Zhao Yan didn't expect that the elderly man, who appeared so kind and gentle, had such sharp eyes. With just a glance, the old man could tell there was something different about him. But since he didn't seem hostile, Zhao Yan decided to probe cautiously. "Why do you ask?"
The old lady, seemingly lost in her own thoughts, muttered to herself, "Maybe, you're like him."
This cryptic reply left Zhao Yan feeling frustrated. It seemed the conversation was over, and he wasn't interested in pushing further. He knew better than to pry into things that didn't concern him—it was safer that way. However, sitting in complete silence also felt awkward, so he shifted the conversation to something less personal.
"Granny, can you tell me about these adventurers? I was brought to this town by one of them, but it seems like they don't get along with each other. It feels like they've just been thrown together."
The old woman sighed deeply, as if recalling memories she'd rather forget. "Adventurers are a loose group, a mix of people who take on work for bounty money. Most of them come from poor backgrounds or prefer to live without rules. Many of them don't like working in groups, but the guild sometimes puts them together for specific tasks, like the team you saw. They may not be as strong as teams who've been working together for years, but at least it reduces the risk of casualties. You see, adventurers are fewer in number these days. Many die fighting monsters, and those with real strength usually join the army, where the pay is better, and the risks are lower."
Pointing toward the group, she continued, "The man who brought you is a third-level adventurer. That sturdy woman over there is only first level, while the female mage is fourth level. However, mages are always ranked a level higher in terms of power, so she's equal to the man in strength. The higher the rank, the more powerful they are. And above the fifth level, there's a secret rank called 'Special Grade.' These adventurers are said to be as strong as the elite forces of the army, but they only appear for special missions."
Zhao Yan nodded as he listened, now understanding why the adventurers seemed unfamiliar with each other. They were indeed a temporary team, brought together by the guild for this specific mission. But something still bothered him.
"So, even in these temporary teams, they don't bother learning each other's names?" Zhao Yan asked, puzzled.
The old woman shook her head. "It's not that they don't bother; it's that they shouldn't. Every adventurer uses an alias when they register. These names mean nothing, just placeholders. Nobody uses them to address each other because knowing someone's real name could be dangerous. Imagine a notorious adventurer who has betrayed teammates in the past. If everyone knew his true identity, no one would want to work with him. But the guild might still pair him with others for missions because his skills are irreplaceable. It's a way to keep the system functioning."
Zhao Yan understood. It made sense—if the wrong people knew your real name, you could be in trouble. The guild's system of forced cooperation kept people from turning into bandits or worse, but it also meant you could never fully trust anyone. Before Zhao Yan could ask more, the man who had brought him called out, "Let's go, we're done here."
Just as Zhao Yan stood up, a loud slap echoed through the guild hall. Every head turned toward the source of the sound. The cold-faced man had been slapped so hard by the female mage that he was now sitting on the floor, clutching his reddened cheek.
The hall, which had been noisy, fell silent. Zhao Yan remembered the rules the old woman mentioned—no one was allowed to fight in the guild hall, no matter how deep the grudge. Yet, the mage had slapped the man without hesitation. Before anyone could react, the bespectacled guild clerk approached. The mage pulled out a few coins from her robe and handed them to him. The clerk, seeing that she didn't intend to strike again, silently accepted the coins and walked away.
The cold-faced man sat on the floor, clearly embarrassed, not knowing what to say. The mage, however, was furious. "You think you can form a permanent team with me after using a child as a human shield? You're scum!" With that, she stormed out.
The cold-faced man glared at Zhao Yan before he turned his gaze away, thinking, Why is he looking at me like that? It's not my fault! Just then, the man who had brought Zhao Yan stepped in, blocking the cold man's gaze with his body, and they both left the guild together.
Outside, the man's expression was still dark. Sensing something was wrong, Zhao Yan asked, "What's bothering you?"
The man seemed surprised by Zhao Yan's concern. After all, Zhao Yan had been quiet and obedient throughout the journey. But despite his surprise, the man sighed and vented his frustration. "That damn mission was rigged. They said there'd be three minor ghosts, but there was an extra one—and a ghost lord, too! If I hadn't been strong enough, a regular third-level team would've been wiped out."
Zhao Yan was curious about the cold man's involvement. "What does that have to do with him?"
"He's the one who posted the job. He was setting us up! Damn lord's fourth son... I swear, if I ever get my hands on him, he'll regret it!" the man spat on the ground angrily.
Hearing the term "lord," Zhao Yan understood. The cold man was likely the son of a local mayor, a privileged official's child. It made sense now why the man hadn't been more outraged when he used Zhao Yan as a shield. Nobody wanted to offend someone with that kind of power in the town. Zhao Yan let out a sigh. Different world, same problems. It seemed that no matter where he went, some things remained the same.
They found an inn for the night, though the innkeeper clearly didn't like adventurers and gave them a cold reception. Their room was small, with just two beds and a tiny cabinet near a window. The man collapsed onto one of the beds without even taking off his clothes, clearly exhausted. Zhao Yan, with only a cloth draped over him, wrapped himself up and fell into a restless sleep.
In his dreams, everything was loud and chaotic. He could hear voices, but they were muffled. He struggled to open his eyes, his eyelids feeling unbearably heavy. When he finally managed to open them slightly, he saw his mother standing beside him, her shoulders trembling as she cried, one hand resting on his.
"Mom…" Zhao Yan tried to reach out, his hand barely moving.
His mother, sensing his movement, looked up in concern, her tear-streaked face breaking into a relieved smile. "You're awake… I was so scared. If anything had happened to you, how could I go on living?"
As she spoke, her tears flowed even more freely.
Zhao Yan wanted to comfort her, but his body still felt numb, likely due to some kind of drug. He could barely feel anything aside from the heavy sensation in his limbs. Straining, he grabbed his mother's hand and whispered, "I'm okay." But even saying those few words triggered a fit of coughing.
His mother hurriedly gave him some water, and as Zhao Yan drank, he noticed the room was full of his colleagues. Despite the fact that he had just woken up, they were laughing and talking amongst themselves, showing little concern for his condition. Zhao Yan sighed inwardly. These weren't friends, just people he worked with. They were here out of obligation, worried that if they didn't visit, it would reflect poorly on their reputation.
Seeing their indifferent faces, Zhao Yan felt a surge of disgust. I'd rather they hadn't come at all.