Chapter 32: A Simple Task

"Wait a moment—"

Duke quickly took out a silver coin from under the bar, gently wiped the back of the coin with his thumb, and then handed it to Rayan. "Take this."

Rayan took the silver coin, hesitatingly looking at Duke, "Boss, is giving just one a bit too little?"

"Kid, this isn't for spending!"

Duke gave him an annoyed look, "Take a closer look at the back of the coin."

In the Auroria Continent, whether it's gold, silver, or copper coins, the front always features the pattern of Holy Light illuminating everything, while the back varies according to the producing country. Rayan picked up the silver coin and was shocked to find the back was smoothed out, leaving only a shadow.

"Boss, I can't spend this now."

"Kid, listen closely—"

Duke lowered his voice, looking serious, "Morien is not as simple as he seems. Be careful and watch his actions. If you encounter a life-threatening situation, throw the coin with the shadow side up and recite the creed of the Balance Sect. If you can survive until the coin lands, it will help you through the danger."

"Boss—"

Rayan had many questions bubbling up in his mind, but Duke waved his hand, turned his back, and didn't give him a chance to speak.

"It's getting late, get going."

"Boss, I will definitely bring back the Moon Demon Grass for you."

Rayan bowed slightly, holding the coin with one side Holy Light and one side shadow, and turned to walk out of the Ravenstorm Inn.

"Ah, it's been years since I killed anyone, and now I've become so vulnerable?"

Duke blinked away the tears of farewell.

Waiting outside the tavern, Morien saw Rayan coming out and nodded slightly, "Let's go."

Rayan followed slowly behind Morien, trying to ignore the pain from the tightening leather strap of his sword sheath.

Fortunately, Morien was not walking fast, which gave Rayan a chance to get used to the weight of the giant sword.

The afternoon sun was dark and cold, the road south from Shadowcrest Ridge Forsaken Hollow was empty, eerily silent. The alchemist said nothing, not even his breathing could be heard. Rayan couldn't help but feel as if he was walking with a zombie.

They walked south for over an hour, and the climate temperature had noticeably changed; it was no longer the chilly air of Windwood Village, but rather a refreshing autumn feel. The trees along the road were full of greenery, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of fruit—if not for experiencing it firsthand, it would be hard to imagine that it belonged to the same region, yet clearly felt like two different seasons.

Rayan gradually got used to the weight of the giant sword on his back, his breathing and pace also adjusted to an ideal state. Compared to that, the alchemist's speed seemed somewhat slow.

"How much longer until we reach Dusk Village?"

"Don't rush, young man."

Morien did not turn around, just calmly replied, "By sundown, you will see Dusk Village. I will arrange a place for you to eat and sleep, so you can rest well and be ready to start your task tomorrow."

"Arrange a place?"

Rayan asked, puzzled, "Aren't I staying at your place?"

"Stay at my place?"

A sinister chuckle sounded from beneath the brown hood, "No, it's not that I'm not hospitable, but..." He suddenly pursed his pale lips and said no more.

"It's because you have secrets you don't want me to find out, right?"

Morien stopped, looked directly at Rayan from under the hood, "It's not that I'm not hospitable, it's just that there's no food in my house. And ever since Yin Lisha died, I don't really have any secrets left."

He turned around and continued walking at a leisurely pace.

"No food at all?"

Rayan couldn't help but ask, "What do you eat then, if you never leave the house for three years?"

"Nothing at all."

Morien said lightly, "I'm an alchemist, eating is a waste of time for me."

No wonder he looked neither human nor ghost!

Rayan took a deep breath, feeling a chill in his heart.

Morien added, "While you're looking for the weapon, your boss asked me to ensure your food for these days. So, placing you in a villager's home is the best choice. Also..."

He stopped by an apple tree by the roadside, looked up at the full fruits, and said softly, "I also need your help with something."

"Want an apple?"

Rayan shook the tree trunk vigorously, and ripe fruits fell from the branches.

"This was Yin Lisha's favorite thing to eat."

Morien said with a smile, his tone filled with a nostalgic flavor. He bent down laboriously, carefully picked two bright red apples, and handed them to Rayan. "Please help me place these on her grave, I... am not allowed into the cemetery."

Looking at his thin, trembling hands, Rayan felt an indescribable sadness. It's rare to see such great love in the world, to still fondly remember his wife's preferences so many years after her death.

