Gauss silently observed the druid young lady, Aria, the entire way.

Finally, during the daylight hours, they exited the Emerald Forest.

Both of them simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.

Outside the Emerald Forest, there was a small temporary adventurer camp.

Some low-level adventurers, hunters, and herbal gatherers gathered here, and bronze-rank adventurers were also not uncommon.

The camp was surrounded by a wooden fence, and many carriages were parked inside.

Walking in, one could see that the ground was a deep brown color—stained by blood. Various trash was scattered about, including unknown types of animal innards or tufts of fur and other debris.

The camp was lively. Merchants were bargaining with hunters and low-level adventurers, purchasing their gathered goods and spoils;

adventurers were chatting and dividing up their mission earnings;

occasionally loud arguments would break out. All sorts of noisy sounds intertwined throughout the camp.

However, as the two approached, the other low-level adventurers instinctively distanced themselves after noticing Aria’s large wolf companion and the teal identity bronze badge hanging before her.

Even though Gauss’s own identity badge was not exposed, anyone forming a two-person team with a professional must also be a professional.

Two smelly people walking into the camp were nothing special;

after all, everyone here smelled the same.

It was just a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

“Want to take a carriage together?” Aria took the initiative to suggest.

“What about your wolf companion?”

“It will follow the carriage on its own.”

“Then let’s take the carriage back.” Gauss was a bit tired as well.

The two took a lap around the camp and quickly agreed on a price with a carriage owner preparing to return to Grayrock Town.

Aria then bought over ten pounds of raw meat to feed her wolf companion. After that, they boarded the carriage, which rocked as it headed toward Grayrock Town.

At the Grayrock Town checkpoint, Gauss experienced the benefits of the adventurer bronze-rank identity badge.

After Aria showed her badge, they not only avoided waiting in the long queue like everyone else but also skipped the inspection entirely. The town guards at the gate let them pass directly, and Gauss accompanying her also enjoyed this benefit.

Behind them, other pedestrians waiting to enter the town cast admiring glances.

“Showing a bronze badge means no inspection at all?”

After entering the town, Gauss couldn’t help but ask Aria curiously.

“No, normally inspection is required, but I am a permanent bronze-rank adventurer in Grayrock Town. The city defense guards’ roster specially notes my identity, so they just let me pass. It’s a tiny little perk.”

Gauss nodded.

This time he completed the task smoothly;

after doing it twice more, he would be able to get his own bronze badge.

Actually, in large cities, there are other evaluation methods, but in frontier adventurer towns like Grayrock, the only route is through commission tasks.

Of course, the bronze adventurers who pass through such tasks have the lowest credibility.

That means those who impress with outstanding combat skills, rich commission task experience, and adept use of items or other strategies to assist in missions are considered very comprehensive.

“If there’s a chance, let’s keep in touch.” Aria said goodbye to Gauss at the town entrance.

“Sure, next time we can cooperate.” Gauss nodded.

This was not just a polite phrase but a conclusion he reached after observing her all along.

At least in terms of strength, she was a good partner.

She could provide a lot of crowd control, allowing him to finish off enemies faster.

If this goblin village purge didn’t require solo completion and she could assist, he wouldn’t have bothered with so much prep work ahead.

He could have just let her control the battlefield while he charged in to wipe them all out. This was the confidence of a “hexagonal profession.”

The buffs a support brings him are much stronger than those from other mages or warriors.

After looking at his bag,

Gauss first went to the bathhouse to store his luggage and took a hot shower at the same time.

Watching the bloodstains on his body, which were about to coagulate, gradually wash away with the warm water, he felt much more comfortable. His body seemed to lighten by several pounds.

After scrubbing his skin red and completely washing off the last of the foul blood and sweat smell, a refreshed Gauss left the bathhouse.

His luggage was temporarily stored in the bathhouse’s private locker.

Gauss took some personal belongings and mission items and headed to the Adventurers Guild headquarters.

Although he had the Mission Recorder, to be absolutely certain, he also brought along the habitually cut-off left ear of a goblin.

It was now around four or five in the afternoon.

The number of people submitting commissions at the Adventurers Guild was gradually increasing.

