Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 399 Old Friends, Reunion, and the [Coin of Fate]

"Xia Nan!?"

"How will you be here?"

When the clear voice from across the card table reached my ears, I saw a familiar face peeking out from behind a small mountain of chips.

The related memories flashed through my mind in an instant.

Calanfor, the halflings, and the [Coin of Fate]...

"Alton?"

Xia Nan recognized the figure in front of him, a figure he hadn't seen for a long time.

—Alton.

A light-footed halfling, and also a devout follower of the "Goddess of Fortune," "Temora."

I remember when I first met him, I was not a professional at all, and I only knew one combat skill, [Whirlwind Slash]. I only learned [Fang Hunt] from the barbarian Fugang after we parted ways.

At that time, I was just a low-level adventurer, usually taking on simple tasks such as gathering and escorting. I met the other party during a caravan escort mission from River Valley to Caranfor.

Although the mission later went awry, and the group was inexplicably drawn into a conspiracy planned by the local sheriff, nearly becoming sacrifices in his ritual, he ultimately managed to defeat the enemy and leave the town alive, thanks to his own strength and a bit of luck.

Currently, more than a year has passed since the two last met. The former Kalanfor was mostly destroyed by the aftermath of the battle between two extraordinary level powerhouses, and it was still in the process of reconstruction when he left Panyun Province.

He went from being an unknown low-level adventurer to making a name for himself as "Grey Sword" in River Valley Town, and after a series of events, he successfully advanced to become a proper professional, even reaching level 3.

The journey took several hundred days, from Caranfort to Barracuda Bay.

In a foreign land, I suddenly met an old acquaintance I hadn't seen for a long time.

In a daze, Xia Nan actually felt a sense of disorientation, as if things had changed and people were no longer the same.

To be honest, if you really want to count the time he spent together, he hadn't even been in close contact with Alton as long as he had with Colin, the boy he had just sent to Barracuda Bay.

But perhaps because they had gone through life-or-death crises together when they were both weak, Xia Nan already regarded the other party as a trustworthy friend.

Of course, the "Coin of Fate," which was given to them by their partner when they parted and which helped them a lot during their subsequent adventures, was also an important factor in bringing them closer.

Unlike myself, who stayed in Riverdale to continue my adventurer career, I remember that the other person, being a "light-footed halfling," disliked staying in one place and was passionate about traveling, so he left Caranfor after we parted ways.

But to meet again in this way at Suoyu Bay makes one marvel at the wonder of fate.

Clearly, for Alton himself, encountering Xia Nan in a place completely unrelated to River Valley Town was something entirely unexpected.

The surprise and joy of unexpectedly meeting an old friend was undisguisedly displayed on his fair and rosy face.

With a wiggle of its two short legs, it jumped off the high-backed chair.

But after running two steps toward Xia Nan, he suddenly realized something, stopped, and couldn't help but glance at the mountain of chips on the card table.

The voice was hurried and tinged with apology:
"Wait for me a moment, it'll be ready soon!"

As he spoke, he strode back to the card table with his short legs, making a "slap slap" sound.

Yao Yao greeted them, indicating that they didn't need to rush and that she was right there.

Xia Nan suddenly noticed two strange gazes coming from beside him.

"Mr. Xia Nan, you... know this person?"

Hera's expression was indescribable, and she asked tentatively in a low voice, her tone hesitant.

The casino manager standing nearby tensed up involuntarily, staring intently at Xia Nan.

“He’s an old friend of mine.” There was no point in hiding anything, so Xia Nan replied directly. “Also, if you’re worried about the chips on the table, you can wait a bit longer.”

After all, based on my experience with this short guy in the casino, winning money... wasn't his goal.

As a follower of the goddess of fortune, Alton's goal was to complete the ritual.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the ownership of these chips on the poker table will soon change.

"This amount of money is nothing; I'll give it all to him."

“Mainly…”

Unlike her decisive and swift manner in front of her subordinates, Hera's words now carried a hint of hesitation.

Those in their line of work typically don't interfere with gamblers who win money in casinos, no matter how much they win, as long as they don't use cheating or other methods. They might even actively spread the news of their wins as publicity.

The reason they are currently displaying such a vigilant and wary demeanor is entirely due to Alton's exaggerated performance of not losing a single game for several hours straight without any pretense. This performance has touched upon the shadow left in the minds of those working in the Barracuda Bay casino industry by that legendary figure.

Now that Xia Nan seems to know the other party, he naturally wants to ask for clarification.

