Revisiting

The familiar streets were packed with people coming and going early in the morning.

Or rather, this was the time when most Professionals entered the Secret Realm. Lu PingAn and Cat Cat had arrived late before.

Lu PingAn stood alone in front of the same shop as before, looking somewhat lonely.

It was not that he had not invited Cat Cat. She had come early in the morning to refresh his buffs and bring breakfast, but she had refused.

Why? What reason did an exam candidate need for not being allowed out? In the final week, she had her own study plan, along with the intensive hell week her brother had arranged for her.

"I'll remember this grudge. smile"

Lu PingAn himself did not mind, but it was a shame that Cat Cat might have to stop providing buffs, especially since they had made an agreement before.

"Actually, it's fine, meow. I mainly wanted to reach Tier 1 Runner, and I've already done that. But if possible..."

He and Cat Cat agreed that, if they had time, they would meet at nine every day in front of this shop by the Forest Secret Realm to refresh buffs and exchange supplies, as well as pick up some freshly made breakfast from Cat Cat. To be honest, Little Shui Yun's cooking was surprisingly good.

The two exam candidates each began their own pre-exam sprint.

As for Lu PingAn's plan, it was the advice Chris had given him.

"Among the Tier 3 intelligence-enhancing potions, we're out of Andrew's Whisker Tea, Strong Magic Potion, and Yu Dragon Egg Potion. We do have White Manla Wine in stock, but that's a Tier 4 magic potion. It's a little too strong."

Gardeners were considered part of the Logistics Department because they excelled at cultivating all kinds of magical plants, which were the raw materials for various alchemical and magic potions.

Chris's first suggestion to Lu PingAn had been to take potions.

While one was still at the mortal stage, even a little magic potion could bring enormous improvements.

"Are there no lower-tier intelligence-enhancing magic potions?"

"Potions that provide permanent boosts start at Tier 3. There are several Tier 2 ones, but their side effects are severe. Legitimate companies like ours don't sell them. If something happens, we'll get sued."

So less legitimate companies sold them?

"If you really need them, you can go to the other districts..."

Lu PingAn was lucky. After making the rounds, four days later, Senior Zhao Ying was still on duty.

It was easier to talk to someone he knew, especially someone he had traded with before. Naturally, everything was negotiable.

Once this senior confirmed that Lu PingAn truly had a need, she quietly introduced him to certain Black Market sources for potions and slipped him a note.

Lu PingAn thanked her, accepted it directly, and exchanged contact information with her.

The "Scholar" and "Gardener" experience she had provided on the first day had been quite substantial.

If she had not been so far away, Lu PingAn would have wanted to sign a long-term contract with her.

"...So you only have Tier 4 magic potions here? Then there's nothing to be done."

The "pollution" attached to Tier 4 magic potions far exceeded Lu PingAn's current tier. An ordinary low-tier Professional would definitely mutate after one sip.

But what truly made Lu PingAn give up was the six-figure price tag.

Yet rather than discouraging him, it made him feel excited and expectant.

"At least Gardeners do have a bright financial future. As long as things go smoothly, paying off my debts shouldn't be much of a problem."

Distant water could not quench immediate thirst. Lu PingAn had limited time and had not held much hope for magic potions to begin with; he had only come to ask about the price in case there was a chance. A certain Big Cat was too high-end to even know the market price of "low-tier magic potions."

Lu PingAn quietly asked about the average price of Tier 2 intelligence-enhancing magic potions—with extremely severe side effects—and received the ambiguous answer of thirty to fifty thousand.

"...Not really worth it."

"It really isn't cost-effective. They're expensive and the side effects are huge. If you're not in a rush, take it slow."

Taking potions was merely the easiest path Chris had pointed out. Since it would not work, he would take another route.

"...As expected, I still need to enter the Secret Realm."

After thanking Senior Zhao and giving her a buff, Lu PingAn left the pharmaceutical company's storefront without immediately entering the Secret Realm.

