Chapter 35: The Demon Hunting Commission

"Is this the Adventurers' Guild?"

Wang Xi stopped in front of a building. He looked up at the center of the dome, covered in reddish-brown tiles, where a flag fluttered in the wind, emblazoned with the pattern of a sword and shield. On both sides of the main entrance, the beeswax-colored walls were adorned with scroll-style murals depicting scenes of warriors battling monsters—a sight both thrilling and blood-stirring.

The building stood in the heart of the capital, Daphneel. Many adventurers, clad in armor and equipped with swords and bows, bustled in and out. Every movement they made exuded a sense of competence and vigor; their expressions were stern, their eyes sharp. Wang Xi swept his gaze across them, noting that many reached a one-star standard, with a few even hitting two stars.

'Hmm, they all have a lot of spirit...' he thought, striding through the guild gate.

Stepping into the spacious lobby, the light dimmed slightly. Several bronze chandeliers hung from the high vaulted ceiling, though they remained unlit in the early morning. The air was thick with the scent of ale, leather, and rust, mingled with an indescribable, pungent, fishy odor. The floor was covered in straw, matted with a thick layer of mud and cow dung. A few groups sat at tables, most wearing leather armor with weapons tucked at their waists. As Wang Xi passed, several sharp gazes swept over him before quickly looking away.

The reception desk was at the far end of the hall, where a burly, brown-haired man was wiping a wooden tankard. He was blind in his right eye, wearing an eyepatch, and his exposed arms were covered in gruesome scars. Wang Xi also noticed he was missing a pinky finger.

[Monster Hunter: Colin (Yellow/Three-Star)]

Within Wang Xi's vision, the brown-haired man’s description was framed by bronze filigree, marking him as an elite unit, just like the dryad.

'A tough character...' Wang Xi mused.

As he approached, the man spoke in a low, gravelly voice. "New face? Here to take a contract or post one?"

"Take," Wang Xi replied concisely.

The brown-haired man's single eye scanned him a few times before he set down the wooden tankard. "Second floor, fourth room on the right."

"Thank you."

Wang Xi nodded and turned to go upstairs. The wooden staircase seemed unstable, creaking under his weight. The second floor was much quieter than the first, the hallway dimly lit. Wang Xi arrived at the room the man had specified; the wooden door was slightly ajar, and he pushed it open.

The smell of parchment and ink rushed to greet him. The room was piled high with scrolls and books, and an elderly man with round-rimmed glasses was recording something with a quill behind a desk.

"Young man, tell me your name," the old man said without looking up.

[Guild Registrar: Brown (Yellow)]

An ordinary person.

"Guy Farrell," Wang Xi said.

*Scratch, scratch...*

The old man jotted the name down on the parchment, then suddenly paused, as if realizing something, and looked up in surprise.

"The Scarlet Warlock of Randor?"

He looked the black-haired youth up and down, marveling that he was even younger than the rumors suggested. "They say you like to eat the brains of your enemies..."

"Rumors," Wang Xi muttered, suppressing a shiver of annoyance, his expression blank. "I don't have such hobbies."

"Haha, understandable. Rumors are always exaggerated." The old man chuckled and gestured to the side. "However, if you truly are the 'Scarlet Warlock,' you are qualified to take some higher-level contracts... The shelf at the very back by the wall, please feel free to choose, Master Guy."

"Thank you."

Wang Xi offered his thanks and walked straight over. There were four or five wooden racks against the wall, neatly lined with parchment scrolls. The further back he went, the fewer the scrolls. Presumably, the difficulty increased accordingly. Each scroll was tied with a red ribbon and a palm-sized square piece of paper containing a brief introduction in fine print.

Wang Xi examined them carefully.

***

After a while, his eyes lit up; he had found his target. He pulled out the scroll and unfurled it. The yellowed parchment read:

"Bounty: One fresh basilisk heart. Ivo, the son of Minister Ando, was wounded by a basilisk while out hunting. The venom entered his body, petrifying his right leg. The royal apothecary urgently requires this monster material to concoct an antidote."

"Reward: 100 gold coins. Plus one heirloom silver-plated longsword."

"Requester: Dick Smore."

Wang Xi stared at the parchment, turned his head, and asked the old man, "Excuse me... who is this Mr. Smore, the one who posted this contract?"

The old man glanced at it and pushed up his glasses. "Master Dick Smore? Ah, he is the Royal Mint Master, responsible for minting silver coins for Her Majesty... I also hear he is on good terms with Minister Ando."

The Royal Mint Master?

So, having an heirloom silver-plated longsword makes perfect sense... Just smear some of the embezzled money onto a sword, spin a story, and it's laundered. Perhaps there are dozens or even hundreds of such 'heirloom' swords?

Wang Xi reflected on this grimly.

"I'll take this one." He rolled up the parchment, tied it, and nodded to the old man. "Please register it for me."

"Certainly, Master Guy." The old man smiled and recorded the entry. "When you return, just bring the bounty and the contract scroll to the guild for delivery. I wish you a successful hunt."

...

The sun was high in the sky. A reddish-brown horse galloped along a dusty road, weaving through the dense forest. Wang Xi rode the horse, one hand gripping the reins and the other holding a map, checking the direction after a few glances.

