Chapter 29: Two-Star Hunter

The cold wind accompanied Han Feng and Ding Liu, along with three others, as they exited the underground prison. Han Feng deliberately slowed his pace, walking ahead, while Ding Liu and the others supported each other, trailing behind.

The prolonged bloodletting had left them unusually weak; even though they were superhumans, they could not withstand such torment. The two ordinary individuals survived solely because they had been captured for a short time and were fortunate enough to encounter Han Feng.

As they followed Han Feng across the street, they passed the small square where a fierce battle had taken place, witnessing the remnants of carnage: scattered corpses, severed limbs, and charred ashes. The two ordinary people, having never seen such a bloody scene, felt nauseous and bent over to vomit, their stomachs empty from a day without food.

The three members of the Azure Dragon Special Task Force, however, were accustomed to such sights and remained unfazed. The Azure Dragon was an officially designated institution of the Dragon Rising Republic, directly under the Ministry of United Front Work. All its members were superhumans, akin to our own Dragon Team in China, serving as a special forces unit dedicated to resolving various extraordinary incidents within the country.

The Azure Dragon assigned appropriate individuals to special task forces based on the danger rating and significance of each mission. Initially, this incident was rated E-level, which was why only the three of them were dispatched. The bounty task posted by the Bounty Hunter Guild also started as E-level but was upgraded to D-level after several E-level bounty hunters and the special task force members went missing.

Among the two companions of Ding Liu, the man was a martial artist named Kairos, a Caucasian, while the woman was a gunsmith named Liu Wen. Ding Liu, on the other hand, was a psychic with the ability of scene retrospection, allowing him to see fragments of events that had occurred in the area over a certain period. The length and clarity of the retrospection improved with the growth of his powers, granting him a unique ability, although his direct combat strength was low, relying on weapons for self-defense.

As he gazed at the wreckage of the battlefield, Ding Liu, driven by curiosity and having regained some psychic energy, activated his ability. He glimpsed several fragmented images.

He saw countless blood slaves turning to ash beneath the terrifying black flames, as well as golden, violent lightning and stunning sword techniques.

He stared in astonishment at the figure ahead, realizing it was the first time he had witnessed two elemental powers in one person.

The flames and lightning unleashed by Han Feng had no incantation process, ruling out the possibility of him being a spellcaster. Generally, psychics could awaken only one ability. If he was a psychic, how could he simultaneously wield two powers and possess the skills of a martial artist?

All of this appeared extraordinarily mysterious and incredible to Ding Liu.

"If only I could recruit him into the Azure Dragon. Achieving D-level at such a young age, his potential must be high. Given time, the Azure Dragon could gain another ace," Ding Liu suddenly felt an impulse to bring him into their ranks.

"Um... Brother Han Feng, there’s something I’m not sure if I should ask, and I hope you don't mind," Ding Liu hesitated, concerned about offending Han Feng after being saved by him.

"Go ahead," Han Feng replied.

"Have you joined any organization, or are you a lone hunter?" Ding Liu asked expectantly.

"Oh, no, I’m a lone hunter. I prefer my freedom," Han Feng said casually.

"Would you consider joining our Azure Dragon? I can recommend you," Ding Liu said eagerly.

Han Feng was taken aback; although he had rescued them, was it too soon to recruit him?

"Don't you conduct background checks?" he thought. He was well aware of various major events in the universe and admired the Azure Dragon for their dedication and the numerous heroes they had produced.

"Is the pay good?" Han Feng asked with a smile.

"It's decent; E-level superhumans earn around 100,000 star coins a month. Once you reach D-level, you should be able to earn about 300,000 star coins a month," Ding Liu said, somewhat lacking confidence. "Mainly, you also enjoy civil servant benefits and many privileges."

"Then forget it; I need money." Although he admired the Azure Dragon, Han Feng understood that to rapidly enhance his strength, he needed a vast amount of money to support his growth, especially if he wanted to upgrade all his frequently used cards to five-star red cards. The thought of how much that would cost was daunting.

Earning over three million a year was significant, but for him, it could be spent in a second. What’s more, he couldn’t reveal this to anyone; he couldn't just tell the higher-ups, “Give me money, and I’ll grow stronger and develop all sorts of strange abilities.” Such powers didn’t exist in this world, and if he dared to act like that, the research institutions of the four major nations would certainly dissect him for study.

Thus, becoming an employee of an official organization was out of the question; the world was vast, and he wanted to explore it, but his wallet was small, so he needed to earn money quickly.

"Alright," Ding Liu said, scratching his head in embarrassment. He hadn't had high hopes anyway; he was just trying his luck.

The group retrieved the car driven by Han Feng and sped off, quickly returning to the Bounty Hunter Guild located in Steel City.

"Did you hear? We have a genius with level 10 potential!" Upon entering the guild, Han Feng and the others overheard a discussion.

"My goodness, level 10 potential?" Ding Liu and the others were taken aback, sharing shocked glances. Although they were curious to inquire further, their weakened bodies and urgency to report to their superiors forced them to put it aside, unaware that the genius with level 10 potential was standing right in front of them.

Han Feng felt relieved; thankfully, he had the foresight to don a mask that revealed only his eyes, concealing his identity. Otherwise, if someone recognized him, he would be scrutinized like a rare panda. However, it seemed unwise to linger here; after completing the mission, he decided to explore elsewhere.

Ding Liu and the three others exchanged contact information with Han Feng, expressed their gratitude once more, and hurried back to report. The other two survivors also left.

Approaching the task reception counter alone, Han Feng found that while the counter was within the hall, each window would rise with an opaque light curtain when someone was present, creating a private space that blocked outside views.

Upon detecting Han Feng at the window, a beam of blue light formed the image of a young woman; the guild's virtual assistant, Anna, appeared before him once again.

"Hello, how can I assist you?" Anna asked.

"Submit a mission," Han Feng replied, presenting his hunter badge.

"Understood, please hold on." Anna's expression remained neutral as she scanned the badge.

"Certification successful. Hello, one-star hunter Han Feng. It has been detected that you are currently executing the 'Sari Settlement Tragedy' mission. Would you like to proceed with the settlement?"

"Yes, settle it!"

"Processing settlement, please wait! You have independently completed all mission objectives and additionally rescued two survivors. Mission completion rate: 110%. Mission evaluation: Perfect. Proceeding with bounty settlement. Settlement complete; all rewards have been transferred to your designated account. Thank you for your contribution!" Anna said with a smile.

"Your hunter points have reached the promotion criteria and have automatically upgraded your hunter level." A small square suddenly detached from the surface where Han Feng placed his hunter badge, sinking out of sight. Moments later, a brand new two-star hunter badge rose, glimmering with the brilliance of two crossed swords.