My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

After leaving the blacksmith shop, Xiuqi led the transformed Ado toward the Adventurers' Guild.

Summertown Square was busier than usual at midday. Vendors hawked fresh fruits and vegetables, handicrafts, and adventure supplies, and the air was filled with the aroma of roasting meat and spices. When heavily armed ogres appeared in the square, a commotion broke out among the crowd.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

"What's that? A heavily armored ogre?"

"It's that young mage's companion! I saw him before!"

Ado kept his head down, trying to minimize his presence, but his over three-meter-tall frame and menacing gear made him the center of attention no matter what.

Xiuqi walked calmly through the crowd, ignoring the surrounding chatter and stares.

The Adventurers' Guild building still stands like a fortress on the east side of the square.

The sword and shield emblem gleamed in the midday sun, while the stone sculptures of the "Guardian Lion" and the "Explorer's Eagle" on either side of the entrance silently watched over the passing adventurers.

Pushing open the heavy door, the familiar heat and noise hit me.

The hall was packed with all sorts of adventurers—humans, dwarves, orcs, and even two halflings sitting in the corner.

They lined up to receive missions, gathered to exchange intelligence, or loudly boasted about their recent gains. The air was thick with the smells of sweat, ale, and leather.

When Xiuqi and Ado entered the hall, the noise suddenly dropped an octave.

All eyes were on him—especially on Ado.

The fine robes and chainmail, the menacing spiked club, and the massive shield all spoke volumes about the ogre's danger and the wealth and power of its master.

Xiuqi walked straight to the mission bulletin board.

He quickly scanned the newly posted task list.

After his previous trip to the Grey Forest and his experience with the "Grey Blade" squad, he had a clearer standard for selecting missions: moderate difficulty, reasonable reward, and most importantly, accurate intelligence.

Several tasks caught his attention:

......

Summertown Adventurers' Guild ID: 01806305

"Description": Signs of goblin activity have been discovered on the edge of the Grey Forest. The goblin tribe numbers approximately thirty, and a high goblin has been confirmed to be in command. The area needs to be cleared to ensure the safety of trade routes.

"Rewards": Goblin 30 copper coins/each, Goblin 8 silver coins/each.

"Task duration": 7 days.

......

Summertown Adventurers' Guild ID: 01806312

"Introduction": Collect moonlight moss, a bioluminescent fern that grows only on moonlit nights and is often used in the preparation of healing potions. Requires at least five pounds of intact plant.

"Reward": 10 silver coins per pound.

"Task duration": 7 days.

......

Summertown Adventurers' Guild ID: 01806318

"Description": Escort a caravan to the port city. The caravan is of medium size and already has four guards. Two more experienced adventurers are needed as reinforcements.

"Reward": 10 silver coins per person.

"Task duration": 5 days (round trip).

......

Xiuqi quickly assessed the situation in his mind.

Goblin tribe missions are high-risk but good for developing combat skills; Moonmoss gathering is relatively safe but time-sensitive and requires specific knowledge; escort missions are the safest but take the longest.

He eventually accepted the mission to clear out the goblin tribe—a balance of risk and reward that would provide him with a wealth of practical experience.

As for the moonlight moss, he noted down the mission details and thought he could try it if it was on his way.

The next step is to find a mentor.

Xiuqi walked to the service counter, where the receptionist was none other than Perse, whom he had met before.

The girl's eyes lit up when she saw Xiuqi, but her smile froze when she saw Ado behind Xiuqi.

"Mr. Xiu, it's a pleasure to see you again." Perth tried to maintain a professional smile. "How can I help you?"

"I'd like to post a guide quest," Hugh said. "I need a guide familiar with the Grey Forest terrain, preferably a local hunter or someone with extensive forest experience. Excellent pay."

"Okay, I'll register you right away." Perth quickly took notes. "Do you have any specific requirements for your guide?"

"Honest, reliable, familiar with the forest, and has a good sense of direction." Xiuqi paused for a moment, "Ideally, he should have experience working with adventure teams."

"Understood." Perth nodded. "After the mission is issued, interested individuals will contact you. Will you wait at the association, or leave your address?"

"I'll wait here for a while."

Xiuqi led Ado to a relatively quiet spot in the corner of the hall to sit down.

Over the next two hours, five or six more people came to apply for the position of guide.

The first one was a tall, thin middle-aged man who claimed to have been a hunter for twenty years, but his description of the Grey Forest was vague, and he couldn't even name the main streams nearby.

The second was a young female ranger, agile and knowledgeable about plants. But she demanded 10 silver coins per day and required a week's payment in advance—clearly treating Xiu Qi as an unsuspecting lamb.

The third one was even more outrageous—a drunken old man who demanded an "expert fee" of 1 gold coin per day, reeking of alcohol as he spoke.

The fourth, the fifth...

Xiuqi interviewed all the applicants, but still couldn't find a suitable candidate.

It's either a lack of experience, a lack of courage, or an insufficient understanding of the forest.

He shook his head inwardly, clearly dissatisfied with everything.

Time passed, and it was already afternoon.

Xiuqi began to consider whether to lower his standards and find a barely usable guide. Just then, an argument suddenly broke out from the other side of the hall.

"Are there any other candidates?" Xiu Qi asked.

Lina flipped through her notebook, somewhat hesitant. "These are the guides who have applied so far. If you're not in a hurry, you can wait a bit longer; perhaps new guides will apply..."

Xiu Qi frowned. Time was of the essence; the academy's final assessments were less than two weeks away, and he needed to enter the Gray Forest as soon as possible to improve his strength.

But an unreliable guide can be more dangerous than getting lost.

"I'll think about it," Xiuqi said.

Just then, a quarrel suddenly broke out from the other side of the hall.

"I said, this time the bounty will be distributed according to contribution! Link only did the most basic reconnaissance, so taking 10% is more than enough!" a rough male voice roared.

"But Captain, I clearly lured away that goblin bear and even discovered their storage cave..." a young voice argued, sounding aggrieved.

"So what? We were the ones who killed the rest of the goblins in the cave! Without us, you'd get nothing!"

Xiuqi looked in the direction of the sound.

A four-person adventure team was seen arguing around the mission settlement counter.

The captain at the head was a burly man with a face full of scars, carrying a two-handed greatsword on his back. Behind him stood a tall, thin archer and a short, stocky shield warrior.

The boy who was surrounded by them was about sixteen or seventeen years old.

Xiu Qi's eyes narrowed.

He recognized the boy.

Link, the young guide who once took him to the old oak tree at the border.

Link looked even more haggard than when they last met, his linen clothes stained with mud and blood, and a fresh abrasion on his face.

"I really need that money..." Link's voice was pleading. "My grandfather is sick and needs medicine..."

"What's it to us!" The captain shoved Link aside roughly. "Giving you even a tenth is already being merciful! Any more complaining and you won't get a tenth!"

Link staggered backward and bumped into the table next to him.

The other adventurers in the hall were all watching, but no one stepped forward to speak.

In this dog-eat-dog world, the distribution of bounties within a team has always been decided by the "strongest."

Xiu Qi's heart stirred.

Link is a native of this area, familiar with the terrain of the Grey Forest, and has a simple and honest character.

More importantly, Xiu Qi had witnessed his abilities firsthand—

When he led the way last time, Link demonstrated his familiarity with the forest and his keen observation skills.

Isn't this exactly the kind of good partner he needs?