Iya Continent: Card God

Inside the Adventurers' Guild's inner room, a man who looked to be in his forties or fifties, with a neatly trimmed goatee, was polishing and maintaining his prized weapons: a gleaming silver scimitar and a shield made of earth dragon and rhinoceros hide.

Keeping one's weapon in peak condition at all times is common sense for an adventurer. Of course, I haven't been an adventurer for many years. Now I am Paul Quinn, the guild master of the Black Mountain Steel Guild.

Those days of living a life of hardship and danger are gone. Now, I need to figure out what to wear when I dine with the nobles in the city next time.

"Ah, the memories..." Paul Quinn sighed, looking at his face reflected in the blade.

I don't know when it started, but that messy man has become like this.

"Bang!" "Clang!"

Suddenly, a loud, unusual noise coming from the guild hall caught the attention of the guild master, Paul.

"What are those guys doing? Why are they making such a commotion?"

Inside the guild hall.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the pair of fangs.

According to the red-haired Locke, these were the tusks of a red-bristled boar.

This is related to what Balder said, yet it is also completely opposite.

Baldr was completely taken aback and didn't know what to do for a moment.

The magician Abirgai turned to look at Linta, who had launched such an attack, and was truly surprised that his opponent had made such a move.

Red-haired Locke's eyes narrowed as he looked at Linta, who had made the move.

Who is it...?

Linta walked into the guild hall under the watchful eyes of everyone.

The Redmane pork that Linta was supposed to carry was handed over to a tavern to be cooked before coming to the guild. Linta was unwilling, completely distrusting the tavern's culinary skills. But there was no other way; so much pork would spoil if it wasn't cooked soon. It was just a pity that such good meat would end up being made mediocre by the tavern, a complete waste.

"Why are you all looking at me? Look at him, see how he explains himself!" Linta said, pointing at Baldr with a smile.

Everyone paused for a moment, then quickly turned their gaze to Balder.

Baldr felt a chill in his heart, his thoughts in turmoil, wondering how he should explain himself.

Abirge said angrily, "That bastard said he'd team up with me to hunt monsters. But when things got bad, he tricked me into helping him hold off the monsters in order to save his own life. I was almost killed by the Red-Maned Boar, but luckily this fellow hunter came to my rescue. He killed the Red-Maned Boar, and that's how I got back."

The adventurers present at the guild suddenly realized what was happening and were all furious.

Among the rules for adventurers forming teams, the most heinous is abandoning or betraying a fellow adventurer. Such an act is stigmatized and condemned by one's peers.

Baldr looked uneasy, sensing immense pressure and intimidation.

If he weren't in deep trouble this time, he wouldn't have been able to stay in Sandel City. He'd have to flee again, just like before. He'd finally managed to gain a foothold here, and now he had to run away again?

“Nonsense! You’re turning the tables on me!” Baldr shouted shamelessly.

"I'm talking nonsense? How do you explain those fangs?" Abirgay said angrily.

Baldr stared at the fangs, biting his lip, pondering how to refute them.

"What's all the noise about? What's all the noise about?" A deep, authoritative voice rang out, and the entire guild fell silent.

Lin Ta's eyebrows twitched slightly as he sensed an invisible, oppressive aura.

Turning their heads to glance around, they saw a man dressed in a grand manner with a goatee walking in from the back door of the hall, and everyone looked at him with considerable fear and respect.

This person is someone of high status.

"President."

"President Quinn."

Abilge was taken aback, this was the first time he had met Paul Quinn, the guild master of the Black Mountain Steel Guild. He had only heard of his legends; he was once known as "Silver Blade Bloodstain," for whenever he drew his blade, his enemy would bleed. He had once single-handedly ventured into an unexplored wolf den, hunting down thirty-five ferocious wolves, and beheading the wolf king. Afterwards, he was chosen by the previous guild master to become the new guild master of the Black Mountain Steel Guild.

Red-haired Locke stepped forward with a grin and bowed in greeting.

"President."

Paul Quinn surveyed the scene, his brow furrowing slightly as he looked at the shattered round table with its fangs. "Who did this?"

“I, I will make it up to you,” Linta stepped forward and replied.

Paul Quinn looked at Linta, a completely new face he had never seen before.

Guild Master Paul Quinn has met far too many unfamiliar faces. These days, most of the guild's affairs are handled by his subordinates. He's just here to oversee things; he doesn't really get involved.

"We will definitely compensate you, but that's not what I wanted to say. Young man, don't fight in the guild in the future. That's the rule. The Adventurers' Guild is not a tavern, a place for drunken brawls."

Paul Quinn stared at Linta, an invisible pressure surrounding him.

Lin Ta remained calm and composed, saying, "Yes, I've got it. Every family has its rules, and every country has its laws."

Paul Quinn paused for a moment. "Families have rules, countries have laws...that's an interesting saying. Who said that?"

"President, I have a question: if someone abandons their companion because of danger, is that considered a violation of the rules?" Linta suddenly asked.

Nabald felt a chill in his heart and his throat trembled.

President Quinn said, "What do you mean by abandoning or not abandoning? When there's danger, the first thing to think about is escaping; that's only natural. These things are complicated. Who can really say for sure? Of all of you here, if you were in mortal danger, which one of you wouldn't have thought of escaping first? Who dares to say no one did!"

The adventurers present looked troubled and lowered their heads.

Abirgay sensed something was wrong; the chairman was going to speak up for the other side!

Linta then asked, "What about betraying your companions to save your own life?"

President Paul Quinn's eyes narrowed, and he said solemnly, "That's not right. Such a thing is not only shameful, but also a sin. Even the Lord God will not protect him."

Red-haired Locke's gaze sharpened as he stared at Baldr. "Baldr, did you frame this female mage to save your own life?"

“No! Absolutely not! I swear to God!” Baldr raised his hand and said.

"You...!" Abirgay was so angry that he was about to attack.

Linta then asked, "Guild Master, where do we get the reward for completing the commissioned task?"

Paul Quinn pointed to a room where members of the Black Mountain Steel Guild were responsible for the handover of tasks, with payment exchanged in exchange.

Abilgai wanted to say something, but Linta took him away, along with his fangs, and took him inside for the handover.

Baldr breathed a sigh of relief.

The guild members went back to their own business. What had just happened seemed as if it had never occurred.

Paul Quinn muttered, "Time to find someone for coffee," and strolled away from the guild.

……

“This commission is worth 800 copper coins. If I kill 1000, wouldn’t that be 800 silver coins?” After completing the exchange, Linta said to the still resentful Abirgay as they walked away from the guild street.

Abiergay muttered, "Where do you get so many commissions to kill red-bristled boars?"

"That's true." Linta thought for a moment and nodded. There are commissions in the guild, and you can only get money by completing them.

“Here’s your share.” Linta handed Abil 400 copper coins.

Abirgay paused for a moment, "Mine... I didn't..."

Linta said, "Those who are commissioned to participate are all paid; that's the rule."

“Rules…” Abiergai thought of the word, and his anger flared up again.

Linta knew what she was angry about. "The president is right. When faced with danger, running for your life is the natural reaction. If I encounter something I can't handle, I run away too."

Abirgay said angrily, "It's different. That guy framed me and made me take the danger for him."

“You have no evidence. You can’t prove this kind of thing,” Linta said bluntly.

The reason I didn't continue to get entangled with her in the guild was because I knew very well that these things couldn't be explained.

"That chairman, what a bastard, he's in cahoots!" Abirgay shouted angrily.

Linta's eyes darkened slightly, and she murmured, "Is that so?"