Chapter 27: Return, and Lina's Sister
The heavy wooden door of the tavern creaked open, and a wave of noise and the scent of beer hit them as they entered.
Old Jack was squinting his eyes, wiping down the bar with a cloth he had just replaced, while the loud voices of adventurers from ten or so tables filled the air.
They boasted of their battles, argued over bounties, and complained about equipment prices, the noise mixing into a cacophony that gave anyone a headache.
But the moment Chenxi’s figure appeared at the door, all sound vanished.
Chenxi glanced at his surroundings. He really couldn’t understand why Old Jack liked this environment; if it were him... he wouldn’t last an hour in such a place.
The old man liked the hustle and bustle?
All eyes in the tavern were now focused on the three people standing in the doorway.
Chenxi’s iconic poker face was well-known among the town’s adventurers, not to mention his black robe that seemed to remain unchanged throughout all seasons.
Now, there was an added point of focus: the foreigner Hongxu standing behind him.
Some adventurers blinked in surprise—another one?
Was Chenxi no longer a solo player… not a lone wolf anymore, but starting to find teammates?
Of course, if it had only been this, it wouldn’t have made everyone pay attention.
The real issue was… the smell coming from them was just too foul!
Chenxi ignored the stares and made his way directly to the bar.
Hongxu followed closely behind, the massive double-edged axe slung across her back, with dark, grimy stains still on the blade.
Her head was slightly lowered, lips tightly pressed together. The talkative, lively person she was around Chenxi had completely disappeared.
She disliked crowds, and when all the people around were enemies, it didn’t matter much!
Talking to strangers was too much of a hassle—she’d leave that to the boss!
Lina lagged half a step behind, holding her old staff, her gaze fixed on the floor full of footprints. She was as calm as a stagnant pool, as if everything around her had nothing to do with her.
“Yo, Chenxi, any questions about the mission?”
Old Jack tossed the cloth aside, his murky eyes peering at Chenxi. He didn’t even consider the possibility that Chenxi had already completed the mission.
After all, it was a monster from the seventh level, and it was impossible to finish in just two days.
The one-eyed giant mission was even simpler, and it had taken Chenxi nearly half a month to complete.
“And… Miss Hongxu, good evening.”
“Oh.”
Hongxu simply responded to the old man.
She wasn’t interested in anything that couldn’t be fought.
If he weren’t useful to the boss, she wouldn’t care about him at all!
Chenxi placed a heavy leather pouch with a thud on the bar.
“Mission, Bone-Eroding Venom Spider eggs, completed.”
Old Jack’s wrinkles instantly wrinkled even further, and he stared in shock, putting on his glasses and leaning in closer.
Inside the pouch were ten neatly arranged grayish-white spider eggs, giving off a faint glow and a strong, unpleasant odor.
“Ten... so complete! These are definitely Bone-Eroding Venom Spider eggs!”
He raised his head in disbelief, his voice slightly higher, “How many days has it been? You really got them?!”
He remembered very clearly—it had only been a little over two days since the task was posted, and the location was on the dangerous edge of the seventh level!
A suppressed gasp spread through the tavern.
The seventh level! Bone-Eroding Venom Spiders! Completed in two days!
Man, you guys are more terrifying than humans!
A glance at the Bone-Eroding Venom Spider legs slung across Hongxu’s back—it didn’t look like they just stole and ran away either!
Incredible, absolutely incredible!
With just one new teammate, it felt like a completely different person!
Chenxi nodded expressionlessly, “Mm, the payment?”
“Alright, alright! Fifty gold! The ten gold deposit has been deducted, here’s the remaining forty.”
Old Jack swiftly pulled out a heavy coin pouch from beneath the counter and pushed it toward Chenxi.
The golden coins gleamed under the dim oil lamps, blinding everyone’s eyes.
Many of the adventurers greedily stared at the pouch of gold, though their greed was quickly tempered by caution.
If they tried to take it, they surely wouldn’t stand a chance.
Chenxi looked unharmed and clearly outclassed them in strength.
Of course, if Chenxi were in poor condition, there would be plenty of people considering risking it.
Chenxi didn’t even glance at the pouch, simply stuffing it into his coat.
He was bold enough to take it so openly because of exactly that.
Chenxi paused and turned his gaze to Old Jack, “How about the other materials, will you take them?”
“Of course, of course!”
