The Association staff had initially shown disdain.
I don't care what your reason is! You just act casually in front of our staff?
If we don't arrest you on the spot, where is the face of our Association, the legal authority of the country?!"
However, when they heard the latter half of the sentence, the disdain on their faces instantly froze, then turned deathly pale, their legs went weak, and they almost collapsed to the ground.
Wh-what?!
Z… Z-Country's… S-Rank Hunter?!
In an instant, all thoughts of face, all thoughts of law, were thrown to the winds.
That's fine then! What's face compared to one's life!
Several Association staff members immediately fumbled to pull out their communicators to contact their superiors, passing this hot potato at light speed, while not forgetting to cast grateful glances at Cheng Xiaoyu.
Rhode expressionlessly released his hand, casually flicking him away, as if merely discarding a piece of trash.
Park Xingfeng was flung away like a broken sack, hitting the distant wall with a "thump," then slowly sliding down, leaving a messy bloodstain.
He struggled to get up, not bothering to wipe the blood from his mouth, and immediately crawled on all fours to Rhode, kneeling in a standard "dogeza" pose.
"I'm sorry! I was foolish! I failed to recognize a great master! Thank you for your magnanimity!"
With that, Park Xingfeng began slapping his own face left and right, mercilessly, producing crisp "slap, slap" sounds.
However, Rhode didn't even bother to give him an extra glance.
Before obtaining the core power of this world, getting sidetracked and entangled with these ant-like characters was simply a waste of life.
He uninterestingly shifted his gaze, narrowed his eyes, and curiously observed the teleportation gate with its blue ripples.
Is this… the entrance to the so-called double Dungeon?
Behind him, Park Xingfeng, seeing that Rhode didn't acknowledge him, finally felt the heart that had been in his throat drop back into place.
He let out a long sigh of relief, forced himself to stand despite his aching body, and limped, bracing himself, to Wang Jianshe's side.
Rhode noticed this scene, a cold curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Heh, he probably thinks that with me here, this trip will be as solid as a mountain.
If he insists on going in… then he might as well stay in there forever.
Just then, a clear female voice, tinged with a bit of confusion, broke the somewhat delicate atmosphere.
"Eh? Everyone… what's wrong?"
Cheng Xiaoyu quickly went to meet her, as if he had found a savior.
"Ah, nothing, Xiaoxi!"
"Come, let me introduce you, this is my friend Rhode, an S-Rank Hunter from Z-Country, who will be coming in with me this time."
Then, he looked respectfully at Rhode.
"Brother Rhode… this is my friend, Li Xiaoxi. She is a B-Rank Healer."
The girl named Li Xiaoxi had clear blue eyes like the sky, skin as fair as snow, and bright orange long hair, like burning flames, cascading down her back, which was particularly eye-catching.
She first covered her small mouth, her beautiful eyes wide with surprise, then quickly reacted, bowing ninety degrees in a standard apology.
"Wh-what?! I'm very sorry! Senior Rhode, hello!"
Rhode merely waved his hand casually, signaling that no formalities were necessary.
At this moment, an old man emerged from the cowering crowd.
He was thin, his face covered with the wrinkles of time, but his eyes were unusually firm, making him stand out among the low-level Hunters.
He steeled himself and walked up to Rhode, speaking in a deep voice:
"Mr. Rhode… I am Song Zhiguo."
"Before awakening, I was a kendo teacher. After awakening, I was unfortunately given the profession of a mage. Now, I'm a C-Rank Hunter who's been in the business for a few years."
As he introduced himself, he revealed a self-deprecating smile, then tentatively asked,
"Speaking of which… do you happen to know Hunter Che Huiyi? I once had the good fortune to teach her a little, insignificant sword technique…"
Hearing the name "Che Huiyi," Rhode finally showed a hint of interest and looked at her again.
Che Huiyi… among S-Ranks, she's considered to be at the tail end of the first tier.
Her fighting style is a bit like Ryu's… she's a target worth snatching.
And there aren't that many women in this world worth paying attention to.
"After this Dungeon is over, how about we find a place to spar in kendo?" Rhode suddenly suggested.
Song Zhiguo was stunned for a moment, then his face broke into an ecstatic, flattered grin. He let out a hearty laugh.
"That would be my honor! I welcome your guidance anytime!"
"However, if you use your true abilities, these old bones of mine would likely not last even the first round, hahaha!"
After a round of compliments, Song Zhiguo hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Mr. Rhode, according to custom, the leader of a team battle is usually the most experienced and highest-ranked hunter…"
Rhode directly interrupted him, his tone unyielding.
