Versatile Mage

Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

Zhong Li woke everyone up early in the morning on the next day.

“Boss, I just received a letter from the Hunter Union delivered by a roaming Post Eagle. It’s for a quest with a high reward, and it’s about the lizard demons that we are familiar with!” Zhong Li said excitedly.

“Show me!” Gu Ying ordered him.

The Post Eagles were a common way for the Hunter Union to communicate with Hunters in the wild. Normal communication equipment had no signal in demon creatures’ territories. The Post Eagles were specifically used by the Hunter Masters to relay important information and messages.

Xie Hao went closer and blurted out in surprise, “Looking for an infant of the Lizard Demons. A million for whoever gets it… That’s insane!”

“Is an infant of Lizard Demons worth that much? They are indeed hard to catch, but they are known for their tendency to stir up troubles. Could it be fake?” the big-nosed Mage wondered.

“The information is real. It’s a Hunter Master’s Post Eagle. It even has the seal of a Hunter Master. The seal hasn’t disappeared yet, so the quest is still valid!” Gu Ying said.

“We are in luck then! It won’t be difficult for us to catch an infant of the Lizard Demons!” Xie Hao said.

“The letter also mentions that the Hunter Master is looking for an elite squad of Intermediate Mages that is familiar with the Thousand Islands Lake and is experienced in capturing demon creatures. She’s willing to pay twenty-four million to hire the squad for a month or two, but the squad must catch an infant of the Lizard Demons within a week,” Gu Ying went on.

“Twenty-four million!” the members of the Foehn Hunter Squad gasped. Their eyes glittered!

“Twenty-four million. That means each of us will get four million if we split it evenly. That’s crazy! I don’t think we have ever accepted a quest with over ten million as the reward!” Zhong Li exclaimed.

Quests were classified into different levels. Hunters could only accept the higher-level quests after they had reached a certain rank. A quest with over ten million as the reward was already considered a huge job for them. Most Intermediate Mages could treat themselves to a long rest after completing a job like that, let alone a quest that was going to pay them twenty-four million! They could buy new magic equipment with the money. If they already had some savings, they could even afford to buy a cheap Soul Seed!

Soul-grade Seeds averaged around fourteen to eighteen million in price. If they could earn four million from just one quest, they would be very close to buying a Soul-grade Seed if they could find a few more quests with the same pay!

“(Cough cough), we have seven in our team now,” Gu Ying corrected him.

“Is he going to get the money, too? He did nothing, he’s only here to make up the numbers, yet we have to give him three million? That doesn’t make any sense!” the big-nosed Mage whined in displeasure.

If the quest’s reward was only a few million, they would not mind sharing it among the seven of them. It might feel like a waste, but it was better than wasting their time doing nothing because they did not have enough members for the quest. However, if the reward was twenty-four million, there was no way they would be willing to give away three million for someone that was only making up the numbers!

“That’s right, he’s only with us for the quest related to the Salamander Demons. He’s not part of this new quest,” the Earth Mage said.

“I don’t think that’s the right thing to do. He’s still one of us now,” Zhong Li said with an awkward face.

“That’s enough, what are you even arguing for? You sound like the twenty-four million is already ours when we haven’t even done a single thing! Fan Mo is now one of us, of course he’s with us for the next quest! Stop arguing!

“We should come up with a plan soon. If the Post Eagles are delivering the letters, it means other squads will receive the message too. We won’t get a single cent if another team ends up catching an infant of the Lizard Demons before us!” Gu Ying scolded the members mercilessly.

The big-nosed Mage and the Earth Mage were displeased, yet they dared not to talk back to their leader.

Mo Fan was quite surprised, too. It was true that they should not kick him out of the party since it was against the ethics of the Hunters Union, yet how many Hunters would even care about ethics when it came to money? Even if the incident was brought up to the Hunter Union, they were indeed technically signing up for a new quest, so they were not breaking the rule if they did not share a single cent with Mo Fan!

The fact that Gu Ying did not kick Mo Fan out of the party even though he was not contributing much changed his view of her. It was rare to see Hunters sticking up for their ethics, especially after learning how desperate for money she was.

“Actually, you don’t have to argue because of me. I was only interested in the quest for the Salamander Demon’s hearts. I won’t be tagging along if you guys are thinking of doing a different quest…” Mo Fan said.

Mo Fan had a good impression of Gu Ying, so he did not want her to fall out with the big-nosed Mage and the Earth Mage because of him. It was already difficult for her to build a reputation as a team leader as a woman. If she insisted on not placing her members first, the team might even disband as a result!

“Fan Mo, don’t abase yourself. We were rookies like you, too. We all came from the Basic Level. We weren’t able to complete the quest of collecting the Salamander Demon’s hearts because we weren’t prepared enough. You have wasted your time by coming with us, too. However, we are confident in completing this new quest. You are welcome to come with us and earn some money. You can use it to buy some resources that might help you reach the Intermediate Level.

