Shilin glanced at Jiena, the pink-clad attendant beside her, who was diligently organizing documents.
Picking up a stack of quest contracts to shield her face, Shilin stood up and leaned in to whisper, "The Misty Jungle is very dangerous. Are you sure about this?"
"You've already completed the hunting certifications for the Great Jagras and the Pukei-Pukei. Doesn't that prove enough?" Li Fan said with great confidence.
"One moment."
Shilin finished speaking, crouched down, and rummaged through the counter. Finally, she retrieved a dusty stack of hunting contracts.
"Great Jagras, Pukei-Pukei, and Barroth. These are the only three-star contracts currently accumulating in the Misty Jungle," Shilin introduced.
When dealing with poisonous monsters, antidotes must be carried.
Furthermore, Li Fan hadn't thoroughly understood the poison effects here.
If there were permanent damage, the loss would be significant.
Li Fan pondered for a moment and made his decision: "I'll take the Barroth."
"Alright, but please do not reveal the source of the contract. If you feel it's too difficult to complete midway, there's no need to force yourself. Find a secluded spot and destroy the contract," Shilin whispered her instructions.
"Destroy?"
Li Fan was confused.
"Yes, just consider it helping out. These kinds of quests are meaningless, and having them linger in the guild only lowers the quest completion rate."
"Alright."
To prevent others from noticing, Li Fan rolled up the contract and quickly left the guild.
He sat on a stone bench by the roadside and unfolded it to examine it with Dilu.
"Client: A flamboyant old woman. Quest description: The following is the client's description. Damn it! This is truly infuriating!..."
Li Fan paused at this point, exchanging a bewildered glance with Dilu, then continued reading.
"My meticulously cleaned white carriage is covered in mud. All of this! Was done by the filthy Barroth! Please arrange for a powerful hunter from the guild to hunt the Barroth as soon as possible!"
"Judging by the tone... this old woman seems very angry, meow!" Dilu surmised.
"Reward: 10500z. Travel expenses: 3400z... Where is the specific sighting location? What are the characteristics of that Barroth?" Li Fan checked the front and back but found no other information.
"Is there a possibility that the client, the flamboyant old woman, just wants to hunt a Barroth to vent her anger, meow?" Dilu tentatively asked.
"There are such quests?... Well, I've done my share of those too." Li Fan finally understood why Shilin said such quests were meaningless.
Firstly, the Misty Jungle region was sparsely populated. Unless there were monsters that posed a high threat, it didn't involve the safety of villages or towns.
Secondly, the client's objective was merely to hunt a monster for catharsis.
As for which Barroth had dirtied her carriage, that was secondary.
"This contract is so stupid..." Li Fan said helplessly.
"Then why do you insist on going, meow?" Dilu scratched her head.
Seeing that no one was around, Li Fan explained, "If Puff produces a large amount of Effluvium in the logging area, it will be discovered quickly. But if we go to the Misty Jungle and find a secluded corner, no one will care how much we produce."
"That makes sense, meow! And by going under the guise of a hunting expedition, it won't arouse suspicion," Dilu exclaimed in realization.
"We'll get rewarded for completing the hunt too!"
"That's great, meow! How did you come up with this plan?" Dilu asked excitedly.
"There's a legend called 'Desperate Hunter.' I've researched and developed this based on the plot within it."
"Tell me about it when you have time, meow... By the way, what if we encounter danger?"
Dilu agreed that the Misty Jungle was far from villages and towns.
However, the environmental hazards also significantly increased.
If a three-star monster was spotted near a village, after reporting it, a hunter team would be dispatched once a guild contract was issued.
Even if no one accepted the quest within a certain period, the guild would intervene to eliminate it.
The Misty Jungle was different. Strictly speaking, hunters who visited there were more like outsiders.
"We have Puff," Li Fan replied.
While five-star monsters weren't exaggeratedly world-ending, one wouldn't encounter danger in the wild.
Dilu blinked and said in realization, "That's right, we have Puff, meow!"
"Li Fan, let's set off now, meow!"
"No, we still need to wait a while longer."
"Why, meow?"
"Yudola's hunter promotion ceremony is in two days. Also, once the village's supply chain recovers, we can collect supplies from the guild."
"Okay, meow. Then I'll use this time to prepare more and gather information about the Barroth."
The man and the cat began their preparations.
Li Fan's primary concern wasn't safety, but the risk of his identity being exposed.
