Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
Chapter 436: Making a Name for Oneself
That afternoon, (Player Name) (M) registered the Candy Super Sweet Mercenary Group with the Adventurer’s Guild. Just as the Great Knight guarding the city had said, mentioning his name reduced the processing fee and sped up the entire process considerably.
However, after the registration was complete, the guild’s service staff, who was also the Guild Master’s daughter, asked (Player Name) (M) to stay behind alone.
Nothing particularly interesting happened.
The girl merely asked (Player Name) (M) to relay a message to the Great Knight.
“The flowers at home will wither if they’re not watered soon.”
…
…
Walking out of the Adventurer’s Guild, Claudia looked at (Player Name) (M) with a strange expression.
She leaned her head on his shoulder, her small hand hooking around his arm. Mimicking the Guild Master’s daughter, she whispered into his ear, her breath like a gentle breeze, “The flowers at home will wither if they’re not watered soon~ I wonder when you’ll water your own flowers?”
“(Player Name) (M)” chuckled sheepishly. “I’ve been quite busy lately. I’d like to, but you refused last time…”
He was indeed free before, but now he had to investigate the matter of Winter City’s standard equipment. They might even be dispatched tonight. Moreover, their player stamina bars were peculiar; they recovered quickly during combat and running, but slowly while playing Gwent. (Player Name) (M) couldn’t figure it out.
He couldn’t possibly commit suicide just to reset his stamina for some intimate moments, right? Even if he could accept the penalty of losing experience, Claudia would never accept him killing himself. She might even have nightmares about it tonight.
“Just because I rejected you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t water the flowers!” Claudia pouted, her red lips quivering. Her small hand, which had been resting on (Player Name) (M)’s waist, began to move slowly. “As a girl, I have to be reserved about such things! Can’t you take the initiative? I get it, you don’t love me at all!”
Her mood changed instantly, and she released his hand, her large eyes starting to well up with tears.
(Player Name) (M): “…”
He wondered if being partnered with such a lively wife was a good thing or a bad thing.
“We’ll call a truce for a few days. We’ll do it next time!”
“Hmph~” Claudia turned her head away haughtily, refusing to look at him.
…
…
That evening, representing the Candy Super Sweet Mercenary Group, (Player Name) (M) accepted the most difficult mission from the Adventurer’s Guild: to kill a mutated tier-four Sandstorm Wolf.
This Sandstorm Wolf had been discovered in Xilin Village, near Black River City. The monster had already killed over a dozen camels and a young militiaman. Black River City had dispatched its army multiple times to hunt it down, but the Sandstorm Wolf was cunning and elusive, appearing and disappearing without a trace. It would cleverly leave as soon as the army approached Xilin Village, only to reappear and harass the surrounding villages once they departed.
Initially, the villagers of Xilin Village had placed great hope in the army. When the army first arrived, the simple villagers even shared their precious food and eggs with the soldiers. The Village Chief had even personally slaughtered a pig to celebrate the imminent capture of the Sandstorm Wolf.
However, to the villagers’ dismay, the Black River City army was played like a fiddle by the Sandstorm Wolf. The hundred-man legion, led by two Great Knights, visited Xilin Village three times but never managed to get close to the Sandstorm Wolf.
In the end, the incapable Great Knights concluded that the Sandstorm Wolf had mutated. They instructed the villagers not to go out at night and to keep their livestock near bonfires, as the Sandstorm Wolf feared fire. After that, there was no further news. Perhaps out of shame, the Black River City army never returned.
With no other options, the villagers of Xilin Village pinned their hopes on the Adventurer’s Guild. However, this commission had been hanging on the Adventurer’s Guild mission board for a month, with the bounty increasing from ten gold coins to two hundred gold coins. Mercenary groups came and went, but none could do anything about the cunning Sandstorm Wolf.
Now, this mission had been accepted by (Player Name) (M). He directly obtained some fur from the Sandstorm Wolf from the villagers of Xilin Village and handed it to the Star Magus.
Using the Sandstorm Wolf’s fur as a medium, the Star Magus employed a Star and Moon Tracking Magic to instantly lock onto the Sandstorm Wolf’s location.
It was quite amusing. It wasn’t surprising that the Black River City army couldn’t find the Sandstorm Wolf, as its lair was actually beneath Xilin Village. The Sandstorm Wolf had mastered the art of hiding in plain sight. With the Black River City army’s haphazard search methods, they would never have found the Sandstorm Wolf’s lair.
From there, things became simple. (Player Name) (M) blocked the three exits of the Sandstorm Wolf’s lair with burning bellflowers. Dense smoke quickly filled the lair, making it unbearable for the Sandstorm Wolf. It had no choice but to flee through the single remaining fourth exit.
Outside the fourth exit, (Player Name) (M) was already waiting.
The completely exposed Sandstorm Wolf was no match for the Candy Super Sweet Mercenary Group. In fact, the Star Magus didn’t even need to make a move; (Player Name) (M) and Claudia easily defeated it.
Of course, there was a more brute-force method. For instance, the Star Magus could have used Star Guidance on the Sandstorm Wolf’s lair, but the consequence would have been the leveling of the entire Xilin Village. The current method, though more complex, not only protected Xilin Village but also permanently eliminated the Sandstorm Wolf.
When (Player Name) (M) returned to Xilin Village with the Sandstorm Wolf’s head, he became a hero to the entire village. Not only the villagers of Xilin Village but also those from other villages and towns rushed to see what kind of capable individual could resolve the Sandstorm Wolf issue in under two hours. Upon inquiry, they discovered it was a mercenary group called Candy Super Sweet. What’s more, this mercenary group had only just registered, and every member looked very young. This further highlighted the incompetence of the Black River City army, and the mercenary groups that had repeatedly taken on the commission now seemed insignificant.
The Village Chief of Xilin Village held a grand bonfire feast in the village square. With (Player Name) (M)’s consent, he butchered the Sandstorm Wolf, reserving the most exquisite parts for the Candy Super Sweet Mercenary Group. The villagers of Xilin Village only ate a small portion, taking it as vengeance for their dead camels. The Sandstorm Wolf was massive, comparable to a small elephant in modern society. They couldn’t possibly eat all that meat. (Player Name) (M) offered to share some with the villagers, but they all politely refused.