“You are not young anymore. It’s indeed a little embarrassing to still be stuck at the Basic Level. Being good-looking alone isn’t enough in this world. You must have a certain strength and be financially capable. Otherwise, you won’t dare to go after the beautiful goddess you are fond of,” Gu Ying said.

Mo Fan was left speechless by Gu Ying’s speech.

Which eye of yours is telling you that I’m abasing myself?

A few million was basically nothing to him. It was not even enough to buy snacks for Little Flame Belle when she had a good appetite!

Forget it, if he told them that, they might assume he was bluffing again…

“Well, I’m currently investigating the Salamander Demons, so I’m only interested in quests that are related to them. I don’t have time for other quests,” Mo Fan said.

“Boss, he already said it himself. What’s the point of urging him to stay? We should hurry. If we waste our time further, we are really going to miss out on the chance,” the big-nosed Mage said. He glanced at Mo Fan, as if complimenting him for knowing his place.

“Yeah, we haven’t secured the reward yet,” the Earth Mage agreed quickly.

Gu Ying had a troubled face, but since Mo Fan had already said so, there was no reason for her to force him along.

“I’ll give you back your deposit,” Gu Ying said.

“Sure.”

Gu Ying returned the deposit to Mo Fan. To his surprise, she actually gave him twice the deposit. Gu Ying explained that they were responsible for failing the quest. They promised to bring him along to earn some money, yet they had given up on the quest halfway. Therefore, she had given Mo Fan twice the deposit as compensation.

Mo Fan did not want it, but he had no choice but to take it after Gu Ying insisted.

Mo Fan roamed around the Thousand Islands Lake after parting ways with the Foehn Hunter Squad.

He tried attacking the Salamander Demons to see how quickly he could eliminate them. As he expected, regardless of the Element he was using, the Salamander Demons were a lot harder to kill than normal Warrior-level creatures. Mo Fan only managed to clear the Salamander Demons out of a small area after spending the whole day fighting.

The Thousand Islands Lake was quite broad, and there were countless Salamander Demons occupying the lake. If even a magic cannon Mage like Mo Fan was struggling to reduce the numbers of the Salamander Demons, it was obvious that culling the Salamander Demons with brute force was out of the question!

“Forget it, time to go back and see if Lingling has come up with a better plan.” Mo Fan felt extremely helpless. He had no choice but to go back, as it was starting to get dark again.

Mo Fan had wasted a few days at the Thousand Islands Lake, yet he had not found any effective way to exterminate the Salamander Demons.

——

Mo Fan found Lingling after he returned to Minghu Outpost.

Lingling was busy working on something, and was extremely focused. She was displaying the inviolable bearing of a genius.

Apas sat by the window, eating a red apple. Her sexy legs were swinging under her pleated skirt. She seemed carefree and relaxed, but she was just bored.

“If she’s not doing anything, can you keep her in your Contract Space?” Lingling said. She was obviously referring to Apas.

“I wasn’t disturbing you!” Apas was not pleased.

“The air you are exhaling is disturbing me from doing my work,” Lingling refuted promptly.

“Humph, annoying little brat!” Apas jumped down from the side of the window. She went up to Mo Fan and wrapped her arms around her hand. She stuck her body close to him and rubbed it against his hand while asking in a seductive tone, “Big brother, did you learn anything useful?”

“Not really, the Salamander Demons are very tricky to kill. If we are relying on brute force, we might have to hire a bunch of Super Mages, but that would also destroy the Thousand Islands Lake,” Mo Fan said. He did not mind Apas acting coquettishly. He was enjoying the sensation.

Lingling glanced at Apas. Her face had no expression, but her eyes were full of disdain and disgust.

“Take a rest for now. I’ll need you to visit the Hunter Union later,” Lingling said.

“Did you make any progress?” Mo Fan asked.

“A little.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Mo Fan had relied heavily on Lingling’s knowledge and her crazy insight to complete some of the high-level quests when he was still a low-rank Hunter. Of their partnership, Lingling was the brains, so Mo Fan only needed to be a simple-minded retard with well-developed limbs!

Mo Fan heard something tapping on the window. He was confused.

Apas looked excited. However, before Apas could reach the window, Lingling said sternly, “Don’t you dare touch it!”

The Hunter Lodge…

The strong smell of the swamp lingered in the hall. The Hunters quickly pinched their noses and stepped aside.

A squad of Hunters in rugged clothes covered in stinky mud came into the hall. They hurriedly went into a room, ignoring their smell and appearance.

It was the Foehn Hunter Squad. They had been very productive, completing the quest for an infant of the Lizard Demons in just four days. They came in right away to hand in the quest.

However, to their surprise, another Hunter Group was waiting in the room. They had obviously completed the quest and were waiting for their employer!

