I'm not a goblin Frankenstein's monster.

"This seems to be a high-quality mead?" Xia Lin asked, tasting the wine in her hand.

"This is Moon Dew Mead I made a few years ago using the last batch of mithril bee honey," Sosia explained. "After that, I never found a suitable honey source again."

She looked at Xia Lin and said slowly, "For a standard serving of pure silver bee honey, I can give you a 20% discount on your future purchases of 'Blue Nightmare'."

"Never let anyone know what you really think, Mike..."

Xia Lin was secretly pleased, but remembering the teachings of the Corleone family, she remained outwardly calm: "Then, the method of delivery of the honey..."

"You don't have to give it to me all at once," Sosia interrupted him, "but there's one condition."

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharpening: "From now on, if I need certain specific or hard-to-obtain brewing ingredients, you must prioritize gathering them for me. Of course—"

She paused, then added, "You'll still get paid; you won't work for free. This is just a private agreement between two wine lovers."

Xia Lin pondered for a moment.

It is not uncommon for adventurers and elves to establish long-term cooperative relationships, especially for female elves like Sosia.

They have long lifespans and tend to value reputation and long-term relationships, so agreeing to cooperate with them would be a good deal.

"Sure," he finally nodded, "but I can't guarantee success every time. Acquiring some materials requires luck."

"Of course." A faint smile appeared on Sosia's face. "Adventure is inherently accompanied by uncertainty. All I need is for you to promise to prioritize my requests when they come your way."

"make a deal."

In the end, Xia Lin obtained a bottle of Blue Nightmare Wine at a discounted price of four gold coins.

It was late at night when I left the Moonlight Tavern.

Just as Karin had said, the town's streets were empty and deserted.

The stone-paved road gleamed damply in the light filtering through the windows of the houses on both sides.

The faint sound of patrolling guards could be heard in the distance; the number of guards had indeed increased considerably.

Xia Lin carefully put away the newly purchased Blue Nightmare and headed towards the Adventurer's Inn.

On the way, he suddenly remembered the "God of Food" from before, and then realized that he had been so busy with important matters on the way back that he forgot to extract the entry for this guy, so he extracted it directly.

[Obtain the entry: Goblin Spray Recipe (White)]

effect:

Immediately restores a small amount of health and stamina upon use, but has a very high chance of triggering "Gastrointestinal Storm," causing mild abdominal pain and bloating for 10 minutes (reduced movement speed, loss of stealth, and possible unpleasant noises). A toughness check must be performed before consumption; failure results in a 5-second "stun" state due to the lingering aftertaste.

Summary:

The goblins firmly believe that "anything that moves is nourishing." The main ingredients of this soup are cave blind worms and glowing moss, supplemented with "broth" that they found on the spot and what appeared to be an old leather boot. The key to cooking this soup is that the worms must be alive before they are put into the pot.

Evaluation:

"Refined? No, what we pursue is 'vitality.' Look at these writhing curves, this fresh mucus; once you drink it, you can feel the energy running freely in your stomach." — Goblin "Food God"

After returning to the hotel, Xia Lin unloaded her belongings one by one and hung them on wooden nails on the wall.

Finally, he took off his coat, which was covered in dust and smelled of alcohol, and casually draped it over the back of the chair.

The bed was a simple wooden frame structure, covered with a thick cotton mattress and faded white sheets.

The pillow was stuffed with dry straw, which was a bit hard, but Xia Lin was already used to it.

He lay down, his body sinking into the cushion, letting out a long, satisfied sigh.

The tense muscles slowly relaxed, and the fatigue from days of running around surged up like a tide.

A faint glimmer of moonlight filtered through the window.

Xia Lin stared at the moonlight, his mind flashing back to all the things he had experienced during this time.

The howl of the gnolls, the feel of a blade tearing through flesh, the image of teammates lying in pools of blood...

Then came the warm lights of the tavern, the aroma of ale, the delicious roast meat, and Karin's gratitude and the promise made to the elf.

Danger and tranquility, death and life, are so intertwined in this world.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The bed beneath me was firm and solid, and the room, though small, felt safe.

Outside the window, all was quiet except for the occasional chirping of insects and the faint, low sound of waves from the distant dock area.

After everything I've been through, to be able to lie in my own bed like this, without any worries, and feel this simple yet precious peace...

"very nice."

The next morning, Xia Lin woke up to the familiar aroma of food.

The sounds from downstairs were faint, a mixture of the soft clatter of a spatula turning over and the crisp clinking of bowls and plates.

He took a deep breath; the air was filled with the warm aroma of cream and mushrooms—Jasmine was making her signature mushroom soup again.

After a quick wash, I went downstairs and saw Jasmine carrying a wooden bowl out of the kitchen. Her chestnut hair was loosely tied behind her head, and her cheeks had a healthy blush from the firelight.

"Good morning, Xia Lin." She placed a steaming bowl of cream of mushroom soup in his usual corner, along with a perfectly toasted bread with a slightly crispy crust. "Going out again today?"

"Hmm, let's go check out the association." Xia Lin sat down, scooped up a spoonful of thick soup, and put it in his mouth. The familiar smooth texture warmed his whole body along his esophagus. The mushrooms were still cut thickly, and the milky aroma was rich but not greasy.

He squinted his eyes contentedly. "The cream of mushroom soup is so delicious, Jasmine."

[Affection level increased!]

[Interspecies Reproduction - Experience Points +2]

Daily check-in complete.

Woody, perched on the shoulder, impatiently flapped his wings: "Where's mine?"

Jasmine smiled and brought over a small dish of freshly fried, golden-brown fries, placing it beside Xia Lin. The crow immediately lowered its head and focused on pecking at the food, becoming quiet for the moment.

After eating and drinking to her heart's content, Xia Lin pushed open the wooden door of the hotel, where the morning light was just right.

The Adventurers' Guild hall was a little quieter than usual, with only a few people standing sparsely in front of the bulletin board. Xia Lin walked straight to the corner, where Nim was indeed, scribbling on a roll of yellowed parchment.

"Good morning." Xia Lin walked up to him.

Nim looked up and greeted him, "Good morning. Did you hand in the caravan escort mission?"

"I'm about to hand it in," Xia Lin said. "Also, do you have any requests to deal with kobolds lately?"

Nim paused, his charcoal pencil still in his hand.

He raised his eyelids, glanced at Xia Lin, then looked at the black raven on his shoulder that was preening its feathers with composure, before slowly pulling out a worn-out booklet from under the table and flipping through it with a rustling sound.

"Kobolds..." he muttered under his breath, his fingertips tracing lines of dense text, "A bit more troublesome than goblins, and they love digging traps. Are you sure you want to take this?"

"Sure."

Nim flipped through a few more pages before finally stopping: "You can go to the receptionist and inquire about mission number B233333. It's about clearing out the kobold tribes that are spawning near the mines in the southwest. If there are any loot items in their lair, that's a separate matter."

He closed the booklet. "However, this task has been hanging for a few days, and no one has accepted it alone. I suggest you team up; it'll be more efficient."