My inventory is full of monster materials.

Lobby.

The reputation of the "White Eagle" plummeted.

Many of the onlookers crossed their arms, some shaking their heads in regret, others gloating.

Felix and his group walked silently, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings.

Mark, who was lagging behind in the group, was very unhappy.

An inexplicable anger rose in his heart. He carried a light crossbow on his shoulder, his finger constantly on the trigger.

This isn't targeting any one person; it's targeting everyone.

Having lived in the Free Country for two or three years, Mark had developed a bit of a ruthless streak.

Felix and his companions arrived at the counter.

Behind the counter, three or five receptionists in matching black and white uniforms were chatting and laughing as they waited to go home.

Snapped!

Felix didn't bother with pleasantries at all, directly slapping out a palm-sized bronze badge and speaking in a cold tone.

"I am Felix Anderson, captain of the 'White Eagle' adventure team. I'm here to submit a quest. Please inform Deacon Eugene O'Connor."

Yingying's crispness came to an abrupt end.

Anyone with eyes could see that he was suppressing a lot of anger.

Several girls reluctantly pushed and shoved each other until finally a plain-looking girl with brown hair and freckles squeezed out.

"Hello! This is Vanessa, employee number E0782. It's a pleasure to assist you. Please wait a moment while we verify your identity."

Vanessa hurriedly put on a stiff professional smile, then carefully took the adventure team badge, her fingers flying across the logbook and crystal plate.

After a while.

A line of ink-wash characters appeared on the crystal plate.

After confirming the message several times, Vanessa returned the adventure team badge, stepped out of the counter, placed her hands on her lower abdomen, and bowed deeply in thanks.

"Deacon O'Connor invites the members of the 'White Eagles' to the second floor. Please follow me!"

"Um."

Felix didn't make things difficult for her, but there was an indescribable distance between them.

Vanessa cautiously led them to the side staircase, and after briefly speaking to the two guards on duty, they were allowed to go upstairs.

The chatter in the hall suddenly intensified.

"They actually managed to get to the second floor!"

"This is a big deal."

...

……

……

Compared to the bustling atmosphere of the first-floor lobby, the second floor of the guild is understated yet elegant.

A magnificent crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling, engraved with small "light spell" arrays, which diffuse soft light to every corner through refraction.

The lobby was filled with melodious and relaxing music, and apart from the service counter directly in front, booth seating was cleverly divided around the perimeter.

Each seating area features a glossy solid wood round table, complemented by comfortable upholstered leather daybeds and high-backed velvet chairs, as well as small bookshelves providing reading material to help guests pass the time.

Apart from Felix, the rest of the team looked around curiously.

If the first floor is a small restaurant, then the second floor is a high-end club; the difference between the two is that between commoners and nobles.

Vanessa led them to a booth and then quietly retreated downstairs.

Just then, a dashing blonde woman with a golden guild emblem embroidered on her uniform walked towards us.

"Hello! I am Guild Commissioner Sabrina Hunter. Deacon O'Connor requests that you come to the conference room for a discussion."

Felix nodded slightly to his companions to signal them to wait, then turned and followed Sabrina alone into the depths of the corridor.

The rest of the people stayed in their positions to rest.

But more than two hours have passed.

Their inner unease began to intensify.

Normally, delivering a task would only take two or three sentences.

You can chat so much now?

Suddenly, a heated argument erupted in the conference room in the distance.

"You have utterly humiliated me! You have disgraced the honor of the Anderson family!"

"Felix! This is the Adventurers' Guild, my territory!!"

The next second, the sound was cut off, and the entire venue fell silent.

Mark, Henry, Talia, and Emily each exchanged a glance.

Judging from the surprised looks in each other's eyes, they were certain that what had just happened was not a hallucination, so they quickly huddled together and whispered to each other.

"What the hell? Is the guild just taking advantage of its size and refusing to give out job change badges?"

"Is there any way to report a guild? Through the town hall?"

"I've heard that Father Morris of the Dawn Church in Pinewood Town is a just and charitable man."

...

"The captain's family must have some powerful connections, right?"

As soon as Mark finished speaking, the three of them looked at him with strange expressions.

Talia answered first.

"Okay, you've only been in the team for a few days, so it's understandable that you don't know. After all, Felix rarely mentions his identity..."

It turns out that Felix's grandfather, Wood Anderson, was a second-rank "Grand Knight" who fought alongside Baron Black and distinguished himself in battle. He later became a knight of the kingdom and owned a large town as his fief.

However, the old man was warlike and not good at managing money. In his later years, he spent a lot of money to secure Felix's father's knighthood, and in the end, he only had a manor.

Felix was born to Sir Anderson's second wife; he also had an older sister, 15 years his junior, who had already married and had children...

That's why Felix decided to become an adventurer.

After hearing this, Mark finally understood.

Captain Felix was a nobleman, albeit of the lowest rank, but he was worlds apart from commoners like them.

The group then offered suggestions, but none of them could find a way to break the deadlock.

Because the relationship between adventurers and adventurer guilds is very weak.

There is no labor contract between the two parties; it is merely a short-term labor dispatch arrangement, with the constraints limited to the task assignment.

If they really cause trouble, they are likely to be at a legal disadvantage.

Just then, Sabrina led over a maid carrying a tray in both hands.

"Hello! Mission E01-087 for the 'White Eagle' squad has been completed. Here is your reward, please check it."

The tray was gently placed on the round table, on which several items were neatly arranged.

A stack of gold coins, a bulging money bag, five strawberry-red test tubes of liquid, and a bundle of metal nameplates strung together with leather cord.

Seeing the confused expressions on the faces of the team members, Brina explained.

"I am very sorry, but due to a major oversight in our investigation team's intelligence, your squad is now in grave danger."

"Therefore, our guild has decided to double the reward for this mission and give each person an additional 'Basic Health Potion'."

"All items are complete. Please check and accept them. If there are any problems, please raise them promptly."

Guild compensation, double rewards.

Having understood their purpose, Talia didn't stand on ceremony. She opened her money bag in front of them and counted out 71 silver coins, which corresponded exactly to the bounty on Goblin Left Ear.

The Adventurers' Guild in Pinewood Town has issued a long-term bounty for goblins—one silver coin for each complete goblin left ear provided.

It's also worth mentioning that unless you have an official monster breeding permit, don't even think about raising goblins, mass-producing goblin left ears, and harvesting guild bounties.

If someone is found to be raising a large number of monsters in secret, it's not just a matter of illegal breeding; it's considered collusion with monsters and acting as a "traitor." If caught, they will be stoned to death.

With the silver coins counted correctly, Talia scooped up the gold coins, counted them twice to confirm there were 12, and then brazenly put them into her large storage bag.

Before Felix returns, Talia will manage the finances.