Dawn broke, the first rays of sunlight piercing through the cracks of the wooden window, illuminating An's face. He hadn't slept, but his physical exhaustion had been replaced by a state of sharp clarity and intense focus. Last night, he hadn't wasted time cultivating blindly. Instead, he had done what he did best: planning.
The objectives were clear:
* Earn money: To survive (pay for lodging, buy food).
* Cultivate: To become stronger, not just to survive.
* Optimize: Find a way for earning money to support his cultivation.
The cultivation speed in this inn was too slow. He needed resources, specifically items containing spiritual qi. That meant he had to return to the forest. But this time, he wasn't just an adventurer completing a quest. He was a researcher on a data collection trip.
With the last two silver coins in his pocket, An left the inn. He didn't buy jerky. Instead, he went to a second-hand shop and, for one silver coin, bought a small, rusted hand trowel and a few glass vials with cork stoppers. This was his field kit.
He returned to the Adventurer's Guild. The morning air was somewhat quieter, with only a few groups of adventurers preparing to set out. An walked straight to the quest board, his yellow eyes scanning the parchment slips, ignoring simple tasks like "kill 5 giant moles" or "collect 10 sun-petal flowers." He needed something different.
And then he saw it, a slightly discolored piece of paper pinned in a rarely noticed corner.
[Description: Numerous adventurers have reported that the trees in the southern region are showing unusual signs of withering. Some docile animals have become strangely aggressive. Requirement: Investigate the cause, collect samples (soil, water, affected plants) for the Guild to study.]
[Reward: 30 silver coins]
An used Basic Analysis on the paper. `[Analyst's Note: Quest is more complex than it appears. The cause may be related to a spiritual qi disturbance. Risk: Unknown. Potential Reward: High.]`
This was it. A perfect quest. It wasn't a hunt, but a survey. It allowed him to legally wander the forest and analyze everything. Furthermore, "withering" and "wilting" were undoubtedly related to a change in the spiritual qi of the environment. This was a golden opportunity to apply his Deep Analysis skill.
He took the paper down and brought it to Lina's counter. She glanced at the paper, then looked up at him, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "You again, kid? Are you sure? This quest has been up here for over a week. The last few who took it came back empty-handed, and one even got his leg torn up by a mad rabbit. Nobody knows what the hell is going on out there."
An just remained silent, pushing the paper towards her. His silence, combined with his small figure under the cloak, created a strange contrast. It wasn't the confidence of the strong, but the determination of someone who had calculated everything carefully.
Lina looked at him for a moment, then sighed and shook her head. "Alright, have it your way. Watch your back." She stamped the paper, officially assigning him the quest.
Leaving the Guild, An walked straight to the town gate. He had no money left in his pocket. This quest wasn't just an opportunity; it was a necessity. He had to succeed.
Upon reaching the edge of the Southern Forest, he immediately felt the difference. The air here seemed heavier, with an inexplicable sense of stagnation. The trees still looked green, but on closer inspection, one could see their leaves were tinged with an unhealthy yellow at the tips.
He knelt, using his newly purchased hand trowel to take a soil sample. He closed his eyes, focused, and channeled a small wisp of Spiritual Qi into his analysis skill.
[Deep Analysis Complete]
[Target: Spiritually Contaminated Soil]
[Spiritual Qi Structure: Chaotic, contains traces of a negative, corrosive energy.]
[Effect: Hinders the natural absorption of spiritual qi by plants, causes negative stimulation in living creatures.]
[Origin: Unknown. Appears to be spreading from a central point deeper in the forest.]
An opened his eyes, a cold smile touching his lips beneath the hood. This wasn't a natural disaster. This was a structured problem with an origin. And to an analyst, there was nothing more fascinating than a problem waiting to be solved.
He had found his new survival loop: Find a problem, analyze the data, exploit the benefits, and become stronger.