Chapter 396 Oysters and the Three-Legged Sea Dog

"Algae Scale Dodd?"

Xia Nan pondered the moniker, which carried the rugged air of an adventurer. He had no memory of the name; clearly, this was a local figure in Barracuda Bay.

Across the desk, the middle-aged intelligence officer promptly provided an explanation.

"Algae Scale Dodd. A dragonborn, originally a Barracuda Bay adventurer. He plundered a royal cargo ship of the Servia Kingdom mid-mission. After a bounty was placed on his head, he took his fleet and vanished into the Southern Archipelagos. He is now a notorious pirate in the nearby waters."

Although adventurers in different regions operated in their own ecosystems with vastly different unwritten rules, they shared certain behavioral traits. This stemmed from possessing transcendent power far beyond that of commoners, combined with a severe lack of local oversight.

Take the lower-tier adventurers in Rivervale Town, for example. At home, they might be respectable fathers providing for their families, or hardworking husbands earning a living. In the tavern, they were humorous and witty peers sitting at the next table.

But out in the unmonitored depths of the Wilderness, to the villagers in remote settlements, they became vicious robbers and ruthless butchers.

The adventurers of Barracuda Bay were no different.

Upon this vast, chaotic expanse of sea, the line between "adventurer" and so-called "pirate" blurred considerably.

If they chanced upon a cargo ship on their return voyage, the vast majority of adventurer fleets wouldn't mind hoisting the skull-and-crossbones buried at the bottom of their hold, playing pirate to do some plundering.

Provided, of course, that the ship didn't belong to the Servia Kingdom or the Bay Chamber of Commerce.

No one knew why Algae Scale Dodd, who had already carved out a solid reputation in local adventurer circles at the time, had attacked a royal cargo ship. The price he paid was a kingdom bounty and banishment from Barracuda Bay, forcing him to hide deep within the archipelagos like a shell-less hermit crab.

Nor did anyone know what he had looted from that ship.

Today, he had gone from a rising star in Barracuda Bay to a renowned pirate in the surrounding waters.

"Information on that direct scion of the Morton Family is much scarcer than what we have on Dodd. We only know that he used to be an adventurer as well. However, his adventuring squad suffered heavy casualties during a mission and nearly disbanded. He chose to retire and settle down in Barracuda Bay. Later, he encountered Algae Scale Dodd during a voyage and subsequently went missing."

The intelligence officer across the table detailed the information on Dodd and Lyle Morton.

His expression calm, Xia Nan digested the intelligence.

The situation was already very clear.

His target was the [Dream Weaving Corridor] key that Lyle Morton might have been carrying. Now that the man had gone missing after a pirate attack, there were only three possibilities for the key's whereabouts:

1. Lyle Morton had hidden the key beforehand, and it was now lying quietly in some unknown, hidden corner following his death.

2. The key had sunk into the ocean alongside Lyle. After so many years, the currents had likely swept it into the deep sea to be buried under sand and gravel.

3. The key had been taken by Algae Scale Dodd.

The corresponding countermeasure was quite simple.

Find Algae Scale and ask if he had obtained any special spoils when he attacked Lyle—such as the silvery-white metallic object mentioned in the evil Druid's journal. Then, trace things back to the source: carefully inspect Lyle's former residence and seek out those close to him to try and find the key's hiding place.

If it came to the worst-case scenario, and the key had already sunk into the sea with Lyle's death—

Then Xia Nan would just have to treat this trip to Barracuda Bay as a relaxing vacation between missions.

However, when he asked the intelligence officer for locations where Algae Scale might recently appear and offered to pay points for it, the middle-aged man did not immediately process the request.

Instead, speaking with pointed meaning in a slightly hesitant tone, he said, "Mr. Xia Nan, I personally suggest that for this kind of intelligence... perhaps you could try your luck at the taverns in Barracuda Bay. After all, not every adventurer has the qualifications to come to the Association's first underground floor, and points can only be obtained through missions. They are far more precious than gold coins."

The man had made it very clear.

He felt that Xia Nan spending his points on such a question was a complete waste with a very low return on investment.

For the whereabouts of the Morton Family's direct scion—an event that happened many years ago—one perhaps needed to rely on the Association's massive information database to turn anything up.

But when it came to the haunts of a prominent figure like Algae Scale, simply finding a channel to ask around in a tavern like the Three-Legged Sea Dog and spending a little money could yield highly reliable news.

