The Docks, the Child, and the Woman

Seeing it was Bonis, he quickly opened the door and invited her in, asking, "You said I'm lucky? What do you mean?"

"After we came out this morning, the family discovered that something strange had happened in the mine. The entire Fargodeep Mine no longer has a single Kobold, and even the adventurers who went in to explore have all vanished. Right now, the mine has become an empty cave, and I've sent people to guard it." She gave a charming smile, her eyes flickering as she glanced at Li Shaolin, then continued, "Of course, the ownership of the mine is now yours. My actions are just those of a friend concerned that outsiders might take it over. So, what do you think—would you like to cooperate with our family?"

"Cooperate?" Li Shaolin was a bit puzzled.

"Yes. I imagine you're not clear on the mine's production process, are you? And Lin, what are your plans from now on?"

"I plan to continue adventuring and traveling, to raise my class level." After a moment's hesitation, Li Shaolin said.

"Then that settles it. Fargodeep Mine has always been operated by our Stonefield Family. No one knows it better than we do. We can maximize its production efficiency—of course, that requires your consent. But I don't think you'd refuse this poor woman, would you?" Bonis put on a pleading expression, her pitiful eyes fixed on him.

"Ahem, well, what exactly would the cooperation entail?" Li Shaolin felt a bit awkward. This young woman was really hard to handle; if he stayed around her too long, he feared she'd steal his soul away.

"That's more like it. Look, we'll provide the manpower, materials, and handle the mining and sales. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the profits. We'll split all income fifty-fifty. Of course, the annual 10-gold family commission for the mine is waived. What do you think?" Bonis said with a smile.

"And roughly how much does the mine produce in a year?" The offer wasn't bad—getting half the income without lifting a finger—but he at least needed to know the mine's revenue.

"The mine is mostly copper, with some rare ores mixed in. Annual income is estimated at around 6,000 gold. Of course, labor costs and such are covered by our family, meaning you'd get at least 3,000 gold a year!"

"That much!" Li Shaolin was taken aback. He never imagined such an unremarkable mine could earn so much. For context, an ordinary commoner's household made only about one gold a year. Still, the Fargodeep Mine might not look like much from the outside, but inside it was enormous, with deep veins of ore.

"Don't worry about us cooking the books on the income. Taxes have to be reported in Goldshire, and we wouldn't dare try anything. You see, the mines and lakes in town are either occupied by the Defias Brotherhood or overrun by Murlocs and Kobolds, so there's hardly any revenue. This is the first source of tax income in years!" Bonis made a funny face. "How about this—come with me to the farm to discuss the mining operations. We'll prepare a wooden cabin just for you there. What do you say?"

"Alright, you handle things on your end. I want to learn some professional skills today anyway, so there's no rush. I'll come by in a few days. I'll leave the mine matters to you." She'd laid it all out clearly—they'd take care of everything, and he just had to wait for his money. Why not go along with it? He knew that mining it himself would probably yield more income, but he was unfamiliar with the area, and stirring up trouble with enemies would be bad. Ever since seeing the power of that Death Knight in the mine, his mind was set on getting stronger. Money had taken a backseat.

"Alright then, let's sign an agreement!" Bonis produced a piece of parchment from behind her as if by magic, already filled in. It seemed she'd planned this all along.

After parting with Bonis, he walked aimlessly along the wide road outside Goldshire, taking his time. The past few days had given him plenty to digest. As he walked, he thought: Why can't I open my spatial backpack? Is it because of my class? Would learning a professional skill change that? And what skill should I learn? Before he knew it, he'd traveled a long way.

Soon, the sun was slanting westward. He'd been woken by Bonis in the afternoon, and after wandering aimlessly, he'd covered a lot of ground. Since becoming a class-changer, this kind of walking barely drained his stamina. By the time he noticed, Goldshire was no longer in sight.

"Where is this? Is this the road to Stormwind City?" Li Shaolin's heart skipped a beat. He'd been careless and gotten lost! Just then, he spotted a guard ahead and hurried over.

"Hello, adventurer. How can I help you?" the guard asked politely, clad in a standard set of Stormwind armor.

"I'd like to ask—where does this road lead?"

"To Northshire Valley." The guard gave a slight bow.

"Isn't that the newbie starting area? Well, might as well check it out. Maybe I'll find some answers." Thanking the guard, he set off along the Official Road.

It was now pitch dark. Li Shaolin walked and silently cursed himself: He'd forgotten to ask the guard about the distance! After walking for most of the day, he hadn't seen a single bird. Out here in the wilderness, with no village ahead or inn behind, and not a single carriage passing by—was he going to have to sleep on the road tonight? But thinking aside, his feet kept moving. With his current stamina, he could walk until morning. The Official Road should be safe enough. As if to prove his words wrong, a wolf's howl rang out ahead!

"What the hell!" Two blood-red eyes lit up, and a Forest Wolf charged straight at him!

He casually summoned a Skeleton Warrior, then gestured at an empty spot, forming a new Clay Golem. Pointing at the Forest Wolf, his three summons surrounded it instantly. Before the beast could let out a second howl, it was struck by two Bone Blades and a pair of fists, dead as could be. He clapped his hands and looked at the wolf corpse on the ground. What a waste. If he'd learned Skinning and had a spatial backpack, this would've been great.

Then, faint light appeared ahead.

Li Shaolin rejoiced: It looked like there was a settlement up ahead—maybe the outskirts of Northshire Abbey. He wouldn't have to sleep in the wild after all. He quickened his pace toward the light, dismissing the two Skeleton Warriors with a wave but keeping the Clay Golem behind him. In this pitch-black darkness, it was better to be cautious!

