Chapter 68: Crino Prairie 12
With Asha’s help, the Chimefin Beastfolk formed a long, orderly line.
Of course, a big reason for this was Moira Lynch’s promise that there was enough for everyone.
Otherwise, given how frantic the Chimefin Beastfolk were, a fight would have likely broken out by now.
First in line were Asha and her best friend.
Each of them produced a white, palm-sized seashell with a strap made of strung pearls.
Inside were pearl-like beads.
"This is a sunscreen cream made from Pearl Essence. A single bead can block out extreme heat and lasts for several days."
The high summer temperatures on the Crino Prairie are fatal for the Chimefin Beastfolk, which is why they developed this sunscreen.
A single shell pouch contained about two hundred beads.
Two hundred beads of Pearl Sunscreen Cream, plus the shell pouch as a bonus. Moira Lynch generously allowed Asha and her friend to choose their own items.
Asha picked a clownfish, while her friend chose a sea anemone.
Most of the remaining Chimefin Beastfolk brought Pearl Sunscreen Cream to trade, though some offered Vegetable Purification Tablets.
According to the Chimefin Beastfolk, only they enjoyed eating the vegetables they grew because they were too fibrous and impossible to chew. However, the Vegetable Purification Tablets made from these same vegetables were extremely popular.
Moira Lynch accepted all offers, and besides, these vegetable essence tablets were good stuff.
Food prices back home were getting more and more expensive. Vegetables, in particular, had all but vanished.
Although she had sold a good number of Water Wood Stones to Redlight, it was just a drop in the bucket for the country as a whole.
Some ordinary people had even started getting constipated from the lack of vegetables in their diet.
Moira Lynch accepted the Vegetable Purification Tablets with a grin. Once all the Chimefin had traded for something they wanted, she waved them goodbye.
She had already picked the area clean of purifying moss and Water Storage Mushrooms, so it was time to find a new spot.
Checking the time, she saw it was already 5 PM. She wasn’t likely to run into any other Beastkin or find a village if she set out now. It was better to rest here for the night and leave in the morning.
Moira Lynch spent the entire night stripping who knows how many trees bare. It wasn’t until Patience reminded her it was time for breakfast that she snapped out of it, realizing morning had come without her noticing.
’Harvesting purifying moss and Water Storage Mushrooms is just too addictive,’ she thought. ’Time flies without you even noticing.’
Moira Lynch found a tree, climbed up, and concealed herself with leaves before she started to eat.
Three boxed meals, two large eggplant-and-meat buns, and a final cup of milk tea to fill in the gaps. Only then did Moira Lynch let out a satisfied burp.
She patted her perfectly flat stomach, wondering where all that food had just gone.
Just then, Moira Lynch suddenly sensed someone entering the range of her spiritual power.
To avoid any unnecessary trouble, Moira Lynch decided it was best to slip away.
However, before she could get far, the people behind her sped up as well, rapidly closing the distance between them.
Suddenly, a flurry of hurried footsteps sounded from behind. Feigning surprise, Moira Lynch turned to look, a confused expression on her face.
Behind her were two men and a woman.
The two men appeared to be of Asian descent, while the woman was Caucasian—a beautiful blonde with a high-bridged nose and deep blue eyes.
The trio seemed surprised to see Moira Lynch as well.
The blonde woman, dressed in a clean, practical outfit, smiled and greeted Moira Lynch in a fluent, polished tone. "Hello there! What a coincidence. Did you also come from that Avatar Beastman village? Want to travel together?"
Moira Lynch watched them in silence, her mind racing. ’How do I get rid of these three? Should I just use Invisibility and make a break for it?’
The woman didn’t seem to mind her silence and introduced herself gracefully. "My name is Alice."
Pointing to the two men behind her, she added, "This is ’I Love BBQ,’ and he’s ’Wolf-Tooth Potato.’"
Both men nodded at Moira Lynch with friendly smiles.
Alice then extended the invitation again. "It’s dangerous to travel alone. Why don’t you join us? We can watch each other’s backs."
The other two chimed in as well. "Yeah, that’s right! We can protect you."
Moira Lynch looked at the three of them, every word they spoke supposedly for her own good.
’There’s no such thing as a free lunch, especially not in this game.’
’Every supposedly helpful person I’ve met before has been a sweet but fatal trap. So this time...’
’I’m almost positive these three are up to something. But if I refuse, it’s three against one. Unless I hide in my personal dimension, I don’t stand a chance.’
’Even with Invisibility, the ground is damp. My footprints would give my position away completely. So that’s not an option either.’
When Moira Lynch still didn’t move, a flicker of annoyance flashed in Alice’s blue eyes, gone in an instant. Her gentle smile returned as she said considerately, "If you don’t trust us, you can walk in front. We’ll bring up the rear."
’Bring up the rear? So it’s easier for you to stab me in the back?’
They remained at a stalemate for several minutes. Wolf-Tooth Potato, seeing Moira Lynch still hadn’t said a word, began to lose his patience. He stepped forward. "I said come here. What, you think we’re going to hurt you?"
’And what if you are? It’s not like you’re actually going to protect me.’
Moira Lynch rolled her eyes internally, but her face showed pure terror. She took a step back, frantically waving her hands to signal for him to stay away.
But by this point, Wolf-Tooth Potato clearly wasn’t listening.
The next second, a foul-smelling glob of something splattered across his face.
Moira Lynch put on an expression as if she were about to cry, flailing her hands wildly and letting out a stream of panicked "Ah! Ah! Ah!" sounds.
She looked as if to say, ’I told you not to come over!’
At this point, Alice realized something was wrong. She asked Moira Lynch, "You... can’t speak?"
Moira Lynch nodded.
"Was that your special ability just now?"
She nodded again.
"We just want to protect you. Why would you attack us?"
This time, Moira Lynch shook her head so hard it was a blur. She pointed at Wolf-Tooth Potato, then took a few more steps back, as if to say it wasn’t intentional—he was the one who was about to get physical.
At this, Alice took a deep breath, a hint of murderous intent toward Moira Lynch flashing in her eyes.
She glanced at ’I Love BBQ,’ who immediately understood the unspoken command.
However, just as he was about to make a move on Moira Lynch, his face was splattered with a glob of the same substance. A moment later, Alice suffered the same fate as the other two.
The three tried to claw the gunk from their faces, but then more and more of the foul-smelling projectiles pelted their bodies.
With their faces covered, they couldn’t even manage the simple act of dodging.