In fact, this was exactly what the vast majority of Class Holders in Barracuda Bay did.

For intelligence they wanted to delve into, they would first get a general overview through the Association, spending a small number of points to figure out the key figures or important locations involved.

Then, they would take that information back to the taverns and use other civilian channels to learn more.

Xia Nan thought about it. His remaining 6 points were indeed stretched thin and might not even be enough to exchange for the intelligence he wanted.

He nodded and stood up, expressing his gratitude to the middle-aged man.

"Thank you for your help and advice. I'll seriously consider it."

"It's my duty, Mr. Xia Nan."

Creak—

The wooden door of the intelligence room slowly closed, leaving a stiff, grating sound in the cool, quiet air.

Xia Nan had just stepped out of the room when Ms. Mar, who had been waiting outside during his inquiry, greeted him with a smile.

With excellent tact, she didn't ask what intelligence he had probed for. Instead, she took the initiative to introduce the other rooms on this floor.

He had a very good impression of this receptionist with her honey-colored skin and pinned-back reddish-brown braids.

Given his unfastidious personality, unless someone's performance was truly unsatisfactory, his first choice would often remain his primary choice for a long time.

It was just like that sparsely visited rice bowl restaurant downstairs from his company in his previous life, or the cream of mushroom soup he ordered at the White Chickadee after his transmigration.

He knew, of course, that accepting missions and spending points through Mar would count toward her performance quota.

But since the lady was so dedicated to her duties, Xia Nan absolutely didn't mind continuing to work with her.

—

Bidding farewell to Ms. Mar—who had noticeably become even more enthusiastic after he briefly expressed his willingness to cooperate—Xia Nan walked out the front doors of the Adventurers' Association.

It was evening. Dusky twilight spilled over the sea, reflecting layers of brilliant radiance across the surging waves. Under the setting sun, the seawater and the distant skyline seemed to merge into one. A few seagulls flapped their wings, melting into the depths of the radiant light.

Breathing in the faintly salty, humid air, Xia Nan stood in the open space next to the Association and admired the sunset over Barracuda Bay for a while before retracting his gaze.

The buyer for the [Tide-Surge Lure Pole] wasn't in Barracuda Bay, and their return time was uncertain, so that matter was temporarily shelved. He just needed to wait for the Association to notify him.

His top priority right now was to head to the Three-Legged Sea Dog, treat himself to a grand feast, and then, depending on the situation, sniff out some intelligence on Algae Scale Dodd.

His gaze swept across the street. The grocery store owner, Paddy, was sitting by a street-side roasted oyster stall with his nephew, Colin.

Although the stall was set up right next to the Association, they were adjacent to the ocean. Small seafood like this was nothing rare; no matter how expensive it got, the price wouldn't be too exorbitant.

Oyster shells practically piled up across the entire table, yet out of the three silver coins Xia Nan had given the stall owner, there were still two copper coins remaining in change.

He casually took a roasted oyster handed to him by the stall owner. The residual juices in the shell sizzled under the heat. The concentrated, salty umami of the seawater was swept up by the seasoning-scented sea breeze, rushing into his nose.

His finger seemed to give a light flick, but in reality, he manipulated gravity to send the roasted oyster—juices, meat, and all—straight into his mouth.

The complex, profound umami born from the seasoning suddenly burst across his palate. The plump oyster meat was firm yet astonishingly smooth and fatty. As he chewed, it released the fresh sweetness characteristic of shellfish.

Finally, as the flavors slid down his throat, a fresh and tender aftertaste lingered on the tip of his tongue, making it impossible to resist a second, and then a third...

He had previously been staying in Rivervale Town. Even though it was only a fifty-day journey from the seaside, due to the world's transport limitations outside of transcendent power, Xia Nan rarely got to eat seafood there.

He only occasionally saw some dried goods on the menu at the White Chickadee.

Now, eating these roasted oysters gave him a marvelous, infinitely memorable flavor.

It also made the hunger in his stomach grow even more intense.

"Do you have any plans for tonight? Want to go grab a meal together?"

"Don't worry, I'm buying."

Although Paddy's introduction to Barracuda Bay was payment for Xia Nan safely escorting his nephew Colin here, the man had still shown him around for the better part of the day with an enthusiastic and responsible attitude. Xia Nan was willing to preserve this connection, so he figured he would treat the man to dinner.

