The White family steward walked in, having changed into clean, neat clothes. A gentle smile played on his face, and his steady pace suggested he was in a very good mood.
However, Bai Xuan keenly noticed that the moment the man entered, his eyes swept quickly across the hall.
The movement was subtle and swift, as if he were looking for someone or confirming whether anyone was secretly watching him. It was so fast it was almost gone in an instant; if Bai Xuan hadn't been watching the entrance, he would never have noticed it.
Soon, the steward spotted Bai Xuan standing in front of the bulletin board. His smile deepened as he walked quickly toward him.
“Mr. Bai Xuan, it’s been a while.” He approached Bai Xuan and took the initiative to extend his hand, his tone warm. “I’ve already heard from Captain Owen about the situation at the mine. You’ve worked hard.”
Bai Xuan reached out and shook his hand, pulling back after a brief touch.
At that moment, Owen also walked over from the appraisal counter, holding an appraisal slip. The three of them happened to meet in front of the bulletin board.
Looking at the two of them, the steward got straight to the point. “I’ve already sent people to verify the mining area. The curse has indeed been completely cleared. You performed even better than I expected.”
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of praise. “Therefore, I have applied to increase the commission reward to twenty gold coins. The original amount was fifteen, so the extra five is a reward for your outstanding performance.”
Afterward, the three of them walked to the front desk together. The young clerk, seeing them approach, likely guessed they were there to settle the reward and immediately pulled out the commission log from under the counter, ready to record the transaction.
The steward instructed the young man, “The commission is confirmed as complete. Settle the rewards now.”
The young man nodded, recording quickly in the log as he spoke. “Iron Rank commission, completion rating: Excellent. Awarding the maximum of twenty guild points. The points will be recorded under the name of the Hammerfall team.”
Finished, he looked up at Owen and added, “You can distribute the points within your team yourselves. Once you’ve decided, just report it to me for registration.”
Owen nodded slightly, indicating he understood.
The young man then pulled a heavy coin pouch from under the counter, placed it on the surface, and said, “The twenty gold coins for the reward are all here.”
Seeing this, Bai Xuan spoke up. “I don’t care about the points; your team can distribute them. Just give me my share of the reward according to the ratio we agreed upon.”
Owen placed the appraisal slip on the counter and said, “The magic cores have been appraised. They’re worth a total of three gold and ten silver. Combined with the twenty gold coins from the commission, that’s twenty-three gold and ten silver.”
“According to our agreement, your seventy percent share comes to sixteen gold and seventeen silver.” As he spoke, he counted out the corresponding gold and silver coins from the pouch and pushed them gently toward Bai Xuan.
Bai Xuan didn't bother counting them carefully. He simply picked up the coins and placed them into his own pouch.
The steward watched quietly from the side. Once the two had finished the transaction, he spoke up, his tone significantly more formal than before. “Mr. Bai Xuan, on behalf of the White family, I would like to officially express my gratitude for your help with the mine.”
“I’ve heard from Captain Owen that the successful removal of the curse was primarily thanks to your power. A Healer as skilled in purification as you is no worse than the clerics of the Church. Our White family has always been in great need of such talent.”
He looked at Bai Xuan earnestly, waiting for a response, clearly hoping Bai Xuan would join the White family.
Bai Xuan understood his intention instantly. Without the slightest hesitation, he stated his position directly.
“It was simply a matter of mutual benefit,” Bai Xuan said plainly.
“You posted the commission, I accepted the task, and you paid the reward. It’s a perfectly normal transaction. If the White family has further needs in the future, feel free to post another commission. As long as the reward is appropriate, I will consider it.”
His words were blunt and lacked any tact, but the steward didn't seem the least bit unhappy, having clearly expected such a result.
The steward smiled and pulled a small metal badge from his coat, placing it on the counter and pushing it toward Bai Xuan. “This is a token of our White family. Please accept it.”
“If you ever pass through Calais Town in the future, this badge will grant you some convenience in any area under the White family’s jurisdiction.”
He paused and added, “If you ever change your mind, you can bring this badge to find me. The doors of the White family will always be open to talent like yours.”
