Lin Mo paid the money cheerfully and took the key handed by the landlady.

He wasn’t in a hurry to return to his room, so he sat at a table in the corner of the hall and waited for a while.

Before long, a young and lively girl lifted the curtain and walked out from the kitchen, carrying a tray with a few slices of white bread, a bowl of creamy soup, and a grilled meat steak roughly the size of two palms.

The selection wasn’t extensive, but it was undoubtedly lavish—even in more stable times, such a meal would be considered extravagant for the common folk of this town.

After all, 30 copper coins for lodging was nearly a week’s wages for the lowest-tier laborers.

The girl placed the tray on the table and glanced curiously at this rather handsome guest.

As she looked, her expression suddenly turned strange, as if she had recalled something.

Lin Mo didn’t pay much attention to her odd gaze—he assumed it was due to his unusual attire or the bloodstains on his clothes.

The white bread was decent, though far less sweet than what he remembered from his past life. Still, compared to the dry and hard black bread, it was practically a delicacy.

The creamy soup was surprisingly delicious, its rich dairy aroma blending with the freshness of vegetables. A few sips of the warm broth instantly revitalized him, warming his limbs.

The grilled steak was the most aromatic, its slightly charred exterior offering just the right crispiness. With one bite, the tender meat burst with juices in his mouth.

The seasoning was simple—just a sprinkle of salt on the steak—but the quality of the ingredients made the taste unexpectedly excellent.

Before long, he finished everything, leaned back in his chair with a satisfied burp, and momentarily lost all motivation to move.

After resting for a few minutes, he finally got up and headed upstairs.

The first floor of the inn was for dining, while lodging was on the second and third floors.

"Go up to the second floor, turn left, and it’s the room at the very end."

Recalling the landlady’s directions, Lin Mo walked straight to the deepest part of the corridor.

Midway, he suddenly heard some strange noises—rising and falling, now high, now low, eerily familiar.

It reminded him of the "educational materials" he had stored in his cloud drive in his past life.

"The soundproofing in this inn isn’t great…"

Muttering to himself, Lin Mo reached his room, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

The room wasn’t large—less than twenty square meters—but it was tidy. Aside from a bed, there was a small table with an oil lamp and a padded chair beside it.

Compared to the table, the chair seemed unusually spacious, with a high and wide backrest perfect for reclining.

The bedding was neatly arranged, the sheets clean and clearly well-washed.

Lin Mo placed his rusty sword by the bedside, removed only his coat and shoes, and lay down with a long exhale.

This sudden transmigration had thrown him straight into a dangerous forest. If not for his skills, he might have ended up like his unfortunate companions—permanently left behind.

What should he do next?

Lin Mo hugged the cloth pouch tightly against his chest. It still held some copper coins, the goblin ears could be exchanged for money, and most importantly—the gold coin he found in the clay pot.

A single gold coin was worth a hundred silver coins—ten thousand copper coins!

For someone like Lin Mo, who had just arrived in this world, this was an unexpected windfall.

This money should last him a while.

But was that all?

Coming to a fantasy world with supernatural powers, only to hide in a small town and live lazily?

That didn’t sit right with him.

Besides, even though ten thousand copper coins wasn’t a small sum, it would eventually run out.

Lin Mo had no intention of living on three pieces of black bread a day, so his spending rate likely wouldn’t be slow.

Raising a hand toward the dark ceiling, he gazed at the status panel floating before his eyes and finally made up his mind.

Tomorrow, he would go to the Adventurers' Association and register as a full-fledged adventurer!

In his past life, he had lived a comfortable but dull existence. Now that he was reborn in another world, why not embrace adventure?

As drowsiness gradually took hold, he pulled the blanket over himself, eyelids growing heavy as his consciousness faded…

*Knock knock knock—*

Just as he was about to fall asleep, sudden knocking jolted Lin Mo awake.

His eyes snapped open, and he sat up abruptly, staring at the door.

It was undoubtedly nighttime—who would come knocking at this hour?

A thief? Unlikely—this was an inn. Besides, what thief would knock?

So… the landlady? Or another guest?

Lin Mo quietly gripped his sword hilt and called out, "Who is it?"

"Um… sir, could you open the door?"

A soft, timid voice came from outside.

Lin Mo didn’t let his guard down. Putting on his shoes, he asked again, "What’s the matter? Can’t you say it from there?"

"W-well…"

The voice hesitated before repeating, "Please open the door."

Frowning, Lin Mo lit the oil lamp and peered at the shadow under the door.

Was this some kind of ghostly encounter? But this wasn’t *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*.

In the end, he stepped forward and opened the door—then immediately retreated, pointing his sword at the visitor.

"Eek—!"

The girl yelped, raising her hands in surrender. "P-please don’t misunderstand!"

Under the dim lamplight, Lin Mo recognized her—the same girl who had brought his dinner earlier, likely an employee of the inn.

"What do you want?"

"Um… well…"

The girl fidgeted, head lowered, fingers twisting the hem of her dress. "Would you like… a service? Just ten copper coins."

"Huh?"

Lin Mo froze.

"What do you mean?"

"Y-you know… *that* kind of service…"

Blushing, the girl in her maid-like outfit whispered, "Don’t you know? Inns on Flower Street specialize in these… services."

Everything clicked into place.

No wonder the landlady had asked if he was staying or "looking for someone" when he entered.

No wonder he’d heard those sounds in the hallway earlier.

Somehow, he had stumbled into an establishment meant for *entertainment*.

Was this good luck or bad luck?

Lin Mo sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I’m from out of town. I had no idea."

All he’d wanted was a good night’s sleep.

"I-I’m sorry for disturbing you!"

Flustered, the girl covered her face and scurried away.

Watching her flee, Lin Mo scratched his head helplessly.

Honestly… he *had* been a little tempted.

She wasn’t stunningly beautiful, but cute enough—and young.

Most importantly, it was cheap. No price gouging, just ten copper coins.

For a pure-hearted shut-in who’d never "experienced" anything, the temptation was real.

But since she was already gone… might as well forget it.

Closing the door, Lin Mo lay back down and drifted into peaceful slumber.