After all, operating in the Misty Jungle with Puff meant there was a possibility of being seen.
Puff herself was not an issue; the Misty Jungle had a Kushala Daora, so it was normal.
A sighting report could be submitted casually, and if a hunter team found any trace, Li Fan would lose. It would be difficult for him to explain.
Even if the other party had no evidence, getting involved in too many things would inevitably lead to trouble.
What should he do?
As Li Fan pondered, two masked children ran past, playfully chasing each other.
That's right! If I wear a mask, I'll have no distinguishing features. Who will recognize me!
Li Fan approached the mask stall, about to pay, when he realized a problem.
There were many mask styles here, and they looked better than those in the DLC.
However, they were all handmade. If someone really wanted to investigate, they could still trace it back to Kara Village.
But since he had an idea, Li Fan wasn't in a hurry and began to consider his attire.
The scabbard straps, the item shoulder straps, and the hunter's knife were all mature in craftsmanship and had a very uniform style. It would be almost impossible to identify him by these.
What was most conspicuous was his battle-worn little bear pajamas, which were pilling and tattered from frequent excursions into the wild.
Wearing a set that was unique in the Monster Hunter world was like loudly broadcasting his identity, so it had to be changed.
He arrived at the equipment store and looked at the leather armor set displayed on a mannequin.
The Felyne shopkeeper quickly came out, introducing the leather armor set's features like being lightweight, warm, waterproof, and quick-drying.
Leather armor sets, as mass-produced equipment, did not have skill bonuses.
However, due to their low price and wide applicability, many ordinary people who ventured into the wild would buy a set to wear, making it the most common outdoor outfit.
"How much?"
"Guest, the full set is 2666z, meow."
"Do you have any used ones?"
"No, meow."
"Any discounts?"
"No, meow."
"I'm a one-star hunter, and I'm a regular customer. I bought my Jagras Blade I here. Can you give me a better price?"
"Hmm... this is difficult, meow. How about you name your price?" The shopkeeper Felyne rubbed its paws helplessly.
"1200!"
"Meow! What!" The shopkeeper Felyne's eyes widened.
"Don't get excited. I'll pay 1200 now, and the remaining 1000 upon my return from the quest." Li Fan said, showing the contract for hunting the Barroth.
"Since you're a hunter on an expedition... Alright, meow!" The shopkeeper Felyne finally decided to be accommodating.
If Li Fan had enough money, he certainly wouldn't go through so much trouble, but he only had 1300z left.
Two days later, the hunter promotion ceremony was held at the guild entrance.
Yudola, participating with a crutch, along with a group of hunters who had participated in joint hunts, received commendations.
Harun, the branch leader who failed in pursuing the Zinogre, despite breaking an arm, still insisted on presenting medals.
"It's all because of that damned Zinogre. Otherwise, I could have gone on stage to receive a hunter's badge," Shilin said with a resentful tone, biting her nails.
"It's okay. You can go up during the two-star promotion ceremony," Li Fan comforted her while applauding.
"Equipment Augmentation is very difficult to master, and the commotion caused by the 'Moonlit Duet' this time has led to a backlog of quest contracts. I won't have a chance to train in the short term," Shilin's tone was filled with helplessness.
"What is Equipment Augmentation?" Li Fan was a bit confused.
He wondered if there was a prerequisite for the ability of Equipment Augmentation.
"It's a test for two-star hunters. Don't you know?" Shilin was particularly surprised.
"Next, please have the village defense team members come on stage to receive the Spirit Jade-level Chosen One badge, awarded by Village Chief Bazel!"
Hearing someone on stage call for village defense team members, Li Fan said helplessly, "So annoying, having to go on stage to receive a medal."
"You... you can also go on stage?" Shilin's forehead turned green.
"Yes, I'll be right back." Li Fan adjusted the collar of his leather armor and walked onto the stage.
The so-called village defense team, including Bazel himself, consisted of only 3 people and 2 cats.
After receiving the "Kara Village Super Meal Ticket" and the Spirit Jade-level Chosen One badge, Li Fan entered the guild again after the ceremony to collect the delivered supplies.
Since they were distributed in sets of four for a team, he received 12 Potions, 12 Well-Done Steaks, and a Misty Jungle hunting map drawn by the guild.
He estimated the progress of the quest preparations. With one more item to cover his face, he would be ready to depart.
However, after searching, he felt there was nothing suitable.
