Having eaten plenty of snacks along the way, they weren’t very hungry and just had a simple lunch.

They didn’t continue shopping in the afternoon. With a mission scheduled for tomorrow, they spent the rest of their time back at the inn, getting some rest.

...

「Soon, it was the next day.」

In the morning at the Adventurer’s Association, Feney, bleary-eyed, was the first to arrive.

When Lin Mo and Ali pushed the door open and walked in, Edgar and the others were discussing their mission objective, while Feney was dozing off at the table.

"You’re here. Perfect timing. What do you think of this mission?"

Lin Mo took the mission request and looked at it closely.

[Hunt the Gale Snake]

Mission ID: E5519

Type: Hunt/Material Collection

Client: Doron Commerce Association

Reward: 25 gold coins

Mission Brief:

Travel to Loran Forest, find and kill a Gale Snake. The Snake Fang, Snake Gallbladder, and Poison Sac must be preserved.

Note: Threat Level 1.3

’A standard, run-of-the-mill mission.’

Lin Mo could guess why they chose this mission. Until the investigation results for the depths of Loran Forest were released, it was best not to venture too far into the Deep Forest Area. They could operate in the outer and middle sections at most, and that was precisely where Gale Snakes were found.

"Any other missions?"

"How about adding this one?"

Alton brought over another mission request. Lin Mo glanced at it—it was another Goblin Settlement mission. The settlement number was already up to 81.

’Lately, Goblin-related missions are becoming something of a main questline for Adventurers.’

Goblins were that kind of creature. A moment of carelessness, a period of failed population control, and they would multiply beyond all restraint.

It was like a snowball rolling downhill, growing larger and larger, until you couldn’t kill them faster than they could reproduce.

"Alright, let’s take this one. Are there any more?"

Alton shook his head. "Just these two for now. To be honest, we were all planning on taking a good long rest..."

In the time since Lin Mo had joined, the intensity of their missions had been a bit too high, and the members, including Alton, were still not quite used to it.

They were fundamentally Adventurers to make a living. When they weren’t short on money, the urge to take on missions wasn’t as strong.

The reason they were taking on a mission so soon was partly for the double reward, and partly as a way to say farewell in the manner of Adventurers.

"I understand."

Lin Mo nodded. "Then let’s set out."

"Alright!"

At the sound of his voice, the now-awake Feney was full of excitement. The other squad members acted as usual; although they felt a bit emotional, they were all experienced Adventurers, and this was hardly the first time they had experienced something similar.

Ali had clearly noticed something as well, and her expression was slightly conflicted.

Amidst this subtle atmosphere, the Bull Run Squad embarked on their new journey.

The Goblin Settlement was farther away, so they decided to do the Gale Snake mission first. After traveling through the forest for about half a day, the group arrived near their destination.

The Gale Snake was a Demon that was rather difficult to find. It wasn’t large, and its body was the same vibrant green as the forest foliage. If one wasn’t careful, you might not spot it even if it was right under your nose.

However, when it came to this type of creature, the Adventurers naturally had their methods.

Alton wandered around the vicinity for a while before finding a suitable spot.

It was a clearing near a patch of tall grass. The area wasn’t large, making it perfect for concealing a trap.

Solan, meanwhile, took the key item out of a cloth bag—a wood frog they had caught on the way.

This was the Gale Snake’s favorite food. They then sprinkled some powder around it.

This powder was specially refined from Gale Snakes. Mixed with other materials as a Catalyst, it simulated the pheromones of a female snake in heat, effectively luring other Gale Snakes closer.

With all the preparations complete, the group hid a short distance away to observe.

About an hour later, the frog, which was still breathing, suddenly let out a shrill croak.

The group looked toward the sound and saw a green snake, over a meter long, coiled tightly around the frog. Within seconds, the frog fell silent.

They continued to wait patiently as the Gale Snake swallowed the frog bit by bit. Only after the entire frog had passed its throat did the Gale Snake notice that something seemed to be tied to its meal.

It was an extremely fine, almost unnoticeable line.

The next moment, a powerful force yanked the line, hoisting the snake into the air. The group rushed forward, surrounding it.

The Gale Snake realized it was a trap, but with the frog already in its stomach, it couldn’t be regurgitated right away. It struggled continuously, letting out threatening hisses.

"Keep your distance! Watch out for its venom!"

Alton warned.

As an Elite Level Demon, the Gale Snake possessed neither great Strength nor a tenacious Constitution. Its vaunted speed was also considerably slower than that of the similar Gale Fox. However, it did have one exceptionally dangerous weapon: its venom.

Even a Professional Level Knight would die within half an hour if the Gale Snake’s venom entered their body and they didn’t receive timely treatment.

Although they had specifically bought an antidote for this trip, it might not be effective if too much venom was injected.

Solan drew his bow and nocked an Arrow. The spinning projectile flew toward the Gale Snake, striking its torso with precision.

However, the Gale Snake was an Elite Level Demon, after all, and Solan was a Non-Professional. The arrow only broke the skin, failing to cause any substantial damage.

’This was the awkwardness of lacking a ranged damage-dealer on the team. In the end, they would still have to risk close-quarters combat.’