Though Ambrose didn't buy them drinks, he did toss a few gold coins to the dwarf singer.

It was a massive tip, instantly making Ambrose the dwarf's biggest patron in recent years.

The little old man's face lit up with glee. "Wow, generous Lord Undead," he said respectfully. "Allow me to sing you a mournful dirge."

"No need," Ambrose said. "That tip is for you to shut up."

In that instant, the tavern patrons who had just been cursing him erupted in cheers.

The dwarf singer glared at Ambrose, his face burning with rage. It was a blatant insult. He should have thrown the gold back in his face and rebuked him loudly, but... he was paying too much.

Ambrose felt a sense of satisfaction. Money not spent was the same as no money, and the feeling of being a big shot with someone else's money was just too good.

Of course, Ambrose hadn't forgotten his real business. He produced another gold coin and gave it to the orc bartender.

"I need a guide for the sewers. A top-tier one, and preferably fast."

The City of Alchemy dumped its waste potion materials directly into the sewers. Over time, the number of mutated monsters in the sewers would grow. As their numbers increased, powerful individuals would inevitably emerge.

If left unchecked, a monster could even ascend to the Legendary rank down there, which would be a huge problem.

Moreover, the sudden appearance of a paladin from the Ryan Empire, even under the guise of training, felt suspicious to Ambrose. Something big was brewing in those sewers, and if he didn't hurry, it might interfere with his experiments.

The power of money was immense. After Ambrose tossed out that single gold coin, just before dawn, three guides of varying appearances stood before him.

Two men and one woman. Judging by their attire, the two men's professions were obvious.

"Let's see, a rogue, a ranger, and... a little girl. You're a druid?" Ambrose asked, puzzled.

A rogue and a ranger were both suitable guides, but what was a druid doing here?

Although the City of Alchemy was open to all races, druids were something of an exception.

Druids revered nature and believed that all things in the world had a natural order that shouldn't be overly interfered with. They sought to maintain the balance of all things.

As for the City of Alchemy, creations like the Quicksilver Slime were a testament to the fact that this bunch of madmen were capable of anything.

Their beliefs were polar opposites. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call druids and the City of Alchemy mortal enemies. It was only because the druids were few in number and scattered across the continent, without a powerful alliance, that no major conflicts had erupted.

But druids generally avoided the City of Alchemy's territory, even giving its subsidiary city-states a wide berth, and were extremely reluctant to interact with its people. Their resistance was a bit like a child declaring, "I'm not playing with you." The City of Alchemy, for its part, had never issued an order banning druids.

In any case, seeing a druid in the City of Alchemy was a rare sight indeed.

"That's right, I'm a druid. You need a guide, don't you? I've been in this city's sewers. I know where to find the most slimes."

The young human woman looked to be in her early twenties, with an athletic build that fit the wild, natural style of a druid.

"Not so fast. First come, first served. I'll talk to these two gentlemen first."

The rogue was ruthless. He quoted a flat price of three hundred gold coins and would only lead the way to two slime gathering spots, with no guarantee that there would actually be any slimes there.

"The sewers change from day to day now. I can confirm slimes used to be at those two spots, but I can't say for sure now. Anyway, three hundred gold, firm price. And I don't fight. If there's danger, I'll run on my own."

What a straightforward scam.

The fact that he couldn't even guarantee finding slimes was bad enough. He could probably just point to a random spot, claim slimes used to be there, and then take the money and leave.

This kind of contract was purely for fleecing newbies. Ambrose couldn't even be bothered to haggle with him. The guy was probably just a common cheat.

The second guide, a half-elf ranger, seemed much more upright. He opened with five hundred gold coins.

"Five hundred gold. I can promise to help you find at least one hundred slimes. Of course, I can only guarantee you'll encounter them; the capturing is up to you. If we run into danger, I can summon my animal companion to cover our retreat, but I will assess the situation and withdraw if necessary. My own safety is the top priority."

The terms were reasonable, but the price was too high.

For just a guide, that price was exorbitant. Ambrose's psychological price point was two hundred gold coins; the gap was just too large.

Ambrose tried to bargain with the ranger, but whether this half-elf had some dwarf blood in him, he was as stubborn as a mule. After much talking, he wouldn't budge by a single gold coin.

"Sir, isn't it time you heard my price?" the druid girl said, a little anxiously.

"You're still here?" Ambrose said, surprised. "You heard me earlier, right? I'm an undead. A druid like you still wants to work with an undead?"

The druid girl crossed her arms and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Why not? Isn't this the open and inclusive City of Alchemy? When you go to a new place, you follow its rules. Druids and undead can cooperate amicably too."

Ambrose didn't believe a word of it.

Undead creatures were a race that completely twisted the laws of life and death, an absolute conflict with druidic doctrine. Ambrose had already revealed his undead nature to the other two to prevent them from using "fraud" as an excuse to scam him.

He had expected this druid girl to have turned and left long ago. To think she was still waiting to pitch herself clearly meant she was after something else.

Ambrose could tell at a glance that this druid had a secret, but secrets were the last thing he wanted right now. The more trouble he got into, the more delays he'd face.

Reason told Ambrose to reject the druid girl outright. However, as if she could read his mind, she said the one thing he absolutely could not refuse.

"I can do it for free!"

The words landed with the force of a hammer, each syllable shaking Ambrose's very soul.

"What did you say?" Ambrose asked in disbelief.

The druid girl pushed the two other contenders aside, slammed her hands on the table, and said in a forceful tone, "I said, I can do it for free. I guarantee I'll help you find a large number of slimes, and I won't run away. If we encounter danger, I'll cover your back and ensure your safety."

Ambrose looked at the druid girl and thought, *She's trying to fool the devil himself.*

A free guide who would even cover his retreat in danger? Anyone with an IQ higher than a slime wouldn't believe it.

*You'd even try to cheat an undead? Could you be any more ridiculous?