Chapter 3: The Mission and the Swindler

I guessed correctly—after exchanging a few words, the man and woman didn’t hesitate for even a moment before plunging into the crowded street, heading straight for the city gate. With them clearing a path ahead, most of the resistance from the throngs of people was swept aside for me. The city gate loomed ever closer; the press of players on the street began to thin. Even if I didn’t stick close behind, there was no longer any danger of being squeezed until I was black and blue.

It had been about half an hour since I’d entered the city… At least I hadn’t wasted too much time wandering around. Thinking back on the hapless newcomers I’d seen earlier, battered and dazed in the crowd, I couldn’t help feeling smug—this is the difference experience makes…

The triumphant “someone” seemed to have conveniently forgotten their own sorry state back in the plaza.

Now, about to set out beyond the walls to begin leveling up, I couldn’t resist planting myself proudly in the surge of people and shouting in my heart, “Monsters outside the city, get ready! Here I come!”

Of course, if I’d shouted that aloud, I’d have been taken for a lunatic, or at best despised by passersby. Some things are best kept to oneself—low profile, always keep a low profile…

But as I stopped, the man and woman ahead also halted, turning back to face me. The warrior smiled and called out, “Little brother, after escorting you all this way, shouldn’t you at least thank us?”

Only then did I realize they’d been aware of the tagalong behind them all along. No wonder I’d managed to make it here without so much as a bump.

Grateful, I said, “Thanks, uncle!” The mage girl behind the warrior burst out laughing, and the warrior, who’d been waiting for a word of thanks, suddenly looked a little put out.

“Little brother, do you always repay your benefactors with such words?” the warrior complained.

The mage girl couldn’t contain her laughter.

After the laughter died down, I thanked them both in earnest, soothing the wounded soul of a warrior with a “fragile heart.”

This little interlude, unplanned as it was, brought the three of us closer together. We naturally introduced ourselves:

Level 26 heavy sword warrior: White Day.

Level 24 water mage: Red Tea.

As for my own information, before I could open my mouth, White Day rattled it off expertly—

Level 0 commoner, scavenger class—Kirin. Any player above level 5 could see through me; only a clueless rookie like myself still thought I was being mysterious…

I felt a bit embarrassed.

“Oh, here, take this.”

Like performing a magic trick, White Day produced a short dagger and held it out to me.

I didn’t take it immediately. “What’s this for?”

“Just take it,” Red Tea urged. “It’s a dagger only commoners can use. We picked it up on our way back to the city. The shopkeepers are all a rip-off, so selling it wouldn’t fetch much, and it’s no use to us. Better to give it to you. It’s two points stronger than the wooden club in your backpack—you’ll level up a bit faster.”

With her encouragement and a look from White Day, I considered for a moment before accepting it.

Short Dagger: Attack 1–3, durability 87%, no level requirement.

Compared to the only weapon in my bag—a wooden club (attack 0–2)—it was a clear upgrade.

According to what Xuefeng had told me, each normal attack would deal 2–4 more HP damage to monsters, greatly increasing my efficiency against low-level beasts.

As I ran my fingers over the cool surface of the dagger, a warmth spread in my heart… “Friend”—that long-forgotten word surfaced from deep within me.

“Thank you.”

White Day and Red Tea didn’t notice the change in my expression. They nodded, and White Day said, “It’s nothing, really. You can get one just by doing a quest… Oh, up ahead there’s an apothecary with a quest perfect for a level 0 commoner. Kirin, you should go take it. Complete it and you’ll get three small healing potions.”

“We’ve got friends waiting outside, so we won’t go with you. If you have any questions, just message us…”

“All right.”

I watched them leave, tightened my grip on the short dagger, and made my way toward the apothecary White Day had mentioned.

As soon as I stepped inside, two shop assistants greeted me, “Feel free to look around, sir. If you have any herbs to sell, we buy at high prices.”

My gaze drifted past the two assistants to a rotund shopkeeper in extravagant clothes. He was surrounded by a handful of newcomers in coarse black tunics and a few armored warriors, instructing them repeatedly:

“Hmmm… We’re quite short on medicinal ingredients lately. We need extracts from certain magical beasts. If you’re willing to help, I’ll gladly supply you with any medicine you require in return.”

“Would you be willing?”

As soon as someone agreed, his eyes would narrow to slits in delight—a merchant through and through.

He was the one.

Watching one player after another tricked into free labor by the fat shopkeeper, I made my way over.

Sure enough, as soon as he saw me, he put on an expression of grave concern, hesitating as if about to speak yet holding back: “Hmmm… We’re quite short on medicinal ingredients lately. We need extracts from certain magical beasts. If you’re willing to help, I’ll gladly supply you with any medicine you require in return…”

He tacked on a pitiful, pleading look. “Would you be willing?”

Anticipating his merchant’s grin, I had no choice but to reply, “I’m willing.”

“Excellent…”

As his sly smile appeared, a system notification popped up:

“Quest received: ‘Corrosive Crystal Collection.’ You can check the details in your Quest Log!”

Quest Log…

“Head to the Kerin Plains east of the city and hunt level 1 slimes. You’ll randomly obtain ‘Corrosive Crystals.’ Collect twenty Corrosive Crystals to complete the quest and return to the apothecary for your reward—three small healing potions.”

There was a note below:

Level 0–5 commoner quest, unique (can only be accepted once per player).

I frowned. Twenty Corrosive Crystals, and they drop at random? I wondered about the drop rate… One percent? Ten percent? Hopefully it’s high, or this will be a huge waste of time.

Closing the Quest Log, I asked the nearby assistant about potion prices:

Small healing potion: fifty silver coins each, restores fifteen HP, weight 1.

Medium healing potion: one gold and twenty silver coins each, restores thirty HP, weight 1.5.

Large healing potion: two gold and fifty silver coins each, restores fifty HP, weight 2.

I glanced at the sell price for my wooden club—one silver coin… Not exactly a fortune…

Just then, a new player entered and the fat shopkeeper immediately turned his attention, repeating the same lines in the same oily voice. Ugh…

I slipped out of there.