“Why are you here!?” Gu Ying pulled a long face when she saw the other group.

“Isn’t this Gu Ying? Why do you look like you have just been begging on the street…tsk tsk, what’s that smell? Did you fall into a latrine pit or something? You really should have washed yourself before coming here. This is the private zone for Hunter Masters. I wouldn’t want the Hunter Master to faint because of your smell,” an enchanting voice spoke up.

The person speaking was a woman in her thirties. Her face was covered by a thick layer of foundation. She looked beautiful at the first glance, but if anyone was to take a closer look at her, they might be disgusted by her thick makeup.

“What are you doing here?” Gu Ying said coldly.

“To hand in the quest, of course! My team caught an infant of the Lizard Demons, so I’m here to hand it over… Oh, don’t tell me you accepted the same quest. Such a pity, we were here first, and we’ve already informed the employer,” Li Yumei answered sweetly.

“That’s impossible. The infants of the Lizard Demons are only active in the Great Gorge during this current season. Our team never saw you in that area. There must be something fishy about the creature you’ve caught. Someone must be raising it to be used as a Contracted Beast after it grew up!” Gu Ying said.

It was no longer the mating season for the Lizard Demons. It was unlikely that anyone would find a youngling of the Lizard Demons, even if they searched the entire Thousand Islands Lake and other areas. However, the Foehn Hunter Squad knew a place with a unique environment that might have one or two infants of the Lizard Demons, which was why they were so confident in completing the quest. To their surprise, Li Yumei was here to hand in the quest too! There was no way she could have found an infant of the Lizard Demons somewhere else!

“You’re not the only person familiar with the Thousand Islands Lake. Are you accusing me of cheating just because I’m faster than you? The Hunter Master isn’t blind, he will make the call himself. If you ask me, you should just go home and take a shower. You really stink, we are still looking forward to a feast tonight!” Li Yumei said disgustedly.

“Damn it, damn it!” Gu Ying immediately lost her temper. She ran forward as if she was going to fight Li Yumei to death.

“You madwoman!”

A Hunter Mistress walked in as they were about to started a brawl. She frowned and rebuked them when she saw people fighting, “What are you doing? Don’t you know violence isn’t allowed here?”

“We are here to turn in the quest! They came after us. You should drive them out!” Li Yumei sniffed.

“Whoever that argues further will be tossed out! Since both teams have completed the quest, you are allowed to stay! The Hunter Master is willing to pay a hundred million for the squads that completed the quest. It’s fine to have a few squads competing for the quest. The Hunter Master will personally evaluate the teams…” the Hunter Mistress went.

“Of course, I understand!” Li Yumei immediately responded with a smile.

Gu Ying had a twisted expression. Her face was dirty, and her disheveled hair was covered in filth. She looked completely different compared to her appearance when Mo Fan first met her. She was no different than a beggar on the street.

The quest paying a million for the infant of Lizard Demons was not that important. The following request to hire a squad with twenty-four million was the real deal. The team had gone all out to finish the quest first. They had waited in the swamp for three days and nights!

They had finally caught an infant of the Lizard Demons and rushed back, and did not have a chance to get some rest. Gu Ying would really be disheartened if her team missed out on the opportunity!

Most infuriatingly, this shameless woman was competing for the quest too!

Gu Ying and Li Yumei used to be members of the same group. Their leader was a very talented Mage. However, Li Yumei ended up shamelessly using her body to convince the leader to kick Gu Ying out of the group. She eventually became the leader’s wife.

The woman had never done anything useful, yet her title and reputation had exceeded Gu Ying’s. She had even reached the Advanced Level not long ago!

Gu Ying hated Li Yumei’s guts. Li Yumei had already ruined her life once. If she messed up her last fight again, she would seriously have the urge to die together with Li Yumei on the spot!

The reward of twenty-four million was too important to her group. Apart from the money, they would be getting a lot of Contribution Points, allowing them to take on higher-level quests! It would be easier for them to take on quests that would pay over ten million, as employers were more willing to employ their group knowing that they had completed a quest that paid twenty-four million in the past.

They had been doing quests worth only a few million as the reward lately. How long was it going to take them to save up for a Galaxy Vein if they were splitting such rewards among the six of them!?

A fragmented Galaxy Vein already cost around fifty to sixty million!

Gu Ying had treated this quest worth twenty-four million very seriously. It was a precious opportunity for her, and would guarantee her the right to accept quests with over ten million. She might have a chance to save up for a Galaxy Vein if she worked hard for another five to six years!

“I’ve transferred a million to both your accounts. You will hand over the younglings now,” the Hunter Mistress said.

