Chapter 2: Equipment Procurement
Gauss set out with the resolve to slay a monster.
But after wandering around town for half the day, he realized it wasn’t as simple as he had imagined.
First of all, as a weakling at the level of an ordinary person, his ideal target was of course a low-level monster that even a normal person could deal with—preferably one that was alone.
It would be best if he could minimize traveling and find something nearby.
However, after making a round of the area, his initial plan was basically out of the question.
The surroundings of the town simply didn’t provide a habitat for low-level monsters.
The city guard's frequent purges and the heavy traffic of adventurers had already scoured the several kilometers around the town over and over again, making it relatively safe.
So, if he wanted to slay a monster, he had no choice but to leave the town’s jurisdiction and try his luck at the outermost edge of the nearby Emerald Forest.
Before setting out, he planned to purchase some "expensive" equipment he had never bought before.
Lacking suitable armor to kill monsters—even low-level ones manageable by ordinary people—was still too risky.
He had only one life, and he had to be extremely cautious.
From several of the busiest and most popular shops, he managed to buy the equipment he temporarily needed.
50 copper coins for a small oak round shield, 30 cm in diameter, with a rim reinforced by a riveted metal strip.
1 silver coin for a set of cloth armor, consisting of multiple layers of fabric and cotton lining, which felt reasonably sturdy to the touch and should be able to withstand a few attacks.
20 copper coins for a dose of paralyzing poison handmade by the herbalist shop’s owner, which could be applied and air-dried on weapons in advance.
According to the shop apprentice, after applying the paralyzing poison, monsters hit by it would move more slowly for a period of time afterward.
40 copper coins for a set of external-use herbs, which could be applied to wounds to temporarily stop bleeding and slow the injury.
30 copper coins for basic medical supplies, including linen wraps, wooden splints, and bandages for dressing wounds.
In total, it all added up to 2 silver coins and 40 copper coins.
After the shopping spree, his savings dropped to 1 silver coin and 25 copper coins.
Naturally, he didn’t dare spend all his money.
If the adventure failed, having a bit of savings at hand would at least give him peace of mind—enough to avoid starving or sleeping on the streets for not being able to pay rent.
Besides, the gear and supplies he had bought were already the most suitable options available to him at this stage.
The wooden shield and cloth armor were the cheapest types of protective gear.
Other types of armor were outrageously expensive.
Let alone metal armor—even a decent set of leather armor cost over 10 silver coins.
As for weapons, he took one look at the metal swords, maces, and other common arms sold in the weapon shop and immediately gave up the idea.
Even second-hand ones started at double-digit silver coin prices.
Besides, the original body already had weapons—a dagger about 20 cm long, and a wooden spear, carved entirely from hardwood, with a sharp, conical tip.
The spear was 1.8 meters long and had been treated with fire charring to enhance its hardness a bit.
In terms of proficiency, the original body had been taught to use a dagger from a young age, helping the family handle prey, skin animals, cut meat, and make traps—making him very skilled with a dagger.
His experience with the wooden spear was somewhat less, but still acceptable.
Using both weapons in combination, he could rely on the spear for mid-range pressure and the dagger for close-range finishing.
Although wooden weapons weren’t very durable and the dagger was old, under these limited conditions, they would have to do for now.
He could always upgrade to better weapons later when conditions allowed.
After some brief contemplation and considering his finances, he decided not to invest more into weaponry for now.
Thanks to the muscle memory from the original body’s training with the dagger and spear, even he—someone who had no weapon experience in his past life—could handle them quite smoothly.
The sun had quietly climbed overhead.
Before heading out, Gauss reluctantly treated himself to a good meal at the Nightingale Tavern near the town’s exit, spending 30 copper coins.
The lunch had both meat and vegetables—a small dish of marinated fish, finely prepared pickled vegetables, several pieces of tender braised meat, and a bowl of noodles.
Although the meat portions weren’t large, they were enough to help this body—long deprived of any meaty nourishment—replenish some precious fat reserves.
After burping contentedly and feeling the renewed strength in his body, Gauss, who was still pained over the copper coins spent, finally felt it had been worth it.
