To say "cleaning the battlefield" is actually nothing much to tidy up.
These little green-skinned creatures have nothing but a piece of rag on them, and their weapons are poorly made, not as sturdy as a hoe used in the field, so useless that no one would want them, not even the slightest bit of extra loot.
Xia Nan and others would just cut off the goblins' left ears and find a pit to bury them—
This would prevent the smell of the bodies from spreading further in the air, thus attracting other dangers.
"Splash."
The moist soil scattered down, gradually covering the bodies piled up in the pit.
Worth mentioning is that Elki was also among them.
The fact that he was once a squad member didn't earn him any special privilege. Just like those similarly short goblins, he was casually thrown into the burial ground.
Even Captain Magi "considerately" stripped him of his crude equipment and supplies, leaving only a patched, thin shirt.
Gag stood by the pit, most of the bloodstains on his upper body already wiped off, but a few wounds still faintly oozed blood.
He looked down at Elki gradually covered by the sand and soil, his eyes slightly red.
But don't get it wrong,
This wasn't due to an emotional upheaval over the death of a comrade, but more likely the afterglow of the adrenaline rush from the fight.
At least, that's Xia Nan's understanding based on all these days with them.
Perhaps this half-blood orc did feel some faint sympathy for the fallen comrade, but it would be extremely minor.
More likely, it was resentment that the effort for this task didn't match the reward.
The relationships among adventurers, especially in such low-level squads where casualties often occur, are far more pragmatic and indifferent than you would imagine.
And in fact, it is true.
After helping Magi fill the pit with earth,
Gag's first words were complaints:
"&#@%￥(orc swear words), one dead, and we earned less than two gold coins, can't even buy a donkey, what bad luck!"
Though to Xia Nan, the bounty for five goblins was already a "fortune," the half-orc was evidently not satisfied.
The resentment in his heart even made him stomp harder than usual, leaving deep footprints on the grassland.
When Xia Nan thought his first adventure would end just like this,
Magi, who had been silently packing his belongings since the end of the fight, suddenly said unexpectedly:
"Actually, just like the legendary greedy dragons, goblins also like to stash their loot in their nests."
The atmosphere on the scene seemed to freeze at this moment.
Half-orc Gag widened his eyes and turned around abruptly:
"You mean..."
"According to the task information provided by the Association, this goblin settlement has at most no more than twenty goblins."
Magi slung the refilled quiver back onto his back and slowly got up.
"What we dealt with just now were likely their main forces, which means..."
"The nest!" Gag's voice, deliberately lowered in excitement, was somewhat sharp, "An empty nest!"
Magi nodded seemingly calmly, though the depths of his eyes also showed excitement and elation.
A goblin nest likely lacking defense, a low-level adventurer squad still maintaining most of its strength.
There's some risk involved, but compared to the potential reward, what does that risk amount to?
Besides, as an adventurer, if you're not willing to take even a bit of risk... you might as well go home and farm.
Driven by the greed in their hearts, Gag and Magi quickly began a heated discussion on the location of the goblin nest, the preparation before entry, and even how to distribute the loot within.
Xia Nan did not participate in it.
As a newcomer adventurer who just crossed over to this world, he wasn't very well-informed about the current situation or the habits of goblins.
Although he vaguely felt that heading back directly would be more prudent, the points raised by the two weren't without reason.
Moreover, even if he refused, whether staying in place waiting for them to return or heading back to the nearby town, he'd have to act alone.
In the Mist Forest, a place filled with demons, moving alone was just too dangerous.
So, he might as well just follow along.
Maybe he could earn a few more gold coins later.
For adventurers, "money" is the most effective catalyst for all actions.
The Stinky Fish and Shrimp Group showed an extremely strong action force in the face of possible treasure.
In merely a dozen minutes, Gag and Magi completed a plan that seemed crude but actually wasn't all that unsophisticated.
They decided to rest for a night to regain strength and set off to find the goblin nest at dawn.
...
...
The campfire swayed.
Snoring rose and fell from the simple sleeping bags beside him, mingling with the unknown insect chirps from the dense forest behind him.
The warm firelight shone on Xia Nan's face, casting an orange-red glow.
The Stinky Fish and Shrimp Group had already camped at another location.
Hunter Magi also set traps around, but considering the gnome Elki who was already buried in the ground, Xia Nan didn't quite trust the quality of these traps.
So, when it was his turn to stand guard, he was particularly attentive.
He even moved his seat to a spot closer to the inner circle of the camp—so that even if something bypassed Magi's traps, he'd have enough time to react.
It was a quiet midnight.
Only now did Xia Nan finally gain time for himself without drawing others' attention.
He placed his One Handed Sword across his knees, gripping the bandage with his right hand, seemingly focused on maintenance.
But his eyes weren't on the sword itself.
Instead, taking in the firelight in front of him, he gazed at his own reflection on the sword blade.
One second, two seconds...
With concentration slowly gathered, lines of translucent square texts appeared before him.
...
[Name]: Xia Nan
[Attributes]:
Strength: 5 (muscle strength, physical training, bodily potential)
Agility: 5 (reaction speed, balance ability, agility)
Constitution: 5 (endurance and vitality)
Intelligence: 5 (memory, logic, and reasoning ability)
Perception: 5 (observation and insight ability, representing harmony with the surrounding environment)
Charm: 5 (personality and charisma)
[Skills]:
Vortex Slash lv4 (99/100)
...
"As I thought!"
Xia Nan exclaimed to himself.
Ever since seeing the "Skill Level +1" text flash before his eyes during the battle with the goblins, he had been very conscious of it.
Now, with a small effort to verify his suspicion, just as he thought—
"Not only the stats of items and equipment, but through reflections, I can also see my own attributes!"