After all, they had just returned and deserved to eat something good. Besides, both Ali and Lin Mo were Professionals and had larger appetites to begin with.
Full and back at the inn, Lin Mo lay down on his large bed. The exhaustion from the past few days washed over him, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
In the next room, Lena was already sound asleep, hugging her pillow, but Ali was tossing and turning, unable to rest.
Her breathing seemed a little feverish, and she squeezed a pillow tightly between her legs. She felt like she was running a fever, and her face was burning up.
Ali turned over and glanced at Lena, who was sprawled out asleep on the other bed. She suddenly buried her head in her blanket, her exposed toes constantly curling and uncurling...
Late at night in the City Lord’s Mansion, Beixila, having just finished her day’s work, hurried back to her room. As expected, she saw a familiar figure by the bed, dressed in pink pajamas and hugging a stuffed toy.
Feney was half-asleep, leaning against the edge of the bed and murmuring unintelligibly.
Beixila tiptoed over and tucked her in.
Feney’s eyes suddenly opened, a silly grin on her face. "Mama, you’re back~"
Beixila smoothed her hair. "How was it? Did you gain anything from this adventure?"
Feney paused for a moment, then slowly shook her head. "A little, I think, but it doesn’t feel very obvious..."
"The improvements from experience don’t happen overnight. They require long-term accumulation. Don’t be anxious."
Beixila comforted her. "Then, setting aside professional improvement, how did the adventure feel?"
"It was fun... very interesting..."
Feney still seemed half-asleep, smiling groggily. But it was precisely this kind of unthinking answer that revealed her truest feelings.
"That’s good."
Beixila smiled, relieved. "You must be exhausted after being away for a few days. Get some rest."
"Mmm..."
Feney nodded, her eyelids drooping shut.
Beixila stood by the bed, watching for a moment before slowly turning and walking to her desk.
"Goblins, Lawrence... and now Undead..."
She rubbed the bridge of her nose, her face etched with deep weariness.
"Abel..."
She whispered her late husband’s name, her face a mask of exhaustion and confusion. "What should I do?"
----------
The morning sun shone through the window onto his face. The piercing ray of light made Lin Mo, who had just opened his eyes, immediately shut them again. He rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up.
He had slept long and deep, and the fatigue accumulated over the past few days had dissipated.
Lin Mo leaned against the edge of the bed and stared into space for a while.
’This feeling of occasionally letting my mind go blank is actually surprisingly nice.’
It was already past nine in the morning. Lin Mo skipped breakfast, changed into some casual clothes, and prepared to go out.
It was a rest day, but that didn’t mean he had nothing to do. On the contrary, for an Adventurer, upgrading equipment was one of the most important tasks.
Before heading out, Lin Mo made sure to bring the [Ice Cone Skill] Scroll with him, planning to put it up for consignment at the auction house.
As soon as he opened his door, he saw Ali sitting in the main hall, staring into space in the same dress she wore yesterday.
Seeing him emerge, she snapped out of her daze and came bouncing over in a few steps.
She didn’t say anything, just looked at Lin Mo with expectant eyes.
Lin Mo could only sigh and ruffle her hair. "Let’s go. We’ll browse around together."
"Okay!"
After speaking, Ali very naturally linked her arm with his. Noticing Lin Mo’s confused gaze, she explained nervously, "I saw human couples do this. Don’t you like it, Lin Mo?"
"No."
She held on tightly, and Lin Mo could clearly feel the soft, warm sensation on his arm.
After changing out of her Armor, Ali revealed a hidden talent. He’d thought she was on the same level as Lena, but she was surprisingly well-endowed. While far from Flora’s level, he felt she was probably a D Level.
’I have to say, the feeling is quite novel, though it makes walking a bit awkward.’
Along the way, Lin Mo suddenly became a "tourist attraction" with a nearly one-hundred-percent head-turning rate.
His head-turning rate wasn’t low to begin with. With his handsome face and well-proportioned figure, even in Ordinary clothes, he stood out. In a world where most people struggled just to fill their stomachs, his vitality and complexion alone set him far apart from the average person on the street.
Adding Ali, the "anomaly," to the mix created a stark contrast.
To outsiders, it looked a bit like a beautiful flower stuck in a pile of cow dung.
Of course, Lin Mo was the flower.
But Ali didn’t mind the stares. She knew Lin Mo was different from them. As long as he was willing to accept her, that was enough.
She had long been accustomed to the opinions of others, and now she cared even less.
Lin Mo took out the Complete Adventurer’s Guide to Silver Stream City that he had bought from Lena and began flipping through it as he walked.
The layout of these guidebooks was mostly the same; they were probably all written from the same template.
[Forging Shops & Weapon Maintenance]......23-27
...
He skipped the foreword and went straight to the important parts.
"If you want weapons of stable and guaranteed quality, the Association’s products have always had an excellent reputation. Aside from that, Dura Sales Shop at 33 Adventurer’s Commercial Street is another good choice. It is not a forge; the weapons in the store are all acquired from various places. However, the shop has always focused on high-quality goods, and every piece of equipment is on par with the Association’s quality. Of course, in terms of price, it is only slightly cheaper than the Association."
"Additionally, the forges at 11, 27, and 49 Adventurer’s Commercial Street are all well-regarded shops. The owners are all experienced Dwarfs. The owner of shop number 11 is the most enthusiastic, but his prices are high. The owner of shop number 27 is foul-tempered, and the quality can be inconsistent. The owner of shop number 49 rarely speaks, and both his quality and prices are average..."
Further down the list were some of the lower-end shops. Since Lin Mo wasn’t short on money and valued quality, he didn’t bother reading any further.
After weighing his options, Lin Mo decided to check out shop number 27 first.
Shop number 11 was too expensive, and number 49 was too mediocre. Although shop number 27 had a foul-tempered owner and inconsistent quality, the latter was not a problem for Lin Mo.
After all, he could see the Attributes of the equipment, so he could naturally pick out the high-quality items.
Having made his decision, Lin Mo and Ali headed toward Adventurer’s Commercial Street.
This was the largest street in Silver Stream City, as well as its most bustling commercial hub.
As the name suggested, the street was established specifically for Adventurers. The vast majority of shops catered to their needs, including general stores for food supplies, equipment and medicine purchases, and items like backpacks and Insect Repellent.
The moment they stepped onto the street, they were greeted by a scene of prosperity unlike anywhere else...
