Chapter 151

Professional.

To those ordinary civilians who never come into contact with any transcendent power in their entire lives, they seem to be no different from ordinary adventurers.

They wear the same thick and expensive armor, fight and kill dangerous magical beasts, and earn the same generous income that they themselves could never make in years.

It is only when they occasionally see those high-and-mighty adventurers—who seem to look down even on the noble knights within the castle—show expressions of envy and awe when mentioning related terms,

that they vaguely perceive the difference between the two.

But when one throws down their hoe, picks up a longsword, faces the warm air rushing toward them as a magical beast roars at close range, and feels the sticky sensation of fresh blood dripping down their cheek;

when they watch with their own eyes as the teammates they spent every day with are torn to shreds by monsters, and trade the hard-earned gold coins for expensive alcohol to numb their nerves,

they finally understand what "Professional" truly means.

Compared to the uncertainty of bottom-tier adventurers,

at least for the vast majority of organizations on the Aifala Continent, if a person obtains a professional level, the improvement in their strength is the most insignificant part of it.

What is more critical is achieving the breakthrough from "0" to "1" on the path of transcendence.

To a certain extent, becoming a Professional, even if only at the most basic Lv1, represents a relatively stable and reachable bright future.

And they truly possess the value of being cultivated.

The Adventurer Association, as a "colossus" that spans the entire continent with an incredibly vast sphere of influence,

has a unique organizational nature that naturally attracts a massive number of adventurers.

And for those individuals among them who have outstanding aptitude, or are simply lucky enough to obtain a professional level,

the Association will also provide a certain amount of encouragement and support.

"Practical and effective high-level combat techniques, high-quality yet low-priced alchemical potions, secret intelligence that is generally difficult to obtain, and even incomparably precious magic equipment..."

"After obtaining a professional level as a member of the Association, these will all be provided to you as benefits through corresponding exchange channels."

The receptionist "Moli," who had short golden hair, said with a serious face.

At this moment, this girl, who was always listless and seemed incredibly tired every second she was at work, had straightened her back, was full of spirit, and showed not a trace of sleepiness.

It was as if she had become a different person, introducing to Xia Nan the generous treatment from the Adventurer Association after becoming a Professional.

The location where the two were currently situated was no longer the crowded Association hall.

Instead, they had moved to a quiet room inside the building that resembled a small conference room.

As for her original duty, it had already been filled by other staff members who were temporarily called in.

Xia Nan sat across the table, his thoughts flowing.

It was actually about what he had guessed before.

For an adventurer like himself who had just obtained a professional level, the Association would not directly provide a large amount of resources.

Instead, it provided a clear path for advancement.

That was also normal.

After all, given the scale of the Adventurer Association, influenced by its own faction and operational methods, it was not like those small and medium-sized organizations that were in urgent need of combat power replenishment.

Naturally, there was no need to increase its appeal through benefits.

The big words "Adventurer Association," and the meaning represented behind them, were already enough.

Of course, likewise, although the Association would not provide many direct rewards to Professionals, it did not have that many restrictions itself.

It would not dictate who you must be enemies with, what things you cannot do, or that you must kneel and salute when seeing certain people.

To a certain extent, it was more like a "platform."

Adventurers obtain gold coins, combat techniques, and paths for professional promotion through tasks issued by the Association;

the Association also expands and increases its influence through the countless adventurers under its banner.

"Please rest assured, this is not the kind of deep binding that requires you to sign a contract and take an oath."

Seeing Xia Nan sitting there without speaking, worried that she hadn't explained clearly and caused the other party to misunderstand something, Moli hurriedly added.

"The benefits I mentioned before are all provided free of charge to Professionals in the Association, as long as you can meet the requirements for the exchange."

After all, in the vast majority of cases, it is perfectly normal for a high-level Professional to have many identities at different levels simultaneously.

A legendary adventurer who enjoys fame on the continent might also be a fanatic believer of some god, and while holding an important position in the church, could also be a member of some fishing hobbyist club.

As the most famous neutral organization on the continent, the Adventurer Association does not impose any constraints on the Professionals within it; in many cases, it is just the most inconspicuous item in a background introduction.

The Association itself even maintains cooperative relationships with many organizations of different factions.

To give a simple example, just like the "Hunting Day" that ended a few days ago, the bounty for Goblins being raised to 5 silver coins each was funded by the Servia Kingdom.

