Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 397 "Golden Cod", Unexpected Situation
Xia Nan was very satisfied with the cooking skills of the "Three-Legged Seal" tavern's kitchen.

I've never tasted anything like it before. The seafood-flavored cream of mushroom soup perfectly combines mushrooms and seafood, preserving the original sweetness and deliciousness of the mushroom soup while adding a wonderful taste from the depths of the ocean without overpowering it.

The lemon-scented grilled oysters and the cold-cut bacon platter served as side dishes were also of above-average quality, allowing Xia Nan to enjoy the unique cuisine of this world for the first time in a long time.

After a hearty meal, even the mandarin oranges served as a dessert seemed sweeter.

Peel off the skin, casually pick out two segments and put them in your mouth. With a gentle sip, the plump flesh transforms into a refreshing juice with a slightly sour taste, eliminating the last bit of greasiness left on your tongue.

After filling their stomachs and resolving the accommodation issue.

Xia Nan decided to take advantage of the fact that he had just spent a lot of money here to get down to business and ask the tavern owner about information about "Algae Scales" Dodd.

My gaze unconsciously swept across the wall behind the counter.

Similar to the Adventurers' Guild's quest board, a large, light-colored wooden board was embedded in the wall with rusty iron nails. Layers of bounty posters were pasted on it, some of which looked like they had been there for a long time, with curled and yellowed edges. Even the portrait in the center of the bounty was blurred by the smell of alcohol, but this made the long string of numbers representing the bounty amount below even more conspicuous.

As a massive organization whose influence covers the entire continent of Aifara, the Adventurers' Guild has partnerships with various factions, and bounty hunting missions are common for them.

However, this does not mean that arrest warrants can only be issued through associations.

In many cases, especially for those vicious thugs who have caused extremely bad influence on the organization itself, major forces, in addition to the Adventurers' Guild, will also issue bounties to hunt them down.

For places like "three-legged seals" where there is frequent population movement and a mix of people, special attention needs to be paid to publicity.

Almost every few months, the bounties on the tavern walls are updated, and adventurers who are short of money but consider themselves skilled often go looking for prey on them.

Xia Nan had some ideas.

He wasn't in a hurry to make money; he just wanted to find an opportunity to memorize the portraits and names on the wanted posters on the wall.

At least make sure it looks familiar.

In this way, if he were to encounter an enemy wanted by other forces in the future, he wouldn't miss the opportunity.

Cut off their heads and bring them back, then remove the bounty on their heads; that's a way to earn some extra money.

With this in mind, Xia Nan scanned the bounty board twice, but he still couldn't find the words "algae scales".

This prevents the carefully crafted lines from ever getting a chance to be spoken.

He glanced again at Hera, the tavern owner, behind the counter in front of him, who was wiping the cabinets.

Knowing that he wasn't good at conversation, he figured that trying to get information out of someone like Hera, who had been running a tavern in Barracuda Bay for years, would only backfire.

It's better to be direct, state your needs, and ask for a quote.

If the price is right, we'll accept it; if it's higher than we expect, we can discuss it further.

This way, you can play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses, making the most of your six charms.

Thinking it over, he ordered another glass of chilled ale.

Taking advantage of Hera offering the wine, Xia Nan spoke very directly:

"Hello, I'd like to ask you for some information."

Upon hearing this, Hera paused in her steps, her emerald eyes subconsciously scanning Xia Nan twice.

He remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was suddenly jolted.

Sure enough, he still came.

Seeing the other person's satisfied and contented demeanor while eating, she thought she had misunderstood the black-haired young man in front of her, who had most likely already obtained a professional level, and assumed that he was just an ordinary diner passing by.

Surprisingly, he was quite patient, only revealing his true intentions now.

However, the "three-legged seal" is a gathering place for all kinds of information in the area, so it is perfectly normal for them to come here to gather intelligence.

Although the other party's behavior was much more direct compared to other adventurers who came to the tavern for the first time, it could save both sides some time and effort to some extent.

A businesslike smile unconsciously appeared on Hera's lips. She placed her hands on the counter, leaned forward slightly, and subconsciously displayed a posture that suggested she wanted to take control of the situation, preparing for the subsequent price offer.

"Oh?"

