Task

As a guild receptionist and guide, Su Ya met countless new martial artists every day and had developed a keen eye for observation.

The moment the young man, who looked about seventeen or eighteen, stepped into the guild hall, he caught her attention.

He walked with unhurried confidence and had a solid foundation of vital energy. His every gesture hinted at a deep grounding in martial arts. People like him usually appeared among the elite freshmen at martial arts universities, who had received systematic training from a young age.

Her smile softened a little. "Is this your first time at the Martial Arts Guild? How can I help you?"

Li He collected himself and replied, "Hello. I'd like to register as a martial artist and take on a mission."

"I understand. Please come with me, and I'll take you to the certification counter."

She stepped aside and gestured for him to follow, then walked half a step ahead of Li He with a light stride, explaining as they went:

"Sir, our hall mainly serves First-Rank Martial Artists. The center of the lobby is the holographic mission board, where all public missions are updated in real time. The service counters are around the perimeter and include registration and certification, resource exchange..."

Su Ya spoke at a measured pace and explained things clearly, giving Li He a basic understanding of the hall's layout.

Soon, they arrived at a counter.

A dozen or so people were in line, most of them young people around Li He's age.

"The registration and certification counter is right here. Please join the line," Su Ya said, stopping with a smile. "Just have your ID card and the proof of identity issued by your martial arts hall ready. The registration fee is 100 Federation Credits. When it's your turn, the staff will guide you through the rest of the information collection and ID card process."

"All right, thank you, Miss Su Ya," Li He said. The receptionist's service really was pleasant.

"You're welcome. It's my job." Su Ya dipped her head slightly. "I hope your registration goes smoothly. If you have any questions afterward, feel free to find me at the information desk."

The line moved quickly.

Soon, it was Li He's turn.

He stepped up to the counter and handed in his ID card and documents.

The staff member quickly entered his information.

[Affiliated Organization: Yellow Mountain Martial Arts Hall]

[Organization Type: Private Martial Arts Hall]

[Student Name: Li He]

[Rank: First-Rank]

Su Ya had been standing not far away, seemingly arranging the brochures beside her while secretly keeping an eye on him. Her gaze swept over the display screen at the counter.

When she saw the words Yellow Mountain Martial Arts Hall, surprise flickered in her eyes.

"A private martial arts hall?" It was completely at odds with her earlier guess, and she lost interest in striking up another conversation. Somewhat bored, she walked away.

"Hello. Here's your Martial Artist Hunter ID card," the staff member said, handing it to Li He. "Your information has been synced to your personal terminal. You can take on missions now."

"Thank you." Li He took the card. It felt cool in his hand.

He instinctively turned, intending to find Miss Su Ya, the helpful guide from earlier, and ask her where it was most convenient to take on missions.

His gaze passed over the information desk, where Su Ya was patiently answering questions with a smile for a well-dressed young man who looked like the son of a wealthy family. She hadn't noticed him at all.

Li He paused for a moment, then understood.

The guild had plenty of work to do. A guide couldn't focus on just one person. He thought no more of it and headed toward the mission board in the center of the lobby.

The place was bustling, far livelier than the counter area. All sorts of martial artists gathered beneath the screens. Some stood in groups of three or five, talking in low voices; others watched intently on their own; still others took missions directly on their phones.

Only then did Li He notice the huge notice board at the mission registration area. It clearly read: Scan the code to download the Martial Arts Guild app and browse and take on missions anytime, anywhere! A prominent QR code was displayed beside it.

Li He scanned the code and downloaded the app. After logging in, he found the interface simple, with the mission hall right on the home page.

[Outskirts Safe Zone—Sector 7] Drive Off: Drive away the low-rank demonic beasts harassing an experimental field: Iron-Backed Mountain Boar piglets. Reward: 150 Federation Credits.

[Outskirts Safe Zone—Sector 3] Gather: Gather twenty Moonlight Grass plants. Must be gathered at night. Reward: 90 Federation Credits.

[Urban District] Safety Patrol: Assist the Public Security Bureau in patrolling a designated commercial street. Reward: 120 Federation Credits.

...

Li He skimmed the listings. The rewards for these low-risk missions were far too low. Even after completing three, he'd only earn around 400 credits.

His gaze shifted to the medium- and high-risk missions.

[Safe Zone—Sector 11] Search: Search for missing Federation geological survey team members. An investigation found that the last signal disappeared in an area where a First-Rank exotic beast, the Golden Rabbit, was present. Reward: 1,500 Federation Credits + 15 Guild Points.

[Safe Zone—Sector 19] Beacon Placement: Enter the Abyss and place an environmental monitoring beacon at the designated coordinates. Reports indicate signs of unknown creatures in the area. Reward: 2,000 Alliance Credits + 20 Guild Points.

[Urban District] Gang Sweep: Assist the Public Security Bureau's Special Task Force in clearing out the illegal armed gang occupying the Old Harbor District, the Black Snake Gang. The targets are confirmed to possess standard-issue pistols, shotguns, and other light weapons. Some core members are martial artists with vitality levels around 15. Reward: 2,500 Alliance Credits + 25 Guild Points.

...

Li He's gaze lingered on the gang sweep mission. The reward was 2,500 Federation Credits and 25 Guild Points, far better than low-risk missions like driving off boars or gathering herbs.

But what excited him more was the key information in the mission description: an illegal armed gang equipped with standard-issue pistols, shotguns, and other light weapons.

Guns and martial artists meant the gang itself was a walking vault, with weapons, cash, and perhaps even some high-value contraband.

After the sweep, the Public Security Bureau's Special Task Force would seize the main evidence and the gang's leaders. As for the scattered spoils that were difficult to track, there'd be plenty of room to maneuver.

The risk is high. I lack defensive techniques, so I can't withstand bullets. But the rewards... might be worth far more than 2,500 Federation Credits. A bold idea took shape in Li He's mind.

He didn't hesitate. He accepted the mission.

How could he rise quickly from a resource-starved starting point without taking risks?

As soon as his acceptance went through, he received a mission briefing and a meetup notice: 21:00 tomorrow night, in front of Warehouse 3 at Pier 7 in the Old Harbor District. He was to meet up with the Public Security Bureau's Third Special Task Force.

Li He didn't leave right away. He went to the electronic reference area in the corner of the hall and pulled up publicly available intelligence on the Black Snake Gang.

The leader, known by the nickname Black Mamba, had an unknown level of strength and was suspected to be a peak First-Rank Martial Artist. He was ruthless and elusive.

There were around ten core members, all First-Rank Martial Artists, and about two hundred ordinary members.

They usually used abandoned warehouses and fishing boats in the Old Harbor District as cover, and were highly mobile. Their main crimes included smuggling contraband, extorting protection fees, and violently monopolizing parts of the port labor market.

They were confirmed to have standard-issue pistols and shotguns, and might also possess homemade explosives.

Li He pondered briefly, then left the hall and disappeared into the city lights. He needed to make preparations for tomorrow night's operation.

At the guild's information desk, Su Ya smiled as she saw the wealthy young man off. Her gaze happened to drift toward the direction in which Li He had disappeared.

She had access to mission information, and it was easy to find out that Li He had accepted the gang sweep mission.

"Another newcomer who thinks he can make easy money just because he has a little skill." She shook her head gently. There were cases like this every day. Most people either failed the mission and came back defeated, or never left the mission site.