Chapter 201: A Change in Number, Joining the Hound Organization!

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

“Dear passengers, we have arrived at Storm City. Number 10 Exchange.”

The gentle female voice of the control system sounded as the automatic hovercraft gradually came to a stop.

After paying using the terminal, Feng Luo slowly walked out of the gradually opening vehicle door and into the number 10 Exchange. It was over 300 levels and was far more enormous than the land area of Silvermoon City. He had come to this place to purchase the final preparations for the Hidden Profession Mission.

Knowing the key contents of the mission, then saving up for a rainy day—and preparing a few items for potential use—had always been Feng Luo’s habit. However, after seeing the items in the Agent Passcode Chest this time, he realized he would no longer have to use many of the items he had originally planned for!

That was good, too. At least it would save him a huge sum of money! At present, his finances were indeed in a disastrous state.

******

After half an hour, Feng Luo walked out of the Exchange. However, the strange thing was that he did not board the automatic hovercraft at his side, but walked slowly step-by-step as if strolling.

After walking for about two minutes, he reached a deserted place. There, Feng Luo suddenly stopped in his tracks and said coldly, “You’ve been following me for so long. Could you finally explain why?”

“You have good eyes, mister, noticing me so quickly.”

The silhouette of a Scout player appeared behind him. His entire body gradually gained visibility as if slowly appearing out of thin air.

Feng Luo’s face was unamused. But, at the sight, he was not the least bit surprised. Having an Optical Disguise combat suit was not an uncommon sight in War, but this Scout player must have had a related talent to be able to maximize the use of the skill and look as if he’d blended into the surroundings. However, it was not easy to fool Feng Luo’s five senses.

“Let me introduce myself. I am a Hound, code 1007!”

Upon being discovered, the Scout player wearing an Optical Disguise combat suit did not panic but revealed himself, flashing a brief smile as he spoke.

A Hound!

Hearing the identity of the Scout, his pupils contracted in shock.

It could be said that the Hound Organization had been heard by most players in War. It was an “intermediary” organization of high power with a mysterious background. But what they transacted was not equipment but all sorts of information!

Regardless whether it was player-related or NPC-related news, or even some hidden missions, as long as one could afford it, the Hound Organization could help collect the information at high speed and accuracy! However, the location of the Hounds was different from that of the Huan Yu Company, Starry Sky Company, and others that were considered to be high-end player organizations.

Feng Luo, who had been considered a “peasant” in the past, had never come into contact with the Hounds before. But this Hound was actually coming up to look for him? What for?

The Hidden Profession Mission!

Feng Luo identified the reason in an instant. His forehead creased.

“I guess mister has already guessed my purpose.”

This Scout player, who did not reveal his name but only introduced himself as Hound code 1007, still smiled at Feng Luo’s slight change in expression.

“First of all, congratulations to you, mister, for getting the Hidden Profession Mission. You should know that in War, as far as we know, there haven’t even been 100 people who have gotten the transfer to the Hidden Profession—”

“Spill the beans!” Feng Luo cut him off, though indeed a little surprised by the information revealed by this Hound, code 1007.

He hadn’t expected that so many people would have been transferred to the Hidden Profession in just a few days since Death Roar’s first transfer. There were, indeed, quite a lot of secretly talented people in War… Similarly, the Hounds’ information network was quite incredible, indeed!

“If mister prefers, I will get straight to the point,” said the Hound. “Following you was an order from the higher-ups. I am only an executor, so I hope that mister can forgive me.”

Although Hound 1007 had said “if mister prefers,” he still spouted a line of rubbish before getting straight to the point.

“Perhaps mister does not know, but the Hidden Profession Mission you have only has a quota of 50 and 15-second timers in total, but only 300-plus players had been awarded the mission—320 people to be specific.”

“I know!” Feng Luo said, cutting him off once more. Perhaps some players wouldn’t have asked, but he’d already heard the answer from the male white-collared NPC.

“It seems like I have thought too highly of myself.” Hound 1007’s eyes flashed with a spark of light. After which, he said, “Have you, mister, ever thought that even though the requirements of the mission haven’t been known until now, it is obvious that everyone will be a competitor. Facing 319 competitors, how high is your chance of winning?”

“30 percent!” Feng Luo said, looking at the Hound personnel with an unchanging facial expression. But in his heart was another answer.

Above 90 percent!

He was not a boastful person, but he was already destined for this mission. In addition to his current abilities, the presence of 24K had granted him the capital and the confidence.

“Mister is so confident!”

The smile on the Hound personnel’s face was unchanged, as if he was not the least bit surprised by Feng Luo’s answer of “30 percent” instead of the supposed “about one in 60.” He congratulated him again and continued speaking.

“However, mister, if I told you that among the 300-plus people who have joined the mission, there are already more than 30 percent—more than 100—who have agreed to cooperate with us, how high would you think your chances would be of getting the Hidden Profession Mission?”

