Clues from Lobster Bro and the Blacksmith

"Who are you?!"

Startled, Mei Erjia jumped back, finally able to see clearly who was making the sound.

That was a person, or rather, a person? They were wearing an iron helmet that covered their entire face, so their features were completely obscured.

However, it doesn't have any hair, barbs, or scales on its body, and its body odor and voice are normal, so it should be human.

Wait, if there are people here, why didn't I notice them?

Mei Erjia instantly became alert. She stared at the stranger, looking him up and down, and finally understood why she hadn't noticed him.

Because the other person showed no emotional fluctuations just now, most people would feel something when they see a stranger, such as murderous intent, fear, or disgust.

But this man, this man wearing an iron helmet, was completely focused on the big pot in front of him, as if the whole world consisted only of the pot and the bright red shrimp cooking in it, and as if everything outside of him did not exist as long as he paid attention to it!

This idealistic state can only be entered by a very small number of people!

Mei Erjia imagined a whole bunch of things, but fortunately, the person in front of her didn't seem very strong, which prevented her from becoming Demiurge-like again.

"Who are you? Ahem, may I ask who you are?" With the intention of friendly communication, she mentally crafted her words.

After all, this "Rogue" who's cooking shrimp doesn't look like an ordinary adventurer. What normal person would choose to cook shrimp here?

"What's wrong with you? If you're not going to buy shrimp, then get lost. I have no interest in talking to strangers."

He spoke in an irritated tone and waved Mei Erjia away.

Hey, this guy's even more irritable than menopausal Wei En Ma. Mei Erjia raised an eyebrow, then said with a smile, "Can't we talk if we're not going to buy anything? Liurnia is all foggy, I'm so scared. It's so hard to find someone to chat with."

"Get lost if you're not buying, or I'll rip you off." The Rogue's voice remained rude.

No matter what Mei Erjia said next, he only used this sentence to reply, which made the elf's face turn as red as a shrimp in a pot.

"Why are you angry with the afterimage?" Li Zinei's telepathic magic echoed in her mind.

Mei Erjia stiffened, then casually brushed off non-existent dust from her clothes and said:

"Of course I know it's an afterimage. If I say more, maybe he'll say something else too. That's called gathering intelligence. Can't you even see that?"

[Hehe]

"Try buying a shrimp," Wei En Ma's voice came over.

"I have to buy shrimp again." Mei Erjia pouted. The grilled Great Lobster she had just eaten was not good. Although the meat was quite firm, it had a strong earthy taste, and she couldn't help but think of the ferocious appearance of the Great Lobster while eating it.

However, the crayfish being cooked in the Rogue's big pot looked quite appetizing. They were mostly small crayfish, only half the length of a person, and even smaller ones, about the size of a palm. They looked much gentler than the Great Lobster and were easier to eat.

Crayfish should be easier to catch than Great Lobster, right? Actually, no.

Mei Erjia clearly remembered that the crayfish would only follow the Great Lobster in groups, and catching them would inevitably lead to conflict with their parents.

Looking at it this way, the guy wearing the iron helmet must be a tough guy to be able to catch and sell lobsters in the treacherous Lake Liurnia!

"I want to buy a shrimp." To be honest, she thought the term "shrimp" was a bit strange. Why not just call it a lobster? But since the Rogue called it a shrimp, she decided to go along with it.

"Oh, you've changed your mind. Well then, I'll give you shrimp, but you have to give me something in return."

At first, Mei Erjia thought that he was going to exchange something specific for it, but he found out that all the other party wanted was his soul.

A shrimp the size of a palm costs 200 souls, while one half the size of a person costs over a thousand. That's really not cheap.

But considering how difficult it is to obtain shrimp in Lake Liurnia, the price seems quite normal.

Here, your shrimp.

After Mei Erjia gave up his soul, the Rogue used his ruthless iron hand to scoop a palm-sized crayfish directly from the boiling pot, smoothly detached the tail, and handed it to Mei Erjia.

Looking at the white and pink lobster meat, Mei Erjia hesitated for a moment, but finally took it.

Even if it doesn't taste good, I'll accept it. With that thought, she took a bite.

"Huh?"

Her exclamation drew the attention of the surrounding elves. What was wrong? Was it poisonous?

"This, this..."

Mei Erjia looked at the lobster meat that had been bitten into, covered her mouth, and said, "It's delicious!"

"It's just ordinary boiled shrimp, but it's like a flavor bomb. Every bite is full of shrimp flavor. It's tender and juicy yet still springy. And the amount of salt used is also very particular. I could eat it for a lifetime!"

Don't suddenly start doing mukbangs!

Her description made the surrounding elves involuntarily swallow hard, all turning their gazes to the Rogue, and then swarming over him in the next second.

But Mei Erjia was faster; she spoke first, "Give me another one!"

"Oh, you're buying again? You're pretty savvy." His face was obscured by the iron helmet, but the Rogue's lips were definitely curled into a smile. "Consider this one a gift. Anyone who likes shrimp is definitely not a bad person."

The shrimp was delicious, and the word "free" made the food taste even better. She happily ate the shrimp meat and gave up her seat for her fellow countrymen who were buying shrimp.

Before long, a small mountain of shrimp shells had piled up around the Rogue. The elves sat in a row, eating shrimp. Not only were their movements synchronized, but even their chewing rhythm was in sync, which had a unique kind of cuteness to it.

