My inventory is full of monster materials.

The second floor of the Daphne Hotel.

As dawn broke and the streets outside the window bustled with activity, a shrill, loud child's voice suddenly rang out.

"Breaking news! Breaking news! The dragon of the Golan Forest is back! The dragon is back!"

As the newsboy's voice faded into the distance, Mark, who was wide awake from the noise, kicked off the covers impatiently and muttered something.

"Dragon, dragon, how many times has this happened! When will this ever end?!"

Unable to sleep, Mark had no choice but to get out of bed, but as soon as his toes touched the ground, his whole body went weak and he almost collapsed on the floor.

"Ugh—"

Mark reached out and held onto the edge of the bed, rubbing his aching side, a wry smile on his face.

Last night's battle with Madeline was comparable to a fight with an ogre.

That golden cat's stats were indeed top-notch; a single combo of the Deadly Eighteen Squats forced him into a repeated retreat.

Thinking of this, Mark was furious and secretly vowed in his heart—he miscalculated this time, and next time, he must bring the Goblin Six Gods Gear.

After gathering his thoughts, Mark quickly washed up, and with a thought, a phantom screen appeared before his eyes: the [Character Panel].

Compared to Henry's progress in changing careers, Mark was already far ahead.

Under the "Wisdom" path, the attribute requirement for a first-tier "Mage" is an Intelligence ≥ 15, while Mark's base Intelligence has already reached 16 points.

As for skill requirements—

Mark currently has mastered the following spells: 1st level "Eye of Surveillance Max (Green)" and 0th level "Freezing Ray Max (White)".

It does look rather flimsy.

But Mark also possesses the 4th-circle spell "Ice Spirit Dragon Lv1 (Blue)".

Although this spell is only Lv1, its ring number and quality are extremely high.

Mark believed that with his qualifications, meeting Ms. Qin Zhi was like being a top-tier undergraduate student who had published SCI papers. Perhaps he couldn't compare to a master's or doctoral degree, but his hard skills were undeniable, and he would definitely pass the interview and become the goddess's chosen employee.

The only thing missing now is the interview invitation – the "Wisdom Emblem".

At that moment, the silver "Medal of Excellence for Adventure" involuntarily flashed through Mark's mind.

Mark pondered for a moment, then shook his head and gave up the idea of ​​using the medal.

I should at least find out how to obtain the "Wisdom Emblem" before making a final decision; I can't just waste this precious medal.

After clarifying my thoughts, today's itinerary was decided—Lily's Cottage.

Mark then changed into some casual clothes and went downstairs.

As soon as you reach the corner of the stairs, you are greeted by the rich atmosphere of daily life in the hotel lobby.

The air was filled with the aroma of food and a hint of beer. Customers sat in small groups, chatting quietly, creating a lively yet peaceful atmosphere.

Mark walked straight to the bar, sat on a high stool, tapped the smooth countertop lightly with his fingers, and called out.

"Old Luo! Give me a bacon and egg stir-fry, the bacon extra crispy, and a glass of mead to whet my appetite!"

Behind the bar, the burly, Mediterranean-looking owner, Paul, was wiping glasses with his head down. He looked up at the source of the voice, his movements suddenly stopped, and after a short while, he realized what was happening and turned to pour wine from the wine cabinet.

boom!

A thick-walled glass filled with amber-colored mead was placed in front of Mark, the liquid swirling slightly and releasing a sweet aroma.

Mark picked up his glass, took a small sip, and the sweet taste melted on his tongue, the texture was rich and smooth, and he felt as if he had come back to life.

Just then, the sound of two customers whispering came from the next table.

"Hey! Did you hear? The dragon of the Golan Forest is back!"

"Back? Were there dragons here before?"

"Of course! More than thirty years ago, the core ruins of the Golan Forest were occupied by a dragon, and it was the guild that gathered a group of adventurers to defeat it."

"Killed him?"