At first, Paddy appeared somewhat trepidatious. He clearly hadn't expected Xia Nan to do this, and he immediately wanted to agree.

But suddenly, as if thinking of something, his nodding head stalled before abruptly slowing down.

"Thank you very much for your kindness, Mr. Xia Nan."

"I absolutely mean no offense, but I must take the liberty of asking... is your destination the Three-Legged Sea Dog?"

Even a single day's interaction had made Paddy realize that the black-haired young man before him was different from the vast majority of adventurers he had met. He didn't possess a condescending attitude and was, to some extent, very easy to get along with.

Yet right now, Paddy still displayed an unusually cautious and uneasy demeanor, terrified of angering him.

Xia Nan, of course, was no fool. From the question alone, he could easily guess what the man was worried about.

Just as Paddy had mentioned earlier, the Three-Legged Sea Dog was a gathering place for Barracuda Bay's adventurers. Ordinary townspeople rarely entered. After the sun went down, some of the more cautious ones wouldn't even dare approach the nearby streets.

They were terrified that, if they weren't careful, they might agitate a drunk adventurer and run into trouble.

Even with Xia Nan by his side, genuinely trying to get this small merchant—who had lived in Barracuda Bay for years and witnessed countless tragedies—to take his nephew into such an establishment after dark was simply asking too much.

Nodding in understanding, Xia Nan didn't press the matter.

"Then we'll... see each other again if there's a chance later?"

"Of course." Seeing how accommodating he was, Paddy couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, his complexion softening.

"I've lived in Barracuda Bay for many years, and I've got a bit of a network. If Mr. Xia Nan ever runs into any trouble in the future and there's anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to ask."

Xia Nan accepted his good intentions.

He originally wanted to return the courtesy with something like, "If you run into any trouble in the future, you can come find me." But upon thinking about it, although his actual combat strength was fairly decent, his Class Level was merely Lv3.

He had only just arrived in Barracuda Bay and hadn't even accepted a single mission yet. In terms of reputation, he had absolutely none—unlike in Rivervale Town, where he at least had the moniker "Greysword."

With that in mind, saying such words would inevitably seem somewhat frivolous.

And so, right before the words blurted out, he swallowed them back, turning them into a silent smile.

Compared to Paddy's extreme caution, his nephew Colin displayed an eager, raring-to-go demeanor, seemingly very keen to follow Xia Nan into the tavern and see the world.

But he was a newcomer, after all. Paddy only had to give him a light tug, and the kid docilely followed him back to the grocery store.

Watching their figures disappear at the end of the street, Xia Nan briefly got his bearings and walked toward the Three-Legged Sea Dog.

At sunset, the Three-Legged Sea Dog was just like the White Chickadee at this time of day, exhaling a noisy wave of heat under the dim twilight.

Located at the border of the Saltwater District, it was as if it had gathered the essence of the entire street. All sorts of adventurers shuttled back and forth, bringing with them the most reckless wildness of the region.

Vulgar bursts of loud laughter, intense arguments, the clatter of dice tumbling inside wooden cups, the deliberately lowered murmurs of transactions—layer upon layer of sound rippled out from the brightly lit interior and faded into the deep night.

Dead-drunk sailors stumbled out supported by their companions, leaning against the filthy walls of adjacent alleyways to vomit. By the window, a one-eyed adventurer raised his cup high to his teammates; he seemed to have reached the climax of his story, his hearty laughter audible even on the street outside.

The Three-Legged Sea Dog, just like its name, was completely devoid of elegance. It took deep root in Barracuda Bay with a crude, unbridled posture. Using the sturdiest wood, the most intoxicating liquor, and the most undisguised clamor, it provided a wonderful place for adventurers—whose pockets were stuffed with gold coins, whose bodies still bore the salty crystals of seawater, and who danced on the blade's edge and the ocean waves with their lives as the wager—to find safety and comfort. Here, they didn't need to worry about anything else; they only needed to indulge.

Xia Nan even somewhat enjoyed the atmosphere. His identity as an adventurer allowed him to blend into the environment perfectly.

Perhaps it was precisely because of this that, after his gaze swept over the menu and failed to find his target, his very first serious sentence after entering the tavern was:

"Boss, do you guys have cream of mushroom soup here?"