Chapter 10 We Should Be More Proactive

Heine pulled the carriage over next to "Magic Leather" and let the guards watch it before he walked away.

With his years of RPG experience, he knew that the quest density here was only slightly less than that at the tavern.

That was also the primary reason he came here.

Nothing was more comforting than listening for strategies to find quests.

"What about the hand crossbow? Details, please."

Brother Yang couldn't help but start asking.

"A self-charging magic hand crossbow with armor-piercing venom arrows, limited to five, but it looks like we've missed our chance."

"It's fine, it's just a hand crossbow. We can't force him to trigger the quest, after all."

After a few seconds of silence, Teacher Xia suddenly said, "Actually, there's an enchanted belt with light thorn protection on this street that could be considered quite decent in the early stages..."

"I think this magic hand crossbow is crucial for you, we should take some initiative."

"Your mom, do knights have a skill for changing faces?"

"That's called being sincere."

Teacher Xia had no strength to retort, but Zhuo Yang's words did inspire him.

"We really could take some initiative—since he's accepted our 'self-fighting' premise, isn't it reasonable that we could trigger a flashback in certain scenarios?"

"You mean pretend to be high-level NPC spirits from the Makala region?"

"Right. Now that we're in free mode, when we get to 'Poison Spider's Kiss', you stand still outside and attract that alchemist. Whether the plot is triggered depends on this guy's perceptiveness."

"Why does it have to be me?"

"The boss number 3 (Hunter)'s cutting board is made from Soluble Blood Wood, things like Soluble Blood Hemp, Soluble Blood Grass, and so on, only grow near Haunted Farm, which is a dungeon area that normal people are afraid to go to. He'll borrow your cutting board in the name of research, and that will trigger the storyline."

Brother Yang, on alert, said, "It won't dismantle my shield, right?"

"Good question, I don't know."

"Huh?"

"Back when I dug up Seventh Master's grave I got wanted, and I spent my first 10 levels in Whispering Forest, so let's see how perceptive he is."

"Then why would I just stand there without moving?"

"Well, perhaps you're the former owner who died in battle, the old father of this shop..."

"...You're something else."

By this time, the three of them had slowly approached "Poison Spider's Kiss".

When they got to the door, Zhuo Yang suddenly stood still, and Heine deliberately took a few steps out before turning back in surprise.

At this point, the alchemist Rowen had already come out, his brow furrowed as he stared at the heavily wrapped skeleton in front of him.

He recognized it was undead.

"Is this your servant? Come inside and let's talk."

Rowen went back inside and Heine, feigning hesitation, followed him.

There were no customers inside the shop, just as deserted as the day before.

Heine had automatically ignored this shop yesterday when he was scoping out the area and chose the nearby "Potions and Jars" drugstore instead, not expecting there to be a storyline here.

"Do you come from the Bone Burial Ground?"

"Yes."

"My name is Rowen. I'm not one for pleasantries, so I'll get straight to the point—there's something on your servant that interests me. Name your price."

Heine's gaze swept over Zhuo Yang, seeming to ponder.

"Teacher Xia, this doesn't match what you told me," Heine said.

"Don't panic, this NPC is at most level 5, just a life-skilled profession. You could take him out with a single flying shield."

"And then Heine gets wanted and spends his first 10 levels in Whispering Forest?"

"See, the world line is converging."

Heine listened with a wry smile, but his expression remained calm.

"Does your interest have something to do with Hunter Jettile?"

"You..."

Rowen's breathing became obviously heavier, and a hostile look appeared in his eyes.

"Don't misunderstand, Hunter died last night."

"What?"

"Bone Burial Ground was razed to the ground by divine Holy Light falling from the skies. The academy no longer exists."

"How is that possible... No, the Holy Light..."

Rowen's complexion changed dramatically, his hands buried in his hair as he exclaimed in pain,

"That Gittiler is dead? Dead? Where the hell am I supposed to find Soluble Blood Grass now, damn it, I just barely managed to escape from that place!"

