Adventurer

Chapter 5 · Adventurer

In the dark, damp sewer, three giant rats the size of house cats ran wildly ahead, occasionally looking back as if something terrifying lurked in the shadowy passage behind them.

In a corner not far from the three giant rats, Lu Minghao watched them run past through the crack where he was hiding. When he saw the wound on one of them, he instinctively shrank deeper into the crevice. The cleanly sliced wound was clearly caused by a human weapon. If it had come from a fight between beasts, it could never have looked like this.

But why are there humans in the sewer?

Looking at the bloodstains on the ground nearby, Lu Minghao grew increasingly puzzled. Could the New World have sewer cleaners too?

A few tunnels away from where Lu Minghao was hiding, several humans dressed unmistakably as adventurers were struggling forward while holding a glowing stone. From time to time, groups of giant rats or low-level monsters like Mud Monsters and slimes attacked them.

"Big Brother Tuka, when do you think we'll be able to take on other kinds of commissions? I'm sick of cleaning these low-level monsters out of foul-smelling sewers."

A blond boy who looked about seventeen impatiently crushed the slime beside his foot. The filth splashed everywhere, releasing an overpowering stench. His already-discontented mood grew even more irritable, and he vented his frustration by splitting a giant rat that leaped at him in midair with a single sword stroke. Then he complained to the middle-aged man in leather armor ahead of them.

"Keith, take this seriously. Besides, we're only beginner adventurers. We don't have the qualifications to accept other commissions."

Tuka, the middle-aged man at the front of the group, turned to look at the complaining boy. They were merely a team of beginner adventurers. Their equipment was mediocre, and they did not even have a mage among them. If they really accepted a commission outside the city, they would probably die halfway there to monsters or bandits.

As a middle-aged man who had spent most of his life in the adventurer business, Tuka did not have much strength, but he knew his own limitations. Besides, commissions to clean sewers were originally a benefit the Adventurer's Guild provided specifically for low-level adventurer teams.

For one thing, they provided the large number of low-level adventurers with enough pay to scrape by. For another, they served to train newcomers.

However, only beginner adventurers were willing to do sewer-cleaning commissions. Adventurer teams with even a little ability would quickly rank up and accept commissions such as escorts or monster extermination. After all, leaving aside the pitiful pay, the foul stench and dark environment of the sewers alone were enough to disgust people. On top of that, a careless injury could result in an infected wound.

"Tsk!"

After hearing their captain, Keith vented his frustration on the low-level monsters beside him. When he had left his village, he had promised everyone that he would make something of himself and become a powerful adventurer. Yet now, all he could do was clean sewers.

"All right, everyone, stay alert. According to the information provided by the Adventurer's Guild, there's a goblin settlement not far ahead. Once we clear it out, this commission will be complete."

At that moment, Tuka suddenly turned around and looked seriously at everyone. Their mission this time was to clear out all the monsters in this area, with the goblin settlement being the most important target. Although goblins, slimes, giant rats, and Mud Monsters were all low-level monsters, the difference in their strength was enormous.

If they failed to stay alert, one careless mistake could make them pay a heavy price. Tuka did not want anyone on the team to be lost because of this mission.

"Yes!"

"Understood, Captain."

The originally lax group immediately became alert. Even Keith, who had been complaining moments before, put on a serious expression. He truly wanted to accept other missions and improve his strength and reputation, but he would still obey his captain's orders carefully.

"Good. Gordon and I will set up the traps. Nina, keep watch. Keith, protect Nina. Once the traps are ready, lure those goblins over in groups and wipe them all out."

After speaking, Tuka and the short-sword-wielding man beside him began setting up various traps. Tuka had chosen this location based on his experience. The exit ahead led directly to the goblins' territory, while the passage here was narrow and dark, making it perfect for preventing the goblins from rushing them all at once.

Moreover, once the traps were properly set, the goblins would no longer be able to attack them easily.

As Tuka and Gordon began setting up the traps, Keith and Nina quietly made their way to the exit and surveyed the goblins inside. In an open area of roughly a hundred square meters, more than a dozen goblins were gathered lazily. Trash and goblin-discarded bones were scattered everywhere, with clear tooth marks visible on the white bones.

At the center of the goblins, a battered iron pot hung over a fire. Viscous liquid churned constantly in the flames, and rotten chunks of meat, grass, and unidentified bones could be clearly seen inside. Beside the pot, a figure noticeably larger than the other goblins kept stirring it.

Every so often, it stuck a hand into its trousers and scratched itself. Without washing afterward, it grabbed a nearby slime and threw it into the pot. The already-thick liquid became even more viscous, like a pitch-black jelly mixed with all sorts of things.

"Nina, how is it?"

While Keith and Nina cautiously observed the goblins, Tuka quietly patted them both on the shoulders and asked in a low voice. He looked toward the goblin settlement ahead, and when he saw the goblin beside the iron pot, his expression grew solemn.

A Hobgoblin—the evolved form of a goblin—possessed strength far beyond that of an ordinary goblin. Generally speaking, one adventurer could barely handle three ordinary goblins, while a Hobgoblin could easily deal with three ordinary adventurers.

In other words, if he had not acted cautiously and had charged straight in, today would have been the death anniversary of their four-person team. If nothing unexpected happened, the three men would become part of the contents of that iron pot. As for Nina...

"Nina, give me your bow and arrows. Caesar, take Nina and retreat behind the traps."

The next second, Tuka patted Caesar on the shoulder and had him lead Nina behind the traps. Then he took the bow and arrows Nina handed him, reluctantly pulled a small bottle from his chest, tied it to the arrowhead, and aimed at the Hobgoblin.

This was an Alchemical Bomb made by some mages. Its power was formidable. As long as it hit successfully, it would be enough to kill the Hobgoblin, while the blast would also clear out the other goblins. However, the price of being so effective and powerful was that it was extremely expensive.

That single Alchemical Bomb had cost the entire team half a year's communal funds. Still, to save their lives and complete the mission, Tuka had no choice but to use it here. Besides, the reward for a Hobgoblin was enough to make up for the cost of the Alchemical Bomb.

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