"Junior girl, you dropped your meal card."

"Oh, no need to thank me. You probably didn't notice while helping your classmate. It was right there on the stairs."

"Okay, you guys keep waiting. See you later!"

After returning the meal card, Li Nian once again slunk down the stairs and arrived beside Lin Yu, who was waiting at the entrance.

"Wow, Sister Zhu Ming, how did you know I stole her meal card... I thought with the [Exquisite Gloves], I'd be completely undetectable."

"I don't have that kind of ability to see through your skills as a [Thief]."

Lin Yu shook his head in denial.

Not just him, even Old Zheng hadn't noticed anything amiss.

"Then how did you know I made a move?"

Li Nian couldn't help but ask.

"Guessed. I said you'd investigate, and your usual investigation methods aren't hard to guess," Lin Yu said calmly. "After spending this time together, I can also confirm you're someone with strong initiative and extremely intense curiosity."

Hearing Lin Yu's words, Li Nian couldn't help but sigh with admiration again.

"Really amazing, Sister Zhu Ming... Are you really just a [Veterinarian]?"

"I'm starting to suspect you actually learned some real stuff in the [Psychological Society]."

Facing Li Nian's teasing, Lin Yu just casually replied, "It's not like only people from the [Psychological Society] can study psychology. As a [Player], it's not bad to learn a bit more about various things."

Li Nian nodded. "That's true."

"Alright, let's see what kind of commission you found."

Then, Lin Yu took out his phone and opened the link Li Nian had sent—it was a bounty post published on the [Hunters' Association] forum.

"Help needed. I hope to find a master with at least [Second Tier] strength to assist me in clearing the next [dungeon]. Reward 1500 [forum points], negotiable."

The poster's ID was 'Flying Knife'.

Next, there were the personal information about 'Flying Knife' that Li Nian had sent, along with forwarded chat records.

This guy was actually also [Second Tier], with the class [Referee].

And the reason he was looking to hire another [Second Tier] to carry him was simple...

'Flying Knife' had suffered very serious losses in the last [dungeon], almost exhausting all consumable-type [items] and destroying many non-consumable-type [items].

Furthermore, 'Flying Knife's two long-term fixed partners and teammates had died—they all belonged to a local organization in the same city.

Many veteran [Players] actually have their own fixed collaborators. A few people splitting the cost of [Team Cards] is completely affordable.

After all, the abilities of many [Classes] are very specialized. Even if subsequent [Promotion items] can compensate for weaknesses, they're not versatile enough to handle all types and scenarios of [dungeons].

And for a single player, purchasing a large number of [Ordinary Items] to diversify their strength is too inefficient. Every time they enter a [dungeon] and then temporarily team up or cooperate with other [Players], there are always various risks involved.

So in the view of many [Players], having a few teammates for long-term cooperation is still preferable.

However, once a team wipes, with many members dying, the remaining members suffer—long-term teaming often makes the types of [items] they hold even more singular!

Therefore, Lin Yu fully understood why this 'Flying Knife' was willing to pay a high price to hire someone.

'Flying Knife' needed help, at least to get through a [dungeon] buffer period, giving him a chance to catch his breath and recollect [items] and gather new teammates!

"Not a bad job, but doesn't he want a [Second Tier]?"

Lin Yu turned off his phone screen and looked at Li Nian.

"Aren't I [Second Tier]?"

"But I'm still [First-Tier], a [First-Tier] who just got promoted not long ago."

Lin Yu emphasized again.

Although he was already [Second Tier], he definitely couldn't tell Li Nian that.

And in Lin Yu's conception...

The time hadn't come yet for the identity of 'Zhu Ming' to announce promotion to [Second Tier].

Li Nian pouted. "So what they said was they want a master with [Second Tier] *strength*, not strictly requiring the [Second Tier] rank... Do you think your strength is much worse than a real [Second Tier]'s?"

"Judging from your performance on the train that I observed, you're practically terrifying."

Hearing Li Nian's words, Lin Yu raised an objection. "But [Designer] is also [Second Tier]..."

"Brother Wang is different. He's not an ordinary [Second Tier]. If he were to take this task, the reward would have to be tripled."

Li Nian reiterated.

"That Fatty really made a profit then," Lin Yu remarked. "He essentially leveraged our relationship to get [Designer] to help carry him through the dungeon too. He has some luck on his side."

"At least for that [dungeon], I still think that [Detective] had better luck. He didn't spend a single coin, got a pure free ride, and it was a [Promotion Trial]!"

Li Nian teased.

If it were before he completed his [Personal Dungeon], Lin Yu might have agreed with Li Nian's statement, but now...

Lin Yu just sighed. "He might not necessarily be lucky. For that [Detective], Fate's gift might have already secretly had its price marked..."

And the payment had already been quietly deducted.

Li Nian didn't understand why Lin Yu was sighing like this, but she nodded anyway. "That's true—anyway, let's eat first. I'm starving."

The two had unknowingly walked to the entrance of the cafeteria.

"Okay, I'll leave after eating. I have other things to attend to."

Lin Yu said, then looked at Li Nian. "By the way, this task is next Tuesday, right? I might not be in [Jiangcheng]... so let's add each other as friends, to make using a [remote Team Card] convenient."

As Lin Yu spoke, Li Nian was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed in shock.

"You opened the [Social] privilege?"

"Yes, opened it."

Lin Yu said calmly, as if it were just a trivial matter.

...

"Alright, it's already disinfected. Although the wound is quite deep, it didn't reach the bone, and the range of motion is fine. It should heal in a couple of days."

"Be careful not to get it wet during this time."

In the [infirmary], the school doctor finished bandaging the injured female student's wound and smiled while giving instructions.

"Thank you, Teacher Li," Xia Yang spoke for her classmate, who was too pained and shy to speak. "Should she reduce activity?"

"Hmm, no strenuous activity, but walking and such are fine."

The school doctor said, then looked at Xia Yang, who seemed to have more to say, and asked gently.

"Is there something else?"

Xia Yang hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Teacher, I wanted to ask what time the psychological counseling room opens."

"Or I wanted to ask if my situation is something I should see the psychology teacher about—because I think I might be having hallucinations."

Xia Yang said somewhat uncertainly.

Just now, she felt like she... saw her deceased sister.