Chapter 67: I Shall Take the Lead!

Santiago, one of the top three supercities in the southern region of the Jialin continent. Towering skyscrapers, streams of vehicles, a sophisticated subway network. Roman Avenue lies at the heart of the city, much like Wall Street in New York in the real world. Here, every inch of land is precious, and the wealthy and famous gather, with political and business elites everywhere.

Number 333 is the most distinctive spot on Roman Avenue, and indeed, one of the most remarkable places in Santiago. It is merely a five-story classical building, its paint sun-blasted and dry, peeling in many places. Amidst its surroundings, this structure stands out in stark contrast, jarringly out of place. According to the city’s rapidly developing real estate customs, it should have been demolished long ago.

Yet no one dares touch it. Even pedestrians passing by Number 333 on the bustling street cannot help but stop and gaze, their eyes filled with reverence and awe.

This is the Santiago branch of the Adventurers’ Guild.

Adventurers are an ancient profession, long passed down on the Jialin continent. Over the ages, the adventurer has evolved repeatedly—from the earliest warriors, to the fighters of the middle period, then to the great warriors of the later era, and finally into today’s professional adventurers.

As long as you believe you are qualified, you can apply to join the Adventurers’ Guild and become a professional adventurer. You may be a great warrior, a fighter, wielding cold weapons or, within legal constraints, using firearms.

As the branch of a top-three southern supercity, the Santiago Adventurers’ Guild wields considerable power and prestige.

On September 4th, in the year 1022 of the Jialin calendar, news of Vice President Fang Zhong betting with an outsider spread swiftly through the Adventurers’ Guild. Any guild member within Santiago dropped everything and hurried back to Number 333 Roman Avenue. Along with teams and solo adventurers who caught wind of the event, the number of adventurers in the five-story building reached three hundred.

Everyone clamored to discuss the matter, voices never ceasing.

On the fifth floor, the branch’s main leadership, about ten in total, were embroiled in heated dispute.

A burly man with a yellow armband, his face flushed with excitement, clenched his fists, growling, “Fang Zhong, what you’re doing violates the Adventurers’ Guild’s regulations!”

At these words, Fang Zhong’s brow twitched, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.

“Vice President Fang, Vice President Rhine is quite right. Outsiders cannot become adventurers,” a fellow adventurer with an orange badge echoed.

The burly man’s name was Rhine, the other vice president.

Fang Zhong, clearly irritated, drained his glass of red wine in one gulp.

“Must I seek your approval for everything I do, Fang Zhong?”

“Uh…” The orange-badged adventurer shrank back awkwardly, his rank too low to argue.

Rhine, however, was undaunted, sneering, “Fang Zhong, I’ll report this to headquarters right now. Prepare to be removed!”

“Do as you please,” Fang Zhong replied coldly.

“Fool,” Rhine muttered disdainfully—the two had never gotten along.

Just as he was about to pull out his phone to make the call, the elderly man at the central seat, clad in a black cloak, gaunt and silent until now, suddenly raised his left hand. Rhine’s expression changed, growing calm.

President Zhou Hailong was the branch president of Santiago and thirteen subordinate cities, reporting directly to headquarters, holding the greatest authority. Whether in status or personal strength, he could command respect from everyone present.

“Vice President Fang, tell us, why did you agree to the outsider’s request?” Zhou Hailong’s voice was hoarse, with a compelling power impossible to refuse.

“President Zhou, the Wolf Hunt mission is S-level—how could one man possibly complete it alone? He cannot use high-damage weapons; the chances of success are almost zero. When I made the bet with him, was I supposed to back down? Better to accept his challenge, upholding the guild’s reputation for magnanimity and inclusiveness.” Fang Zhong spoke confidently, his demeanor impressive.

Hearing this, the others found it reasonable, nodding in agreement.

Zhou Hailong shared this view and was about to respond when a staff member’s report came from outside the meeting room.

“President Zhou, Vice President Fang, Vice President Rhine, a young man has arrived on the first floor, claiming to seek Vice President Fang for the bet.”

The ten executives exclaimed in unison and immediately moved toward the first floor.

At that moment, adventurers crowded every floor from the first to the fourth, forming an audience akin to that for a celebrity, but these adventurers were far more distinguished than any star.

Descending, Fang Zhong spotted Li Xin in the crowd and his heart trembled, muttering to himself, “It’s really him. Could he possibly…?”

Li Xin’s clothes were tattered, his body covered in blood, face pale—clearly after a fierce battle.

Fang Zhong regained his composure, privately thinking that Li Xin’s appearance did not suggest a triumphant completion of the mission. If so, what was there to be afraid of?

As the group reached the ground floor, the adventurers parted to create a passage. Zhou Hailong led his team in, recognizing a compatriot from his homeland. Of course, the Jialin continent was now unified, so the notion of homeland was a thing of the past. Still, at least the idea of compatriots, of a shared ethnicity, was undeniable.

Li Xin looked in distress, but his gaze was calm and his lips curled in a smile, which greatly pleased Zhou Hailong.

“You must be the branch president, sir? I am Yi Ran. My respects.” Li Xin bowed respectfully, giving Zhou Hailong due honor.

“You are the one who made a bet with Vice President Fang?”

“Indeed.”

“Now that you’re here, what is your intention?” Zhou Hailong pressed.

“President, may I speak with Vice President Fang?” Li Xin requested.

“Go ahead.”

Fang Zhong stepped forward, facing Li Xin. “You’ve seen the result after a fierce battle and come to admit defeat, haven’t you?” With his experience, the task of slaying fifty-one adult wolves would require even elite Black Lion special forces two or three days to complete. This Yi Ran had only been gone for a little over five hours.

Given that, it was clear he had no chance of winning.

“A fierce battle? Yes, it was indeed a fierce battle,” Li Xin replied with a bitter smile. “Vice President Fang, I am here to open the game with you.”

“Outrageous! You brazen outsider, you really took Vice President Fang’s words seriously? Do you think the Adventurers’ Guild belongs to you?” One man strode forward, rebuking him harshly—he was Fang Zhong’s confidant.

“Vice President Fang has already agreed; how could he break his word? That would disgrace our guild,” another mocked, a supporter of Rhine.

Seeing the dispute about to erupt, Zhou Hailong snorted coldly, and silence fell.

“Young man, for your remarkable courage, I’ll make the decision for Vice President Fang—no punishment. Go on now. Work hard outside, and you’ll surely achieve something,” he said.

With the president’s words, Fang Zhong had no reason not to comply.

“Yi Ran, as the president says, the bet is off. I’ll help you find a job. With your skills, it won’t be difficult to secure something good,” Fang Zhong said, laughing as he reached for his phone.

But Li Xin merely smiled faintly, and then pulled from his backpack a dense array of wolf heads, filling half the hall floor.

Fresh blood still trickled from their clean wounds, pooling steadily onto the ground.