I'm not a goblin Frankenstein's monster.

The Adventurers' Guild Hall was even more crowded and noisy than the previous two days.

A large crowd gathered in front of the huge task bulletin board, staring at it, which reminded Xia Lin of the lottery station in his previous life.

The bulletin board was plastered with task lists, and even a few farmers carrying shovels and pitchforks wanted to get a piece of the pie.

If they have enough manpower, they also want to earn some extra money.

From another perspective, goblins actually support quite a few people, making them a pillar of industry in the fantasy world.

Xia Lin carefully squeezed through the crowded throng, trying to avoid all kinds of farm tools, so as not to become the first person to die under shovels and pitchforks after transmigrating.

A long line of people waited to receive the task.

I stood silently at the end of the line, estimating how long I would have to wait.

Just then, a strange man approached Xia Lin: "Brother, wanna take on a mission?"

Xia Lin asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

The man introduced himself: "My name is Nim, and I specialize in reselling mission orders."

He looked around, then lowered his voice, "There are too many wolves and not enough meat. Ten copper coins per job is definitely a good deal! Good jobs don't wait for anyone."

Xia Lin was taken aback, then suddenly realized.

Good grief, so there are scalpers here too?

"Aren't you afraid the guild will intervene? Or that adventurers will cause trouble?"

Xia Lin was a little curious, since adventurers are not usually good-natured, honest people.

These simple and honest adventurers possess the innate ability to turn taverns and casinos into brawlgrounds at any time.

When an adventurer boasts of the heroic deeds of the scars on his face, the story is often embellished.

You can hardly tell whether the scar came from a vicious goblin bear or from an uppercut by another drunkard.

"Keep a low profile, and... the adults in the Adventurers' Guild also get a cut." Nim blinked.

"In short, if I do the work, everyone will have something to eat."

Upon hearing this, Xia Lin couldn't help but look at the man named Nim in front of her with new respect.

In this line of work, he is indeed a master.

But he was unlucky today, and out of all the people in the room, he picked a poor guy.

"Is it possible?" Xia Lin asked tentatively, "that I can take the task list first, and then pay after completing the task and receiving the reward?"

"You mean...buying on credit?" Nim was taken aback. "Wouldn't I go bankrupt? Do I look like an idiot?"

"Don't worry, I promise you won't suffer any losses," Xia Lin said confidently.

"How so?"

"Think about it, you give me the order, and if I come back alive and receive the reward, you still get your commission—that's a win-win situation."

Xia Lin organized her thoughts again: "If I don't come back... I'll lose my life, and you'll only lose one deal. Comparing the two, you'll still make a small profit, right?"

"Tsk...it seems...that makes sense?"

"Then is the deal?"

"Okay! Here, take this one. Remember to settle the bill when you get back. Don't try to renege; I have a very good memory."

"No problem!" Xia Lin took the order and turned to join the crowd.

Ten minutes later, Nim suddenly thought of the worst-case scenario: what if the other party completed the task and deliberately didn't come to find him?

Damn, I've been tricked!

But when he chased after her, Xia Lin was nowhere to be found.

Nim burst out, "These adventurers are so rude!"

"Each generation is worse than the last!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Quest: Collect "Moon Tear Grass"

Type: Collection

Requirements: Ensure the plant remains intact.

Reward: 40-50 copper coins per clump

Note: Sosia, the owner of the Moonlight Tavern in Diagon Alley, urgently needs this material to brew a specialty drink. You can ask her for details about Moon Tear Grass (appearance, growing environment, harvesting method, etc.).

After carefully accepting the commission, Xia Lin planned to visit the tavern owner the next day.

With some time before dark, Xia Lin thought he'd wander around the town market to at least familiarize himself with the prices of various goods.

As a transmigrator and a low-level adventurer, understanding the prices of goods in this world is equally important.

The market is located outside the town's central square, with areas divided by simple wooden sheds and stalls.

The air was filled with a complex odor of animal dung, cooked food spices, cheap leather, and human sweat.

The sounds of vendors hawking their wares, haggling over prices, and children playing filled the air.

Xia Lin wandered among the cluttered stalls, his gaze sweeping over those selling common adventure supplies: bundles of arrows, worn-out armor parts, suspiciously colored herbal powder, homemade rations...

Most are inexpensive, but the quality varies greatly.

Just as he was about to leave, an inconspicuous stall in the corner caught his attention.

The stall was small, with only a few old wooden planks pieced together to form a table, on which all sorts of strange and unusual things were piled up haphazardly.

Mineral specimens with dull colors, parchment rolls bound with rough hemp rope, and metal parts of unknown purpose.

There were also a few handbooks with worn-out covers and names that were illegible.

The stall owner was a thin, middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties, wearing a worn-out gray robe.

He was dozing against a pillar behind him when he heard footsteps approaching. He immediately opened his eyes and a professional, enthusiastic smile instantly spread across his face.

In his eyes, adventurers are truly high-quality customers.

It's definitely not that adventurers are more generous or easier to talk to than others. On the contrary, most adventurers live a life of constant hunger and hardship, which doesn't cultivate a good temper.

He survived by running a dilapidated stall because he had his own business acumen.

"Hey! Young adventurer, you have good taste!" The stall owner rubbed his hands together and stood up. "Come on, take a look! I have all sorts of good stuff here, many of them are high-quality items used by professionals, and some are even treasures salvaged from ruins! Fair prices, no cheating!"

Xia Lin neither confirmed nor denied this explanation. Nine and a half out of ten stalls in these corners of the market sell "stories" rather than actual goods.

He looked past the "rare minerals" that looked like ordinary stones painted with a layer of paint, and the "ancient scrolls" with crooked handwriting that were probably just scribbles, and his gaze fell on a few books on the stall that were roughly bound with thick kraft paper.

"Are these... combat technique books of yours genuine?" Xia Lin picked up the top book, weighed it in his hand, and asked.

The booklet cover features a rudimentary charcoal drawing of a human figure wielding a weapon, with a few crooked, generic words written next to it that can be barely deciphered as "Basic Combat Techniques".

The stall owner's eyes lit up, and he patted his chest, saying, "Young man, you've got a good question! Of course it's genuine! These are notes and insights I obtained at great expense from several retired veteran professionals!"

"It contains genuine, practical combat techniques that have been verified by countless predecessors! As long as you buy it and diligently practice according to the methods described, you'll have a chance to master a skill to rely on!"

"If you study hard and practice diligently, you'll have a chance..." Xia Lin silently translated in his mind, "It means that if you can't master it, it's because you're not working hard enough or you don't have the talent, it has nothing to do with my combat skills."

He didn't call out the stall owner's sales pitch, but simply flipped open the booklet in his hand.

The booklet's inner pages were made of cheap scrap paper, but the handwriting was neater than on the cover.

[Combat Skill Name: Uppercut]

Brief introduction: Basic combat skills commonly used by melee classes.

The action is characterized by a rapid upward thrust from the lower part of the body, which concentrates the power at the tip of the weapon and generates an upward impact on the target. It has a certain probability of disrupting the opponent's stance or causing a brief floating effect.

Key points for practice: Lower your center of gravity, engage your waist and legs, and coordinate your arms and wrists to lift upwards...

Difficulty Assessment: Beginner level (requires basic strength and coordination)

It is indeed a common introductory skill for warrior-type classes, and the description makes sense.

However, the so-called "practice points" are written in a very general and vague way. They are more like observation notes written based on memory after watching others perform the exercise, rather than actual training methods.

It could even be entirely fabricated.