Chapter 5: Cleaning the Battlefield

“Cleaning the battlefield,” as it was called, didn’t involve much to tidy up.

These green-skinned critters had nothing but a rag on their bodies, and their weapons were shoddily made, less sturdy than a farmer’s hoe—nobody would even take them if offered, so there were no extra spoils to speak of.

All I and the others did was cut off the goblins’ left ears and find a pit to bury their bodies—this prevented the stench of their corpses from spreading further in the air, which could attract other dangers.

“Rustle.”

Moist soil was shoveled down, gradually covering the piled corpses in the pit.

It’s worth mentioning that Erji was among them.

His former status as a team member didn’t earn him any special treatment; he was tossed into the burial pit alongside those equally diminutive goblins.

Captain Maji even “thoughtfully” stripped him of his crude equipment and supplies, leaving only a patched, thin shirt.

Gagu stood by the pit’s edge, most of the bloodstains on his upper body wiped dry, though a few wounds still oozed droplets of blood.

He gazed at Erji, gradually covered by the soil, his eyes slightly red.

But don’t misunderstand, this was definitely not due to any emotional turmoil from a teammate’s death—most likely just the lingering effects of the battle awakening his bloodline.

At least, based on my observations of these people over the past few days, even if this half-beastman with diluted blood felt some faint regret deep down for a teammate’s passing, it was surely minimal.

More likely, it was resentment over the mission’s rewards not matching the effort.

The relationships between adventurers, especially in a low-tier team like this where casualties were common, were far more practical and cold than I’d imagined.

And in fact, that was indeed the case.

After helping Maji fill the pit,

Gagu’s first words were a complaint:

“&#@%￥ (beastman curse), one guy dead, and we earned less than two gold coins—not even enough to buy a damn donkey. What lousy luck!”

Though in my eyes, the bounty for five goblins was already a “fortune,” the half-beastman was clearly unsatisfied.

His resentment even made him walk with heavier steps than usual, leaving deep footprints in the meadow.

Just when I thought my first adventure would end so anticlimactically,

Maji, who had stayed silent since the battle ended and was quietly packing up, suddenly said out of the blue:

“Actually, like the greedy dragons in legends, goblins also like to hoard their spoils in their lairs.”

The atmosphere seemed to freeze in that instant.

Gagu’s eyes widened, and he spun around:

“You mean…”

“According to the guild’s mission info, this goblin colony has, at most, twenty members.”

Maji slung his refilled quiver over his shoulder and slowly stood.

“We just took out what was likely their main force, which means…”

“The lair!” Gagu’s deliberately hushed but excited voice came out sharp. “An empty lair!”

Maji nodded calmly, though his eyes betrayed the same thrill and eagerness.

A goblin lair likely unguarded, and a low-tier adventurer team with most of its strength intact.

There was some risk, but compared to the potential rewards, what was a little risk?

Besides, as an adventurer, if you weren’t willing to take even a bit of risk… you might as well go back to farming.

Driven by greed, Gagu and Maji quickly began planning the goblin lair’s location, preparations before entering, and even how to divide the spoils inside.

I didn’t join in.

As a newbie adventurer who’d just transmigrated to this world, I wasn’t familiar with either the current situation or goblin habits.

Though I vaguely felt returning immediately would be safer, their arguments weren’t unreasonable.

Besides, even if I refused, I’d either have to stay here alone waiting for them or head back to the nearby town on my own.

In a place like the Mist Forest, teeming with monsters, going solo was far too dangerous.

So, I’d just follow along.

Who knows, maybe I’d earn a few more gold coins.

For adventurers, “money” was the most effective catalyst for action.

The Rotten Fish and Shrimp team, faced with the prospect of treasure, showed remarkable efficiency.

In just ten minutes, Gagu and Maji had hashed out a plan that seemed crude but wasn’t entirely unrefined.

They decided to rest patiently for the night, regain their strength, and set out to find the goblin lair at first light.

…

…

The campfire flickered.

The crude sleeping bag beside me emitted rhythmic snores, mingling with the unknown insect chirps from the dense forest behind.

The warm firelight bathed my face, casting an orange glow.

At this moment, the Rotten Fish and Shrimp team had relocated to a new campsite.

Hunter Maji had set traps around as usual, but given the dwarf Erji now buried in the ground, I didn’t have much faith in their quality.

So when it was my turn to keep watch, I was extra vigilant.

I even moved my seat closer to the camp’s inner circle— that way, even if something bypassed Maji’s traps, I’d have enough time to react.

The night was quiet.

Only now did I finally have a moment to myself, unnoticed by the others.

I laid my one-handed sword across my knees, gripping a cloth as if diligently maintaining it.

But my eyes weren’t focused on the sword itself.

Instead, by the firelight, I stared at my reflection on the blade’s surface.

One second, two seconds…

As my focus sharpened, lines of translucent text began to appear before my eyes.

…

[Name]: Xia Nan

[Attributes]:

Strength: 5 (Muscle power, athletic training, and physical potential)

Agility: 5 (Reaction speed, balance, and dexterity)

Constitution: 5 (Endurance and vitality)

Intelligence: 5 (Memory, logic, and cognitive ability)

Perception: 5 (Observation and insight, also reflecting harmony with surroundings)

Charisma: 5 (Personality and presence)

[Skills]:

Whirlwind Slash lv4 (99/100)

…

“Sure enough!”

I thought to myself.

Ever since the “Proficiency +1” text flashed before my eyes during the goblin fight, I’d been curious.

Now, just testing a hunch, it was confirmed—

“Not only can I see the stats of items and equipment, but through my reflection, I can see my own attributes too!”

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