Holy Snow Crystal

Looking at the pristine white snow outside the cave, Frieren suddenly thought of the Holy Snow Crystals that existed on this land.

Adventurers from all over the world set up a camp on the snowfield in search of the Holy Snow Crystals.

There are many people there, so there should be a supply depot. If we can find that settlement, maybe we won't have to go hungry.

Frieren summoned her wand, lightly touched the ground with her toes, and flew into the sky. Gazing into the distance, she saw a human settlement in the distance.

"Just a little longer, we'll have hot food soon."

Frieren led the group to quicken their pace and head towards the adventurer camp in the center of the snowfield.

A moment later, wisps of smoke drifted in from the front.

Frieren, Dugu Qing, Fern, Stark stepped into the adventurer's camp, their feet sinking into the soft, fluffy snow.

"I never expected there would actually be people in this freezing cold!"

Dugu Qing blinked her beautiful eyes, looking around curiously.

Fern followed Dugu Qing, puzzled as to why everyone had gathered there.

Where is this place?

Frieren pointed to a person in the distance wearing a cotton-padded coat and carrying a pickaxe.

"This is the camp of adventurers who have gathered here in search of the Holy Snow Crystal."

Holy Snow Crystals are minerals produced in this snowfield. They can be used as raw materials for magic potions. They are beautiful in appearance and have collectible value, so they are particularly expensive.

As they walked and talked, they soon arrived at the self-service market where adventurers did business.

The streets are lined with seafood shops, noodle shops, bakeries, fur shops, butcher shops, hotels... you name it.

Smelling the aroma of bread in the air, Dugu Qing walked over to the bakery. Just as she was about to pick up a piece of bread, she inadvertently noticed the label on it.

A loaf of bread, a silver coin.

"Boss, is this bread made of gold or silver? How come it's ten times more expensive than regular bread?!"

Dugu Qing looked at the shop owner, who was full of heroic spirit, and felt an itch to teach him a lesson.

"Where is it expensive? This bread is made from wheat grown in a greenhouse. If you think it's expensive, I think it's expensive too!"

The shop owner slowly stood up from the wooden chair, dusted off his cotton-padded coat, and spoke with a hint of impatience.

Growing wheat in greenhouses? That's a joke!

Dugu Qing rolled her eyes dismissively, too lazy to argue, and turned to leave.

Frieren led everyone to sit down at a noodle shop, ordered several bowls of beef noodles, and explained,

"Because the customers here are all adventurers who make money by mining Holy Snow Crystals, prices are higher than elsewhere. We're hungry, let's have beef noodles for now!"

Stark glanced at the menu; a bowl of beef noodles cost a gold coin! His heart nearly stopped pounding with pain.

My money!

Dugu Qing looked at Stark indifferently.

"You already have a thousand gold coins, why are you still worried about this one?"

Stark counted on his fingers, looking as if someone had stabbed him in the heart.

"A bowl of beef noodles costs one gold coin, which means I only have enough money to eat a thousand bowls of beef noodles, not even enough for three years! In the south, a thousand gold coins would be enough for me to live a life of comfort and wealth, plus buy three luxury houses!"

The restaurant staff served four bowls of beef noodles and placed them in front of everyone.

Fern picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of the beef noodles sprinkled with cilantro, and the chill in his body was instantly driven away. He closed his eyes in bliss.

Frieren and Dugu Qing also picked up their chopsticks, wholeheartedly enjoying the steaming hot food as their bodies warmed up.

Stark, however, was not in the same mood as the other three. He was preoccupied with the exorbitant bill, unable to eat or drink, and constantly sighing.

"Hey, Dugu Qing, how about we open a snack shop together? With your skills, we could make tons of money in a month, let alone a year! Then we'd be rich."

After finishing his beef noodles, Dugu Qing wiped his mouth.

"Have you ever thought about this? You earn a lot here, but you also spend a lot! If that's the case, why not continue taking risks? Besides, don't you already have a thousand gold coins? Aren't you a small-time millionaire?"

Frieren finished eating, wiped the grease from the corners of her mouth, and smiled through her blue eyes.

"Dugu Qing is right, Stark, you're being too attached to appearances."

Stark let out a sound of surprise, helplessly lowered his head, looked at the lumps of beef noodles, and felt extremely regretful.

Good heavens, this place is really haunted!

He didn't enjoy the meal at all; in fact, it disturbed his peace of mind, and because of the tenfold increase in prices, he even considered abandoning his adventure and becoming a chef instead...

They've really lost the watermelon to pick up a sesame seed!

If it weren't for Dugu Qing and Frieren taking care of me, I probably wouldn't have been able to travel this far...

Thinking of a certain possibility, Stark shuddered and began to eat large mouthfuls of beef noodles.

After the meal, the group continued on to purchase supplies.

The beef, mutton, pork, and other meats here are ten times more expensive than elsewhere.

Dugu Qing only bought some chicken, fish, flour, etc., and it cost him several dozen gold coins.

When buying things, sometimes Dugu Qing pays, sometimes Fern pays, and sometimes Stark pays, which is a different kind of splitting the bill.

Stark spent over a dozen gold coins and was filled with regret, feeling like he had gone from being a pampered son of a thousand gold coins to a son of a hundred gold coins.

He dragged Dugu Qing along, pleading and cajoling, until they finally went to the quest market to take on a few quests and recover some health.

"Stark, what a child!"

There's a huge difference between being a "rich heiress" and being a "hundred-million-dollar"!

Stark strode with exaggerated steps, clenching his fist and shouting.

Led by Stark, the group arrived at the commission market.

This place is even more bustling than the commercial street, with reward notices posted everywhere on billboards.

Adventurers, warriors, mages, and mercenaries thronged among the crowds, choosing quests, exchanging information, and collecting bounties, creating a bustling atmosphere.

Stark glanced at the bounty for the commissioned task and a bright smile spread across his face.

"Great, I love the high bounties here."

Ultimately, Stark chose a lucrative job and found the client.

The person who gave the task took out a map and told everyone that there was a large mineral vein in the lower left corner of the map, known only to the locals.

He wanted everyone to defeat the monster lurking there, and also to cast a barrier to prevent others from entering.

Frieren readily agreed without asking why, and led the group away.

Leaving the adventurers' camp, Fern couldn't help but ask,

"Speaking of which, it's really a strange request that the client wants us to set up a barrier against people!"

Frieren explained that mining also takes time, requiring manpower and funds, so they first needed to set up a barrier to secure the area.

Fern nodded in sudden realization.