"I wonder if Mr. Xia Nan's friend, and that 'Alin' we just mentioned... you should understand what I mean, right?"

Hera asked rather cautiously.

Strictly speaking, the two do have some kind of relationship.

After all, Xia Nan first saw the name "Alin" on the attribute panel of the [Coin of Destiny] given to him by Alton.

Furthermore, Arlene's title "Temora's Eyebrow" already indicates that she is most likely a high-ranking follower of this goddess, sharing the same deity as Alton.

However, Xia Nan hadn't spent much time with the halflings and didn't know them very well. If he were to explain the relationship between Alton and Arlene to the two people beside him in detail, it would inevitably involve some of his own speculation, making it difficult to explain clearly.

He then took a coin out of his pocket.

In front of Hera and the bald, muscular man, with a gesture that was clearly suggestive.

It is tossed high into the air, flipped, rises and falls, and then held in the palm of the hand.

"Perhaps you can go and ask him yourselves later?"

Xia Nan made a pointed remark.

Upon hearing this, Hera's face showed a thoughtful expression, and she opened her mouth as if to say something.

A sudden commotion from the crowd gathered at a nearby card table caught the attention of several people.

Unlike his fair and youthful face, Alton, who was always aggressive at the poker table, suddenly pushed the small mountain of chips in his hand toward the dealer.

"Study!"

In an instant, the gamblers gathered around the card table fell silent, then a sudden uproar erupted.

The voices, filled with shock, jealousy, and resentment, mingled together, creating a sound wave that seemed to lift the roof off.

People were amazed by the little man's boldness, but few doubted that the other man would lose everything in this round.

Alden's incredible performance from the afternoon until now, without losing a single game, has already won over the gamblers in the arena.

After several hours, the initial surprise turned into numbness, and now many people are simply enjoying the spectacle.

Even if they couldn't participate, they would still watch from the sidelines to see how long the halfling could win and when the casino manager would come out to take control of the situation.

After all, if the other party keeps winning with this betting method, it is very possible to bankrupt "Golden Cod".

In fact, the chips he accumulated in just a few hours already amounted to a very large number.

It was clear that the dealer's right hand, which was reaching for the dice cup, was trembling violently, his face was tense, and sweat soaked the back of his uniform.

In the distance behind, there were many casino staff in uniforms bustling about, seemingly urgently searching for and gathering chips.

From around the card table, countless pairs of bloodshot eyes were fixed on the dice in the bowl, their expressions even more focused than if they were participating themselves.

Alton, however, looked remarkably relaxed, as if he weren't betting on the fruits of his afternoon's hard work, but merely on a copper coin he couldn't even afford a snack from a roadside stall. *Whoosh—*

Having worked at the poker table for many years, the most senior dealer at the "Golden Cod" casino suddenly lifted the dice cup with a practiced yet incredibly tense movement!

The air fell into a deathly silence.

immediately……

"boom!"

A bomb-like cacophony exploded through the crowd!

"Lost!? How is that possible!?"

"How come you lost the whole afternoon after betting everything on this one hand?"

"So much money... all gone?"

"Hey shorty, want me to lend you some money to help you recoup your investment? Just give me an extra 20% interest."

In an instant, the entire Golden Cod Casino was in an uproar. Some lamented that Alton's entire afternoon of hard work had gone down the drain, some took the opportunity to let him borrow money to recoup his losses, and some wanted to pay to become his apprentices and learn gambling skills...

And right at the heart of all this chaos.

Alton, the halfling who had just lost enough wealth to sustain an ordinary resident of Barracuda Bay for a lifetime, showed not a trace of negative emotion on his face.

It was as if what he had just pushed to the croupier was just a bunch of meaningless little pieces of wood.

A relaxed and natural smile graced his face, and he was even humming an unknown tune.

With her hands braced on the card table, her petite body landed lightly on the ground.

He lowered his head and meticulously adjusted the light green vest over his brown shirt, then straightened the white feathered hat on his head.

Then he turned his gaze to Xia Nan's direction.

With his view blocked by the crowd, he jumped up and down in place, laughing and waving vigorously:
"Okay, Xia Nan! I'm done!"

……

……

Three-Legged Seal Tavern, a VIP private room.

"So, you came to Barracuda Bay... not for our casinos?"

Sitting on the sofa with her body slightly tense, Hera's face still showed the tension from the casino earlier. She leaned forward slightly and asked again to confirm.

Even though he had answered this question many times, Alton did not show the slightest resistance.

