Chapter 426 Inventory and Disposal Plans

Xia Nan increasingly felt that fishing was an excellent pastime.

Not only did it hone his patience and composure, but the process also exercised most of the combat techniques he currently possessed. Even his Perception attribute received subtle training.

The simple act of a fish taking the bait served as a milestone reward, bringing him an indescribable, immense sense of accomplishment.

Compared to high-intensity training sustained purely by willpower and self-discipline, this method significantly relieved the tedium and boosted his motivation.

He began to genuinely consider the feasibility of incorporating fishing into his daily routine as part of his combat technique training.

Of course, that was something to consider later.

Right now, what mattered more was rewarding himself. He planned to eat a few huge meals, get a good night's sleep in the soft bed of his ocean-view tavern room, and eventually find the time to clear out a Goblin Lair or two for fun.

He wasn't an ascetic monk. Having finally returned to a safe haven after an adventuring mission, it was perfectly normal to blow off steam doing things he enjoyed.

The goblins in the woods near Barracuda Bay would just have to suffer for it.

After enjoying a refreshing cold shower in the tavern, his short black hair still damp, Xia Nan put on a fresh black shirt and sat at a table laden with food. Looking thoroughly relaxed, he scooped up a spoonful of creamy seafood mushroom soup and brought it to his mouth.

He unconsciously narrowed his eyes as the flavors blossomed on his tongue—a perfect blend of savory ocean brininess and rich, sweet cream, paired with the crisp tenderness of the broth-soaked mushrooms.

Xia Nan had indeed returned to his base of operations in Barracuda Bay, the Three-Legged Sea Dog Tavern.

Even though it was only morning and well before lunch, the main hall was comfortably filled, with about sixty to seventy percent of the seats taken. Xia Nan had still ordered a massive spread.

Knowing they would reach Barracuda Bay this morning, he had intentionally skipped breakfast and waited on an empty stomach.

Naturally, he wasn't eating alone.

The Halfling Alton and Colin were sitting at the table with him. A large portion of the Black Gull's sailors were also drinking in the tavern's hall. As for Captain Gregory, he had stayed behind at Wave-Breaking Wharf with some of his senior crew to oversee the final cargo offloading.

Raising a wooden mug brimming with ice-cold ale, Xia Nan gently clinked it against Colin's cup and asked casually, "How do you feel about life at sea? Do you plan on continuing as a sailor?"

Truthfully, even accounting for the special treatment he received due to his connection with Xia Nan, Colin's performance during the voyage had been commendable.

Despite being a total novice at sea from an isolated mountain village, the naive youth—still holding the title of "apprentice sailor"—had drawn upon his experience as a hunter's apprentice. During their skirmish with the pirates, he had displayed considerable courage and marksmanship, arguably contributing more than some of the veteran crew members.

Later, as the only non-Class Holder, he had followed Xia Nan and the others deep into the North Cliff of Cliff Rock Island. He had been obedient and sensible throughout, doing exactly what he was told without a hint of rebellion.

While the entire Silver Claw Osprey squad had been wiped out, Colin had managed to return in one piece with Xia Nan's group, proving his mettle.

On the voyage back, Captain Gregory had clearly paid the youth extra attention, giving him more tasks to help him learn the ropes.

If Colin chose to stay on the Black Gull, he would likely shed the "apprentice" label by their next voyage and become a true member of the crew.

Being so young, there was every possibility he could eventually rise through the ranks to become a boatswain, second mate, or even first mate.

Unexpectedly, when faced with Xia Nan's question, the young man shook his head firmly, as if he had already made up his mind.

"I think I'll pass, Mr. Xia Nan."

"Actually, I figured out my answer to that while we were still on Cliff Rock Island."

When Xia Nan and the others had left him outside the Shark Beast Cave, Colin had hidden in the crevices of the reef. Shivering in the freezing ocean wind and listening to the terrifying roars echoing from the cavern, he had thought a great deal.

He remembered the caring, anxious looks in his parents' and brother's eyes when they saw him off, and Uncle Paddy bowing his head with a fawning smile just to secure him a spot on the ship...

Like the last straw that breaks the camel's back, when Colin laid eyes on the mangled corpses of those three great Class Holders, and the unimaginably terrifying body of the Shark Beast on the raft—even in death—his resolve was set.

He lacked the guts to face monsters as an adventurer, or the courage to trade his life for wealth.

And as a sailor, he couldn't adapt to the dreary life at sea, nor could he shake his fear of the ocean's dangers.

