Chapter 28: Hitting a Wall
Chapter 28: Hitting a Wall
In the Starry Realm, adventuring in groups was the norm.
The Recruitment Center, established by the ADC's Guild of Extrasensory Beings, served as the hub for team formation. It maintained a politically neutral stance, unaffiliated with any particular nation.
The largest Recruitment Center was located on Earth, existing as a virtual network space.
Most hunting parties and starry exploration teams posted their announcements here.
Extrasensory beings could also register and create profiles, much like public resumes, for companies and organizations to scout potential candidates. These entities sought to nurture promising individuals by offering contracts and fostering their development.
However, most of this process was typically concluded on Earth itself.
Olympia lacked the convenience of the internet, but it boasted hundreds of recruitment centers. Usually, teams with temporary vacancies would recruit here. Aside from these centers, inns, hotels, and bars frequented by extrasensory beings also doubled as recruitment venues.
Additionally, there were teams with questionable identities, engaging in underground missions, who preferred to recruit in Olympia to avoid leaving a digital trail.
Ji Xinghuo fell into the category of extrasensory beings with complicated identities.
Unable to sign formal contracts, he was automatically disqualified from joining any registered teams formed by companies or large organizations.
This particular Recruitment Center resembled a dining bar.
As Ji Xinghuo stepped into the hall, his eyes swept across the neatly arranged tables, half of which were already occupied. Extrasensory beings huddled around, some drinking, others eating, their lively conversations filling the air.
On the walls surrounding the hall were whiteboards with notes written in marker. The handwriting varied in size, but the content followed a consistent format.
"Seeking an immediate Iron Guard, advanced level or above. Temporary mission. 100,000 extra reward on top of spoils. Interested parties, please discuss at Table 20."
"Looking for an Archer, long-term collaboration. Requires at least mid-level. Table 17."
"Ongoing recruitment for Plant Witch, mid-level. Table 8."
"In need of a Super Flyer, terms negotiable. Inquire within for details."
"Recruiting White Knight..."
The messages on the whiteboard varied in length but concisely stated key information: profession, tier, nature of the mission (temporary or long-term), compensation, and contact information.
Ji Xinghuo took a seat at an empty table.
He ordered a specialty combo meal from Olympia and slowly perused the content on the whiteboards while eavesdropping on the conversations in the hall.
Most of the recruitment information followed a similar pattern.
After reviewing a portion of the boards, Ji Xinghuo noticed that the two most sought-after professions were healers and archers.
Healers included professions like White Knights, Plant Witches, and Black-robed Bishops, while archers encompassed Rangers and Hunters. Even Mechanics who wielded steam rifles possessed formidable long-range attack capabilities.
These two types of extrasensory beings were not only scarce but also indispensable to any team.
However...
Ji Xinghuo felt a sense of powerlessness as almost every recruitment message on the whiteboards required mid-level or above.
And he was only at the beginner level.
Although he believed that his strength was by no means inferior to a mid-level extrasensory being, and he had even shot down a super-being, others were unaware of this, and he couldn't exactly proclaim it aloud.
Just then, the waiter arrived with his meal.
As Ji Xinghuo ate, he continued to scan the recruitment information on the walls.
In addition to the team recruitment notices, there were also postings by extrasensory beings advertising their professions, abilities, and past achievements, waiting for teams to approach them.
These individuals were either exceptionally powerful, at least advanced-level, or possessed highly sought-after professions.
By the time Ji Xinghuo finished his meal, he had perused all the recruitment boards.
Yet, he didn't meet a single requirement.
"Looks like I'll have to recommend myself," Ji Xinghuo thought, unsurprised. After all, the capabilities of a beginner-level extrasensory being were somewhat lacking.
He rose and approached a table not far away, where four people—three men and a woman—were seated.
He had noticed them while eating, as their recruitment notice was posted on the wall, seeking a mid-level archer.
"Hello," Ji Xinghuo greeted them.
As he drew near, one of the men, evidently the team leader, stood up.
He had a sturdy build and carried a hefty two-handed battle sword on his back. However, instead of wearing armor, he donned a fiber combat suit that didn't offer much protection. A smile played on his face, but his eyes were sharp, as if they could pierce one's heart and induce an inexplicable sense of oppression.
Even before approaching, Ji Xinghuo had discerned that this man was an advanced-level Black-robed Bishop.
Black-robed Bishops not only possessed healing abilities but also boasted formidable strength and attack power comparable to a Giant General. They were incredibly versatile in combat.
"Hello," the man said with a smile. "Are you here to apply?"
The three extrasensory beings at the table turned to look at him.
"Yes," Ji Xinghuo nodded, introducing himself. "I'm a Ranger, and I believe I meet your recruitment requirements."
The Black-robed Bishop sized him up briefly before furrowing his brows. "What's your tier?"
"Beginner," Ji Xinghuo answered honestly, quickly adding, "But my abilities are definitely not inferior to any mid-level Ranger. You can test me..."
Before he could finish, the Black-robed Bishop interrupted.
"Young man, our team only accepts mid-level and above archers as a basic requirement. We're not interested in beginners," the Black-robed Bishop said flatly, turning away and resuming his seat.
His three teammates also shook their heads, indicating their lack of interest in further discussion.
"Sorry to have disturbed you," Ji Xinghuo said, turning to leave. As he took two steps away, he heard a disdainful laugh from behind him.
