Loran Forest was exceptionally tranquil in the early morning.
Beasts that hunted by night were returning to their dens before sunrise, and many animals had yet to awaken.
Vermilion sunlight filtered through the trees, and dewdrops on the leaves and branches refracted the light at every angle.
The morning mist was a faint haze. Condensed droplets traced the veins of leaves, finally falling slowly from their tips.
Reflected in a falling droplet was a young man, standing with his sword drawn back as he flicked the blood from its blade.
Before him lay several Goblins. Most had died in their sleep; only the last one, startled awake by the commotion, was decapitated before it could even open its eyes.
'Not bad luck!'
'Finding four Goblins first thing in the morning.'
Seeing his [Slashing] Skill Level was only one point shy of its next milestone, Lin Mo was brimming with motivation.
He had gone to bed early last night, and before the sky had even lightened, he was already at the Adventurer's Association, having selected a quest.
As soon as the Association's receptionist arrived for her shift, he officially accepted the quest and hurried to Loran Forest.
He took out his map for a quick comparison, adjusted his direction, and continued northwest.
The quest this time was a One-Star, or Black Iron Level, mission.
The Adventurer's Association had a clear quest ranking system: Three-Star was Silver Level, Two-Star was Bronze Level, and One-Star was Black Iron Level.
As for No-Star quests, they were mostly odd jobs or relatively simple collection tasks, like gathering Clear Fragrance Grass.
There were a few exceptions, like the special, hard-to-classify quest posted by the head of the Yuri Commerce Association to find his missing daughter. But regardless, Starless quests didn't count toward an adventurer's official record.
Advancing one's Adventurer Level required completing a certain number of official quests, and No-Star missions didn't count. Besides, with his new equipment, his strength had increased. So, thinking of his future, Lin Mo had chosen to accept a One-Star quest.
[Condensed Liquid Collection]
Quest ID: E682
Type: Hunt/Material Collection
Client: Richard
Reward: 5 gold coins
Quest Briefing:
Enter Loran Forest, find and kill 50 Slimes, and collect their core Condensate. Time limit: 7 days.
Slimes are a type of Low Level Demon. Their overall ecological niche is similar to that of Goblins, placing them at the bottom of the demonic food chain. However, unlike Goblins, who burn, pillage, and commit all manner of atrocities, Slimes are not as numerous. They are a relatively docile Demon, not very aggressive, and rarely attack humans, let alone invade towns.
Even so, Adventurers were still quite enthusiastic about hunting this particular Demon.
The reason was simple. Unlike Goblins, which were good for nothing but their foul stench, a Slime's core—the Slime Condensate—was a rather useful material.
This non-toxic and harmless naturally high-purity concentrate possessed great ductility and malleability. It also had a surprisingly magical texture, making it shine in various fields, from basic alchemy and material engineering to the preparation of certain high-end, niche foods.
Of course, like most commodities, its value depended on market demand. During normal times when it wasn't needed, the material was generally worth around 150 copper—equivalent to the current bounty for killing one and a half Goblins.
But when in demand, the temporary acquisition price would double to 300 copper, or 3 Silver Coins apiece.
This was because Slime Condensate didn't have a long shelf life; without special processing, it would only last for 10 to 15 days.
And if a wealthy patron needed it urgently, the price would skyrocket even further. Take the quest Lin Mo had just accepted, for example: 5 gold coins for the Condensate of 50 Slimes. That equated to a staggering 10 Silver Coins per Slime Condensate!
However, such quests weren't so easy to complete.
Precisely because Slime Condensate had a limited shelf life, these quests often came with strict time limits. Furthermore, Slimes weren't nearly as numerous as Goblins. Killing 50 Slimes in seven days might not have been particularly difficult in terms of combat, but it was heavily dependent on luck. With bad luck, even a seasoned adventurer could easily fail.
If one failed to complete the quest, some clients might still purchase the collected Condensate, but not necessarily at the same premium price.
*Loran Forest Outer Area Monster Atlas*
[Characteristics and Common Locations of Slimes]......11-14
"Unlike Goblins, which are also low-tier Demons, you will not find Slimes just anywhere in the forest. The appearance and distribution of this creature follow a relatively stable pattern. If your quest requires you to hunt these little fellows and obtain their Condensate, you might try your luck in lowlands, swamps, and areas near rivers.
Your chances of encountering a Slime will be higher in these areas.
...
Additionally, if you intend to fight Slimes, remember to apply a protective coating to your weapon beforehand. When these small creatures are attacked, their bodies temporarily turn into a corrosive liquid. Killing them in large numbers may damage your weapon."
'Thankfully, Lin Mo had looked up his target's information in the book before accepting the quest. He had even made a special trip to Edgar's shop before heading to the forest, spending 5 Silver Coins to apply a protective coating to his Wolf Bone Sword.'
A sword forged from a Demon's bones might be harder and sharper than steel, but it was also more vulnerable to corrosive liquids.
That was why Lin Mo hadn't skimped, opting for the best protective coating Edgar's shop had to offer.
According to Edgar, the coating would protect the sword from corrosion until he had killed over 1,000 Slimes with it.
He cut off the Goblins' left ears and put them in his bag. They were just an extra bonus. Now, it was time to hunt for Slimes.
Lin Mo's luck wasn't great, but he wasn't cursed either. The search for Slimes didn't go smoothly, but after spending more than half an hour near a small river, he finally found his first target.
Lin Mo hid in the tall grass, observing his target.
Just as the *Loran Forest Outer Area Monster Atlas* described, the Slime was tiny, not even reaching his knee. It looked like a semi-elliptical blob about the size of a washbasin.
It had no eyes or facial features, and it moved by wriggling. Under the brightening sun, a ping-pong-ball-sized sphere floated slowly within its body.
Calming his breath and focusing his mind, Lin Mo entered a state of [Stealth].
'If he took out an enemy using [Slashing] while in [Stealth], both Skills would gain Skill Level. But if he just used [Slashing], only that skill would improve.'
'Plus, since [Stealth] was a Status Skill, it didn't consume extra Physical Strength. Therefore, whenever possible, Lin Mo would always enter [Stealth] before striking.'
The Slime, unaware of the hidden danger, continued to squirm in Lin Mo's direction.
The next moment, a figure shot out, his sharp sword tracing a perfect arc as it cleaved the Slime in two.
[Stealth] Skill Level +1
[Slashing] Skill Level +1!