"Let's talk." Heine said, "Perhaps I can help you."

...

Half an hour later, Heine left the Poison Spider's Kiss with two bottles of paralyzing toxin.

The communication went smoothly; he not only received the task but also got a part of the reward in advance.

Teacher Xia exclaimed, "I'm really jealous of this guy's savvy and eloquence. If we had had him in our team back then, how could we have gotten into so many pointless fights... We would've been in the top echelon a long time ago."

"That makes sense, given that your brains are on par with professional-level careers, and you even managed to fight with the quartermaster before I joined."

Heine scratched his head at this, what kind of players were these...

Rowen's story wasn't complicated.

He was born on a Haunted Farm operated by the Gittiler family and spent the first thirty-two years of his life there, escaping only in the last year.

In addition to working for the Gittilers, the farmers at the Haunted Farm also served as experimental subjects.

Because he was good at concocting potions, he was selected to join the manor at the age of fifteen, where he not only became a mage's apprentice but also started a family and soon had a cute daughter.

But later he found out that his wife had long been afflicted with a Blood Curse, and his daughter was even the subject of experimental research on hereditary Blood Curse.

Through the buffer of her mother, her blood could be used in potions; the formula Hunter Jettile used against the teachers at the Bone Burial Ground had included this type of blood — this was also the reason why Xiya La remained unconscious to this day.

Heine first had him study the chopping board, but unfortunately, the object had most of its properties changed by the potion and could not be used in alchemy.

So he agreed to go to the Haunted Farm to bring back some Soluble Blood Grass.

It was for the sake of both the follow-up to the Magic Hand Crossbow and the treatment of Xiya La.

He didn't reveal that there was also a sick person in his own home; Rowen was naturally so grateful that he cried tears of thanks and immediately gave away two bottles of poison.

During the talk, Heine repeatedly restated Rowen's words in the form of rhetorical questions, allowing the two players to also hear the whole story.

The two did not disappoint Heine, quickly connecting the task with the Haunted Farm, and saying, "This instance is just perfect; returning to the Haunted Farm is like going home."

Now, he had no choice but to go.

Heine handed the bottles of poison over to Teacher Xia and carefully instructed him on how to apply the poison to the dagger, just like teaching a kitten to use the litter box.

...

On the carriage heading north.

Heine ordered Zhuo Yang to sit beside him to drive the carriage together.

He decided he would grant him some freedom, but not before showing enough hesitation.

On the other hand, Zhuo Yang was also nervous.

"What should I do, Teacher Xia? I feel like I'm going to turn into bone dust."

"On the other hand, you're the first to be prepared for the next character, a Skeleton."

"Thanks a lot..."

At that moment, Heine began to speak thoughtfully.

"Principal Gale said I'm not a Necromancer.

"The effect of the Soul Banishing Curse is to prevent mages from communicating with Wandering Souls in the Netherworld, so the curse is useless against me.

"But he mentioned Fine Souls, a stronger type of the deceased who possessed impressive combat awareness in life, and those instincts did not fade after death... I believe you are also a Fine Soul, and an outstanding one at that.

"Those capable of summoning Fine Souls are Spirit Communicators. I hope one day I will be worthy of that title — being knowledgeable about souls.

"I don't know why you were lingering in front of Rowen's store today.

"I asked him about the store's history, and he said he took over from an old man who had a son who died in a distant battle. The son was a great young guy, affectionately referred to by his teammates as 'solid support.'

"I don't know if you have anything to do with him, but I must admit, you are just as reliable."

The gentle words dissipated in the early autumn breeze.

Heine fell silent, and the two of them might have remained wordless for a long time.

After a while, Heine sighed.

He patted Zhuo Yang's shoulder, "Go on, think of it as a Spirit Communicator attempting to communicate with his summon, but it's clear that I've failed. "

Zhuo Yang returned to the carriage and didn't speak for a while.

"Did I pass?"

"I think you did."

"Next time, can it be a more obvious hint?"

"I think it can."

Heine also breathed a sigh of relief.

Good, the story was worth telling.