"So you're the new disciple Master Zhou just took in?"
A gleam flashed in the Middle-aged Escort's eyes.
Even his voice turned unusually gentle.
"Yes."
Chen Feng accepted it openly.
A flicker of reminiscence crossed the Middle-aged Escort's eyes, and he couldn't help sighing.
"Back then, I was this close to becoming Master Zhou's Personal Disciple. After all these years, I still find myself missing those days..."
"So you're my Senior Brother."
Chen Feng cupped his hands in greeting.
Hearing Chen Feng call him Senior Brother, the Middle-aged Escort could barely hide his delight.
Then, as if he felt he was getting carried away, he straightened his face and said solemnly to Chen Feng:
"You can call me Escort Leader Yu. Here at the escort agency, it's best not to call each other Senior Brother or Junior Brother, lest people think we're forming cliques."
Chen Feng nodded in agreement, then asked:
"Escort Leader Yu, what's the process for signing on? Do I need to queue over there?"
"No need. That ring is for Quasi Martial Artists. Once a Blood Refining Realm Martial Artist's identity checks out, he can sign a contract."
"You're a Martial Artist, right?"
Escort Leader Yu seemed to think Chen Feng looked rather young, so he asked just to be sure.
"Yes."
"Then there shouldn't be any problem. And since you're a disciple of the martial arts school, your background is perfectly clean. You can come straight over and sign."
With that, Escort Leader Yu led Chen Feng to a table.
A clerk came over with paper and a writing brush.
"You're only signing on as a part-timer, so this is the contract you'll sign. It gives you more freedom. Just put your name on the agency's roster each day, and you can collect your monthly salary."
"As for escort missions, that's up to you. Come whenever you're free; if you're busy, you can turn them down."
Escort Leader Yu handed Chen Feng the contract.
Chen Feng skimmed through it.
The pay left him stunned.
It was even more than Senior Brother had told him—just having his name on the roster earned him thirty taels a month for free.
He could also claim other high-value Blood Food.
The only restriction was that he couldn't sign on with another escort agency.
That restriction was clearly a reminder that Chen Feng could still go work for a merchant association or some other place and earn a few more salaries.
What kind of treatment was this for an immortal?
Having seen more than enough capitalists in his previous life, Chen Feng began to doubt his own eyes.
Chen Feng couldn't help asking, "Isn't this a little too generous?"
Escort Leader Yu burst into laughter.
"Not at all, not at all."
"Martial Artists are rare. They're welcome anywhere, and you're even Master Zhou's Personal Disciple."
"Personal Disciples are impressive wherever they go. The escort agency can also borrow the martial arts school's reputation and advertise itself."
"If we paid too little and let you go work for another escort agency that then competed with us, the Head Escort would curse me to death."
"Lu Jinghong signed this same contract back then. But his realm was higher, so the actual amount was several times greater."
Chen Feng clicked his tongue in secret.
He was starting to forget what silver even looked like.
After giving the contract one last look and confirming there were no problems, Chen Feng signed his name without hesitation.
Then he pressed his thumbprint onto it.
[Become an Escort Guard...Experience +1000]
Escort Leader Yu watched Chen Feng sign with a beaming smile.
With Chen Feng joining the escort agency, he stood to benefit too.
"Are you interested in escort missions, or do you just want to collect your monthly salary?" Escort Leader Yu asked.
Chen Feng replied, "I'm interested. Do you have any jobs lately? I've been free."
Escort Leader Yu's smile grew even wider.
"We do! Of course we do! Come with me."
Chen Feng followed him across the Training Ground to an open space behind it.
A group of Escort Guards had gathered there.
They seemed to be discussing something.
As soon as they saw Escort Leader Yu, they greeted him.
"Old Yu!"
Then they noticed Chen Feng behind him. One of them asked:
"Who's this...? New here?"
Escort Leader Yu waved in greeting, then said:
"You were still short one person, weren't you? He can fill the spot. He's a Blood Refining Realm Martial Artist—plenty strong!"
The man at the head of the group nodded.
"That works. We were just short one..."
"No!"
Someone suddenly darted out from the side.
"Why does he get to go? Didn't you say that spot was for me?"
The man sprang forward and shouted.
Escort Leader Yu froze, then looked questioningly at the man leading the group of Escort Guards.
"Old Zhang, what's going on? Are you already full?"
Zhang Biao Tou furrowed his brows.
He turned to the man who had suddenly rushed out and said gravely:
"Liu Hong! I told you we'd discuss it. When did I ever promise you anything?"
Liu Hong glared at Chen Feng, unwilling to accept it.
"What about him, then? Escort Leader Yu gives the word and he gets to go on an escort mission? Then what am I?"
Zhang Biao Tou replied gravely:
"I'm in charge. I decide who goes and who doesn't. Besides, I never agreed to take you on in the first place."
Liu Hong let out a contemptuous snort.
"The man Escort Leader Yu brought along is from the martial arts school too, isn't he?"
"It's always like this. Why not just give every spot to the Dragon Walk Martial Arts School? What chance does that leave for the rest of us apprentices?"
Liu Hong looked at them as though he'd seen through it all.
"Liu Hong! Watch your mouth!"
An Escort Guard scolded him sharply.
Liu Hong looked thoroughly unconvinced and shot back:
"Am I wrong? You keep telling me to wait, to wait a little longer, claiming there aren't enough spots. I finally became a Martial Artist, and you still won't let me go on an escort mission!"
"In the end, I'm still just an apprentice, while those martial arts school disciples come in and become Escort Guards right away!"
"Why not just rename this place the Dragon Walk Escort Agency?"
"Liu Hong!" Zhang Biao Tou bellowed.
"This escort mission is extremely important. You weren't suited for it in the first place. Even if he hadn't shown up, we wouldn't have let you go!"
"Heh. Extremely important..."
Liu Hong sneered contemptuously, raised a hand, and pointed at Chen Feng as he addressed the others.
"I saw him on the Training Ground earlier. He's clearly a newcomer who only joined the escort agency today! I bet he hasn't even been trained!"
"It's all just excuses!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Zhang Biao Tou's eyes as he looked at Escort Leader Yu, seeming to seek confirmation.
Letting a complete newcomer go on an escort mission really was far too reckless.
And if he was only getting the position through connections, it wouldn't look good if word got out.
Escort Leader Yu gave a subtle shake of his head.
Zhang Biao Tou immediately understood. There had to be more to it.
At that moment, a young Escort Guard stepped forward and said:
"Escort Leader Yu vouched for him!"
Liu Hong chuckled.
"Heh. Escort Leader Yu came out of the Dragon Walk Martial Arts School too. Who knows if he has an ulterior motive?"
"You—!"
The young Escort Guard was about to retort when others outside gradually gathered around.
There were apprentices as well as Escort Guards.
They seemed to have been drawn by the commotion and had come to see what was going on.
In the end, the retort died on the young Escort Guard's lips, replaced by a cold snort.
He didn't want to keep arguing with Liu Hong.
Whether Escort Leader Yu had an ulterior motive or not, if this blew up, it would damage his reputation and even disrupt harmony within the escort agency.
The young Escort Guard clearly didn't want that to happen.
But Liu Hong was different.
He would've been delighted if the commotion grew as loud as possible.
Anything to ease the frustration pent up in his heart.
Seeing Liu Hong open his mouth to drag the Dragon Walk Martial Arts School into it again, Escort Leader Yu said gravely, "So what are you trying to accomplish by saying all this?"
"Simple!"
Seeing more and more people gather, Liu Hong pointed at Chen Feng.
"I challenge this guy who got in through connections!"
Chen Feng froze.
[Challenged...Experience +100]
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