After repairing all my equipment at the weapon shop, I immediately went to the armor shop.
I heard from a little boy on the street that the armor shop owner needed help.
After a few words, I indeed received a quest:
[Blacksmith's Trouble]
Quest Content: Blacksmith Hughes has recently been forging high-quality armor for the army but is missing a rare copper ore that is only found on Half-Side Mountain to the east of the city.
The blacksmith's apprentice has been conscripted into the army to resist the plague spreaders in Sunset Town, so there is currently a shortage of manpower to mine.
He hopes you can go to Half-Side Mountain and collect 20 pieces of this ore.
However, that ore is usually guarded by One-Claw Werewolves, so be extra careful!
...
I checked the level of the One-Claw Werewolves; they are level 18-20 monsters.
With my current strength, it might be a bit difficult, but I'll accept it for now!
"Ding ~!"
System Notification: You have obtained "Miner's Pickaxe"!
You have learned the skill "Trial Mining"!
I looked at the pickaxe; it was just a mining pickaxe with no special attributes, and its attack was a pitiful 1-1!
Stepping out of the armor shop, I suddenly noticed an old minstrel playing ancient songs in front of the Cathedral opposite, and a soldier was trying to drive him away.
I immediately walked over and spoke to the soldier, who looked at me with a gloomy expression and said, "This minstrel is singing a song forbidden by the Church.
If he is driven away again, the Royal Church might burn him to death as Punishment!"
I quickly asked what kind of song was forbidden, but the soldier immediately fell silent.
No matter how much I asked, he only told me to leave quickly.
Damn, this must be a hidden quest!
The minstrel packed up his violin and slowly walked into a small alley.
I hurried after him and spoke to him: "Excuse me, why is the song you sing forbidden by the Church?"
The minstrel raised his face, full of wrinkles and dirt, and looked at me with a dazed gaze, saying, "Young man, that was two years ago.
Many people have started to forget it now, but Princess Misha has been living in pain.
I originally thought I could save her, but it seems everything is already too late."
"Can you tell me in more detail? Perhaps I can help a little!"
"Oh, it's like this: three years ago, an unknown plague spread across the continent.
The kingdom sent many famous healers, but none could solve the plague problem.
The orc witch doctors they invited were also helpless.
Even Princess Misha, the heir to the kingdom, personally investigated the source of the plague.
Unfortunately, she found nothing.
Not only that, but the year after she returned to the kingdom, she suddenly contracted a strange plague.
All the court witch doctors believed the princess could not be cured and that there was a possibility of it spreading.
So, the king could only painfully imprison the princess in the basement of the Plague Graveyard on the west side of the city.
Recently, a group of filthy Undead Mages suddenly appeared at the Plague Graveyard.
Heaven knows if the princess can continue to live!"
After the minstrel finished speaking, he whispered repeatedly, "If the golden needle grass could be found, the princess's plague might be cured.
Why is the king so cruel?"
I immediately replied, "Where can that grass be found? I should be able to help!"
The minstrel's eyes instantly regained some of their former luster: "Really, young man? Will you help me?"
"Ding ~!"
System Notification: Do you accept the request of the Healing Master?
I naturally chose yes, and the quest followed:
[Healing Master's Entrustment] (Unique)
Quest Content: Help the Healer Lance find the golden needle grass.
The golden needle grass is a plant that grows in the valley of Half-Side Mountain, guarded by the abandoned Orc Shaman Witch Doctor Nikola.
Defeat Nikola, retrieve the golden needle grass, and give it to the Healer Lance...
So this minstrel was the renowned Healer Lance.
No wonder he was still so persistent in saving the princess.
He had already found the recipe for curing the princess's illness!
This quest should have follow-up quests.
Given Lance's current state, he probably has no ability to rescue the princess from the Undead Mages.
After accepting three quests, I wandered around the city for nearly another half an hour but didn't receive any more quests.
It seemed that there were only so many quests in the city.
I opened the communicator and directly contacted Lu Xuehan: "Have you received any quests?"
Lu Xuehan said excitedly, "I received a quest to clear the farm.
What about you?"
"I also received that quest.
Let's do it together.
Wait for me at the east gate of the city!"
"Okay."
Soon, Lu Xuehan arrived, a sweet smile gracing her beautiful face.
Was getting a quest really that exciting?
Without further ado, we headed directly to Matthew's farm according to the quest's instructions.
The sky gradually darkened, and a thick fog drifted over the abandoned fields.
Not far away, several dilapidated wooden shacks were scattered across the deserted farmland, and many Snake-Head Men were wandering in the overgrown fields.
"I'm responsible for Healing Spells and Curses; you focus on attacking!"
Lu Xuehan said calmly.
It seemed this girl had some understanding of the game.
Lu Xuehan's delicate hand gently waved, and a cloud of gray smoke enveloped the nearest Snake-Headed Man.
[Snake-Headed Man]
Level: 13
Attack:???
Defense:???
...I immediately rushed forward with a Heavy Strike, followed by a Combo.
Three numbers, "142," "52," and "58," floated above the monster's head.
The rapid, continuous strikes of the Combo made its body move back slightly.
A level one Combo could only deliver two attacks, and sometimes even only one.
I wondered if it would be able to deliver seven or eight consecutive hits later on.
Because the attack speed was quite fast, targets hit by the Combo fell into a temporary stunned state.
This was probably the biggest advantage of the Combo; striking first was definitely the right move.
With Lu Xuehan's Curse, I found killing monsters quite easy.
Sometimes, after continuously killing seven or eight monsters, Lu Xuehan would cast a Great Healing Spell on me.
A level 1 Great Healing Spell could restore over 120 HP, which was quite good, but the skill's channeling time was a bit long, requiring about 5 seconds of preparation before it could be cast.
We cleared field after field.
By the time Lu Xuehan and I had cleared all the monsters from the farm, both of us had collected the required Snake-Headed Man eyes for the quest.
I checked the time; it was already 9 AM.
It seemed Xu Lin and the others, seeing Lu Xuehan and me on a quest, didn't disturb us to eat.
I was fine, but I wondered if Lu Xuehan could hold out.
"Are you hungry?" Lu Xuehan blinked and asked.
I secretly smiled and said, "Log off on the spot.
We'll come back after eating!"
"Mm."