Chapter 198: Mercenary Guild—Transcending the Mortal World!
Dragon Slayer (Intermediate Hunter): [The newly released Super Fruit disappeared from the store as soon as it appeared! Who has extra? I'm willing to pay a high price.]
Jade Rabbit (Intermediate Hunter): [You want it? I want it too!]
Dragon Slayer (Intermediate Hunter): [Who could have guessed the guild would openly sell limited items? And during the Spring Festival, no less! What a surprise!]
Joker (Intermediate Hunter): [Forget it. No matter how much you offer, nobody will sell it. Everyone knows how powerful the Super Fruit is.]
Lone Wolf (Novice Hunter): [Uh… esteemed seniors? Could I ask… what exactly does the Super Fruit do?]
Lone Wolf (Novice Hunter): [I just wanted to check it out and accidentally clicked on it.]
Lone Wolf (Novice Hunter): [I ended up snatching one, and it used up all my points!]
Lone Wolf (Novice Hunter): [Those points were my lifeline! I was planning to save up enough to exchange them for a house!]
The novice hunter "Lone Wolf" was so flustered that he spammed the chat.
Dragon Slayer (Intermediate Hunter): [Brother, the Super Fruit is useless and tastes awful. Sell it to me, and I'll give you a villa.]
Jade Rabbit (Intermediate Hunter): [Hey, handsome, sell it to me instead! I'll buy you a house and spend the night with you~]
The young man reading this furrowed his brow tightly:
"A single fruit for a villa? This is clearly an enormous scam!
And a woman offering to sleep with someone for a fruit?
What kind of brainwashing is this?"
His eyes showed obvious displeasure.
"We at the Peacekeeping Bureau risk our lives for the safety of Base Country 3 and humanity, only to see vermin using such filthy tricks to deceive civilians.
What kind of garbage am I even protecting?"
Suppressing his growing anger, he continued reading.
Lone Wolf (Novice Hunter): [Uh, Jade Rabbit, no need for that. I wouldn't dare!]
Lone Wolf (Novice Hunter): [Are you really willing to trade a villa for this fruit? Don't lie to me; I'm a simple guy.]
Fist Fighter (Intermediate Hunter): [Kid, don't be fooled! Back in the day, I spent 50 million on a Super Fruit at half price, and you're considering selling yours for just a villa?]
Lone Wolf (Novice Hunter): [What? 50 million? Half price? What is this thing? Someone please explain! (Facepalm)]
Dragon Slayer (Intermediate Hunter): [I suggest you mind your own business!]
Jade Rabbit (Intermediate Hunter): [I suggest you mind your own business!]
Fist Fighter ignored them and continued speaking.
Fist Fighter (Intermediate Hunter): [You must be a newly joined "Zombie Hunter (Ascended Human)" in the guild, right?]
Fist Fighter (Intermediate Hunter): [The Super Fruit works like the Zombie Hunter transformation but is even more potent.]
Fist Fighter (Intermediate Hunter): [It can awaken at least a C-rank combat talent in anyone who consumes it.]
Fist Fighter (Intermediate Hunter): [With that, you'll qualify to attend the Hunter Assembly and have a better chance of becoming an intermediate hunter!]
Lone Wolf (Novice Hunter): [Holy crap! Thanks for the explanation, senior! I wouldn't sell this Super Fruit even if I died!]
The young man nearly burst out laughing at this point, though he couldn't help feeling speechless at the hunters' apparent lack of intelligence.
"If awakening combat talent were as easy as eating a fruit, then combat talent awakeners would have lost all value long ago!
This is no different from claiming immortals exist in the real world.
How can anyone believe such ridiculous nonsense?"
He thought about typing a comment in the public chat to question their intelligence but ultimately refrained.
"Brainwashed people won't listen to common sense anyway."
However, what followed in the Mercenary Guild chat made his pupils shrink in shock.
Joker (Intermediate Hunter): [The Ashlanda Nation is planning to release volcanic ash soon. Will the guild respond?]
Dragon Slayer (Intermediate Hunter): [Did you forget the guild rules? Hunt monsters, eliminate awakened threats, protect Base Country 3.]
