Chapter 10

Next, there was another round of negotiations. Everyone present was vying for a larger share of the future spoils, engaging in a fierce battle of words. However, this initial haggling was much better than falling out after the harvest.

Seeing the situation increasingly resemble a bustling market, Barrett couldn't help but remind them, "I don't think this is the time to discuss this! Don't you think our team still has many shortcomings? We lack spellcasters and true healers. Isn't it a bit premature to start discussing the rewards at this point?"

"Do we need priests and mages? That's quite a challenge! I can ask at the temple for the former, but finding the latter in Saphir City is almost impossible!" Mario, the young man, bluntly pointed out the biggest problem at the moment.

The scarcity of mages among players was truly frustrating. Although there were always ways to overcome the attribute barriers, the environment and money required to learn spells were real challenges. A small place like Saphir City had no fertile ground for nurturing mages, and the few official mages stationed there could only take on a limited number of apprentices. The supply was far from meeting the demand, a classic case of too many monks and not enough porridge.

"We can't stay in Saphir City forever. As a small city, the quests and resources here are already saturated." Barrett extended his finger and traced it on the table, "Take the goblins in the wilderness outside the city. After a month of player sweeps, can you still see any lone goblins in the wild?"

"That's right! It's getting harder and harder to find lone goblins."

"Not just lone goblins, but even small groups of fewer than four are hard to find. That's why some players are going crazy and looking for the ogre boss."

Everyone chimed in with their observations, piecing together the information to further support Barrett's words.

"It looks like we have no choice but to leave. Who knows when those damn goblins will respawn." Bena's words were tinged with resignation, suggesting she wasn't keen on changing her current life.

"The goblin breeding cycle is about four months. Including growth, it should take about eight months for their numbers to recover. However, based on our current understanding of the native AI, they might not act alone after this experience." To add credibility to his words, Barrett emphasized, "My character has a good background and can get some extra information from the native scholars in the city."

"It seems that leaving our birthplace is inevitable. Barrett, since you've suggested this, you must have a suitable target in mind." Noodles' words were very confident.

"You're right! My target is the western city of Karada. As a large city, it offers more opportunities. And the difficulty of finding spellcaster teammates will be greatly reduced. Even if I hadn't teamed up with you, I would have set out for there alone in a few days."

After a brief discussion, everyone agreed to Barrett's suggestion to head to the big city for new opportunities. They agreed to set out in three days, giving everyone time to handle personal matters in the meantime.

Speaking of the most troublesome preparations, Barrett, with his most privileged background, had the most to deal with. He needed to resign from his position in the militia, manage his properties in the city, and bid farewell to the influential figures who had helped him.

Barrett entrusted the management of his shops and properties to professionals from the Church of Wealth and Commerce. Although he had to pay 20% of the income as a management fee, it was still a reasonable choice compared to other options.

On the other hand, both his resignation from the militia and his farewells to influential figures brought him significant benefits.

"An eaglet must eventually spread its wings. The Earl would certainly be pleased to see a family member grow and mature after facing the storms outside." With these parting words from the head of the Saphir City militia, Barrett received a fine composite longbow. This 500-gold-piece longbow became the most expensive piece of equipment he owned.

The other elders each gave Barrett small tasks to establish connections, such as delivering messages or items. They also provided guidance on who to seek help from in Karada to better settle in.

Finally, after hanging his character in his house in Saphir City, Su Chen quickly logged out of the game. The game was indeed exciting, and the lure of credit points was constant, but the body was the capital of the revolution!

Calculating that he hadn't had a good meal in days, and with the preparations for his departure completed, Su Chen was in a good mood. He decided to treat himself to a feast while his character rested at home.

In the building's cafeteria, Su Chen greeted Uncle Song, "How are you doing in 'Diala Continent,' Uncle?"

"Pretty good! I wisely stayed out of the chaos at the beginning and found a decent job in a workshop in the city. If I work hard and earn some universal points, I can treat myself to a good meal." Uncle Song seemed satisfied with his situation, "How about you, Su?"

"I don't plan to work in a workshop. I want to go on adventures while I'm young and full of passion to see if I can get lucky." Su Chen's words were not entirely honest, but he didn't lie.

"Young people should indeed go out and explore. If there's no opportunity in reality, you shouldn't waste your youth and enthusiasm in the game!" Uncle Song took a sip of his soup and continued, "I wish you success in the game, Su! Don't forget about me when you move to the Gentry District!"

"Thanks for your good wishes, Uncle!" After some small talk, Su Chen ordered a few dishes he liked and treated himself to a feast.

Relaxing moments are always short-lived. Three days later, everyone gathered, all dressed in battle gear. Mario, who had been showing off his equipment from the start, and Noodles, who kept everything hidden under his cloak, remained unchanged.

Iron Anvil now wore a high-quality, one-piece chestplate made of fine steel. The patterns on it indicated that it was an old piece, similar to Barrett's. His waist, which seemed to have no defined shape, was wrapped in an old-style belt (whenever Su Chen saw this anachronistic item, he was reminded of the dark history). The belt was equipped with various items, including weighted throwing axes, daggers, and hammers of different sizes. The jingling sounds as he walked made him the most noticeable presence on the street.

Bena was also fully armed—wearing a light brown studded leather armor, with a forest cloak fluttering in the wind. Two quivers and a short sword were visible on her belt, and of course, she carried a composite longbow on her back.

"Everyone, get in the carriage! A new world and a new life await us!" With these words, the five of them boarded the carriage that was about to depart.

The road was lined with tall, towering poplar trees. Beyond the trees, vast fields of farmland were visible. However, as they moved further from the city, the scenery became increasingly desolate.

The journey from Saphir City to Broken Sword Castle outside Karada was mostly flat, with only a few scattered estates and fields on the vast land. This environment was quite suitable for travel, at least there was no need to worry about goblins suddenly jumping out from a corner.

"So slow! How much longer until we reach the city you mentioned?" Bena, who couldn't sit still, yawned in the carriage.

"At least three more days! We'll have to take turns keeping watch at night!" Noodles, who had arranged the carriage, reminded them.

Bena immediately groaned, "Saving on travel expenses is not easy!"

"Who said you three can't ride horses?" Barrett and Mario exchanged a helpless look. Although riding horses would be faster and safer, the few of them were not very skilled at riding and might end up being trampled by the horses rather than killed by monsters.

Unfortunately, the lack of natural cover did not mean that goblins wouldn't be active. Suddenly, little Tom, the dog that Noodles could ride, started barking loudly in a certain direction.

"Trouble!" Bena jumped up excitedly, her previous laziness gone. Noodles immediately warned the driver, "There's an ambush ahead, stop the carriage quickly."

It seemed the ambushers realized their plan had failed. A short distance from the carriage, the grass began to fly, and five human-like creatures, each over a meter tall, emerged from the ground.

Barrett easily recognized the creatures from his memory, "We're in trouble, guys. These are five hill goblins. By the way, did any of you take on a particularly troublesome quest on the side?"

According to the Adventurer's Guild standards, the challenge rating for hill goblins is 1/2, meaning a standard four-person team could handle two without much trouble. However, hill goblins, unlike their cousins, the goblins, are not timid. They are highly organized and militaristic, capable of tactical coordination.

However, hill goblins have a terrible willpower, and a single fear spell or color spray from a spellcaster could easily deal with them, making their overall strength relatively low. Unfortunately, for Barrett's current team, this was a significant challenge.