As he approached the light, he heard the soft sound of flowing water. Looking up, he saw a small dock, with what seemed to be a lake ahead. The light came from two tall lamps on either side of the dock. Two wooden posts held iron cages with faint flames flickering inside. Seeing it was just a dock, Li Shaolin felt a bit disappointed. But then his eyes swept over and spotted a small path leading up from the dock, where a few wooden houses stood. He'd been walking too fast, focused on the light, and had missed the houses entirely.

He turned and was about to head up the path when two soft splashes came from the dock. Was someone fishing?

He glanced over. In the dim light, a child of about five or six stood there, holding a fishing rod, eyes fixed on the water.

"Whose kid is this, out fishing in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?" Li Shaolin muttered to himself, then called out, "Hey, kid, aren't you going home?"

The child seemed to hear him and turned slightly, glancing over. In that instant, Li Shaolin felt his breath catch: The kid was wearing a burlap hood mask! Three holes in the mask revealed eyes and a mouth, and it almost seemed like the child smiled at him.

"What the hell! Who wears a mask in the middle of the night to scare people? Whose brat is this?" Li Shaolin shook his head, about to look more closely, when he realized: The kid was gone!

Was that really a ghost? Or was he seeing things? No way—he was only in his twenties, not that old. And since becoming a class-changer, his nearsightedness had even cleared up. There was no reason for hallucinations.

Unable to make sense of it, he had no choice but to turn toward the small house, recalling the Golem with the Book of the Dead.

A lantern hung high by the door. Li Shaolin walked up and knocked lightly. "Thump, thump" echoed in the night.

Soon, with a "creak," the wooden door swung open, revealing a middle-aged woman: long golden hair draped over her shoulders, a white shirt paired with blue pants, her figure full and generous.

"Uh, hello. I'm a passing adventurer. I wanted to ask if you—" His eyes caught the sight, but he didn't dare dwell on it. He quickly stated his purpose, though the request to stay the night stuck in his throat. What if she misunderstood?

"Oh, honored adventurer, please come in. You need a place to stay, don't you? We all have our inconvenient moments out on the road. Don't be shy." The woman pulled the door wide, inviting him in with a warm, hospitable expression.

"Thank you so much! I'm truly grateful!" Li Shaolin was overjoyed and thanked her repeatedly.

"You're too kind!" The woman brought him a chair and led him to the hearth in the middle of the room to warm himself by the fire.

"Helenny, who's there?" Another soft, feminine voice came from a room off the main hall.

"Oh, Adler, it's a passing adventurer who needs a place for the night." The woman busied herself bringing Li Shaolin a cup of water as she answered.

Just then, a middle-aged woman in a gray linen shirt with black hair emerged from the back room. She was about the same height and build as Helenny.

"Honored guest, your arrival brings us great honor!" Adler gave a slight bow and spoke politely.

"You're too kind." Li Shaolin felt flattered.

Adler sat down to chat with him, while Helenny turned and said, "Forgive me for asking, but you haven't eaten yet, have you? Let me get some bread and cheese." She headed toward the small back room.

"Um, if I may ask—where is the master of the house?" After hesitating for a while, Li Shaolin finally asked.

"Since my husband went to the front lines, there's been no word from him. Helenny has been with me all these years. Without her, I doubt I'd have made it through those hard times. I don't know what would have happened!" Adler said to Li Shaolin, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"I'm sorry to bring up painful memories!" Li Shaolin quickly apologized. Just then, Helenny returned with bread, cheese, and a small bottle of fruit wine.

He ate a little and drank some wine. Adler smiled and said, "Dear guest, we haven't even asked your name yet. You must stay a few more days and let you taste Adler's roasted meat!"

"My name is Li Shaolin. I'm terribly sorry to trouble you. I seem a bit dizzy—may I ask, is there a place to rest? I'd like to turn in early." As soon as the wine hit his stomach, his head began to feel fuzzy. He had no idea what proof it was, but it was far too intoxicating. Not daring to drink more, he quickly asked. If he ended up losing control from the alcohol, he'd have no face left to show anyone—after all, she had kindly hosted him.

Adler and Helenny exchanged a glance and smiled faintly. "Then go upstairs and rest. Here, take this lamp." Helenny casually handed over a small oil lamp to Li Shaolin, while pointing at the wooden staircase beside them.

His head felt increasingly dizzy. Holding the oil lamp in one hand and gripping the railing with the other, he slowly ascended.

A half-open loft appeared before him. Two bookshelves were packed with books, and a few volumes lay scattered messily across two desks. He glanced briefly at a title—Skinning Trainer's Manual—but paid it no mind. Spotting a side door next to it, he turned and walked in.

The fireplace below connected upward, and waves of warmth radiated from the earthen-red corner of the wall. A wooden bed with a blue canopy stood there, two soft quilts spread over it.

The moment he saw the bed, a wave of drowsiness washed over him. Li Shaolin threw himself onto it and lay down, growing a bit dazed: This damn wine is way too strong—just a couple of sips and I'm this drunk. Feeling a bit uncomfortable lying on his back, he turned over—and immediately caught sight of the deer head mounted on the door!

He couldn't help but sneer at himself. Back when he'd first seen that bull's head at the Lion's Pride Inn, it had given him a real scare, and he'd even thought of that ghost story. Later, he learned it was just their people's custom, so he'd let it go.

Hey, wait—damn it, a ghost story? Rumor had it that in Goldshire, there was a strange room. Downstairs lived the skinning trainers, two women, and their husband had gone missing. Some suspected that one of the women had killed her husband and hidden the body under the cabinet. What the hell was this—wasn't this exactly that? But hadn't they said their man had gone off to war?

In an instant, cold sweat broke out all over him, and half his drunkenness vanished!