Equipment crafted from monster materials could indeed cover the face.
The problem was that Li Fan didn't have the required materials, and the rarity of monster equipment also increased the risk of being identified.
Why not just smear some mud on his face?
To depart before dark, Li Fan thought this was the most cost-effective and easily achievable method.
In front of the wooden house, the storage bag on Kankan's carrier harness had been modified into a net bag. Four large wooden barrels were being towed front and back, containing supplies.
In a nested manner, many smaller wooden barrels were also packed inside.
After establishing the wild camp this time, considering the return transport capacity, Li Fan did not intend to recycle them.
After all, for the same volume, Effluvium was much more valuable than portable camps.
Just as Li Fan was making his final preparations, Yudola, leaning on her crutch, arrived in front of the wooden house.
"Li Fan, take this." Yudola said, handing him a yellow crystal bottle.
"Is this... a Mega Potion?" Li Fan guessed based on the bottle's appearance.
After all, the item icons in the Monster Hunter game were stylized and somewhat abstract.
Except for items that were easy to identify, the rest could only be guessed.
"Yes, if you encounter a critical injury, you must drink it decisively."
"Actually, there's no danger in going this time." Li Fan wanted to return the Mega Potion, but Yudola refused.
"Don't be polite. The investigation agency can't afford to lose you. Having a bottle of Mega Potion on you will put my mind at ease."
"Alright, once the mission is complete, I'll return as soon as possible. Kuma will stay to look after the wooden house, and you can rest and recover in the village with peace of mind."
After bidding farewell, Li Fan rode on Kankan's back and headed towards the forest path.
The areas around Kara Village were rarely visited by anyone heading to the Misty Jungle, so there were no established routes.
Li Fan could only choose the closest path, sometimes crossing the jungle, sometimes speeding along mountain roads.
Along the way, he encountered merchant caravans and hunter teams.
They would first marvel at someone taming a Qurupeco as a mount, and then they would start discussing the four large barrels.
Can't I just like to wander around with large barrels? What's so great about it!
Li Fan felt that being stared at so frequently would eventually cause problems.
He made up his mind and found a pond, starting to smear mud on his face.
However, things did not go as planned. After smearing his face, his appearance was indeed unrecognizable, but he attracted even more attention.
"Friend, if you have any troubles, you can tell me. The world might not be beautiful, but you can't treat yourself like this." A kind hunter with a large hammer blocked Li Fan's path and tried to persuade him.
"I'm fine, thank you. I need to meet my teammates in the Misty Jungle. I'm in a hurry." Li Fan gave a sunny smile.
"Really?" The kind hunter said suspiciously.
"Little Pink, show this brother the map you've marked." Hearing Li Fan call her codename, Dilu unfurled a scroll map with her two paws.
"It really is the Misty Jungle. Looking at these markings, your preparations are also sufficient... Take care, friend, I won't delay you." The kind hunter realized he had misunderstood and quickly stepped aside.
However, Kankan hadn't gone far when the hunter seemed to remember something and called out loudly.
"There's been a highly active Nargacuga in the Misty Jungle recently. Many hunting quests have been forced to terminate. You and your teammates must be careful!"
"Got it! Thank you!" Li Fan's voice faded into the distance.
"Li Fan... oh no, meow! I should call you Old Bai! The appearance of the Nargacuga wasn't mentioned in the contract at all." This information was too important. Dilu felt they should confirm it.
"This is a backlog contract that's constantly circulating between branches. The timeliness of the information cannot be guaranteed. When the guild branches launched joint hunts, external information reception was temporarily halted. Therefore, there will inevitably be delays in information about the Misty Jungle." Li Fan analyzed.
Clearly, when the contract was picked up, Kara Village hadn't received news of the Nargacuga's active presence in the Misty Jungle.
Furthermore, based on Li Fan's investigation during this period, the Nargacuga's activity was nothing unusual for the Misty Jungle.
After all, there were no human settlements there; it was a natural hunting ground belonging entirely to monsters.
Except for hunter teams planning to go there, few people paid attention.
To prevent the kind brothers and sisters from comforting him, Li Fan asked Dilu to use a small wooden barrel to fetch some water from the pond to accurately wash the mud off his face.
"I'm falling, meow!"
"Okay."
Clang! Splash! Dilu's paw slipped, and the small wooden barrel hit Li Fan on the head.
"I'm sorry, meow!"
"It's fine, I have an idea now."