Many high-level figures within the Kingdom actually came from the Association.

When they were young, they also chopped Goblins in the Mist Forest, earned two or three gold coins, and bragged and chatted in the taverns of Hegu Town.

And even so, it did not affect them joining the Kingdom faction after growing up through the Association's resources, as their strength increased and their thinking changed, or even arguing endlessly with the high-level officials of the Association branch over cooperation terms.

The more you want, the more restrictions there are, and the harsher the conditions become.

Of course, the Adventurer Association does not only have free members from various other factions.

Its internal core backbone also has a considerable number, otherwise it would be impossible to support such a huge organizational structure.

However, these were still very far away from the current Xia Nan.

"Regarding the detailed information in this regard... although I know some, restricted by regulations, I really cannot reveal too much. Specifically, you still need to go upstairs and ask the corresponding staff members to understand. I am terribly sorry."

Moli weighed her words and explained cautiously.

At the same time, she looked at Xia Nan in front of her without blinking, as if observing his expression, for fear that he would be angry because of this.

To this, Xia Nan did not feel offended.

At this moment, what he was thinking in his heart was:

According to what the other party said before, if he wants to obtain more resource allocation in the future, or even be absorbed into the core of the organization, he must show his potential and value, and sign a relevant contract to show loyalty.

But on one hand, he has been in this world for less than two hundred days in total, and he has come into contact with too few people and forces, so he does not want to be bound to a certain faction too early.

On the other hand, he has just obtained a professional level now, and has no special contributions, so he should still be far from being actively absorbed by the Association, and there is no rush at all.

So he nodded, signaling that he understood what the other party meant, and went straight to the point:

"So, to go up to the second floor of the Association, you don't need to sign any contracts or the like with you, right?"

"That's right, Mr. Xia Nan!"

"Then..." His eyes turned, with some doubts, Xia Nan's gaze swept across the conference room where they were currently located.

Seeing this, Moli's expression suddenly became a bit awkward, she coughed twice, and as her lips parted, she recited the rhetoric she had already memorized:

"Uh, respected Profes... Lord Xia Nan, the Adventurer Association always adheres to the principle of 'rights and responsibilities shining together.' Just as a blade needs to be carefully measured to fit perfectly with the scabbard, a practical test is a necessary procedure to ensure that you understand the equivalence of a Professional's rights and responsibilities. It is not a simple authority assessment, and it is definitely not a questioning of your aptitude; this is precisely..."

The highly familiar official rhetoric made Xia Nan's expression suddenly become a bit subtle.

On the outside, he still appeared very polite, listening carefully to the script that the other party had obviously worked hard to memorize, but on the inside, he had consciously omitted the useless embellishments and was quickly extracting the key information.

Until Moli in front of him finished reciting everything, he asked again:

"To sum up, you mean that before I can officially go up to the second floor as a Professional, I still need to complete a task, is that right?"

"Yes, yes!"

Originally thinking about whether to omit and explain it again, seeing that Xia Nan understood her meaning immediately, Moli's expression was surprised, and she nodded repeatedly.

"The difficulty is basically not too high, even those Professionals whose initial abilities are slightly insufficient can easily complete it."

"It's just that because of a small problem during the Hunting Day recently, the staff member responsible for issuing relevant tasks is not in Hegu Town, so you probably need to wait for about three or four days."

Seeing Moli's apologetic look, Xia Nan waved his hand, signaling the other party not to worry.

Having just been promoted to a Professional, he originally wanted to rest for a while and practice the combat techniques he had newly mastered.

Three or four days was actually a bit short for him.

However, since the other party had already said it was just a task that even the most ordinary Professional could complete, with his current obviously "over-modeled" attributes, there shouldn't be too much of a problem.

"Then I will come back in five days."

Xia Nan got up and intended to leave.

Seeing that he was so easy to talk to, Moli's originally tense heart couldn't help but relax.

Thinking of something else, even though there was no one else in the room, she still looked left and right with a guilty conscience, leaned closer, and whispered a reminder:

"Mr. Xia Nan, although the specific content of the task is not yet clear, according to the news I have heard in recent days, the location of the task can be roughly confirmed."

"Oh? Tell me."

"It should be... Niumu."

Outside the Adventurer Association, the bustling street.

It was already approaching evening.

