Chapter 55: The First Hunt and a Sweet Reward

Despite having accepted the quest, Qing Yu had made no preparations, and it wasn’t until just before they were about to set off that he suddenly realized he had no idea where to even begin looking for slimes.

Fortunately, while Qing Yu and Aldoran were discussing the matter over breakfast in the restaurant, Eden happened to pass by, overheard their conversation, and offered some invaluable advice.

According to Eden, the very mountain they were bound for, Alast, teemed with monsters, and slimes were by far the most prevalent among them; one could practically sit anywhere and encounter a whole swarm.

They came in every hue imaginable: crimson, orange, yellow, verdant green, cyan, sapphire blue, and vibrant violet.

Beyond that, Eden also presented Qing Yu with a large bag of peculiar-looking vegetables, assuring him that these would easily lure the weaker green slimes, allowing him to capture them even bare-handed.

Despite Eden’s optimistic words, the blazing sun now hung directly overhead, and Qing Yu and Aldoran remained hidden within the dense undergrowth.

Though autumn had begun to settle in, a persistent swarm of mosquitoes and other insects ceaselessly buzzed around them, their irritating hum filling the air.

Every so often, they would alight upon the duo’s exposed skin, extending their slender proboscises to leave behind angry, red welts.

It made concentrating an impossible task.

“Aldoran, it’s so itchy,” Qing Yu murmured, his hands ceaselessly scratching at the irritated spots, yet his gaze remained fixed on the pile of vegetables he had placed on the open stretch of grass.

The vegetables lay serenely on the soft blades, sunlight filtering through their dewy, vibrant green leaves, each droplet refracting a myriad of tiny gleams, creating an inviting sight that almost stimulated one’s appetite.

Yet, despite the enticing display, not a single slime had appeared throughout the entire morning.

Had it not been for his earnest desire to experience the thrill of confronting a monster, Qing Yu would have long since retreated to the comforts of Eden’s inn.

The inn offered far more than just plush sofas and grand beds; its myriad entertainment options were so numerous that Qing Yu couldn’t even count them all, and a full day of play would barely allow him to experience a quarter of what was available.

“If you truly can’t bear it any longer, we can return now and try our luck again tomorrow,” Aldoran suggested, her voice a low murmur.

She had remained perfectly still, prone in the grass, not shifting her position even once.

“Let’s just wait a little longer,” Qing Yu countered. “What if they appear any moment now?”

Qing Yu was loath to give up so easily; after all the anticipation he had felt last night, returning empty-handed now would be utterly disheartening.

Thus, Qing Yu remained quietly concealed in the grass, enduring the persistent mosquito bites and patiently awaiting the slimes’ arrival.

The wait stretched on endlessly as the sun slowly began its descent in the west, painting the once azure sky with hues of red.

The calls of returning birds echoed from the horizon, blending with the loud chatter of travelers passing by.

Pillars of cooking smoke began to rise from within the forest, and through the dense canopy of trees, Aldoran could discern the distant figures of travelers already pitching their tents.

By now, it was certainly time to head back for dinner; Qing Yu hadn’t eaten lunch and must be ravenous.

As for the slimes, it would be no trouble to search for them again tomorrow.

Having reached this conclusion, Aldoran began to shake out her clothes, preparing to rise from the grass.

Yet, just as she moved, a faint, almost imperceptible rustling sound caught her keen attention.

Though the sound lasted only for a fleeting instant, Aldoran’s sharp senses had nevertheless detected that subtle disturbance.

A few blades of grass in the patch ahead seemed to stir ever so slightly.

Aldoran hastily flattened herself back down, holding her breath and focusing intently, as she quietly awaited the sound’s re-emergence.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Aldoran silently counted the seconds in her mind until, at roughly the thirtieth mark, the distinct rustling sound emerged once more from the grass, followed by another subtle stir in the distant foliage.

“Qing Yu, Qing Yu,” Aldoran whispered, gently nudging Qing Yu, who had long since drifted off to sleep from sheer boredom.

Startled awake, Qing Yu groggily rubbed his eyes, and just as he was about to yawn, Aldoran clapped a hand over his mouth.

‘Mm… Mm…’ Qing Yu barely had a moment to comprehend what was happening before Aldoran released him, immediately making a ‘shh’ gesture.

Though he was entirely unsure of Aldoran’s intentions, Qing Yu instinctively nodded, whereupon she pointed towards the vegetables laid out on the grass ahead.

Qing Yu instantly grasped the situation, his gaze silently fixed on the tempting pile of vegetables.

“窸窸窣窣”

“窸窸窣窣”

As the rustling continued, Qing Yu held his breath, not daring even to draw a shallow gasp, waiting in utter silence for the source of the sound to reveal itself.

This time, the sound persisted for approximately ten seconds before ceasing, and as the surrounding air settled into a profound stillness, the agitated patch of grass also became motionless.

“Wait a little longer,” Aldoran softly instructed Qing Yu, who was already struggling to contain his eagerness.

She gently pressed his hand. “Let’s get a clear look before we make our move.”

At Aldoran’s words, Qing Yu immediately halted his movements, his excitement palpable as he awaited the perfect moment to strike.

He extended his hand, gripping his staff tightly.

“窸窸窣窣”

“窸窸窣窣”

The grass continued to sway, the unseen lurker drawing nearer and nearer to the enticing vegetables.

A minute later, the blades of grass directly surrounding the pile began to tremble faintly.

Qing Yu’s eyes widened, fixated on the patch of green grass with a blend of excitement and intense curiosity, as though he could bore a hole through it with his gaze.

‘Hoo, hoo,’ Qing Yu’s breath hitched with overwhelming excitement.

