novelnext Chapter 14 Are you here to take a dump?
Chapter 14 Are you here to take a dump?
"There's a special training method in my hometown," Xia Lin explained.
"What training method? I've never heard of it before?" Leah turned her head, her eyes scrutinizing her.
Xia Lin: "The training methods in small southern villages are limited to three to five people per generation, so small that it's normal that they don't know about them."
"One hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, one hundred squats every day, plus a ten-kilometer run. Keep it up for one thousand days."
There was a moment of silence in the carriage.
Tagen nodded slowly: "...It seems I haven't been practicing enough."
Ezio actually pulled out a small notebook and started taking notes.
Leah scoffed and turned her face away.
After a while, Xia Lin felt someone gently touch his arm. The elf had moved closer at some point, his voice very low:
"Will doing too many squats make my legs bulky?"
Xia Lin was taken aback and turned to look at her.
Leah's face remained expressionless, but her pointed ears turned slightly red.
Xia Lin then noticed that the elf's legs, encased in leather boots and close-fitting riding breeches, were indeed long and shapely.
"Just the right amount," he replied.
The elf nodded, his expression returning to its usual aloofness.
---
As evening fell, the carriage arrived at Greystone Village.
The village was small, with houses crammed together beside a stream. At the village entrance, people patrolled with pitchforks and torches, and immediately surrounded the horse-drawn carriages on high alert.
The village chief's expression relaxed only after Tagan presented the association's letter of authorization.
"There are about twenty of them, hiding in the abandoned mine shaft to the west." The village chief handed back the letter of authorization, his face still showing worry. "We keep hearing noises at night, so we're afraid to let the children go out."
Is the mine's terrain complex?
"It was almost completely collapsed years ago, only the main tunnel is still passable," a villager interjected. "I worked there when I was young, I know the way."
Targen and Leah exchanged a glance.
"To be on the safe side," he said, "I'd like you to show me the way tomorrow."
The villagers nodded.
The village provided an empty room, barely big enough for four people to squeeze in.
Dinner consisted of black bread and vegetable soup, and Leah took out the dried meat she had brought and shared it with everyone.
Ezio chewed on the jerky and muttered, "Isn't there any dwarven secret sauce? It's so boring eating it plain."
"You wasted half a bottle of sauce last time you set a trap," Leah rolled her eyes at him. "Now those damned dwarf taverns have raised the price of that sauce to two silver coins a jar. I can't afford it anymore."
"I was doing that for the mission..."
Xia Lin asked curiously, "Is that sauce really that amazing?"
"It's delicious." Targen chimed in, "After this trip, I'll go find the dwarf 'Sauce Explosion' to get some more. I know him, so I can get a discount."
Ezio's eyes lit up: "Captain, do you know the recipe? If we can figure it out, we'll be rich!"
Taghan paused slightly in the hand holding the dried meat: "I don't know..."
Captain Targen doesn't seem to be telling the truth.
Xia Lin, noticing the detail, glanced at Tagen but said nothing.
Every adventurer has a secret buried deep in their heart, and so do I. There's no need to dwell on it.
As night deepened, to ensure the team's energy for the next day, villagers continued to stand guard, and the village arranged for several quick-witted villagers to keep watch at night.
The four of them squeezed into the room and lay down fully clothed.
The moonlight outside the window was thin, and the distant mountain shadows were blurred.
Xia Lin rested her head on her luggage and heard the even breathing sounds beside her.
He gently gripped the veteran's sword hilt; the cool metallic touch brought him a slight sense of reassurance.
Take a deep breath and then slowly exhale.
This was his first time leading a team on a challenging mission, and the uncertainty of tomorrow kept him awake at night.
Thankfully, at least this time my teammates seem more reliable...
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
The morning light was thin, and the smoke from the chimneys in Graystone Village had not yet dissipated.
The four gathered at the village entrance and ate the coarse wheat porridge and pickled radishes prepared by the villagers.
The porridge was very thin, and the radish was so salty it tasted bitter.
The villager who was leading the way led the group along a path behind the village, where the vegetation grew increasingly dense.
After walking for about half an hour, the villager stopped in front of a slope and pointed ahead: "This is it... Last time I set a trap here, I ran into three or four short, green-skinned guys, and I almost got away."
He swallowed hard and pointed deeper into the mine: "Follow this path up, and you'll reach the old mine entrance. I... I won't go any further..."
Tagen nodded. "Go back. Be careful on the road, and tell the village chief we've gone in."
The villagers didn't say much, turned around and quickly left along the path they had come from.
"Let's scout ahead," Targen said, turning to the halfling.
Ezio pulled a small, grayish, furry creature from the leather pouch behind his waist—about the size of a palm, with tiny, sharp teeth showing when its nose twitched, making it look like a hedgehog.
Xia Lin stared at the little thing curled up in her palm, and paused for a moment.
"A magical pet? You've never seen one before?" Lia glanced at him, saw his blank expression, and then looked at his plain leather armor and longsword, and understood.
"I used to take on all the jobs by myself," Xia Lin said honestly.
"It's a partner, not a pet." Ezio gently rubbed the hedgehog's spines with his fingertip, and the little guy squinted comfortably. "Its name is Niffler. It's used for scouting, warning, and finding things."
Leah pouted.
Xia Lin thought this was very practical: "Is it expensive?"
"You need to buy scrolls made by warlocks and mages," Leah said calmly. "The ones circulating in the market cost around five gold coins. Those with special magic are more expensive, possibly several times more."
"So expensive?" Xia Lin exclaimed, it was almost as expensive as his entire fortune.
"You can sometimes find bargains on the black market," Ezio added, winking at Xia Lin. "If you're interested, I'll take you there when we're done."
Tagen cleared his throat, interrupting the idle chatter: "Let's get down to business."
Ezio stuck out his tongue, put the Niffler on the ground, and made a few short sounds as his lips moved slightly.
Sniff twitched its nose, spun around twice, and then "whoosh," disappeared into the grass, the rustling sound fading into the distance.
A moment later, it ran back, climbed onto the halfling's shoulder, and communicated. Ezio said, "Two are dozing at the cave entrance. Inside... the smell is mixed, and there are quite a few."
Tagan nodded: "Let's confirm the quantity first, then lead the way."
Sniff led the way, and the others followed, bending low. After rounding a pile of rocks, a strong, pungent stench hit them.
The grass was covered in filth, flies buzzed around, and broken bones and rags were scattered around the excrement.
"Does this have to happen every time?" Leah frowned and raised her hand to cover her mouth and nose.
"It's always better to be careful." Tagan crouched down and used the tip of his dagger to poke at the overlapping footprints next to the feces. "The number is about the same as what the village said. There are quite a few cub footprints, so they probably just had a litter."
He stood up and wiped his dagger on a blade of grass: "As planned, I'll lead the way, Xia Lin will bring up the rear, Lia will keep her distance, and Ezio will have free time to find opportunities to flank or resolve problems. Remember, if things go wrong, move behind me."
The group nodded and were about to take action.
Suddenly, the bushes to the side rustled, and a goblin emerged, dazed and confused, carrying a dirty, tattered rag belt, untying his trouser drawstring as he walked.
Ezio approached like a raccoon, his dagger flashing coldly. A line of blood appeared on the green rat's throat, and it collapsed to the ground without even uttering a sound.
"A lone wolf," Ezio said, cutting off his left ear. "Not a Sentinel, looks like he's out taking a dump."