Book 11: Chapter 8: Oak Barrel Tavern

After Qin Lun and the other two escaped from the carriage house, they quickly found a quiet corner and changed into a set of clothes each.

Before assisting him, Hill and Rand had already obtained a few sets of inconspicuous civilian outfits, which came in handy. However, Qin Lun had not yet had a chance to clean himself, so he still carried a foul, strange odor.

They were unaware that they had been placed under a bounty by Umberlee’s Church, but even if they had known, they likely wouldn’t have cared. Back in the Earth Federation, they were already globally wanted felons. Now, facing a few mercenary guilds in another world and a few serial killers posed no pressure for them.

“Qin Lun, you spent quite some time in the underground chamber of Umberlee’s Church. Did you gain anything?” Hill asked with a smile.

“Yeah, I took some offerings dedicated to the Sea Goddess. It’s enough to cover our upcoming adventures.” Qin Lun remembered something and took out a mithril staff from his Storage Space, tossing it to Hill. “Oh, and there’s this… See if you can use it.”

The mithril staff was a short magical wand, its surface adorned with intricate and delicate magical carvings that shimmered with a mysterious glow under the sunlight. The gemstone setting at the top was shaped like a lifelike three-toed beast’s claw, complete with clear keratin textures—truly a work of art.

“A magic staff? Seems like it’s of decent quality.” Hill fiddled with the mithril staff before unceremoniously storing it in his Storage Space. “I need to study this thing. Most staffs that amplify elemental magic aren’t very useful to me. Only those with built-in magical arrays come in handy.”

“Hardly ever uses a staff. Some time ago, he got his hands on a Legendary magic book—that’s the real treasure.” Rand spilled the beans about Shepherd’s secret.

“Legendary magic book?” Qin Lun looked at Old Charlatan with great interest.

“The spells in it come with many limitations. It’s not as good as you might imagine. I can’t even use many of the spells; it’s just that the equipment quality is quite high.” Hill waved his hand with a bitter smile, changing the subject. “By the way, Qin Lun, we entered the Toril World using tokens, but Shattered Starry Sky didn’t give us any mission prompts. Do you still have any clues from the Epic Plots you participated in?”

Qin Lun thought for a moment and frowned slightly. “When I first entered the Toril World, it was spring of the 1355th year in the Vale Calendar. It took me nearly two full months to travel from the Magic Cup Court of Qiongda’er to Baldur’s Gate. Now it’s already autumn, and the timeline has shifted several months forward. I’m afraid the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission has already reached Evermeet, and the Ancient Path Epic Plot has long since concluded.”

“As for the other two Epic Plots—the founding quest of the Silver Marches and the Historical Plot of Mithril Hall initiated by the Shield Dwarves—the key figures, Dwarf Prince Lorlin and Emily Silverhand, have probably already left Baldur’s Gate. We’ll need to head north quickly, to the Silver Marches in the northern part of the continent, or even to the Spine of the World, to pick up new missions.”

“We only have half a month. Will we make it in time?” Rand asked with concern.

“Silverymoon is thousands of miles away from Baldur’s Gate. The journey passes through many dangerous areas, so half a month is definitely not enough.” Qin Lun calmly shook his head. “However, Shattered Starry Sky has already hinted that after we receive a new Plot Mission, our stay duration has a chance to be extended. Before the big feast, we can grab some snacks to fill our stomachs!”

“The Mercenary Guild!” Hill and Rand exchanged glances, smiling knowingly. “No wonder, apart from Qin Lun, we were assigned human mercenary roles by Shattered Starry Sky.”

(Note: “Mercenary Guild” and “mercenary organization” are different. The former refers to a pan-continental service organization for mercenaries, while the latter refers to a specific mercenary team.)

“Neither of you should go to the Mercenary Guild. Even though your identities weren’t exposed earlier, your physical characteristics and abilities are now known to Umberlee’s Church. The Mercenary Guild is crowded, and there could very well be spies from the Church. It’s better if I go alone.” Qin Lun looked at the two cautiously.

“It’s fine, look!” Rand chuckled and took out two fleshy, round spheres from his Storage Space.

“Flesh Golems?!” Qin Lun’s eyes lit up. These things cost about ten thousand Shattered Crystals each. They can transform under the control of an Apostle, serving either as decoys or as identity disguises when worn over the body. However, they have almost no offensive power.

“Hehe, I learned this from you back in the Hunter World.” Rand winked.

Back then, Qin Lun had repeatedly used Flesh Golems to escape danger in the Hunter World. At the critical moment, he even used a Flesh Golem to impersonate Pakunoda, trapping the Phantom Troupe member Shizuku, which left a deep impression on Rand.

“Flesh Golems can’t conceal your aura, but they can alter your physical features. Moreover, given how chaotic it was earlier, those people probably didn’t memorize your auras. So it’s a good idea for disguising identities. Just remember, if you run into trouble, don’t use any skills that are too distinctive.” After thinking it over, Qin Lun decided that all three of them would go to the Mercenary Guild together.

“What about you? Do you want one too?” Rand tossed one of the Flesh Golems to Hill and waved the other one at Qin Lun. Clearly, he had prepared more than just two.

