I Don't Need Teammates

Gu Jianlin walked into the conference room and gave the investigators present a quick once-over.

The Ether Association's standard team size was three members. There were fifteen investigators present, most of whom he'd seen during the last hunting operation. Only six were unfamiliar faces.

The moment he saw the team roster, his heart sank.

Most of these people had been the ones who'd been poisoned and instantly taken out in the cafeteria at Fengcheng No. 2 High School last time.

Maybe he should find a way to work alone. He wasn't afraid of godlike opponents; he was afraid of useless teammates.

He couldn't carry this team.

After entering the room, he felt hostile, scrutinizing gazes fall on him from every direction.

Gu Jianlin frowned and looked up.

Three people sat in the very center of the room: two men and a woman.

The most conspicuous of them wore a white suit. His black hair was neatly combed back, and his face was stern and cold. His eyes were especially striking, with a hint of gold that made them as sharp and imposing as a white tiger. He had quite an imposing air about him.

A young man who looked like his twin brother sat beside him, though he seemed more laid-back, with an unlit cigarette between his lips.

The last was a blonde girl with exquisite, alluring makeup. She wore a short, revealing dress that barely covered her upper thighs, showing off a pair of long, slender, snow-white legs. Flip-flops with toe posts completed the look.

Those uncomfortable, scrutinizing gazes came from them.

Gu Jianlin had read their profiles.

They were currently the highest-ranked team, and every member was a C-rank investigator.

Yan Ye was currently ranked second among the rookies. He was said to be at the second tier, but could break through to the third at any moment. He also had deep connections among the Association's higher-ups—a bona fide second-generation heir.

His two teammates were ranked third and fourth, respectively.

Yan Feng was his younger brother. He followed the Ancient Martial Arts Path, though his tier was a little lower.

One thing in his records was particularly interesting.

When Joker defected, he'd fought this man.

Yan Feng hadn't won.

The last girl was ranked fourth among the rookies.

Mu Ziqing, a second-tier Nun on the Priest Path.

These hostile stares likely came from the Tribunal's loyalist faction and the local aristocratic families of Feng City.

Of course, not everyone was glaring at him. Some people looked delighted.

"Brother Lin, over here!"

Cheng Youyu stood up and waved to him.

Nie Xiangsi sat beside him, watching Gu Jianlin with bright eyes. She shyly nodded in greeting.

Gu Jianlin walked over and said politely, "Looks like you're all feeling much better."

Remembering what had happened in the cafeteria, Cheng Youyu grew a little embarrassed. He scratched his head. "Hahaha, we owe you one for last time, Brother Lin. If you hadn't stepped in, we might've been done for."

Nie Xiangsi added softly, "I haven't thanked you yet. Thank you."

The captain of the operation team from last time was sitting beside them. He was clearly part of their team, too.

"Thank you."

Zhang Cheng nodded slightly.

Compared to everyone else, these three were quite friendly.

But as soon as they thanked him, Gu Jianlin heard a scornful snicker.

"Don't mind them."

Cheng Youyu was pretty good at reading the room. He quickly asked, "Brother Lin, why don't you sit with us? The person in charge of the operation should be here soon to give a briefing."

Zhang Cheng shifted over, making room. "Come sit with us."

Nie Xiangsi seemed a little shy. She lowered her head and didn't dare look at him.

Gu Jianlin fell silent for a moment. "No, thanks."

It was obvious that most people weren't exactly happy to have him there.

He didn't want the three of them to get dragged into anything because of him.

Gu Jianlin went straight to a seat in the back corner.

Then he noticed that there were seven teams in total, but only five had arrived so far.

Suddenly, the cool, crisp sound of footsteps rang out.

The conference room door opened softly, and a white-haired girl walked in with a huge instrument case on her back.

She wore a black sun hat and a white, off-the-shoulder top that revealed her pale shoulders and delicate collarbones. Light-blue jeans showed off her long, shapely legs, and she wore white sneakers.

The shadow of her hat brim concealed her delicate, snow-white face, but he could still sense the sharpness in her gaze.

She was no more than twenty, tall and willowy, with a youthful charm that suited her age.

Of course, she was beautiful, but the most striking thing about her was the sense of danger she gave off.

When she appeared, a powerful pressure swept over the room.

There was no doubt about it: she was currently the top-ranked rookie in Feng City's jurisdiction.

Tang Ling, a third-tier Sword Fanatic on the Sword Sect Path.

Her codename was Thunder.

After entering, Tang Ling didn't greet anyone. She went straight to the opposite corner and sat down.

Gu Jianlin was curious about her and tried to analyze her based on her appearance and clothing.

But when he focused on the girl, a scene like a hallucination flashed before his eyes.

The white-haired girl vanished.

In her place was a bewitching red-haired girl, haughty and imposing, alluring and fierce.

It was like seeing swords and roses.

In an instant, the image he'd conjured disappeared without a trace.

Was that a transcendent form? Something about it felt off.

Ever since he'd crossed over into the Kirin Immortal Palace, he seemed to have gained the ability to identify transcendent beings.

That was, as long as they used their abilities.

But what he'd just seen didn't seem like the form of a Path inheritance.

The white-haired girl seemed to notice his gaze. She glanced at him indifferently, her eyes odd.

Gu Jianlin's expression was odd, too.

They'd both realized that, like him, she was a lone wolf without teammates.

Suddenly, the lights in the conference room went out.

A plain-looking yet stern, cold face appeared on the projection screen.

"Hello, rookies."

