I'm not a goblin Frankenstein's monster.

Xia Lin made a good impression on her. He wasn't talkative, but he was quick and efficient, paid promptly, and was also quite handsome.

She didn't want this down-to-earth young man to become just another "unlucky guy" in the mouths of the drunks in the tavern.

"Thank you for reminding me, Jasmine. I'll be careful," Xia Lin said sincerely.

Information from locals is often more valuable than the task descriptions on association bulletin boards.

[Affection level increased!]

[Interspecies Reproduction - Experience Points +2]

Does this work too?

As the semi-transparent text floated past, Xia Lin seemed to understand the upgrade method for [Interspecies Reproduction].

After a quiet breakfast, Xia Lin left the inn and headed towards the blacksmith's shop in the eastern part of the town, following the route she remembered.

"Anvil and Fire" Blacksmith Shop.

The blacksmith's shop was filled with the roar of the furnace and the smell of ore and coal.

Sindar, the dwarf boss with a thick beard, swung his strong arms and hammered at the anvil, rushing to make equipment.

Sweat rolled down his bronze skin and thick chest hair, dripping onto the scorching anvil with a soft "hissing" sound.

"Good morning, Boss Xinda!" Xia Lin raised his voice, drowning out the sound of hammering.

Upon hearing the sound, Xinda brought down the last hammer blow, picked up the partially formed iron billet, and immersed it in the water tank next to him. With a loud "sizzle" and rising white steam, he raised his head, squinting his eyes, which were shining brightly in the furnace fire, and looked towards the door.

"Oh! Xia Lin!" Xinda grinned. "Good morning! How's that 'Veteran' rifle you bought from me last time?"

He clearly remembered the young adventurer he had met not long ago.

"It went very smoothly, thanks to your excellent skills." Xia Lin's words were not entirely a compliment.

Although the sword was old, the blade was well-maintained and the center of gravity was just right; at least it hadn't failed in the previous battles.

The fact that I'm still standing here is proof of that.

"Haha, whatever works! We dwarves are all about practicality!"

[Affection level increased!]

[Interspecies Reproduction - Experience Points +2]

Sinda wiped her face with the towel hanging around her neck. "What did you come here to see today? Does the 'veteran' need some more polishing? Or are you looking to add some new stuff?"

"I'd like to see some leather armor, something lightweight that won't restrict my movements," Xia Lin stated directly.

He couldn't afford heavy armor, so relatively inexpensive leather armor was the most realistic option at the moment.

"Armor? You've come to the right place!" Sinda's eyes lit up. She put down the towel and led Xia Lin to the wall on the side of the shop that was covered with all kinds of protective gear.

He took off several pieces of leather armor and spread them out on the sturdy wooden table.

Xia Lin picked up one of the items and examined it carefully.

The leather armor is flexible and comfortable to wear, and provides sufficient protection, which meets my needs. I just don't know if I can afford the price.

"It's made of wild boar hide, with a thin felt lining inside, making it more comfortable to wear and providing better protection against impacts," Sinda explained, noticing his interest.

"The world's number one wild boar armor set?"

Xia Lin's thoughts stirred slightly.

Xinda glanced at Xia Lin's somewhat shabby attire and clicked her tongue: "But you're a repeat customer, and a decent person. Three silver coins, take it. You won't find this price anywhere else."

Thanks to the increased favorability from [Interspecies Reproduction], Sinda gave me a friendly price.

In this world, one gold coin is worth ten silver coins, and one silver coin is worth one hundred copper coins.

Xia Lin did the math and realized that this leather armor had cost almost half of his last income.

Moreover, it's just a common, high-quality product with no special attributes or bonuses.

If it's a high-end product tailored for professional adventurers, the price is astronomical.

But it's worth it for safety!

Money can be earned back, but life is only given to you.

He paid readily and then pointed to a small round shield hanging on the wall: "Take a look at that small round shield too."

The small round shield had a simple design, with a slightly raised, curved surface and neat edges.

