The past three days have been the happiest days Abi can remember.
A few days ago, he couldn’t even imagine it—bag after bag of Gold Coins, so many that a whole backpack couldn’t hold them. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵
Before this, he never imagined that someone like him, coming from the countryside, could enjoy the wonderful life of having three meals a day at the White Sparrow.
He can effortlessly order any dish on the menu that arouses his appetite and easily purchase a complete set of Equipment at the "Rock Hammer" Blacksmith Shop, where he previously dared not even enter. He could grab a handful of Gold Coins without even counting them and shove them into an envelope to send home.
In the past, risking life and limb in battles with various Demons, fighting tooth and nail, he barely scraped together those few Gold Coins.
Now, that amount wasn’t even as much as the tips he casually threw to servers in the casino.
In just three days, his identity has transformed from the "low level adventurer," "pauper" to being the object of envy among gamblers and the happiest person in River Valley Town (according to himself).
Abi has earned a total of five hundred Gold Coins!
And the cost for this was just the minimal effort used to stand up beside the card table and sweep the chips piled on it into his arms.
He hasn’t realized that when he lightly turned his wrist to reveal the face of the cards—less than 0.5 seconds—it was enough to earn wealth that previously took him six months of effort to accumulate. In doing so, his perception of money quietly changed.
His mind doesn’t even have a related concept.
Driven by human instinct, the gradually swelling desire has long buried the hazy rationale in an unseen corner of his mind.
Earn money! Indulge! Let loose!
These are all the thoughts in Abi’s mind right now.
"The building beside us is the adventurer association in River Valley Town, right?"
In his mind, a husky, magnetic, deep male voice echoed, with a tone that was friendly yet carried an inexplicable allure.
"You must have been inside quite a few times, right?"
Abi paused, but did not display the panic he had the first time he heard this voice; he instinctively raised his hand to touch his chest, pressing a hard object under his shirt deeper.
Like a thief feeling guilty, he deliberately looked around to see that no one was paying attention to him, then lowered his voice, pretending to talk to himself:
"Didn’t I say not to talk to me outside? What if someone finds out..."
"Association Second Floor, right? You haven’t been up there, have you?"
The magnetic male voice interrupted Abi’s questioning with a gentle tone that made one feel no offense at all.
"Only ’professional’ adventurers are allowed on the second floor. Have you ever wondered what’s up there?"
"Gentler and more charming hostesses, more lucrative bounty tasks, or... those Battle Skills that are nowhere to be seen in the market?"
The hoarse voice wasn’t loud, yet seemed to contain some unknown Magic Power that subconsciously commanded attention, deeply imprinting every echoing word in his mind.
In the casino, sleepless through the night, indulging in the thrill of winning and losing, Abi’s excited yet fatigued and extremely weak spirit was immediately drawn into beautiful fantasies about the future by the voice.
Having once been a member of a team—both "Green Blood" and "Gray Sword" had achieved Professional Levels—there was no reason why he couldn’t as well.
The current weak strength is only because his experience is still shallow, and he hasn’t ventured enough. It doesn’t mean he couldn’t catch up to them in the future.
And when he becomes a professional adventurer, he certainly won’t be singing drunkenly in the Tavern hall without anyone recognizing him. Maybe he’ll earn a prestigious title like "Green Blood."
At that time, after earning enough Gold Coins, he will...
Suddenly, the last shred of consciousness remaining in his brain felt like it was pricked by a needle, making him instantly aware.
His face showed a distinct alertness:
"Why are you asking these questions?"
"I’m still far from obtaining a Professional Level; there’s no need to think so far ahead!"
Despite being a country boy, anyone who grew up on this land—from princes and princesses in the Imperial Palace to vagrants in the slums—absolutely heard many eerie stories passed from person to person.
Chance encounters, temptation, initial gains, euphoria, followed by a sharp downturn into despair, ultimately culminating in the loss of one’s soul and descent into Hell.
The same theme, lessons learned over thousands of years, passed down through generations, instills an instinctive wariness against those lurking in the shadows, luring people through greed and temptation.
Abi considers himself very clear-headed.
He knows that what he’s currently interacting with might have hidden dangers.
But since he can stand here unharmed now, it indicates that the counterpart has no means to deal with a low level adventurer like him.
As long as he doesn’t enter into any form of written contract with any entity, his life won’t be jeopardized.
Meanwhile, he can take advantage of their strength to gain benefits for himself.
The part of the brain responsible for alertness is subtly veiled under the influence of Magic Particles, unaware that his thoughts have already slipped to a dangerous edge.
Abi, seemingly clear-headed, analyzed the pros and cons, attempting to exploit forces beyond imagination with his mortal frame.