"Hmm!" He stared at the snake scale arm shield on Xia Nan's left hand for a while, seemingly curious about what kind of material could produce such a smooth, jade-like texture. But after only a few seconds, his attention was drawn to the pattern on the tablecloth, and he began to study the embroidery.

"I originally wanted to go to the northern mossy area, but it was really cold there! On the way, I heard from others that the mandarin oranges here are the sweetest, so I came to try them."

"Oh right! We also need to take a boat!"

"I've never been out to sea before, and I'd like to give it a try this time."

Although Hera was somewhat unaccustomed to the halflings' unconventional thinking, their straightforward answer made her subconsciously breathe a sigh of relief.

After all, the shadow left by that "Tamora's Eyebrow" was too heavy. The casino in Barracuda Bay had only just recovered, and it was relying on the income from "Golden Cod" to maintain its operations.

If this happens again, I'm afraid most of the casinos in the entire Suyu Bay will go out of business.

As a tavern owner, he has a wealth of experience in dealing with people.

Seeing that the halfling seemed pure-hearted and easy to talk to, Hera had an idea and asked him about his relationship with the legendary figure "Arlene".

Unexpectedly, upon hearing these two words, the halfling suddenly stood up straight, removed his soft hat, and solemnly bowed to the ceiling above his head.

Then he cheerfully explained:
"Sister Arlene should be with 'Lady Smiling' right now. Don't worry, she definitely won't be coming to the Southern Islands again."

Alton spoke in a very relaxed tone, as if the name he called out was not that of the legendary figure who had made a name for himself in Barracuda Bay many years ago, but rather that of a neighbor's sister.

The naturalness with which she spoke was in stark contrast to the heavyweight terms like "Arlene" and "Smiling Lady".

His casualness was so great that Hera even suspected for a moment that he was boasting or putting on airs.

But then, the halfling's behavior in the casino made her put aside her doubts.

Sitting to the side, listening to the conversation between the two, Xia Nan's face remained expressionless, but her mind was racing.

If he was initially somewhat unsure about Alton's identity as a halfling favored by the goddess of fortune...

After Xia Nan heard Alton say that the Smiling Lady sometimes sneaks into his dreams, listening to the little guy recount his day's events like a patriarch; and after receiving the pink "epic" quality [Coin of Destiny] upon parting.

Then there was no more doubt.

At that time, he had just transmigrated and didn't feel anything. But now, as he has gained a deeper understanding of the gods in this world, he has truly realized that someone who can make a goddess personally send divine messages in a dream and "chat" with the god he believes in is probably far beyond the level of an ordinary believer.

Even among those favored by the gods, they belong to a very high level.

At least it's a certainty that the soul ascends directly to God's kingdom after death.

As Xia Nan watched Alton suddenly begin to study the pattern on his plate again, a thought stirred within him.

Having exhausted his three uses of the Fate Coin, Fate has arranged for him to meet a halfling at this point.

Could it be that……

This "pink" epic-level consumable item has a chance to be replenished after use?

　Book Recommendation: Who Left Their Last Words Here?

　　Summary:
　　The Great Expedition was a colossal lie! The 'Golden Fleece' that created the twelve Olympians... might have been the umbilical cord of those in power?

　　The primordial body of Heaven's myriad limbs has been shattered for thirty thousand years... that egg named "Morning Star"... is probably not a ladder to ascension!

　　[Beware of the Moon! An unusual signal has been detected on the lunar surface... originating from what claims to be the Guanghan Ark... possibly from the lost Yin Ruins civilization...]

　　It said...don't answer!

　　The Cambrian ice fields, the Triassic scorched earth, the Ordovician deep sea... A white boat travels alone among the past.

　　Only he could hear the lingering whispers of the dead within—

　　[Haha, who would have thought that I buried the secrets of Silver City right there?]

　　"Did you know? Beneath this interrogation room lies a secret treasure of a bygone civilization, and the souls of the dead are stirring restlessly."

　　Bai Zhou looked at the crimson characters wriggling at his feet and blinked. "But it's okay, my job is to deal with them."

　　After a long silence, the policewoman neatly wrote in the file, "Prefers to commit crimes late at night, strongly suspected of schizophrenia, tomb raiding, etc." and then slammed her hand on the table and stood up.

　　"Don't give me that! There are no ghosts or monsters in this world!"

　　Have you ever seen a ghost or monster?

　　"No."

　　"You're welcome," Bai Zhou said with a reserved smile.

　　"...?"

　　
　
(End of this chapter)