Dumb Wind Town, a remote town located at the southernmost part of the United Kingdom, leverages its proximity to the Purple Crystal Dungeon to attract a large number of adventurers and passing merchants, with a bustling vitality rivalling that of some medium-sized cities.
The Adventurer's Guild even established a regional branch here.
Thanks to the resources of the Underground City, there are quite a few specialties in this area.
However, the most distinctive symbol of Dumb Wind Town is neither the precious high-purity Demon Crystals nor the diverse Magic Beast materials, but rather the exclusive brew of the Rotten Willow Tavern—a notorious turbid liquid.
Even adventurers who have never set foot here must have heard of this foul-smelling liquor, which is rumored to be so toxic that it could kill a walking mushroom merely by being spilled.
Despite its quality, the owner still adds more water to it than the wine itself.
Yet, due to the pricing strategy of selling each cup for only a copper coin, it remains an irreplaceable beverage for low-level adventurers.
Naturally, the Rotten Willow Tavern has become the gathering place for all lower-tier adventurers.
In Dumb Wind Town, if you grab someone at random, they may not know where the Adventurer's Guild office is, but they will definitely know the location of the Rotten Willow Tavern.
Today, the Rotten Willow Tavern is typically crowded with people from all walks of life.
They gulp down the lousy wine and chat loudly about the latest gossip.
For example, the Hermit Empire's increasingly frequent maneuvers along the border;
Or how the Silver Thorn Squad ventured deep into the Underground City's deep area three months ago to rescue the Duke's Daughter and received an exceptionally rare reward—a city.
Nowadays, the name "Silver Thorn" has become a legendary benchmark in the adventurer community, with every drinker who raises a glass to them, their eyes burning with a longing for fame and fortune.
When a scruffy and exhausted man pushed open the tavern's wooden door, no one cast an extra glance—such figures were common in the tavern.
The man scanned the room and walked straight to a fat man sitting alone in the corner. The latter was holding a wooden wine cup, sipping the inferior turbid wine as if it were some fine vintage.
Seeing the man sit across from him, the fat man called out his name:
"Dylan, long time no see.
Weren't you retired? What brings you here?
Don't tell me you missed this old buddy of yours, or I'll puke."
"Fatty, are you still in that business?"
The fat man's nickname was Fatty, and facing him, Dylan didn't hold back, directly stating his purpose, which made Fatty's eyes twitch in shock.
He hurriedly scanned the surroundings and, seeing no one paying attention to this corner, lowered his voice angrily:
"What are you doing? You're just short of blurting it out. Trying to get me killed?"
Seeing Fatty furious, Dylan instead became invigorated.
"So you're indeed still at it. Quick, give me three portions."
Saying this, he pulled out a pouch from his bosom and pushed it in front of Fatty. Inside were 27 silver coins.
Fatty squinted his eyes, not touching the pouch but instead taking a good look at the man in front of him.
Compared to seven years ago, Dylan had aged a lot, his body no longer as robust, and the calluses on his hands had almost disappeared.
"Sorry, Dylan, I can't sell to you.
Judging from your appearance, you've long since abandoned your livelihood skills.
After all, we're old friends; I can't watch you go courting death."
Dylan suddenly grabbed Fatty's collar, his bloodshot eyes revealing the madness of a man pushed to the edge.
However, Fatty just quietly looked into his eyes.
After a long while, Dylan released his hold, slumping weakly, and pleaded in a low voice:
"Fatty, I beg you, my daughter was infected by Blood Poison during a mission at the border.
I need money, a lot of it.
Apart from this, I don't know what else to do… please…"
Fatty fell into silence.
Blood Poison—the most insidious tactic of the Vampires.
A person infected with Blood Poison won't die immediately but will instead gradually transform into a Bloodsucker in agony.
This monster converted from a human retains memories from before the transformation but can't suppress its bloodthirsty urges, even consuming close ones with tears.
Only when facing Vampires do they become completely obedient slaves.
There are ways to save them, the two most well-known methods being the Church Court's blessing or Rejuvenation Potion.
Both can save an infected person before they are completely transformed.
However, neither is accessible to people at the bottom.
The former can only be performed by a Bishop-level person, taking several days for a personal baptism, whereas the latter requires an astronomical 50 gold coins.
Relating to a Bishop-level person is not guaranteed even with money, so Dylan's target is clearly the latter.
With Dylan being no more than a Silver Level adventurer even at his peak, how could he now, with his strength greatly diminished, accumulate 50 gold coins in a short period?
There are only two fast ways to make money: through dangerous means and illegal means.
And both, naturally, are the quickest ways to make money.
In the fifth level of the Purple Crystal Dungeon, there is a notorious Demon Plant—the Parasitic Tree.
True to its name, it captures living people and forcibly feeds them seed, turning them into new stumps, and the transformed stumps become its legs for movement.
During this process, the victim's brain is irreversibly damaged, and even if rescued, they would be nothing but a living shell, which is why they are infamous.
However, few know that the seeds of the Parasitic Tree are excellent materials for Spiritual Potions.
Due to the horribly inhumane method of obtaining them, the United Kingdom has banned them, limiting their circulation and the spread of such knowledge.
But the more prohibited it is, the higher the profit.
And where there is profit, there will be people willing to do it in secret.
Fatty has something called Narcotic Powder, essential for harvesting Parasitic Tree seeds, and it is what Dylan seeks to buy.
However, harvesting Parasitic Tree seeds is not a simple task of just going over and taking them.
Parasitic Trees are of a low level yet extremely numerous, concentrated in the swamp terrain of the fifth level.
Moreover, the toughest part is that they can use the skills or magic known by the victim.
Imagine being besieged by ten or even dozens of Parasitic Trees with different skills and magic; even high-level adventurers could fall here if careless.
And then become new, stronger Parasitic Trees.
This is a kind of Demon Plant with a danger far exceeding its level.
Seeing Dylan's appearance, Fatty knew that, to earn as much as possible, Dylan would certainly go alone.
In fact, given his current state, even if he wanted to find a team, no one would take him for this job.
Fatty could almost certainly conclude that he would die down there.
But... in recent years, Fatty also had a daughter, who is his precious darling.
He knew that watching his only daughter slowly transform into a Bloodsucker was probably worse than death for Dylan.
"Sigh—" Fatty sighed deeply, accepting the money pouch on the table and discreetly handed Dylan five small packets.
"Five portions!?"
"This stuff has gotten much cheaper than years ago, and as an old friend, I won't charge you profit. If you're lucky enough... this one trip should be enough."
"Thank you... thank you..." Dylan tightly clenched the packets as if he had grasped hope and hastily left the tavern.
And Fatty picked up that cup of lousy wine again, sipping slowly.
"Tsk, a loss of 73 silver.
Such a soft heart, seems I've grown old and am no longer fit for this line of work.
Perhaps I shall retire and return to my hometown in the future..."