The next day, in the early hours at the Contract Hall, before dawn broke, only a few lamps cast a cold halo, dispelling the deepest darkness before morning.
The first to arrive at the hall to prepare for the day's work was the Dwarf receptionist, Gelong Stonebeard.
Although Gelong sported the traditional Dwarf's signature large beard, he had changed his name after arriving in this city of blended cultures to a new one he felt was trendier and more resonant.
He wore a neatly pressed platinum uniform, humming an off-key Dwarven tune as he walked toward the side door of the staff entrance.
Then he stopped awkwardly—the position of the lock was simply too high for his stout, short frame.
He stood on his tiptoes, stretching his arm, his fingertips barely reaching the keyhole, but stabilizing the key to open the door was extremely difficult.
Gelong muttered a few words in Dwarven Language, likely complaining that the person who designed this lock must have been a tall, long-limbed Elf.
Just as he was considering finding something to stand on, light footsteps sounded behind him.
The person approaching was the Elf receptionist, Shala Lightwind.
"Morning."
Shala greeted him, then stopped looking at Gelong.
She maintained the Elf's elegance and meticulousness. Seeing Gelong's predicament, she said nothing, merely walked forward expressionlessly, easily unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
Gelong rubbed his nose and followed her in somewhat sheepishly.
The two began their preparations before opening for business.
Shala skillfully cleaned and tidied the reception desk, arranging various forms and brochures by category;
Gelong went to check if the magical facilities in the hall were operating normally.
A short while later, with a long time remaining until official opening hours, the eastern horizon had just begun to show a faint hint of pale light, yet a sound came from the main entrance of the hall.
"Wow, already here? Which diligent soul is that?"
Gelong muttered while fastening the last button of his uniform, walking toward the main door, preparing to deal with this rare early customer.
However, when he clearly saw the person standing outside the door, all words caught in his throat, as if choked by a hard stone.
Standing in the faint morning light was A Mi.
He was covered in dried, blackened bloodstains and marks from Acid Corrosion. His Spirit Body looked even more ethereal and unstable than yesterday. His already simple clothes were tattered beyond repair, reduced to mere strips barely covering his body.
And in his arms, he was cradling the unconscious Xiao Ye.
The maiden's back was a horrific sight. Large patches of Crow Feathers had corroded and fallen off, revealing the severely Burning Status-afflicted flesh beneath, a terrible red color. In some places, one could vaguely see bone spurs; the injuries were shocking.
Her face was as pale as paper, her breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.
"I... completed the Commission."
A Mi's voice was hoarse, like a broken bellows. He raised his bloodshot eyes to look at Gelong.
"The Slime colony mentioned in the Commission... it consolidated into a Slime King."
Gelong gasped, finally snapping out of his shock. Professionalism quickly took over.
He hurried forward, carefully examining the murky gelatinous Core that A Mi handed over, which emitted faint Acid energy and a powerful Life fluctuation.
"That's right... this energy level is indeed the Core of a Slime King, and judging by the attributes, it is the Acid variant."
Gelong nodded solemnly, "Alright, consider the task completed."
He took out the Commission paperwork, preparing to record it, but his brow furrowed again, showing the Dwarf's characteristic stubbornness regarding Rules: "However, young man, strictly speaking, this doesn't entirely meet the Commission requirements.
The Commission specified cleaning up 'an excessive number of Slimes,' requiring the return of at least twenty ordinary Slime Cores. You only brought back one, albeit a higher-grade Slime King Core, but according to the Rules..."
He paused, looking at A Mi's instantly tensed jawline and the tragic appearance of the maiden in his arms. He sighed inwardly, his tone softening slightly.
"...Therefore, the reward cannot be paid in full at the original three hundred Copper Coins. Moreover, looking at this young lady's injuries, if they aren't treated immediately, I fear..."
Gelong didn't finish his sentence. He turned around, retrieved a pile of basic healing ointments, disinfectant potions, and bandages from the cabinet behind him, and counted out two hundred shining Copper Coins, pushing them all toward A Mi.
"Here, two hundred Copper Coins, plus this medicine. Treat her quickly, don't delay!"
A Mi looked at the Copper Coins, one hundred less than expected, and the pile of basic medicine. His lips moved, wanting to argue further.
They risked their lives to eliminate a threat far exceeding the Commission's difficulty—was it only worth this much?
Gelong seemed to sense his reluctance. He stepped forward, lowered his voice, tapped the desk with a thick finger, and spoke with a hint of subtle protection in his tone.
"Kid, don't be ungrateful! By the rigid Rules of the hall, when someone like you substitutes multiple low-level Cores with one high-level Core, and you are injured in the process, we usually only provide medicine, not money!
I'm making an exception because you two clearly had a hard time, secretly pulling strings to squeeze out these two hundred Copper Coins for you! This is the 'conscientious price' I can offer within my authority! Take it quickly; saving a life is the priority!"