"I have no interest in doing such things. You can command. I will not participate in combat unless it's the most dangerous moment."
Song Zhiguo let out a long sigh of relief, as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Yes! Then allow me to overstep!"
After Song Zhiguo's brief and powerful instructions, the group finally stepped into the ethereal blue portal, each with their own mixed feelings.
The moment Rhode's figure disappeared into the light curtain, the Association staff guarding the entrance all slumped to the ground, panting heavily.
"Phew… I-I was so scared! I almost thought I was going to be killed on the spot just now!"
"Tell me about it! I feel like that Mr. Rhode is much stronger than our country's S-Rank Hunters…"
"Shh—! You can't say things like that! Be careful, or you'll lose your citizenship!"
"I… I was just telling the truth…"
Despite his words, the person wisely changed the subject.
"I just received news from my superiors that the guild masters of several major guilds are currently in a meeting with Chairman Gao Jianli and will be coming here together later!"
"Hiss… you mean… they won't start fighting later, will they?!"
"Then you can only pray that tomorrow's Seoul map won't need to be redrawn…"
"Sigh… speaking of which, for a mere D-Rank Dungeon, even Hunter Cheng Xiaoyu wouldn't be in mortal danger, would he? Why did that Mr. Rhode specifically come over…"
"I advise you, if you want to live longer, it's best not to continue thinking about that question."
Upon entering the Dungeon, they were met with a typical cave landscape.
Song Zhiguo directed the others to clear the path ahead, methodically slaying some scattered E-Rank monsters.
Rhode, meanwhile, strolled leisurely in the center of the group, as if on an outing.
The Dungeons in this world… indeed felt like a dream of Orario.
The Rulers' goal was to strengthen humanity as a whole.
Therefore, it was not difficult to understand why these monsters were designed with "magic stones" similar to those in the Danmachi World.
The lowest-grade magic stone from an E-Rank monster was probably only worth three yuan RMB.
A C-Rank crystal, however, could sell for over three hundred yuan.
Overall, the exchange price was quite a bit lower than in the Danmachi World, likely due to the large number of Hunters and portals in this world, leading to inflation.
Rhode kept his Sharingan active, taking in the skills of these low-level Hunters. Most were not worth mentioning, but Song Zhiguo's swordsmanship indeed had some merit.
At the back of the team, Li Xiaoxi was walking with Cheng Xiaoyu and a few others.
She curiously snuck a glance at the leisurely figure ahead and whispered,
"Xiaoyu, how come I've never heard you mention that you have an S-Rank friend?"
Cheng Xiaoyu scratched the back of his head, chuckling sheepishly.
"Ah haha… it's actually through my elder's connections."
"Brother Rhode heard that I was injured in an E-Rank Dungeon before, so he specifically came to persuade me to give up my hunter career, and by the way… to protect me one last time entering a Dungeon."
This wasn't entirely a lie.
Once his mother's illness was cured, he indeed planned to stop being a Hunter.
Li Xiaoxi smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this.
"That's good too! I didn't expect Mr. Rhode to be so considerate. And, honestly, you're not really suited to be a Hunter, are you?"
Their relationship was barely even friends, at most familiar colleagues.
It was purely because Li Xiaoxi was timid and feared the risks of hunting, so she would always apply to the Association to participate in extremely low-difficulty team battles.
And the Association was happy to dispatch her, a precious B-Rank Healer, to the weakest teams as insurance.
Kind-hearted, she often helped low-level Hunters with little money heal their injuries for free, and was even privately revered by many as a "Saintess."
Of course, she herself seemed very embarrassed by this title and had emphasized several times not to call her that anymore.
Knowing that Cheng Xiaoyu was about to "wash his hands of the gold basin," Li Xiaoxi stopped nagging him and instead curiously inquired about Rhode's affairs.
After all, being able to get so close to a high and mighty S-Rank Hunter was a rare opportunity!
Cheng Xiaoyu was in a bind about this.
My dear lady! How would I know the past of that great god!
He could only casually make do with some publicly available information found online.
At the same time, a hint of envy couldn't help but rise in his heart.
Sigh, a man as strong and handsome as Mr. Rhode would be popular with girls wherever he went, wouldn't he…
He thought of his own younger sister, who these past few days would also giggle foolishly whenever Rhode's name was mentioned, every other day.
Cheng Xiaoyu wanted to remind her that Rhode was not that simple, but when he thought that the other party was a benefactor who might save his mother, he could only helplessly turn a blind eye.
…
Another encounter ended, and the atmosphere was great.
"Done!"
"This time it was really easy and pleasant!"