This time, Petra was nowhere to be seen at any of the counters;

she was probably resting, so Gauss casually chose the counter with the shortest queue.

After waiting in line briefly, he submitted the mission badge, the Mission Recorder, and a small bag containing the goblin’s left ear.

The counter clerk said the left ear was not required, then took the Mission Recorder to the office behind the counter and knocked on the door to enter.

After a short while, she returned wearing a respectful smile.

She handed Gauss a commission fee of ninety silver coins.

“Respected adventurer Gauss, your evaluation task was checked and the execution process meets the guild’s requirements. Congratulations on successfully completing this beginner-level task. This is your commission fee. Please check.”

Gauss glanced at the bag.

Ten silver coins were bundled neatly into one bunch, totaling nine bundles.

After quickly counting, he put away the small bag containing the coins.

“Thank you.”

“Do you want to accept a second beginner-level task now?”

“Not for now.”

“Alright. If you need anything, you can always find any front desk, no need to queue, explain the situation, and the corresponding staff will escort you to the VIP area to accept tasks.” The clerk’s tone was very respectful, accompanied by a sweet smile.

It was not the formulaic tone and content used for ordinary low-level adventurers.

Although Gauss was not yet a true bronze-rank adventurer, completing the task successfully in such a short time already proved his solid strength. Becoming a bronze-rank adventurer was only a matter of time for him.

The next day,

Gauss carried a large bundle of various spoils from the goblin village and went from shop to shop.

Leather fabrics, ceramic artworks, weapons, and other mysterious items,

holding a small notebook, he compared prices at many stores and recorded the amounts.

In the end, he sold most of the spoils from the goblin village for nearly 1 gold and 25 silver.

Adding this commission fee, the total was 2 gold and 15 silver.

The balance in his money pouch surpassed 5 gold coins at once, reaching 5 gold and 26 silver, a new record high.

After running around most of the day, drenched in sweat, Gauss held the money pouch to his ear and gave it a shake.

Listening to the metallic jingling sound inside, a slight smile appeared on his lips.

The reassuring sound had become familiar enough for him to distinguish different coin types by their noises.

The copper coins made a short, dry, slightly noisy hard knock, like the sound of plastic pieces clashing in his previous life.

The silver coins’ sound was clearer and more transparent, with a pure lingering tone and a faint metallic vibration.

As for the gold coins, it was a long, soft, deep and thick echo, exuding a luxurious and expensive aura.

Of course, he was not greedy for money.

He simply found the sound of gold coins clinking in his pouch very pleasant.

“And I still have two scrolls I haven’t sold.”

Thinking of this,

he remembered Andni.

Better to seize the day.

He decided to see if she had returned today.

The last time he went to Thorn Cottage, no matter how much he knocked, no one opened.

Several days had passed;

she should be back by now.

At a fruit shop on the street, Gauss bought a lot of fresh fruit, then carrying two bags of fruit, he entered Widow’s Lane.

“Hey, young man, want to come in and have some fun?”

Passing by a brothel, a big sister with revealing clothes, fair skin, and a good figure invited him. After seeing his face, she covered her mouth and let out a wildly uninhibited laugh.

Feeling a bit uneasy, Gauss quickly waved his hands and hurried past the brothel amid the woman’s laughter,

arriving at Thorn Cottage.

He knocked on the door.

This time he didn’t wait long before the oak door slowly opened with a “psh” sound.

Looks like she was back.

Seeing this, Gauss understood immediately.

He walked inside and closed the door.

The candles on the walls lit automatically, emitting a warm yellow glow.

Inside the hall, the moment Gauss entered, Andni’s eyes locked firmly on him.

Then she looked at him as if he were a monster.

“Senior Andni, what’s wrong?”

“...”

“You’ve already advanced your profession?”

Gauss was about to open his mouth to surprise her,

but Andni immediately noticed the change on his body.

Caught off guard, Gauss could only nod in acknowledgment.

After Gauss admitted it, Andni fell into a long silence, as if pondering something.

In a daze, the young adolescent before her seemed to overlap with the figure that had flashed before her many years ago.

After a long time, she finally pulled herself out of the thoughts in her mind.