OBS Chapter 7 The Bear Infestation in the Oak Forest
Chapter 7 The Bear Infestation in the Oak Forest
The next day, Lin Er woke up early.
He slept exceptionally well last night, and as soon as he got up this morning, he couldn't resist opening the window and taking a breath of the fresh morning air.
After packing his belongings, he got up and went to the first floor of the tavern. He ate a little breakfast and then headed straight for the Adventurers' Guild.
Lin Er originally wanted to go earlier so that no one would compete with him for the bounty.
As soon as I arrived at the Adventurer's Guild Hall, I was greeted by the loud voices of the crowd.
Looking closely, he saw that many adventurers were already waiting in advance, indicating that there were quite a few people who shared his idea.
Lin Er felt a strange sense of familiarity with this scene, just like when he was looking for a suitable day-wage job during his school holidays in his previous life.
Fortunately, there weren't many people in line at the window Ellie was in charge of, and it wasn't long before it was his turn.
Lin Er said, "Miss Ellie, do you have any suitable bounties for me today? I need two."
Ellie looked apologetic and replied, "I'm sorry, Lord Lin'er, there's only one bounty today."
As soon as she finished speaking, she handed over a reward notice.
Lin Er looked closely and saw that a bear had appeared in a forest and was injuring people. He needed to hunt it down, and the reward was 1 workshop coin.
[You are about to accept a side quest in your sect: Help the villagers eliminate the bear demon near the village. Reward: 1 low-quality bear demon inner core.]
The rewards for this mission are more generous than before, but it also carries a certain degree of risk compared to the previous three missions.
Lin Er is no longer the helpless college student he was on the first day.
After reaching the first level of Qi Refining, he has gained a concrete understanding of his own physical strength through his travels over the past two days.
In terms of running speed, most horses can't keep up with him.
Although I still lack combat experience, I have a flying sword that I can use to attack. Even if I can't win, I can always run away.
It's time to see some blood.
Moreover, Lin Er also wanted to avenge the black bear that chased him on his first day.
After a brief consideration, he accepted the task.
At this moment, Ellie added, "Lord Lin'er, if you wish to upgrade your badge, I can vouch for you after you complete this task."
Lin Er looked at Ellie in surprise and said, "You mean, if I complete this task, I can be upgraded to the Bronze Badge?"
Ellie nodded and replied, "This bounty is a bit more difficult. If you can complete it, it will also prove your strength to the guild."
That's actually a good thing, it saves us from having to do one less task.
Lin Er thanked Ellie again.
He then took his leave and departed the Adventurers' Guild.
This time we need to hunt a bear, and it would be best to have ranged weapons to assist us.
The safest method is to wound the target with an arrow first, and then kill them with a flying sword.
Lin Er still remembered the last time Flora made a move; she killed the black bear with just one arrow, displaying remarkable heroism.
He doesn't know how to shoot arrows, and he doesn't have the time or energy to practice now.
However, Lin'er heard that the crossbow was very easy to use; as long as one could aim, even an old farmer could quickly get the hang of it.
He stopped by the equipment shop on his way to inquire about some information.
The cheapest one-handed crossbow, excluding bolts, costs 5 workshop coins.
I can't afford it.
Lin Er is becoming increasingly aware of how pitifully poor he is.
Other adventurers at least had a set of equipment, but he went in with just a bamboo sword.
Those who cultivate immortality are like this: penniless.
Lin Er calmed himself down and picked up the bounty to check his destination—the oak forest.
"This looks like the area near the village I visited yesterday."
What a coincidence! No need to go through the trouble of looking for it anymore.
Lin Er put down the bounty and, familiar with the route, quickly arrived at the village he had visited before.
Unexpectedly, I ran into an acquaintance as soon as I entered the village: Burns.
Burns walked towards him and was somewhat surprised to see Lin Er.
"Young man, what brings you here?"
