My inventory is full of monster materials.

Chapter 118 The Giant Dwarf

"Mr. Mark, your magic is so powerful, why don't you participate in this 'Wolf Extermination' operation?"

'

Orion suddenly looked up and asked, puzzled.

Mark simply lowered his head, took a small sip of his drink, pondered for a moment, and then asked a question.

Why should I participate?

Orion was clearly taken aback for a moment, then scratched his head and began to mutter to himself as he pondered.

"Because of reputation, honor... and a lot of money rewards."

"I heard that Baron Glover and other important figures are paying close attention to this matter. Whoever comes out on top will not only be rewarded with 1000 gold coins, but will also be able to attend the victory banquet hosted by the Baron's family."

When the topic of the victory celebration dinner came up, Orion's eyes were filled with anticipation.

That was the young knight's thirst for honor.

However, Mark was already well aware of this political show, and let out a meaningful chuckle, deliberately making a sarcastic remark.

"Oh, that does look very tempting. I might even get to have dinner with Miss Valerie."

The moment he heard that name, Orion's face flushed bright red, and he clutched his wine glass nervously, looking every bit like an innocent young man.

Who would have thought that Mark, who was only 15 years old, could make the nearly 20-year-old young knight blush with embarrassment?

Of course, no one knows that Mark's real age is well over 40, which is why he appears so mature for his age.

Mark composed himself, steered the conversation back on track, and explained earnestly.

"Actually, I have no interest in this campaign against the bandits. Fame and fortune are not what I urgently need right now."

"I prefer to stay in the Mage Guild, where I can read books in my spare time, research new spells, and live a comfortable life lying down."

"Of course, if you ever get bored, you can take a spontaneous outdoor adventure and make some extra money along the way. It's perfect."

Orion listened in stunned silence, as if he were meeting Mark for the first time.

"Mr. Mark, you clearly have this ability, why don't you do something more meaningful?"

Mark raised an eyebrow and asked.

"for example?"

Orion quickly spoke, expressing his opinion.

"For example, eliminating harm for the people and achieving meritorious deeds—this campaign to wipe out bandits is a perfect opportunity!"

Seeing the other person's serious expression, Mark took another sip of his drink and sighed softly.

"Are you saying that with great power comes great responsibility?"

Orion thought for a moment, then nodded heavily, his eyes resolute.

"Yes!"

Mark chuckled, a faint smile appearing on his face, his words carrying a hint of clarity.

"But in reality, responsibility is never tied to ability."

Orion looked completely bewildered, clearly not understanding the deeper meaning of those words.

Seeing his bewildered expression, Mark softly uttered two words.

"It's a right."

Orion frowned, as if he wanted to say something more.

"Mr. Mark, if I may be so bold..."

"Cough cough."

Mark quickly coughed twice, interrupting Orion's next words.

Mark knew this "righteous man's" personality all too well; continuing the conversation would only lead to endless arguments, so he deliberately changed the subject.

"You've said so much about me, but what about you? Why aren't you participating in this 'Wolf Extermination' operation? Don't you want to make something of yourself?"

Orion hesitated, then slowly lowered his head, but his eyes sparkled with longing and anticipation.

"I... Mr. Clyde has been incredibly kind to me. It's enough for me to just stay by his side."

Mark watched Orion's performance and felt a certain empathy for him—who didn't dream of being a hero when they were young?

Mark knew he had touched on the young knight's difficulties, so he stopped asking and changed the subject with a laugh.

"By the way, do you know the current situation of the encirclement and suppression team?"

When the topic of Operation Wolf Extermination came up, Orion became animated and described it vividly.

"Just three days ago, the eldest son of the Grover family led an expedition and swept through the mountains of Tabora with unstoppable momentum, and even set up a base camp there.

"When the news reached Sergei, everyone cheered. It's said that Earthquake Keep has already begun preparing a grand banquet, awaiting their triumphant return!"

Mark lowered his head in thought.

On the surface, the encirclement and suppression operation was going smoothly, as if they would be able to return home in a few days.

But for some reason, Mark always felt a strange unease.

Is it really that simple?

Just then, assistant Lina walked over slowly and bowed slightly.

"Sir Mark, Professor Morris requests your presence in the conference room on the second floor for a special meeting on the '0mega-3' research project."

Mark stood up, dusted off his robes, and asked.

"Another meeting? Is everyone here?"

Lina responded softly.

"Yes, Sir Dylan, Alchemist Clyde is here. In addition, Professor Morris has specially invited Professor Burding and his students."

"Oh?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Mark's eyes. He patted Orion on the shoulder and said with a smile.

"Then we should get to know him properly, Orion. Come with me."

"Okay, Mr. Mark."

Orion quickly got up and followed Mark.

The entrance to the conference room on the second floor.

The special project meeting ended, and everyone gradually walked out of the room.

Among a group of people in dark robes, the two at the head stood out.

Professor Morris was still dressed in the typical attire of an old scholar, with a white beard that reached his chest, slightly protruding cheekbones, a tall and thin figure, and a hearty smile on his face.