"And the harvest is good too…"
Because one person who was originally supposed to share the magic stones was missing, everyone was naturally beaming with joy and had already agreed to go for a drink together after returning.
Just then, someone suddenly shouted excitedly:
"Hey! Look quickly! There… there's another entrance here!"
The Hunters immediately gathered around.
"Holy cow! It really is!"
In his more than ten years of exploration, Song Zhiguo had never seen such a hidden entrance. He murmured,
"A double Dungeon… this thing that only exists in legends, it actually exists…"
Before them was a deep cave entrance, the darkness within like an abyss that could swallow all light.
Song Zhiguo activated his magic, conjured a ball of fire, and threw it in.
The flame illuminated a certain distance before falling to the ground and extinguishing, while the passage seemed to continue endlessly forward.
A strong hesitation arose in his heart.
In principle, upon discovering such a hidden entrance, one should immediately report it to the Association and await orders.
But usually, in private, for profit, most people would choose to conceal it.
Normally, he would definitely choose that; no one would turn down money.
But now… there was an "outsider" on site who couldn't be judged by common sense…
Song Zhiguo took a deep breath, turned his head, and looked at Rhode with a questioning gaze.
"Mr. Rhode, what do you think…"
All the Hunters' gazes instantly focused on Rhode, holding their breath.
Rhode spoke indifferently, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"I will go in."
The Hunters' faces had just shown joy, but immediately after, Rhode's next sentence made them feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.
"However, I have no obligation to guarantee your safety. Those who don't want to die can withdraw now."
As soon as these words were uttered, everyone felt a bone-chilling cold.
After the previous incident, no one dared to use any morality to bind this formidable figure anymore.
The Hunters struggled for a moment, and finally, some chose to give up.
"Forget it… money can be earned again, but if you lose your life, you lose everything."
"Greed is the first taboo of the Dungeon, I'm out."
"483 I… I'm out too…"
Cheng Xiaoyu's heart sank.
Could it be… Mr. Rhode's target was here from the beginning? How did he foresee this?
He was about to raise his hand to withdraw, but Rhode's gaze swept over him.
"You come with me. You'll be responsible for recording any potential final BOSS we encounter, and then you can come out."
Seeing this, Li Xiaoxi hesitated. Although her eyes were filled with fear, she gritted her teeth and said,
"I-I'm a Healer! If you want to hunt the BOSS, I can provide assistance!"
Hearing her words, the expression on Rhode's face softened a little.
"No, you go out too."
"Eh?"
"After you go out, wait for me at the entrance. I have something to discuss with you. It's decided."
Rhode's undeniable tone blocked all of Li Xiaoxi's words.
She pouted unwillingly and playfully waved her small fists at Rhode's back, but ultimately chose to obey obediently.
Half of the team chose to withdraw, and even the most crucial Healer didn't go, which again dissuaded some wavering individuals.
Park Xingfeng watched from the side, anxious, yet not daring to say much.
He desperately needed money!
However, without enough people to fight together, facing an unknown BOSS with only this many people would be suicidal!
His eyes darted around, then he suddenly laughed twice, putting on a familiar act with Cheng Xiaoyu and hooking his arm around his shoulder.
"Oh, Xiao Cheng, Brother Cheng!"
"I remember you said before that you didn't want any of the magic stones from this Dungeon, right…"
Cheng Xiaoyu immediately felt an extreme aversion towards this person.
Is he trying to use Mr. Rhode's power to defeat the BOSS, then hog all the loot for himself? How can there be such a shameless person in the world?!
He was so conflicted he didn't know how to answer, but Rhode chuckled and spoke indifferently.
"Let's do it like that."
Consider these magic crystals your funeral expenses.
Park Xingfeng was startled at first, then an immense surge of ecstasy filled him.
Hahahaha! I'm going to make a fortune! So what if he's an S-Rank Hunter?
Once we're out, it's not like he'll come specifically to get revenge on me for such a small matter, right?!
Cheng Xiaoyu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he lowered his head and remained silent.
This guy is dead for sure...
Li Xiaoxi, on the other hand, was indignant for Rhode, but too embarrassed to curse, so she just stomped her feet, her small face flushed red with anger, continuously kicking at the pebbles by her feet.
Park Xingfeng didn't care about other people's gazes. He called out loudly a few more times, and with the lure of "S-Rank Hunter escort and exclusive spoils," a few more greedy people stayed.
Song Zhiguo sighed and said,
"I'll go in with Xiaocheng, just to see what the BOSS looks like, and then we'll leave."
And so, the team split again.
Before leaving, Li Xiaoxi bowed deeply to Rhode.
"I wish you great success in battle."