Three days later, Gauss and his team returned to the town.
As the weary group returned to Forest Crown Town, they saw the familiar wooden buildings, rooftops emitting wisps of smoke, and the bustling streets filled with people and livestock. Only then did the tense group finally breathe a sigh of relief, feeling genuinely at ease.
In theory, given their team’s configuration, possessing several level 5 fighters, they would almost never encounter unbeatable foes after leaving the Jade Forest.
But that was in normal circumstances; even knowing it was most likely safe, adventurers in the wilderness must always remain vigilant.
Only upon returning to human civilization could they truly relax.
Not delaying any further, they found a nearby inn to drop off their luggage and then headed to the Adventurer’s Guild to report.
Though the evil god’s aura, involving the privacy of Sorin and others, wasn’t reported, the monster camp surrounding the ruins could be reported to the Adventurer’s Guild.
Once the Guild sends someone to verify the information’s accuracy, there will be a reward for the intel.
"Just to confirm with you, is there a large monster camp at this mapped location?" The Adventurer’s Guild receptionist circled a spot on the map with a pen.
"Yes," Gauss nodded. "It’s not those random wild nests, but a proper camp with high fences, arrow towers, patrol teams, and transport teams, bearing the Green Dragon’s banner. The monsters inside are a mixed batch; we saw goblins, lizard people, and jackal-wolf people outside, but we’re unsure if there are other monsters in the camp center."
"Adventurers heading there later need to be extra cautious."
The male receptionist adjusted his glasses at this and swiftly recorded the information word-for-word in his notebook, not daring to ignore it.
Flying the Green Dragon banner alone was enough to indicate the camp’s formidable strength.
"This is very valuable warning intel. Once the Guild verifies it, the corresponding reward will be issued. You can collect it here or at another Adventurer’s Guild location."
After finishing recording, the receptionist turned to Gauss.
"Mr. Gauss, there is also a commission fee for your team. After confirmation, President Rich’s commission for your team to explore the Black Forest was rated as a beginner-level four-star task. It’s completed, and here is the commission fee."
He handed over a bag of gold coins.
Gauss checked it; there were indeed 40 gold coins, and aside from the coins, there were also 5 Adventurer’s Guild merits.
"Has President Rich already returned to Forest Crown Town?"
It was Sorin who spoke, his voice coming from below the counter.
The receptionist glanced around, then sheepishly stood on tiptoe and indeed saw the dwarf’s figure below the counter.
"Sorry, that I don’t know."
Leaving the Guild.
The group found a local large trading firm to handle the spoils of this trip. The main bounty consisted of metal components from the magic artifact found in the ruins, as well as various monster organs and weapons collected along the way.
After some bargaining, they finally agreed on a mutually satisfactory price.
The gold coins were settled on the spot; a total of 95 gold coins were sold.
For ordinary people, it was a staggering amount, but considering there were 6 adventurers, including 3 level 5 professionals, the spoils price was understandable.
According to the prior agreement, Sorin divided 60 gold coins to Gauss’s team.
The extra portion was compensation for Gauss and the others continuing to participate in cleansing the evil god’s aura.
"Count it, it’s what you deserve."
Gauss didn’t hesitate; he counted it and put it away, planning to share it with Aaliyah and Serdur along with other earnings after returning.
This sizable fortune was enough for the team’s future living expenses, equipment maintenance, upgrades, and spell purchases.
...
The next evening.
In the familiar quiet booth of the Silver Flower Tavern, the air was filled with the aroma of roast meat, thick soup, and ale.
Two teams gathered around a table, which was laden with sizzling ribs, fragrant meat pies, roasted vegetables, stewed mushroom soup, and several large mugs of frothy black ale.
Sorin took a big gulp of ale, his face even more flushed than usual from the drink, and began to animatedly recount his past experiences.
Nancy shook her head in resignation.
She whispered to Gauss, "Don’t mind his boasting; just treat his words after drinking as stories."
"Nancy, I can’t pretend I didn’t hear that," Sorin suddenly interjected.
The group burst into laughter.
Halfway through dinner,
Sorin brought up an old topic again, his face bright red as he put his arm around Gauss’s shoulder, saying, "Gauss, seriously. Think about joining us. I guarantee you and your companions will live in luxury and make a fortune."
Nancy added from the side, "Your abilities are quite special, Gauss. Joining us, you’d access higher-level commissions, which might be more beneficial for your... growth."
If their first invitation when Sorin and Gauss met was somewhat spontaneous, this invitation was sincere.
The role Gauss played in this journey was obvious to the eye, and credit for achieving the goal mostly belonged to him.
Several pairs of eyes were fixed on him.
Gauss put down his mug, thought for a while, and replied, "Sorin, Nancy, Elton, I really appreciate your recognition and invitation, but I prefer growing with my teammates, completing commissions step by step at our pace. Sorry."