Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 402 Unique Ecology and the "Black Gull"

Xia Nan has always been direct in her expression.

Especially when spending time with close friends like Alton, who have been through life-and-death crises together, if there are any doubts or things they want to know, they generally won't keep them to themselves, and they rarely ask indirectly, unless there is a possibility of offending the other party.

Therefore, three days after the trip to the "Golden Cod" casino, he took the opportunity during a private moment to ask the other person directly about the "Coin of Destiny".

Of course, given Xia Nan's personality, he would never shamelessly use his relationship with the halfling to demand anything from them.

What he wanted to know was whether Alton had any similar items, and if so, whether he was willing to sell them and what his specific asking price would be.

Or is it possible that the "Coin of Destiny" that the other party gave you as a parting gift has additional uses?

Alton's answer surprised him.

"Haha, the coin is indeed a parting gift I gave you, but my gift is just a coin."

The halfling casually took out another copper coin from his pouch. The front of the coin had a blurry image of a woman's head, while the back showed a cloak fluttering in the wind.

Its design was exactly the same as the [Coin of Destiny] in Xia Nan's hand, almost making him think that the little guy really had some in stock.

But upon closer inspection and accessing the attribute panel, it was discovered that this was just an ordinary, unremarkable coin with no special effects whatsoever.

"The divine power attached to the coin comes from the Smiling Lady."

"As for the charging you mentioned..." The halfling gently tossed the copper coin in his hand, watching the two sides of the coin flip rapidly in the air before finally falling back into his palm.

"Actually, there's no need for any special ceremony. As long as the timing is right, just toss it gently like this, and you'll naturally receive the goddess's blessing."

Xia Nan keenly noticed the key point in the other party's answer.

"Is the timing right?"

"What do you mean? What kind of timing is appropriate?"

In response, this usually enthusiastic and lively little man unusually revealed a vague and ambiguous expression characteristic of a believer.

He smiled mysteriously and left only one sentence:

"Fortune favors the brave."

"..."

Walking along the crowded main road in the saltwater district, Xia Nan recalled his conversation with Alton three days ago, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Does "Fortune favors the hero" mean that you need to perform in a way that is worthy of the image of a "hero" in order to gain the favor of the goddess of fortune, Tamora, and thus charge the [Coin of Destiny]?

But what kind of behavior qualifies as courage?
Acts like robbing banks or vandalizing shops, which seem brave but are actually reckless and foolish, are clearly not included; and actions like knowing you are no match for an enemy far stronger than yourself but still rushing forward to your death would certainly not win the favor of the Smiling Lady.

Xia Nan pondered for a long time, and finally decided to put the matter aside for the time being.

He was never a coward and was never afraid of fighting or competing.

When the "opportunity" that Alton mentioned arrives, I believe I will be able to seize it.

However, after a moment of distraction, the short figure that had been walking in front of him had vanished.

I've long been used to it, and I'm slightly loosening my senses, which have been somewhat suppressed by the overly complex environment I'm in right now.

Xia Nan suddenly turned his head and looked at a small stall located on the side of the alley.

The halfling was examining the goods on the stall with great interest, seemingly particularly interested in the poorly made but uniquely local souvenirs of Suyu Bay.

Just when the stall owner thought he had finally found a juicy target, he carefully packaged his goods with well-prepared sales pitches, giving Alton a detailed introduction in an attempt to sell them at a high price later.

Just moments before, the halfling had been nodding along to the stall owner's endless chatter, seemingly about to be persuaded to open his wallet and make a purchase. However, his attention was then drawn to the shouts of a street performer in the distance.

He nodded quite kindly to the stall owner, thanking him for the introduction, and then, without looking back, he disappeared into the crowd with a "splashing" sound on his short legs.

Only the stall owner remained, sitting alone on the street, his mouth agape in a stiff posture.

This has always been the case for the halfling race.

They are warm and friendly, but exhibit two extremes in their attitudes toward life.

