Who Says I’m Not a Legitimate Adventurer?

【Wilderness Survival LV1 (68/400)】

Compared to other entry-level disciplines, this one had a much higher initial experience value due to Lance’s recent hands-on exploration in the wild.

Moreover, Wilderness Survival belonged to a comprehensive category of knowledge. Its depth was not particularly high, and the threshold required for leveling up was relatively low.

Level one only required 400 experience points.

As the experience was injected, a sensation of his brain “growing” emerged.

Lance could clearly feel the previously vague knowledge points in his mind rapidly linking together.

The once-isolated knowledge of 【Monster Ecology】 now actively began to interact with 【Wilderness Survival】.

A large amount of information—such as how to use the environment to avoid monsters’ sense of smell, how to quickly construct concealed shelters in humid rainforests, and how to determine whether a water source had been contaminated by monsters—was imprinted into his mind like instinct.

This feeling of knowledge being directly poured into his brain was simply addictive.

“If only I had this kind of cheat back when I was taking exams in school.”Lance couldn’t help but mutter inwardly, while his steps became lighter and more confident.

As he entered the forest, stepping on the soft humus soil, his gaze remained fixed on the system panel in the corner of his vision.

Today, this forest gave him a bad feeling.

The status indicator representing environmental conditions still displayed “Agitated.”

But unlike before, the originally pure green text now faintly carried a strange bluish tint.

That was a sign that the state was about to shift.

Clearly, although the massive vanguard force ahead had cleared the main threats, the disturbance they caused had further intensified the instability of the forest.

【Current Area: Agitated (Blue-Green Gradient) Copper Creek Forest Outskirts】

【Agitated: The fluctuation range of environmental stability in this area is adjusted to 10%. There is a 30% chance of obtaining additional rewards when gathering. Stamina consumption increases by 10%】

A fluctuation range of ten percent.

That meant greater uncertainty in the environment.

Compared to his previous visits—where he would only occasionally encounter a few wandering monsters—today’s encounters were happening far more frequently.

“Thrum!”

The bowstring vibrated, producing a crisp sound.

An arrow shot forth like a streak of gray light, piercing through layers of dense foliage.

A dull impact followed, accompanied by the brittle cracking of some kind of chitinous shell.

Green, viscous fluid splattered out, scattering across the leaf-covered ground.

On a tree trunk twenty-five meters away, a gray-brown spider the size of an adult’s chest was pinned tightly to the bark by the arrow.

It was a Web-Weaving Spider.

This monster had eight hairy long legs, which were now thrashing violently, trying to free itself from the arrow shaft.

More and more green bodily fluid poured from the wound, trickling down along the trunk.

In just over ten seconds, the spider’s struggle weakened. Its legs twitched a few times before finally going limp.

Lance did not approach immediately.

He stood still for a while, waiting until he confirmed there were no other movements around and the system notification appeared.

【Insect Species · Web-Weaving Spider: Research Progress +1】

Only after seeing this message did Lance let out a breath of relief and step forward quickly.

He grabbed the arrow shaft and pulled it out of the tree trunk with force.

Looking at the blurred mass of flesh on the arrowhead, Lance revealed a trace of regret.

“Still a bit off.”

According to the knowledge recorded in his mind under 【Monster Anatomy】,

the only two valuable materials on this kind of Web-Weaving Spider were the venom sac in its abdomen and the silk sac at the tail.

The former could be used to produce paralytic toxins, while the latter was an excellent material for high-tensile bowstrings and specialized ropes.

Unfortunately, although his shot had accurately struck a vital point, it had also pierced the fragile venom sac.

The dark green venom had now seeped into the silk sac, corroding the originally white spider silk into a complete mess.

Both materials were effectively ruined.

“My archery precision still needs work.”

Lance shook his head, somewhat pained, as he wiped the arrowhead clean with a cloth.

These spiders preferred to hide in the shadows of tree canopies to ambush their prey.

Once something passed by, they would drop from above, spewing highly adhesive silk to entangle limbs or directly cover the prey’s eyes.

If an adventurer panicked, they would pounce and bite with venomous fangs.

Against such insidious predators, the best approach was to kill them with ranged attacks before they could close the distance.

Once dragged into close combat, the omnipresent sticky silk would become extremely troublesome.

That was why, when Lance saw the environmental stability suddenly drop to 50%, he immediately began searching and decisively used his bow the moment he spotted the target.

He gave the enemy no chance to get close.

Lance cautiously scanned his surroundings.

This spider clearly did not seem like a native of this area.

There were no web traps nearby. It looked more like a refugee that had just been driven out of its nest, currently fleeing in panic.

“Looks like I oversimplified things.”

Lance silently reviewed the situation in his mind.

He had originally thought that by following behind the vanguard, he could enjoy the benefits of their prior clearing.

But he had overlooked a crucial ecological logic.

Although the vanguard had flattened the obvious large monster strongholds, it was like stirring up a hornet’s nest.

They could not guarantee complete extermination of all monsters, especially given the current shortage of mage-class adventurers in Graystone Town.

The monsters that originally inhabited the deeper areas had lost their nests. To survive, they could only flee outward in a frenzy.

And when the subsequent forces advanced, they would also take on the task of combing through these displaced monsters again.

“Still lacking experience. I misjudged the situation.”

Lance glanced at his hunting record.

He had only been in the forest for a short while, yet the frequency of combat was alarmingly high.

One thick-skinned Tusked Boar, three disgusting Corrosive Slimes, and five lone Goblins that had crawled out from who-knows-where.

And now this spider.

Just half a day of combat intensity had already exceeded the total of his previous trips combined.

Lance opened the gathering pouch at his waist and checked today’s harvest.

Despite the frequent battles, he had already gathered enough Silverleaf Grass required for the commission.

As for the Coagulation Moss he valued most, combined with his existing stockpile at home, the quantity was quite considerable.

Lance quickly ran the numbers in his mind.

To make a small jar of Lance’s Special Hemostatic Ointment required about a quarter ounce of moss powder.

With his current materials, he could produce approximately one hundred and fifty jars.

Based on his planned selling price after deducting costs, with a net profit of 15 copper coins per jar,

this batch could bring him a net profit of about twenty-three silver coins.

Seeing that the environmental stability value was still fluctuating, Lance did not hesitate at all and decisively stopped advancing deeper.

Money could not be earned endlessly.

In such chaotic conditions, greed was often the fastest path to ruin.

“I’ll leave it for another time.”

Lance efficiently slung his short bow onto his back, lowered his hood, and turned to walk along the safe route he had taken earlier, heading toward the forest’s edge.

Time to go home and make ointment.

But!

An accident still happened!

He encountered someone who had fled back from the vanguard frontlines.