“No need!” Qin Lun smiled slightly and pulled the Phantom Leathers out from his collar, covering his face. This equipment originally belonged to the Green Hunter, Black Queen Mira, but Qin Lun later obtained it from the Magic Cube.

The Phantom Leathers squirmed and reshaped like dough over Qin Lun’s head. His exceptionally handsome Elf face gradually transformed into an ordinary and plain one. Even his iconic pointed ears and silver hair were concealed, replaced by short black hair.

The Phantom Leathers were of Dark Gold Quality and had only one transformative ability. Of course, unlike Flesh Golems, which could only disguise living beings, they could transform into any material. Additionally, they had a combat transformation mode, allowing them to be used as cold weapons or light shields.

“Hehe, I’ve gotten so used to your Elf appearance that I almost forgot how unattractive you originally looked.” Rand teased with a light laugh.

“Is it that bad?” Qin Lun couldn’t help but touch his face. This face was his true self. It might not be handsome, but it wasn’t ugly either—just average at most.

“I think it might be better not to go to the Mercenary Guild just yet.” Holding the Flesh Golem, Hill suddenly frowned. “It just occurred to me that no matter how we change our appearances, to the various lowlifes in Baldur’s Gate, we’re still unfamiliar outsiders. If Umberlee’s Church wants to find us, they’d likely start by targeting outsiders.”

“True.” Rand and Qin Lun exchanged glances, lost in thought.

“Then, why don’t we check out the Oak Barrel Tavern first? At least the mercenaries there have seen us before, and under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t pay us special attention.” Rand suggested tentatively. “If we can’t take on adventures ourselves at the Mercenary Guild, we could always join someone else’s mercenary team.”

“Is this the Oak Barrel Tavern?”

The Oak Barrel Tavern was located on the southern side of the dock area in Baldur’s Gate, on the eastern end of a street lined with taverns.

It was a typical adventurer’s tavern, with an umbrella-shaped roof covered in red ceramic tiles. A stone chimney rose from the main roof. The tavern had two floors: the upper floor housed guest rooms, while the lower floor was the main hall. There might even be a small wine cellar underground.

Pushing open the arched wooden door, one had to turn right and pass through a short corridor upon entering—a design meant to prevent cold drafts from blowing into the hall. For Baldur’s Gate, situated along the Sword Coast, damp sea breezes were constant throughout the year, and certain seasons could be quite chilly.

When Qin Lun and the other two first arrived in Toril, it was still noon. After all the commotion, the sun had set, and dusk had fallen. The Oak Barrel Tavern was bustling and noisy, with most of the patrons being lower to middle-class locals who came to drink and chat.

Mercenaries, sailors, and dock workers frequented the place—no nobles would be found here, as they preferred the upscale establishments in the inner city.

The hall was filled with lively chatter. A large chandelier made of white wax hung from the ceiling, illuminating the brightly lit room. Over a dozen thick-planked tables and square stools were arranged inside. At the far end of the room stood a long, seven to eight-meter dark wooden bar, with high wooden stools in front, all currently occupied.

To the left of the hall was a large, roaring fireplace, the crackling of burning wood audible amidst the flames. A wrought-iron fence surrounded the fireplace to prevent any drunken patrons from accidentally stumbling in.

“Hey, over here! Are you here for drinks or lodging?” While the three were still surveying their surroundings, a plump waitress approached with a cheerful smile.

“Find us a table further inside. A mug of ale for each of us, and a plate of mutton with lard cakes.” Rand pulled out a dirty silver coin from his pocket and flicked it with his finger.

This was something he and Hill had taken from the mafia members earlier. The golden coins Qin Lun obtained from Umberlee’s Church were too conspicuous and couldn’t be used in such a place.

The waitress’s eyes lit up, and she deftly caught the silver coin, tucking it into her apron pocket. For her, a single silver coin was equivalent to several days’ worth of tips. She immediately beamed and beckoned to the three, habitually tossing a suggestive, flirtatious glance at Rand, who had given her the coin.

The waitress led the three further into the tavern, soon arriving at a square table that was already occupied.

A disheveled, ragged drunk was sprawled across the wooden table, fast asleep, taking up almost the entire space. Moreover, it was clear he hadn’t cleaned himself in days, emitting a sour stench comparable to Qin Lun’s earlier state.

“Aaron, why hasn’t this guy been thrown out yet? Do you not want to work here anymore?” The plump waitress scowled upon seeing the drunk and shouted toward a male waiter at the back of the hall.

“Yes, ma’am!” The young waiter seemed somewhat intimidated by her. He quietly called over another burly server, and together they lifted the dead-drunk man, intending to drag him out.

“You… what are you doing…” The drunk muttered incoherently, struggling impatiently.

“Wait a second!” Qin Lun, who had already taken a seat at the table, suddenly furrowed his brow. The drunk’s voice sounded somewhat familiar to him.

Qin Lun stood up, walked over to the drunk who was being held by the two male servers, grabbed his messy hair, and forced his head up.

“This guy seems like…” As Qin Lun got a clear look at the drunk’s face, he raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, he laughed in the Team Channel. “It seems Star Void still values us. Though there’s no Guidance Mission, they’ve given us a clue to get involved in a certain Plot Mission.”