Old Jack’s eyes lit up. Bone-Eroding Venom Spider materials were considered prime goods in the seventh level. “Legs, venom glands, intact exoskeletons—take as much as you have! Fair prices guaranteed!”
Chenxi nodded towards Hongxu.
Hongxu immediately unstrapped a similarly bulging bag from her back and placed it heavily on the bar.
She didn’t speak, only silently stepping back to stand by Chenxi’s side.
Old Jack opened the bag, rummaging through the sticky, blood-scented exoskeleton chunks, carefully processed venom glands, and a few decent pincers.
The thick spider legs were placed directly on the ground.
As he quickly calculated the value, Old Jack clicked his tongue in admiration, “Wow, these are good items!
The venom glands are well handled, cut cleanly... and the legs are sturdy enough... hm…”
He took out a small abacus and quickly clicked away, “Legs priced by length and thickness, venom glands by completeness, exoskeletons by size... a total of twelve gold and seventy silver! Let’s round it up—thirteen gold!”
Chenxi nodded, “Alright.”
It was a bit lower than the outside rates, but still within an acceptable range.
If it were outside, there would be other issues to consider, but the Adventurer’s Guild was stable.
“Alright, if there are more tasks like this, remember to call me.”
With that, he led the two girls out.
The adventurers watched as Chenxi, with his two "followers," turned and left the tavern. It wasn’t until the wooden door closed behind them, cutting off their figures, that the invisible pressure finally lifted.
The tavern was silent for a few seconds, before it erupted into a louder buzz of conversation.
...
After leaving the tavern, Lina stopped and looked up at Chenxi.
“My situation… you’ll eventually find out. You can use me, she controls me again.
My only request is that you treat my sister kindly.
I, I’m fine with whatever.”
Chenxi raised an eyebrow. “So, you joined Reis’s mercenary group because your sister was controlling you?”
Lina gently nodded.
She didn’t want to believe Chenxi, but there was no way around it.
Such things were easy to investigate, so... it was better to say it out loud.
...
On the west side of the town, the low, crooked shantytown exuded the lingering smell of mold and sewage.
Lina led Chenxi and Hongxu to the last wooden house, which was nearly collapsing.
The door was crooked, and the window covered with broken oil paper let out a faint light.
Lina took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
A strong, strange odor filled the air—mixing the smell of cheap herbs and something foul.
“Sister, I’m back.”
Lina’s voice was soft, carrying an indescribable tenderness.
Under the dim oil lamp, a withered, pale woman lay on a bed lined with broken cardboard. Her lower body was covered with a thin blanket, the color unidentifiable.
Upon seeing Lina, a faint glimmer of light flashed in her dull eyes.
“Welcome home, Lina.”
Chenxi and Hongxu stepped inside.
When the woman’s eyes met Chenxi and Hongxu, fear and confusion immediately filled her gaze.
“Lina... who are these two?”
Could it be that because of her, Lina went somewhere she shouldn’t and earned money?
Lina opened her mouth, unsure how to introduce them.
No matter how she said it, it didn’t feel right.
Chenxi took a step forward, slightly bowed, and offered a polite smile.
“Hello, Lina’s sister.
I’m Chenxi, and this is my companion, Hongxu.
Lina helped us a great deal today, just completed a mission, and we’re giving her a ride back.
Since Lina will be working with me and Hongxu in the future, we wanted to see if there’s anything we can do to help.”
Hongxu turned her head awkwardly.
“I, I’m just like this. Don’t be scared, okay?”
She let out a sigh of relief after hearing Chenxi’s words, forcing a smile.
“Really, thank you for taking care of my sister. I’ve been a burden to her…”
“Sister, don’t say that!”
Lina seemed like she wanted to say something, but ultimately didn’t, lowering her head instead.
She smiled softly at her sister.
Chenxi’s gaze softened slightly.
He and Lina, oddly enough, shared a silent understanding.
If it was for family, he would walk the same path as Lina.
“You don’t need to be so polite. Lina will be our companion from now on. It’s only natural that we take care of her a little.”
His gaze turned to Lina.
“Lina, me and Hongxu are leaving now. Won’t you send us off?”
Looking at Chenxi’s smile, Hongxu’s eyes widened.
No, Boss!
We’ve been together so long, and you’ve hardly smiled at me!
This isn’t fair!
[Long-term Quest Triggered: The Birth of the Highest Class]