The Guild even subtly reminded certain overly "enthusiastic" competitors not to interfere with other participants’ normal hunts.
Although this was just a local competition, since the local Guild participated, it would naturally play a supervisory role.
...
Another day had passed in the blink of an eye.
After a night’s rest.
Gauss’s exhaustion had significantly lessened.
He looked at the panel.
"Total Monster Kills: 8311"
"Ordinary Monster Atlas Species: 49"
Just one more to meet the requirement of 50 species.
Although he didn’t take on a suitable commission yesterday, he happened to kill the 49th ordinary monster near the commission location, a spiny arrowfish.
"Shall we go to the Guild to select a commission first?"
After having breakfast, Gauss and his group headed straight to the Guild.
Under the gaze of others, the group entered the VIP room to select a commission.
Sure enough, the Adventurer’s Guild had updated many new commissions in the morning.
Gauss held the commission crystal stone, quickly scanning over the usual regular commissions.
Goblin, Kobold, Slime, though they were old acquaintances, unfortunately, they had to first focus on accumulating Monster Atlas species this time, so they had to put them aside for now.
Besides new monsters, he also needed to meet the need to accumulate points.
The commission required enough members of a monster tribe and a sufficiently powerful monster leader.
Soon, a commission marked as urgent caught his attention.
Exterminate the Eit Monster’s nest in the Clear Creek Swamp.
Gauss finally chose this commission.
The Eit Monster is a spider-like humanoid monster with a relatively high level of intelligence, tending to its spider brood like a shepherd.
Its lower abdomen can shoot out highly durable silk and weave webs.
Any adventurer or creature entering its territory would become its hunting target, and it would mobilize its reared minions to besiege the prey with it. The presence of just one Eit Monster could cause enormous ecological devastation in the surrounding area.
Even a lush, vibrant forest would quickly turn into a dark region swarming with spider insects.
According to the details of the commission, villagers had already gone missing.
"Let’s go with this one."
Gauss found it suitable.
On one hand, there was the new Monster Atlas entry to unlock, and on the other hand, fire-type monsters, like spiders, were also restrained by Giant Dragon and himself.
Running into him was essentially courting disaster.
"Okay."
Although Aaliyah wasn’t fond of handling spiders, she wasn’t afraid, so she nodded and raised no objections to Gauss’s decision.
Gauss turned his gaze to Serdur.
After pausing for a moment, he then turned to Albena.
"Hmm?"
"Albena, are you okay?"
He noticed that Albena was showing an awkward smile.
"No... I’m fine. Let’s go with this."
Gauss blinked.
Could it be that she’s afraid of spiders?
It shouldn’t be, right?
It’s hard to imagine that someone as tall and imposing as she is actually afraid of such creatures as spiders.
Come to think of it, crabs and spiders don’t look much different in shape...
After confirming the commission.
The group set out immediately.
...
The Red Dragon Beast slowly descended.
This commission location was not by a lake or river, but set in a rather eerie, foggy swamp.
The atmosphere became noticeably oppressive.
The air was thick with the smell of damp decay.
Tangled, dead tree branches stretched to the gray sky like monstrous arms, and the ground was a treacherous mix of mud and puddles.
"This is it," Gauss said, comparing it to the map.
"Clear Creek Swamp... This name is a complete misnomer."
The so-called "clear creek" had long been masked by muddy waters and aquatic plants, making it hard to trace.
Hephaestus growled lowly, twisting its neck.
The environment here instinctively displeased it.
Different dragon breeds vary in form, each with distinct habits.
Red Dragons naturally hate the damp of swamp environments, while it’s the preferred habitat of Black Dragons.
Hephaestus lifted its foot, gazing at the mud sticking to its dragon scales, full of disgust.
Were it not for Gauss’s command, it would have flown off in a heartbeat.
However, its arrival also drove away nearby flying insects instinctively, and even cleared some of the fog, resulting in a slight change to the otherwise unbearable swamp setting.
Gauss’s gaze seemed to pierce through the dense fog, gaining clearer sight of the surroundings.
The omnipresent spiderwebs held countless shriveled animal corpses, resembling hanging fearsome decorations in the mist.
Serdur handed out antidotes to several teammates.
Though the Eit Monster wasn’t exceptionally powerful, its venom was equally formidable.
Moreover, the eerie environment naturally gave one the creeps.
"I’ll release some clay creatures for reconnaissance first."
Gauss chose the most efficient method.
Due to the swamp’s mist, traditional aerial reconnaissance from riding Hephaestus and using the Eagle Eye scope was ineffective.
Soon, about a dozen small clay creatures, like wasps, dispersed in all directions.
Gauss didn’t control any one of them specifically but used his basic hive consciousness talent to constantly receive feedback from the clay creatures.
"Eh?"
In his perception, suddenly one clay flying insect "lost connection."
He looked in the direction it headed.
"There seems to be something abnormal there."
Let’s go over and check it out.