Trickster Hunter.

Chapter 504 Yang Qiaoxi

Sun Hang then had the mainframe check the "Bronze Finger's" historical record. It wasn't exactly unremarkable, but it was certainly lacking in highlights... Sun Hang even wondered if this guy was now regretting leaving the Monster Research Institute to become a free hunter—risking his life to make a living was nowhere near as appealing as having a secure job and a government job.

Don't be fooled by how carefree the lives of those "freelance hunters" seem on various social media and short video platforms. They never actually film their hardships and post them online. Even if they do, it's just to gain sympathy and create a certain persona.

Copper Fingers underwent a comprehensive examination last month. According to the memetic intensity mentioned in the report, even at his absolute best, he can only convert less than two kilograms of pure copper per day. Currently, the market price of pure copper raw materials fluctuates around 80 yuan per kilogram. In other words, even if this guy works himself to the bone every day to convert waste into pure copper, his monthly income would be less than five thousand yuan…

Not to mention that once meme abilities are overdrawn, recovery becomes extremely difficult... According to the calculations given by the mainframe, assuming a balance between overdrawn and recovery time, this guy can only earn a little over a thousand yuan a month by converting pure copper.

If it weren't for the federal government providing a monthly allowance to those infected, that amount of money would probably be barely enough to make ends meet.

Making money by converting pure copper might be less lucrative than performing magic tricks in a circus.

The difference between "golden finger" and "bronze finger" is only one word, but their values ​​are worlds apart.

Unfortunately, this guy was converting pure copper. Before adding other metal elements to make it into an alloy, pure copper has rather ordinary physical properties. Even if he could make weapons and armor out of pure copper, their lethality and defensive power would be very limited. These days, even tungsten alloys and titanium alloys are not performing well enough, let alone pure copper, which was already phased out in the early feudal era.

His only killer move is to touch the enemy's vital parts with his right index finger and "copperize" the enemy's vital parts—but the problem is, if you can touch someone's vital parts, wouldn't the effect of using bullets, explosives, knives, etc. be the same?
Only an enemy with extremely strong physical defense could be killed by this "special attack" that ignores defense.

Sun Hang went through the hunter's few combat records. His fighting style was basically no different from that of an ordinary human soldier. He had never used the Copper Finger ability to hunt monsters—the only time he used his ability and caused harm was when he accidentally injured his ex-wife...

After observing it for a long time, Sun Hang finally came up with an eight-word evaluation of this ability: "It's tasteless to eat, but a pity to throw away."

The ability itself isn't weak, but the user is too weak—if he could instantly turn everything he touches into copper, this ability would be practically a bug. Not to mention anything far in the future, whether it's the giant cocoon of Chimera 17 or the moving Dragon Rock Fortress, this ability could instantly kill them.

“There are many free hunters like him in Dragon City,” Zhulong said. “Their biggest advantage in entering the no-man's land isn’t their combat ability, but rather their status as infected?”

"The identity of the infected person?" Sun Hang asked, somewhat puzzled.

“There are a large number of strange memes in a ‘free state’ in the uninhabited areas of the Hexi Corridor. Ordinary people can easily become infected if they come into contact with these memes without proper protective measures. But it’s different for infected people. The memes in the bodies of infected people actively resist these free memes, forming an immune effect... So, from a certain perspective, infected people are safer to move around in the uninhabited areas than ordinary people,” Zhulong said.

Sun Hang: "I see."

Just as Sun Hang finished speaking, the sound of brakes and a motorcycle engine roaring suddenly came from the entrance of the tavern. Zhu Long raised an eyebrow and said in a low voice, "Looks like the boss is back ahead of schedule."

Sun Hang looked up, his gaze passing over Zhulong's shoulder as he sat with his back to the door. He saw a racing-style motorcycle parked in front of the tavern, and a long leg, long enough to rival Wang Xiyi's, stepped off the motorcycle, clad in leather pants.

The owner of the long-legged man was wearing a leather jacket covered with metal ornaments that looked like medals, which jingled incessantly when he moved.

The female motorcyclist pulled out her car keys and strode into the pub, her thick-soled Doc Martens making a crisp clinking sound on the wooden floor.

