Whoosh!
As soon as Gao Xu finished speaking, five figures darted out with incredible speed, taking up positions in a pentagram formation and surrounding him. But they weren't focused entirely on Gao Xu; their gazes swept the area, warily watching for an ambush.
"I never thought I'd misjudge someone. Were you waiting here for us on purpose? Call out your companions!" The giant's face darkened. He clenched his iron fists, fury blazing in his eyes.
The giant's spatial authority had reached level five, a rarity among first-difficulty Reincarnators. He could even see that Gao Xu was a newcomer. Having once received help from a veteran when he himself was new, he had magnanimously decided to spare Gao Xu today.
If forced to return to the Main God Space halfway through, Gao Xu's clearance rewards would be reduced to almost nothing. The return scroll he used was also far too low-grade, and he would permanently lose one point from his highest attribute. Still, that was better than dying on the spot. The giant was sure anyone with any sense would weigh their options.
But Gao Xu had somehow figured out the purpose of their trip. That meant his newcomer status was certainly a disguise, and other Reincarnators were very likely lying in wait nearby.
Faced with the giant's undisguised killing intent, Lin Yueru drew the Yuenü Sword and cried, "We're strangers to one another, and you're already trying to kill him? Then let's fight! Who's afraid of whom?"
Lin Yueru's intervention immediately changed the situation. Not only did the five who were about to attack stop in their tracks, but even the giant showed a flicker of surprise and apprehension before falling silent.
They had noticed that Gao Xu and Lin Yueru were traveling together, but they hadn't worried she would join a fight between Reincarnators. Only when a character's favorability toward someone rose above fifty points might they lend that person a hand. How could someone as weak as Gao Xu possibly raise Lin Yueru's favorability that high? Everyone knew Miss Lin was famously cold toward Reincarnators.
"This is trouble..." The same thought crossed the giant and his companions' minds. Lin Yueru wasn't an ordinary character from the story—she was one of the protagonists of the Chinese Paladin world!
Protagonists were equivalent to the children of the world. Unless a special plot event directed them to do so, Reincarnators would never dare kill them. Doing so could trigger unpredictable consequences and cause the entire world to collapse.
This was no exaggeration. It was a painful lesson learned firsthand by generations of Reincarnators. During the Black and White Miao conflict mentioned earlier, many Reincarnators in the Black Miao camp had been unable to act freely because they didn't dare harm Anu. Everyone knew the rule, yet no one dared break it—that alone showed how serious the consequences were.
Some might ask: why not avoid Lin Yueru during the fight and go straight for Gao Xu?
Easy to say. Lin Yueru wasn't Gao Xu's summon; she wouldn't vanish when he died. On the contrary, given the relationship they had shown, Gao Xu's death was highly likely to send her into a rage and make her hunt them down without regard for her own safety.
Lin Yueru was no weakling. In a one-on-one fight, even the giant might not be able to beat her. Gao Xu's earlier fight with her had been a sparring match, not a fight to the death. If it had been, even raising his Insight skill to A-rank wouldn't have saved him.
Of course, if they truly threw themselves into the fight, Lin Yueru wouldn't stand a chance against so many powerful Reincarnators. The problem was that they didn't dare kill her. Even a Reincarnator as powerful as the giant was at a loss, and the standoff held.
But just as Gao Xu had predicted, the confrontation couldn't last forever. Lin Yueru could only serve as a deterrent. If Gao Xu refused to back down, the giant and the others might have no choice but to spend some precious items and beat him to the brink of death. Surely Lin Yueru wouldn't just stand by while he died; she would keep fighting them.
"Miss Lin, please hold on!" Gao Xu had provoked them to bring Lin Yueru into play. Now that he'd achieved his aim, he decided to stop while he was ahead. If they really fought, things could backfire.
"Hehe, perhaps there's been a misunderstanding, my friend. I didn't come here prepared to ambush you. I only guessed because I recognized Mr. Yi, whom I've long admired. Forgive my rudeness!"
At Gao Xu's words, everyone stared at him in surprise. Only then did the thin old man, who had been protected behind the giant, speak. "I don't recall ever meeting you, young friend. How did you learn our purpose from me? What do you mean? Please explain."
"At least there's room to talk!" Gao Xu was secretly delighted, and his expression filled with respect. "Perhaps you've forgotten, sir, but you've been traveling far and wide lately, working tirelessly for the Worker Alliance. I once saw you from a distance, and your vision and bearing left me deeply impressed. Unfortunately, there are too many short-sighted people in the Main God Space. Unless you prove yourself first, they won't believe in you. That's why you've brought a group of elite subordinates here. Isn't your purpose obvious?"
Gao Xu wasn't bluffing. The old man looked ordinary, and his strength was unremarkable, but he was the person Gao Xu had admired most in his previous life. There was no one else.
The Third Great Purge in the Main God Space had given rise to hired workers. But before they appeared, there had been a similar group: mercenaries!
Mercenaries performed the same work as hired workers, but the Main God Space recognized their status. They could sign high-authority contracts with employers in advance to guarantee their payment.
Hired workers, on the other hand, operated privately and received no protection or support from the Main God Space. That was why employers often refused to pay after a mission, turning on them once the job was done.
After the purge, applications to become a mercenary were closed. Independent Reincarnators had no choice but to become hired workers, a group with little status.
Things didn't have to stay that way. Mr. Yi, a Reincarnator of modest strength but exceptional insight, who excelled at discovering and recruiting talent, had made the great vow to establish the Worker Alliance and improve the standing of all hired workers.
Many hired workers scoffed at Mr. Yi's ambition, calling it a pipe dream. But events proved that he was the one with genuine foresight. After Reincarnators began advancing to the third difficulty, the Main God Space issued a series of challenging certification missions. By then, the Alliance had grown large enough to have a real chance of securing official recognition.
If the Europe-America Region hadn't interfered at a critical moment and assassinated Mr. Yi, causing the entire Alliance to fall apart, the status of hired workers would have changed dramatically. The tragedy of the Evil Sword Immortal battle could have been avoided, too.
Gao Xu had never officially joined the Worker Alliance in his previous life, but he sincerely admired Mr. Yi's deeds. The Worker Alliance was still in its infancy, and Mr. Yi had brought a group of elite followers to Heishui Town in the Chinese Paladin world. Their only possible target was the first-difficulty checkpoint boss, the Red Ghost King!
Once they defeated the checkpoint boss, Mr. Yi's reputation would soar. He could then choose not to advance to the second difficulty just yet, stay at the first difficulty, and recruit hired workers. The Alliance would finally have a chance to take shape.
Gao Xu had lived through his previous life, so it wasn't difficult for him to work out Mr. Yi's purpose. But to Mr. Yi, it seemed almost unbelievable that a stranger could be so certain based on only a little information and a guess. He remained mostly suspicious, narrowed his eyes, and said evenly, "You're too kind, young friend. I hardly deserve such praise. What was your original mission? Since we've met, perhaps it was fate. Maybe we can lend you a hand. And don't worry about not having enough people!"
Mr. Yi's question was a clever one. Hadn't Gao Xu said he wasn't specifically waiting for them? Then he must have his own mission. If so, how could he join their team and help fight the boss?
No matter how he spun it, the idea of this complete stranger joining their team was a pipe dream!
Mr. Yi had already made up his mind. Even if it meant wasting a precious Boss Hunt Scroll, he wouldn't let someone whose background he didn't know infiltrate their group and risk causing a disastrous wipe. His hint and warning were unmistakable.
"Is that so?" Gao Xu's expression showed a trace of disappointment. He murmured, "I was hoping to give you a generous gift..."
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