A Mi froze. He looked at Gelong's eyes, hidden beneath thick brows, which held a trace of helplessness and urging. Then he looked down at the barely breathing Xiao Ye in his arms. Finally, he swallowed all his reluctance and anger.
He silently reached out and tightly grasped the heavy, blood-stained pile of Copper Coins and medicine, as if clutching a lifeline.
"Thank you..."
He squeezed out the two words through gritted teeth, lingered no longer, and rushed out of the Contract Hall, stumbling while holding Xiao Ye, merging into the streets that had not yet fully awakened, heading toward the direction of their dilapidated Tree House.
Gelong watched their receding backs and shook his head, sighing.
"Alas, this world... two pitiful youngsters." He turned around, meeting Shala's calm, unwavering gaze, and shrugged, "What are you looking at? Rules are dead, but Dwarves are alive."
Shala offered no reply, continuing to wipe the already spotless counter, as if nothing that had just happened had occurred.
But her gaze seemed to linger briefly in the direction A Mi had departed.
A Mi stumbled forward with Xiao Ye in his arms amidst the brightening dawn. He had to hurry back to the Tree House to treat her wounds with the medicine he just obtained.
The anxiety in his heart and the exhaustion in his body made him barely aware of his own existence; he was sustained only by sheer willpower.
Just as he was passing through a relatively quiet street, preparing to turn onto the small path leading to the woods outside the city, a slightly hoarse and surprised voice sounded from nearby.
"Hey..."
A Mi stopped instinctively and looked toward the sound.
At the entrance of a bookstore nearby, which was still lit by a magical lamp, the Elf Maiden Lina stood there, holding several thick tomes in her hands.
She had faint dark circles under her eyes, suggesting she had stayed up all night studying spells or history in the bookstore.
Lina had initially just offered a casual greeting, but when she clearly saw A Mi's current state—
Covered in bloodstains and corrosion marks, his Spirit Body dim, cradling Xiao Ye whose back was a bloody mess and who was unconscious—her slightly drowsy emerald green eyes widened instantly, her face etched with disbelief.
"What... what did you two do? How did you end up like this?!"
Her voice rose, carrying undisguised astonishment. She quickly walked down the bookstore steps, her gaze sweeping between A Mi and Xiao Ye, especially Xiao Ye's shocking injuries, which made her frown deeply.
A Mi was silent for a moment, then replied hoarsely, "We went to handle a Commission from the Contract Hall."
"A Commission from the Contract Hall?!" Lina's voice held an almost absurd tone. "You... how could you take a Commission from there?!"
"Commissions there are either so dangerous that even veteran Contractors must treat them cautiously, or they are trivial matters with extremely suppressed rewards! They are absolutely not for people like you..."
She stopped herself, not saying words like "novices" or "weaklings," but the meaning was clear enough.
She looked at A Mi's silent, weary face, then at Xiao Ye, who was heavily injured in his arms. The image of the dilapidated Tree House she had seen earlier, and Xiao Ye's faded, old clothes, flashed through her mind.
A realization dawned on her, choking off the rest of her words.
Right, they needed money. The most basic resources required to survive in this World.
The Commissions at the Contract Hall were perhaps the only avenue they could think of to potentially earn a reward when they couldn't find a better way out.
Even knowing it was unfair, knowing it was dangerous.
Thinking of this, Lina suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness, a complex emotion mixing confusion, slight sympathy, and a touch of irritation spreading within her.
She opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. Should she accuse them of overestimating themselves? Or lament the unfairness of fate?
"...If there's nothing else, I should be going now."
Seeing her silence, A Mi spoke again, his voice low and urgent. He had no time to waste here.
Lina looked at the arm holding Xiao Ye tightly, and at the unwavering anxiety in his eyes. She remained silent for a moment.
Elven pride and rationality told her she shouldn't get further entangled with these "troubles," especially that D-Rank Contract Spirit, who was destined for little achievement.
But... looking at Xiao Ye's devastating injuries, a basic compassion that transcended Race and class made her inexplicably ask, "...Do you need help? I know some healers, or..."
"Thank you," A Mi interrupted her, answering quickly and decisively, "But not right now."
His refusal held no hesitation, nor any hint of petulance; it was simply a calm statement of fact—they would walk their own path.
Having said that, he stopped lingering. Holding Xiao Ye, he turned and continued walking resolutely toward the outskirts of the city, leaving the bustling street and the Elf Maiden standing there with a complex expression, behind him in the gradually brightening morning light.
Lina watched their retreating, ragged yet upright figures for a long time without moving. The heavy tomes in her hands suddenly felt weighty as well.
"What... stubborn fools, caring too much about appearances," Lina muttered after a long pause.