The dwarf Sindar took a small round shield from the wall and handed it over, saying confidently, "Its main body is made of ironwood, the lightest and toughest hardwood in the forest, and the outer layer is covered with bison leather that has been repeatedly tanned. There is also a thin iron band around the edge."

"The main features are sturdiness and durability." He patted the shield with his large hand, the sound dull and solid. "Don't let its small size and thinness fool you. Most swords and knives will only leave a mark when they hit it. It weighs less than half as much as a large shield, but its blocking area is enough to protect vitals. Plus, you can carry it with one hand while running and jumping without any problems."

He continued gesturing a few more times: "In woodlands or caves, this small, round shield is quick to turn around and doesn't get stuck in the terrain, making it much more practical than those bulky, large shields. Even if you can't win a fight, it's easy to escape!"

Xia Lin tried it out; the weight was just right, and it felt solid in the hand.

His agility was average, but having multiple shields around him was tantamount to having an extra life.

He recalled how Gondor had easily deflected goblin arrows with his shield, and he made up his mind.

"How much is this?"

"One silver for ten copper coins. I'll give you a ten-copper-coin discount if you sell it with the leather armor." Sinda was a shrewd businessman.

"Okay, I'll take it." Xia Lin paid again.

My wallet instantly became much smaller.

Wearing leather armor and carrying a small round shield, Xia Lin felt much more at ease, fully armed. He was confident that he could handle several goblins at the same time if he encountered them again.

Leaving the blacksmith shop, Xia Lin turned and went into the nearby general store, where he bought some basic bandages and the cheapest treatment kit.

The shop was filled with all sorts of strange smells: dried herbs, old parchment, cheap spices, and a faint musty odor.

The shelves were piled high with all sorts of odds and ends, from rusty arrowheads and worn ropes to powders of questionable color and pastes in rough earthenware jars.

The few bottles of healing potion on the counter, gleaming faintly, were priced higher than his life.

Xia Lin glanced at them briefly before silently looking away; these things were not something he could afford for the time being.

Finally, after being enthusiastically persuaded by the shopkeeper Delilah, I purchased the "Adventurer's General Monster Compendium (Loran Forest and Surrounding Areas Revised Edition)" printed by the association.

10 copper coins.

The encyclopedia records the habits of common monsters in the Loran Forest and thoughtfully includes illustrations.

Xia Lin, out of curiosity, casually flipped through the pages and found the goblin's record.

[Serial Number: 007 - Goblin]

Appearance: Green skin, red eyes, pointed ears, short and ugly (about 25%-50% the height of an adult human male), some special mutations may be more dangerous.

Appendix: Information on Mutant Individuals

Bear Goblin: 1.8-2.2 meters tall, brown-green skin, muscular, often serving as tribal chief.

High Goblin: Larger and more robust than ordinary goblins, wielding totems/bone staffs/spears, etc., with unusually glowing pupils. Masters 1-3 primitive spells (poison mist/healing/enhancement, etc.).

Personality traits: greedy, cunning, violent; group actions compensate for individual weakness.

They have a strong attachment to valuable items such as gold coins and gems, and their diet consists mainly of plunder and hunting.

Danger level: Single animal ≈ female farmer with pitchfork; threat increases significantly when in groups.

Common habitats: Prefer locations that are easy to defend and difficult to attack or easy to plunder, such as forest edge caves, abandoned mines, collapsed buildings, riverbank erosion caves, etc.

Recorder's notes:

"Don't underestimate them because they are short, ugly, or stupid. Last year, 37% of adventurer casualties in the Elwynn region were related to goblins—80% of them died because they thought they could solo them."

The illustrations and descriptions of the goblins are largely consistent with the goblins that Xia Lin encountered, and some details, such as their preference for shiny objects and the existence of mutants, provide new information.

He asked for two more sturdy cloth strips and squatted down at the street corner to carefully wrap and reinforce the hilt of the sword and the handle of the small round shield.

He gripped the wrapped hilt of the sword; it felt much more solid in his hand.

At least in combat, weapons are not so easy to drop.