Wilderness Hunter

The Pang Family and the Martial Arts Association were both very powerful factions, but Xu Jiang didn't accept their recruitment. Instead, he chose Grandpa Lei.

The reason was simple: trust.

What was certain was that this Grandpa Lei had an unusual identity and likely had a large organization backing him. Otherwise, those two would have already snatched him away instead of watching helplessly as he was taken.

Since both sides had similar backgrounds, it was only natural to choose Grandpa Lei.

After all, when he had nothing, it was Grandpa Lei who gave him a hand. Compared to the unfamiliar Pang Family and Martial Arts Association, Grandpa Lei was more trustworthy.

Telling Xu Jiang to wait in the car, Grandpa Lei found a secluded spot, activated an anti-surveillance device, and began reporting to his superiors.

The disc-shaped communicator lit up, projecting light that formed a virtual figure before him.

It was a young girl, her beautiful black hair resting on her shoulders, her delicate features refined and pretty, exuding the quiet elegance of a noble lady.

But the faint worry creasing her brows suggested she was troubled by something. Seeing Grandpa Lei's incoming call, she gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and forced a faint smile.

"Grandpa Lei, it's been a while since I last heard from you. Is there something you need today?"

Hearing the girl's greeting, Grandpa Lei's gaze softened.

"Third Miss, there's something I need to report. I've been out scouting for new talent for the past six months, and this time, I've finally found a good prospect."

Six months, and only one good prospect to show for it—the efficiency was indeed pitifully low.

But there was no helping it. The Job Transfer Hall was completely controlled by the Martial Arts Association. Anyone with true talent was intercepted the moment they appeared, making it nearly impossible to find capable people.

Unexpectedly, Grandpa Lei had managed to pick up a stray.

Hearing this, the girl perked up with interest. "What kind of talent does this professional have? If Grandpa Lei approves of him, he must be exceptional."

Grandpa Lei nodded excitedly. "His name is Xu Jiang. His talent is only B-rank, but I'm certain he's hiding some abilities. He's the one who achieved the perfect clear of the [Black White Forest]."

"Really? He's one of Grandpa Lei's people?" The girl's expression lit up with surprise.

A perfect clear was no small feat. Almost as soon as the fireworks exploded, every faction had received the news.

But the latest intelligence said the clearer wasn't the highly anticipated Pang Shi, and even Manager Mo of the Martial Arts Association, who had been present on-site, refused to discuss the matter.

She had just been wondering who this person was, and now it turned out he was one of their own.

"Where is he now? I'll meet him in person." Such talent could not be let go. The Third Miss decided to go herself, to show their sincerity and have a proper talk with him.

But Grandpa Lei paused for a moment, then shook his head.

"Third Miss, I've been keeping up with the company's situation. You're being watched very closely right now. It's really not the time to draw attention."

"Then what does Grandpa Lei suggest?"

"I'll handle him. For now, I'll keep him hidden and train him. Once he can protect himself, we'll reveal him to the world."

What's too sharp is easily broken—that was a well-known truth.

With the company facing internal strife and external threats, if Xu Jiang rose to prominence now, he would inevitably face suppression from petty people, or even assassination.

Grandpa Lei had seen many promising talents fall before their time. He didn't want Xu Jiang to follow the same path.

After a long discussion, Grandpa Lei returned to the car. With a serious expression, he said to Xu Jiang:

"After careful consideration, I've decided to take you as my disciple. I know your family background isn't great and you have no lavish gifts to offer me, but I'm not a petty man. Kneel and perform the ceremony."

Grandpa Lei struck the pose of a grandmaster, waiting for Xu Jiang to bow down in submission.

"I refuse."

"...What? You refuse?"

"That's right! I've only known you for a few days, and all your lessons are just you fooling around with those old ladies. If I become your disciple, what could I possibly learn?"

Faced with Xu Jiang's doubts, Grandpa Lei grew angry. "What do you, a brat, know! Back in the day, I was a top expert who dominated Yong'an City."

Xu Jiang looked the old man up and down—old T-shirt, beach shorts, flip-flops, and a beat-up X7 four-wheeler.

Without a word, Xu Jiang smirked and turned his head to look out the window.

Taking on a disciple had failed for now, but Grandpa Lei wasn't discouraged.

After all, they had only known each other for a short time. Xu Jiang hadn't seen his strength yet, which was understandable.

Once he finished his current work, he would give Xu Jiang a proper demonstration of his abilities. Then he'd be sure Xu Jiang would be begging to become his disciple.

For now, Grandpa Lei had to drive Xu Jiang straight back to headquarters to process his onboarding paperwork as quickly as possible, before other factions tried to poach him.

