Goblin Dependency

The Vengeance Blade Ship Group arrived early. When they docked their ship at the "Thousand Pile Island" port of Stodd, there were still three days left until the Moon Tide Banquet.

It was impossible to just wait idly on the ship.

After a long and exhausting voyage, the crew needed ample rest, and the professionals who were core members also needed to prepare for the upcoming banquet.

Gathering intelligence, purchasing supplies, and even scouting in advance... there was much to do.

As soon as the Vengeance Blade was securely docked, Captain Lorin took Hai Yin ashore to handle related chores.

Meanwhile, with the place being as chaotic and mixed-up as it was, there had to be someone left on the ship.

The twin warriors Rein and Gordon, as always, were left on the Vengeance Blade.

Compared to before, although barbarian Akken showed some dissatisfaction, for the sake of safety, he was also left behind.

With three senior adventurers at a professional level staying on the ship, even if there was an emergency, they should be able to hold out until Lorin and the others heard the commotion and rushed back.

It is worth mentioning that, perhaps due to some unknown concerns, or perhaps because she was naturally savvy.

The dragon descendant Sarisa, a temporary passenger from the now-destroyed Black Tide Hunter Fleet, had no intention of disembarking at the already bustling port.

Instead, she actively requested Lorin and the others to stay on board.

...Of course, they wouldn’t refuse.

As for the remaining Xia Nan, Half-orc Alton, and Spotted Cat race Sasha, they were assigned by Lorin to the task of gathering intelligence and descended to gather information about the banquet.

This mainly included key figures attending the banquet, whether there were any unknown dangers present, and most crucially, intelligence related to "Algae Scale" Dodd.

To be honest, neither Xia Nan, Alton, nor Sasha were professional intelligence personnel and did not possess any unique skills in gathering information.

But as adventurers, if they truly wanted to find out some information, they could spend a little money to sit in a busy tavern for an entire night.

Whatever happened on the island during the day and which notable big shots showed up at the port would all be revealed in the alcohol-fueled banter of adventurers, although they needed to discern truth from exaggeration.

At present, it was early in the morning, with quite a bit of time before the taverns became most lively in the evening.

So Xia Nan and the others took the opportunity to wander near the docks, both killing time and searching for the tavern most recognized by adventurers on Stodd Island, hoping to gather some intelligence through other means as well.

"Tap, tap, tap."

Unlike the dull footfalls on the stone-paved ground of Suo Yu Bay.

The platforms surrounding the "Thousand Pile Island" Stodd were entirely made of Water Iron Wood, stepping on it was like walking on iron sheets, producing crisp sounds as they collided with shoe soles.

An artisan with calloused hands sat cross-legged in a corner, a half-carved piece of Water Iron Wood board laid across his knees, scattered shavings falling onto a cloth mat of a small stall in front of him, displaying various Water Iron Wood products like wooden bowls and spoons;

A small, dark-skinned girl holding a jug filled with freshwater swayed as though she would stumble at any moment, yet didn’t even need to lower her head as she skillfully stepped over an upturned wooden board that should have tripped her, quickly and barefooted, she ran over the corridor bridge and disappeared into the alley’s depths.

The hawkers’ shouts and passersby’s conversations turned into an indistinguishable humming noise, filling the air; the wooden buildings on either side of the street weren’t symmetrically aligned like those in inland towns, they were randomly arranged according to the underwater piles, shrines leaning against shops, workshops next to taverns.

During the Sea Rhythm Festival and Moon Tide Banquet period, the island was significantly more crowded with outsiders than usual, adventurers, merchants, and even lavishly dressed nobles coming and going on the streets.

Occasionally, you could even spot reckless adventurers unfamiliar with the local terrain falling off platform edges, awkwardly splashing into the shallow sea below.

Feeling amused internally, Xia Nan walking down the street carefully observed the surroundings filled with the unique features of the "Thousand Pile Island," soaking in the local customs and habits.

"Hey, hey, Xia Nan, look at this!"

Half-orc Alton mysteriously procured a sunhat made from Water Iron Wood bark.

The broad hat brim almost concealing half his face, paired with his short stature, looked particularly comical.

His view was obstructed, having to lift the brim with both hands just to see the road ahead clearly.

"Uh... it quite suits you."

Never one to spoil the fun, seeing the small one’s gleeful demeanor, Xia Nan complimented him insincerely.

Hearing Xia Nan’s praise, Alton "hehe" chuckled, conveniently removing the sunhat and hanging it around his neck with the strap inside the brim.

The oversized sunhat made the little one look as if he were carrying a gray-brown shield.

"I bought it over there!" Alton pointed to a stall not far down the street.

Noticing their gaze, the stall owner’s eyes followed and looked over too.

Upon seeing Xia Nan dressed as a fully armed elite adventurer, the stall owner’s expression visibly froze, squeezing out a flattering smile.

Seeing the stall owner’s expression, Xia Nan already had a guess in his heart, and asked Alton, who was fiddling with the sunhat beside him: