Chapter 25 Second Job Change Quest

Chapter 25: Second Class Change Quest

How the hell did the favorability hit fifteen?

Previously, Meng Shu had completed Xu Linzhou’s favorability task, bumping it up to ten.

But since he had no intention of romancing Xu Linzhou, he didn’t bother to find out what Xu Linzhou liked, so the favorability stayed at ten.

In a couple of quick strides, Meng Shu grabbed Xu Linzhou’s slender wrist. "Hey, hey, hand me back the bucket. I still need to fish."

Xu Linzhou’s face grew even redder. "You already gave it to me, though."

Meng Shu said, "I gave you the fish. The bucket, you gotta pay for."

Xu Linzhou gritted his teeth and lifted his chin. "Fine, I'll pay you!"

"Fine." Meng Shu figured he could make a hundred thousand coins today. Plus the reward Xu Linzhou had promised him earlier, he’d have two hundred thousand in total.

That'd be enough to pay Ling Qingjue back.

He’d deliberately dragged his feet for two days. Once the debt was paid off, he’d have no reason to keep hanging around Ling Qingjue.

But Meng Shu's conscience only let him stall for a month. Any longer, and his conscience would kill him.

The two transferred the money right then and there. Meng Shu pocketed the cash and his attitude improved significantly, all smiles and bowing. "Thanks, boss. You're too generous. Take care, boss."

Xu Linzhou hesitated, then spoke. "Hey... what’s your favorability with Ling Qingjue?"

Meng Shu raised a fist and shook it. "Zero so far."

"He's really tough to crack. A fisherman like you? No way."

"Isn’t he into Deep Sea Dragon King Meat? I'll catch a ton for him."

Xu Linzhou looked at him like he was an idiot. "You kidding me? The Deep Sea Dragon is a tenth-tier magical beast, not even a fish! You planning to knock the dragon out with a fishing rod?"

Meng Shu's hand, mid-cast, stopped.

He looked up slowly.

"That stuff... isn't it fish meat?"

Xu Linzhou was at a loss for words. "What fish would dare call itself a Dragon King? Duh, it's a magical beast! And a super scary one at that!"

"Then what about all that meat in Ling Qingjue's fridge, huh?"

Xu Linzhou plopped down next to him. "That just means Ling Qingjue went and hunted the Deep Sea Dragon! If it's him, killing a Dragon King would be a piece of cake."

"...So, it's not fish meat at all."

"Lots of magical beasts are edible, like the slimes I mentioned before. The Deep Sea Dragon is just a huge fish-type magical beast, so naturally, it can be eaten."

As a poor hero from another world, Meng Shu let out a desperate yell. "Then what the hell have I been fishing for? I'm done! I'm going to change classes!"

He quickly packed up his fishing rod and patted Xu Linzhou on the shoulder. "Buddy, move your butt. Give me my stool back."

"What's the rush?"

"Class change! Since the Deep Sea Dragon isn't a fish, I'm becoming an adventurer."

Xu Linzhou had originally wanted to talk him out of it, but seeing him set on becoming an adventurer, he panicked. "Adventuring's dangerous. My mom won't let me be friends with adventurers!"

Meng Shu stored the stool in his inventory. "Then just stay home and write your books."

"Adventurers die. Ling Qingjue hates trouble. If you die, it'll piss him off." Xu Linzhou racked his brain and finally came up with a reasonable excuse.

"Then I'll just not die."

Meng Shu found him a bit weird but didn't say it outright. "Don't worry, I won't kick the bucket that easily."

He'd learned to fish just to win Ling Qingjue over.

After a month of fishing, he finally found out the Deep Sea Dragon isn't a fish!

Meng Shu quickly packed everything up and glanced at the fish bucket. "Also, your favorability just went up by five points... Hope I'm overthinking this."

He smiled, his eyes curving. "You don't like me, do you?"

Even though he was smiling, Xu Linzhou felt like he'd been dunked in an ice bath, the faint spark in his heart instantly extinguished.

He ran a hand through his hair, sounding listless. "Well... friends can have favorability too, right?"

"See, I knew it. How could someone like you look up to a guy like me who can't even read? I can't even understand what you say."

Meng Shu went along with it, saving his face, and pretended to be hurt. "I almost thought I had some irresistible charm. Turns out I was overthinking it."

Xu Linzhou buried his head and kicked a pebble. "Only an idiot would like you."

"Mm-hmm." Meng Shu nodded. "I'm off then. When your mom lets you play with adventurers, I'll come find you."

His tone was like coaxing a child. Anyone else might have thought Meng Shu was mocking him.

But Xu Linzhou didn't catch on. "I'll talk to my mom later. She'll let me play with you."

Definitely a kid.

Had to ask his mom for everything.

Since Xu Linzhou had no magical talent, his appearance aged normally. Right now, he looked like a teenager, around eighteen or nineteen.

So how old was Ling Qingjue?

Meng Shu had tried to pry a few times, but Ling Qingjue never answered.

"How old are you this year?"

Xu Linzhou, still downcast, replied listlessly, "I'm almost twenty."

"Do you know how old Ling Qingjue is?"

"No."

Xu Linzhou said, "He's a cat. Ever since he took human form, he's looked like this. No one knows how long he was a cat, but I know he transformed fifteen years ago. After that, the system designated him and me as the official couple."

"I see. Only fifteen years as a human, no wonder he's so childish..."

Meng Shu guessed Ling Qingjue was also very young and suddenly felt a bit guilty. "You kids, you're all so young..."

"Winning me over has no risk. I just want some flowers, some bird feathers, some pretty stones." Xu Linzhou's voice was so low it was barely audible.

What he wanted was really simple.

No need to go through hell or high water.

As long as he was willing to walk with him along the beach, those things could all be picked up.

Meng Shu didn't hear him, just smiled and said goodbye, then turned and headed to the community center to find Alice for his class change quest.

Alice quickly handled his class change. "You're almost Fishing Level 5, and you're just now noticing something's wrong?"

"I got played." Meng Shu couldn't even complain.

Ling Qingjue had totally fooled him.

"Oh, and since you're an Adventurer now, don't forget to join the Adventurers' Guild. We've got a guild in town too, all the way at the west end."

After Alice explained, a big chunk of Meng Shu's map lit up.

The whole west side of town was unlocked, revealing a vast forest and lake, with the Adventurers' Guild nestled at the forest's edge.

He also received his class change item—a wooden sword with an attack power of 1.

Meng Shu stared at the wooden sword in his hand. "This thing can actually kill monsters?"

"It's plenty for slimes and coal balls." Alice assured him. "This is just beginner gear. Once you have money, you can buy better equipment."

Meng Shu's class level reset to 0.

Killing 10 slimes would level him up to 1.

The second fighting monsters came up, Meng Shu got hyped.

The wooden sword spun in his hand, twirling into a graceful flourish.

Meng Shu thought, this is way more interesting than fishing.

A Lord Hero should be this cool and commanding.