Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Up ahead was the Mercenary Association.

In early March, Southeast Base still operated on winter hours. Every morning at six o'clock, the aircraft would take off on schedule, transporting thousands of mercenaries to various mission zones. By five in the evening, the aircraft would return to base with mercenaries who had either completed or not completed their tasks.

Mercenaries had to come to the association to submit their missions, so evenings were peak times for the association.

The association's efficiency was high; they could usually verify all missions by eight o'clock in the evening. Therefore, most mercenaries were willing to queue and finish their day's work, avoiding taking up time the next day. Only those with ample free time and no patience for long queues would go home after getting off the aircraft and come back the next day.

In short, the Mercenary Association wasn't very crowded during the day, but it was livelier on weekends.

Outside the base was a parking lot. Qinchi slowed down the car: "Park here?"

Xu Qiao smiled: "I thought you'd directly store it in your space."

After becoming familiar with each other and agreeing to be teammates, they decided to call each other by their names from now on.

While reversing, Qinchi replied with a smile: "When traveling, it's better not to be too ostentatious."

Getting out of the car, the two walked side by side towards the association hall.

After about five minutes, Xu Qiao spoke first about her situation: "I've only accumulated three contribution points, so I can only choose stronger teams among the rookies. How about you?"

The four bases were far apart and in a state of communication disconnection. Only the official upper echelons or top-tier families had means of inter-base communication. However, contribution points and scores were universally recognized across the bases.

Qinchi: "To be honest, I have twenty-two points, which is average for my age."

From eighteen to twenty-eight years old, completing two basic missions a year, being cautious and following routines, perfectly matched the profile of an ordinary part-time C-level mercenary.

Xu Qiao: "Completing twenty-two missions successfully also counts as experienced. With your spatial ability, why don't you find teammates yourself? You might have more opportunities."

Qinchi: "The higher the team's strength, the higher the requirements and constraints on teammates. I prefer to team up with people I get along well with."

Xu Qiao understood this choice.

For example, even if she joined Zhao Feng's B-level team due to his connection, would his B-level teammates treat her equally? Including Zhao Feng, who had ulterior motives. Conversely, if she joined a rookie team with the weakest members and no experience, the teammates would treat her like a queen, only to become prey for beasts when danger came.

The best team composition was one where the members had similar strengths, mutual respect, and harmonious relationships.

Xu Qiao took out her notebook from her bag, flipped to the latest pages, and handed them to him: "Here are the potential teams I've compiled. Take a look?"

Qinchi stopped and read carefully.

Xu Qiao's handwriting was neat. Each mercenary team was annotated with known teammate abilities, spirit types, contribution points, number of members, ages, and personalities.

Teams that provided more information in their recruitment posts had more detailed records, while the simplest ones only included the team name and poster's data.

After finishing, Qinchi pointed to the ten or so pages before them: "Are they all similar?"

Xu Qiao: "Yes, every month I apply to a few teams, but none have been successful."

Either they didn't want her, or she couldn't accept some of the character flaws displayed by the members.

Qinchi smiled: "Then let's wish us luck in forming a team today."

The first floor of the association was spacious and bright, with ample light streaming through ten-meter-high glass windows. A large electronic screen displayed the base missions available recently.

By convention, mercenaries conducted transactions at the eastern end of the first floor, while the western end was used for team recruitment and applications.

Free venue, free utilities, and free security made this the perfect place.

Xu Qiao led the way, while Qinchi walked leisurely beside her on the right, as if visiting a museum.

Before entering, Qinchi said he was uncomfortable in such settings and hoped Xu Qiao would handle the conversations with the mercenary teams, supporting any decisions she made.

Xu Qiao: "What if I find a suitable team, but you don't like the members?"

Qinchi: "We only need to work together once every six months. As long as there are no fundamental character issues, I can tolerate any personality quirks."

Xu Qiao: "You said it. If we ever argue, don't blame me for poor judgment."

Qinchi laughed: "I trust your judgment in choosing teammates."

Xu Qiao, who had chosen him from dozens of potential tenants: "..."

However, Qinchi did seem like someone who wouldn't easily get into conflicts. His politeness seemed ingrained.

The western end was vast, with eight rows of stalls neatly arranged, each equipped with a one-meter-long table and four chairs.

These were provided by the association, offering convenience to mercenaries and avoiding clutter in the hall.

Five rows were for Combat Department mercenary recruitment, and three rows were for healer recruitment.

Combat Department mercenaries faced direct dangers, with high mortality rates. Healers, although protected by teammates, had poor self-defense capabilities and also faced high mortality rates outside the base.

Xu Qiao had memorized the names of the teams she planned to apply to. As they walked, she scanned the team names on the stall screens and, finding a potential match, queued behind them.

They arrived early, with only two competitors ahead, one currently applying.

Xu Qiao looked at the four people sitting inside the stall. Three men and one woman. Almost instantly, a scar-faced muscular man looked at her, his gaze lingering on her face and then moving to her chest, a suggestive smile playing on his lips.

How could such a thug be identified just by reading the post?

Xu Qiao stepped away, ready to leave.

The scar-faced man suddenly left his seat, circled around the stall, and blocked her path: "Little girl, don't go. Are you a C-level healer?"

Xu Qiao merely looked coldly at the broad chest emitting a strong odor: "Yes, you're blocking my way. Please move aside."

The scar-faced man didn't care about her expression and laughed, "We're looking for a healer. I think you're a good match, so it's you. Since you came to apply, you should know the strength of our team; we're definitely top-tier among the beginner teams, ensuring you'll come back unscathed every time."

He was incredibly enthusiastic, but a tall and thin teammate frowned, "Old Wang, don't make decisions on your own. The captain said that any new recruit needs unanimous approval from all four of us."

