Opening the Curtain of Adventure

Zhang Yuan, upon arriving at the bounty board, didn't rush to accept any missions. Instead, he scanned his surroundings, intending to find a companion team first.

As a novice who had never even killed a chicken and lacked survival training, he was self-aware enough to know this.

While looking around, a familiar tall figure caught his eye. Zhang Yuan walked up and patted the big man's shoulder, "Hey, Sory, it's me, Charnem."

The big man, turning around, was taken aback upon seeing Zhang Yuan. He scratched his head and looked down at him, "Oh, which mage are you? Do you need something?"

"I plan to take on missions to earn money. Do you have a regular mercenary team?" Zhang Yuan, who had learned from Kent that this big man, despite being a bit slow-witted, was reliable in both strength and character, extended his invitation.

The big man blinked his small eyes, surprisingly a bit cute, and said in a deep voice, "I already have a regular team, so I can't join yours."

Seeing that the other party hadn't understood his intention, Zhang Yuan decided to be direct, "Do you still need people? Would you welcome a mage to join you?"

The big man looked very hesitant, "I don't know. I need to discuss it with the captain and the others."

As Sory was explaining, a man in full armor, carrying a long sword and shield, suddenly walked over. He playfully slapped Sory's head and chuckled, "After you finish considering, they'll all be gone. Won't you invite this esteemed guest to our base to talk?"

The big man, whose head had just been patted, chuckled twice and stepped aside without arguing, allowing the newcomer to converse with Zhang Yuan.

"Hello, I am Sory's captain. I'm very pleased to hear you're interested in joining our team. My name is Skar." The man extended his hand in a friendly gesture.

Hearing the name, Zhang Yuan was momentarily stunned. Among the many members of the Flaming Fist, Skar was one of the few names he remembered from the game.

Snapping back to reality, Zhang Yuan shook Skar's hand in response, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain Skar. You can just call me Charnem."

"Alright, then may I know your class, level, and school of magic, Mr. Charnem?"

Mentioning his magic level, Zhang Yuan replied somewhat sheepishly, "I'm a level one mage, general school. I currently know seven level one spells."

Fearing he might be rejected due to his low level, Zhang Yuan quickly added, "But my physical condition is good, and I can undergo melee training."

This was true. Although he couldn't precisely measure his physical strength after the system's modifications, the feeling was quite noticeable. Whether it was the more defined muscle contours on his body, the lighter and quicker pace when walking, or even that despite eating and sleeping poorly since his transmigration, he still felt energetic every morning.

The system hadn't lied to him. Both the spells he successfully cast and the improved physical condition confirmed that the Bladesinger class he had taken must be real.

Zhang Yuan hatched a plan: joining a mercenary team would be perfect for letting those professional fighters train him, and he could see if he could develop his Bladesinger class. He secretly schemed how to convince them to accept him.

"No problem, you're welcome to join our team!" Skar made a decision straightforwardly.

"Uh~ Thank you." Zhang Yuan, who hadn't expected such a quick agreement, didn't know what to say. All the reasons he had prepared were now useless.

"Is it rare for a mage to join the Flaming Fist?" Zhang Yuan, very curious about how easily he was invited to join the team, asked.

Skar sighed and said, "Those mage lords aren't easily hired. Either they come from noble backgrounds and are so wealthy they don't need to consider money, or they've been trained by their mentors since childhood and don't need to earn this bounty."

"Only those wandering mages with no roots in the area would accept missions from the mercenary guild. Moreover, a considerable number of them simply become magical advisors to nobles," Skar continued to explain.

"But I only know level one spells. Aren't you worried about my lack of strength?" Since the other party was so accommodating, Zhang Yuan became more forthright.

Skar chuckled and said, "Level one spells can already provide some auxiliary support. Besides, let me ask you, do you have a fixed salary?"

Zhang Yuan began to understand and said, "No. Do you mean the team's income distribution?"

"That's right. You catch on quite quickly. You're not a member of the Flaming Fist and don't have a fixed salary, so we only need to pay you a share of each bounty," Skar said, straightening his expression. He reminded Zhang Yuan somewhat seriously, "Besides the fixed salaries of our members, all other income in our team is distributed based on performance and contribution. So, as an unofficial member, if your performance doesn't measure up, even if you're a mage, you won't receive any special treatment."

Hearing these words, Zhang Yuan felt no resistance. On the contrary, he felt a bit more at ease. After all, to be accepted so easily and offered a lucrative position, he felt he didn't have the face for such a thing.

If something like this fell into his lap, it could only mean one of two things: either his parents, secretly billionaires, had specifically started a company for him to practice with, or he'd run into an organization that asked if you'd heard of Amway upon meeting you.

Thus, student Zhang, filled with curiosity, anticipation, and the nervousness of an interview, followed Skar and the big man all the way to the team's base.

The so-called base was actually a private residence with its own small courtyard. Upon opening the door, the courtyard was filled with various training equipment – stone locks, barbells, archery targets, everything one could imagine, like a small training ground.

Passing through the training ground, they reached the entrance of the residence. It was a two-story flat-roofed building, entirely constructed from solid, large stones. The windows were small, and the flat roof was surrounded by a low wall with small battlements.

Zhang Yuan couldn't help but grin, looking at it. Is this a mercenary team's base? It looks more like a Japanese watchtower!

This architectural style, inherited from the Flaming Fist headquarters and even the Grand Duke's mansion, could only mean one thing: Baldur's Gate and even the Sword Coast region, for the most part, couldn't afford to dream of peace. Consequently, all critical structures were designed with military utility as the primary consideration.

Thinking this, Zhang Yuan's heart felt a bit heavier. He shook his head, trying to clear these jumbled thoughts, and followed Skar into the building.

Upon entering, he found the base surprisingly quiet. Apart from a few members still diligently training in the courtyard, the dormitories were almost empty.

Skar seemed to perceive his confusion, "Today, besides Sory and me being on duty at headquarters, all other team members are either on leave or out on missions. Never mind that, follow me."

Leading Zhang Yuan to the second floor, Skar pointed to a few empty rooms, "The rooms downstairs are all occupied. There are a few empty rooms up here; feel free to pick one."