Chapter 39 Departure

Near noon, the blazing sun hung high in the sky, and the cobblestone streets of Goldwheat Town radiated a scorching heat.

Li Rui wiped the sweat from his forehead and pushed open the door of the blacksmith's shop.

A peculiar scent mixed with tanned leather and coal smoke rushed over him.

The master blacksmith, who possessed a trace of dwarven ancestry, bit down on his pipe and squinted as he inspected a leather armor piece just completed by an apprentice.

Realizing the visitor was someone he knew, Master Eugene Benjamin spoke in a deep and resonant voice, "Mr. Li Rui, you've arrived."

He put down the leather armor in his hand and bent down to retrieve three pieces of equipment from beneath the counter.

"Try them on. The old man's craftsmanship hasn't slipped."

Li Rui took the equipment, and the moment it touched his hands, he immediately felt the difference compared to when he had just collected them from the guard barracks.

The light crossbow had been fine-tuned; its center of gravity fell perfectly into his palm, the grip conformed to the shape of his hand, and the curves along the crossbow body were smooth, clearly having been meticulously polished.

The slightly heavy halberd blade gleamed with a chilling, cold light, and the shaft was wrapped in new anti-slip leather, providing a solid and reliable feel.

What surprised him the most was the iron-studded leather armor. The previous slight looseness had completely vanished. Benjamin had fine-tuned it according to his physique, and the leather armor now conformed to his muscle lines while allowing him to move his shoulders and waist without any sense of restriction, practically transforming into a second layer of tough skin.

"It fits so well, Master! Simply perfection!"

Li Rui praised sincerely, then waved the halberd a few times, feeling that even the sound of it cutting through the wind was sharper and cleaner.

Upon hearing the praise, a faint smile could not help but appear on the master blacksmith's dark, iron-hard face.

After all, Li Rui was a guest recommended by Guild Master Nova, and earning his praise was practically equivalent to earning Guild Master Nova's praise.

After collecting the three pieces of equipment, Li Rui selected a steel helmet of a suitable size from the master blacksmith as well.

Unlike weapons and armor, a helmet was the kind of item where as long as you could shove your head into it and pad it slightly for shock absorption, that was enough; there was no need to be overly particular.

After all, in moments of absolute necessity, a helmet could be taken off and used as a small cooking pot.

As an adventurer, such "moments of necessity" were bound to occur frequently, so there was no need to buy one that was too fine or too pretty.

***

After bidding farewell to the master blacksmith, Li Rui pushed open the door of the forge to find Paul and the others waiting outside, holding the horses by their reins.

Before leaving Goldwheat Town, he had originally intended to make a final visit to Nova. Although she had mentioned she might be too busy to pay him any mind, a woman's heart is as deep as the ocean, and Li Rui felt it would be better to see her anyway.

However, when he returned to the entrance of the Adventurer's Guild, he saw Nova standing atop the northern wall, directing a group of people bustling about on the ramparts.

At this moment, Nova was dressed in hunting attire with a rapier strapped to her waist. Her slightly curly golden hair was plastered to her temples by sweat, and she was directing a group of craftsmen and guild members with rapid-fire speech and precise hand gestures.

They were reinforcing a section of the battlements, hauling logs and stones up to the city wall to serve as defensive items.

The atmosphere on the city wall was tense and busy. Nova's clear, powerful voice pierced through the commotion of the worksite, and her eyes scanned every link in the chain like a falcon's. That absolute concentration made Li Rui, standing below the wall, realize that her earlier statement of being "too busy" was by no means an exaggeration.

A trace of faint disappointment was replaced by understanding, and he abandoned the thought of stepping forward to embrace her and say goodbye.

However, as Nova's sharp gaze swept across the interior of the town, Li Rui suddenly raised his arm high and waved it vigorously in wide arcs.

The figure on the wall paused for a moment, and then Li Rui fancied he saw a smile on her face.

With that, he lowered his hand and turned toward the group that was about to set off.

The true adventure began from this moment.

***

With a carriage to share the burden of the supplies, the five-member party's pace could be considered fast.

The familiar outline and bustle of Goldwheat Town were soon left behind. On both sides of the road lay endless golden wheat fields rolling with heat waves under the blazing sun, while sparse woodlands in the distance cast mottled shadows.

Traveling under the scorching sun was grueling, but fortunately, there were two spellcasters in this party, and one of them had an exclusive repertoire that included ice-type magic.

When everyone was suffering from the heat and stopped to rest under the rare shade of the trees along the road, Li Rui used his [Spell-like Ability: Cone of Cold] to freeze a patch of the road surface, allowing everyone to enjoy a rare moment of coolness.

This was also a way of laying his cards on the table for his teammates.

Following Li Rui's lead, Paul took the opportunity to reveal his own skills as well.

"I have currently mastered the cantrips [Prestidigitation], [Guidance], [Shillelagh], and [Resistance], and my 1st-level spells include [Speak with Animals], [Create/Destroy Water], [Longstrider], and [Detect Alignment]."

As he spoke, he used [Prestidigitation] to stir up the cold air from the iced-over road and blow it toward his teammates, prompting everyone to exclaim in refreshment.

It was inconvenient for the remaining three to reveal their cards right here on the roadside, especially the barbarian Galaron and the archer Millie. Some of their occupational skills would plunge them into a state of exhaustion after use, and displaying them now would severely slow down the party's advance.

After resting briefly, they resumed their journey.

As they pressed forward, the sun gradually lost its midday ferocity and began to slide toward the western sky, dyeing the sky and fields in a warm orange hue.

After marching for the better part of the day, when the lingering rays of the setting sun gilded the earth with a golden edge, a village leaning against low earthen walls and crude wooden fences appeared at the end of the road.

The village's earthen walls were mottled, and above the village gate hung a weather-beaten wooden sign with faded lettering, upon which the characters for "Claypot Village" could still faintly be discerned.

This was precisely the first resting stop on their planned journey to Copperore Town.

Upon entering Claypot Village, an odor blending cooking smoke, livestock manure, and dry earthy scents washed over them.

The village was very small, consisting of only a single main street with a few low adobe houses and thatched cottages scattered along both sides, appearing tranquil and even somewhat dilapidated.

Travelers evidently passed through Claypot Village from time to time, so the villagers looked at them without curiosity, displaying only a faint wariness, as if terrified that they might steal something from their homes.

They settled down in the village's only modest inn, which also doubled as a tavern. Dinner consisted of coarse but filling black bread, a large pot of bean and wild vegetable soup with hardly any fat, and a few pieces of hard, smoked meat.

Big cities had enough wealthy people, which was why they had the most exquisite and delicious food; towns close to the Monster Forest had adventurers who spent money like water, which was why they also carried scarce foods not produced locally.

However, small places like Claypot Village, situated neither on the border nor in a prosperous region, were in an awkward spot, and no one could ever find a palatable meal here.

After finishing dinner and resting for a while, Paul pulled Galaron, Brook, and Millie to their feet.

"All right, it's time for the three of you to show off your talents."