She took off her helmet, habitually tossed her head back, and asked the bartender, "Xiao Zhang, while I was away, did anyone cause trouble at the bar?"

The bartender paused for a moment, his eyes instinctively glancing at Sun Hang—although Sun Hang's behavior had a slightly confrontational tone that annoyed him a little, upon closer examination, it was just a joke. Besides, they had already patronized the bar; if he held a grudge over such a trivial matter, he might as well not do business with them.

"No, everything is normal," the bartender said.

However, the female knight still noticed the way he glanced at Sun Hang.

The female knight turned to look at Sun Hang and his table, and Zhulong also turned his head at just the right moment, their eyes meeting instantly.

The female knight immediately smiled and swayed her hips as she walked gracefully toward them: "Oh, a rare guest... It's been a long time. Was it four years ago when you last visited Dragon City?"

"I've been quite busy with missions these past few years," Zhulong replied with a polite smile.

"Your ability to fob people off is still as bad as ever." The female knight pulled up a chair from the side and sat down at Sun Hang's table. "Aren't you going to introduce these two to me? This young lady... don't tell me she's your daughter."

"I haven't even gotten married yet, so how could I have a daughter?" Zhulong said with a wry smile.

"Not married yet? Well... looks like I still have a chance?" the female knight said in a half-joking tone, her eyes darting between Sun Hang and Xue Yue. "Are they colleagues?"

“Yes, they are hunters, just like me.” Zhulong nodded.

"It seems you came to Dragon City on a mission, not for a vacation." The female knight's smile faded slightly as she said to Xue Yue and Sun Hang, "What would you like to drink or eat? Order whatever you like, it's on me."

“This is the owner of this tavern, Yang Qiaoxi,” Zhulong introduced to Sun Hang. “She used to be a mercenary active in the no-man's-land of the Hexi Corridor, and later…”

"Later, I almost lost my life in the no-man's land, so I quit and opened a small, run-down tavern in Dragon City, doing some intelligence business on the side." Yang Qiaoxi interrupted Zhulong's introduction, laughing as she said, "Actually, I also do some shady business, like medicine and military equipment... Of course, I know you definitely don't lack that kind of stuff. So, what do you want from me?"

Zhulong pulled a case of Xinghuacun Fenjiu liquor from under the table.

"No outside drinks allowed in this tavern," Yang Qiaoxi said with a smile, glancing at Zhulong.

"This is a gift for you," Zhulong said. "We came here because we have a favor to ask of you." Sun Hang thought Yang Qiaoxi would refuse the gift, but to his surprise, she took a folding knife from her belt, quickly cut open the seal of the wine box, took out a bottle, unscrewed the cap, and took a small sip.

"Hmm... this tastes so nostalgic. This stuff is a rare commodity in Longcheng." Yang Qiaoxi licked her lips and said, "It sells for 500 yuan a bottle in Chang'an, but if you bring it to Longcheng, the price will at least double."

"Is this money so easy to make?" Sun Hang was taken aback. "Chang'an isn't that far from Longcheng. Buying wine directly in Chang'an and selling it in Longcheng would be much more profitable than opening a tavern, wouldn't it?"

“I can tell you guys went through the inspection-free channel. Tsk, the privileges of elite hunters are truly enviable,” Yang Qiaoxi said. “Things like cigarettes and alcohol that enter the city through normal channels not only have to pay high entry taxes, but also have daily transport quotas. If the quota is full, your goods can only pile up at the city gate and wait for the quota to refresh the next day… This money isn’t so easy to earn.”

"This case is for you too." Zhulong pushed the second case of Fenjiu to Yang Qiaoxi.

Yang Qiaoxi's expression changed slightly: "Your price is not low. What do you need my help with? Let me make it clear first, I will not be a mercenary anymore."

The two cases of Xinghuacun Fenjiu liquor, according to Yang Qiaoxi's price, were worth more than the delivery task reward that "Copper Finger" wanted to transfer, so it's no wonder that Yang Qiaoxi had doubts.

“We need to recruit a group of skilled individuals to carry out a… a very dangerous mission,” said Zhulong. “We need hunters or ability users with top-notch experience and strength, preferably tough guys who can hold their own against ranked hunters.”

