An left the Adventurer's Guild, clutching the G-rank wooden tag and the parchment with the quest details. The five silver coins in his pocket had a heavy, foreign but promising feel. It was his first capital in this new world.
He didn't rush back to the forest immediately. Instead, he walked along the main street, observing the town with a new purpose. He was no longer a fugitive looking for a place to hide. He was an adventurer, and he needed to prepare.
An analyst's mindset kicked in. The quest required him to be in the forest, possibly overnight. He needed the basics.
He went into a small general store, where an elderly man was dozing behind the counter. The smell of dried herbs and spices filled the air.
"What do you need, kid?" the shopkeeper asked, his eyes half-closed.
"A waterskin and some jerky," An replied, keeping his voice as low as possible.
After some clumsy bargaining, he left the store with a used but still good leather waterskin and a few pieces of jerky that were as hard as rock. He had spent two silver coins. Frugality was deeply ingrained in him from his previous life, and in this world, it was even more critical.
With the minimal but necessary preparations, An headed for the town gate. He passed the same two guards again, but this time, no one paid him any attention. He was just one of many people hurrying about their business.
As he stepped out of the gate and back onto the dirt path, An felt a distinct change. The forest before him was no longer a boundless wilderness. It was his workplace.
The quest paper stated that Moonpetal Herbs usually grew in damp, moonlit clearings, especially near streams. Based on his memory and the sun's direction, An headed towards the stream where he had discovered his Basic Analysis skill.
He moved faster and more confidently than before. The iron dagger at his belt provided a sense of security, and the knowledge of what to look for gave him a clear purpose. He used his analysis skill continuously, but more sparingly, focusing only on plants that looked unusual.
After about an hour of searching, he found a clearing that matched the description. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, illuminating a carpet of green moss. In the center of the clearing were a few strange clusters of flowers. They had silvery-white petals, as thin as silk, and were half-closed in the daylight. An cautiously approached, activating his skill.
[Item: Moonpetal Herb]
[Quality: Common]
[Effect: Contains a gentle, soothing energy. Used in low-level potions.]
[Analytical Note: The root system is fragile. Must be harvested carefully with the roots intact to preserve maximum medicinal properties. Value will decrease if the roots are broken.]
This was it. The System's note proved its value once again. Any other adventurer might have just plucked the flowers, but An knew he needed to get the entire root system.
He knelt, using the iron dagger to carefully dig into the soft earth around the base of the first plant. The work required patience and meticulousness, virtues he had honed over thousands of hours working with spreadsheets.
As he was focusing on the fifth plant, a soft rustling sound came from a nearby bush. An immediately froze, his hand gripping the hilt of his dagger, his body tense as a bowstring.
A small creature crawled out from the shadows. It looked like a beetle, but it was as big as An's fist. Its shell shimmered as if inlaid with mother-of-pearl, reflecting the light in a faint rainbow of colors.
[Creature: Shimmering Beetle]
[Level: 1]
[Description: A creature that feeds on moonlight-infused plants.]
[Analytical Note: Harmless. Its shell can be ground into a glowing powder, used in low-level crafting.]
The beetle crawled straight to a cluster of Moonpetal Herbs that An hadn't touched yet and began to nibble on the petals contentedly. An breathed a sigh of relief. Harmless. But it was eating his money.
He didn't want to kill it. A fight, even a small one, could make noise and attract more dangerous predators. He needed a smarter solution. He recalled what he had analyzed on his way here. There was a type of yellow flower, Basic Analysis had indicated it secreted a sweet nectar with a strong fragrance.
An silently retreated, circled around, and found a yellow flower. He plucked it, returned, and threw the flower towards a bush far away from the clearing. The sweet scent of nectar immediately spread.
The Shimmering Beetle stopped, its small head sniffing the air. After a moment of hesitation between its current meal and the tempting scent, it decided to abandon the Moonpetal flowers and crawl towards the yellow flower.
An smiled. A problem solved without violence.
He quickly and carefully harvested a total of ten Moonpetal Herbs, making sure each one had its root system intact. He wrapped them carefully in a piece of cloth and placed them in his bag.
As the sun began to set in the west, An began his journey back to town. He no longer felt like an intruder in the forest. He felt like a worker who had just finished his shift. It was a strangely normal feeling. And in this crazy world, normality was the most precious thing.