Lin Mo did not stop her.

This was her own choice—a young girl who had lost both feet and all her family members simply couldn't survive in this cruel world.

He walked over to a patch of grass nearby, plucked a small white flower, and gently placed it over their chests.

This was all he could do for them.

Burying their bodies would be meaningless. Not only would it waste time and effort, but goblins or sharp-nosed beasts would soon dig them up anyway.

There was no time for prolonged mourning. Lin Mo stood up—he still had much to do.

First, he retrieved the two goblin ears from Leo's body, then searched both Leo and Larry's corpses, finding an additional few dozen copper coins.

Of course, he didn't forget the spoils Renn had previously claimed, nor the seven goblins he had just slain, including the mutated one. One by one, Lin Mo cut off their left ears and stuffed them into a small pouch he'd taken from Larry's body.

Finally, there was the nest before him...

Gripping his sword, Lin Mo cautiously stepped inside.

The cave wasn't particularly deep. A torch hung on the wall, its faint light barely illuminating the surroundings.

On one side of the cave lay some rice and several large chunks of charred meat. The other side was piled with miscellaneous junk—bottles, jars, and all sorts of clutter.

At the far end of the cave, several green-skinned infants lay on a pile of straw.

Without hesitation, Lin Mo stepped forward and ended these evil sprouts with a few swift strokes of his sword.

After rummaging through the pile of junk, most of it proved worthless, but there were still surprises to be found.

Inside one jar, Lin Mo discovered a heap of copper coins—about forty or fifty in total. More importantly, beneath them lay a small, gleaming golden disc.

Lin Mo picked up the surprisingly heavy disc. The patterns engraved on it closely resembled those on the copper coins.

An actual gold coin!

His eyes widened as he carefully tucked it into his pouch.

Aside from that, there were some worn-out weapons, most in similar condition to the one Lin Mo currently carried—hardly worth taking.

After some deliberation, Lin Mo settled on two decent-looking short blades.

Just as he thought there was nothing left and prepared to leave, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of something beneath a corner of the crude wooden table at the cave's center—a yellowed piece of paper.

Lin Mo lifted the table and unfolded the folded sheet.

It was covered in densely packed small characters. At the top of the page was a single line: "Devoted apprentice, cast aside all anxiety and restlessness. Only with undivided focus will the gates of magic open for you."

Lin Mo could almost hear his own excited heartbeat as his eyes immediately darted to the signature at the bottom.

"—Authored by Archmage Elvith, Mentor of Saint Antonius Academy."

This was actually a skill scroll—and an incredibly precious spell scroll at that!

Where had these goblins gotten such a thing?

And to use such a treasure as a table prop? What a waste!

Carefully storing the scroll, Lin Mo gave the cave one final sweep to confirm there were no other valuables before hastily making his exit.

The sky was darkening. Any further delay risked encountering returning goblins—a situation he wanted to avoid.

He didn't fancy his chances against ten or more goblins at once, especially at night when the odds would be even worse.

Lin Mo wasn't particularly good with directions—in fact, he was somewhat prone to getting lost. Fortunately, Larry had left markers along their path. Following these, Lin Mo managed to find his way, sprinting through the forest until he emerged just as the horizon turned orange.

Luck was on his side—he encountered no goblins during his retreat, only two wild wolves. After a brief standoff, both parties went their separate ways unharmed.

Lin Mo allowed himself a small sigh of relief before steeling his nerves again and quickening his pace toward town.

Safety wasn't guaranteed until he reached the town's gates.

Leaving aside potential goblin patrols outside the forest, the unpredictable nature of people posed the greatest danger.

As he neared the town, he began encountering other returning adventurers.

Some were officially registered adventurers, while others were temporary recruits like himself—greenhorns.

The difference between the two groups was stark. The official adventurers looked relaxed, chatting and laughing with their companions, while the recruits wore grim expressions, most bearing injuries. Some couldn't even walk properly, hobbling along with makeshift crutches, supported by their teammates.

And these were the lucky ones.

The truly unfortunate—like Larry and Renn—had already become permanent residents of that forest.

Adjusting his mood, Lin Mo approached the town gates.

"Hold it!"

Just as he was about to enter, a guard stopped him.

Clad in simple leather armor and holding a spear, the guard looked Lin Mo up and down.

"You're not a registered adventurer, are you?"

His eyes flicked to Lin Mo's slightly bulging chest. "Where's your team? Why are you alone? Didn't sneak back, did you?"

Meeting the guard's gaze, Lin Mo immediately understood the situation.

There was no point explaining. Even if he presented the goblin ears as proof, those determined to cause trouble would find excuses regardless.

What they cared about wasn't whether he was a deserter or if he'd actually killed goblins—it was whether they could get an extra meat pie for dinner.

So Lin Mo reached into his pocket, pulled out a dozen or so copper coins, and naturally dropped them into the guard's palm: "You misunderstand, sir. My team and I ran into something big—they were all killed. I only barely escaped..."

"Something big?"

The guard's expression changed. "You don't mean a mutated goblin, do you?"

"I'm not entirely sure. It was tall—nearly twice my height. If I hadn't run when I did, I wouldn't be here now."

"...Alright. You may enter."

Pocketing the coins, the guard gave Lin Mo another once-over. Years in this job had taught him the importance of moderation—push too hard, and you might get bitten. Especially when dealing with someone tough enough to escape a mutated goblin.

Lin Mo passed through the gates without further trouble. By now, the streets were growing dim, the hustle and bustle of passersby creating a stark contrast to the life-and-death struggles of the afternoon. It almost felt surreal.

He was alive. That was what mattered.

With night falling, many tasks could wait until tomorrow. Right now, overwhelming fatigue made his eyelids heavy. All Lin Mo wanted was to find somewhere safe to sleep.

Fortunately, in a town like Roland with its abundance of adventurers, such places weren't hard to find.

Soon, Lin Mo located an inn on a street called "Flower Patch."

The innkeeper was a burly middle-aged woman. Glancing up briefly at his entrance, she immediately returned to sorting through her receipts.

"Staying or visiting?"

Visiting?

The question gave Lin Mo momentary pause, but he quickly replied, "Staying."

"Thirty copper per night."

The innkeeper held out her hand. Just as Lin Mo was internally complaining about the price, she added:

"Meals included."

Well, that changed things.