The luxury limousine's interior was a world apart from the chaos they'd left behind at the Hunter Bureau. Soft leather seats embraced them like expensive furniture, while tinted windows filtered the afternoon sunlight into a warm amber glow. The vehicle moved through the city streets with the smooth silence that only came with premium engineering and sound insulation that cost more than most people's annual salary.
"You handled that well, Brother Ren," Lu Changcheng said, settling back into his seat with visible satisfaction.
Ren reached up and removed the plague doctor mask, his face finally free from the confining mask. With a thought, he stored the mask in his system inventory, watching it vanish into that mysterious dimensional space that only he could access. The relief of cool air against his skin was immediate and welcome.
"Brother Lu, I don't want to go through that again. Ever. haaa"
Ren's voice carried genuine exhaustion, the kind that came not from physical exertion but from mental strain. The constant performance, the need to project authority while maintaining mystery, had drained him more than any battle.
Lu Changcheng chuckled, the sound rich with understanding.
"Such things are our second job now. You're technically a celebrity, whether you like it or not."
The implications were staggering. Ren had gone from being an unknown entity to a public figure in the span of a single press conference. His image would be broadcast across news networks, his words analyzed and dissected by pundits and experts.
"Some agencies will reach out to sponsor you or ask you to appear on magazine covers," Lu continued, his tone matter of fact.
"It's not common, but some hunters even become actors or singers if they're interested in that path."
"I'll pass on that," Ren said quickly, the horror of such exposure evident in his voice.
"After this, I'll arrange for you to have a personal assistant to handle these annoying tasks, so don't worry about managing it all yourself."
"Thank you, Brother Lu. That would be a huge help."
Lu shifted in his seat, remembering something important.
"Did you receive the money from Director Evan? He told me he would be transferring it to you."
Ren looked puzzled. "How is he going to transfer it? I don't even have a bank account."
"Oh, sometimes I forget that you lost your memories." Lu's expression showed genuine remorse for the oversight.
"The hunter card comes with an integrated bank account. You can check the balance on your phone."
There was a moment of awkward silence.
"Brother Lu, I don't have a smartphone."
Lu's eyes widened in realization.
"How could I forget something so important?"
He turned toward the front of the limousine, addressing the woman dressed in a crisp business suit who sat beside the driver. Her posture was perfect, professional, alert without being tense.
"Lucy."
"Yes, Master Lu?" Her voice was clear, efficient, the tone of someone accustomed to handling multiple tasks simultaneously.
"Order the best smartphone model currently on the market and have it sent to the Hunter dormitory. Make sure it's set up with all necessary applications and accounts."
"It will be done, Master Lu."
Lu turned back to Ren, gesturing toward the woman. "She is my personal assistant, Lucy. She's also a B rank hunter, so she understands our world."
"Greetings, Ms. Lucy," Ren said politely.
"Please just call me Lucy, Mister Nox. Your status is higher than mine."
Her tone was respectful, professional courtesy between colleagues of different ranks.
"Thank you, Lucy."
"No problem at all."
The conversation lapsed into comfortable silence as the limousine continued its journey through the city.
Ren watched the urban landscape roll by through the tinted windows, noting how different this world's architecture was from what he remembered of his previous life. The buildings here seemed designed with hunters in mind reinforced structures, wider streets to accommodate emergency responses, and what looked like specialized facilities scattered throughout the districts.
After some time, they arrived at their destination. The limousine pulled up to a building that immediately commanded attention and respect.
The Dao Guild headquarters was a tower that defied conventional architectural wisdom. The entire structure was painted in stark contrasts of black and white, creating a visual impact that was both striking and somewhat dizzying. The alternating colors formed patterns that seemed to shift and flow as the eye tried to focus on them, an optical illusion that spoke of careful design and considerable artistic vision.
At the front of the building, dominating the facade like a coat of arms, was a massive emblem of the yin yang symbol. But this wasn't a simple black and white circle it was rendered in intricate detail, with flowing lines that suggested movement and balance. Below it, the word "DAO" was written in elaborate calligraphy, each stroke bold and confident.
"Wow, how... extravagant," Ren said, unable to keep the amazement out of his voice.