"Who knows! I heard they never found the dragon's body back then; it probably escaped during the chaos and is now back for revenge!"

"Hiss—does that mean our Pinewood Town is doomed?"

"Look at you, you coward! On the contrary, this is a golden opportunity! Dragons are treasures from head to toe, and there might even be dragon treasure hidden within. I reckon the number of adventurers in town will double in no time; everyone wants to try their luck!"

"That's true! I'm even a little tempted. Why don't I register as an adventurer too!"

...

Mark frowned, listening quietly to their conversation, a vague feeling that something was amiss.

The news of the dragon's return is spreading everywhere, but why did it have to come out at this time of year?

Mark suddenly remembered the frost dragon he had summoned, what was its name again... oh, it was Frost.

Could this be related to Frost?

Mark was lost in thought when his gaze inadvertently fell upon a petite girl in a beige, puffy long dress carrying a tray toward the kitchen.

Mark smiled and waved hello familiarly.

"Good morning, Iveney!"

"ah!!"

Aphne saw the handsome boy waving at her from the bar.

She gasped in surprise, covered her flushed face with her hands, and dropped the plate on the ground with a clatter, scattering the food inside everywhere.

Mark paused for a moment, then subconsciously touched his cheek, a little smug feeling rising in his heart—is this the charm of a top-tier handsome model? It's actually quite captivating, it feels pretty good.

So Mark deliberately tossed his white hair that was hanging over his forehead, struck what he thought was his most handsome profile pose, winked at Aphrodite, and curled a confident smile at the corner of his mouth.

Aphne was completely flustered by this, and she became flustered and stood there awkwardly, unable to move.

What's even more amazing is that the two maids who came over to help tidy up after hearing the noise were also instantly captivated by Mark's good looks, staring at him blankly with infatuated expressions.

Bang!

A loud thud abruptly interrupted this irresistible charm.

Mark turned around and saw Paul glaring at him angrily, his hand holding a metal plate that was already deformed from being squeezed, on which were a few strips of dark bacon and a fried egg that had been scrambled together.

"Your bacon and eggs."

Paul gritted his teeth and squeezed out the words one by one, clearly annoyed by the farce.

Mark, however, remained completely unfazed. He smiled confidently, tossed his hair again, and deliberately dragged out his words in a soft voice.

"Uncle Paul, look how ugly this is! Could you please get me a nicer one?"

Paul was so angry that the veins on his forehead throbbed. He shoved the burnt food in front of Mark and repeated himself in a harsh tone.

"Your bacon and eggs. And the food that Iveny spilled on the floor, that's all your fault too!"

"A major failure in judgment!"

The thought inexplicably popped into Mark's mind, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

I wonder how much "charm" it would take to win over a tough guy like Paul?

Despite his complaints, Mark obediently took out ten gold coins from his pocket, folded them into a stack, and gently pushed them in front of Paul.

This confused Paul, who asked in bewilderment.

"What's gotten into you again? You have money to burn, huh?!"

Mark picked up the mead, took a sip, and then slowly spoke.

"I want you to get me some raw meat and brains."

"For raw meat, pork or lamb is fine, but not beef, it's too expensive. Lower quality is okay too, the more the better."

"As for brains, there are no requirements. Any kind of biological brain will do, as long as it's legal and compliant. You can use these ten gold coins to buy whatever you need. Let me know if you need more."

Paul did not immediately take the gold coins; the doubt in his eyes deepened.

"Raw meat and brains? What do you need so much of that for?"

"it works."

Mark made up a reason on the spot.

"As you know, I enjoy doing biology experiments in my spare time."

"Um."

Paul then nodded, his doubts dispelled, and took the gold coins.

Mark's real intention was to activate two monster materials—"Ogre Stomach" and "Mind Flayer Brain Modified Slime Core".

These two have special terms "evolution" and "activation" respectively, and both require the sacrifice of a large amount of raw meat and brains.

I didn't have the means to get so many myself, so I asked Paul to help me purchase them.