Day Four.
If nothing unexpected happened, this would be their group's last day of work.
Everyone was in a rather poor mood, as they were about to lose a high-paying job.
However, even before work began for the day around six in the evening, their supervisor Xu Ming came to notify them.
"Boss Yang has awoken from the cultivation cabin. Tonight's guiding work is canceled, but he has a new task for you all. If you're not in a hurry to leave, you can follow me to the top floor now," Xu Ming's words caught everyone by surprise.
"The work tonight is canceled, but what about the money? Will it be returned?" Zhang Gao immediately asked.
Supervisor Xu Ming replied, "No need to return it, consider it compensation from Boss Yang. Just accept it as it is given."
"Well, that's good." Zhang Gao then looked at the others, "Folks, do you want to go take a look, or do you want to leave now?"
"Let's go have a look. The employer is quite generous, so if there is a new task, the offer will surely be substantial," Lv Jue said and then asked, "Li Yi, what about you? Will you go back or come with us to check it out?"
Li Yi thought for a moment, "The money I've made this time didn't meet my expectations. It's rare to encounter a good employer, so of course, I want to check it out. If it's suitable, I'd like to stay and work. If it's not, then it's not too late to leave."
"You're right; that's what I'm thinking as well," Lv Jue nodded.
"Then what are we waiting for, let's go," Zhao Xiaoxiao was a bit impatient.
Thus, with curiosity, everyone followed Supervisor Xu Ming to the top floor once again.
"So many people."
When they arrived, they found that a large crowd had gathered. A quick glance told them that there were at least thirty cultivators.
"Looks like all four groups of guides hired this time have probably come. Geez, no wonder there are so many people," Zhang Gao whispered.
"It's not just the guides. There are some unfamiliar bodyguards as well, and they seem to be quite powerful."
Li Yi looked around and noticed several men in black suits with bodyguard badges. Even though they all wore sunglasses, the luminescence flickering in their eyes could not be hidden.
Clearly, these bodyguards were cultivators who had activated their Spirit Medium abilities.
"I'm very curious about the employer's identity. What kind of person can employ so many cultivators at will and possess such high-grade cultivation resources?" Lu Jue began searching around, trying to find that particular individual.
However, after looking around, he couldn't find anyone who fit the bill.
"Boss Yang has just gone to take a bath, so please wait for a moment," Supervisor Xu Ming explained the situation to everyone.
Everyone waited patiently without complaints.
After about fifteen minutes.
Accompanied by the 'ding' of an arriving elevator, a private elevator arrived at the top floor.
Then, three sets of footsteps could be heard.
Here they came.
It seemed like everyone had the same feeling as they all looked towards the source of the sounds.
The man in the lead was a young man who appeared to be only about twenty-four years old. He was tall and straight, with striking eyebrows and bright eyes, handsome and resolute. As he walked with his hands behind his back, a white rainbow seemed to flash around him, illuminating the room, exuding a majestic presence that was inviolable.
Furthermore, the man was dressed in a retro-style robe, with long black hair draped over his shoulders, looking like a martial hero straight out of a martial arts world.
Following him were two women. One wore custom-fitted tights, with athletic strides and vertical pupils that shimmered green, owning eyes that were different from ordinary people. The other was a woman with a full figure, dressed in professional attire, a mature and attractive secretary. Although she lacked the anomalies of a cultivator, she was exquisite and stunning.
With just one glance,
everyone had the feeling that the man was the natural protagonist, and they were just extras, mere foils, unable to compare with him.
"I understand now why in novels, when the protagonist makes an entrance, everyone immediately notices something extraordinary about them. If I had this aura and appearance, I would also be the center of attention no matter where I went," Zhang Gao's eyes were practically glowing green with envy at the moment.
"It's terrifying. His cultivation realm has reached an extremely high level. Look at the white light flickering around him. If this were ancient times, it would be an indication of creating electricity out of thin air, brightening a dark room—an explanation in modern science would be that his body is highly evolved. He is already forming the embryonic stage of an Energy Field. If he continues to evolve, he could generate his own Energy Field, on par with a Mysterious Object," Lv Jue took a deep breath, feeling shocked.
"With such cultivation resources, it's only natural to produce such a powerful cultivator—of course, his talent must also be extraordinary," Li Yi was silent too at that moment.
Although he had prepared himself mentally, the sight of their employer still surprised him.
Nevertheless, Li Yi firmly believed that with a Mysterious Object in his possession, he could one day reach such a cultivation realm.
But now, he stood among the crowd, inconspicuously like a mere supporting actor.
"The gap between people can sometimes be even wider than the gap between a person and a dog." A cultivator muttered under their breath, not worried about being overheard.