"That's the symbol of our guild. The yin-yang represents the balance we seek to maintain in all things,"
Lu explained with evident pride.
"The philosophy guides everything we do."
Lu Changcheng led Ren toward the building's entrance, their footsteps echoing on the polished stone steps. The entrance itself was imposing, with doors that appeared to be made from some kind of dark metal inlaid with silver patterns that complemented the building's overall design.
"Can you drive, Brother?" Lu asked as they walked.
"Yes, I can."
"Lucy, arrange for him to get a driver's license."
"It will be done, Master Lu."
Ren paused mid step. "Don't I have to take an exam first, Brother Lu?"
Lu's smile was knowing, almost paternal.
"Brother Ren, you underestimate the power that hunters hold in this society."
They continued walking as Lu explained, his voice taking on the tone of someone sharing important life lessons.
"The low-rank ones, D and C class, won't be respected much, but they're still objects that people are wary of. A C-rank hunter can level a city block if they lose control, so even they command a certain level of caution."
The automatic doors slid open as they approached, revealing a lobby that matched the building's exterior in its impressive scale and design. The interior continued the black and white theme, but softened it with strategic lighting and what appeared to be natural materials wood and stone that provided warmth to balance the stark color scheme.
"For middle class hunters, B and A rank, they're local celebrities and will be respected everywhere they go," Lu continued.
"They have social influence, political connections, and economic power."
They walked across the lobby, their footsteps muffled by what felt like expensive carpeting. Other people in the space guild members, staff, visitors nodded respectfully as Lu passed, some bowing slightly in acknowledgment of his status.
"And you, Brother Ren, you're a walking nuclear weapon. As long as you ask the government nicely, they will bend rules for you. They have to, because the alternative is having an angry S rank hunter, and that's a scenario no government wants to face."
The implications were staggering. Ren was beginning to understand just how dramatically his life had changed, not just in terms of personal power but in terms of his place in society's hierarchy.
"Even the Emperor will have to give you some face," Lu added casually, as if mentioning the weather.
Ren drew in a sharp breath. "Hiss."
The sound was involuntary, a reaction to the magnitude of what Lu was describing. The political implications were enormous. He'd gone from being nobody to being someone that even the highest levels of government had to acknowledge and accommodate.
"So hunters hold this much power. I can see why the Hunter Bureau is needed to keep them in check."
The pieces of the political puzzle were falling into place in Ren's mind. The various factions, the careful balance of power, the constant negotiations it all made sense now.
"And how does the Emperor treat you, Brother Lu?"
Lu's expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious. There was pride there, but also something else perhaps the weight of responsibility that came with such recognition.
"Let's say that Mr. Qin Huanglong has to greet Mythic rank hunters personally every time we meet."
"So Mythic rank is that impressive?"
The revelation put Lu's status into stark perspective. If even the Emperor of the nation had to show personal respect to Mythic rank hunters, then Lu Changcheng wasn't just powerful he was essentially untouchable by conventional authority.
"Well, if my power wasn't a natural enemy of Veyra and Elias, I'd probably be dead a thousand times by now," Lu said with dark humor.
The statement hung in the air, revealing the dangerous game of checks and balances that existed among the most powerful hunters. Even with imperial recognition, even with society bending influence, they still had to worry about each other. The power that made them untouchable by governments also made them threats to their peers.
Ren was beginning to understand that his new life existed in a completely different paradigm from anything he'd known before. Power here wasn't just about personal capability it was about navigating a complex web of relationships, politics, and mutual assured destruction among beings who could reshape the world with their abilities.
The lobby around them continued to bustle with activity, but it felt different now. These weren't just people going about their business they were part of an organization that commanded respect from the highest levels of government, part of a system where individual power could trump institutional authority.
As they walked deeper into the building, Ren couldn't help but wonder what other surprises this new world had in store for him. If being S-rank meant this level of social and political influence, what other rules and expectations would he need to learn? And more importantly, how would he use this power responsibly while still protecting himself from the dangers that came with it?
The questions multiplied in his mind, but for now, he focused on following Lu Changcheng deeper into the heart of the Dao Guild, ready to learn whatever came next in his transformation from unknown entity to one of the most powerful individuals in the nation.