He watched as a tiny blue tentacle seemed to emerge from the rustling grass.

Carried by a gentle evening breeze, the appendage swiftly brushed against the vegetables before instantly retreating back into its grassy concealment.

“Aldoran, why isn’t it eating?” Qing Yu whispered, this being his first attempt at catching a slime.

“Blue slimes are timid, weak, and highly cautious,” Aldoran replied in a low voice. “It was merely testing the waters.”

True to her words, after another three minutes of waiting, the grass stirred once more.

Under Qing Yu’s eager gaze, several small, blue, gelatinous creatures tentatively poked their heads out from the concealment.

They meticulously scanned their surroundings before cautiously inching onto the vegetables.

After another thorough scan, and only after repeatedly confirming the absence of danger, did they continue to climb further.

Slowly, painstakingly, over the course of ten minutes, every single blue slime had finally settled onto the vegetables.

Qing Yu quickly counted them, finding a total of seven slimes, each no larger than the palm of his hand.

“All right, these juveniles are currently feeding, which will reduce their reaction time,” Aldoran advised, finally releasing Qing Yu’s hand. “You can make your move now.”

“Mhm, leave them all to me, Aldoran.”

Qing Yu took a deep breath, tightening his grip on his staff.

Just as the slimes were feasting with gusto, he suddenly burst from the tall grass, staff raised, and aimed it towards the unsuspecting creatures, letting out a sharp cry: “Release!”

Instantly, a small, pale yellow orb of light shot forth from the tip of his staff, hurtling directly towards the slimes.

This was a spell Aldoran had taught him during their journey to Alast.

Though his magical strength remained modest, conjuring a few fingernail-sized orbs of light posed no challenge.

In an instant, the slime perched atop the vegetable pile, still oblivious, was struck by the orb of light and tumbled into the surrounding grass.

Witnessing this, the other slimes immediately leaped from the vegetable pile, dragging their slick bodies as they scattered in every direction.

The slime Qing Yu had just struck down was largely unharmed; it merely lay dazed on the ground for a few seconds before recovering.

By then, Qing Yu had already sprinted to its side, reaching out to seize it.

In that critical moment, the slime suddenly swelled, and with a soft ‘splat,’ a burst of cold water shot directly onto Qing Yu’s face.

Caught completely off guard, Qing Yu recoiled from the sudden retaliation, stumbling backward to land unceremoniously on the ground.

He frantically wiped the water droplets from his face, his mind momentarily blank, devoid of any strategy.

“Don’t worry! That’s just ordinary fresh water! It’s only meant to buy them time! That’s their only ability!” Aldoran called out from behind Qing Yu, her voice steadying his nerves.

Hearing her reassurance, Qing Yu immediately shed his apprehension, disregarding the water still clinging to his face.

He lunged forward, seizing the slime and clenching it tightly in his hand.

The slime thrashed desperately, its body constricting, threatening to slip from Qing Yu’s grasp.

Aldoran immediately called out to him, gesturing for him to throw it over.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Qing Yu spun around and deftly tossed the slime into Aldoran’s waiting hand.

Without waiting to observe Aldoran’s actions, Qing Yu immediately turned back, resuming his pursuit of the remaining slimes.

Viewed from above, the cluster of blue slimes stood out vividly against the verdant expanse of the grassland.

Coupled with their remarkably slow escape speed, Qing Yu had no difficulty whatsoever in corralling all of them.

Subsequently, under Aldoran’s guidance, Qing Yu placed three of the more vibrantly colored slimes into his bracelet, while Aldoran herself took the remaining three, kneading them into a compact ball in her hand.

During their journey back, Aldoran explained that the skin of these wild blue slimes possessed properties capable of purifying water.

Consequently, their internal fluid was remarkably sweet, known for its cooling and detoxifying effects, and was frequently used as a medicinal ingredient in the Middle Realm, often pressed into juice and sold.

For this reason, some inhabitants of the Middle Realm even specialized in farming these slimes as a lucrative means of income.

In most instances, domestically raised blue slimes, benefiting from superior living conditions, yielded even sweeter fluid.

These creatures required only fruits, vegetables, and water to thrive; the purer the water source, the faster their growth.

Upon reaching a certain size, they would undergo fission, producing offspring with an even more vibrant coloration.

Qing Yu listened, utterly captivated by this revelation.

Aldoran then mentioned that a slime farm, exclusively dedicated to providing high-quality, cultivated slimes for nobles, was located north of Alast.

She offered to take Qing Yu there for a visit if he was interested, and he, of course, accepted without a moment’s hesitation.

Next, it was time to claim his reward.

After Qing Yu handed the slimes to the staff at the exchange counter, the Server carefully placed the three slimes into bottles.

He then retrieved a string of exactly one hundred copper coins from the warehouse and handed them to Qing Yu.

Although it wasn’t a large sum, Qing Yu was overjoyed, as it marked the first time he had independently completed a task, and the reward, whatever its value, brought him immense satisfaction.

As a memento, Qing Yu carefully placed the string of copper coins into his pocket, secretly vowing to preserve them well once he returned.

Upon returning to the inn, Qing Yu was surprised to find Eden had prepared an entire table laden with steaming hot dishes, awaiting him and Aldoran.

Under Eden’s warm hospitality, Qing Yu and Aldoran enjoyed a hearty meal.

During dinner, Qing Yu noticed Eden holding a thick book filled with text he couldn’t decipher.

He had intended to ask Eden about it, but before he could voice his question, Eden was called away by the Server.

Thus, the matter was temporarily set aside, and what awaited Qing Yu was the next day’s exploration…