Chapter 326 - 300: Speedrun Method

Chapter 326: Chapter 300: Speedrun Method

The impact wasn’t hard, and Zelir barely even swayed.

Zelir didn’t say anything. He just prepared to sidestep the man and continue on his way.

But the man didn’t move. Instead, he grabbed Zelir by the sleeve.

"Let go," Zelir said, frowning slightly.

"If you’re trying to steal something, you’re liable to lose a hand," Hill’s cold voice cut in from the side.

"Oh, no, no, no! Of course I’m not stealing anything."

The man looked up, a cryptic smile on his face.

He looked to be in his thirties, with a thin mustache and a shrewd expression.

"Sir Adventurer... you must be here to explore the ruins, I presume?"

"That’s none of your business." With that, Zelir started to push him aside.

In a place like this, teeming with all sorts of characters, Zelir had no desire to chat with strangers. Who knew what kind of ill intentions they might have.

’Out of every ten people here, nine are con artists and the last one’s a pickpocket.’

"Hey, hey, hold on! Don’t be in such a rush..."

Seeing Zelir about to leave, the man quickly sidestepped to block his path again, waving his hands frantically.

"If you’re here to explore the ruins, I have a guidebook for the Lost Ruins... I was wondering if you might be interested?"

"A guidebook?"

At that word, Zelir stopped in his tracks.

The others’ interest was piqued as well, and they exchanged glances.

The man saw the look on their faces and knew instantly that he had them.

A knowing smile spread across his face.

"Folks, let’s find somewhere else to talk."

...

Outside the Adventurer’s Association, in a quiet corner.

Away from the boisterous crowd, the air was a little fresher here.

The canopy of a large tree cast a shadow, creating a natural, private space to talk.

"Alright, let’s hear it. What’s this guidebook you mentioned?" Zelir asked, leaning against the tree trunk.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Wells."

Wells straightened his clothes.

"I’m an Adventurer myself... but I do things a little differently than most."

"I don’t make my living killing Demons. I sell information!"

"I see..."

Zelir nodded slightly upon hearing this.

He was familiar with this line of work.

Not all Adventurers fought Demons; many specialized in gathering intelligence.

They were an equally important part of the adventurer ecosystem.

Those detailed quest requests didn’t just materialize out of thin air.

Things like what kind of Demons were present, the nature of the environment, and their exact locations all had to be confirmed by dedicated personnel.

"Since you’ve all just arrived, you probably don’t know this yet. The Lost Ruins has three levels, but no one has made it to the second level so far..."

"In fact, most people haven’t even finished exploring the first level. Everyone’s still just fumbling around in the dark."

"So, you’re saying we got here pretty early, then?" Hill asked.

Her eyes scanned him, discerning his profession: Assassin.

"That’s right!"

Wells said excitedly, "The earlier you get here, the more treasure there is to be found! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"But the Lost Ruins are fraught with danger... one wrong step could lead to your doom."

"But if you had a guidebook to pave the way, your efficiency would skyrocket!"

Wells pulled a small booklet from inside his shirt.

"This here is the intelligence I’ve compiled after exploring the first level of the Lost Ruins!"

"It covers potential traps, the types of Demons, special terrain features, and a map of the route I took!"

"Does it show the entrance to the second level?" Hill asked.

"Well, no... no one knows where the entrance to the second level is yet."

Wells scratched his head awkwardly, but he quickly came up with a way to salvage his sales pitch.

"But if you follow my route, you’ll have a much better chance of being the first to reach the second level!"

"Is this guidebook of yours reliable?"

Gray said, "You’re not just trying to scam us, are you?"

"Of course!"

On that topic, Wells puffed out his chest confidently.

"I’m not the kind of guy who runs a one-time business. You can ask around—my reputation is solid."

"My guidebook might not cover the entire first level of the ruins, but I guarantee that everything written in it is 100% accurate!"

As he spoke, Wells opened the booklet to the first couple of pages.

It was a route map.

It didn’t show the full layout, but you could tell it was drawn with professional skill.

It not only included a scale, but it also used different colored inks to mark differences in elevation and danger levels.

The margins were filled with tiny, densely packed notes, clearly warnings about potential situations in specific areas.

Zelir glanced at Marcus.

Marcus gave a slight nod, acknowledging the guidebook’s quality.

"Alright."

Zelir said, "How much?"

"Heh heh..."

Wells held up a single finger.

"A Gold Coin, right?"

’A little pricey, but acceptable.’

Zelir was about to pull out the money to buy it.

"No, no, no, you misunderstand..."

Wells shook his head repeatedly. "Ten Gold Coins."

Zelir’s hand, which was just about to reach for his Storage Pouch, froze. He thought he must have misheard.

"How much?"

"Ten Gold Coins," Wells repeated, his tone firm.

"You’re selling one little booklet for Ten Gold Coins?"

Gray was also in disbelief. "You could buy a fine Longsword with that!"

"Hey, this is intel I risked my life for... You’re paying for knowledge."

"Besides, a good sword helps you kill your enemies. But this booklet helps you avoid unnecessary fights altogether."

Wells scratched his head.

"Just think, if you accidentally stumble into a poison gas trap, the cost of a couple of antidotes would nearly match this price, wouldn’t it?"