Calling it "cleaning the battlefield" was an exaggeration—there really wasn't much to clean up.
These green-skinned creatures wore nothing but ragged cloth, and their weapons were crude and poorly made, barely sturdier than farming tools. There was no loot worth taking—nothing of value at all.
All Xia Nan and the others did was cut off the goblins' left ears and bury the bodies in a pit.
This would prevent the stench from spreading and attracting other, potentially more dangerous creatures.
The damp soil scattered down, gradually covering the piled corpses in the pit.
Among them was Elky.
His former status as a teammate had earned him no special treatment. Like the short-statured goblins, his body was tossed into the burial pit without ceremony.
Captain Magi even "thoughtfully" stripped him of his crude armor and supplies, leaving him in nothing but a patched-up thin shirt.
Standing at the edge of the pit, Gagu watched as Elky's body was gradually buried. Most of the blood on his upper body had been wiped clean, but a few wounds still seeped with fresh droplets.
His eyes were slightly red.
But don't misunderstand—
It wasn't due to grief over a fallen comrade. More likely, it was just the lingering effects of battle still coursing through his veins.
At least, that was what Xia Nan believed after spending days observing these people.
Perhaps, deep down, this half-orc with diluted blood felt a slight twinge of regret for his teammate's death, but if so, it was barely noticeable.
More than anything, he was likely frustrated that this mission's payout wasn't worth the effort.
Relationships between adventurers, especially in these low-tier parties where casualties were common, were far more pragmatic and cold than one might expect.
And in reality, that was exactly the case.
After helping Magi fill in the pit, the first thing Gagu said was a complaint:
"*@#%￥ (orc curse)! One guy dead, and we made less than two gold coins—can't even buy a damn mule! What a waste!"
To Xia Nan, five goblins' worth of bounty was already a small fortune, but clearly, the half-orc was far from satisfied.
His frustration even affected the way he walked, his steps heavier than usual, leaving deep imprints in the grass.
Just as Xia Nan thought his first adventure had come to an abrupt and unremarkable end, Magi—who had been silently packing his gear since the battle—suddenly spoke up:
"You know, like the legendary greedy dragons, goblins also like to hoard their loot in their lairs."
The atmosphere froze instantly.
Gagu's eyes widened, and he spun around abruptly.
"You mean—?"
"According to the guild's mission report, this goblin settlement shouldn't have more than twenty members at most."
Magi slung his replenished quiver over his back and slowly stood up.
"What we just fought was likely their main force, which means—"
"The lair!" Gagu's excited whisper was sharp. "An unguarded lair!"
Magi gave a seemingly calm nod, but his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
An almost defenseless goblin lair, and a low-tier adventurer party still at nearly full strength.
There was some risk, but compared to the potential rewards, what did a little risk matter?
Besides, as an adventurer, if you weren't willing to take risks… you might as well go home and be a farmer.
Driven by greed, Gagu and Magi quickly began discussing the lair's location, the preparations needed, and—of course—how they would divide the loot.
Xia Nan didn't participate.
As a newcomer to this world and a fresh adventurer, he lacked both the knowledge to judge the current situation and an understanding of goblin behavior.
His gut told him that returning to town immediately would be the safer choice, but their reasoning wasn't entirely flawed.
Besides, even if he refused, he would still have to either stay behind and wait alone or return to town by himself.
Traveling alone in the Misty Forest, filled with monsters, was far too dangerous.
So, following them seemed like the best option.
And who knows? Maybe he'd earn a few more gold coins in the process.
For adventurers, money was the best motivation.
The "Rotten Fish and Shrimp Party" displayed remarkable efficiency when treasure was involved.
In just a few minutes, Gagu and Magi had hashed out a plan—crude but effective.
The decision was made: they would rest for the night, recover their strength, and set out at dawn to find the goblin lair.
The campfire flickered.
From the makeshift sleeping bags nearby came the rhythmic sounds of snoring, blending with the distant chirping of unknown insects from the dense forest.
The warm glow of the fire illuminated Xia Nan's face, casting an orange-red hue across his features.
The party had relocated to a new campsite.
Magi had once again set up traps around the area, but considering that the now-buried Elky had still fallen victim to a goblin ambush, Xia Nan wasn't entirely convinced of their effectiveness.
So, when it was his turn for night watch, he remained particularly vigilant.
He even chose to sit closer to the center of the camp—so that if anything bypassed Magi's traps, he would have time to react.
The night was quiet.
And finally, Xia Nan had a moment to himself, free from the eyes of the others.
Resting his one-handed sword across his lap, he carefully wiped the blade with a cloth, as if meticulously maintaining his weapon.
But his eyes weren't focused on the sword itself.
Instead, he stared at the reflection on the blade, illuminated by the firelight.
One second. Two seconds…
As he concentrated, translucent lines of text appeared before his eyes:
[Name]: Xia Nan
[Attributes]:
Strength: 5 (Muscle power, physical training, and potential physical output)
Agility: 5 (Reaction speed, balance, and coordination)
Constitution: 5 (Endurance and vitality)
Intelligence: 5 (Memory, logic, and reasoning ability)
Perception: 5 (Observation and awareness of surroundings)
Charisma: 5 (Personality and presence)
[Skills]:
Whirlwind Slash Lv4 (99/100)
"Just as I thought!" Xia Nan murmured internally.
During the battle with the goblins, he had briefly glimpsed a "+1 proficiency" notification, and it had been on his mind ever since.
Now, with a simple test to confirm his suspicions, he had proof—
"Not only can I see numerical stats on objects and equipment, but I can also view my own attributes through reflections!"