Chapter 114: Temporary Team-up, Ratmen Commission

Gauss met Arya on the second floor of the Adventurer’s Guild.

This druid lady was the same person who had returned with him from the Emerald Forest two weeks ago. At that time, she had a majestic and imposing wolf companion by her side, who helped carry his pack for part of the way, since he didn’t yet have a Small Storage Bag.

Afterward, the two remained in contact. Although not particularly close, they were at least acquainted.

"Congratulations." Arya’s gaze lingered for a moment on the brand-new Bronze-rank Adventurer badge on Gauss’s chest, quietly admiring how quickly he had advanced.

She recalled how, back then, she had carefully prepared for every Examination Mission. Though she couldn’t remember exactly how long it had taken her to complete three missions, she was sure it was longer than Gauss.

After all, with her powerful contracted animal companion—that formidable battle wolf—she had already stood out among the new Professional Class members.

For Gauss, a spellcaster, to advance so efficiently was in itself proof that his strength was anything but ordinary.

That was also why, despite just being let down by a white-haired Mage Lad teammate, she hadn’t refused when Gauss proposed teaming up.

Moreover, Arya’s gaze subtly swept across Gauss’s face.

Her first impression of him had been a very pleasant one. Judging by his appearance, he didn’t seem like the type who would flee at the last moment or abandon his teammates.

So, let’s give teaming up a try.

If it doesn’t work out, she could always switch partners later.

Arya muttered in her heart. She had high standards for teammates.

She also knew that perhaps this very mindset made it difficult for her to find a fixed team.

Many new Professional Class members were quite self-centered. Finding a suitable partner to team up with for a period of time wasn’t easy.

At the very least, Gauss had left a good first impression.

"Have you already chosen a mission?"

"Yes." Arya nodded. "If you hadn’t contacted me, I would’ve started recruiting teammates from the Mission Hall over the next few days."

"Let me see the Mission Commission?"

Arya handed over a sheet of Kraft Paper detailing the mission information.

Gauss skimmed through it quickly.

The mission objective was to eliminate a group of Ratmen entrenched in an abandoned cellar, estimated to number over seventy.

Ratmen were cunning and greedy humanoid monsters, often accompanied by common rats and large-sized Giant Rats. They were irritable, lean, and favored light weapons and ambush tactics. Lower-tier Ratmen communities usually dwelled in the wild or near villages, stealing and plundering food, and spreading disease. Higher-tier Ratmen clans might infiltrate urban civilizations, establishing information networks in sewers, or even developing into sprawling underground cities. This mission aimed to purge a group of such pests harassing a manor.

The commission reward was seventy Silver Coins in total.

"Want to team up?" Arya asked. She was fully aware that not all adventurers were willing to take on missions involving Ratmen or Giant Rats. When given a choice, many would avoid them. Not because they were particularly dangerous, but because there was little profit in exterminating Ratmen. It was hard to loot any decent spoils from them.

Moreover, most people instinctively felt repulsed by creatures like rats, known for spreading disease and being omens of misfortune. Over time, this sentiment became widespread.

"No problem."

Gauss agreed readily, which surprised Arya a bit.

Based on her past experiences, even if other temporary teammates didn’t outright refuse, they would at least show some reluctance on their faces. But Gauss didn’t seem bothered at all.

"I think this mission’s quite good." Gauss handed the commission back to her.

He wasn’t trying to flatter Arya—he genuinely thought it was a suitable task.

First of all, he hadn’t yet killed any Ratmen, and this commission would help enrich his Monster Encyclopedia.

Secondly, the commission clearly stated that the number of Ratmen was not small—over seventy in total. For someone like him who prioritized "experience farming above all else," the more Small Monsters, the better!

Besides, the Giant Rats accompanying the Ratmen might count as separate monster types too?

If so, the experience gain from this one mission would be even greater.

As for the average rate of one Silver Coin per kill, it was a fair market price.

Unless one went after higher-ranked elite magical creatures, commissions involving low-tier Small Monsters generally offered similar rates.

The two went to the Mission Hall and officially added Gauss’s information to the commission.

"We’ll need to prepare some supplies in advance to deal with the Ratmen," Arya suggested.

They turned and headed for the general store.

Though Ratmen weren’t strong in direct combat, they still posed a threat to Tier 1 Professional Class members.

The Adventurer’s Handbook and the Monster Encyclopedia both recorded: any low-tier Small Monster, once gathered in sufficient numbers, could pose a deadly threat.

Ratmen and their rat-type followers mainly attacked with claws and fangs. Their gnawing teeth and sharp claws carried a large amount of bacteria and viruses, making comprehensive protection essential.

A set of protective leather gear that covered the entire body, especially the neck, wrists, and ankles, was key.