Lin Er replied, "Uncle Burns, I was sent by the Adventurers' Guild to eradicate the bear menace."
Burns suddenly realized that there was indeed a bear infestation near the village, and this bear was very cunning; it had destroyed all the traps set by the village hunters.
The villagers had no choice but to report it to the authorities. Unexpectedly, the Adventurers' Guild sent people over very quickly after the report was submitted.
Burns nodded, then looked at Lin Er's equipment, his gaze finally settling on the Qingxin Bamboo Sword in his hand.
"This is a bamboo sword? Young man, you plan to use this to kill a bear!?"
Burns had just finished a bamboo business and was quite familiar with the properties of bamboo.
Seeing that Lin Er had confirmed it, he showed an incredulous expression.
"Young man, don't underestimate a bear. Its skin is thick and its flesh is tough. Weapons made of bamboo are unlikely to hurt it. Be careful not to lose your life for nothing."
Villagers nearby overheard Lin Er and Burns' conversation and chimed in:
"Young man, if you want to kill a bear, use a crossbow and a spear. They're much better than a bamboo sword."
Burns wanted to offer some further advice.
Suddenly, children's screams echoed through the village, and villagers shouted:
"There's a bear outside the village!"
Upon hearing the news, the women picked up their children and carried them into the house, while the men grabbed various weapons.
They hadn't been able to catch the cunning bear before, and were afraid of encountering it alone outside, so everyone was in a state of panic.
With so many people around in broad daylight, the villagers were naturally unafraid. They gathered in groups and marched menacingly out of the village.
Upon hearing this, Lin Er quickly followed after him, still unsure of the criteria for judging the mission.
Last time we encountered the black bear, although Flora was the main one who killed it, she also provided some assistance.
If the villagers kill the bear, the system will determine that the mission has failed, and then they'll be left with nothing but tears.
……
Upon arriving in the fields outside the village, Lin Er saw several hunters leading the way, standing at the very front of the group.
A brown bear stood not far away, its dark brown fur unremarkable.
However, it was enormous, weighing at least half a ton, like a heavy armored unit on land, and at that moment it used its claws to pin down a goat.
The brown bear began to devour the goat's liver, its mouth full of blood, while the goat that had been pinned down let out mournful cries.
The hunters aimed at the brown bear and began to shoot arrows.
With a few swift sounds, several arrows struck the brown bear.
The hunters were dumbfounded the next second.
The brown bear shook its neck, and all the arrows fell off its body. It had wounds, but they were shallow.
Enraged, the brown bear opened its blood-red maw and roared loudly, its voice deafening.
The brown bear abandoned its meal; instead of being afraid of the villagers' large numbers, it ran over.
Its movements are very clumsy, and it looks a bit silly.
But the blood at the corner of its mouth only added to its eerie feel.
Burns, being well-traveled and knowledgeable, was the first to react, exclaiming in surprise:
"This is bad, this bear has probably reached the first level of the extraordinary realm."
The villagers in front, unaware of the danger, worked together to raise their spears, sharp and pointed, forming a dense defense, all aimed at the brown bear.
The brown bear slowed its pace briefly and let out a low growl.
The next moment, a solid and heavy armor of earth and stone formed on the brown bear's body.
The brown bear calmly approached the spear formation, and when the villagers thrust at it, it simply headbutted them.
Its hard earthen armor protected it, making it difficult to harm for a time.
The brown bear pulled and bit, its strength and bite force were astonishing, and the villagers were completely unable to resist.
In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen spearheads were either bitten off or pushed aside.
The villagers weren't professional soldiers to begin with, and they hadn't thought the brown bear was that strong, so they were fairly united in their efforts.
Now that they realized the brown bear was no ordinary wild animal and was difficult to deal with, some people wanted to rush forward while others wanted to retreat, creating chaos and their makeshift spear formation was gradually broken down.
For a moment, all the villagers had only one thought in their minds.
"It's over."