"A mission with a high level of danger? How high?" Yang Qiaoxi's face instantly turned serious. She wiped the remaining wine from the corner of her mouth with her finger. "Recruiting skilled people is not a problem, but if you don't explain the mission details clearly, I'm afraid no one will take it."

"The mission will take place in the occupied territory," said Zhulong.

"The occupied zone? I thought it was more dangerous... The no-man's land in the Hexi Corridor is not much different from the occupied zone." Yang Qiaoxi suddenly laughed, but she only laughed twice before she realized that Zhulong's tone was a little off.

"Wait a minute... which occupied area are you referring to? Western Siberia? Taklamakan? Or the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau?"

“Egypt,” Zhulong said in a voice that could only be heard by those at their table.

"What?" Yang Qiaoxi's long, tattooed eyebrows immediately furrowed. "Say it again... Where is the mission location?"

“Egypt,” Zhulong repeated.

"Are you sure it's Egypt, located in the northeastern corner of the African continent, and not some region with the same name around the Xia State Federation?" Yang Qiaoxi asked incredulously.

"It's Egypt."

"Has Tian Shu Tower gone mad, or has the federal government gone mad? We haven't even figured out the occupied areas near Xia State yet, what kind of nonsense are we going to do in Africa?" Yang Qiaoxi asked in astonishment.

"We are only responsible for carrying out the mission, and we never ask why." Zhulong said in a businesslike tone.

“This is insane. Even if we can recruit people, they’ll probably all be a bunch of lunatics,” Yang Qiaoxi murmured. “Also, how do you plan to get to Egypt? If we start from the Xia State border, the occupied area we need to cross is larger than the entire Xia State Federation.”

"Near Earth orbit airdrop." Zhulong seemed to trust this tavern owner named Yang Qiaoxi very much, and did not hide the details of the mission from him. "Tian Shu Tower will prepare two airdrop pods, one to carry people and one to carry a rocket to bring people back."

"You're all crazy! You're all insane!" Yang Qiaoxi shook her head repeatedly. "You're driving me crazy too!"

"Tell me if you can recruit anyone," Sun Hang asked. "If all else fails, I'll have to take a bunch of hunters from the leaderboard to Egypt."

Yang Qiaoxi took several deep breaths before her violently heaving chest gradually calmed down. She stood up, went around behind the bar, took a bottle of distilled liquor and a glass from the freezer, and returned to Sun Hang and the others' table.

With a crisp "pop," the cork flew out like a bullet. Yang Qiaoxi poured herself a full glass of wine and then gulped down most of it.

"This news is so shocking, I need to process it properly." After saying that, Yang Qiaoxi downed the remaining half glass of wine.

She then poured herself a second glass, a third glass... until she finished the fifth glass. Then she pushed the bottle forward and said, "We can definitely recruit people. Dragon City has no shortage of people, no shortage of madmen, and no shortage of madmen who are not afraid of death. But two factors are crucial—time and compensation."

“We have six months,” Zhulong said. “However, I hope to complete the recruitment within three months. I need to allow some time to get to know the recruits, and the team needs time to gel.”

“Three months… isn’t impossible.” Yang Qiaoxi nodded vigorously, her cheeks flushed slightly, clearly on the verge of being between sobriety and a little tipsy. “The most crucial thing… is the compensation. I have to make it clear that compensation doesn’t necessarily mean money. Or rather, according to your requirements, most of the people you can find probably won’t be asking for money.”

“We can meet any requirement that the federal government and the Tian Shu Tower can meet,” Zhu Long said.

"Oh ho, quite the boast." Yang Qiaoxi narrowed her eyes. "Looks like the higher-ups are taking this operation very seriously... Alright, leave it to me!"

"Then I'll have to trouble you." Zhulong nodded.

“However, eggs… hiccup… don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Yang Qiaoxi said, pouring herself another glass of wine. “I suggest you visit some of your other old friends. Alternatively, you can try your luck yourself.”

“I will,” said Zhulong.

“As for trying your luck… you can go to… hiccup… Yumen to try your luck,” Yang Qiaoxi said. “I received news that recently there have been quite a few powerful hunters… in… Yumen.”

(End of this chapter)