In the eyes of adventurers, this was a 2,000-silver-coin job. Which applicant wouldn't covet it? Which one didn't hope to become the final pick, the lucky one?
But to the wealthy patron, it was only a small job. Two thousand silver coins was pocket change. All in all, it was nothing more than a fairly minor errand.
Who got picked and who didn't came down to the patron's mood and first impression, didn't it?
After learning the full story behind the conflict, Mr. Ming set aside his prejudice against the Mushroom People. He felt that their bearing and abilities really did make them a good fit for the job.
And with Elder Ji's enthusiastic support, he ought to grant him this small favor. Elder Ji hadn't explicitly recommended them, but the good things he'd said about the Mushroom People had exceeded all his comments on the previous adventurers combined.
Mr. Ming understood the unspoken implications. As the Abyss Clan's steward, responsible for their daily lives, he naturally had no shortage of social savvy or perceptiveness.
Whether or not these Mushroom People had a personal connection to Elder Ji, it was still a small favor worth granting. Besides, Mr. Ming had a good first impression of them.
They were respectful and humble, but not obsequious. They weren't groveling without limits, either. Their pride might have seemed out of place, but that very attitude showed that the Mushroom People had principles and self-respect.
People like that were actually more reassuring to entrust with a task.
"Elder Ji, I've looked over the Mushroom People's records, and the interview went well. No wonder you thought highly of them. All right, I'll take this group."
By rights, Mr. Ming was hiring Jiang Yue and the others, so he ought to have spoken directly to Jiang