He chose to ignore it.
Ji Xinghuo was well aware of the problem. Aside from his low tier, his equipment was too pristine, bearing no signs of battle, clearly marking him as a novice in the eyes of others.
A newbie, and merely a beginner-level extra-sensory being.
Joining a team would not only hold them back but also potentially endanger his own life, affecting the entire team.
Ji Xinghuo left that recruitment center and headed to the next one.
Throughout the starry night, he visited five different recruitment centers, as well as several inns and bars, but faced rejection at every turn. No team was willing to accept him.
However, Ji Xinghuo remained undeterred.
The next day, as the stars began to fade with the coming dawn, Ji Xinghuo set out again. From day to starry night, he spent thirty-odd hours traversing over a dozen recruitment centers, yet still found no success.
His relentless self-recommendations over the past two days had become a source of amusement for many, and the story of his endeavors spread throughout the neighboring blocks.
On several occasions, he was rejected even before he could utter a word.
As Ji Xinghuo exited one of the recruitment centers, he glanced at his mechanical watch and noted that there were still two hours left until the starry night transitioned into darkness.
"Time to eat," he muttered to himself.
He could have eaten at the recruitment center, but the mocking gazes that constantly drifted his way had thoroughly ruined his appetite.
Stepping into the restaurant next door, Ji Xinghuo sat down by the window, gazing at the starlit sky outside, and heaved a sigh.
"Am I destined to be a lone extra-sensory being?" he wondered aloud.
The thought sparked a surge of determination within him.
In reality, while lone extra-sensory beings were uncommon, they were not exceptionally rare.
Those who dared to venture, adventure, and hunt alone in the Starry Realm were undoubtedly the cream of the crop, their strength far surpassing their peers of the same tier.
The more powerful an extra-sensory being was, the more they tended to favor solitary action.
However, in the initial stages, when their strength was still meager, it was best for extra-sensory beings to work as a team. Even those formidable beings usually joined a team when they first entered the Starry Realm, and the vast majority of those who chose to go solo from the outset ended up perishing.
Ji Xinghuo had immense confidence in himself.
He believed that as long as he remained cautious, avoided venturing too far from human-developed areas, and steered clear of high-risk regions, he would be fine.
Yet, there was always a chance of the unexpected.
On Earth, he had watched countless videos and acquired extensive knowledge.
He had studied survival skills, the geography of the Starry Realm, campsite selection, identification of flora and fauna, hunting techniques and intricacies, the customs of alien races, and alien specimen collection, and he had even mastered three languages of the Starry Realm. He had prepared as best he could.
But all of that was merely theoretical knowledge.
When put into practice, unforeseen circumstances and surprises were inevitable.
Having an experienced mentor to guide him and teammates to support him would not only accelerate his progress but also ensure his safety.
Ji Xinghuo had no desire to meet an early end.
"Now I have two choices," he mused to himself as he ate. "I can continue searching for a team tomorrow, but I'll need to switch to another area of the city. If, after ten days, I still haven't found a team that wants me, then I'll stop looking and focus on cultivating in Olympia, striving to advance to the intermediate level."
"Or," he continued, "I could hire a team with money and hunt in the relatively safe areas around Olympia to gain experience before setting out on my own."
"I'll make a decision in ten days..."
Suddenly, Ji Xinghuo's senses prickled, and he turned his head toward the entrance.
A figure had just entered the restaurant—a woman, judging by her graceful and lithe stature.
She stood at just over 1.7 meters tall, clad in a standard female combat uniform. The loose-fitting top concealed her curves, and she wore a pair of pants beneath a short, half-length tailcoat that ended in a longer back section. Her legs, encased in a pair of combat boots, were nonetheless visibly slender.
On her head, she wore a cloth battle hat, with a layer of fine gauze draped over the sides and back, leaving only the front open.
However, Ji Xinghuo could not make out her features.
A scarf of azure blue obscured the lower half of her face, wrapping tightly around her neck, revealing only her eyes.
Such attire was not uncommon in Olympia, especially among female extra-sensory beings who wished to avoid unwanted attention and potential trouble.
Nonetheless, Ji Xinghuo needed only a glance into those eyes to be captivated.
The eyes are the window to the soul.
They convey emotions far beyond what words can express, sometimes speaking louder than the mouth itself.
Ji Xinghuo also noticed a delicate, five-petaled pink flower blooming on her forehead, its verdant green stamens surrounded by the soft pink petals, adding a touch of allure to her already beautiful eyes.
"That must be an external manifestation of some kind of extra-sensory ability," Ji Xinghuo surmised. "She's probably a great beauty. Or perhaps she's not, like how some ordinary people look better with a mask on, thanks to the 'partial information effect,' causing my imagination to fill in the blanks."
After that brief moment of admiration, he quickly averted his gaze.
Firstly, it was impolite to stare.
Secondly, his magnetic field sensing ability had alerted him to the woman's overwhelming power—she was undoubtedly a super-being.
Moreover, her strength far surpassed that of any other super-being he had encountered in recent days.
She was not someone to be trifled with.
As Ji Xinghuo turned back to his meal, he suddenly realized that the woman seemed to be heading in his direction.
He paused, chopsticks midway to his mouth, as he watched her approach and take a seat at his table, directly across from him. A soft, melodious voice emanated from beneath the scarf. "Mr. Ji, are you looking for a team?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