"What type of intelligence? Tell me."

Xia Nan's keen senses allowed him to immediately detect the subtle change in the atmosphere between the two, which was no longer that of "merchant" and "customer".

Of course, they also noticed the tavern owner's unintentional change in posture.

His resilient mind, high-intensity self-discipline training, and confidence in his own abilities allowed him to maintain his composure despite the subtle cues posed by the other person's body language.

His expression remained unchanged, and his tone was calm:

"I need detailed information about 'Algae Scale' Dodd, including but not limited to his actual combat abilities, class information, combat skills, distribution of influence, and locations of his presence."

What do you want to do?!

If Hera couldn't guess Xia Nan's purpose after such a straightforward request for information, then all those years she'd spent working at the tavern would have been for nothing.

Considering the length of time the other party's gaze lingered on the bounty board, there was no doubt that this exceptionally young, black-haired adventurer had already set his sights on "Algae Scales."

but……

Hera's face showed a rare expression of hesitation.

To be honest, she did have information about "Algae Scales" Dodd.

Even their understanding of "algae scales" was far greater than Xia Nan had imagined.

However, this does not mean that Hera must hand over the information to Xia Nan as long as Xia Nan makes an offer.

As the owner of the "three-legged sea dog," she is a very special existence caught between several major forces in Suoyu Bay, and she must weigh the pros and cons.

Her emerald eyes shifted slightly as she scrutinized the black-haired youth before her with a more serious gaze, her eyes lingering on the two longswords behind him and the necklace embedded deep in his armor around his neck.

Hera, with her long, dark green hair, looked thoughtful.

Ultimately, it boils down to just one question:
Is Xia Nan a worthwhile investment?

If the other party is merely an arrogant fool who doesn't know his own limitations and tries to use "algae scales" as a stepping stone to gain fame; or if he has some grudge against Dodd and comes to his death without understanding the strength of the enemy, then...

Selling information about "Algae Scales" to the other party would be tantamount to helping them die and also bringing trouble upon oneself.

After all, if "Algae Scales" didn't go all out and captured the kid alive, the interrogation might reveal that the information came from him...

While it wouldn't immediately pose any threat to her life, it would give her another powerful enemy in this sea area.

However, if Xia Nan truly possesses the ability to resolve the "algae scales" issue...

It should be noted that "Algae Scale" Dodd, a notorious pirate wanted by the kingdom for many years, not only commands a fleet of ships, but also possesses considerable personal strength. He has long since surpassed the level 5 threshold, completing his part-time job and is now moving towards the "extraordinary" realm.

Judging from the black-haired youth in front of him, he was probably not even twenty years old. If he possessed the strength to kill a powerful figure like "Algae Scale" head-on...

Its future is limitless.

With such potential and such youth, even if he grows up step by step, let alone "extraordinary," he might even reach the level of "legend."

And by then, those who invested early will reap tenfold, or even a hundredfold, rewards. In a daze, I don't know why.

Just like that rainy night more than twenty years ago when she inherited the tavern, Hera felt as if her life had suddenly split into two forks at that moment.

An inexplicable and absurd premonition welled up in her mind, as if it were a reminder from the depths of the universe that the choice she was about to make could very well bring about a dramatic change in her life.

"This……"

Hera's lips moved as if she wanted to say something.

But as she urgently analyzed a large amount of information, her rapidly working brain rendered her speechless, leaving her in a state of extreme hesitation.

Meanwhile, Xia Nan, sitting in front of the counter, didn't know what the other person was thinking, but he could tell that the tavern owner was making some kind of decision.

I popped two segments of mandarin orange into my mouth and waited patiently.

Time passed quietly.

It could be five seconds, or it could be twenty seconds.

Just as Hera was caught in a mental quagmire, struggling to make a decision, and contemplating whether to steel herself and let her intuition make the judgment.

A series of hurried footsteps approaching rapidly broke the silence between the two.

"Boss Hera, we need you to take a look at 'Golden Cod'."

The newcomer was a bald, burly man who was two meters tall and exuded a fierce aura.

His upper body was bare, revealing a hideous sea monster tattoo that covered his entire back and extended upwards to the back of his head.

They're the kind of person that ordinary people would avoid if they saw them on the street.

