Chapter 36: An Unexpected Reunion and a Philosophical Leader

The agreed meeting point was just outside Bigmeluo’s south gate.

Eve arrived at the perfect moment, neither too early nor too late. Joyce’s caravan still had another half hour before setting off.

Upon her arrival, other adventurers who had also accepted escort commissions were gathered near the caravan.

Among them, Eve spotted a familiar face: a burly man with a wolf-tail haircut, carrying a long spear on his shoulder.

‘Isn’t that… wait, who was he again?’

Eve felt certain she had seen the man before, but after three days of intense study, her mind was now entirely consumed by the practical theories of Holy Light. For a moment, she truly couldn’t recall his identity.

Eve might not have remembered him, but the burly man with the wolf-tail haircut certainly remembered her. Upon noticing her familiar mask, he feigned surprise and stepped forward to greet her.

“Miss Luosha, I can’t believe it’s really you!”

“Uh… hello. May I ask who you are?”

“Oh! Look at my memory. I didn’t even get a chance to tell you my name last time. I’m Odell, leader of the Wolf Fang Adventurer Group!”

With that introduction, Eve immediately recalled him. Back at the Adventurer’s Guild, he had apparently invited her to join his adventurer group, an offer she had declined.

Despite her previous refusal, he was still approaching her with such warmth. As the saying went, one doesn’t strike a smiling face. Eve responded politely.

“So it was you, Leader Odell. I didn’t expect us to meet again.”

Odell laughed heartily.

“Hahaha, indeed! We truly have destiny, Miss Luosha. It seems you’ve also taken on this escort commission. We can journey together!”

“The Wolf Fang Adventurer Group has also taken on this commission?”

“Yes, it’s a cushy job. All we need to do is ensure the caravan’s safe passage. Mr. Joyce’s commission isn’t small either; finishing this one job will cover several months’ worth of food for the brothers in the adventurer group.”

“Several months’ worth of food? Mr. Joyce is truly generous…”

Initially, Eve was somewhat surprised. In her limited experience, merchants were either unscrupulous swindlers or miserly tightwads.

However, recalling how Joyce had casually offered her triple the commission fee earlier, she mused, ‘Perhaps there are differences even among merchants?’

Odell had originally intended to clarify that it wasn’t that Joyce’s commission was extraordinarily high, but rather that his adventurer group was simply impoverished.

Even the smallest fee would be a substantial sum for them.

Yet, the thought of saying it aloud made even a thick-skinned person like him feel embarrassed.

‘If Eve knew what kind of adventurer group they were, and thought they had no future, how could he ever convince her to join?’

Indeed, Odell still harbored the idea of sweet-talking Eve into joining the Wolf Fang Adventurer Group.

Ultimately, Odell decided against explaining and skillfully changed the subject.

“Miss Luosha, judging by your voice, you must still be quite young, and your current rank is likely still very low, isn’t it?”

“If we encounter combat along the way, you can rest assured and hide behind me. My profession is a Tier 3 Battle Vanguard, and in all of Bigmeluo, only that woman from Amber can truly contend with me.”

As he spoke of his own strength, Odell immediately puffed out his chest with pride.

While a Tier 3 profession might not be considered impressive in a major city, in a small border town, it represented peak combat power.

Moreover, he was still young, with the potential to reach the threshold of Tier 4 in the future. Once ‘that matter’ was resolved, he would lead the entire Wolf Fang Adventurer Group to explore a wider world!

Sensing his good intentions, Eve did not refuse. She offered a slight smile.

“Thank you for your kindness. When the time comes, I’ll cast Holy Light buffs on you. I’ll try my best not to hold everyone back.”

Eve’s words were, of course, a humble understatement.

While her individual combat ability was limited, she was not a warrior to begin with.

Should she summon Wennya, and then apply ‘Assault Command,’ ‘Shared Perception,’ and a Holy Light buff to both herself and Wennya, their combined combat power under these three enhancements would be far from negligible.

However, those were her trump cards. For now, outwardly, she was merely a novice Holy Practitioner.

She understood her role: to be a reliable support. If things looked dire, she would simply frown slightly and retreat behind the others.

Afterward, Odell chatted with Eve for a few more moments, then led her to meet several members of the Wolf Fang Adventurer Group.

They would all be companions on this commission, so getting acquainted was only natural. Of course, this was how it appeared to Eve.

“Hello, Miss Luosha, I’m Member A.”

“Hello, I’m B.”

“I’m C…”

In short, apart from their leader, Odell, not a single member of the Wolf Fang Adventurer Group left any lasting impression on her.

Their weapons and equipment, however, did catch Eve’s attention.

The machetes at their waists were dull, the staves in their hands were worm-eaten, and their shields were missing corners.

Eve even saw one man carrying only an old, nail-studded wooden club as his weapon.

‘Are all adventurer groups in this other world like this? It feels quite different from what I imagined.’

‘They seem remarkably easy to feed…’

When Eve, puzzled, posed this question to Odell, he responded:

“Don’t underestimate them! These men are all battle-hardened adventurers! The motto of our Wolf Fang Adventurer Group is: ‘Equipment can show wear and tear, but our bodies must remain unscarred. Scars are neither glory nor medals! Only a healthy, robust body is our true capital for adventure!'”

Upon hearing this, Eve clapped her hands in sincere approval.

A quick glance revealed that each member of the Wolf Fang Adventurer Group was indeed full of vigor, a healthy and robust muscleman.

No wonder Odell, their leader, could utter such a philosophical statement. He truly lived up to his reputation.

It was around this time, while everyone was getting acquainted, that Joyce returned and began organizing the caravan’s ranks.

“Good, everyone is here.”

With a sweeping gesture, Joyce stepped onto one of the caravan’s wagons and shouted loudly:

“Everyone, time is money! We’re departing immediately! Our destination is Greendunburg!”

“Oh! Ohh!”

After the surge of excitement, Joyce nodded and directed the caravan to leave the city.

The adventurers participating in the commission would also ride in wagons, though these were cargo wagons, with several people squeezed onto each.

It wasn’t realistic for adventurers to ride their own horses alongside the caravan; a single horse was very expensive, and the caravan certainly wouldn’t be generous enough to provide one for each of them. Thus, this arrangement was the only option.

Eve also boarded a wagon. Whether it was a convenience afforded by her profession, or simply because she was the only woman on this journey, the other occupants of the wagon intentionally made space for her.

Regardless of the reason, not having to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with others was naturally a good thing.

After thanking the adventurers who had made room for her, Eve settled in, enjoying the passing scenery and looking forward to this adventurous journey.