A Customer

[Name]: Qiao Ji...

[Name]: Song Cun...

[Name]: Kong Qian...

By the time Xia Xu reached the Brilliant Human Resources Market, it was already six o'clock. He wasted no time, deftly checking the job seekers' attribute panels.

With Little White Flower's luck backing me this time, surely I'll find someone talented. I'm not asking for four or five stars. A three-star tracking talent would be enough.

At first, Xia Xu was brimming with confidence. He felt as though the goddess of luck had blessed him from on high, granting him a protagonist's halo.

But as he opened one attribute panel after another, he realized that was nothing more than an illusion. His face gradually fell.

He found nothing, and it was even more absurd than the previous two days. He hadn't seen a single person with a talent for tracking or reconnaissance.

Talents like tracking and reconnaissance were relatively rare, but normally he could still pick out one or two among a few hundred people. Today, however, there wasn't even a one-star reconnaissance talent.

"Looks like I can't keep relying on mystical luck."

Xia Xu stayed until the Brilliant Human Resources Market closed. Still empty-handed, he loosened his tie helplessly.

Seeing that it was already dark, he had planned to head straight back to the shop and take Tang Youxin home. But after some thought, he decided it was better to be safe than sorry. He hailed a taxi to Era Scenic Gardens and searched the area for the old construction worker.

That search was even more hopeless. He could pretty much confirm that the old construction worker appeared beside the Xieyou Travel Agency nearest to Era Scenic Gardens, but there was nothing he could do if the man didn't come out to work.

Tonight had been another fruitless outing.

"Hm?"

Back at the residential complex beside the Brilliant Human Resources Market, Xia Xu was about to enter when he passed a group of teenage boys and girls. Suddenly, he realized something and glanced back.

There was a familiar face among them: Tang Hao.

But Tang Hao probably hadn't seen him just now, or had seen him but pretended otherwise because he didn't want to say hello.

After all, they weren't particularly close. If they actually stopped, both would probably feel awkward, unsure whether to greet each other or not.

Had it been anyone else from his class, Xia Xu wouldn't have cared much, and might not even have noticed them. He had only taken a second look because it was Tang Hao, the unlucky fellow who shared his fate.

This guy was a supporting character in Hunter. Once the plot got going, he would definitely be dragged into it. In other words, wherever he showed up was very likely to be a setting for Hunter's plot.

Out of habit, Xia Xu used Attribute Viewing on the retreating figures accompanying Tang Hao. He found no supporting characters from Hunter among them, leaving him unsure whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

Naturally, he was relieved that he hadn't triggered the plot. With a title that sounded so dangerous, it was better left alone. In any case, The Dying Man's storyline was enough for him to make a good deal of money.

Naturally, his disappointment came from being unable to learn Hunter's actual plot. If he knew it in advance, he might be able to take precautions when it unfolded. Being completely in the dark left him in a rather passive position.

Forget it. If the day comes when I'm forced into Hunter's plot, I'll run into other characters eventually. It might be a little late, but with some foreknowledge on my side, the danger shouldn't be too great...

After watching Tang Hao and the others disappear into the distance, Xia Xu withdrew his gaze and entered the residential complex where his consulting firm's storefront was located.

As he approached the shop, he saw that the orange-yellow light inside was still on. Tang Youxin's shadow stretched long, reaching through the glass door onto the concrete path outside.

But besides Tang Youxin's shadow, there seemed to be another, broader one.

Someone else is here?

Already uneasy about Tang Hao appearing nearby at night, Xia Xu felt his heart lurch.

This residential complex was far too out of the way. After seven or eight in the evening, it became as deserted as a ghost town, without a single streetlight along the paths.

And Tang Youxin just happened to have a face that could tempt someone into committing a crime...

Without time to think further, Xia Xu quickened his pace and hurried to the shop's entrance.

Fortunately, the terrible scene he had imagined hadn't occurred.

There was indeed someone inside, a middle-aged man at that, but he looked honest and unassuming. He was simply sitting in a chair, drinking plain water from a disposable plastic cup.

Tang Youxin was cleaning nearby, minding her own business. Nothing was amiss between them.

Looks like Hunter's plot really has made me a little paranoid. This is the Xia Kingdom, after all.

Xia Xu gave a wry chuckle at his own jumpiness, pushed the door open, and walked in.

"Xia Xu, you're finally back..."

Tang Youxin came over. Only when her back was to the middle-aged man did she secretly let a little look of relief show.

"What's wrong? Who's this...?"

Xia Xu glanced at her first, then turned his gaze toward the middle-aged man sitting in the chair, who actually looked a little uneasy upon seeing him approach.

"He seems to be a customer looking for a consultation with you, but I didn't know what to do, so I could only pour him a glass of water and ask him to wait for you."

As she spoke, Tang Youxin stole a glance back at the middle-aged man. "Good thing you came back in time. A little longer and he probably would've given up waiting and left."

"..."

Hearing this, Xia Xu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

I rented a storefront in this lousy place, and all I've done is put up a sign. Yet somehow, Tang Youxin actually managed to conjure up a customer?

Absurdity's mother had opened the door for absurdity-it had come all the way home!

But he could hardly tell Tang Youxin that he had never intended to open for business. He could only approach the middle-aged man and say apologetically, "I'm sorry, sir, but we haven't officially opened yet. As you can see, everything's still a mess in here. Could you come back in a few days?"

"Oh, oh, that's fine. I don't really have any problems, actually. I was just feeling down and had nowhere to go, so I wanted somewhere to sit for a while. I saw 'psychological counseling' written outside your door and came in to have a look. The young lady's been very welcoming."

The middle-aged man didn't just look honest and good-natured; his personality was much the same. Hearing Xia Xu's words, he hurriedly rose to leave, remembering to put in a good word for Tang Youxin before he went.

Out of habit, Xia Xu used Attribute Viewing on him as well.

In fact, he had already developed a habit of checking every stranger he encountered. After all, this ability really was useful.

[Name]: Yang Bowen

[Life Level]: 1

[Fate Potential]: Freight truck driver (1 star)

[Talent Potential]: Tracking (4 stars); reconnaissance (3 stars); intelligence gathering (3 stars)

[Special]: None

[Obsession]: I hope my wife and child can be proud of me someday.

[Affinity]: 5

Whoa! So this was where my luck had been waiting.

Xia Xu's brow twitched, and he instinctively glanced at the utterly oblivious Little White Flower beside him, her face a picture of innocence.

Is this husband-blessing fate really that mystical?

Isn't this practically on par with a protagonist's halo?

He had thought his luck hadn't done anything, only to discover it had been waiting here all along, delivering someone straight to his door.