But at this moment, the other party appeared flustered, and even his fierce face full of fat was covered in sweat.

When facing the tavern owner Hera, he made no attempt to conceal his inferior status.

Suddenly interrupted from her train of thought, Hera frowned and looked at the bald, burly man walking towards her.

The expression on his face was stern, completely different from when he was facing Xia Nan.

"Ok?"

Just one word was enough to make the burly, bear-like bald man break out in a cold sweat.

Suppressing her fear, she strode in, glanced at Xia Nan sitting by the counter, and leaned close to Hera to report the situation with extreme nervousness.

Compared to her father's generation, Hera, who has run a tavern for generations, has much greater ambitions.

The development potential of the "three-legged seal" has long since reached a bottleneck due to the intervention of the three major forces many years ago and the gradual stabilization of Suyu Bay.

She was unwilling to spend her whole life standing behind the bar counter wiping glasses and working as an information broker.

Therefore, she had been quietly making arrangements for many years.

Thanks to the wealth of information she possessed and a more conservative and stable expansion strategy compared to ambition, she has achieved certain results over the years.

Two streets away, near the heart of the saltwater district, lies the "Golden Cod" casino, one of Hera's most important acquisitions over the years.

The person in charge of "Golden Cod" on the surface is the bald, muscular man in front of us, who is covered in sweat, but the actual owner has long since changed to the owner of the most famous tavern in Sucker Bay.

Currently, the "Golden Cod" provides Hera with a considerable income each year, although the vast majority of it is used for exchanges of benefits to maintain its channels with the three major powers in Barracuda Bay.

But without a doubt, this casino had long become Hera's most important resource besides the "three-legged sea lion".

Seeing the casino manager's unusually flustered expression, she couldn't help but swallow the reprimand that was already on the tip of her tongue.

With a stern face and icy eyes, he listened to the other party's report.

"A customer... hasn't lost a single game since this afternoon..."

"I had someone go and check it out right away... there's no problem..."

"The customers in the casinos are all... having a hard time getting out of trouble..."

Although the bald, burly man had tried to control his voice, his rapid breathing from running all the way from two streets away made it difficult for him to completely control his vocalizations.

In addition, Xia Nan's hearing gradually became more acute due to the enhancement of his physical abilities, and he was able to hear some keywords intermittently while sitting at the counter not far away.

She guessed that the casino called "Golden Cod" must have encountered some trouble and needed Hera's help to deal with it.

Although surprised by the relationship between the tavern owner and the town's casino, Xia Nan didn't bother to interfere as it was a private matter.

Unfortunately, with this disruption, we probably won't be able to get any information about "algae scales" today.

Not in a hurry, I casually put the last segment of the mandarin orange into my mouth.

Xia Nan wiped his hands, stood up from behind the counter, and beckoned to Hera who was standing to the side:
"You go ahead and do your thing."

"We can talk about the intelligence later."

"I'm going back to my room now. See you tomorrow."

He intended to say goodbye, but unexpectedly, after hearing Xia Nan's words, the woman with long, dark green hair like seaweed seemed to suddenly remember something.

After a moment's thought, he led the bald, burly man over.

"I'm really sorry, but I'm afraid we'll have to wait until I get back to discuss the intelligence matters with you in detail."

Hera looked apologetic, and then, under Xia Nan's questioning gaze, she tentatively asked.

"I just don't know if you're free right now?"

"Is there something you need?" Xia Nan asked in return.

"Here's the thing, 'Golden Cod' is a casino I run, and now... it's run into some minor trouble."

"If you happen to have some time now, I would like to ask you to come with me to take a look."

"Please rest assured, I have no intention of forcing you. If there are any unexpected situations later, you don't have to take action if you don't want to."

"Just consider it as accompanying me on a trip; consider it a simple commission."

"As a reward, I will reduce the cost of information regarding 'Algae Scales' Dodd."

Upon hearing this, Xia Nan understood the meaning behind the other person's words and raised an eyebrow.

"So, you agree?"

Hera nodded.

Xia Nan felt a sense of relief as he realized he had taken another big step closer to finding the key to the [Dream Corridor]. The pressure he had been feeling earlier eased.

"Then let's not waste any more time and go."

(End of this chapter)