"Thank you all for waiting. I am Yang Yilong. The reason I've gathered everyone here is for two matters. The first one: your hard work over this period has allowed my meditation retreat to come to a successful conclusion. Although you were all hired for the task, I don't see it that way. You were able to participate in the guiding process, and this wouldn't have been possible without the introduction from some of my friends and relatives. If they recommended you, it means they trust you, and the people my friends and relatives can trust are people whom I, Yang Yilong, can also trust. Therefore, I am thankful for your assistance,"
At this point, Yang Yilong halted his steps and spoke slowly.
His voice was clear and resonant, echoing throughout the entire floor.
Everyone remained silent; they were getting paid for their work, and they took the thanks as nothing more than a polite gesture.
Yang Yilong continued, "The second matter is that my cultivation wasn't aimed merely at improving my realm. It was because an extraordinary creature has appeared in the dangerous zone of Tianchang City. I've fought with that thing before and almost got killed, which is why I've been in deep meditation, preparing for this day's rematch."
"But before we take action, I've invited ten spirit mediums to act as sentinels, and each spirit medium needs two assistants—people who haven't opened their spirit medium abilities. Compared to recruiting blindly outside, those introduced by my friends and relatives are somewhat more trustworthy. Hence, I plan to hire twenty friends for this mission."
"Of course, your efforts will not go unrewarded. Those willing to participate will receive a remuneration of eight hundred thousand, and if any danger is encountered en route, I, Yang Yilong, will provide additional compensation. I will make sure no one is at a loss,"
The moment these words were spoken, many people were tempted.
An outing that could earn eight hundred thousand was indeed a high price.
Even though it was a trip to the dangerous zone, with Yang Yilong leading the team, they were merely tagging along. They wouldn't need to face the dangers directly, which made the eight hundred thousand almost like a freebie.
"I'm in," a cultivator immediately raised their hand and shouted.
"Count me in too," another voice joined in.
At that time, Yang Yilong smiled slightly, "Those willing to join the operation can go register with Xu Ming. Those who prefer not to go are free to leave as they wish."
"Li Yi, what do you think? To go or not to go?" Zhang Gao asked in a low voice. "But I'm really tempted. It's obvious this is like picking money off the street. With our level of power, we can't be of any real help; it's just for show."
"The dangerous zone isn't that simple,"
Lv Jue said, "The dangers there are not just from transcendent creatures; there are also terrifying ghosts and other inexplicable and bizarre perils. Why does Yang Yilong need assistants who haven't opened their spirit medium? That's because those who have can see many unclean things."
"Our 'blind' eyes, to a certain extent, are actually safer than those of the spirit mediums, and hence, the unusual arrangement of one spirit medium to two cultivators."
"So if we don't encounter any danger, all is well. But if we do, there is a high likelihood of death,"
At that time, Zhao Xiaoxiao said, "Li Yi, I advise you not to go. You can make two to three hundred thousand in a day; it's not worth the risk. If you're in need of money, I can help you find another job."
After thinking for a while, Li Yi responded, "I've been frightened by poverty. Even though I've made some money this time, opportunities like this don't come every day. I plan to take this trip. By earning more money, I won't need to waste time on part-time jobs later and can focus on cultivation instead." In truth, he felt a sense of urgency. If he didn't seize every opportunity to grow and make progress, how would he confront Crow and his gang in the future? Moreover, Boss Yang, being wealthy and generous, was not someone whose offers could be easily found elsewhere. Also, Yang Yilong was formidably strong; he had already ventured into the dangerous zone before and was well-prepared this time. Li Yi was merely going to blend in with the others.
If he was afraid of this and that, why not just hand over the mysterious object and lie flat?
"If you run into danger, you might never come back," Zhao Xiaoxiao reminded kindly.
Li Yi smiled, "If I really face any peril, I'll run immediately. If I can't even escape, then I'll just have to chalk it up to bad luck."
"Alright then, since you've made up your mind, I won't try to persuade you. I'm not going to the dangerous zone; I'll return and focus on my cultivation."
Zhao Xiaoxiao shook her head; she wasn't one for taking risks.
"I'm not planning to go either. Though the chances of returning are high, I don't like to gamble, and my luck has always been bad," Lv Jue shrugged, indicating his decision to give up.
Zhang Gao said, "Li Yi, let's go together."
Driven by a strong desire for money, he wanted to earn more.
"Alright," Li Yi nodded, "Let's register with Xu Ming."
The two of them immediately took action.
At that moment, Lv Jue turned to leave, saying, "Zhao Xiaoxiao, let's go. Time to pack up and head back to our rooms."
"Sure."
Zhao Xiaoxiao gave Li Yi a long, final look before drawing her gaze back, took a deep breath, and left without lingering any longer.
Before long,
the twenty slots for cultivators participating in the operation were filled.
Meanwhile, Yang Yilong decided that they would depart for the dangerous zone at precisely midnight, six hours later.
"A night operation?" Li Yi found the timing a bit strange.
But now that his body had evolved and his eyes could see in the dark, the nighttime operation didn't bother him.