Chapter 14
Chapter 14
After the exam ended, Xue Chuan vanished without a trace.
If he had not sent Qin Lan a message through his personal Anomaly Hunter Bureau account, Qin Lan might have suspected Lu Xingshan of destroying the body and erasing all evidence.
Once Qin Lan received his official license, his information entered the Bureau’s internal database.
He received a dedicated communication device and a personal account for contacting other Anomaly Hunters.
Through this account, he could post or accept all kinds of assignments on the private network.
Naturally, he could also conduct trades.
“New listing today: one 3-Star anomaly corpse. Exchange price, three hundred Bureau points… Isn’t that the fucking Conductor?”
Qin Lan’s mouth twitched as he stared at the mangled corpse on the private network.
The familiar build, uniform, and epaulets were unmistakable.
The only difference was the caved-in face. Even the Conductor’s own mother might not recognize him.
“The last guy beaten this badly woke up knowing the Buddha’s Palm… This thing probably won’t get the chance.”
Qin Lan mocked it silently.
Apparently, in those few short minutes, Lu Xingshan had not only immobilized a 4-Star anomaly, but also kicked the Conductor to death like a stray dog.
“You can trade anomaly corpses? And they’re worth that much?”
Qin Lan’s horizons broadened dramatically.
“Three hundred Bureau points, or three thousand supply coins?”
“Isn’t that several years of base pay for a 1-Star Anomaly Hunter?”
The conversion left him even more shocked.
A 1-Star Anomaly Hunter received fifty supply coins per month, enough to cover nearly half a year’s expenses for an ordinary household.
Yet the corpse of one 3-Star anomaly could be exchanged for Bureau points worth three thousand supply coins.
What a fortune!
“No wonder everyone says Anomaly Hunters are rich. They make money too easily!”
Qin Lan’s eyes nearly turned red.
As an orphan from the slums, he had always pinched every coin. Five supply coins could sustain him for a year. He had never seen wealth like this.
“Bureau points can be exchanged for supply coins, but supply coins cannot buy Bureau points. So Bureau points are a special internal benefit…”
“Assignments and anomaly kills earn Bureau points, which can then be exchanged for whatever you need…”
Qin Lan devoured this new knowledge ravenously.
Half an hour later, he understood much more.
“So Anomaly Hunters need something called [Spirit-Elevation Serum] to increase their strength quickly, and most of its ingredients come from anomalies.”
“[Spirit-Elevation Serum] can improve an Anomaly Hunter’s resistance to curses, physique, and other abilities. It can even strengthen Talents?”
“No wonder an anomaly corpse sells for so much.”
Qin Lan finally understood why Su Xiaoyue, despite her A-rank Talent, had struggled against the 2-Star Hitchhiker Ghost, while Lu Xingshan could casually beat a 3-Star Conductor to death.
“Spirit-Elevation Serum… Good stuff. I wonder whether it works on my Talent.”
Qin Lan itched to try.
“Besides using Spirit-Elevation Serum, an Anomaly Hunter can repeatedly use their Talent against anomalies and hone it through real combat.”
“Ideally, it should be paired with a suitable… Curse Codex?”
Patiently reading on, Qin Lan realized how shallow his previous understanding of the world had been.
“I see. After the Cataclysm, researchers summarized methods for using curses to strengthen the human body. These gradually evolved into different Curse Codices, each with unique characteristics.”
“The elite academies possess advanced Curse Codices classified as secret. Only their own students may study them, and leaking them is strictly forbidden.”
Qin Lan marveled.
“And the Anomaly Hunter Bureau’s Curse Codices must be purchased with Bureau points?”
Only now did Qin Lan fully understand their importance.
Kill anomalies, earn Bureau points, then exchange them for higher-quality Curse Codices and greater strength.
As a result, the higher an Anomaly Hunter’s Talent rank, the faster the gap between them and everyone else widened.
In simple terms, the academy track consisted of people who entered universities through the college entrance examination. They mainly used Curse Codices to strengthen their Talents and increase their power.
The combat track, represented by Anomaly Hunters, emphasized training inside instances and growing through battle.
One was relatively safe but progressed slowly.
The other carried enormous risk but produced rapid growth.
