NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12: Adventurer’s Steward
Chapter 12: Adventurer’s Steward
Wu Heng frowned, stepping back to avoid their grasp, and asked, "Can I know the reason?"
"A special profession, a death involved, and suspicion of a closer relationship with the wanted criminal," the guard listed several questionable reasons.
"So according to you, if a wanted criminal tries to kill me, I’m not allowed to fight back?" Wu Heng retorted.
The guard captain's gaze grew colder, and the men behind him placed their hands on their swords.
Wu Heng's expression turned serious.
Is there no reasoning with them?
But he didn’t intend to resist.
If he fought the guards now, it would only confirm his guilt.
Even if killing the wanted criminal was justified, attacking the guards would be a new charge.
Just as the guards were about to take him away, the staff member who had left earlier hurried back.
Frowning at the aggressive guards, she said to Wu Heng, "Mr. Wu Heng, the steward wishes to see you."
The steward?
A steward of the Adventurer’s Association?
Wu Heng didn’t answer immediately; instead, he glanced at the guards in front of him.
The staff member continued, "Gentlemen, please wait here for a moment."
It seems the Adventurer’s Association isn’t as simple as it appears.
A regular front desk clerk was speaking to the guards with confidence.
The guards frowned but stepped aside to let Wu Heng through.
Wu Heng followed the staff member down the corridor she had come from, up a side staircase to the second floor, and stopped in front of a door. She softly announced, "Steward, Mr. Wu Heng is here."
"Let him in."
……
As Wu Heng pushed the door open, he entered a room lined with bookshelves and documents, where a man with graying hair, dressed in formal attire, sat.
The man didn’t seem very old but had the look of someone who had just recovered from a serious illness.
The staff member stepped forward, whispered a few words in the man's ear, and then left the room.
The man’s gaze fell on Wu Heng. "My name is Yazde. I am the steward stationed in Blackstone Town."
"It’s an honor to meet you, Steward Yazde."
"No need to be so formal. Have a seat. That is your bounty reward; you can only choose one skill." The man spoke with elegance, like a noble.
On the table lay a leather pouch and two old, worn books.
After sitting down, Wu Heng’s attention was drawn to the books.
【Dancing Light】
(Description: You can create floating light sources.)
A light spell?
What use is that?
In the zombie world, he had found several flashlights, all with some battery left.
Not very useful at the moment.
【Acid Splash】
(Description: Releases an acid ball, causing corrosive damage to the target.)
Throwing acid?
The magic in this world isn’t quite what he imagined.
Where’s the fireball, the lightning?
"I’ll take this one." Wu Heng chose the 'Acid Splash' and took the pouch along with it.
The man nodded and, in a casual tone, asked, "I heard you encountered some trouble before I called you in?"
"Yes, the guards wanted to take me in for questioning because of unauthorized combat."
"Ha! Necromancers are disliked everywhere; it’s common." The man chuckled, pouring tea for both of them, and handed a cup to Wu Heng.
Wu Heng wasn’t in the mood for tea and small talk. He directly asked, "Why did you want to see me, Steward Yazde?"
The man sipped his tea and slowly said, "Would you like to change your circumstances?"
"What do you mean?" Wu Heng looked at him curiously.
"I can offer you a suggestion that would prevent others from causing you trouble and give you some authority."
This piqued Wu Heng’s interest.
Being a necromancer was useful in the zombie world, but it was a burden in Blackstone Town.
If there was a way to fix this, he was open to hearing it.
"What do you suggest?"
The man smiled and said, "The Adventurer’s Association accepts any adventurer with a clean record and provides a solid backing."
Join the Adventurer’s Association?
"I’m already a registered member of the Adventurer’s Association."
From what he understood...
The Adventurer’s Association was more like a mercenary registry.
They maintained the association’s operations by issuing tasks and bounties.
"I’m talking about a permanent member, not just a registered one. You can think of it as being a staff member of the association, with legal status and certain privileges in most factions and cities worldwide."
Hearing this, Wu Heng’s eyes lit up.
If that’s the case, becoming a permanent member of the Adventurer’s Association was an excellent option.
But he quickly suppressed his excitement and asked, "What do I have to do?"
"Complete some tasks issued by the association headquarters. It could involve scouting locations or gathering intelligence," the man explained patiently.
Wu Heng hesitated. "I’m not fond of adventure, and killing that criminal was pure luck. I’m not that strong."
"Don’t worry. Most of the tasks are done in coordination with the local guards, and we don’t encourage dangerous solo actions like apprehending criminals."
The man looked up at him and continued, "Of course, the benefits provided by the association are numerous: intelligence, knowledge, magical artifacts, or money and connections. Not everyone gets this position."
That sounded like the Adventurer’s Association offered some pretty good perks.
The most important thing was that it could lift him out of the necromancer’s shadow and stop him from being treated like a criminal.
"Why choose me?"
He didn’t think he was some chosen one. If he were, he wouldn’t have been stuck in an apocalyptic world before he even had a chance to sell his goods.
The man explained, "The branch association can recruit its own talent. Besides common combat personnel, those with special abilities and rare professions are included, as long as they have a clean record."
"So, I was chosen because I’m a necromancer?"
"Necromancers are rare here, and those without a criminal record are even rarer."
This association was strange; Blackstone Town despised him, yet they wanted to recruit him.
After thinking it over...
It seemed that joining wouldn’t have any negative impact on him; in fact, it had more benefits.
There was no reason to refuse.
He would have a legitimate status, allowing him to better utilize Blackstone Town to improve himself, without so many concerns.
Once he had thought it through, Wu Heng smiled. "Thank you for your trust, Steward Yazde. Can I join the Adventurer’s Association from here?"
The man smiled and nodded, opening a drawer and taking out a form. "Fill in your information, and you should get a response in three to four days."
Wu Heng nodded and carefully reviewed the contents of the form.
After filling in his information, he handed it back.
The man glanced over the document, placed it in the drawer, and stood up. "Come, I’ll take you to see that body."
The body?