A farming master in Stardew Valley

Chapter 171 The Wail of the Sea
"Building connections? You mean mermaids and merpeople?"

Hearing this, Leon thought of the original owner of the Neptune Greatsword and immediately asked doubtfully, "What's the point of me, a farmer living on the shore, building good relations with the mermaids and murlocs in the sea?"

"Are you sure you will never go to sea in this life?" Linus asked.

"Not sure." Leon shook his head. Regardless of anything else, if Jiang Dao had the chance, he would definitely go.

"That's right. Although there are many species in the ocean, mermaids definitely occupy the top position in the ocean. With them, you don't need to worry about encountering danger when going out to sea." Linus explained.

"But this Neptune Greatsword shouldn't be worth such a big favor. After all, it's just a weapon. Although it's rare, it's not the only one." Leon complained as he inserted the Neptune Greatsword in his hand into the mud.

"What's important is not the sword, but the shadow assassin who was killed." Linus said, and stretched out his hand to point at the Neptune sword in the air.

At this moment, the Neptune Greatsword began to vibrate, and as it vibrated, an ethereal yet sad music sounded from the sword.

"An ownerless Neptune Greatsword generally means its wielder is deceased. Every mermaid warrior who wields a Neptune Greatsword lives by the motto, 'As long as the sword lives,' and always keeps it close to them. So, if that shadow assassin gets his hands on the Neptune Greatsword, what will become of the mermaid warrior who originally wielded it?"

After listening to Linus' explanation, Leon was stunned for a moment before he said, "So this sword is a relic?"

"You've also heard the murloc's lament. It's a magical sound connected to bloodline. While the wielder is alive, the sound the sword emits is a declaration of protection for the mermaid race. But when the wielder dies, the Neptune Greatsword, deprived of the voice of this oath, can only emit the melody of the sea's lament to commemorate its former master."

After Linus finished speaking, he put down his hand. At the same time, the Neptune Greatsword immediately stopped vibrating, and the sad music also came to an abrupt end.

"You've recovered the Neptune Greatsword, essentially helping the sword's bearer achieve revenge. This favor is far more important than the sword itself."

"I see. But I'm afraid I don't deserve this favor. Malone delivered the final blow, and it was you who discovered and trapped the shadow assassin in the lake. It has nothing to do with me." Leon understood what Linus meant, but he didn't want to ignore this favor.

After all, this involves a life that was once alive. Leon cannot get over the fact that he is trying to use the favors of a dead person to make a fuss.

"I understand. So you just need to tell them the details when you return the sword. Even if you act as an agent, for the mermaids, it's enough for them to know that the hatred has been settled." Linus looked at Leon with relief when he heard this. He still admired Leon's values.

"I have another question. Why would the Shadow Assassins go out of their way to search for a Neptune Greatsword in the ocean? Aren't they a species afraid of sunlight? Why would they risk so much just to find a standard weapon that isn't unique?"

Faced with Leon's doubts, Linus had no intention of hiding anything. While turning the grilled fish over, he slowly explained.

"This brings us to the issue of the Elemental War. Although the protagonists of the Elemental War are the dwarves and the Shadow People, other races are also involved in this war. The mermaids, representing the water element, are one of them. However, they are not combatants, but supporters who provide assistance." "Mermaids, like dwarves, belong to the good and lawful camp of the Yuba faith. Although one is hidden deep in the earth and the other lives for a long time under the sea, the earth is connected. Not to mention the Elemental City serving as a medium connecting all races. The mermaids basically provide the dwarves with some resource assistance within the Elemental City. This assistance includes various supplies such as food, weapons, and minerals, providing a huge boost to the dwarves' logistics. Therefore, the Shadow People's hatred for mermaids is not much less than that of the dwarves."

"So this is a long-planned revenge?" Lyon asked.

"I guess so, but Rasmodes has investigated the actual reason. It's simply because a high-ranking Shadow Priest among the Shadow People wanted to collect the Neptune Greatsword, which was stained with mermaid blood. The mermaid warrior who was killed was just an innocent victim sacrificed for the favor of a powerful figure. At the same time, the Shadow People can use this as a warning to the mermaid tribe that they have the ability to dive into the ocean and hunt mermaid warriors."

Linus couldn't help but sigh when he said this.

"Although the Elemental War was recently ended, and the main warring parties, the Shadow People and the Dwarves, have signed a pact, the Mermaids were not included in this truce. So, although Rasmodes is angry, he cannot impose judgment or punishment on the Shadow People for this malicious attack. They have exploited a loophole in the agreement."

"Is Rasmodes planning to take revenge?" Lyon knew that Rasmodes was not a generous person, so he guessed that the guardian must have a backup plan.

"I definitely can't do anything openly, but I don't know what they're trying to do secretly." Linus shook his head, but still reminded Leon: "If you can reach the depths of the mines recently and see Shadow Brutalists or Shadow Shamans, remember not to hold back and save some Void Essence. You might be able to make a small profit."

"You're encouraging others to hunt Shadowmen by obtaining their essence? You're killing them with a borrowed knife."

This hint instantly made Leon understand Lasmodes's idea, but he didn't know whether the money needed to acquire the void essence would be paid by Lasmodes or the mermaid clan.

"Smart boy, you're much smarter than your grandfather." Linus looked at Leon approvingly and warned him, "Just keep it to yourself. Don't tell anyone, or else it'll bring bad luck to Rasmodes. If he gets after you because of this, you'll be on your own."

Lyon nodded to show that he understood. After all, he was still impressed by the pettiness of the big boss Lasmodes. Last time, he almost got punished by Lei for just raising his middle finger. He was still very sensible about this.

"Take this sword with you. Rasmodeus will likely contact the mermaids to deliver this relic. Listen more and talk less. With Rasmodeus's support, just tell them the truth about how you obtained the sword. Remember, the mermaids will accept any gift of gratitude. Don't be polite with them. The mermaids, who control the entire ocean, are famously wealthy."

Linus gave Leon another reminder and then saw that the grilled fish in his hand was cooked, so he handed it to Leon.

After taking the grilled fish, Leon asked about the previous topic: "Then will I give you and Ma Long a share of the profits?"

"I don't need the money, so don't worry about Malone. He didn't even know that the Shadow Assassin had sneaked into the vicinity of the mine. He has no face to accept this gift." Linus shook his head, his contempt for Malone basically written on his face.

(End of this chapter)