He looked at the message that had popped up on his status panel.
Sun Yang was beside himself with excitement.
Chen had told him earlier that he would take him through dungeons to level up.
But now that the moment had really arrived, he was still thrilled.
He looked at the members listed in the squad—
[Chen Ming (Captain) — C-Rank Shield Guard]
[Qin Zhixue (Member) — SS-Rank Holy Radiance Angel]
[Sun Yang (Member) — B-Rank Shadow-Hiding Blade]
Good heavens...
One was ranked first in Cloud Sea City, and the other was ranked second.
He couldn't even imagine how fast and brutally efficient they'd be at clearing dungeons.
Even if he just tagged along, he'd level up who knew how many times faster than he could on his own.
Was this heaven-sent fortune finally coming to Sun Yang?
There was one thing, though, that still puzzled him.
"By the way, Chen, when did you and Qin Zhixue get together? You kept it so well hidden—not even telling your own brother..."
Chen Ming raised an eyebrow and gave Sun Yang a strange look.
"She and I are just cooperating as friends. What are you thinking?"
But it was obvious Sun Yang hadn't taken Chen Ming's explanation to heart.
At his words, Sun Yang gave him a look that said, I know exactly what you mean.
Keep pretending. Go on, keep pretending.
The corners of his mouth drooped into a crooked smile.
"Chen, you don't have to explain it to your brother. I get it..."
Just then, two familiar figures approached from the direction of the city gate.
It was Qin Zhixue, with Lin Wei following behind her.
"Your sister-in-law's here."
Sun Yang said it to Chen Ming without thinking.
Qin Zhixue was also a member of the Morning Light Squad. When Chen Ming took him along to level up later, he'd surely be working with her.
Sun Yang thought that, as someone who was just there to leech experience, he ought to make himself useful somehow.
For example, by helping his brother and sister-in-law grow closer.
It would also help him make a good impression on Qin Zhixue, so she wouldn't resent having a B-Rank member in the squad.
He didn't want to ruin Chen's chance at a lifelong partner.
"Do you have something to do? If not, get lost!"
Chen Ming shot Sun Yang an exasperated glance.
"Sure thing. I know when to make myself scarce. I'll give you and your sister-in-law some room."
Sun Yang immediately got up and left.
As he went, he even gave Chen Ming a thumbs-up for encouragement.
Qin Zhixue brought Lin Wei over.
Sun Yang had spoken loudly just now, so she must have heard him.
Chen Ming had thought Qin Zhixue would be embarrassed, or stop Sun Yang on the spot to clear up the rumors about her and Chen Ming.
But she didn't.
Qin Zhixue simply walked over with poise, her expression calm as ever.
The big-eyed girl behind her, however, seemed to be giving him a rather hostile look.
"Are you... feeling all right?"
Qin Zhixue looked at Chen Ming and asked.
She'd spotted the "big shot" from afar.
Only when she got close did she realize Chen Ming's body looked like a red-hot iron, making her worry he might melt on the spot at any moment.
Chen Ming waved a hand. "I'm fine. I just swallowed a rare resource. I'll absorb it when I get back."
Qin Zhixue's brows drew together slightly.
He'd swallowed a rare resource?
And now his body was glowing red, like some kind of human furnace?
Even with all her experience, she had no idea what to make of it.
Class Changers were strongly advised against swallowing resources whole. Most people who tried it came to a bad end.
But when she remembered it was Chen Ming, somehow it suddenly seemed reasonable.
"There should still be room in the squad, right?"
Qin Zhixue brought up the matter of joining the team.
"Of course. There are two slots left," Chen Ming said.
The squad had a limit of five members.
With him, Qin Zhixue, and the newly joined Sun Yang, there were still two slots.
A-Rank Contractor!
Chen Ming had heard of the class. It was a rather unusual support class.
Unlike ordinary support classes, a Contractor could only support one person.
But whoever received their "contract" gained enormous bonuses.
It was the kind of "bound" support class that could be incredibly powerful if you chose the right partner.
No wonder Lin Wei was leveling up faster than Cloud Sea City's three S-Rank Class Changers.
With Qin Zhixue, an SS-Rank Class Changer, as her partner, an A-Rank Contractor could be just as useful as an S-Rank support.
[You have invited Lin Wei (A-Rank Contractor) to join the squad!]
Chen Ming sent the invitation.
Lin Wei was with Qin Zhixue, so naturally he wouldn't refuse her.
[Lin Wei (A-Rank Contractor) has joined the "Morning Light Squad"!]
Qin Zhixue said, "By the way, when will you have some free time? I have a special Dungeon Rune Stone."
Chen Ming's spirits lifted.
A special Dungeon Rune Stone?
He immediately thought of the Cloud Hidden Ravine dungeon. That wilderness dungeon had been very rewarding.
So he was quite interested in Dungeon Rune Stones now.
But they were hard to come by.
Chen Ming knew Qin Zhixue was inviting him to team up and challenge the dungeon.
He smiled.
"Probably soon."
He wasn't entirely sure.
Judging by how long it had taken him to absorb rare resources before,
the Azure Flame Molten Fire was high-grade, but it probably wouldn't take too long to absorb.
Maybe he'd finish by this morning.
"Okay. I'll wait for you."
After entering the city gate, Chen Ming headed straight for the guild.
He needed to sell the beast cores he'd obtained and take care of his equipment while he was at it.
It would only take the time to buy and sell a few things.
It was early morning, and there was hardly anyone in the guild hall.
Five minutes later,
Chen Ming walked out of the guild.
Selling the beast cores earned him 10 gold coins, dozens of times more than the day before.
It was worth noting that most of the money came from the two Trick Beast cores.
The Level 7 Wind Demon Beast Core was worth 2 gold coins—equal to the total value of all the beast cores he'd obtained by killing monsters while leveling from Level 3 to Level 6.
Trick Beast cores were precious materials, a top choice for crafting fine equipment. They even offered a chance of producing Epic Grade equipment.
The Level 8 Flame Spirit Beast Core was worth even more: 6 gold coins.
Beast cores containing spiritual energy were essential materials for crafting spirit equipment.
Chen Ming had originally planned to ask the guild blacksmith to make him a piece of spirit equipment, but after getting the Epic Grade Dust Heart Ring, there was no need.
[Rock-Shattering Blade, Strength +20!]
[Dust Heart Ring, Spirit +300!]
At the same time, Chen Ming had the guild reforge his Common Long Blade, which had Strength +10, and removed 10 Strength Rune Stones from it.
He also paid nearly 10 gold coins—a steep price—for 19 Spirit Rune Stones.
"Damn, these things are expensive. A single Spirit Rune Stone costs five times as much now."
After selling and buying, he'd effectively made no money at all that day.
There was no help for it. If he relied on killing monsters to max out the Dust Heart Ring's bonus, who knew how long it would take?
Chen Ming might already be Level 10 or higher by then.
He checked his current stats.
[Level]: 6
[Strength]: 83
[Constitution]: 3500/4550 (20%)
[Recovery]: 435 (19%)
[Agility]: 79
[Spirit]: 1020 (20%)
"Not bad. My spirit has already passed a thousand."
After finishing everything, Chen Ming returned home.
Time to get down to business!
Before you continue