Along the way, Grandpa Lei couldn't help but ramble. "Xu Jiang, have you ever heard of Wilderness Hunters?"

Wilderness Hunters!

Xu Jiang sat up straight and looked at Grandpa Lei, whose gaze had turned deep.

"I've heard people mention them, but I don't know the specifics."

Grandpa Lei nodded and continued, "The Yong'an City we live in is protected by sturdy steel walls on all sides. Do you know why?"

"I've heard it's because there are endless Wild Beasts outside the city?"

"That's right, they're Wild Beasts—more terrifying and more bizarre than anything you encountered in the Spirit Domain."

As he spoke, Grandpa Lei deliberately drove a detour along a city wall.

The wall, dozens of meters high, was built entirely of steel—majestic and imposing. On top of it, elite soldiers manned a defensive line.

But even so, Xu Jiang could still see the broken wreckage along the wall, with a large number of workers rushing to repair it.

"Wilderness Hunters were born to deal with these terrifying Wild Beasts. The company I work for is called Nine Rivers Corporation. It has a Hunter Department under it, and I plan to place you there."

Xu Jiang nodded, then asked back, "You want me to go out and hunt Wild Beasts with my colleagues?"

"No, it's not time yet. The team I've picked for you usually just handles daily stability."

"Huh? That still sounds a lot like security."

"There's a big difference. You think the city is safe? Those Faceless Ones you saw in the Spirit Domain—they're no good." Grandpa Lei lit a cigarette, looking a bit melancholy.

Xu Jiang frowned slightly. He knew very little about these strange things.

"Are those Faceless Ones dangerous?"

"Very dangerous. And it's not just them—Wild Beasts, Void Rifts, Calamity Infections... these damn troubles come wave after wave, and they're all dangerous."

What Grandpa Lei had to consider now was letting Xu Jiang grow up safely, hoping he could get through the rookie phase quickly and gain the ability to protect himself.

"Then what's the name of the team I'm joining?"

"No name. The Hunter Department at Nine Rivers Corporation is all recorded by numbers. You're Team 17."

Maybe to show off his authority, Grandpa Lei pressed the car's hands-free phone and personally called Team 17 to give them a heads-up.

Beep—beep—

The phone rang twice, and a young man with yellow hair appeared on the car's center console screen.

Before Grandpa Lei could speak, the other party jumped in first.

"Wow! Isn't this Senior Lei? Long time no see at Team 17. What's the occasion today? You need something from me?"

From the pace of his speech, he seemed like a very talkative person.

Hearing the title "Senior," Grandpa Lei nodded in satisfaction. Sure, he was a yellow-haired kid, but he had good social skills. He then put on an air of an elder.

"Little Bao! Here's the thing. I recently took on a student, and I want to place him in your team."

"A student of Senior Lei? He must be really strong."

See? That's what prestige sounds like.

Grandpa Lei raised an eyebrow at Xu Jiang, as if to say: I told you to take me as your master, but you refused. Regret it now?

His smugness had barely lasted two seconds when the yellow-haired guy on the other end suddenly thought of something.

"Huh? Could it be that Senior Lei's 'scavenger plan' actually worked?"

"...What scavenger plan! This is my 'rising star training plan'!"

"Really? But last time, Senior Lei said you were going to start a training class and just pick up some disciples by chance?"

Take back that compliment about his social skills. This yellow-haired guy was here to undermine him.

Grandpa Lei's mouth twitched. It was too late to turn off the speakerphone now. Xu Jiang in the passenger seat had already gone dead-eyed.

Sure enough, this unreliable old man was just bored and wanted to take in some disciples to coast into retirement.

Good thing he hadn't taken him as a master. Even just being called his student felt like a loss.

Feeling Xu Jiang's contemptuous stare, Grandpa Lei could only try to salvage some dignity.

He coughed awkwardly and explained, "You can't call it scavenging. I did invest quite a bit—helping newcomers arrange trials."

"Still that [Black White Forest]? But those slots are the two they give you every session. It'd be a waste not to use them."

"But I also prepared supplies for my disciples! Bullets, medicine, tents—that counts as my investment, right?"

"Huh? I heard the logistics department was complaining recently that someone snuck off with supply packs. Could that have been you, Senior..."

Beep—beep—beep—

The old man hung up the phone...

The car was quiet for a long time. Xu Jiang couldn't hold it in anymore and asked very seriously, "Is it too late for me to get out now?"

Grandpa Lei didn't answer. He just pressed the door lock, floored the gas pedal, and sped toward the Nine Rivers Corporation headquarters, answering with his actions.