Beside him stood a dwarf, about half a person's height, with a thick, long red beard, a short and stocky build, and clutching a heavy ancient book in his hand.

This person was Professor Burding.

He's actually a dwarf scholar!

Morris deliberately stretched out his arm to pat Burding on the shoulder.

"Bourdin, tell me, isn't this research topic very promising?"

"snort!"

Burdin impatiently shook off Maurice's hand and yelled angrily.

"Don't tell me this was your son's idea, I don't believe it! You must have gotten this project from somewhere else!"

Morris stroked his gray beard smugly, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense.

"you guess."

"She's so effeminate, just like those pointy-eared elves!"

Burding rolled his eyes, ignoring the question, and instead asked impatiently.

"Let's not talk about that. Since you have an ogre's heart, you must have other parts, right? Share some with me. You know I specialize in giant research!"

Morris then stopped smiling, his expression turned serious, and he reached out to pull Mark, who was watching the commotion, over and introduced him.

"Then I shall formally introduce myself to you."

"This is Mark, a new member of our Lynx Academy, the initiator of this '0mega-3' project, and also the donor of the ogre's corpse."

After saying that, Maurice introduced Mark to Mark.

"Mark, this is Burdin the Giant, he's a giant expert from the Lynx Academy," and is very knowledgeable in the study of giant bloodlines.

Upon hearing this, Mark immediately placed his hand on his chest and bowed respectfully.

"I've met Professor Burding."

Burdin looked up and stared at Mark, who was nearly 2 meters tall.

Only then did I realize that there had been such a tall human standing in the corner the whole time during the meeting, and I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"My goodness, you're so tall!"

Morris offered a subtle hint from the side.

"Bourdin, haven't you been researching Titans? Mark has Frost Titan blood in him, you know."

Upon hearing the words "Frost Giant Bloodline," Burdin's eyes blazed with intense light, his red beard trembled with excitement, and he kept muttering to himself.

"No wonder, no wonder it's so tall!"

As he spoke, Burding reached out and pinched Mark's thigh and arm, his face full of curiosity.

Mark was a little uncomfortable with the other person's sudden action, so he turned slightly to the side and asked softly.

"Professor Burding, is there anything I can help you with?"

"help!"

Burding snapped out of his daze, his face instantly plastered with a smile. Despite his thick eyebrows and large eyes and fierce expression, he was all smiles now, creating a striking contrast.

Burding rubbed his hands together and said excitedly.

"Let me give you a brief introduction. My most important research right now is on giant dwarves!"

"Giant dwarves?!"

Mark looked puzzled, while Dylan and Clyde exchanged glances. Only Morris stroked his beard with a meaningful expression, clearly already aware of the matter.

Then, Burding's smile faded, replaced by an indignant expression as he explained indignantly.

"As we all know, although dwarves are strong and powerful, and skilled in mining, forging and fighting, our race's biggest weakness is that they are generally only 1.2 to 1.5 meters tall."

"Not to mention humans and elves, even goblins sometimes produce giant goblins that are over 1.8 meters tall, so other races often mock us for not being as good as goblins."

As Burding spoke, he blew on his beard and glared at Morris, who was trying not to laugh.

Burding's expression immediately became resolute, and he clenched his fist.

"My lifelong wish is to help dwarves break through the height limit, reaching at least 1.8 meters, no, it should be 2..."

Rice is the only option!

Mark suddenly realized.

No wonder this dwarf professor changed his surname to "Giant"; it turns out he harbored such ambitions, which is quite admirable.

So Mark asked curiously.

"So how do you plan to achieve this goal?"

Burdin stared at Mark and spoke in a righteous tone.

"After a long period of research, I discovered that the bloodline of the giants is too powerful. Directly integrating it into the bodies of dwarves would produce a huge rejection reaction, making it simply impossible."

"So I've opted for a less desirable option: to use secondary bloodlines of giants, such as those of ogres or trolls, for modification."

However, in a sudden change of tone, Burdin's eyes sharpened as he stared intently at Mark.

"But my intuition tells me that with your half-human, half-frost giant bloodline, the effect will be even better."

"After all, humans and dwarves have a long tradition of intermarriage, so their bloodline compatibility is much higher!"

"6

""

Upon hearing this, Mark's heart skipped a beat, and he had a bad feeling. He asked with a wry smile.

"Professor Burding, stop beating around the bush, what exactly do you want me to do?"

Burding suddenly flashed a wicked smile, his red mustache twitched, and his eyebrows arched.

"I hope you can interbreed with a dwarf to aid my research!"

"Hybridization?!"

Mark stumbled and nearly fell backward, but luckily Dylan and Clyde caught him in time.

Burdin pressed on, thinking Mark was disgusted, and quickly comforted him.

"Don't worry, I won't treat you badly! I swear on my beard, I'll definitely arrange for you to be a dwarf beauty, the kind with a beard at least a meter long!"

"ha?"

