: A silver contract? It was actually a silver contract!
: Songbird was way too generous!
: What's a silver contract?
: [Silver contract] is one type of contract a guild signs with a player. The highest tier is [gold contract], followed by [silver contract], [bronze contract], and [standard contract]. There are also loan contracts and the like. Gold and silver contracts are generally special contracts for core players within a guild. They don't just promise high pay; some even promise players a position in management.
: Songbird is a major guild ranked in the top 20, after all. I didn't expect them to offer a [silver contract] right off the bat. Just how much do they like this rookie?
: Is he an ordinary rookie? That's Zheng Erchui, the War God of the Rotten District!
: Zheng Erchui, hahahahahaha, that's too funny.
: Songbird took a huge hit in their last dungeon run, right? Bringing in a monster rookie should give the guild a boost.
: The main thing is, Songbird didn't expect an ordinary A-rank dungeon to have an SSS-rank hidden side quest. They hadn't brought many people to begin with and nearly lost them all.
At that moment, Mr. Erchui was arguing with the college student surnamed Zhong.
Zhong Yu insisted he had a double standard. When they'd fought spiders earlier, he'd slapped him, but when it came to Xu Li, he'd just told her to lower her head and look at the little flower.
"I wasn't prepared the first time."
Zheng Xun spoke with complete confidence.
"Slapping you was unexpected too."
Zhong Yu could hardly believe it.
"Bro, you already slapped me, and you still won't admit you were wrong!"
"Then just tell me whether I saved you or not."
"You did save me," Zhong Yu said, waving his hands wildly, "but in exchange, I lost my dignity!"
"Next time, I'll apologize before I make a move."
"That's more like it."
"Sorry."
"...Huh?"
Huh???!!!
Zhong Yu realized something, and his body reacted faster than his brain. He instinctively tilted his face to the left.
But this time, Zheng Xun happened to reach toward his left. With a crisp smack, he caught Zhong Yu squarely across the face.
"Fuck!"
Zheng Xun ignored him and was about to switch his hammer's mode and swing it.
A long scythe suddenly swept in from the side!
The human-faced wolf spider was cut down by the scythe, gruesomely cleaved in two.
Zheng Xun looked up at the person who had struck. It was none other than Meng Chuang, who had been at odds with him from the start.
Meng Chuang flexed his wrist, pulled back the scythe, and rested it on his shoulder, sneering at Zheng Xun.
"Trying to hog the spotlight again? Dream on."
Zheng Xun said nothing, but Zhong Yu, sporting a matching pair of handprints on his face, jumped out.
"Hey, what's with that attitude, punk? If you're so capable, why didn't you come out of hiding when the first two monsters jumped out?"
Meng Chuang couldn't be bothered talking to a stupid rookie who hadn't even figured out the basic rules.
Without looking back, he walked to the front again.
"Bro, look at him-"
Zhong Yu wanted to argue further, but Zheng Xun stopped him.
They were about to reach the next game scene, and he didn't want to start a pointless argument.
: This Meng Chuang... does he have a grudge against Zheng Xun?
: Doesn't look like it. The ten of them seem to have been thrown together at the last minute, and none of them knew each other.
: He's just jealous. I can smell the sour grapes through the screen.
: Zheng Xun has a really good temper. If it were me, I'd have swung my hammer at him.
: But does Meng Chuang have some talent for fighting too? That scythe strike didn't look simple either.
: If all ten of them survive this life-and-death dungeon, I bet two or three will get contract offers from major guilds.
: They have to survive first. Dead people don't get contracts.
: I think Zhong Yu's pretty good too. He's carefree enough to be a mascot.
Meng Chuang had picked another fight with Zheng Xun, and he had also shown what he could do.
The atmosphere in the team grew tense.
Xu Li and Zhong Yu naturally sided with Zheng Xun without question. Chen Zicheng disliked both sides, but she leaned toward the camp with the other girl.
Gu Yuanheng, the man in the suit, kept up his image as a peacemaker and refused to take sides.
After discussing it, the two unnamed players sided with Meng Chuang. They seemed to think the girls on Zheng Xun's side would hold them back.
Chen Zicheng impatiently rolled her eyes at the two on the other side. This little incident only made her more determined to choose Zheng Xun's side.
The Wang brothers were fence-sitters. Neither brother wanted to offend anyone, so the older brother joined Meng Chuang's side while the younger joined Zheng Xun's.
The younger Wang brother didn't forget to butter Zheng Xun up.
"Bro, the Singing Sparrow Guild sent you an invitation."
"What Songbird? What guild?"
Zheng Xun still didn't understand what was going on.
"Here, here."
The younger Wang brother lit up his bracelet and showed Zheng Xun.
Zheng Xun's face appeared in the livestream, and the comments greeted him.
: Hi, Brother Zheng.
: Why call him brother? Call him God Zheng!
: I'm dying. He kills two spiders and you're already calling him a god?
: If you think you can do better, go ahead.
: He even looks this handsome from an unflattering angle. That's my Brother Zheng for you!
: Is Zheng Xun really going to join Songbird?
Zheng Xun paid no attention to what the comments were saying. His attention was on the pinned comment from the Singing Sparrow Guild.
After someone tipped a certain amount in a livestream, their comment could be pinned for a certain length of time.
The comment still hadn't come down. It looked like Songbird's operations team intended to keep it pinned until Zheng Xun finished the dungeon, to make sure he saw it.
Zheng Xun nodded at the screen.
The comments went wild again.
: Holy shit? God Zheng agreed?
: That was fast!
: Songbird found another gem.
: What's wrong with joining Songbird? It's a top-twenty guild with strength and resources, and he can use it as a stepping stone to a powerhouse guild.
: Why does Erchui look so confused? Does he know what a guild is?
As expected, Zheng Xun turned to ask the younger Wang brother.
"What's a guild?"
"..."
The younger Wang brother wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and explained at breakneck speed.
"A guild is a player organization. Every district has them. Major guilds can provide comprehensive training programs and simulation facilities to help contracted players improve their abilities and have a higher survival rate in dungeons. Major guilds also pay players generously, so you can live comfortably until you die without worrying about food or clothing."
"Oh."
Zheng Xun nodded, only half understanding.
"So, bro, are you joining Songbird?"
"What's Songbird?"
"..."
The younger Wang brother wiped his face.
"Bro, you'd better just watch where you're going. Don't trip."
Zheng Xun smiled politely at the screen and returned the bracelet to the younger Wang brother.
Meanwhile, in the Singing Sparrow Guild's vice president's office.
Vice president Xiao Jun stared intently at Zheng Xun on the enormous projection screen, while the assistant beside him was indignant.
"Brother Xiao, is this Zheng Xun really stupid, or is he arrogant? Just listen to what he's saying."
Another female assistant twirled the end of her curly hair and leaned against the desk with her long legs crossed.
"His head's not quite right, but his body reacts fast. As for his looks, he's quite handsome."
The young male assistant was practically steaming with anger.
"Sister Rong, you just like handsome guys!"
Su Hairong rolled her eyes at him.
"That's right, I'm just that shallow."
Xiao Jun didn't join his two assistants' conversation. He watched Zheng Xun on the screen, who was currently listening impatiently to the bun shop owner ramble as he obtained a clue from him.
"This Zheng Xun..." He tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "He's not just strong in combat. He seems to have a special nose for danger. He's the kind of person we need."
With that, Xiao Jun rose from his spacious chair, one arm wrapped in white bandages.
"Pack up. We're going to District 1089. When Zheng Xun comes out of the dungeon, the first people he sees must be from our Singing Sparrow Guild."