“You can also team up with others. The points will be split, but it’s a bit safer. I have something to discuss with Old Bennett, so I’ll head off first. Contact me if anything comes up.”

Evan Brooks was nagging nearby like an old father; anyone who didn’t know better would think Ryan Clark was his daughter.

After speaking, he waved at Ryan Clark and headed upstairs.

“This Evan Brooks is really enthusiastic,” Logan Clark remarked.

At the mission counter, Ryan Clark, carrying a big cube, attracted a lot of attention—most people looked at her with envy.

Especially after recognizing Ryan Clark as this year’s new hunter, their faces showed even more shock, and they unconsciously made way for her.

Ryan Clark looked up to see the mission board covered in colorful postings. The electronic screen in her hand automatically connected to the system, allowing her to tap and check mission details at any time.

The little cart followed along, and the mission board came into Logan Clark’s view as well.

[Collection Mission: Ruby Potatoes, ten pieces, for research use, reward: 10 monitoring station points.]

[Collection Mission: Smoked Ore, twenty kilograms, for forging use, reward: 10 monitoring station points.]

[Investigation Mission: Outbreak of wood-boring insects in the forest east of the monitoring station, image data required, reward: 5 monitoring station points.]

……

Logan Clark was stunned.

How much?

He almost thought he was seeing things and quickly scanned again.

No mistake—the points really were that low.

“How long would it take to reach 10,000 points at this rate?”

But while Logan Clark was still in a daze, the girl had already accepted a mission, and the electronic screen in her hand began to display the mission details.

Logan Clark hurriedly glanced over.

[Investigation Mission: Cause of the Shock Beast’s Abnormal Behavior]

[The Shock Beast’s abnormal behavior has destroyed multiple outposts, causing heavy casualties. Preliminary investigation suggests a mutated creature carrying a relic may have appeared. The cause must be found and the abnormality resolved.]

[Recommended team size: squad of 10 or more.]

[Reward: 1,000 monitoring station points.]

[Acceptance conditions: The Shock Beast is an extremely dangerous creature. The squad must be equipped with lethal relics.]

……

Logan Clark was shocked.

Such fast reflexes!

“How did you accept it so quickly? Did you see the recommended team size? I told you to take an investigation mission, but you really picked one!”

Logan Clark wanted to rush out of the cube and question the girl, but he couldn’t.

“And what kind of investigation mission is this? Why didn’t I see it?”

Logan Clark started scanning the bulletin board again and finally found the investigation mission in the last few lines of the task list.

Well, turns out Ryan Clark started from the back.

On the ever-scrolling task list, the last few rows were all sorts of hunting missions, almost all marked as extremely dangerous.

And among this sea of hunting missions, Ryan Clark had accurately picked out the investigation mission with the highest points.

Now, on the mission board, after the task to investigate the cause of the Shock Beast’s abnormal behavior, Ryan Clark’s name was prominently displayed.

After accepting the mission, Ryan Clark turned and left without looking for teammates, clearly intending to claim all the points for herself.

Sure enough, before she could get out of the crowd, a squad stopped her. The leader was a young man who looked very steady.

“Hello, did you accept the mission to investigate the cause of the Shock Beast’s abnormal behavior?”

Ryan Clark nodded.

The young man smiled warmly. “Looks like you’re on your own? Our squad is also interested in this mission. Want to team up? We can look out for each other.”

Even as he spoke to Ryan Clark, the young man’s eyes kept sneaking glances at the metal block behind her.

Logan Clark understood.

This squad didn’t have a relic and couldn’t meet the mission requirements, so they wanted to tag along.

“No need, I can handle it myself.” Ryan Clark shook her head calmly.

The young man wanted to persuade her further, but Ryan Clark simply walked around him.

The cart carrying the metal block rolled toward the young man, curved around him, and left as well.

After leaving the mission counter, Ryan Clark headed straight for the shop in the hall and began shopping.

At the counter, Ryan Clark looked at the sales assistant and asked, “Do you have any food specifically for relics?”

The sales assistant was a bit intimidated by Ryan Clark’s cold gaze, and her smile became a little stiff.

“Yes, just turn right at the front and it’s on the second shelf.”

There really is such a thing?

Ryan Clark walked to the spot the sales assistant mentioned, while Logan Clark’s view had already locked onto it.

Canned fingers?

Blood syrup?

Hair seaweed?

Nuclear wastewater cola?

Pork-made beef jerky?

Fried instant noodles wrapped in a videotape of the first ray of morning sunlight?

……

No way!

Logan Clark had no idea why such bizarre foods existed, nor did he know what the price was for other relics.

But Logan Clark knew that if he ate any of these, he’d definitely die.

He was just thinking of a way to stop Ryan Clark, but she had already reached the shelf and was carefully picking through the items.

Fortunately, as Ryan Clark selected these foods, she would always place one on the cube to see how it reacted.

Finally, after none of the attempts worked, Ryan Clark headed for the normal food section.

Sitting inside the cube, Logan Clark let out a long sigh of relief.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 7: Shock Beast

======================

Chapter 7: Shock Beast

Ryan Clark stopped in front of an automatic steamer.

Behind her was a cart carrying the cube, and behind that, a shopping cart filled to the brim.

The shopping cart was piled with all sorts of food and some outdoor camping gear.

Logan Clark was already numb.

Ryan Clark had also bought many expensive relic capsules, but she asked the sales assistant if these capsules could be used to store food.