Forget it.
Before a major battle, there must be proper supplies!
Let’s just consider it recharging the body!
Stretching lazily, he put on the cloth armor, secured the pack containing his supplies, tucked the dagger wrapped in cloth into his waist, picked up the wooden spear, and strode toward the town’s exit.
Stepping out of the town, the scenery suddenly became vast and open!
Beneath the azure sky, aside from the sun-dried and hardened dirt road beneath his feet, there stretched a boundless expanse of open wilderness.
For the sake of the town’s safety, all the nearby forests had been cut down many years ago.
In their place were farmlands near the town and grasslands with excellent visibility.
Firstly, the open view helped the town’s guard gather intelligence and detect any disturbances from the Emerald Forest in advance.
Secondly, dense forests were not suitable for human combat, whereas monsters that lived in the forest year-round were unaffected.
Given the advantage this gave to monsters, it was naturally better to cut the forests down.
Gauss wasn’t the only one heading toward the Emerald Forest.
On the road, he encountered many others.
Some were solitary hunters.
Some were small groups of low-tier adventurers.
He even vaguely spotted a few professional-class individuals.
Don’t ask how Gauss could tell—they were clad in thick plate armor reeking of wealth, had the physique to carry such heavy armor with ease, and exuded a strong aura warning others to keep their distance.
Anyone with working eyes could recognize them as professionals.
Gauss looked down at his own scrawny frame, the ragged cloth armor draped over him, the small wooden shield strapped to his chest, the cloth-wrapped dagger at his waist, and the crude wooden spear in his hand.
Instantly, he felt that the gear he had spent almost all his savings on was downright shabby.
Compared to them, he looked like a primitive tribesman.
"If I fought one of them, just a single punch would probably reduce me to pieces," Gauss could already imagine the scene in his mind.
He’d charge forward with the spear, the tip jabbing uselessly against the opponent’s rock-hard full plate armor, doing zero damage—then get slapped flying two or three meters away and be unable to get up again.
"If only I were him—slaying a single Goblin and unlocking the Monster Encyclopedia would probably be easier than kicking a stray dog off the road."
Even facing a whole group of Goblins, they probably wouldn’t feel the slightest bit of fear.
The more he thought about it, the more Gauss envied them.
But then he laughed at himself for such “a pauper dreaming of wielding the emperor’s golden hoe” kind of thought.
Once someone became a professional, their adventuring goals naturally wouldn’t be small fry like Goblins.
Still—if I can just kill a single monster, I can activate the Monster Encyclopedia.
Then I won’t be this weak anymore!
The road to the Emerald Forest wasn’t short.
Gauss passed the time observing other travelers and mentally encouraging himself.
“Want to team up?”
“No thanks, I’m used to being alone.”
Perhaps Gauss’s current gear was already respectable among the “lowest-tier adventurers,” as several unfamiliar teams along the way invited him to join them.
But Gauss turned them all down.
It wasn’t because he was arrogant or looked down on them.
Truthfully, his own combat strength was probably on par with theirs.
Having a few teammates could even mean mutual support in battle.
But the original body had always been solitary, used to operating alone, and didn’t have any acquaintances.
Out in the wild, joining a team of complete strangers was something he couldn’t trust.
He feared that he’d end up not only fighting monsters but also having to watch out for the people beside him.
He’d rather act on his own.
That way, he could move according to his own judgment and act with caution.
If he spotted an enemy beyond his ability to handle, he simply wouldn’t engage.
He could choose a more suitable target—or even turn and flee mid-fight if needed.
Although he came with a goal this time, he knew clearly in his heart that survival came first, battle second.
When you're weak, it's okay to be a coward.
But if he joined a team, he’d lose that freedom.
“Klak-klak!!”
He entered the outskirts of the Emerald Forest.
The environment suddenly darkened.
From the densely shaded canopy above came the screeching calls of some unknown birds, stirring up a sense of unease.
Gauss tightened his grip on the wooden spear and subconsciously held his breath.
This forest seemed to instill a sense of dread in everyone who entered—as if it were a shadowy, gloomy maw ready to swallow all intruders.