fynovel Chapter 45 The Journey to the Black Forest and the Stalkers
Chapter 45 The Journey to the Black Forest and the Stalkers
Gu Chen suddenly opened his eyes. The sky outside the window was already slightly bright; the morning of Aldebaran had arrived.
"The door shows no signs of having been disturbed..."
The health threshold was not triggered.
The lingering effects of the dream hadn't completely dissipated; Ken's large bald head seemed to still be right in front of him.
"No, why would you choose to keep your head completely shaved... It makes me feel uneasy every time I see it."
Gu Chen complained, stood up from the wooden chair, walked to the door, and gently opened it.
A skinned puppet stood before him, seemingly having waited for a long time. It stretched out its hand, its voice hoarse.
"Please pay the shipping fee: 1 magic stone fragment."
"...I give up, there's even a cash-on-delivery option?"
"I'll pay you, and in return, I ask you to wait here for me for a while. This is my right as a lecturer."
Gu Chen was speechless. He searched his body for a long time before finally handing over the last piece with a reluctant expression.
After receiving the fragments, the skinned puppet placed the package in its hand on the ground.
"OK."
The skinned puppet then stood blankly in front of the wooden house.
This thing will be useful later.
Gu Chen looked down and saw a rough black metal badge lying there quietly, with a pattern of forests and stars etched on it.
This should be the Black Forest access permit.
There was also an inconspicuous little cloth bag next to it. When you opened it, you could see eleven magic stone fragments emitting a faint glow.
Gu Chen turned his head left and right to look at it before bending down and tightly gripping the license in his hand. It felt cool to the touch and carried a scent of sandalwood.
"Jobeck Antinoya, so down-to-earth."
Gu Chen decided to accept this generous gift. No matter what the other side's intentions were, he would deal with it as it came.
If the other party is friendly, that would be best.
The mental exertion from talking to Ken in the dream was negligible.
"You're in great shape."
This vibrant mental state was something he hadn't experienced in the past few days, and a hint of confidence flashed in Gu Chen's eyes.
Although there are many problems, they are being gradually resolved.
"Whether for my own safety or for the materials needed for the talent enhancement ritual, I need to go to the Black Forest."
"As for Jim... he's too dangerous. After all, he's still just an apprentice and hasn't been recognized by the academy yet."
"Leave him three magic stone fragments: one to use as a private room in the cafeteria, one to buy food, and one as a spare."
Gu Chen was reviewing his plans for the future.
"Jim's safety must be kept very safe; he's my student."
He glanced at Jim, who was still fast asleep; his short, golden hair looked especially soft in the morning light streaming through the window.
Three… The hand that was picking out the fragments suddenly paused, then placed four magic stone fragments gently on Jim's pillow.
Let's put one more, for safety reasons.
"The teacher has to go out for a day. There are four magic stone fragments by the pillow. There is a skinning golem waiting for you at the door. After you wake up, you have to pay it one magic stone fragment to send you to the cafeteria. Then spend one magic stone fragment to reserve a private room. After that, spend another magic stone fragment to buy some food. There is one more magic stone fragment in reserve."
"I'll be back tonight, don't worry."
After doing all this, he stood up, pinned the Black Forest Permit to the most conspicuous place on his chest, carefully put away the ten magic stone fragments, and pushed open the door to go out.
The Gray Tower Academy was still cold in the early morning, and the colossal gray tower remained impossibly tall...
There aren't many people in the academy right now, but Gu Chen knows there's a place that's sure to be lively.
Instead of heading directly to the Black Forest, he first detoured to the Academy's mission hall.
Blue stones piled up, black stones used as cloth, magic as words.
Gu Chen arrived at the area where the lowest-level, first-class mission was accepted.
Some less talented apprentices or down-on-their-luck wizards, hoping to earn some resources by risking their lives, were choosing tasks in front of the bulletin board, their bodies reeking of a mixture of blood and herbs.
Gu Chen didn't interact with anyone. He simply stood casually not far from the bulletin board, his eyes scanning the task descriptions of those seeking to buy or describing Black Forest products, while his ears picked up on the scattered conversations around him.
"The moonlight moss from the Miasma Valley to the east is of the best quality, but you have to be careful of the venomous toads there..."
"The Ghost-Faced Spider's nest has moved west again. What bad luck! The route we finally found has to be changed again..."
"I heard that someone spotted a 'bloodhoof deer' a few days ago on the rocky slope to the north. If we could get some of its heart blood..."
Fragmented information flooded into Gu Chen's mind, and he quickly sketched out a rough map of the outer perimeter of the Black Forest: the east was rich in water vapor and life energy, the west was dark and eerie, and the north seemed to have relatively pure blood and qi fluctuations.
"To the north, a rocky slope."
Although eavesdropping is dishonorable, it has always been a very simple and effective method.
And so, Gu Chen set his primary objective.
The talent upgrade ritual requires fresh blood full of vitality, and the Bloodhoof Deer is undoubtedly the best choice.
"Apprentice's Blood" is the fundamental ingredient, while fresh blood, rich in vitality, is an important auxiliary ingredient.
There was nothing to linger over, so after gathering enough information, he left the mission hall.
As Gu Chen walked towards the side gate of the academy leading to the Black Forest, he deliberately slowed his pace, the license badge on his chest reflecting a faint light in the morning sun.
"Okay, I'm coming."
"I knew it, that's more like it."
A sudden feeling of discomfort rose from the soles of his feet, and he keenly sensed several gazes fixed on him.
"...Two of them. Their heartbeats are off, their blood flow is erratic, and they're very focused, showing no signs of fatigue... It seems they've been staking out this place since early morning."
Gu Chen sensed the flow of blood in the people around him and confirmed the location and identity of his pursuer.
One of the comments came from a burly middle-aged man who was wiping his longsword, his gaze scrutinizing him.
The other was much more subtle, coming from a gaunt man selling substandard medicines at a roadside stall, his eyes darting around.
"Hehe... Mr. Joe Baker is indeed 'concerned' about my schedule."
Gu Chen sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm. He even nodded slightly when he met that scrutinizing gaze, as if it were just a polite gesture from a fellow traveler.