Bai Xuan looked down at the badge, then back at the steward. Seeing the man’s sincere expression, he didn't refuse.
The steward nodded with a smile. Without waiting for Bai Xuan to offer his thanks, he turned and walked toward the door. His pace was faster than when he had entered; it was clear he had other urgent matters to attend to.
Bai Xuan picked up the White family badge and tucked it away securely in his coat.
Owen didn't leave, remaining by the front desk with an exhausted expression.
Bai Xuan glanced at him and asked, “What happened after you went back yesterday? Karl...”
Owen remained silent for a long time. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly before he finally spoke, his tone so flat it lacked any emotion, as if he were talking about someone else's business.
“Karl... has been cremated.” He added, “Once things here are fully settled, I’ll take his ashes back to his family and give them an explanation.”
Bai Xuan said nothing, only nodding gently.
As if he had finally found an outlet to vent, Owen continued, “The rest of us pooled some bereavement pay. I provided the largest portion, while Simon and Lily contributed what they could. It should be enough for Karl’s family to live peacefully for a while.”
Bai Xuan looked at him and asked softly, “How are the others? Are Simon and Lily alright?”
“Simon is still in bed recovering. His injuries aren't fatal; he’ll be fine after a few days of rest.”
When Owen mentioned Lily, his tone grew even lower. “Lily... she hasn't wanted to talk much since we got back yesterday. Kieran is with them now, taking care of their daily needs.”
Bai Xuan nodded gently, asking no further questions.
He could understand their feelings. Karl’s death was a heavy blow that every member of the Hammerfall team would find difficult to overcome.
Owen said no more. He gave Bai Xuan a slight nod and turned to leave the guild, his back still appearing heavy and lonely.
Bai Xuan watched his figure disappear through the guild entrance before slowly turning back to focus on the commission slips on the bulletin board.
Row after row of slips were neatly posted. Some had curled edges, some had key points circled in pen, and others were stained with mysterious spots, making the board look somewhat cluttered.
Bai Xuan’s gaze fell upon the dense handwriting, but his mind involuntarily drifted back to the scenes in the mine.
He shook his head slightly, tossing the intrusive thoughts aside.
Then, he refocused his attention, carefully browsing the commissions on the board in search of a suitable next task.
...
Several horse-drawn carriages were lined up at the entrance of Blackcreek Town. Guards were checking each person and their cargo, waving them through after collecting the entry fees.
In the queue, a small merchant caravan consisting of only two or three carriages waited quietly.
The goods on the wagons were tightly covered with oilcloth, and several hired guards sat casually on the edges of the wagons, keeping a relaxed eye on their surroundings.
When it was this caravan’s turn, a guard lifted the oilcloth for a quick glance at the cargo, counted the accompanying personnel, and waved them into the town after collecting the fees.
The caravan’s wagons rolled slowly along the town’s main road. After passing through several streets and alleys, they finally stopped in front of the Adventurer’s Guild.
Several people stepped down from the wagons. The leader was a middle-aged merchant dressed in a plain cotton robe, clutching a stack of documents in his hand with an anxious expression.
Behind him followed a young man in a white robe, holding a staff. His aura was calm and reserved, looking entirely out of place among the rough adventurers nearby.
Two other men dressed as guards followed closely behind but stopped at the guild entrance, waiting outside instead of going in.
The middle-aged merchant pushed open the guild doors, the crisp creak of the hinges breaking the silence of the hall.
There weren't many people in the guild hall at this time. Jiwa, behind the front desk, was looking down and organizing commission slips. Hearing the door, she looked up, a habitual professional smile spreading across her face.
“Hello, how can I help you?”
The merchant walked quickly to the counter, placed the documents gently on the surface, and said bluntly, “We’re here to settle a commission. It was a merchant escort mission.”
Jiwa took the documents and began to check them carefully. However, when her gaze inadvertently swept over the young man standing behind the merchant, her movements suddenly paused.
She remembered this person.
Ten days ago, this very young man had come to the guild to register as an adventurer.
That clean face and calm, extraordinary aura had made him stand out exceptionally among the travel-worn, weather-beaten adventurers.
At the time, she hadn't been able to resist taking a few extra glances, inwardly wondering how someone like him had ended up trying to make a living in a small border town like Blackcreek Town.