This time, he might be gone for quite a while, so he needed to make more preparations.

He made a roundabout trip and arrived at the shop next to the one where he had once sold stolen goods.

"Excuse me, do you provide guide services here?"

Inside the small shop, three to five people were each busy with their own business.

Even when someone entered, they did not look up, simply waiting for him to negotiate with the owner.

These kinds of shops could be found outside many Secret Realms. They were specialized mercenary agencies that provided paid services to clients.

"Tier 1 mercenaries are five hundred a day, Tier 2 are a thousand a day. We take a fifteen percent agency fee. Generally, twenty percent of your earnings goes to the mercenary as their cut, though you can forget it if your daily earnings are under a thousand. We also have Tier 3 mercenaries, but you need to book in advance, and they cost at least three thousand a day."

The prices were surprisingly down-to-earth.

Lu PingAn was surprised to realize that the compensation Xia Qin had offered for his internship that day might originally have been intended for a Tier 3 Professional.

"That's only the base rate. Everyone's different. You can tell me what you need and your total budget, then we'll see who's available."

Lu PingAn understood immediately. A Tier 2 combat Professional and a Tier 2 Logistics Department Professional were definitely not of the same strength or price.

Even among combat Professionals, the Tier 2 Secret Realm Keepers tempered through countless trials in the Special Task Force were fundamentally incomparable to wild Tier 2 Professionals outside.

"I'll be gathering magical plants and training inside for around three days. I need a Tier 1 melee Professional. Seven to eight hundred a day at most. I may be going fairly far in, but I'll bring my own supplies and medicine."

It was a very standard student training commission. The mercenaries in the shop looked at one another, but in the end, none of them moved.

The job was a little too long, the student had little money, and the pay was not high.

The client also looked like a high school student. Anyone could tell that his Gardener Profession Skills were probably quite low.

That meant there was no reason to expect much from the Secret Realm profit share, which was the main source of income.

Students were also famously difficult to serve and full of trouble. No one wanted to wait on some lord for that little pay.

The shop owner, a middle-aged man, looked helpless and had no choice but to call people out by name.

"Ai Ke?"

"I have an appointment. The other party will be here in two hours."

"Li Wei?"

"I'm tired. Taking the day off."

A young man sprawled in a recliner and let out a lazy yawn.

Fine, he could not even be bothered to make up an excuse.

The owner looked around. Seeing that no one wanted to move, he could only sigh helplessly.

"...I have a newcomer here. He's a Tier 1 boxer. He isn't picky about work, he's quite capable, and he charges the base rate. It's just..."

"I'll take him."

Lu PingAn agreed immediately, cutting off the rest of the owner's words.

"Alright, please wait a moment. I'll contact him now."

The mercenaries, however, were looking at Lu PingAn strangely. Some of them even seemed to be... sympathetic?

While waiting, Lu PingAn spotted a strange poster.

It was an extremely crude wanted poster. It showed only a faceless man laughing wildly, with a lit bomb in each hand.

"A bounty for the Nameless Bomber? Five thousand for clues, ten thousand for the person, posted by the Dragon Snake Gang?"

Lu PingAn was a little surprised. Not because someone had put a bounty on him, but because the poster was still here. Trouble had not come knocking, which meant...

"Those four guys actually didn't give out my information. Looks like they were really scared out of their wits?"

Lu PingAn had not expected them to keep quiet. Since he had dared to do it, he was not afraid of trouble.

"Heh, putting out a warrant for me? Maybe there'll be some new fun to play with."

The Dragon Snake Gang's tyranny was within expectations. After all, they relied on their reputation to collect tolls.

Still, the loyalty of those little wolves had caught him somewhat off guard.

"I heard... there's work?"

At that moment, the mercenary Lu PingAn had hired finally arrived, and he understood why the other mercenaries had looked at him with such sympathy.