A short while later, he had left the capital far behind and ventured deep into the southern jungle. The horse’s speed slowed to a walk as it picked its way along a path through the brush.

'According to the intelligence I gathered, basilisks are rare, treated almost like an endangered species...' Wang Xi scanned his surroundings, thinking to himself. If that weren't the case, the Minister’s son wouldn't be unable to scrape together the ingredients for an antidote, forcing them to post a high-priced bounty. It was said that there used to be plenty of them, and hunters often encountered them.

As for why the population had plummeted... Wang Xi had seen enough on his journey here, though his expression remained rather strange.

*Is this, by any chance, environmental pollution?!*

He almost couldn't believe it. On the outskirts of the capital, many workshops and pillar-like wonders had been constructed to the east and north, billowing black smoke. Sewage flowed along the river directly into the forest, and even the deeper "Forest of Magic" had not been spared. Besides these so-called magic workshops, there were numerous silver-refining plants and sawmills scattered along the edge of the forest. Lumberjacks shouted and clamored, "devouring" the green zones like a plague of locusts, leaving behind large areas of bare stumps and wasteland—a complete mess.

Wang Xi could easily guess that under the leadership of Prince Calvin, the Stag Kingdom had launched a vigorous technological reform. Such a massive investment of manpower and resources naturally required a vast amount of wealth.

Then came the question: What to do if there isn't enough money?

Easy!

Some brilliant mind in the palace must have had an idea. Since they were already chopping down trees and burning wood, why not just refine silver and mint coins right on the spot, printing money to pave the way? It just so happened that the northern part of Daphneel had large silver mines. It was a case of absurdity opening the door for absurdity—it was truly absurd to the core.

Wang Xi didn't care about the palace or the kingdom's mess. But could they please stop polluting the environment? What if the monsters go extinct?! It wasn't that he couldn't afford magic stones in the main world, but monsters from other worlds were more cost-effective... If he couldn't get energy, how was Wang Xi supposed to pull cards, and how was he supposed to get stronger quickly?

'A bunch of coin-minting idiots.'

Wang Xi cursed under his breath and spurred his horse onward.

...

*Clang!*

*Squelch—*

A large wild boar, about a meter high at the shoulder, went tumbling away, spraying blood. Half its head was sent flying, dragging a trail of blood droplets. Wang Xi flicked his sword, shaking the blood onto the shrubs and trunks, and immediately sheathed it.

As he ventured deeper, the thorns grew dense, making it difficult to ride. Wang Xi tied his horse to a towering tree and marked the spot. Following the information, he explored on foot, but he didn't see a single monster, let alone a basilisk. Only ordinary wild beasts had attacked him several times.

Wang Xi’s strength had improved significantly, so it was hardly worth mentioning; ordinary beasts were basically just fodder. He killed them the moment they appeared.

'The intelligence I bought for 5 silver coins is truly unreliable; it's all outdated information from several weeks ago...' he thought, pushing aside the bushes.

After struggling through more brambles, the path suddenly opened up. Wang Xi stopped abruptly, crouching down, peering ahead with a distinctly furtive air—

He had actually discovered a goblin settlement!

In a clearing in the woods, inside a small village enclosed by simple wooden stakes, a dozen green-skinned figures were busy at work. To Wang Xi's surprise, they had a clear division of labor. Some were polishing stone to make weapons, some were sewing furs into clothes, and others were washing wild vegetables and fruits. They even kept a donkey, and two little goblins were chasing each other around it...

If one ignored their green skin and long, pointed ears, it would, in a trance, look like a small, idyllic human tribe.

'Eh? How strange.' The more Wang Xi looked, the more confused he became. 'Let me look closer...'

In his impression, goblins were monsters that lived in caves, possessing no signs of civilization and being no different from wild beasts. According to the description of the "Goblin Mushroom" from before, he knew they propagated simply through the natural growth of mushroom spores. So, what was going on here...

Wang Xi held his breath and observed for a while longer. His astonishment grew deeper.

[Goblin King: Guruchi (Light Red/Three-Star)]

An old goblin with a white beard and sparse hair on top of his head was sitting on a wooden stump, wrapped in a bear skin. In his ugly face, a pair of horizontal yellow pupils unexpectedly revealed a hint of kindness.

A goblin with a name!

Wang Xi moved his gaze, using Chaos to inspect them.

[Goblin Vanguard: Gururu (Light Red/Three-Star)]

This was a burly, muscular goblin, estimated to be over 1.8 meters tall, wearing a fur vest. He was focused on grinding a black stone dagger, occasionally holding it up to examine it as carefully as a craftsman.

[Sunshine Goblin: Guruwin (Light Red/Two-Star)]

A young goblin who looked like a human youth was playing with several little goblins with a gentle smile.

Finally, Wang Xi's pupils contracted.

He saw a female goblin with pointed ears, sitting quietly on a rock, lost in thought. Her appearance was completely different from the other ugly creatures; her features were delicate, her skin smooth, and she had long, reddish-brown hair draped over her shoulders. If one ignored the green skin, she was practically an elf.

[Ugly Goblin: Gurusha (Light Red/Two-Star)]

Ugly...

Where was she ugly?

Wang Xi was stunned.