"I'm in charge of this operation, and I'll be your instructor. My name is Chen Bojun. After today's mission, I'm sure you'll all remember it. Because I'll make you realize just how cruel the transcendent world is—and just how weak and naïve you are."

He'd opened with a show of force.

The people in the room looked at one another, but nobody spoke.

"Now, I'll call the roll."

"Team One: Yan Ye, Yan Feng, Mu Ziqing."

"Team Two: Zhang Cheng, Cheng Youyu, Nie Xiangsi."

"Team Three: Ye Xuan, Liu Qing..."

"Team Six: Tang Ling."

"Team Seven: Gu Jianlin."

On the projection screen, Chen Bojun raised his head and frowned. "My apologies. I've just returned from an out-of-town assignment, so I'm not fully up to speed. Tang Ling, Gu Jianlin, why don't either of you have teammates?"

The investigators turned to look at the man and woman in the corner.

Tang Ling kept her head down, playing on her phone, and showed no intention of answering.

Gu Jianlin fell silent for a moment. He wasn't sure how to respond.

"Instructor Chen."

Yan Ye suddenly spoke. "I have a question, too. The minimum requirement for the Immortal Palace Project's purge operation is the second tier. Why has a zero-tier Divine Priest been allowed to join us?"

"Yeah, I'm a little curious, too."

Yan Feng raised an eyebrow. "Is he here to freeload on the merit?"

The investigators looked at one another. It really wasn't in keeping with the rules.

On the projection screen, Chen Bojun seemed to hesitate, then glanced down at the roster report and raised an eyebrow.

"I see. He's a zero-tier Divine Priest, but he's got a record of defeating opponents above his tier? As an ordinary person, he defeated a first-tier Magician. As a zero-tier Divine Priest, he single-handedly killed a second-tier Magician who was carrying a Mythic Armament and had undergone severe aberration."

He paused, his expression turning appreciative. "An impressive record."

Someone suddenly spoke up. "That wasn't a solo kill. Our operation team had already gravely wounded Joker. Then he lost the ability to fight because of the Necro-Gu. You can't call that a solo kill."

"Exactly."

Another person chimed in. "Isn't calling it a solo kill a bit much?"

Both of them were Divine Priests from the operation team last time, second-tier Junior Life Controllers.

"Give me a break. You're not embarrassed, but I am."

Cheng Youyu's face reddened with embarrassment. "The Divine Priests already assessed it afterward. The damage the operation team dealt barely even hurt Joker. What, was it the classic 'one shot left him on the brink of death'? Why not say that your assets and Uncle Ma's combined make you the richest person in the country?"

At that, the two Divine Priests frowned. They looked like twin brothers, with faces that were nine-tenths alike.

"Speaking of the Joker incident, there's something I'd like to say, too."

Gu Jianlin looked down at them and spoke coolly. "You two are on the Divine Priest Path, just like me, aren't you?"

"So?"

The two twin Divine Priests turned to look at him.

"Isn't the Necro-Gu a living thing? You're on the Divine Priest Path, the one with the most comprehensive abilities, yet you didn't sense its Life Rhythm and let it poison the food?"

Gu Jianlin gave them a cold glance. "You don't know how to use the most basic ability of a Divine Priest?"

On the projection screen, Chen Bojun watched them with interest. "The Gu Master Path isn't one of the oldest Paths, and its practitioners are extremely rare, but there are still records of it. The Necro-Gu is indeed a living thing."

The two Divine Priests' expressions shifted. They could feel the eyes of everyone around them, and they were mortified.

They were ready to dig themselves a three-bedroom apartment with their toes.

There was only one explanation for why they hadn't sensed it.

They'd been careless.

Or, more precisely, they'd thought the mission was too easy and let their confidence get the better of them.

"So I think if anyone's going to look down on anyone else, I should be the one looking down on you."

Gu Jianlin spoke evenly. "A bunch of second-tiers failed at something I, a zero-tier rookie, had to clean up for you. If anyone makes that kind of basic mistake again during this operation, I suggest they quit."

What a scathing retort.

Almost everyone who'd taken part in that operation felt as though they'd been struck in the chest.

"Sorry."

Gu Jianlin looked at the three members of Team Two. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"I've defeated opponents above my tier, and I have two Mythic Armaments."

His tone was utterly matter-of-fact. "I'm qualified to join this mission. I don't need teammates. I can do things alone that more than ten second-tiers couldn't accomplish together. And I heard someone on the operation team lost to Joker..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but his meaning was clear.

If you were weak, don't question anyone else.

Yan Ye raised an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes.

Yan Feng's eye twitched. He really had taken part in the hunt for Joker, and he'd even encountered him one-on-one. In the end, he'd been soundly defeated.

Back then, he'd only been a first-tier. If they met again now, things would definitely turn out differently.

"Calm down. There's no point arguing over this. Remember the goal of this operation, and don't affect how the higher-ups rate us."

Mu Ziqing lowered her voice. "Getting the chance to enter the Immortal Palace is what matters most."

The Yan brothers exchanged a glance and sat down.

"You seem very confident."

Chen Bojun watched the young people interact and narrowed his eyes. "Interesting. And what about Tang Ling?"

"I'm a third-tier Sword Fanatic. I can fight above my tier, and I'm carrying three Alchemy Armaments."

Tang Ling kept her head down, playing on her phone. Without even looking up, she said, "I don't need teammates. I'm already team-leader material."

An impeccable answer.

"Good. Neither of you needs teammates."

Chen Bojun watched them with interest. "I hope your strength matches your arrogance."