That's right, that's what adventure is like!

Broken Rock Town is a small border town in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Kaiser. It was originally full of minerals that could be mined, but they have long been exhausted, hence the name "Broken Rock".

Although it is located in a remote area with poor transportation, it is still one of the most watched places in the entire kingdom.

The reason is very simple—the concentration of magic in the air in the surrounding area is extremely high.

The abundant energy here has not only given rise to various monster species, but also brought countless precious elixirs, attracting many professionals to come and adventure.

Risk-taking creates a chain of interests, which in turn drives rapid population movement, filling the area with vitality and prosperity.

Behind this prosperity, however, lies a bloody struggle and death. After all, most adventurers are not to be trifled with, and a few words of verbal conflict can easily lead to a killing.

Since the association has always turned a blind eye to such matters, the kingdom can only send powerful professionals to suppress them, which is how they barely maintain a semblance of peace.

However, now that war has broken out, the kingdom's elite professionals have been transferred away, and the already turbulent undercurrents have erupted, plunging the area into chaos in an instant, with people throwing themselves into the arms of death every day.

With so many people dying, it was impossible to check each one's identity and send them to their respective jurisdictions. So, after performing a purification procedure, the guards simply disposed of the bodies at will, which became their routine operation.

They even gave the site where the body was dumped a catchy name.

— Blessings to the cemetery.

May all the dead receive our blessings in the new world.

Roland took a sip of the cold water, stared at the words on the rusted sign, and then looked at the cemetery where he would be stationed for three days. He felt a sense of irony.

There were no fences, no tombstones, only mounds of earth turned upside down by wind, rain, and animal claws. The once yellow soil now displayed a mixture of dark red and dirty white, as if it had been repeatedly soaked in blood and ashes.

Half of a rusty blade was stuck diagonally in the soil, the cloth wrapped around it was a dull color, and the association's emblem could still be vaguely seen. Not far away were some boots and dry bones that looked like they had been dug out by wild dogs.

Even though it was only a few miles from the town, it felt like stepping into another world, desolate and silent.

This so-called blessed cemetery probably only blesses the wild beasts and monsters that roam the area, ensuring they have enough to eat every day.

The only place that could be considered to have a living presence was a small wooden hut in the middle of the cemetery, where the flickering firelight stood out starkly against the backdrop of this land.

squeak-

Seemingly sensing the arrival of someone outside, the door of the wooden house opened from the inside, and two figures walked out. The one in the lead smiled when he saw Roland, even from a distance of more than ten feet.

"A new person has joined? Welcome, welcome."

The speaker was dressed in a slightly oversized black robe, appeared to be around 25 years old, had short, neat blond hair, and held a four-foot-long staff in his hand—a typical outfit for a magic-based professional.

Behind him stood a short, humanoid creature with pointed ears and a bulging backpack. Its wary eyes were scanning Roland up and down at the entrance, its right hand unconsciously resting on the hilt of a dagger, and its lips pressed into a tight line.

This posture gives him a bit of a wanderer's air about him, but with a height that only reaches the young man's waist, could it be...?

"This is Seth," the black-robed youth introduced, confirming Roland's guess with his words, "Although it's a bit rare, he is indeed a pure-blooded dwarf."

dwarf?

Roland was somewhat surprised. This race, with lifespans of at least three hundred years, was known for its sense of humor, so it was unusual for this person to be so silent.

His gaze returned to the blond youth, and he softly inquired of the adventurer who had been so enthusiastic from the start, "And who are you?"

"Me? My name is Austin, an apprentice mage, but I only know a few basic tricks, and my staff is rented."

Waving his staff, Austin said in a cheerful tone, "There are only the three of us stationed here right now, so don't be so polite. Let's talk when we get back."

The warmth in their words carried a naturalness of having known each other for a long time, but it didn't seem like mere politeness. Roland nodded and followed them back to the cabin.

The space in this wooden cabin was even more cramped than it appeared from the outside, and the furnishings were simple. It was probably the original residence of the tomb keeper. Apart from a dirty bed board, there were supplies scattered around.

In the very center, an iron pot hangs above the campfire, bubbling and steaming, emitting the unique aroma of stewed mushrooms that dispels the chill in the air.

Austin deftly ladled a bowl of thick soup from the iron pot hanging over the campfire and handed it to Roland: "These are mushrooms Seth picked this morning, want to try some?"

