Gu Xin's Magical Special Operations Team

The next day, 9 a.m.

"Boss, you're awake."

When Gu Xin came downstairs, Toyokawa Shoko was already sitting there, reading a magazine.

She was still wearing Gu Xin's clothes. It seemed they had not dried overnight.

"I wanted to make you breakfast, but..." Toyokawa Shoko trailed off.

Right, because Gu Xin's refrigerator was full of sodas and nothing else.

"It's fine. I'll grab something on the way. Shoko, take this money and go out to buy yourself some food and clothes."

"Yes. Are you going out, Boss?"

"Yeah. I made plans to visit a Secret Realm with some friends today. If all goes well, I'll be back in a day or two."

"Then Shoko will wait for you at home," Toyokawa Shoko replied seriously.

"Don't worry. I'm heading out, then."

"Yes."

Toyokawa Shoko stepped outside the shop and watched Gu Xin's figure disappear from view.

"May you return safe and victorious, your journey home bright as a rainbow."

Outside Yin City University.

"Da Gu, over here!"

The moment Gu Xin arrived outside the university, he spotted Wang Quan waving his arms in the distance.

"Old Wang, I'm not late, am I?" Gu Xin walked over.

"...We agreed on nine-thirty. You're as punctual as ever."

Wang Quan checked the time, his contempt for Gu Xin's "on-time arrival" obvious.

Gu Xin had always been punctual. Every single time, he could arrive exactly at the agreed time. That was a skill in itself.

"Come on, let me introduce our teammates." Wang Quan pointed to the two people behind him.

One was a man and the other a woman. The man was tall and burly as a bear, clad in a full suit of armor. He looked like an iron tower, giving off an overwhelming sense of security.

The woman wore a blue nun's habit. Petite and slender, she had a nun's cap on her head and held a staff.

"This is Meng Xiu from Class 1, Year 1 of the Knight Academy. He's a knight and the main tank of our party."

"And this beauty is Blue Lotus from Class 2, Year 1 of our Mage Academy. She's a nun and our healer."

Wang Quan gave a brief introduction.

Gu Xin nodded. Meng Xiu looked incredibly tough, no question about it. Still, Wang Quan always mocked those muscleheaded idiots from the Knight Academy, yet he had found himself a knight for this Secret Realm run anyway.

Then there was Blue Lotus. Setting aside the name, which Gu Xin really wanted to complain about...

Gu Xin glanced at Blue Lotus's chest. Mm, not that big.

"And this is my buddy, Gu Xin from Class 4, Year 1 of the Mage Academy. He's a card maker."

Then Wang Quan slung an arm around Gu Xin's shoulders and introduced him to Meng Xiu and Blue Lotus with a grin.

Both Meng Xiu and Blue Lotus looked at Gu Xin with considerable curiosity. A card maker? What a rare species.

"Hello."

"Hello, brother! I'm the finest knight in the Knight Academy! Don't worry, just stand behind me. I'll protect you."

Meng Xiu thumped his chest and laughed heartily, making his armor clang.

"Hello, Gu Xin. I've heard of you, but this is our first time meeting. It's a pleasure," Blue Lotus said, holding her staff as she studied Gu Xin curiously.

They were both students of the Mage Academy, yet she had genuinely never seen Gu Xin before.

"Ha, my brother's usually too busy making cards. Even when I invite him out for a meal, he never has time." Wang Quan rolled his eyes.

"Go, go, go! Let's get moving. It'd be best if we could clear the Secret Realm today."

After getting acquainted, Wang Quan led the way to the magic-powered car they had reserved in advance.

Secret Realms could also be called Secret Realm minor worlds.

Secret Realm minor worlds were subspaces attached to the main world. Compared to the wilderness regions of the main world, the most convenient thing about Secret Realms was that their danger levels could be classified.

This made it easier for professionals to adventure and grow. In the main world, magical beasts and monsters roamed and migrated, so no one knew whether a fourth-tier magical beast might suddenly appear in the area where you were adventuring and slap you to death with one paw.

Secret Realm minor worlds were different. Whenever a new one appeared, the Adventurers Guild and the Empire authorities would send people in to explore it and assign it a rank.

Furthermore, compared to the main world, some Secret Realm minor worlds possessed extremely abundant resources. Naturally, some Secret Realms were also terribly lacking in resources.

The most famous Secret Realm was the Demi-human Secret Realm from several centuries ago.

It was a large sixth-tier Secret Realm. The demi-human high priest had constructed a reverse spatial teleportation gate and invaded the main world instead.

Then the various empires beat them into surrendering their weapons.

Even now, the entrance to that large-scale secret realm still remained, but it had been completely sealed off. It was said that demigods from every empire had joined forces to seal and guard it.

This time, however, the secret realm Gu Xin and the other three were heading to was a Tier 2 secret realm.

The magic car drove out of the city, and a grand, massive building came into view.

Above its entrance was an emblem of a sword and a staff crossed together.

This was the Adventurers Guild, one of the world's top major powers. It maintained a neutral stance and never involved itself in disputes between factions.

"A mage, a knight, and a nun... logically, you should recruit a warrior too. Otherwise, aren't you lacking in close combat?"

After getting out of the car, Gu Xin looked around and found that the central plaza in front of the Adventurers Guild was surprisingly lively.

Adventurers in all kinds of outfits had gathered here. Some even held up signs on the spot, stating what they needed for temporary party formation.

Now this was what another world was supposed to look like.

Gu Xin found it all extremely novel. It was his first time visiting the Adventurers Guild.

"What do we need a warrior for? We already have Meng Xiu." Wang Quan dismissed the idea.

"As long as Meng Xiu can withstand the enemy's attacks, with my magic, there isn't any enemy we can't deal with."

Wang Quan was immensely arrogant, looking down on everyone else. Such was the confidence of a mage.

Magic was simply the strongest!

Meng Xiu and Blue Lotus were used to it. Clearly, they had known Wang Quan for a long time and understood his personality well.

"I heard there are demons in this secret realm. Wang Quan, you'd better not be too careless."

Blue Lotus reminded him in a gentle, soft-spoken tone that felt like a spring breeze.

As expected of a nun.

"Heh heh, don't worry, don't worry. Meng Xiu is a knight even I hold in high regard. Even if it's a demon, Meng Xiu can hold it off."

"Hahaha, that's right! Just stand behind me, and you'll be absolutely safe!" Meng Xiu laughed heartily.

"I'm the toughest man in the Knight Academy!"

Blue Lotus helplessly pressed a hand to her forehead. Damn it, one arrogant mage and one overconfident knight—she truly had nothing to say.

Thankfully, that cardmaker seemed fairly normal...

"If we encounter a demon, I want its corpse. Oh, and try not to damage its body too much. I need it as cardmaking material."

Gu Xin spoke to the three of them with a completely serious expression. The reason he had come this time was for demon materials.

"Don't damage its body? Wait, then how are we supposed to defeat the demon?"

Blue Lotus stared at Gu Xin in disbelief. Bro, did that really make sense?

"I believe in Meng Xiu and Wang Quan. They'll definitely find a way."

"..."