He took the two apples, nodded heavily, "Don't worry, I will definitely bring them for you."

Morien showed a relieved smile. "You are the first person who hasn't tried to bargain with me." He then pulled out a small, enchanted hoe from under his brown cloak.

"This is a gathering tool, the herbs collected with it will retain their medicinal properties. This is your first task. Tomorrow morning, do not come to my residence, go to the cemetery first, tell the night watchmen that you are a friend of a villager, and after you get in, remember to offer the apples to Yin Lisha, and you will also find a type of viscous moss around her grave, that's cemetery moss, bring me three clumps, then I will tell you the next step, understood?"

"Understood."

Rayan put away the hoe, feeling this task was too simple.

Morien noticed the expression on his face, dryly chuckled, and said nothing more, continuing towards Dusk Village.

As the sun set, Dusk Village indeed appeared before Rayan's eyes.

A thick night fog enveloped the village, only allowing its rough contours to be discerned. As they walked closer, the appearance of the village gradually emerged around them, like a ghost becoming clearer.

Wooden cottages, thatched roofs, dirt roads, plus the scent of meals, the sound of children playing, and parents talking—this place was completely different from Shadowcrest Ridge Forsaken Hollow. Forsaken Hollow, built of stone with cobblestone roads, felt dead, only Duke dared to operate there.

The chatting villagers saw Morien's arrival and immediately stiffened their faces, no longer laughing, but staring intently at him, as if the grudges from three years ago had not yet dissipated.

Rayan could not escape these hostile glances either, the feeling of being closely watched made him feel as if needles were pricking his back.

Morien had long been accustomed to this feeling, he continued walking leisurely through the streets and alleys of Dusk Village, finally stopping in front of a brightly lit house.

"This is it."

He took a deep breath, then reached out and knocked on the door.

When he knocked for the third time, the wooden door creaked open a crack. A little girl about five or six years old looked out timidly with big watery eyes.

"Who are you looking for?"

Morien seemed not to expect a little girl to answer the door, he involuntarily stepped back half a step, then tremblingly said, "Are you... Mina?"

"You know my name? But I don't recognize you."

The little girl tilted her head, puzzled.

Morien's tone became unprecedentedly gentle, "I am your aunt's husband, your mother is..."

Just then, a man's rough shouting came from inside the house, "Mina, who's outside?"

The little girl turned her head, "He says he's my aunt's husband!"

There was a moment of meaningful silence inside, followed by a woman's scream and the thumping of footsteps as Mina's parents rushed out of the house like mad.

"Come here!"

The mother pulled Mina back and held her tightly in her arms, looking frightened at Morien and Rayan.

The father, wielding a steel spear, stood in front of his daughter and wife, but his expression was not as brave as he appeared. He wore a studded deer leather jacket, the ties tight on his large belly, his unkempt beard covering his cheeks and chin, the color like aged gold.

"What are you doing here, you demon?! Haven't you harmed our family enough?"

He shouted loudly, "I am now the village's night watchmen!"

"Very sorry..."

Morien unexpectedly bent deeply in a bow, "Due to my involvement, you have suffered a lot in the village these past three years, I should have come to apologize sooner, but I couldn't let go of my memories of my wife..."

Mina's mother immediately began to sob, "Yin Lisha, my poor sister..."

"Shut up! Stupid woman, all you do is cry!"

After cursing, Mina's father turned his gaze back to Morien, "If you're just here to apologize, you've done that, now leave, we have nothing to do with you!" Saying this, he reached to close the door.

Morien unobtrusively pulled out a gold coin from under his brown cloak, the gold reflecting a halo as if coating his pale fingers with a layer of gold.

Mina's father's action to close the door slowed.

"Is there anything else?"

His tone was noticeably less harsh than before.

"It's like this..."

Morien bent one skinny, gnarled finger, pointing at Rayan, "This is my old friend's son, passing through here, hoping to stay a few days, I hope you can accommodate him."

Mina's father hesitated, looked at Rayan, then at the gold coin in Morien's hand. One gold coin was indeed a windfall, but two would certainly be more satisfying...

Morien seemed to see through this outwardly fierce but inwardly timid man's greed, he immediately added another gold coin, "I hope for the sake of Holy Light..."

Mina's father's eyebrows showed ecstatic joy, he reached for the gold coins while hypocritically saying, "Alright, for the sake of Holy Light, I'll help you this one time!"