Roland naturally waved his hand in refusal. Putting aside whether the mushroom soup was poisonous or not, he was still under a bounty, and even his name was deliberately disguised as "Nolan," not to mention taking off his mask to reveal his true face.

Anyway, it's cold, and there are many adventurers with quirks, so even wearing a mask is unlikely to arouse suspicion.

Seeing that he refused, Austin didn't press the matter. He picked up the wooden bowl, took a bite, and then mumbled while chewing on a mushroom, "The weather has been getting colder lately, and the monsters don't want to come out. This job guarding the cemetery is much better; you can make money while lying down."

Making money while lying down?

Roland was puzzled and asked, "Why do you say that? Doesn't the association need us to guard against ghouls stealing corpses?"

These words surprised not only Austin, who was holding a wooden bowl, but even the silent Seth looked up at him.

After exchanging a glance, Austin chuckled, swallowed the mushroom, and looked at Roland with a teasing gaze: "You're a newbie, aren't you?"

Roland was somewhat surprised, wondering where he had slipped up: "How did you figure that out?"

Austin explained with a smile, "Most of the adventurers who come here aren't really here to complete the task of guarding the cemetery, since driving away ghouls is quite simple."

"Putting everything else aside, if you light a few more campfires at night, the ghouls won't dare to come near. If that doesn't work, just throw a few corpses around to lure them away."

And this kind of operation?

Roland was utterly astonished and couldn't help but ask, "So why did you take on this mission?"

Austin smiled and said, "Of course there are some other advantages. Otherwise, going out to hunt a goblin colony would be more tiring, but you could earn more than here."

Other benefits?

Just as Roland was about to ask for more details, he suddenly heard a clear bell ringing outside, followed by the sound of flesh rolling on the ground.

"Here it comes! Just like I said, it arrived!" Austin stood up excitedly and rushed outside.

Even the dwarf Seth, who hadn't spoken much, drew his dagger and headed outside, looking rather impatient.

This is……

Roland had some vague suspicions in his mind, and it wasn't until he followed them out of the cabin that he finally realized what the so-called benefits meant.

Near the entrance to the cemetery, in an open space, lay the bodies of three or five adventurers, their corpses lying haphazardly. Their blank stares and intact skin suggested they hadn't been dead for long, and the departing carriages indicated they had just been brought here.

Meanwhile, Austin and Seth were diligently searching every corner of the body, looking for any possible remaining possessions.

If they encountered a tightly wrapped garment, they would even tear open the clothes and carefully feel every inner pocket, even checking the teeth inside the mouth.

"Is there really something?" Roland stepped forward, examining the simply dressed corpses of the adventurers. "Weren't these people already looted by the guards?"

"To be precise, it was twice," Seth rarely spoke, his right hand's dagger swiftly slicing through the torn leather to reveal the inner layers. "The adventurers who killed them searched once, the guards searched again, and this is the third time."

“That’s right, that’s right,” Austin chimed in, his smile barely concealed. “But they’re short on time, so they can only take the more visible equipment; they’ll still miss some things.”

Before he finished speaking, he had already pulled a shiny silver coin from his inner pocket: "See? I told you, looting corpses is way more profitable than killing monsters!"

There really is one?

Roland was somewhat surprised. He turned his head and saw that Seth had also taken out something that looked like a pendant and quietly tossed it into his bag. The glittering gem on it was worth at least five silver coins.

"The last body," Austin winked at Roland, "is yours. From now on, we'll stick to the old rules: whoever gets it first keeps it."

"...Thank you very much then."

Roland wouldn't refuse a benefit offered to him. Although he came with the goal of completing the story of protection, he knew he had to protect himself before protecting others.

I only have one silver coin left in my pocket, why bother being so particular?

Roland drew his longsword and carefully examined the last female corpse.

Judging from the makeup and marks on her body, she was probably a professional who helped adventurers "release stress." The thin long dress indicated that she was killed indoors, which also meant there wasn't much place to hide anything.

Even though it was said to be given to him, there's a high probability that such a corpse wouldn't leave behind any valuables.

However, Roland still found some noteworthy aspects.

In the abdominal cavity of the corpse, there is a bulging area, as if something is lurking inside.

Using the longsword to cut open the wound, a crystal soaked in blood rolled out, its crystalline blue luster flowing along the lines, radiating an unusual attraction.

"This..." Austin stared at the rhomboid object on the ground in surprise, and said uncertainly, "Could it be a bewitching crystal?"