Dragon Slayer (Intermediate Hunter): [With the Ashlanda Nation pulling stunts like this, I wouldn't be surprised if the guild plans an assault on Ashlanda itself.]
Joker (Intermediate Hunter): [I believe the guild might issue a task to stop the volcanic ash, but planning an assault on Ashlanda sounds absurd, doesn't it?]
Jade Rabbit (Intermediate Hunter): [Ha! Do you think the guild lacks the power?]
Jade Rabbit (Intermediate Hunter): [Don't forget what happened on the Atoll Island—the terror of high-level hunters was witnessed by everyone. They're solid A-rank!]
Jade Rabbit (Intermediate Hunter): [And there's the rumored Elite-Level Hunters who have yet to act. I suspect they're S-rank! Does Ashlanda even have an S-rank awakener?]
Joker (Intermediate Hunter): [Of course, I don't doubt the guild's ability to destroy Ashlanda. I just think the guild should issue more missions so we can earn points, right?]
Joker (Intermediate Hunter): [We can't let only the high-level hunters and Elite-Level Hunters reap all the rewards while we watch from the sidelines!]
Incidentally, "Joker" was Jackson, a teacher at South Sea First High School.
He was so eager to earn points, all for the sake of his students.
Becoming an intermediate hunter offered immense benefits.
For instance, extraordinary plants in the points store came with a 20% discount, and there were more opportunities to acquire high-level plants.
Most importantly, the allure of being a high-level hunter was irresistible to every hunter!
High-level hunters not only received a high-tier Super Fruit but also gained access to a private, exclusive customer service representative who ensured their personal information and activities were safeguarded.
And, of course, the benefits didn't end there. Some advantages were so hidden that even intermediate hunters had no knowledge of them.
Dragon Slayer (Intermediate Hunter): [Don't worry, there will definitely be missions. In fact, I think we should start forming teams now to prepare for future tasks.]
Dragon Slayer (Intermediate Hunter): [Honestly, if we prepare well enough and manage to take down a creature like the Skeleton King or an imperial awakener of that level, I suspect we could directly advance to high-level hunters.]
The young man read these words in silence for a long time.
"Skeleton King? Volcanic ash? They don't seem to be exaggerating.
What exactly happened on Atoll Island? I can look it up to confirm."
These conversations left him utterly shocked.
He had initially thought this was a minor security incident, then dismissed it as a foolish electronic scam, but now it was clear these people knew far more than they let on!
If what they said was true, the Mercenary Guild was undoubtedly a colossal organization that had been hidden from the world for who knows how long—an extraordinarily powerful transcendental group!
The chat channel, once full of what he considered fools, was actually brimming with members of this transcendental organization!
The young man continued reading the chat while processing their words.
With his background in psychology, he could tell that none of them were lying. Unless, of course, they were trapped in some shared delusion and wholeheartedly believed their fantasies.
"What is this? A secret transcendental organization protecting Base Country 3 in the shadows?"
His imagination started to run wild.
A long-standing organization silently mending the wounds of Base Country 3, issuing missions, and rewarding participants with mysterious points that could be exchanged for incredible supernatural plants.
Ancient. Sacred. Enigmatic. Powerful.
"I stand watch in the darkness, so more may await the dawn."
This phrase echoed uncontrollably in his mind.
If the Mercenary Guild truly existed, it was undoubtedly a force that surpassed the likes of Celestial Mountain, Moon-Worshipping Sect, Harmonious Union Sect, and the Wanhe Corporation—a truly transcendent organization that stood above the mortal realm!
The young man donned a pair of white gloves and began inspecting the bag the girl had left behind, searching for any other clues.
Suddenly, a grotesque-looking fruit appeared before him.
His eyes widened in shock.
"This is… a Super Fruit?!"
🌟 Unlock Exclusive Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers!
Join my Patreon community to enjoy:
📚 Daily Updates: Never wait for new chapters—get your story fix every day!
📖 20 Chapters Ahead: Access new chapters far in advance of Scribblehub/RoyalRoad/Webnovel releases.
Support the creation of the stories you love and dive deeper into my world!
Patreon.com/Alex_Cruise
https://ko-fi.com/anish_44