My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the branches and leaves of the orchard, casting dappled shadows on the damp earth.

Grandma Masha stood in front of the wooden house, her aged hands tidying Ado's clothes one last time.

The old woman's withered hands carefully brushed the hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with intense focus.

However, Xiuqi could see the turbulent emotions surging within her eyes—

The child she has raised for fifteen years is about to embark on a long journey.

The ogre Hador lowered his head, letting the wrinkled hands stroke his rough, gray-green skin.

It carried a huge bundle on its back—inside were the dry food that Grandma Martha had prepared overnight, a few changes of clothes, and the set of literacy boards.

"Listen to Mr. Hugh," Granny Martha's voice was a little hoarse. "Remember everything I taught you."

Ado made a gurgling sound in his throat, his little yellow eyes filled with reluctance.

It stretched out its huge palm and gently touched Grandma Martha's shoulder.

Xiu Qi stood to one side, his gray robe swaying gently in the morning breeze.

His sword, "Bavarian Moonlight," lay quietly in its sheath at his waist, the cool glow emanating from its hilt barely noticeable in the morning light.

The rare meditation stone on his chest emitted a warm, pulsating sensation, making his meditation throughout the night far more effective than ever before.

"We should go," Xiuqi said softly.

Grandma Martha nodded with red eyes and took a step back.

The cannibal Ado glanced at Xiuqi, then at Granny Martha, and finally slowly turned around and followed the gray-robed boy.

Two figures, one tall and one short, walked eastward along the dirt road.

Xiuqi walked steadily, the hem of his gray robe sweeping across the roadside weeds.

And Ado, following behind him, caused the ground to tremble slightly with every step he took—

Its ten-foot-tall body cast a long shadow in the morning light, looking like a moving hill from afar.

......

The mornings in Summertown are always lively.

In the morning market in the town center square, vendors hawk fresh vegetables, live poultry, and handicrafts.

The air was filled with the noise of the crowd, the aroma of baking bread, and the smell of livestock.

When an unconventional adventure group appeared in the square, the surrounding noise paused for a moment.

All eyes were immediately drawn to this unusual pair.

Leading the way was a young human dressed in a gray robe, followed by a ten-foot-tall ogre with arms as thick as an adult male's waist.

The ogre, dressed in coarse linen clothing and carrying a huge bundle, clumsily followed behind the gray-robed youth.

"Gods above..." A vegetable-selling peasant woman dropped a carrot from her hand.

Several curious children who tried to get closer were pulled back to their mothers in a panic.

The town's guards watched the ogres warily, but when they saw the Sormah Royal Academy badge on the gray-robed youth's chest, they did not stop him.

Xiuqi seemed oblivious to the stares he was receiving. He led Ado straight across the square and toward a three-story stone building.

The wooden sign at the entrance of the building is engraved with a symbol of crossed swords and shields—the emblem of the Adventurers' Guild.

The cannibal Hodor hunched his shoulders and lowered his head, following the boy through the gate like a shy child.

When Xiu Qi pushed open the door and entered, the hushed conversation that had been taking place in the hall came to an abrupt halt.

More than a dozen pairs of eyes turned to them at the same time.

Five or six adventure teams were standing or sitting in the hall, and everyone stopped what they were doing.

The receptionist behind the counter looked up, and her eyes lit up when she saw Xiuqi.

"Mr. Xiuqi!" Lina, the receptionist with a long ponytail, exclaimed in surprise.

Then, as her gaze shifted to behind Xiuqi, her mouth opened slightly.

The cannibal Hodor stood in the doorway, his enormous body almost blocking the entire door frame.

Its small, bright yellow eyes scanned the hall, and its large, thick hands swayed somewhat uneasily.

"Come in, Ado," Xiuqi greeted the somewhat shy big guy.

The cannibal carefully bent down and squeezed through the doorway into the hall.

The wooden floor groaned under its weight.

The entire hall was completely silent.

A few seconds later, a whisper came from the corner: "Am I seeing things...? That's an ogre?"

"Still wearing clothes that fit..."

"Who is that kid?"

Xiuqi ignored the discussions and walked straight to the counter.

"Miss Lina." He nodded in greeting.

Lina blinked, trying to look away from Ado. "Mr. Xiu-Xiuqi, it's nice to see you again! And this is...?"

"My companion, Ado," Hugh replied succinctly.

Lina swallowed hard, forcing a professional smile. "Y-Of course. Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild, Mr. Ador."

Ado responded with a muffled gurgling sound.

"Mr. Xiuqi..." Lina rummaged through the logbook under the counter. "Captain Rein of the Gray Blade Squad came by yesterday."

He said you killed the harpy, so you get a share of the bounty.

She pulled out a parchment and quickly scanned it: "The harpy's bounty is 50 gold coins. As per Captain Rein's request, divide it into five portions—"

He, Ellie, and the fallen Shattered Bones and Bucky each receive one portion, and you receive one portion as well. Your portion is 10 gold coins.

Xiu Qi nodded slightly.

"In addition," Lina continued, "Captain Raine sold the harpy's body material for 25 gold coins."

Your share, worth 5 gold coins, was deposited here by him.

She took a small money pouch from under the counter and pushed it to Xiuqi: "It's 15 gold coins in total, please count them."

The gold coins clinked pleasantly in the purse.

Xiuqi took the money bag with a light squeeze of his right hand; it was indeed 15 gold coins.

This income was more than he had expected; after all, 15 gold coins was no small sum.

"And this too." Xiuqi took a small cloth bag out of his bag and poured it on the counter.

Four shriveled goblin left ears rolled out, with dark red scabs still remaining at the base of the ears.

Lina carefully checked everything, and after confirming that everything was correct, she wrote in the logbook: "Four goblins with left ears, 30 copper coins for each, totaling 120 copper coins, or 6 silver coins."

She quickly counted out the corresponding silver coins and handed them to Xiuqi: "Please sign for this."

Xiuqi signed his name on the parchment, his handwriting neat and concise.

Throughout the entire process, the adventurers in the hall observed quietly.

As Xiuqi put the gold and silver coins into his bag, a few eyes flashed with greed and envy, but after glancing at Ado's enormous body, those greedy thoughts were quickly suppressed by reason.

"Is there anything else you need help with, Mr. Hugh?" Lina asked.

"Not at the moment," Xiuqi said. "Thank you."

Xiuqi nodded and left the hall with Ado.

The moment the door closed, a long-suppressed murmur erupted in the hall.

"Who is that kid?"

"An ogre companion... In my twenty years of adventuring, this is the first time I've seen someone bring an ogre into a guild..."

"Look at his gray robe, it looks like the robe of an apprentice at the Academy of Arcane Arts."

"A mage apprentice? With an ogre? This combination is too..."

Lina listened to these comments and sighed softly.

When they first met, the gray-robed apprentice subdued four bandits, and this time he accomplished the extremely difficult task of killing the bird demon.

As a seasoned receptionist, she had an intuition—

Master Xiuqi will surely become a name that appears frequently in the guild's logbook in the future.