Passing the qualification exam was just an entry ticket to the world of the Extraordinary. But the crushing weight of reality, like a bill collector from the underworld, never gave Jasper a moment's peace. The ten-thousand-yuan deficit was seared into his heart like a brand.
He needed money, he needed resources, and more than anything, he needed a place to hone his new powers. The only option was the underground "Extraordinary Guild" in Yangcheng.
It was a gray area, outside the jurisdiction of the official churches, a gathering place for lone Extraordinary Ones to exchange information and accept commissions. Jasper put on a worn-out baseball cap, hid Nidhogg in his oversized coat, and walked into the guild's stronghold, a place disguised as a grocery store in the slums.
The dim basement was filled with smoke. Extraordinary Ones gathered in small groups, eyeing each other warily. Jasper walked straight to the mission board on the wall, his eyes quickly scanning the various commissions.
"Escort a merchant caravan. Reward: $3,000. Requirement: Sequence 9 'Soldier' Pathway."
"Find 'Ghost Soul Grass.' Reward: $5,000 . Requirement: Sequence 9 'Sleepless' Pathway."
His gaze finally settled on a commission written in red ink, the one with the highest reward.
"Investigate the disappearance of students on the outskirts of the 'Whispering Woods.' Recently, more than five students, both male and female, have gone missing in this area. They must be found, dead or alive. Reward: $15,000."
Fifteen thousand yuan.
The number was enough to pay off his family's debt, with even some left over to prepare for his advancement to Sequence 7.
"Newbie?" a hoarse voice came from behind the nearby counter. A one-eyed old man sat there, a pipe in his mouth, his single cloudy eye glinting with shrewdness. "That mission's not an easy one. Three of the ones who took it haven't come back."
"I'll take it," Jasper's voice held no hesitation.
The one-eyed old man gave him a long look, didn't try to persuade him further, and simply tore the commission notice from the board and handed it to him. "Good luck, kid."
Half a day later, Jasper stood at the edge of the "Whispering Woods."
The forest lived up to its name. The wind rustling through the leaves sounded like countless people whispering, sending a chill down one's spine.
He let Nidhogg out of his coat and issued a command through their mental link: "Find the scent of humans."
Nidhogg's dark-gold vertical pupils scanned the area. Its small nose twitched in the air, and then, without hesitation, it darted off in a direction deep into the forest.
Jasper followed immediately.
As they went deeper, the light grew dimmer, and the whispering sounds became clearer. Nidhogg began to slow down, stopping from time to time to warily observe its surroundings, a low, threatening growl rumbling in its throat.
Finally, in front of a hidden cliff face covered in vines, Nidhogg stopped. It let out a hostile hiss toward an inconspicuous crevice in the rock.
Jasper held his breath and carefully pushed aside the vines. A thick, nauseating stench, a mixture of blood and filth, assaulted him from the crevice, nearly making him gag.
He knew he had found it.