Kevin and his companions cut off the earrings from the dead goblins in the abandoned church. Among them, the mithril earring from the Goblin Shaman brought them great joy because its value was ten times that of the bronze earrings. Moreover, mithril material is excellent for forging weapons with steel or crafting staves with wood.
Kevin also collected some well-preserved weapons and stored them in a bag he had hidden elsewhere before the battle. On their way back to the town, they encountered several ordinary goblins acting alone. Without using any skills, the goblins were quickly dispatched by the well-coordinated group, as low-level monsters were no match for them.
Upon arriving at Gail Town, they went straight to the adventurer's hall to hand in their loot and exchange it for supplies. Melissa used her share of the earnings and some aid from her family to exchange for a slightly smaller amount of mithril metal, which she planned to incorporate into her staff.
Before the team disbanded, Owen said to them, "Guys, we had a good haul today. We won't meet up tomorrow; let's take a day off. Be prepared the day after tomorrow to hunt the Demon Wolf."
Hearing Owen's words, Kevin and the others were very excited. They were going to hunt the Demon Wolf? Hunting goblins repeatedly had become tedious. Now that they had defeated the higher-ranking Goblin Shaman, continuing to fight goblins would indeed be torturous. So, Owen's words made them very happy.
Kevin, however, was still pondering the information and intelligence about the Demon Wolf. Alex seemed to notice Kevin's contemplation and, seeing his furrowed brow, slapped Kevin on the back. He said to Kevin, "Hey, Kevin, don't frown. I know you're thinking about the Demon Wolf again. But don't we have more than a day to rest? Take a break and think later, right? What's that saying? Something about chopping wood and sharpening knives?"
"It's 'sharpening the ax won't delay the work of cutting wood,' I get your point, Alex. I'll rest up first," Kevin replied with a wry smile, acknowledging Alex's concern.
After they parted ways, Kevin went home for lunch and then took a long-overdue stroll through the streets in the afternoon. Although the variety and quantity of items available for sale were limited due to the low level of productivity, the exploration of various teams would always leave behind some relatively intact supplies.
These supplies were diverse, and their types and quantities were not fixed. During the team's downtime, some people would put their spoils up for sale in the streets.
Today, Kevin bought some leather armor, short leather scabbards, and some items his household needed. In Gail Town and the nearby Green Town, they used relatively well-preserved paper currency from the past as a trading voucher.
Although the value of paper money had plummeted without limit at the beginning of the apocalypse, some people kept it. Now, the circulation of paper money is used to maintain the exchange of goods.
Time quickly moved to the next morning, when Kevin and the other three gathered once again. Their destination this time was the outskirts near the ruins. A large number of Demon Wolves roamed in this area, and their appearance differed greatly from that of ordinary wolves.
Compared to ordinary wolves, Demon Wolves had more slender limbs and the ability to move upright. Although they still used all four limbs when chasing, they often stood up and used their claws to inflict great damage during combat, much like the werewolves of legend. A single Demon Wolf was far stronger than an ordinary Goblin, just slightly weaker than a Goblin Warrior, but without any self-enhancement skills.
Like the Goblin Shaman, high-ranking Demon Wolves also had skills to enhance themselves and deal damage to their enemies. Kevin and his team's target this time was to hunt ordinary Demon Wolves that acted alone and groups of two or three Demon Wolves together.
Beside the deserted ruins, there was a forgotten expanse of countryside. Nature had intertwined with the ruins over time, creating a desolate and lonely scene. Walking through this area, knee-high weeds grew in disarray, covering the entire ground.
Among the weeds, a few trees with withered branches and leaves stood tall, swaying in the wind and making rustling noises. Sunlight struggled to penetrate the sparse clouds and illuminate this dark corner, creating a feeling of oppression and melancholy.
In this desolate world of weeds, flowers seemed scarce and precious. The sparse flowers appeared even more lonely hidden among the green leaves. Occasionally, one or two flowers would bravely bloom, only to be quickly defeated by the weeds and wind, disappearing into the endless wilderness. The land seemed to have been abandoned for a long time, extremely desolate.
The crumbling buildings and rusted railway tracks in the ruins told stories of past glory and present decay. Everything seemed to be telling a story of a life that had lost its vitality, making people sigh at the ruthlessness of time and the impermanence of life. The wind wandered through the countryside beside the ruins, stirring up drifting leaves and dust. This land appeared even more desolate in the wind, like an abandoned corner silently recounting the joys and sorrows of the past.
However, on this barren land, life still stubbornly grew. Small animals foraged among the weeds, seeking hope for survival. Insects happily hopped among the dead branches and leaves, chasing their own happiness. No matter how harsh the environment, life would always find a way and bravely move forward.
Although desolate, the countryside beside the ruins of the small town still nurtured hope and vitality. It seemed to tell us that in desolation, life could still bloom beautiful flowers, and even in the worst environments, the tenacity and resilience of life could not be stopped.
They found the ruins of a small house, and although only the lower half remained, it was enough for them to rest there for a while. Kevin and his team put down their bags containing some food and water and stretched their somewhat stiff bodies on the spot.
Just as they sat down, Kevin felt like he heard something moving, accompanied by the sound of friction between the knee-high grass. He raised a finger to his lips in front of the others, signaling them to be quiet, and then gestured for them to look outside. A somewhat elongated figure moved through the grass outside, with a faint green glow flickering in the eye area.
Before their eyes was a lone Demon Wolf, the very target of their mission this time.