Mark's heart skipped a beat, his face filled with disbelief.

"Beautiful lady...why do you have a beard?"

At that moment, Dylan leaned close to Mark's ear and whispered an explanation.

"Both men and women of the dwarf tribe have beards, and in their aesthetic view, the longer the beard, the more beautiful the person is."

Clyde, suppressing a laugh, leaned closer and whispered something.

"Mark, don't rush. He needs your help. Let's hear the price first."

Mark turned his head away expressionlessly, and Clyde quickly and tactfully turned his face away, pretending to look at the scenery.

Seemingly having overheard their conversation, Burding waved his hand and offered a generous reward.

"You humans are so pretentious. You have beautiful women being given away for free and you still complain. You really don't know what's good for you!"

"Fine, how about this: if you're willing to participate in my 'Giant Dwarf' project, I'll use my connections to forge you a full mithril staff!"

"Full Mithril Staff!!"

Everyone gasped in shock.

Everyone present was a mage, and they all knew that mithril was a rare magical metal material with extremely strong magical conductivity.

In the market, one kilogram of mithril is equivalent to rare Tier 2 monster materials.

Even a short staff less than a meter long requires 4-5 kilograms of mithril just for its materials, let alone when crafted into a magical weapon.

Morris was somewhat tempted by the sight, but his face remained cold as he questioned her.

"Didn't you say you didn't have any mithril?"

Burdin, however, remained unfazed and responded confidently.

"I don't have it myself, but don't forget, my cousin is a master craftsman; he definitely has it!"

Mark, on the other hand, felt a tightness in his anus and was filled with despair at the thought of "losing his reputation in his later years."

Clyde, who was standing next to him, urged him on repeatedly.

"Mark, don't hesitate! It's a full mithril staff! It costs at least 9,000 gold coins, if not tens of thousands. You might miss this opportunity!"

Dylan, looking envious, tugged at Mark's sleeve and said...

"Mark, if you get your hands on it, can I borrow it for a few days? I've never tried a full mithril staff before!"

'

Mark stared at the two of them in astonishment, cursing them eighteen times in his mind.

That sounds nice, but it's not like you guys are "selling your butts"!

To be honest, if it's just a casual thing to do, turning off the lights makes no difference. Forget about dwarf beauties, even hyena beauties wouldn't be unacceptable.

But the thought of his offspring being used for research was something Mark absolutely could not tolerate; it was a matter of principle.

Mark composed himself and said with a serious expression.

"Professor Burding, I am only 15 years old and my body is still developing. Could we talk about this a few years later?"

'

Mark's plan was simple: make money.

In a few years, Mark will have long since flown away, and who will care about the "Giant Dwarfs" project anymore.

But Burdin was not so easily fooled. Upon hearing this, he immediately became angry and his voice suddenly rose.

"I'm offering you beautiful women and a full mithril staff—such generous terms, and you still dare to refuse?!"

As expected of a hot-tempered dwarf, his words instantly ignited tensions between the two sides, making the atmosphere instantly heated.

Morris, who also had a fiery temper, immediately spoke to Burding in a stern voice when he saw one of his own men being wronged.

"Bourding! This is my research group leader, what do you want?"

Burdin's eyes also turned red, and he roared through clenched teeth.

"You think I don't know? You just don't want me to succeed, and you all laugh at me for being short!"

"You ungrateful wretch!"

Morris also got angry and rolled up his sleeves.

"I went out of my way to invite you to see the ogre's heart, and this is how you repay me?"

"You just can't stand to see me doing well!"

Burdin was trembling with rage and was about to rush up to Maurice Risso.

Just as the two old men, one tall and one short, were about to fight, students from both sides rushed forward to intervene, creating a chaotic scene.

Just then, Mark suddenly stood up and said through clenched teeth.

"Wait! I have a question!"

Morris and Burding stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. The others also quieted down and focused their attention on Mark.

Mark, with a serious expression, slowly began to speak.

"Professor Burding, I'm a little curious. The 'Giant Dwarfs' project you mentioned, is it to exaggerate certain physical characteristics of dwarves?"

"Are you sure it's 'giant dwarf' or 'giant dwarf'? Does it mean making dwarfs taller, or shorter?"

Burding paused for a moment, then instinctively began to speak.

"That's definitely higher..."

But as the words were about to come out, Burding suddenly fell silent, his face filled with shock and bewilderment, and he seemed lost in thought.

He had studied it for so many years and naturally assumed that the bloodline of giants would definitely make dwarves grow taller, but he never thought that they would become even shorter.

Now that Mark has brought it up, it seems like we were going in the wrong direction from the start!

Seeing this, Mark subtly gave Maurice and the others a wink.

The group instantly understood and gave Mark a thumbs-up, silently praising his wit.

Mark thought to himself, "What a great opportunity!" and turned to make his escape.

But just then, Clyde suddenly reached out and grabbed Mark's sleeve, whispering something.

"Hey Mark, just wanted to let you know, I've finished that thing."

""