Ryan had come to the Misty Pine Forest to look for Heavy Metal Grass. Three stalks of Heavy Metal Grass could be exchanged for five hundred credits at the Evo Association.
Although the mission he had accepted only required him to collect three stalks of Heavy Metal Grass, that didn't mean he couldn't gather more.
Heavy Metal Grass was one of the key ingredients used in creating an Endurance Potion, a potion that could increase a person's defensive ability for a certain period after consumption.
Because this potion wasn't expensive and was very practical for unranked and Rank One Evolvers, Heavy Metal Grass had always been in high demand and could easily be sold anywhere within Buka City.
'Heavy Metal Grass absorbs nutrients from these pine trees and grows around them. As long as I search carefully, I should be able to find some...' Ryan thought to himself as he cautiously walked deeper into the forest.
The ground was covered with fallen pine needles, and as he stepped on them, a soft rustling sound echoed through the surroundings.
A thin mist blanketed the outer area of the forest, giving it an ethereal atmosphere.
'I'm currently affected by The Man Behind the Taboo affix. I wonder if its effect of increasing luck will work here… maybe I'll hit the jackpot and find a whole bundle of Heavy Metal Grass...' Ryan couldn't help but glance at the active affix on his status window as he thought this.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, his eyes suddenly caught something faintly shining at the side, reflecting the rays of sunlight filtering through the dense pine canopy.
He paused for a moment before quickly walking toward the source of the glimmer.
The object was right beneath a tall pine tree.
As Ryan approached, he discovered that it was a single stalk of grass growing from the tree's lateral roots.
The stalk was a faint navy blue in color, and if it hadn't been swaying slightly, it would have looked no different from a thin metal wire.
'No way...is this affix really this useful…?' Ryan was completely taken aback when he realized it was actually a stalk of Heavy Metal Grass and was momentarily speechless.
After all, he had just entered the forest, and this stalk was growing very close to the entrance.
Because many people visited the Misty Pine Forest every day, almost all the resources near the entrance had already been harvested.
Ryan had expected that he would need to venture deeper into the outer regions before finding anything valuable.
But now, looking at the Heavy Metal Grass swaying gently before him, almost as if it were waving at him, he couldn't help but wonder whether it was truly the effect of The Man Behind the Taboo affix.
'It's just a coincidence… right?' Ryan thought inwardly, though he didn't hesitate to pick it up, after all, there was no reason to refuse free money.
After storing the stalk in his backpack, Ryan continued moving deeper into the forest.
What surprised him even more was that within just half an hour, he found two more stalks of Heavy Metal Grass. And just like the first one, they were also located along the outer periphery of the forest.
Although he was pleased at being able to gather valuable resources with such ease, there was also something that worried him.
'Will this affect the mutation of my technique?'
Ryan was planning to mutate his basic Primal Energy cultivation technique to obtain a better one.
He had been hoping that his affix, The Man Behind the Taboo, would come into play at that time and grant him a higher-level mutation, giving him a superior cultivation technique.
However, the luck-enhancing effect of the affix was already at work, allowing him to practically pick up money as he walked.
Although he didn't fully understand the concept of luck, which was something intangible, he knew that nothing in this world lasted forever.
His luck wouldn't always remain this good, and he feared that it might run out at the critical moment when he mutated his technique.
In fact, ever since he had awakened his Aspect and talent, Ryan's journey had been unusually smooth.
Previously, he had believed that leaving the slums and settling in Buka City would be extremely difficult, filled with obstacles and danger.
But after awakening his Aspect and talent, he hadn't encountered any real threats, and everything had gone surprisingly well.
Even the incident when Scar and Razor had come to rob him at night had turned into a fortunate event, allowing him to discover how to obtain Source Points.
'I just hope that when I mutate my technique, it doesn't result in a Common or Uncommon mutation… those are the lowest levels…' Ryan sighed inwardly and shook his head.
A few minutes later, he reached a slightly deeper part of the forest.
The density of the fog around him increased somewhat, though not enough to significantly affect his vision. Without too many obstructions from the trees, he could still clearly see up to two or three hundred meters ahead.
Just as he continued searching for more Heavy Metal Grass, a rustling sound suddenly reached his ears, rapidly approaching his location.
Ryan immediately became alert and at the same time, he pulled out a heavy metal pipe from the side pocket of his bag.
At first, Ryan had considered buying a weapon like a sword or saber.
However, he soon realized that his greatest advantage was his physical strength. Compared to bladed weapons, blunt weapons like hammers or metal rods would be far more effective for him.
As a result, he had simply purchased a heavy metal pipe weighing around seven kilograms.
Not only was it much cheaper than those expensive weapons, but it was also far more suitable for his fighting style.
Within just a few seconds, the rustling sound grew louder and louder... And the next instant—
Woosh!
A figure leaped out from behind the pine trees, landing in front of Ryan with a low growl, thick saliva dripping from its slightly open jaws.
Ryan stared at the creature, a hyena-like monster about one and a half meters tall and his expression turned gloomy.
'A man-eating dog… what bad luck.'