William quietly moved several of the strongest Goblins into the long-abandoned mine behind him and began his research.
As it turned out, his research was a success.
Thanks to the special materials he had bought on the black market, the time it took a Goblin to hatch and become capable of labor had been astonishingly reduced to just two months.
The profits from Blackstone Mine kept climbing, proving he had been right.
Of course, he knew that if the Church ever discovered what he was doing, he would be as good as dead.
Still, the money he stood to make was worth the gamble.
Besides, the Church barely bothered with places this remote.
And the mine's profits were only a small part of it.
What if he packaged these quickly produced Goblins as a special kind of "merchandise" and sold them to "customers" who also ran mines or had certain unusual tastes?
It should have been a river flowing with Jin Bi, but now someone had forcibly cut it off.
"Damn it!"
On the early autumn plains.
He Xi felt as though his legs were filled with lead.
He trudged along the rutted dirt road, one step sinking deeper than the next.
A week of long-distance travel and spell practice had left him utterly exhausted.
Fortunately, his efforts had paid off.
Not only had his total mana increased, but he could now cast Enhanced Earth Spike Technique three times in a row.
He had also gained better control over Earth Spike Technique, allowing him to manipulate it with a precision he hadn't been able to manage before.
Most importantly, he had discovered that casting spells in everyday situations also earned him proficiency. His Earth Spike Technique was currently at Lv.2 (6/20).
It simply wasn't as efficient as improving through actual combat.
A week ago, after confirming that the Goblins in Plint hadn't come from Blackstone Mine, he had decided to leave.
There was little he could do beyond hoping that the mine's cleanup would serve as a warning to whoever might be behind it.
As for the truth, he was clearly in no position to investigate it further right now.
Besides, he had no idea when the infiltrator he had encountered before might return.
Staying near Plint any longer would have been an extremely unwise choice.
Of course, there was another, more pressing problem—he was almost out of money!
Neither Plint nor Oak Town had much of an active adventurer community, let alone an Adventurer's Guild.
So he had set off for Rose Town with Bruce.
It was part of the Dusk Duchy under the Emerald Federation, bordering the vast and dangerous Gray Mist Forest. It was the most famous gathering place for adventurers in the region.
"First, I'll get certified as an Apprentice Mage there, then register as an adventurer, and start making money as soon as possible."
But thinking about all these tangled problems still made He Xi frown.
Unlike He Xi, Bruce was completely absorbed in its own exploration.
It stuck its head into the bushes, trying to find the little creature it had been thinking about all the way here.
"Bruce!" He Xi called out weakly. "Let's go!"
Bruce barked in reply, but its attention was immediately drawn to a new sound.
"Creak... creak..."
An ornate carriage, completely out of place on the dilapidated dirt road, was slowly approaching from behind.
A magnificent black horse pulled it. The horse was powerfully built and strode steadily, standing a head taller than any horse He Xi had seen before.
Even its wheels, which were larger than those of an ordinary carriage, made a deep rumble as they rolled over the ground, giving off an imposing air.
Bruce immediately went over to inspect the enormous rotating wheels.
Then it barked at the black horse pulling the carriage. "Woof! Woof, woof!"
It seemed to be greeting the horse, or perhaps announcing its presence.
The black horse merely snorted disdainfully and swished its tail. It didn't even lift an eyelid, continuing at its steady pace.
Watching Bruce look so carefree and full of energy, then thinking of his own empty coin purse, He Xi couldn't help but chuckle ruefully and mutter:
"Must be nice, having nothing to worry about..."
At last, Bruce finished "investigating" the carriage,
and trotted over to He Xi, proudly carrying a straight branch in its mouth.
"Plop."
It dropped the branch by He Xi's feet, then raised its head. Its doggy eyes shone with joy and anticipation, and its tail wagged furiously.
"He Xi! Look what I found!" Bruce's voice brimmed with excitement, eager for praise. "It's for you! Now we'll have something to play with on the road!"
He Xi looked at the branch, now covered in Bruce's drool, then at Bruce's eyes, which seemed to say, "Praise me, praise me!"
The frown he'd worn from fatigue and worry eased without him even realizing it.
Who could resist a straight branch?
"Foolish dog."
He muttered the insult, bent down, and picked up the "precious gift," weighing it in his hand.
Then he threw the branch down the road!
It traced a graceful arc through the air.
"Woof!"
Bruce let out a joyful bark and excitedly chased after it.
But, rather awkwardly—
The branch smacked right onto the roof of the ornate carriage.
He Xi's heart sank.
Bruce realized it had caused trouble too. Instead of chasing the offending branch, it ran back to He Xi's legs and warily watched the carriage as it came to a stop.
A pale, slender hand drew back the carriage curtain, and a pretty face creased with irritation appeared.
She had beautifully shaped almond eyes, but they were narrowed slightly now, and she carried herself with a natural air of superiority.
Her voice was clearly displeased as she began her sharp question. "Who's so ill-mannered as to throw things around—"
But she abruptly stopped speaking.
Her gaze fell on He Xi's dust-streaked but sharply defined face. The impatience in her almond eyes faded a little, replaced by surprise and curiosity.
What interested her even more was the fluffy dog by his feet. It was staring at her with a tense expression, almost as if it were a person. She grew even more curious, as though she had discovered a fascinating new toy.
"Fred, have him bring that dog aboard."
The coachman named Fred paused at her words, then turned back to advise her. "But, Miss Anise, Mr. Odin will catch up with us soon. If he sees us letting a stranger into the carriage, he might..."
"Are you taking orders from him or from me?" Annis raised her eyebrows impatiently, her irritation becoming more pronounced. "Besides, that drunkard could be off in any tavern, for all we know. This isn't the first time he's done this. Why should we waste our time on a liar?"
The coachman knew he couldn't argue with the young lady. He could only silently spare Mr. Odin a moment of pity before sighing helplessly.
He climbed down from the carriage and walked over to He Xi, bowing slightly. "This way, sir."
He Xi had no idea what they were after. He instinctively touched his empty purse and said warily,
"Uh... I'm terribly sorry. I didn't do that on purpose."
The coachman's expression remained blank. He simply gestured again for him to come aboard.
At that moment, a voice came from inside the carriage as well:
"Get in. Or would you rather discuss how you'll compensate me for Nightshade, my black horse worth 30 Gold Shields?"
Before you continue