Adventurer Guild

A gust of thick, intoxicating perfume hit him before the woman did.

He Xi instinctively reached out to steady her.

The woman leaned into his embrace, her breath warm as she whispered, "Thank you, sir."

As He Xi pulled his hand back, he felt a slender finger gently brush across his palm.

She gave him a meaningful, flirtatious glance before turning away.

Her hips swayed, her rear tracing a suggestive arc as she sauntered toward the alley entrance.

She paused at the mouth of the alley, looking back with a smile, her eyes twinkling as she met He Xi's gaze.

He Xi smiled and nodded, as if he understood.

Deeper in the alley, several other women, similarly scantily clad, cast watchful glances, assuming the deal was about to be made.

He Xi called out to Bruce, who was still licking his lips, and continued westward along Rose Avenue.

He showed no intention of following her into the alley, which exuded an ambiguous aura.

The smile on the woman's face at the alley entrance froze.

He Xi understood the situation perfectly.

The woman's little tricks were subtle; the faint physical contact and suggestive hints could indeed attract many travelers seeking comfort on their journeys.

But He Xi was waiting to see if a "favorability" notification would pop up in his mind—after all, he had helped her.

Unfortunately, there was no reaction.

It seemed he had already exhausted all avenues for gaining favorability through basic acts of kindness back in Plint.

He mentally labeled the woman "stingy"—she didn't even give him 1 point for analysis!

Of course, the main reason was... after traveling with a lady of Annis's caliber in terms of looks and temperament, He Xi's standards had been unconsciously raised considerably.

He was now largely immune to streetwalkers with such a common, flirtatious air and ordinary looks.

"But..." he mused, making a subconscious comparison, "she's still a bit bigger than Annis."

After walking along the avenue for less than an hour, He Xi finally saw the destination the vendor had mentioned.

It was a three-story stone building with a massive oak notice board at its entrance.

While not the tallest building in Rose Town, its solid stone construction and the constant stream of people clearly marked it as special.

An impressive crest hung above the entrance—

Within a stylized frost flower, an ancient iron crown blazed as if eternally aflame.

This was the Adventurer Guild of Rose Town.

People in various attire, carrying weapons, entered and exited, their faces bearing the weathered look characteristic of adventurers.

He Xi's curiosity was piqued by the large oak notice board.

He stepped closer and found it densely covered in text.

"...The Adventurer Guild, found throughout the continent, was formerly known as the 'Hearthstone Stronghold.'

Its founder was a legendary warrior of the Frost Winter Kingdom, the former Grand Duke of the Northern Territory, known as the 'Winter Iron Wall'—Viran Ironcrown I.

Approximately two hundred and forty years ago, during the catastrophe known as the 'Endless Winter,' the Winter Kingdom was nearly destroyed by extreme cold and the ravages of Frost Trolls.

Duke Viran repelled the enemy with his unparalleled might, but he also knew that scattered mortal resistance would ultimately fail against such a disaster.

He understood the desperate pleas of the displaced refugees and saw the plight of countless powerful adventurers who possessed great strength but had no cause to fight for.

Thus, in the year 120 of the Kingdom's calendar, he rallied support in Rime City and founded the 'Hearthstone Stronghold,' vowing to ignite a shared hearth and raise a beacon of hope for all resilient souls amidst the endless winter night.

The initial strongholds quickly evolved into lifelines that integrated forces, issued commissions, and provided shelter, ultimately helping the kingdom survive the catastrophe.

Subsequently, the Viran Family, through cooperation with various powers across the continent, established unified rating standards and management systems. The 'Hearthstone Stronghold' eventually transformed into the Adventurer's Guild we know today, found all over the world.

Duke Viran's foresight and magnanimity are remembered by posterity as an immortal legend, as great as his peerless martial prowess."

After reading this epic, brief history, He Xi felt a surge of respect for the organization.

It hadn't appeared out of nowhere but originated from the trials of survival and a belief in protection.

Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his clothing and, with Bruce looking around curiously beside him, strode towards the grand doors that marked the beginning of countless adventures.

Upon entering the Adventurer Guild, He Xi was first struck by the sense of openness.

The main hall featured a double-height design, allowing a view from the first floor all the way up to the wooden dome on the third floor, making the entire space feel exceptionally vast. Even filled with people, it wouldn't feel overly cramped.

In the center was a long oak counter, behind which sat two attendants in uniform, busily handling their tasks.

On either side, winding wooden staircases led to private rooms and rest areas on the second floor.

At this moment, the first-floor hall was crowded with all sorts of people.

He Xi's gaze swept quickly across them.

Most adventurers were gathered in twos, threes, or fours and fives, laughing and talking loudly.

There were also a few lone wolves, silently standing before a large wooden board by the wall, seemingly studying the commissions posted on it.

He Xi tried to sense the auras of these people.

If he took Kadan, the captain of the Plint Guard and an introductory-level warrior, as a baseline, then the vast majority of people in the hall had aura strengths not much different from Kadan's, with some even being slightly weaker.

Translating this into the Adventurer leveling system Annis had mentioned, it meant most of them were below level 20, not yet having broken through to the level of formal professionals.

Of course, there were a few individuals in the crowd who clearly stood out from the rest.

The method of judgment was simple—look at their equipment and demeanor.

Those truly powerful Adventurers wore well-crafted equipment, some even faintly shimmering with magical light, silently showcasing their considerable value.

Especially those heavily armored warriors, clad in gleaming, heavy plate armor that would likely make it difficult for ordinary people to even stand normally, let alone move freely.

Besides them, there were servants surrounded by elemental wisps beside the Mages, or contracted magical beasts with fierce eyes that clearly meant business, accompanying the Rangers.

He Xi's gaze swept over the shimmering weapons and armor of others, then he looked down at his own faded, coarse cloth clothes, and at Bruce, who was sticking out his tongue and looking around curiously at his feet...

The stark contrast made him instantly feel like he wasn't here to register as an Adventurer, but rather to apply for a job as a backyard woodcutter or a kitchen helper.

And among them all, the one who made him feel the most pressure was the "iron tower" standing against the wall not far away.

The man was nearly two meters tall, and a set of ancient-styled, dark plate armor covered his entire body completely.

His physique was so broad that He Xi had no doubt that two of him could easily fit inside that set of armor.

He simply stood there silently, yet a heart-stopping sense of pressure washed over him.