The scar-faced man immediately looked at the bespectacled gentleman sitting in the chair.

The bespectacled gentleman first examined Qinchi, then turned to Xu Qiao. Before he could speak, Xu Qiao preempted him, "Captain, you should be more familiar with the rules of this hall than I am. Are you going to call your teammates back, or should I summon security?"

The corner of the glasses man's eye twitched as he coldly said, "Old Wang, come back."

His voice left no room for refusal. The scar-faced man clenched his fists and, before leaving, pointed at Xu Qiao and said fiercely, "You're asking for it! If you have the guts..."

Qinchi, who had been quietly following behind Xu Qiao, suddenly took out a pair of earplugs from his pocket and offered them to her, "If you don't want to hear the noise, you can try these."

Xu Qiao: "..."

Scar-faced man: "...Say that again!"

Qinchi looked at him calmly, "The difference between humans and beasts lies not only in language and the use of technological tools but also in moral cultivation and cultural heritage. If you understand what I mean, please correct the beastly side of yourself. If you don't understand, there's nothing more for me to say."

The scar-faced man understood—he was being insulted!

He raised his fist high, but the glasses man stopped him in time, "Wang Li, do you want to go to jail!"

Ignoring the scar-faced man's changing complexion, Xu Qiao and Qinchi walked nonchalantly to the next recruitment booth.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned, and Xu Qiao's job hunt today was still unsuccessful.

There were arrogant male mercenaries who disregarded women because of their own powerful attacks, sensitive female mercenaries worried about their boyfriends being lured away by Xu Qiao, and even "generous" captains who hadn't considered Xu Qiao but were eager to recruit Qinchi and thus offered her a chance out of charity. Of course, there were also many normal teams that simply found Xu Qiao's lack of experience problematic.

Xu Qiao, an outstanding graduate of the Third Military Academy, felt somewhat dejected. Was she setting her standards too high for the team's capabilities? Should she lower her expectations?

Her gaze inadvertently fell on an empty recruitment booth across the way.

Only one slightly overweight young man sat there, looking like a recent graduate of a military academy, much like herself.

Their eyes met, and he blushed instantly, lowering his head to pretend to organize the two pieces of paper on the table.

Xu Qiao had never encountered such an easily embarrassed male esper before. Curious, she approached his booth and pressed down on the papers he was about to put away.

One was a blank form, and the other was a team introduction.

This mercenary team named "Silence is Golden" currently had only one member—the slightly overweight young man.

Sun Fushan, a C-level earth esper, spirit body: turtle, specializes in defense, graduated from the Second Military Academy.

Note: Stutterer, communication is not easy.

Turtles as spirit bodies weren't uncommon, but Xu Qiao was surprised, "You studied at the Second Military Academy?"

Sun Fushan nodded, blushing.

Xu Qiao glanced at the Second School's Qin teacher beside her. Even B-level espers from ordinary backgrounds found it hard to get into the Second School, so how did this C-level esper manage it?

But she quickly hid her curiosity and asked about the recruitment, "Are you daring enough to take on missions outside with just one healer?"

Sun Fushan took out another booth number and, with his head lowered, said, "First, recruit a healer, then... then... others."

Xu Qiao felt bad for him, but since he had gone through the trouble of speaking so many words, she couldn't just leave.

Qinchi spoke up, "I attack, he defends, you heal. We should recruit one more from the Combat Department; that should work."

With attack, defense, and healing covered, the setup was quite comprehensive.

Xu Qiao was tired of endless interviews. Qinchi had proven his strength with twenty-two contribution points, so she focused on Sun Fushan, "How many contribution points do you have?"

Sun Fushan held up three fingers and then pulled out a certificate from his pocket, proving he was an outstanding C-level graduate of the Second Military Academy, in the same year as Xu Qiao.

If not for Xu Qiao's lotus flower mysteriously gaining petals, their resumes would be comparable, with Sun Fushan's Second School degree giving him a slight edge.

Of course, joining a team as a healer would be easier for Xu Qiao than forming a team herself.

Xu Qiao introduced herself and Qinchi, "Can we join your team?"

Sun Fushan, who had failed multiple recruitments, stood up excitedly, "Yes, great!"

With the team formed, Xu Qiao breathed a sigh of relief, "Shall we go find the last teammate together?"

Sun Fushan nodded happily and quickly packed up, ending the booth rental, and led them to the Combat Department recruitment area.

It was ten o'clock, and the place was crowded, with almost no idle booths. As Sun Fushan scanned the area and ran towards a newly vacated booth, Xu Qiao suddenly spotted a familiar tall figure—Meng Li, dressed in black combat gear, stopping purposefully in front of a mercenary team's booth.

Not far away, Xu Qiao couldn't help but listen closely.

"Meng Li? You... you're back?"

"Yes, I hunted eight C-level beasts. Give me five crystals for the mission, and keep the rest."

"Oh, but we thought you... we only hunted ten C-level beasts that day. Captain and Xiao Tian submitted the mission yesterday. We need to recruit... No, since you're back, we don't need to recruit anyone else. Let's do one more mission tomorrow to complete our tasks."

"No, you abandoned me once, and you can abandon me again. Return the five crystals by the end of the month, and we'll consider the matter settled."

The four teammates remained silent.

After stating her terms, Meng Li left.

Seeing this, Xu Qiao gave Qinchi a nod and smiled as she chased after Meng Li.

Meng Li heard the approaching footsteps but assumed they were unrelated until Xu Qiao blocked her path, causing her to stop in surprise.

"Yesterday's events..."

Xu Qiao smiled and said, "What happened yesterday is in the past now. Our team is still short of one member. I wonder if you're interested?"