Chapter 18 Joining the Hunting Group 3
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The next day…
Han Jin woke up early and prepared his breakfast as usual inside his quarters. Today he needed to do two things, one is to stitch his torn uniform and the other one is to go to the mission office as he wanted to find a hunting group to join.
Last night, he stealthily buried the body of that executioner in one of the grounds inside the base with the help of Onyx whom he was able to contact after that battle.
In that experience, Han Jin knew that his fighting skill still lacks finesse. If not for his armor, he would have been the one who died in that fight.
That is why he needed to join a hunting team for two purposes. One is to be able to gain Chi energy, and the other one is to learn more fighting experience.
If he could know a few more people whom he could learn some practical fighting experience from them, then his wisdom in fighting would surely increase.
While eating his breakfast ration, he carefully mended the large tear on his uniform. While growing up, he learned to be adept at sewing. With his skill, he is able to easily sew anything as long as he has a needle and yarn to use.
It was already around 9 in the morning when he walked out of his quarters and headed directly to the mission office.
Han Jin saw many people gathered inside the office as soon as comes inside the door.
Some of them scrutinized the newcomer. Seeing that he looks a bit normal and weak… some soldiers showed a hint of disdain in their eyes, while others showed a hint of pity in them.
But Han Jin did not want to bother with them and just walks towards the counter where a female officer is seated while typing some documents.
As Han Jin approaches, the female officer shifted her gaze to him for a bit and went back to her work.
"What do you want?" she asked in a cold tone.
Seeing the reaction of the female officer made Han Jin feel a bit confused why she would show such hostility towards him when this is the first time that he came to this officer.
But as he looks around the place, he seems to get why the woman is feeling a bit annoyed this early in the morning.
The rowdy soldiers inside the mission office seem to be making her feel uncomfortable plus, the way she looks right now seems like she has been busy for a while.
So he did not want to say anything and just went right to the point.
"I'm just here to join a hunting team…" Han Jin said while standing in attention in front of the counter.
When she heard his words and his polite attitude, her expression lightens a bit.
She carefully scrutinized Han Jin and then shakes her head as if disapproving of his decision. She wanted to advise the young man not to put his life on the line, but before she could say anything a voice interrupted her.
"So you wanted to be one of the hunters? Well, this is great… We lack a teammate… You can register your name in our team then…" a handsome young man walked beside Han Jin.
The female officer frowned but did not say anything as the young man winks at her with a teasing smile.
She just scoffs at the young man and then shifted her gaze back to her work. But before she started typing again, she handed Han Jin a piece of paper.
"Fill this out and give it to me before leaving…" she instructed.
Han Jin looks at the document and knew what it was.
When he was assigned to his first job as a part of the transport group, he also signs such a waiver.
This is to inform his next of kin if ever something happens to him and where the benefits he go if he would lose his life in the line of duty.
His service would benefit that next of kin.
It did not take long before he was done filling out the form and walked towards a group seated around one of the long tables in the office hall.
"Guys, this will be our last guy… His name is Private Han Jin…" the handsome young man was introduced to the group.
"I am Gan Rong… and these are my teammates…" the handsome young man then began to introduce himself and then looks at his team of 4 people.
"I am Arrow… This is Ax… that is Shield…" the young woman suddenly interjected.
She seems to have used their nickname or codenames in introducing themselves to Han Jin.
"Gan Rong is Sword and he is our leader… As for you, I think it is better to call you… Bag…" she said with a smirk.
Han Jin was a bit confused but then realized that these people are actually taking him on their team to be their bag carrier.
However, he did not want to waste this chance to go out and learn from these veterans.
"We already have prepared everything, so you don't have to worry about anything… You just have to carry those things…" Arrow said while pointing at two large backpacks.
Han Jin could see many arrows and spare weapons on the side of the backpack. With one look, he knew that the backpack is heavy. But it should not be that heavy if these people that are the same class as him could still carry it.
Han Jin showed a faint smile and nodded his head.
"Alright, let's head out… the sooner we arrive on the outskirts of the southern forest of Alfas, the better…" Gan Rong added as he takes a small backpack on the side.
The rest began moving as they too carried their own backpacks.
Shield who is the biggest of the group looks at the scrawny-looking Han Jin and watches while Han Jin walked towards the two huge backpacks.
However, what happened next almost stunned him into stupefaction.
This is because… Han Jin easily lifted the heavy backpack which contains their equipment, while the other one he lifted with his left hand which contains their provisions.
Though it is a bit heavy, it is still easy for Han Jin to carry the two bags.
A normal person already has a normal carrying weight capacity of 50 kg without exerting effort. Those that have bigger physiques have a higher carrying capacity. But as Class-C people, they can only have a maximum of 200 to 500 kg maximum carry weight which already needed a lot of effort.
However, the weight that Han Jin is carrying right now only totals around 100 kg combined. He just needed a slight effort to lift those two bags as his normal carry strength is about 80 kg. After absorbing a lot of Chi while traveling to this place, he has already improved his strength to such a degree.
And so, the team walked outside where four Maroks and a carriage are waiting.
"You take the carriage… We're going on the Marok." Arrow said while pointing at the small carriage and a thin-looking Marok dragging it.
That Marok looks malnourished and it seems that it is even losing its feathers. One could tell that it is a malnourished featherless Marok.
But Han Jin did not say anything and just hops on the carriage.
As soon as he boarded the small carriage the Marok even swayed from side to side as if losing its balance.
"Is this thing dying or something?" he thought.
He then noticed those four looking at him with slight smirks.
It seems that they seem to be doing this intentionally.
At this point in time, Han Jin has already risen his guard up; as he knew that there is something fishy with this group.
If they played something strange on him, then they could only blame themselves for what would happen next.
"Alright, let's get a move on!" shouted Gan Rong as he leads the group.
Han Jin takes out something from a small pouch on his side and called the attention of the Marok in front of him.
"Chuk! Chuk!"
The Marok weakly shifted its gaze at him. But when he opened his palm and the Marok saw the two seeds. It suddenly showed a slightly confused expression as it tilted its head to the side.
Han Jin threw one of the seeds and the Marok subconsciously opened its beak.
When the seed passes through its throat, a slight trace of energy breaks open from the inside of the seed and enters its body.
It suddenly feels a bit energetic as it began to straighten its body.
"Hmm… Works better than expected…" Han Jin muttered as he remembers what Onyx told him about those seeds.
Those seeds at called vitality seeds which are more effective when beasts consumed them.
Some humans have been trying to turn them into medicine to create an elixir that could strengthen their bodies. But the vitality seed does not conform well to the human physique. Only the beasts would benefit from it.
In the forest, not all beasts would consume the vitality seed, only those that are wounded severely or dying would try to find one and eat it.
However, before they could even eat the seed, they would already perish as this seed would usually be found atop tall trees or cliffs where the wind is blowing strongly.
So when Onyx gave him this seed last night, he brought it with him along with some of the other things that Onyx gave him in preparation for this trip.