What made him even more memorable was the day after his registration.
The dwarf Barend had rushed into the guild, frantically asking her if this young man had taken any missions, his expression incredibly anxious.
She had carefully checked the commission records and truthfully told the dwarf that the young man hadn't returned to the guild to take any tasks since his registration.
Later, the dwarf had asked about the whereabouts of the Nightshade team. Unfortunately, that team hadn't been active in the guild for a long time and had long since disappeared without a trace.
After hearing that, the dwarf’s expression shifted several times before he rushed out without another word. He hadn't appeared in the guild since then.
She hadn't thought much of it at the time, assuming it was just a dwarf looking for a friend and that there might be some urgent matter between them.
But as the dwarf never returned for commissions, she had eventually let the matter fade from her memory.
Until this moment, when the young man appeared before her once again, and those buried memories slowly resurfaced.
Her gaze lingered on the young man’s face for a fraction of a second before she quickly withdrew it, returning her focus to the documents in her hand to continue the verification.
The documents were in order, the commission process was normal, the escort mission had been successfully completed, and the client had confirmed everything. It fully met the requirements for settling the reward.
“The reward will be distributed according to the previously agreed ratio.” Jiwa looked up at the white-robed young man—Bai Xuan—and asked softly, “Your share is fifty silver coins. Is that acceptable?”
Bai Xuan nodded slightly, having no objections.
Seeing this, Jiwa counted out fifty silver coins from under the counter and pushed them toward him. She then reached out to take the adventurer badge he offered, preparing to record the points for this mission.
As soon as the badge was in her hand, Jiwa looked down, and her movements froze once more. A flicker of surprise that was hard to detect flashed in her eyes.
A Bronze Rank badge.
Ten days ago, when he first registered, he had only been at the lowest Paper Rank. In just ten short days, he had already risen to Bronze Rank.
Jiwa quickly placed the badge into the specialized registration device. The tool immediately displayed the corresponding point record: 53 points.
53 points.
One had to know that promoting from Paper Rank to Bronze Rank only required 30 points. Not only had he successfully upgraded, but he also had 23 extra points.
At this rate, if he gathered another 47 points and completed an Iron Rank commission, he could successfully promote to Iron Rank.
An Iron Rank adventurer in a border town like Blackcreek Town was already a backbone member or even a captain of an adventure team.
As for the Silver Rank above that, it was a level only possessed by the captains of large adventure teams.
Jiwa looked at Bai Xuan again, her gaze gaining a hint of gravity. However, this seriousness lasted only a moment before she quickly pulled herself together and continued recording the points.
“Two points have been added for this mission. Your current total is fifty-five points.” Jiwa handed the badge back to Bai Xuan, her voice concealing her surprise. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
Bai Xuan took the badge and tucked it away. He suddenly remembered that he still had some jewelry obtained from the tomb, as well as that broken Soul-Patterned Ring.
He spoke up and asked, “Excuse me, are there any reliable shops in town that buy jewelry? Not ordinary trinkets, but items with some history to them.”
Jiwa thought for a moment before providing an answer. “You can check out the Copper Plate Pawnshop. It’s on the west side of town.”
“That pawnshop has been open for over a decade and has a good reputation. They’re quite fair when it comes to buying antiques.”
Bai Xuan nodded slightly and thanked her politely. “Thank you.”
With that, he turned to walk out.
Jiwa watched his back as it gradually disappeared through the door before withdrawing her gaze and returning to her work organizing the commission slips.
Bai Xuan stepped out of the Adventurer’s Guild and stood still for a moment, calculating in his mind.
He had never heard of the Copper Plate Pawnshop and didn't know its background.
In comparison, he still trusted Lorrain more. Although that half-elf was a man of few words, his level wasn't low, and in their previous dealings, he had felt the man was fair and reliable in business.
Having made up his mind, he turned and headed toward Lorrain’s shop.
Walking through the familiar yet slightly foreign streets, Bai Xuan moved at a leisurely pace, mentally sorting through his gains from this period. His expression gradually relaxed.
His level had finally reached Lv. 5.
Rate on N.U.