Colin had truly recognized his own nature, and he candidly accepted his flaws and shortcomings.

"Captain Gregory gave me a small sum of money as a reward for my performance on this trip."

"I plan to either save it or give it to Uncle Paddy, and then keep learning the merchant trade from him."

"Once I save up enough, I'll go back to the village, build a big house for my parents and brother, and buy a few cows and sheep. Or, if things go well, I'll just bring them all here so our family can live in Barracuda Bay together."

"From now on... I'm done going to sea."

Facing the young adventurer who had helped him so much, the boy's answer was incredibly sincere, spoken straight from the heart.

Xia Nan naturally had no objections. In fact, he felt a vague sense of relief and gratification.

Although he had only been in the business for a little over a year, he had already seen too many adventurers lose themselves in the mire of wealth and power, ultimately plummeting into the abyss.

Abi was a textbook example of that.

If Xia Nan were in his shoes—if he had transmigrated only to find he had no talent for combat, no Attribute Panel, and none of the opportunities that followed—he likely wouldn't have chosen to become an adventurer either.

Instead, he would have looked for work in related downstream industries, like running a general store selling basic adventuring gear or recycling secondhand equipment.

It wouldn't pay as well, but he wouldn't have to face monsters. The danger would be vastly lower, yet he'd still enjoy the far higher income that came with the Transcendent Tier.

Seeing Colin so clear-headed, he felt genuinely happy for him.

He scooped up another spoonful of seafood mushroom soup, his spoon lightly tapping the side of the bowl.

"If you ever get a craving for something good over the next few months, come find me at the Three-Legged Sea Dog. I'll treat you to a feast."

"Hehe, thank you, Mr. Xia Nan!"

With the topic shifting to food, the slightly serious atmosphere at the table immediately grew lively.

Tap, tap...

With a swaying skirt, leather boots stepped across the floorboards with crisp clicks.

Hera personally brought a large platter of smoked meat to their table.

Her jewel-like emerald eyes swept over Xia Nan and Alton. An apologetic expression appeared on her sharp, sculpted features as she explained, "I am truly sorry. I only received news regarding the Flying Fish Oil Barrel after you had set sail. I discovered they took a mission for Cliff Rock Island, heading to the exact same destination as you."

The Halfling just grinned without saying a word, studying a painting on the wall near their table and patting Xia Nan's arm to signal that the decision was up to him.

Xia Nan didn't reply immediately, instead mulling it over.

At its core, the situation was very simple.

He and Alton had only temporarily joined the Black Gull for this escort mission because they had accepted a commission from Hera, the tavern owner.

She wanted to use this mission to test their reliability and strength, hoping to befriend them and deepen their relationship while simultaneously completing a cargo transport to earn some gold.

The reward for the commission was two-fold: the intel on "Algae Scale" Dodd, which had already been provided to Xia Nan, and the connections required to attend the Lunar Tide Banquet after the mission ended.

The pirate "Algae Scale" Dodd—who had previously attacked Lyle Morton and was suspected of holding the [Dream Weaving Corridor] cipher key—would be attending the Lunar Tide Banquet in three months. Xia Nan needed this opportunity to find that key.

Their relationship was purely transactional. The appearance of the Flying Fish Oil Barrel crew had been a complete accident that no one could have predicted.

Judging purely by the outcome, the Flying Fish Oil Barrel adventuring party that attacked the Black Gull hadn't actually posed much of a threat. If anything, they had provided intel on the monsters inhabiting Cliff Rock Island, along with plenty of loot.

Given that Hera genuinely hadn't known about their movements, her initiative in stepping forward to apologize was already quite graceful.

Seeing this, Xia Nan waved his hand, dismissing the issue.

"The Lunar Tide Banquet isn't far off. Just arrange the connections on your end as soon as possible."

"Don't worry. I started reaching out as soon as you left port. Judging by the time, there should be results very soon," Hera replied with a nod.

Compared to their first meeting, this intel broker's attitude was noticeably warmer since his return from Cliff Rock Island.

For an ordinary adventurer, she would never have personally served food or offered an unprompted apology like this.

The reason, of course, was Xia Nan's performance during the mission.

Having run an intel business for years, Hera only needed to poke around slightly among the Black Gull's crew to grasp the rough outline of their voyage and their exploits on Cliff Rock Island.

She clearly knew that the Flying Fish Oil Barrel squad, infamous throughout the Southern Archipelagos, had lost more than half their numbers in a single clash against Xia Nan's charge.

In just seconds, the vast majority of those professional Class Holder adventurers—including their Spellcaster—had been slaughtered by the black-haired young man sitting before her.

