Patrol Meeting (Seeking Follow-ups)

"To offer such a massive fortune, the government authorities must truly be emptying the county treasury..."

Zhou Yun could not help but click his tongue. It seemed that one only needed to complete five patrols to earn a Human-grade contribution medal, and there were even higher tiers, divided into Earth-grade and Heaven-grade.

Naturally, there were more perilous missions, including those in the wilderness outside the city, or even missions to hunt Snake-Person Race members very close to the Black Profound Mountain Range.

One had to know that within this vast Black Profound Mountain Range, it was not just the Snake-Person Race that existed; there were other demi-humans whose racial strength was no less than that of the Snake-Person Race.

Their attitude toward humanity remained unfriendly. In other words, in those areas near the edge of the Black Profound Mountain Range, even if one did not encounter Snake-People, there was still a possibility of clashing with other demi-humans.

However, the rewards and contribution levels were correspondingly higher.

"The next patrol is happening this very afternoon..."

Zhou Yun happened to find a patrol mission on a street in Black Stone County that was short one Dark Force martial artist to anchor the formation.

Such missions generally involved martial artists from various factions, such as other martial arts halls.

The specific team consisted of three Bright Force martial artists, six martial artists who had opened at least one aperture, and one Dark Force martial artist.

"I'll choose this one."

Zhou Yun accepted the mission. By patrolling Old Fisher Street for two hours after noon, he could earn a reward of one tael of silver—such generous compensation was rarely seen.

Furthermore, he had almost pre-calculated that he would not run into large-scale Snake-Person forces on the road, unless he happened to bump into a few vanguard Snake-People infiltrating the team, though the probability of that was extremely small.

"I can still grab a meal before I go."

Zhou Yun returned to the Inner Courtyard canteen and ordered a hearty meat dish.

He encountered many familiar faces in the canteen, but most people were coming and going in a hurry, seemingly becoming increasingly busy due to these Snake-Person missions.

After eating his fill, he returned to his courtyard to retrieve his Black Iron Great Spear and Green Scale Soft Armor, then hailed a carriage to the assembly point on Old Fisher Street.

There were many young faces present, but most of the Bright Force martial artists were older, at least over thirty, with a seasoned air about them.

When the group saw Zhou Yun arrive, they assumed he was just another mortal martial artist who had yet to break through the barrier, and they did not pay him much mind.

Among them, a young martial artist with six apertures opened froze the moment he saw Zhou Yun's face.

"Zhou Chuan? Why are you here?"

Hearing someone call out, Zhou Yun looked toward the voice, his brows slightly furrowed.

This person was named Zhou Chuan, the very martial artist his grandfather had gone to great lengths to groom, whom he remembered as an Outer Courtyard disciple at the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall.

But observing his blood-qi now, it seemed he had yet to break through to Bright Force? There was truly no need to pay him any mind.

Zhou Yun lowered his gaze, not wishing to have any interaction with him, and turned to walk to the other side of the crowd.

"Hmph, so what if he broke through to Bright Force? What is there to show off about?"

Zhou Chuan snorted coldly. Completely unaware that his cousin had already broken through to Dark Force, he remained full of disdain.

"Chuan, your cousin is actually a Bright Force expert? Then we should try to get on good terms with him."

A young martial artist with a slightly thin and small build spoke up.

"What is there to get on good terms with? This person has already severed ties with our main family!"

Zhou Chuan sneered, "I heard from my grandfather that as soon as he broke through to Bright Force, he couldn't wait to distance himself from our family. He didn't think at all about the family's cultivation of him—a typical ingrate who forgets his ancestors!"

"Is that so?"

The thin young martial artist was clearly somewhat surprised, but still somewhat disbelieving. "Could there be some misunderstanding? After all, he is a Bright Force martial artist; many people would kill to curry favor with him... Besides, doesn't your family rely on his status to get tax exemptions?"

"There's no need for that. In another ten days or half a month, I'll be able to attempt the breakthrough to Bright Force myself. Someone like him has no right to bear the name of our Zhou family."

Zhou Chuan's gaze was arrogant. Even though he was currently only a six-aperture martial artist, his treatment in the Outer Courtyard of the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall was not that of the bottom tier.

He was born with First Form Bone, and barring any major accidents, breaking through to Bright Force would not be a problem. Thus, he had many followers in the Outer Courtyard who revered him as a senior brother destined to enter the Inner Courtyard.

Many people curried favor with him, hoping that Zhou Chuan would promote them once he entered the Inner Courtyard, including this six-aperture martial artist named Li Futian.

Although he was at the same level as Zhou Chuan, he only possessed First Form Bone and had to spend at least six hours of grueling effort practicing martial arts every day.

This was several times more than Zhou Chuan, and in order to curry favor with him, he even voluntarily did Zhou Chuan's laundry, which took up a significant amount of time.

However, because of this, Li Futian became the person closest to Zhou Chuan. He always remembered what his mother had taught him: after entering a martial arts hall, one must recognize a senior brother with higher talent as a backer, otherwise, people from poor families like them would never get ahead in their entire lives.

The senior brothers in the Inner Courtyard looked down on him, and the best candidate he could find in the Outer Courtyard was Zhou Chuan.

"Right, Senior Brother Zhou, I hope you break through to Bright Force soon..."

Li Futian nodded woodenly, saying nothing more.

Although Zhou Yun was a Bright Force martial artist worthy of his envy, he still knew which backer was the one he could actually rely on.

"I know. For the silver from this mission, we'll still do a seventy-thirty split... Don't worry, when I break through to Bright Force, I'll pay you back every cent."

Zhou Chuan continued to make his familiar promises, as if he had said them countless times before.

Li Futian said nothing more; this was exactly why he could always stay by Zhou Chuan's side, and he understood that very well.

"Speaking of which, why hasn't the Dark Force martial artist arrived yet? Even the government's Bright Force martial artists have all arrived..."

Zhou Chuan couldn't help but mutter. The midday sun was scorching, and his back was drenched in sweat.

But he suddenly sensed something was wrong. The people who had arrived just now were the government's Bright Force martial artists, so who was the extra Bright Force martial artist?

One had to know that including the government representative, there were only three Bright Force martial artists in this team, yet now there appeared to be four?

"What is going on? Did the mission requirements suddenly increase?"

Zhou Chuan frowned. He was worried that the addition of a Bright Force martial artist halfway through would result in a smaller share of the spoils for their patrol mission.

"Forget it, even if I have to demand an eighty-twenty split from Li Futian, it doesn't matter. He thinks I'll pay him back once I break through to the Bright Force anyway..."

Just as Zhou Chuan was about to speak to Li Futian again.

The middle-aged government martial artist with a stubbly beard walked into the crowd and said to Zhou Yun, "Sir, I am the government martial artist for this mission. I hope you will look after us during this patrol..."

Zhou Yun? Sir??

Zhou Chuan was suddenly stunned. There was no need to even mention what level of strength one had to possess to be called "Sir" by a government Bright Force martial artist.

Dark Force!

This Zhou Yun, the very Zhou Yun he looked down upon, the one he felt he would eventually trample underfoot, was actually a Dark Force martial artist!

"Impossible!"

Zhou Chuan's face twisted, unable to believe this fact.