Every year, Anomaly Hunters suffered the highest fatality rate of any group. Countless people died in Fallen Zones, yet more continued to follow them in an unending tide.
That was why the Anomaly Hunter Bureau possessed enough power to stand above the entire Safe Zone. It was a true gathering place for the strong.
“Good thing I failed the college entrance examination… Otherwise I might really have gone to a university.”
Qin Lan felt secretly fortunate.
If he had attended an academy and relied solely on a Curse Codex, his development would have been extremely slow.
“In a sense, I should thank that young master from the Qian Group.”
“Hmm… A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring. When I get the chance, I’ll send him a live 4-Star anomaly to sample. I wouldn’t want anyone to call me ungrateful.”
Qin Lan nodded, settling the matter in his mind.
Then he opened his personal account and browsed each entry.
“I’m currently… a 1-Star Anomaly Hunter with zero recorded kills.”
“Every six months, I must clear at least three 1-Star instances, or kill a 1-Star anomaly and bring back its corpse. Otherwise, I have to retake the licensing exam. That doesn’t matter. I need to enter Fallen Zones to grind attributes anyway.”
“No wonder the exam was so difficult. Anyone incapable of escaping a 1-Star anomaly wouldn’t survive for many years, even with a license.”
Qin Lan checked his Bureau points.
“My current balance… Uh, ten?”
“I can’t even afford the cheapest Curse Codex?”
While browsing, Qin Lan had searched the Bureau’s exchange catalog. Even the lowest-grade Curse Codex cost thirty-five Bureau points.
“Forty-five Bureau points — four hundred and fifty supply coins. That’s robbery, damn it…”
Qin Lan counted on his fingers and cursed inwardly.
[You have a new message.]
Before Qin Lan could open it, a dialogue box forced itself onto the screen.
[Lu Xingshan (4-Star Anomaly Hunter) requests a voice call.]
[Accept: Yes / Okay / Certainly / Accept]
“Wait a minute.” Qin Lan was stunned. “Do any of those four options mean no?”
“You think you can do whatever you want because you’re the Bureau director? I’ll report you to Central–”
[Still not accepting? Are you waiting for me to visit you in person?]
“Never mind.”
Qin Lan accepted at lightning speed.
Lu Xingshan’s amiable voice came through the communicator.
“Little Qin, I have a very profitable trade for you. Interested?”
Qin Lan’s mouth twitched.
“Director Lu, just tell me what you want… Even if you seized the cursed artifact outright, I wouldn’t dare say no.”
The only thing he possessed that could interest Lu Xingshan was the 3-Star cursed artifact.
Surely the director had not been captivated by Qin Lan’s handsome face.
If that were the case, Xue Chuan should have been his first target.
Wait.
Had Xue Chuan suddenly disappeared because someone abducted him?
“Really? Then bring it to my office,” Lu Xingshan teased. “Sweep the floor before you leave, and take out the garbage.”
Qin Lan’s voice weakened.
“Please don’t actually rob me, Director. At least give me something…”
Lu Xingshan laughed.
“I’m joking, brat. I don’t make a habit of bullying juniors.”
“If I call a trade profitable, then it will be profitable for you.”
After a pause, he continued,
“I noticed you browsing the Bureau’s exchange catalog. You want a Curse Codex, don’t you?”
“But a 1-Star Anomaly Hunter lacks sufficient authority. Even with Bureau points, you might not be able to buy anything worthwhile.”
“And right now, your pockets are cleaner than your face…”
Qin Lan nodded instinctively.
Many sections had been inaccessible to him, and much content was missing from his exchange catalog. Only now did he realize his authority was too low.
Lu Xingshan’s voice turned deeply tempting.
“Now, imagine you happened to possess the same authority as a 4-Star Anomaly Hunter, along with a large enough sum of Bureau points…”
Qin Lan’s miserable face instantly turned solemn, and his eyes shone.
“Director Lu, where is your office? I feel that keeping this cursed artifact would be burying a pearl in dust and wasting a treasure. It should go to someone who truly needs it.”
“As the saying goes, the virtuous deserve the world’s treasures. Director, you are the perfect union of virtue and talent, a master of both scholarship and arms. My admiration for you flows endlessly like a mighty river, raging beyond control like the Yellow River in flood…”
“So, could you tell me the specific terms of the trade?”