Xia Nan was walking on the road to the White Tit Tavern, recalling the conversation with the Association receptionist "Moli" just now.

"Five days... Niumu..."

Speaking of which, he had heard of this largest city near Hegu Town for a long time.

He had thought about going there to see the world sometime, but because of various tasks one after another, he never had the opportunity.

Now, taking advantage of the "business trip," it could be considered as fulfilling his small wish.

While pondering, a burst of noise suddenly came from the side of the road.

His gaze looked over subconsciously.

He saw a slightly plump woman with curly hair and rimless glasses on the bridge of her nose, standing on the side of the street with an angry face.

She was also holding a long soup ladle dripping with thick liquid.

"Ms. Edwinna?"

Xia Nan naturally recognized the owner of "Green Grass Crucible" at a glance.

He felt strange in his heart.

In his impression, although Ms. Edwinna liked strong liquor, her own personality was famously gentle, and the various ointments and plasters sold in the shop were much cheaper than those in the alchemist's small shop in the Association.

Her reputation among adventurers was quite good.

Being so angry now...

His gaze followed the direction the other party was glaring at, and he immediately understood.

He saw the middle-aged man who had been kicked out of the blacksmith shop by "Rock Hammer" Ba'en, standing in front of the lady in a wretched and embarrassed manner, carrying a small package, and retreating constantly.

Without a doubt, he had failed at "touch-porcelain" (scamming) again.

Having worked in the adventurer line for nearly half a year, he knew that the bottom-tier adventurers were a mixed bag, and there were all kinds of people.

But he was seeing someone like the man in front of him who wasn't afraid of death for the first time.

From "Rock Hammer" to "Green Grass Crucible," he might have even gone to "Fairy Wind" to make a scene.

With the speed of information dissemination in Hegu Town, the other party's identity characteristics would probably be spread to all the shops in the town, big and small, and he would be blacklisted before tomorrow night.

And without the supply of replenishment, for adventurers struggling in dangerous magical beast gathering places, there was only a dead end left.

He shook his head slightly, not intending to pay attention anymore.

However, a young-faced adventurer with a square face suddenly stepped out of the crowd.

As the owner of a famous herbal shop in town, there were not a few people who wanted to get on good terms with Ms. Edwinna.

Not to mention how much discount they would get when consuming in the future, just a simple favor was enough to make many adventurers act "chivalrously."

Even, when this clever square-faced adventurer walked out with his sword, many bystanders in the crowd showed expressions of annoyance, regretting why they hadn't thought of it.

Naturally, it was impossible to kill someone on the street; the square-faced adventurer just wanted to take advantage of the large number of onlookers to show off, earn a favor by the way, and threaten and intimidate a few words.

In front of him, the middle-aged man standing on the street seemed to have been stimulated by something, his face was pale, he was lost, and even his eyes seemed to have become dazed and uncertain.

Facing the square-faced man holding a weapon, his thin body swayed and he took the initiative to meet him.

"You dare!?"

Seeing the other party's action, thinking that he was angry from embarrassment because the scam failed, the square-faced adventurer immediately tilted the single-handed sword he was originally holding with the tip down, made an attack posture, and intended to teach the other party a lesson in his heart.

"Swoosh... Clatter!"

Then, there was the sluggish sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh, and the uproar after the surrounding crowd was silent for an instant.

From Xia Nan's perspective, he saw it very clearly.

Facing the square-faced adventurer who had tilted his sword and was ready for battle, the middle-aged man didn't dodge or hide, but embraced him as if he were hugging him.

And for some reason, the square-faced man also seemed to have lost the ability to react in a short time, and was stunned on the spot.

He let the middle-aged man walk in and hug him tightly.

Letting the blade pierce through his chest and abdomen.

Hum——

The adventurers who were originally gathered around suddenly fell into chaos.

Some were screaming, some were running, and among them were even those who were petty thieves.

In just a few seconds, dozens of onlookers, including the square-faced adventurer, fled.

Only Ms. Edwinna, who was standing on the side of the street at a loss because of the sudden development of the matter, was left.

And on the cold ground, the middle-aged man who was motionless and had a strange and peaceful death.

Too lazy to get involved, Xia Nan couldn't help but quicken his pace to leave.

However, he noticed something strange in his heart.

After the riot, the package that the middle-aged man was originally carrying also disappeared from his body.

"He's quite bold, I don't know who snatched it away."

(End of chapter)