Chu Tian took the storage card, bound it to his communicator, and checked. It indeed showed a balance of 25.5 million Federation Credits.
When he turned around, he noticed a large crowd of E-rank and D-rank Talent Warriors surrounding him.
Most of them had their mouths wide open, as if they could fit three eggs inside.
"Oh my, this guy is Chu Tian?" one E-rank mercenary exclaimed, "I remember when he was evaluated as a C-rank during the mercenary evaluation."
"Yeah, and he's the one who practically massacred the beast enclosures," another mercenary added, unable to contain his awe.
"However, he was evaluated as C-rank when he joined the mercenaries, but his actual strength seems to be E-rank, right? He's only been here for a month, and he's already a D-rank Talent Warrior. Becoming a real C-rank Talent Warrior shouldn't be too far off."
One female mercenary looked at him with envy.
Chu Tian cleared his throat and quickly pulled Norta and Red Dress away.
However, Chu Tian was unaware that news of him cleaning out the four task zones had already spread.
It had attracted the attention of many mercenary groups at the base who wanted to recruit him. After all, having someone capable of sweeping through the task zones was a valuable asset.
In the conference room of the mercenary base:
"This kid is truly remarkable. Remember, we rated him as a C-rank during the last evaluation, but he's an actual E-rank Talent Warrior. Look at how he's grown into a D-rank Talent Warrior within a month. It's possible that he'll become a real C-rank Talent Warrior soon."
The leader of the group was an elderly man with graying hair. Despite his age, he had a robust build and stood nearly two meters tall. He bore a claw mark scar on the right side of his face, extending from his forehead to his chin, and wore a black eyepatch over his right eye.
The leader continued, "This child should be watched closely. As for the task related to the dimensional gate, let's wait until he matures further. I still have doubts about those old folks from the Federation Science Academy."
"But General, the Federation Science Academy has confirmed multiple times that the dimensional gate can be opened with energy stimulation and that the energy is stable enough to support the gate for a week," a middle-aged man in a mercenary officer uniform hurriedly explained.
However, the leader known as the General waved his hand and then looked at a holographic projection of Chu Tian's image.
"Enough, I know you don't want the Federation to label us as a band of rogue mercenaries. Still, we can't afford to lose another potential future asset. The dimensional gate remains too dangerous for now."
He concluded, "Dismissed. Take good care of this Chu Tian and assign him special tasks. I want to see how far this child can grow."
With that, the General left the conference room.
Meanwhile, as Chu Tian, Norta, and Red Dress hurried toward the Golden Pavilion, everyone in the restaurant stopped eating, and the entire place fell silent. All eyes turned towards Chu Tian and his companions.
After a few seconds, the discussions resumed.
"Do you see him? That's Chu Tian, the one who reportedly single-handedly slaughtered over a thousand beasts in the four task zones."
"Over a thousand? Can a single person even do that?"
"It's hard to say; after all, he's currently a lone operator without any affiliation with a mercenary squad."
"Over a thousand, and I heard many of them were C-rank and D-rank beasts. Impressive, killing above his rank."
"This time, he made a fortune, reportedly earning over 20 million Federation Credits, not to mention the Spirit Crystals."
As Chu Tian listened to the conversations about himself, he couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed.
At that moment, the maid who had previously served Chu Tian and Norta hurried over.
"Please follow me, the three of you. I've prepared a quiet place for you," the maid said, leading Chu Tian and his companions upstairs.
Once they arrived in a spacious private room, the maid said, "Our boss has prepared a special meal for you today, and it's on the house. We hope you'll enjoy it."
"Boss? I don't think I know your boss," Chu Tian said, somewhat puzzled. He was cautious, as he knew that sometimes excessive kindness could have ulterior motives.
Norta, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind and said, "Chu Tian, who cares about the boss? Let's eat first. After all, you're famous now. Everyone in the mercenary base knows about your feat of single-handedly massacring over a thousand beasts in the task zones."
Red Dress remained silent, sipping tea that had been poured by the maid.
"Alright, please thank your boss for us," Chu Tian replied politely.
The maid gave a slight smile, served tea to the three, and then left to prepare the dishes.
When all the food and drinks were served, the maid curtsied and said, "Please enjoy your meal, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to call for me."
Chu Tian looked at the table filled with delicious dishes, feeling his mouth water. After a month of living in the wilderness, he couldn't help but feel excited about the meal.
Norta and Red Dress were equally enthusiastic. The three exchanged glances, grinned, and began to use their utensils to enjoy the meal.
After filling their stomachs and relaxing on the comfortable couches, the private room's door was pushed open, and Claes Skarsen walked in.
"Why did you come in?" Chu Tian asked, sitting up hurriedly.
Claes Skarsen smiled faintly and replied, "Why can't I come in? This is my establishment."
"But you're..." Chu Tian started.
"Just a side job, convenient for collecting materials for crafting weapons and equipment," Claes Skarsen said casually.
Chu Tian realized that it made sense. After all, many people who returned from the task zones brought back various materials like beast pelts, bones, and organs, all essential for crafting weapons and equipment.
The space station was indeed a good place for such activities.
"You're not here to craft weapons for us, are you?" Red Dress asked quietly.
"Smart, 100 points," Claes Skarsen replied, snapping her fingers. "So, hurry up and show me your materials. I guarantee I'll craft the most suitable equipment for you. It's been almost a month since I last crafted anything."
Chu Tian understood Claes Skarsen's intentions. She seemed to enjoy crafting but had a high failure rate, which made others hesitant to ask her to craft anything. Now, it seemed like she had the urge to craft again.
"Alright, let's see what I can spare for you to try," Chu Tian said, knowing he couldn't waste his materials. He handed over some materials for her to experiment with, hoping for a favorable outcome.