novelnext Chapter 62 News from Targen
Chapter 62 News from Targen
"Thank you very much, old friend," Far said sincerely.
"But this trip is a secret operation, and the fewer people who know about it, the less unnecessary panic we can avoid."
We will later meet with the head of the local guard and trusted adventurers to search the swamp near the riverbank where the incident occurred and prepare for a purification ritual.
Garu's holy light is extremely effective against the undead; once the lair is found, the problem should be easily solved.
The tavern fell silent again, save for the crackling of the burning wood in the fireplace.
Far looked at his old elven friend of many years, then at the orc guard beside him, and slowly raised his water cup, as if supporting some invisible weight:
"May the light of mercy guide us to eradicate this evil lurking in the darkness before more tragedies occur."
Garu gripped the battle axe at his waist: "In the name of protection and purification."
The sound seemed to possess the power to dispel shadows.
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.
In the early morning in the town of Erwin, the thin mist had not yet dissipated.
A little boy, dressed in faded linen clothes patched in several places, stood under the sign of the Adventurer's Inn, head tilted back, muttering to himself softly:
"This should be... the place, right? Uncle Targen mentioned that the adventurer named Xia Lin lives here."
The boy, Tom, looked to be about six or seven years old. His hair was a pale brown from malnutrition, and his face was a little thin, but his eyes were clear and bright, showing a cleverness and a touch of precocious caution that was rare for a child his age.
He took a deep sniff, as if he could smell the incredibly tempting aroma of food wafting from the hotel.
He clenched his fist, recalling the serious expression on Tagan's face when he gave him the task, and the silver coin that Tagan had slipped into his pocket.
"I must deliver the message!" He encouraged himself, carefully patted the dust off his clothes, tidied his hair, and then mustered his courage, stood on tiptoe, reached the door knocker, and gently knocked.
The atmosphere in the hotel's first-floor restaurant was somewhat awkward.
In front of Xia Lin were several "destroyed" wooden bowls, with thick remnants of cream of mushroom soup still clinging to their sides.
His face was a little green, his stomach felt heavy, and he felt like food was stuck in his throat.
Sitting opposite her, Jasmine's face, framed by her long chestnut hair, was filled with worry.
"Xia Lin...are you really alright? Would you like another bowl?"
Her voice was trembling.
I've never seen anyone love her signature cream of mushroom soup so much. It's not just about tasting; it's more like a kind of... masochistic challenge.
"Burp—" Xia Lin couldn't help but let out a burp, and a strong smell of mushrooms and cream rose up. He quickly covered his mouth and waved his hand in pain.
"No...no need, Jasmine. I can't drink anymore."
He confirmed it.
The "loophole" that allowed users to gain experience points and favorability feedback for "interspecies reproduction" by spamming "positive reviews" seems to have been "urgently fixed" as the entry reached its maximum level.
Just now, clinging to the last shred of hope, he gulped down four large bowls of cream of mushroom soup. Apart from feeling nauseous from being too full and seeing Jasmine's increasingly patient-like gaze, the system notification he had been expecting never appeared again.
If Xia Lin wants to improve the quality of this entry in the future, she will probably have to honestly "feed" other entries.
"Sizzle..."
Pleasant chewing sounds came from the side.
Woody was standing next to the small dish specially prepared for him, slowly pecking at the golden and crispy French fries.
At this moment, its dark little eyes occasionally glanced at the stack of empty bowls in front of Xia Lin, its gaze filled with "incomprehension of the strange behavior of the two-legged creature".
"This soup...is it really that good? Is it worth drinking until you're about to explode?" Woody's voice was filled with curiosity and a hint of disdain.
Xia Lin weakly pushed the remaining half-bowl of soup toward the crow, her voice feeble: "Don't be shy, have a taste?"
Woody stretched his neck and carefully sniffed the milky white soup in the bowl.
Then, as if smelling something terrible, she abruptly pulled her head back and shook it violently: "Forget it! It smells greasy like mushrooms and cream! It's not healthy at all. I'll just eat my healthy food instead."
After saying that, it resolutely continued to devour the plate of shiny, oily French fries, as if that were the most delicious food in the world.
Xia Lin: "..."
Just then, Jasmine walked over: "Xia Lin, it seems someone is looking for you outside."
"Looking for me?" Xia Lin was a little surprised. Who would be looking for him at this time?
He picked up a piece of bread that was still warm, stood up in confusion, and walked towards the door.
As I opened the door, the cool morning breeze and light mist rushed in.
Standing at the door was a thin, simply dressed little boy.
He tilted his head back, his large eyes looking at me cautiously with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
"You were looking for me?" Xia Lin asked, trying to be as gentle as possible when he saw that the person opposite him was a child.
"Yes!" The boy nodded vigorously, his voice clear and crisp. "Are you the adventurer Xia Lin? My name is Little Tom, and Uncle Targen sent me to find you!"
Targen? Xia Lin's heart skipped a beat. "It's me. Did Captain Targen send you? What's the matter?"
"Uncle Targnan asked me to tell you to meet at the 'Bard's House' inn around noon," the little boy said clearly, trying his best to convey his message. "He said he has something important to discuss."
"Oh? Did he say what it was about?" Xia Lin pressed.
Little Tom shook his head, his little face full of seriousness: "Uncle Targen didn't say anything, he just told me to make sure I delivered the message."
Judging from this, it seems that Tagan takes this matter quite seriously.
"I'll go there at noon. I still remember the way I came," Xia Lin thought.
Just then, a soft gurgling sound, unusually clear in the quiet morning, came from Little Tom's body, as if it were protesting against its owner.
Tom's face flushed red, all the way down to his ears.
He instinctively clutched his stomach, lowered his head, and inwardly berated himself: How embarrassing! It's all my fault for being so preoccupied with Uncle Targen's task this morning that I rushed out the door and forgot to eat breakfast...
Even though he remembered, he often went hungry in the mornings in order to save more money to send to his mother and sister in the countryside.
Suddenly, a warm and rich aroma of wheat wafted into my nose.
He looked up in a daze and saw the young adventurer handing him a piece of bread that looked soft and delicious, with a slightly charred crust.
"Eat something first," the other person said calmly. "It's not a pleasant feeling to be hungry."
He froze, his eyes wide, looking at the bread and then at the kind adventurer in front of him.
The bread looked so fragrant and soft... He unconsciously swallowed.