"I’ve mastered a protective spell that can effectively block this type of physical attack. See if you still need to buy protective clothing?" Gauss reminded Arya as he noticed her selecting leatherwear.

"Thanks for your kind offer." Arya shook her head. "But even though your spell is powerful, battles change in an instant. There will always be moments when you can’t cover for me. I’ll prepare my own—an extra layer of protection and less trouble for you."

Seeing how well-prepared she was, Gauss found her concerns reasonable and said no more.

The core skill upgraded from Mage Armor, Gauss Force Field, was indeed powerful, but currently, casting it on others required direct physical contact—far less convenient than casting on himself.

Besides protective gear, Gas Masks and filtration devices were also essential.

Gauss Force Field had excellent protection against both physical and magical attacks, but it was inadequate against Toxic Gas and miasma.

For this reason, even Gauss himself purchased a set.

They followed up with purchases of combustibles, purifying potions, basic medicine, dry rations, and water.

Excluding personal protective equipment, the basic supplies were split evenly. On average, each spent about six Silver Coins.

With supplies ready, they returned to their lodgings for final preparations.

Back at the inn, Gauss carefully checked his personal belongings, confirming that all necessities had been securely stored in the Small Storage Bag.

He gave himself a day off to completely relax in body and mind.

The next morning.

"Be careful out there," Sophia reminded him.

"Mm." Gauss waved and left the inn.

He met up with Arya by the main road of Graystone Town.

For this journey, they once again chose to travel with a caravan. But Gauss’s status was no longer the same.

After advancing to Bronze-rank Adventurer, it was no longer him begging for a lift—the caravan now approached him proactively.

The two of them not only rode and ate for free, but if the route was long enough, the caravan would even pay a security fee to accompanying professional adventurers.

Of course, in return, the two were expected to lend a hand during minor crises—an unspoken but well-understood rule.

"Dear adventurers, this carriage is prepared for the two of you. It contains clean water and food. If there’s anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to ask."

The Caravan Steward respectfully led them to a vacant, passenger-dedicated carriage.

The compartment had clearly been cleaned beforehand. The seat armrests were tidy and the smell was faint.

Not bad.

Gauss was satisfied, though he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

This world was realistic indeed—advancing to Bronze-rank Adventurer brought immediate changes. Without spending a single coin, the treatment improved; they no longer had to squeeze in with cargo.

These were tangible conveniences, and similar unseen benefits were everywhere.

The carriage moved on.

Gauss lifted the side tarp of the carriage, watching the scenery flow past outside the window.

At some point, Arya’s sturdy wolf companion had silently started walking alongside the carriage.

Arya leaned out and pulled a piece of raw meat from her Pack, tossing it with precision to her companion.

Gauss used this time on the road to continue studying the Meditation Method book.

The content of the Meditation Method was extensive and profound—not something that could be learned or read through in just a few days.

The caravan made a brief stop along the way, having encountered a few novice bandits wielding pitchforks and clubs who attempted a roadside robbery.

But Gauss and Arya didn’t even need to act. The caravan guards handled the petty thieves with ease, scattering them within moments.

While the caravan rested.

Gauss took the opportunity to bring up a long-standing question to his temporary partner.

"Arya, may I ask you something about druids?"

Druid apprentices in town were already rare. Official druids were even harder to meet.

Gauss’s understanding of druids had mostly come from hearsay.

"Sure. What do you want to ask?" Arya, feeling a bit bored, withdrew her gaze from the window at his words.

"I heard people say druids value peace and nature and avoid killing? Is that true?"

"How could that be?" Arya smiled and shook her head. "First off, ‘druid’ is just a general term. There are actually many sects within, with different beliefs and core ideologies. Broadly speaking, they’re divided into conservative, radical, and aberrant sects. Most druids are conservative, indeed upholding the principle of natural balance. But that doesn’t mean we reject killing."

She paused, then added, "In fact, many druids do not oppose slaying monsters. Killing is sometimes a necessary means to maintain ecological balance."

"Take goblins, kobolds, and ratmen for example—these low-tier monsters inherently lean toward twisted evil, and they reproduce at frightening rates. If left unchecked, their populations expand rapidly, encroaching on the living space of other life forms, ultimately disrupting the ecological balance of entire regions. Eliminating them is to protect a broader nature."

"And before we become druids, we are still human—capable of love and hate. We can’t escape the influence of our own race." Arya blinked.

"I see." Gauss felt a burden lift from his heart.

He was well aware of his own belief in exterminating monsters to the last. With those rumors about druids in mind, he had worried about conflicting ideologies with Arya—so he brought it up in advance.

Now it seemed, at least for the time being, that their goals aligned.

Arya was purging the rampant low-tier monsters to uphold her sect’s belief in protecting natural balance.

Gauss was eliminating monsters to enrich his Monster Encyclopedia system.

Their purposes differed, but their paths intersected here.

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