More than 100 people!

Hearing the number, Feng Luo’s face turned grave. “This mission is a solo mission, right?” he said.

“Right. It’s a solo mission. The system doesn’t allow teams and cannot engage in group channels, either. It even restricts the frequency and duration of going offline. But, as you know, there are still many ways…”

Hound 1007 had a smile on his face.

There were, indeed, many ways. Even though the intelligence of War was linked with the main intelligence of the 17th Executive Star—so as to control some methods of “cheating” in the whole federal virtual network and maintain fairness in the game—it could not stop players in reality from disseminating information using conventional means that did not go through the virtual network. Similarly, it could not control the power of Star Coins!

“More than 100 people, but only five ‘quotas’ in total. How can such a thing be determined? By luck of the draw?”

Feng Luo smiled, knowing that it could not be by luck of the draw, personal draw, or anything like that. He had said it on purpose.

“Mister, you must be mistaken. The five quotas would bid—the one in five who offers the highest will earn it. Also, the 15 lower bidders will earn 12 second-time participation quotas, while the rest will be responsible for helping them to accumulate points in the mission!”

“Working for others’ benefit, would they agree?”

Feng Luo stared at Hound 1007.

“Yes, of course they would! Because everyone would not have been working for nothing.”

The smile on Hound 1007’s face remained the same. “After we Hounds have withdrawn a fraction of the intermediary fees, the money from the player who has bought the five quotas of the transfer—and from the 15 second-time participation players from before—will be split among the players who participated in the mission according to their contribution to the mission. In addition, after the successful mission, we Hounds will provide the players with a piece of information about the Hidden Profession Mission, free of charge. It’s a guarantee that there won’t be any huge loss.”

“What an exaggeration!” Hearing that it was as if he was undervaluing the Hidden Profession, Feng Luo’s eyes narrowed.

“The people of the Hounds have always had a good reputation!” The Scout player’s face always hung a calm smile.

“Right, then. If I were to buy a transfer quota, how much would it cost?” Feng Luo asked, looking at him.

“Eight million! This is currently the price at fifth place.” Hound 1007 raised his right hand, showing an “eight.”

“Eight million credits?”

Hound 1007 shook his head, smiling even more widely. “Star Coins!”

“What a ridiculous sum!”

Feng Luo finally understood why that many players had joined them. If fifth place had already offered eight million, the places in front would have offered much more, adding on to the money from the 15 places behind.

Calculating this, each person who gave up the chance to the profession transfer would presumably be able to get hundreds of thousands of Star Coins! Hundreds of thousands of Star Coins merely for giving up just a one in 60 chance of getting the Hidden Profession—only a fool would choose not to do it!

Feng Luo was even more speechless at the idea of players who would spend eight million just for a nonexclusive Hidden Profession. Were they crazy? He was practically beating himself senseless just for 30 million credits, yet there were actually good-for-nothings who would spend eight million Star Coins in exchange for a nonexclusive Hidden Profession? He had really underestimated of the “spending power” of the rich people in War!

“If you’d just like one of the spots in the quota,” Hound 1007 added, “based on the current last place, just 130,000 Star Coins would be enough.”

“Forget it, I don’t have that much money!” Feng Luo replied in a straightforward manner and shook his head, not intending to continue the conversation with the Hound personnel. “Besides, I don’t intend to join you…”

“What a shame, I’ll take my leave then!”

Hound 1007 did not harass him further and simply walked off.

“The two assessor NPCs. The Shangri-La Hotel. The Exchange…”

Watching the disappearing silhouette of the Scout player, Feng Luo’s head was spinning with thoughts. But no matter how he looked at it, there was something wrong about him being noticed by the Hounds. It was now no longer important!

The important thing was that the Hound Organization had joined this mission and even had more than 100 players gathered together. With this, the originally, supposedly fair solo competition mission had already become especially unfair to solo players.

The difficulty of the mission had undoubtedly been increased once more! His initial 90-percent confidence might really have to be adjusted!

“The Hounds…” Feng Luo said, his forehead creased. “Who knows if they uncovered my identity or if they have something against this mission?

That Hound 1007 had addressed him as “mister,” not “Mister Feng,” from the start until the end, meaning he must not have known his ID. Without a person’s ID, investigating his background information would be quite difficult.

In War, photos taken without consent would cause alterations to the character’s appearance. Thus, the Hounds would have been unable to use legitimate ways to obtain information on his appearance and would be unable to use his appearance to directly access his terminal database.

However, they could have used “cheat” methods to synthesize a rough portrait by memory outside of the virtual network. But with the disguise potion from this mission, the method would be nothing to be afraid of.

Furthermore, after being transferred to “Agent,” and with the disguise potion, there would similarly be no need to worry about being followed by the Hounds! It was just that a Hound like that one—even though he was always smiling—was nonetheless quite aggravating!