Some people enjoy home life, content in their own little world, with fireplaces, gourmet food, farmland... They are not interested in the outside environment, but only enjoy the peaceful life with their family and friends in their home.

Another group, like Alton, seems to never stop, fond of adventure and exploration, curious about everything unknown they encounter on their journeys, and always in high spirits.

It's strange, but Xia Nan once thought to himself that if he were a halfling, he would probably prefer the former kind of stable home life, which is completely opposite to his current identity as an adventurer and his behavior of coming to Harpie Bay from River Valley Town.

After careful consideration, I realized that the root cause was the unease brought about by the "time travel" and the extraordinary power of this world.

Both of them had only been in Suyu Bay for a short time and were not familiar with the environment.

Fortunately, Barracuda Bay is a bay town built around a port, so there's no need to take a detour; just follow the main road downhill.

Soon, their destination, "Breaking Waves Wharf," came into view.

Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, the port had already awakened to the call of the salty sea breeze and the rising sun; mixed with the cries of seagulls circling high in the distance, the shouts, the rumble of wheels, curses and shouts, the sounds were blended together, turning into the unique clamor of the lively environment.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

A burly, shirtless orc laborer, speaking in broken Common, roared at the crowd blocking his way, with crates piled up behind him higher than himself.

Not far away, two dwarfs dressed in simple linen clothes were arguing fiercely with a middle-aged man who looked like a dock manager. A wooden boat moored in the water was obviously overloaded, and its waterline was approaching a dangerous position.

The market on the outskirts of the street was the liveliest time of day, with stalls packed tightly together, offering everything from fresh catches to exotic goods—strange and unusual seafood and handicrafts that didn't exist in his previous life, filled with the unique style and aesthetics of another world. Xia Nan felt he could spend an entire day there. The crowds were incredibly lively, a mix of various ethnicities.

A group of well-to-do men who looked like merchants walked at the front, with their attendants lifting the hems of their silk robes to avoid puddles on the ground; groups of rugged dwarf sailors chatted idly about what they had seen in the tavern the night before; every now and then one or two figures wearing inconspicuous cloaks could be seen passing through the crowd, their ears protruding sharply.

What Xia Nan found most novel and interesting were the various boats of different shapes and sizes moored at the dock.

They may all have the same function as "water transportation", but their appearances are clearly distinguishable due to their different uses and the differences in the personal aesthetics of their builders.

From the "Gulf Chamber of Commerce", it is made entirely of silver fir wood, a specialty of the north. Lightweight and sturdy, the three-masted sailboat with its streamlined hull rises and falls slightly with the waves. The seemingly thin but actually exceptionally tough light blue canvas is decorated with the Chamber of Commerce emblem with the "Ocean Current Gold Coin" pattern.

Beside it lay a trade ship from a distant barbarian tribal alliance. Its hull was painted with striking red and black stripes, and its shape resembled a strange shark with long, axe-like horns, with tribal totems painted on its surface.

Besides these, there were many more small and exquisitely crafted boats.

Unlike cargo ships and warships, the specific purpose of these small vessels is unclear and cannot be identified.

However, the ships themselves highlight the captain's personality and preferences. Each one looks different, and when lined up in the harbor, they can even give people a sense of chaos and disorder at first glance.

Some have wide bottoms and single masts, with their hulls painted a solid azure blue, blending seamlessly into the sea below as if in disguise; others have slender, narrow hulls with twisted triangular sails, emphasizing stability and speed; still others are luxuriously decorated, with their hulls painted milky white and inlaid with gold trim.

And coincidentally, those active on the decks of these small boats were all fully armed adventurers, with a very high proportion of them being seasoned professionals.

Xia Nan gazed at the scene on the dock with great interest, his thoughts wandering.

I already knew about it before I set off, and now I have confirmed it by seeing it with my own eyes.

Just as the "Misty Forest" is to the adventurers in the valley town, the adventurers living in the southern islands, facing the vast and boundless sea, have developed a unique ecology that is very different from that of the inland areas after years of adaptation and evolution.