“When will we know if the Hunter Master is going to hire us for the next quest? We are more interested in that. Is it possible for us to meet the Hunter Master? Our Foehn Hunter Squad is full of elites, and we are disciplined, just like the army. We promise that we can be of great help to the Hunter Master!” Zhong Li asked quickly

“The Hunter Master will make the decision after looking at the younglings. You can wait here or go back first. We’ll contact you again,” the Hunter Mistress replied evenly.

“Can you please let the Seven Star Hunter Master know that our Panshan Hunter Squad is a subsidiary squad of Hunter Master Lu Zhuo’s Hunter Group? We are more professional and reliable than some inferior, lowly Hunter Groups,” Li Yumei said.

“What did you say!?” Gu Ying snapped.

“Boss, keep your calm,” Zhong Li quickly advised.

“Humph, our strength and reputation say it all. The Seven Star Hunter Master definitely knows better… Mistress, we will excuse ourselves,” Li Yumei sniffed.

Gu Ying was trembling in rage as she watched Li Yumei leave with her party.

However, she did not leave after them. She stayed in the room and looked at the Hunter Mistress. She made up her mind as if she had decided to press her luck, “Mistress, can I meet the Seven Star Hunter Master in person? I can guarantee that there’s something strange about the youngling that Li Yumei brought. Our Foehn Hunter Squad might not be as famous, but our members are outstanding. We are willing to complete the quest at all costs. Please give us a chance!”

Gu Ying did not want to give up, especially after seeing how smug Li Yumei was. She decided to take the initiative to fight for the opportunity!

“I told you, the Hunter Master will decide after inspecting the younglings. What you say won’t make any difference,” the Hunter Mistress responded calmly.

“Please, let me meet the Seven Star Hunter Master!” Gu Ying bowed at the Hunter Mistress.

She could expose Li Yumei’s deception as long as she was given a chance to meet the Hunter Master.

Li Yumei must have bought the youngling. There was no way she had caught it from the wild! Someone like Li Yumei was not worthy to be hired by a Seven Star Hunter Master!

“I’ll relay your message, but the Hunter Master will still make the call.” The Hunter Mistress was touched by Gu Ying’s sincerity. After all, her team had come to turn in the quest even before treating their injuries!

The Hunter Mistress left the room and handed the infants of the Lizard Demons to the employer.

The Hunter Mistress returned after two hours. She was surprised to see the Foehn Hunter Squad was still in the room. They had been waiting for her to return!

“Don’t just wait here, go treat your wounds first and get some rest. I’ll contact you if I have any updates. I’ve already relayed your message. The Hunter Master is currently busy. As for whether the younglings were tamed or caught in the wild, the Hunter Master will know for sure. Don’t you worry,” the Hunter Mistress encouraged them.

“Oh, okay,” Gu Ying nodded in disappointment.

“Leader, don’t give up yet. A Seven Star Hunter Master can easily see through Li Yumei’s tricks…” Zhong Li said.

“Speaking of which, I didn’t know the quest was from a Seven Star Hunter Master before coming here! It’s rare to even see a Seven Star Hunter Master. I never thought the quest we were doing is from a Seven Star Hunter Master. No wonder it has such a generous reward!” the big-nosed Mage said.

A Seven Star Hunter Master!

A person like that was a great authority in Gu Ying and her party’s eyes. The man Li Yumei had hooked up with was only a Three Star Hunter Master. He was just like a junior in front of a Seven Star Hunter Master!

Gu Ying did not expect their employer to be a Seven Star Hunter Master; it made her even more desperate to secure the opportunity. It would be a great advantage if they worked successfully for a Seven Star Hunter Master. They would be guaranteed to be able to take on quests worth more than ten million!

“Mistress, may I ask who the Seven Star Hunter Master is? I’ve seen the seal on the letter. I can remember many of the Seven Star Hunter Master’s seals, but I don’t think I’ve seen this one before. Is the Hunter Master someone that has kept a low-profile?” the big-nosed Mage asked cautiously.

The seal of a Hunter was a symbol of their identity. Truly famous Hunters did not even need to mention their names or titles, their seals alone were enough to indicate who they were. The big-nosed Mage had seen the letter, yet he could not link the seal with any of the famous Seven Star Hunter Masters.

“To be honest, I’m not familiar with the two Seven Star Hunter Masters, either. They are from a private Hunter Agency, but it’s a very famous Hunter Agency. I’m sure you have heard of it before,” the Hunter Mistress said.

“A private Hunter Agency?” The members of the Foehn Hunter Squad were shocked.

Most Hunters were actively looking for quests, but private Hunter Agencies were usually made up of Hunters that employers would actively visit, trying to convince them to take on their jobs. Therefore, most private Hunter Agencies were established by someone that had at least reached the rank of a Senior Hunter. They mainly focused on quests that were dedicated exclusively to a Senior Hunter!

“So… which private Hunter Agency is it?”

“The Clearsky Hunter Agency of the Magic City’s Jing’an District.”