Chapter 4: The Notice Board
Qin Yuan stepped forward to investigate and noticed that only a faint, shallow pit was left on the ground...
The actual power was not even on the same level as the feather’s wind blade.
Was it because his own level was too low...?
The worst part was that he had missed his target...
He felt a bit helpless. Although he had managed to cast the spell, it was clear he still needed considerable practice.
However, immediately after, a surge of joy swiftly spread through his entire body.
Magic! He had just cast a spell with his own hands!
For an ordinary person to wield such extraordinary and mysterious power for the first time was truly a profoundly moving experience!
Without lingering any longer, Qin Yuan resumed walking with the feather toward the village.
Practicing magic could wait.
At the very least, it was safer to do so in a secure place!
After hours of trekking, they were now very close to the forest’s edge.
The benefits of leveling up extended far beyond this. He could feel his steps growing lighter, and the power coursing within his body had strengthened.
In other words, his physical constitution was improving as well.
That sensation of suddenly shedding a heavy burden brought him genuine relief.
Finally, after another ten minutes of walking, the light ahead grew steadily brighter, and Qin Yuan emerged from the forest onto a broad clearing.
A village stood before him.
Under the dim yellow moonlight, the village glowed warmly with lights, and fully armored guards were patrolling.
Before entering, Qin Yuan tucked the feather back into his whistle to avoid drawing too much attention.
“Don’t forget what you promised me,” the feather reminded him one last time before he moved on.
As he approached the village, the patrolling guards spotted the outsider and stepped forward.
[You have encountered the Ironstone Village Guard (Level 5 Warrior).]
At the front was a middle-aged man with a head of golden hair and a full beard, clad in armor and carrying a heavy longsword on his back, exuding a steady and composed aura.
[You have encountered Richard, Captain of the Ironstone Village Guard (Level 11 Berserker).]
Surprisingly, this man had a title and a high level of eleven.
---
“An adventurer from outside? I see you came from the forest. The forest at night is very dangerous—you must be careful. Several adventurers have recently gone missing,” he said with a casual tone, seemingly accustomed to the comings and goings of adventurers. After a brief warning, he let Qin Yuan pass.
Before departing, the captain reminded him, “The surrounding area isn’t very safe these days. It’s best not to wander at night. Staying inside the village is the safest.”
Qin Yuan readily agreed.
With that, the last weight was lifted from his mind.
At the village entrance, a notice board caught his eye.
[Notice Board: To all villagers of Ironstone and passing adventurers, you may come here to learn about recent events in the vicinity.]
[1. Vampire Creature: Recently, several villagers have mysteriously disappeared at night. Their bodies were found the next day near neighboring villages, completely dried out and suspected to have died from blood loss. We have reason to believe an evil vampire monster is lurking nearby. Night patrols will be strengthened during this period. Everyone must be cautious and minimize going out. Adventurers who can find and slay the culprit will be rewarded two gold coins. Informants will also receive a reward.]
[2. Bandit Activity: A cunning bandit gang has been active on the main road to Blackstone Town. The town has dispatched a knight squad to clear them out, but it’s still advised not to travel alone to Blackstone Town. If necessary, you can travel with the mid-month caravan.]
[3. Wanted Notice: The “Shadow Council” has recently been active in the area. They are a group of evil sorcerers who worship abyssal gods. Any information should be reported immediately to the guards. Remember, they are extremely dangerous—do not act rashly!]
[Date: Third Era, 1423, June 1st.]
The notice was divided into three parts.
Qin Yuan read it carefully, his thoughts drifting.
“Good grief, this area is really chaotic...”
Vampires, bandits, and evil sorcerers—he was lucky not to have encountered any of them on his way here.
“Gurgle~”
A rumble from his stomach interrupted his musings.
He hadn’t felt hungry before, but as his tense body relaxed, the hunger surged.
He hadn’t eaten dinner before setting out.
After several hours of travel, Qin Yuan was indeed quite hungry.
He decided to find a tavern and have a proper meal.
The village streets were quiet at night, with most villagers already home asleep.
After wandering around for a while, Qin Yuan found a place called the Pinewood Tavern.
He pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside.
---
The tavern was dim and simple, with wooden tables coated in a layer of grease, not particularly clean.
As a modern man, Qin Yuan found it somewhat uncomfortable.
But he couldn’t fuss over that now.
He noticed the tavern wasn’t as noisy as he had imagined. A few customers dressed like adventurers were dining quietly, and some small groups chatted softly.
Some of the adventurers bore features resembling East Asians.
“Guest, what would you like to eat?” The freckled waiter smiled as he handed over a menu.
Qin Yuan glanced at the waiter out of the corner of his eye, then began scanning the menu.
He found the prices quite reasonable—cheap dishes cost only a few copper coins, while the most expensive were just seven or eight copper coins.
A currency conversion was printed nearby.
1 Gold Coin = 100 Silver Coins; 1 Silver Coin = 100 Copper Coins.
By that standard, his 42 silver coins could buy many meals here.
His eyes soon settled on a particular dish—stewed yellow mushrooms with sausage.
That was the dish he had promised the feather. Since it was available, he couldn’t break his word.
“I’ll have this, and also this...”
Feeling flush with wealth, Qin Yuan ordered several dishes in succession.
He didn’t choose to dine on the first floor. The tavern’s second floor had rooms for resting at a modest price—ten copper coins a night.
He did not hesitate to rent a room and asked the waiter to bring the food up later.
Another reason for this was that staying on the first floor and summoning the feather might attract unwanted attention.
Though he still knew little about this world, he figured the owl whistle must be quite valuable.
The freckled waiter took note and turned to leave.
Qin Yuan watched her retreating figure, frowning slightly.