The little Ghost King was dead. Just moments ago, he had nearly taken down the two of them, but this man had shown up and ended the fight in under ten seconds. The man glanced at the fallen Ghost King before beckoning to the knife-wielding woman. "Hurry up and finish this, so we can go back." His voice was cold, clearly showing that he was in a bad mood, almost angry. Was he upset because the indifferent man had thrown him out like a weapon, putting him in danger?
A few seconds later, Zhao Yan realized he was overthinking. The man was too focused on talking seriously to the mage to notice him at all.
The knife-wielding woman slashed at the Ghost King's corpse with her dagger, and before long, she found a fist-sized crystal inside, shiny and black, resembling onyx. As soon as the crystal was pulled from the Ghost King's body, the corpse began to shrink rapidly, turning to dust in no time, leaving only a hole where it had been—proof that the Ghost King had existed at all.
The man's expression was grim as he lifted Zhao Yan off the ground and tucked him under his arm. "You alright?" Zhao Yan shook his head, too stunned to reply. His current situation didn't look good; from how the indifferent man treated him as a mere weapon and the man's attitude, it was clear that these people didn't value life much. Helping him seemed to stem from the fact that the man had a similar past, nothing more.
The group walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts after the mission. By evening, they reached a nearby town.
Standing at the town gate, Zhao Yan took in the towering walls and guards stationed every few meters. Their uniforms were clearly different from the adventurers, likely belonging to some organized faction. The so-called adventurers looked more like hired hands—whoever paid, they helped, then took their money and left. Zhao Yan was able to walk straight into the town with the adventurers, avoiding any hassle from the guards.
Inside the town, rows of stone buildings lined both sides of the streets, most two to three stories tall. Each building had strange symbols written above them, definitely not from any country on Earth. What surprised Zhao Yan was that he could actually understand these symbols. The buildings were mostly shops, and he peered through the windows, noticing plenty of odd items. Most shops sold armor, weapons, or magical materials, while stores for food, clothes, and daily necessities were few and far between. This imbalance suggested that the world wasn't exactly peaceful; otherwise, there wouldn't be so many weapon shops.
Continuing down the street, Zhao Yan realized he would've easily gotten lost without following the group. The town, though small, had a maze-like network of roads. Just as they turned a corner, they found themselves in a bustling square. Following the noise, Zhao Yan noticed a dense crowd gathered in the plaza. No wonder he hadn't seen many people since entering the town—they were all here!
Looking closely, Zhao Yan noticed that the physical quality of the people was remarkable; he could tell just by their exposed skin. They were unusually tall, with most men around two meters and women about one-eighty. They looked a lot like the adventurers, but if it weren't for their varied appearances, Zhao Yan would've thought they were all cut from the same cloth.
Before he knew it, Zhao Yan had stopped, curious about what the crowd was discussing. But before he could catch any details, the man pulled him along, murmuring, "Don't eavesdrop." Zhao Yan paused, taken aback—was it really a problem to listen in on so many people? But he didn't dare ask, especially with the man's serious expression hinting that there was more to the situation.
They quickly crossed the plaza and arrived at a building that stood out from the others. It was grander, both in size and decoration, with a sign above the door that read "Guild." The man pushed open the three-meter-high door and strode in, prompting Zhao Yan to follow closely behind.
Once inside the guild, Zhao Yan was struck by the chaotic scene. The hall was vast, around three to four hundred square meters, filled with thirty or forty people standing or sitting. Some were gathered around a large recruitment board, likely searching for suitable tasks. The attire of the crowd was bizarre, ranging from fur shorts with bare chests to some guys wearing nothing but speedos, their muscles bulging as they carried heavy weapons. The women, while less extreme, also preferred minimal clothing. One particularly striking woman wore barely anything at all, adorned with feathers that didn't leave much to the imagination. If she were just beautiful, it would be one thing, but she was as muscular as any of the men, and her sharp features left Zhao Yan at a loss for words. In short, the fashion here was far more eccentric than anywhere else in town.
The man didn't even glance at the crowd, and the others didn't seem to pay him any mind either, each focused on their own business. He walked straight to a window at the back, giving a signal to the knife-wielding woman, who then produced the crystals. Counting the one from the Ghost King, there were five in total, with one noticeably larger than the others. She placed the crystals on a silver tray at the window, catching the attention of a woman behind the counter. Her eyes widened as she recognized the crystals, and she jumped up, adjusting her glasses. "Please wait a moment," she said, taking the tray into the back room.
The man pointed to an empty seat beside him and told Zhao Yan, "You can wait here for a bit. I'll find you when I'm done." Zhao Yan nodded and sat down.
He buried his head in his hands, avoiding eye contact with anyone around him. Though these people looked like they stepped straight out of a performance, they all exuded a dangerous vibe. Zhao Yan was well aware of this feeling—the kind that arises when anger escalates into violence. He remembered once witnessing a heated argument that nearly turned fatal, leaving a deep impression on him.
Suddenly, a faint, elderly voice broke through his thoughts. "Have a bite, child." A withered hand appeared before him, offering a plate with skewers of meat. He took one and said, "Thank you," before looking up at the elderly woman who had handed it to him. Her gentle face wore a kind smile, and when she noticed Zhao Yan looking at her, she opened her squinted eyes a bit wider and studied him for a moment before placing the plate on the table. To his surprise, she didn't leave but sat down next to him.
The old lady sat quietly without saying a word. Zhao Yan, still cautious, didn't eat the meat. In such a mixed crowd, accepting food from strangers didn't seem wise. An awkward silence hung between them until she finally broke it, saying, "Why aren't you eating? Kids need to eat to grow." Zhao Yan replied, "I'm not hungry. I don't want to eat." He returned the meat to the plate.
Instead of getting upset, the old lady chuckled. "I didn't expect a child to be so wary. You don't seem like a typical kid." Her words made Zhao Yan uneasy, prompting him to shift slightly away from her.
The old lady continued, "You don't need to be so suspicious. This is the Adventurers' Guild. While all sorts come through here, there's an unspoken rule: any grievances must be settled outside the guild, or the consequences can be severe. So here, in this town, you'll be safe."
Zhao Yan responded, "Grandma, I don't understand what you mean. I really don't feel like eating; it's not about being worried."
Without looking at him, the old lady maintained her calm tone. "I'm old but have seen my fair share of things. You don't need to hide anything from me; I mean you no harm. I noticed you the moment you walked in. You're not like other kids your age. Your demeanor is far too composed, too mature for someone so young." She paused, then added, "Of course, I still see you as a child. But I'm very curious—why do you appear to be a child but act so unlike one? So, I must ask: are you our enemy?"
Despite her question, the warm aura around her didn't fade, making it feel like a neighborly inquiry about dinner. But thinking it over, Zhao Yan found her quite frightening. She could read people so easily just from their behavior. If someone like her wanted to harm him, he probably wouldn't last a day. Moreover, when she said "our," it didn't include him. What could that mean? So, Zhao Yan looked her in the eye and said, "I'm not your enemy."