They pay close attention to "storm direction" and "ocean current window," carefully studying the nautical charts before each trip and spending points or coins to consult relevant personnel about possible changes in recent maritime weather.

The guild's mission panel no longer includes tasks like "wiping out a goblin tribe in a dense forest," but instead, tasks include collecting local shellfish on a distant island's beach, mapping the distribution of reefs in an unknown sea area, and searching for a cargo ship that went missing nearby.

The adventurer party still consists of three to four people, but the core of the team has changed from the strongest party leader to the captain and the ship.

An experienced captain and adventurer, along with a sturdy and durable ship, are prerequisites for forming a team and undertaking high-paying missions.

Without boats, you can't even leave the port. Fish Bay may be prosperous enough, and with a little effort you can fill your stomach, but to really make big money, you have to fight against the vast, dangerous, and opportunity-filled sea.

During his three days in Sucker Bay, Xia Nan not only familiarized himself with the environment, but also took advantage of the fact that the "three-legged sea lions" were a popular gathering place for adventurers to gather a lot of local information.

He also learned that adventurers in the archipelago generally traveled in units of "ships".

Each ship is an independent adventurer team.

Of course, sometimes, if the team members lack nautical knowledge, they will hire professional sailors, navigators or shipwrights to assist them.

However, in most cases, any experienced adventurer in the Southern Islands possesses navigational skills and experience far exceeding those of ordinary people, enabling them to easily control their specially customized ships together with their teammates.

In some cases, such as when a highly prestigious and well-known adventurer appears, or when a difficult quest is assigned that requires the cooperation of many adventurers, the quest may be completed.

These small groups of adventurers, consisting of individual ships, may also temporarily or semi-permanently form large fleets to pursue a common goal.

To some extent, the Gulf Chamber of Commerce and the Governor's Office in Barca Bay operated as a fleet when they came to sea.

The unique ecology of these sea adventurers was something Xia Nan had never encountered before.

I couldn't help but find it novel.

If he plans to develop his career here long-term, learning about navigation is essential. If he doesn't want to be part of other adventurer teams and become a "mercenary" among the islands, he'll need to find a reliable shipwright or shipyard to order his own ship.

They might also have to decorate the boat according to local customs.

Of course, this will be another huge expense.

As an essential production tool for adventurers in the Southern Islands, a sturdy seagoing vessel is not much cheaper than those expensive enchanted equipment.

Xia Nan had over 800 gold coins, which might be considered a manageable amount, but being a newcomer, he was unfamiliar with Suoyu Bay and even the entire Southern Islands, making him vulnerable to pitfalls.

He planned to use the opportunity of searching for the key to the Dream Corridor to delve deeper into the local adventurer community, and then make further plans after making some progress and gaining a better understanding of the place.

Before that, he could only hitch a ride on the boats of his fellow travelers.

Hera had already explained the appearance and specific mooring location of the escort cargo ship to Xia Nan and his group two days prior.

This allowed the two to spend little time at the dock and quickly find their target.

"Black Gull," a very standard medium-sized cargo sailboat.

It is about 30 meters long and 9 meters wide, with a three-masted design.

Among the many boats at the dock, its design can be described as quite simple. The hull itself is not painted or decorated in any particular way. It is made entirely of oak, which is common on the mainland, and the surface is coated with a paint made of a mixture of tar and resin, giving the hull a low-key and rustic gray-brown color.

The prow is a simple wooden carving of a seagull with its wings spread out to the sides in a flying posture. The paint on the surface is slightly mottled from being exposed to the wind and sun, indicating that it has been at sea for quite some time.

With the departure time fast approaching, the "Black Gull" is bustling with activity.

Xia Nan glanced at the sailors coming and going up and down the gangway, thinking of finding the captain or someone in charge so that they could settle in and be introduced to the ship and the details of this voyage.

His eyes paused involuntarily.

Not far from the gangway, a familiar figure was seen diligently carrying goods.

"Colin?"

(End of this chapter)