I'm not a goblin Frankenstein's monster.

Chapter 96 Joining the Team

"This is Melissa," the orc said, pointing to the human priestess, "a kind-hearted girl who's been having a lot of troubles lately."

Melissa stepped forward, her hands nervously clasped in front of her, her voice soft yet trembling noticeably: "Hello, Xia Lin. I apologize for bothering you—we, we desperately need your help."

According to Garu's subsequent explanation, Xia Lin learned an unexpected fact: the three of them were not part of the advance rescue team officially dispatched by the Upper City Church after receiving the bad news.

"Kyle and I actually came at Melissa's request. Someone very important to her is in danger in the forest, and the situation is terrible—she insisted on coming immediately and couldn't wait a moment longer." His tone was somewhat helpless, but there was no blame in his eyes when he looked at Melissa.

Melissa's cheeks flushed slightly, but her eyes were incredibly determined. She took over the conversation, her voice earnest: "Yes—I can feel it, he's still alive, but I can feel his pain and weakness—please, help me, take me to him."

She looked at Xia Lin, her blue eyes brimming with tears. "Garu said you're quite familiar with this area and are an adventurer he trusts. Please be our guide; the compensation will definitely satisfy you."

The orcs have only been to Elwynn Town once, and the druid they encountered last time has already returned to the upper city. The other two guards they've dealt with are now busy with post-disaster reconstruction.

In his simple, direct, or perhaps even linear way of thinking, after eliminating a whole group of people, the only "local" he knew and had combat experience with was Xia Lin, who was standing right in front of him.

So, on their first day in town, after quickly getting a sense of the situation, they eagerly began searching for their guide, Xia Lin, hoping to enter the forest the very next day and begin their search.

Xia Lin looked at the trio before him—the straightforward and powerful orc warrior, the astute and dangerous dragonborn wanderer, and the worried human priest.

The composition of this makeshift team is quite interesting; half of the members are not human adventurers.

This seems—more interesting, and perhaps "safer"—than joining those chaotic gold rush teams.

Some? A thought quietly surfaced.

Xia Lin finally accepted the invitation from Garu's team.

On the one hand, this team has a clear objective: once they find the person important to Pastor Melissa, the mission is complete and everyone can go home.

Xia Lin had already experienced the combat power of the orcs during the last mission, and now there were two other professionals traveling with him.

This team was more reliable than those chaotic gold-digging teams that flocked to the forest; on the other hand, the guide fee they offered was quite generous, and the 15 gold coin deposit had already made Xia Lin's purse even heavier.

It's definitely not going to work to make him return the gold coins he's already got!

Considering their hurried journey and the need for rest and replenishment of supplies, the departure time was set for the early morning of the following day.

Inside the Adventurer's Inn.

"Xia Lin, a friend has arrived? Please come in! The fire is burning brightly, and the soup is just cooked!" Jasmine smiled, her chestnut hair neatly tied back, her face bearing the healthy blush and capable air unique to small-town girls.

She deftly arranged seats for the four of them at a slightly larger wooden table by the window, and soon served the hotel's signature cream of mushroom soup and freshly baked rye bread, which smelled delicious.

Garu and his two companions had clearly arrived in a hurry, enduring hardships and sleeping outdoors along the way. Now, smelling the aroma of food wafting from the adventurer's inn, their stomachs began to rumble uncontrollably.

"You've come all this way, you must be hungry, right? We also have stewed meat, roasted mushrooms, and some fresh fish that just arrived today." Jasmine introduced enthusiastically, her gaze lingering curiously on the dragonborn Kyle for a moment before she quickly and politely looked away.

"Hahaha! Okay! Give me one of each! A large one!" Garu rubbed his rumbling stomach and shouted without any politeness, revealing the orc's hearty appetite.

"Could I also have a grilled mushroom dish, please?" Kyle's golden vertical pupils scanned the menu, and he quickly made his choice.

Just then, Jasmine seemed to remember something, and her eyes lit up: "Oh right, I just fried some fries in the kitchen with freshly arrived butter. Would you like to try some? It's on me!"

She was always happy to recommend the food she liked to her guests, and Woody seemed to enjoy it.

Soon, several plates of steaming hot, golden-brown, and crispy fries were served, sprinkled with fine salt, and exuding an enticing aroma of oil and potatoes.

Garu's eyes lit up. He thanked her and grabbed a handful, stuffing them into his mouth and chewing them with a crunching sound. Clearly, Jasmine had gained another loyal customer.

Kyle elegantly picked up a skewer with his fingertips and put it in his mouth: "The taste is indeed very good. The cooking and seasoning are just right, no worse than some restaurants in the Upper Town."

She pondered it carefully for a moment and nodded.

This was the longest sentence she uttered after coming in, aside from ordering food, clearly indicating that she had high standards for the food and was generous with her praise.

However, when Jasmine kindly pushed a small dish of fries towards Pastor Melissa, the girl, who had seemed somewhat absent-minded, gently shook her head and gave an apologetic smile: "Thank you, but—"

I don't need it.

Kyle, who was about to continue enjoying his meal, paused slightly, looking at his friend with a hint of obvious doubt: "Melissa? You used to—didn't you really like this kind of fried food? I remember at the 'Golden Basket' restaurant near Temple Square, you always ordered their potato wedges."

She and Melissa had known each other for a long time and were quite familiar with each other's eating habits.

Although Melissa is a pastor serving God, she is not very strict about her diet. She accepts certain "not-so-healthy" but delicious common foods well. For example, she always orders French fries whenever she goes to a restaurant.

"Maybe... my tastes have changed. Lately... I don't really want to eat anything too oily."

Melissa's cheeks suddenly flushed slightly, and she lowered her head, her voice barely audible.

She offered no further explanation, her eyes darting away.

Kyle's doubts deepened.

A sudden change in taste?

This didn't quite match her understanding of Melissa. But seeing her friend's slightly flushed face and reluctance to talk, she ultimately didn't press the matter.

Perhaps her anxiety about saving lives had affected her appetite, or perhaps—the food at this small-town hotel just didn't suit her taste? Kyle picked up another fry; hmm, it tasted pretty good.

There seemed to be a figure moving outside the hotel, making a famous gesture towards Xia Lin.

The other person looked rather furtive, as if they didn't want to be seen by the people inside.

Feeling puzzled, Xia Lin said something to Jia Lu and the others, then got up and walked towards the door.

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