Just as everyone was enjoying the delicious food, Wei En Ma was the first to notice something was wrong.

"[Mid Rank Appraisal Technique]"

She used a spell on herself that could assess her own condition, revealing whether a creature had been subjected to positive or negative effects, and a Mid Rank appraisal spell could also vaguely distinguish the strength of these effects.

Upon reading her own information, the surprise on her face was the same as when she tasted the delicious Mei Erjia.

"What's wrong, boss?" Li Zinei asked, wiping her mouth. Her original words might have been "What happened?", but because of the curse, the words that reached other people's ears were all altered in meaning, making her words sound like something Malu would say.

"The appraisal skill shows that a mysterious force is protecting me, able to reduce the damage caused by attacks other than magic." Wei En Ma analyzed carefully, "It only lasts for a few minutes, but it is very effective in reducing the damage."

Wow, cooked shrimp can have this effect?

Why didn't the Great Lobster they ate before have any effect? Does that mean only lobsters sold by Rogue have this effect?

If Si Telan were here, she would definitely say: I knew that the Zane Dungeon would never produce useless things.

Originally, shrimp was just a delicious food, but with special effects added, its value became incomparable, and the price of 200 souls became cheap in the eyes of elves.

Mei Erjia quickly turned her gaze to the cauldron, and the others did so at the same time.

There was a moment of silence, followed by a clamor.

"Boss, I'll buy them all!"

"To hell with your ancestors, I want to buy it too!"

"We're from the same lineage!"

"So what? The old folks are all buried anyway!"

Unlike Ka Lie where you can pull out an endless variety of goods just by reaching under the counter, the shrimp sold by the Rogue vendors is limited. They only sell what's in the pot, and once it's gone, it's gone.

Delicious, beneficial, and most importantly, "limited-time offer"—these three qualities are enough to make people rush to buy it.

In the ensuing scramble, the large pot nearly overturned. After all the shrimp had been sold out, the Rogue uttered his classic line.

"Those who like shrimp are definitely not bad people. I get along very well with you guys."

But at that moment, the elves were almost fighting over the spoils, and no one paid attention to what he was saying.

In the end, it was Wei En Ma who used a vine to whip one of the troublemakers, which finally calmed everyone down.

I don't know what triggered it, but the Rogue started a new dialogue.

"You also stumbled into this place by accident, weren't you? Are you also following the guidance of the blessing? Unfortunately, I can't see it at all."

"It's ridiculous that a small-time hoodlum like me would dream of coming here. I don't even need a name anymore, just call me Rogue."

"I'll stay here and sell shrimp for a while. Come back if you want some. Maybe there will be new products for you to buy in the future."

Wei En Ma felt there was something hidden in the Rogue's words, but she couldn't understand it. She lacked crucial information, such as what "blessing" meant—did it refer to the blessings of endless reincarnation? What was the Rogue's "delusional" wishful thinking?

They tried asking, but the Rogue wouldn't say a word, only saying, "Come back next time if you want to eat shrimp."

It's that time of year again for fragmented narratives, which people love most. Wei En Ma isn't Leon; she's not good at filling in the blanks in her head and just keeps her doubts to herself.

By the way, Si Telan told them about what they might encounter in the Lake District before they set off, but she didn't mention anything about Rogue.

Wow, did they stumble upon something new by accident?

"If only I had a map." Mei Erjia put the Cooked Shrimp he had snatched into his pocket while looking around at the scenery, trying to memorize the place so he could come back often in the future.

Some high-level spells can achieve the same effect as Cooked Shrimp, but shrimp are cheap, and their effects are immediate upon consumption, making them much more convenient and faster than magic. Besides, not everyone can learn magic.

After being comforted by the delicious food, the elves were somewhat invigorated and decided to continue their journey westward.

Just then, the Rogue who had seen them heading west suddenly spoke up.

"Are you heading west? If so, do me a favor, and I'll treat you to crabs when I get back."

"Sure, what can we do for you? We'll do our best, no, we'll definitely help," Mei Erjia asked with a grin.

"Take this."

The Rogue pulled a hammer from his pocket.

It wasn't a weapon, but rather the kind of hammer used to forge weapons.

"A blacksmith from the Academy Gate Town left his hammer here with me. I think his name was Andre or something. He thought he had lost the hammer further west and went deep into that area to look for it, but it turned out he had left it with me."

"If you can find him, return the hammer to its rightful owner. If you find the hammer, he should be satisfied and go home. He might even help you forge weapons."

"If you really find him, remember to come back and see me. I'll cook you a shrimp feast, since you and the blacksmith are both good people who love shrimp."

I never expected that the Rogue was so aggressive at first would show such a friendly side; even his menacing iron helmet seemed friendly now.

"Alright, I will definitely live up to your mission."

Mei Erjia readily accepted the hammer, turned around and casually tossed his cloak, saying, "Let's go, guys, let's go save the reckless blacksmith!"

"Who are you little minions? I'm older than you, watch your mouth!" came a protest from the elves.

"Can't you just do me a favor? It's not easy for me to say such cool lines."

"Not good!"

Once again embarking on their adventure, the elves were filled with a joyful atmosphere; they had never seen any adventurer team so cheerful before.

These are simply a bunch of ultimate yang horns.