His actual combat prowess had likely far exceeded her original estimates.

And as for the monster they hunted on Cliff Rock Island afterward, even though the crew hadn't witnessed the battle themselves, the size and appearance of the corpse they described proved it wasn't some ordinary, easily handled beast.

As an intel broker, Hera naturally understood the importance of maintaining good ties with such a powerful adventurer brimming with potential.

Now that the perfect opportunity had presented itself, how could she let it slip by?

Noticing the shift in her attitude, Xia Nan didn't overthink it. Instead, before Hera could leave, he asked her about handling the loot.

His haul from this trip to Cliff Rock Island had been nothing short of massive.

In terms of gear alone, he had the [Azure Wave Blade] left behind by "Oily Hand" Bourne, the [Type III Practice Staff - 1007 Model] from that lopsided Spellcaster, the [Fish Bone Conch] from the Sahuagin Priest, as well as Nick's dual swords and the Half-Elf Leda's wooden bow.

Xia Nan had already asked Gregory and the others about the latter two. The members of the Silver Claw Osprey squad had no family or friends in Barracuda Bay, meaning there was no need to return their weapons as keepsakes. He could just sell them for extra spending money.

As for the first three enchanted items—a green-quality curved blade and two common-tier staves—they all held decent value.

He needed a concrete disposal plan.

Hera's answer turned out to be strikingly similar to what Barn had told him back in Rivervale Town.

He had three options in total:

1. Sell them to local blacksmiths or general stores;

2. Send them to the auction house;

3. Place them on consignment at the Association.

Each of the three options had its own pros and cons, differing in selling price, wait time, and probability of a successful sale. He needed to weigh them carefully based on the items' quality and rarity.

Xia Nan was in no rush, nor was he strapped for cash, so he could take his time to decide on the most suitable approach.

Then there were the hundred gold coins they had looted and split from the pirate ship, not to mention the Flying Fish Oil Barrel ship itself, which had become Xia Nan's spoils of war and was currently docked at Wave-Breaking Wharf.

Xia Nan figured he would spend a small sum to modify the pirate ship before putting it to use.

Perhaps it was some sort of mental fastidiousness.

The interior furnishings could stay, but its exterior—like the figurehead—absolutely had to change. A fresh coat of paint was preferable, at the very least ensuring no one would recognize its past as the Flying Fish Oil Barrel.

Otherwise, sailing it out as-is would make people think he, "Greysword" Xia Nan, had joined the Flying Fish Oil Barrel. That thought made him uncomfortable.

Of course, being unfamiliar with the area, he also needed Hera's connections to find a shipyard capable of handling the modifications.

Finally, there was the most pressing matter at hand.

The loot and materials Xia Nan had harvested from the Shark Beast.

Whether he sold them directly or had them crafted into gear, he needed shops similar to Rockhammer or the Verdant Crucible—places with reliable professionals who could appraise the materials and help him figure out what to do with them.

For this, Hera immediately gave him the names of a few shops on the spot. They varied in tier and function, but all enjoyed good reputations among Barracuda Bay's adventurer community.

Committing the addresses to memory, he scooped up his last spoonful of mushroom soup.

Xia Nan nodded to Hera in thanks, then told Colin and Alton where he was headed.

He stood up and was just about to leave.

But his sharp Perception quietly triggered.

He suddenly noticed a subtle shift in the atmosphere inside the Three-Legged Sea Dog Tavern.

Especially the moment he rose from his table, gazes swept over him like jolts of electricity before darting away just as fast, accompanied by waves of whispers that stood out against the tavern's usual ambiance.

He could faintly catch keywords like "young," "Flying Fish Oil Barrel wiped out," "'Oily Hand' Bourne," "chopped off heads," and "Shark Beast monster."

Clearly, thanks to the bragging of the Black Gull crew members in the hall, the tales of Xia Nan's deeds had already begun to spread.

A sense of déjà vu welled up in his chest.

He remembered it being just like this in Rivervale Town after he returned from Kalanfor.

It was right around the time he killed Gap-Toothed that he gained true fame and earned the moniker "Greysword."

Given the way things were going, his second nickname probably wasn't far off either.

He wondered what the adventurers of Barracuda Bay would end up calling him.

Going by his most obvious traits... "Black Hair"? "Dual Swords"? Or maybe something like "Wolf Howl Boy"?

Making random guesses, Xia Nan found the idea rather amusing.

Without breaking his stride, he walked out the tavern doors under the watchful eyes of the crowd.