Lin Mo found a seat in the hall and waved at the attendant beside him, requesting a cup of barley tea.

He didn’t really like drinking alcohol, and having a drink early in the morning wasn’t a good idea, especially when he might be going out on an adventure soon. Alcohol would dull the nerves, causing people to make wrong judgments.

The cost of mistakes in battle was undoubtedly very heavy.

He spread out the few booklets he had just acquired in front of him and first started reading the most basic free handbook.

“An adventurer, as the name implies, is a person who makes a living through adventure. They rely on the gains from adventures to obtain a life far better than ordinary people, but the price is extremely high risk. Every adventure could be a journey with no return, but that is the true meaning of adventure — to compose a glorious life song through the baptism of blood and fire...”

“The Adventurers’ Association was founded in the year 544 of the Solar Calendar by seven adventurers who were at the peak of the continent at that time. Over the following 300 years, it expanded rapidly. Today, it has become one of the most widespread and influential organizations on the continent.”

He flipped through the entire booklet. It mainly recorded some basic information related to adventurers and the Adventurers’ Association, most of which were common knowledge.

However, for Lin Mo, there were still some relatively novel contents.

For example, the second floor of the association was specifically for selling weapons and armor, and the third floor housed various alchemical products and medicines.

Above that, the fourth to sixth floors were reserved as lounges for high-level adventurers and senior association members. Different regions had different residency requirements for the association; in a small place like Roland Town, adventurers of bronze level and above could have the right to stay in the lounge anytime.

Of course, Lin Mo’s current level was undoubtedly the lowest rank, Black Iron.

The handbook also recorded the ways to level up as an adventurer. To become a bronze-level adventurer, one must first be formally employed and obtain a profession level, then complete 20 tasks issued by the association, including at least two bronze-level tasks.

Setting aside this booklet with limited information, Lin Mo looked at the few strategy handbooks he had actually bought with money.

The first was “Complete Monster Encyclopedia of the Outer Area of Roland Forest,” the second was “Complete Guide to Roland Town Map,” and the third was “Adventurer’s Plant Guide (Beginner).”

The last one had a rather peculiar title: “On Adventurer’s Professional Cultivation, Promotion Strategies, and Daily Nutritional Meal Recommendations.”

Putting aside the last odd miscellaneous book, the first three were indeed quite useful for newcomers. That half-orc lady who seemed like a catgirl hadn’t lied.

However, Lin Mo didn’t flip through these books for the moment. For him, there were more urgent matters to attend to.

Handling the adventurer registration procedures and reading the newcomer’s handbook... Lin Mo glanced at the clock in the center of the hall; the hour hand was exactly pointing to 9 o’clock at that moment.

Compared to most miserable commoners, those who benefited from family connections or possessed unique skills in public office undoubtedly lived more comfortably.

Even if the small town was in a state of crisis different from peaceful days, it didn’t affect their generous monthly salary, which arrived on time every month, nor did it make them start work a minute earlier.

Lin Mo finished his barley tea in one gulp, quickly got up, and left the association.

Not far from the Adventurers’ Association was a temporary office of the town.

As Lin Mo expected, there weren’t many people at the office’s door at this time.

Among the few present, many were injured. It wasn’t hard to tell their identities from their physique and the worried expressions on their faces; most were “recruits” like Lin Mo, forced into the role.

“Sir, when we were fighting this goblin, we accidentally cut the wrong spot, so this ear got damaged. Could you please...”

A thin man with his arm covered in bandages and hanging in a sling looked pitifully at the staff behind the counter, who kept yawning and looked very impatient.

“I’ve told you many times, the ear must be intact to exchange for rewards. Damaged ones don’t count!”

“But—”

“No buts! Rules are rules! Who knows if you purposely cut the ear in half to cheat and claim two rewards? Get out, get out...”

The man wanted to say more, growing increasingly agitated, but was quickly restrained by nearby guards and roughly carried away.

“Sir, this is my ear, please see...”

“100 copper coins, take it.”

The staff casually tossed a cloth bag tied with a string to the ecstatic youth in front of him.

He rubbed his hands and sat on the ground beside him, carefully counting the coins inside the bag. His smile gradually froze.

Worried he miscounted, he carefully counted again one by one, then looked up hesitantly: “Sir, there are only seventy copper coins in here...”

“I said it’s a hundred, so it’s a hundred. No more nonsense.”

The youth was glared at and immediately shrank in stature but was unwilling to accept that the reward he earned with his life was cut down. He stood up and wanted to argue.

The guard, aware of the situation, kicked him hard, knocking him down to his knees.

“Who knows if you deliberately hid thirty coins to scam us? If you cause any more trouble, you won’t even get these seventy!”

As he spoke, he exchanged a knowing glance with the staff at the office and smiled tacitly.

The youth gritted his teeth, clenching his hands tightly, and ultimately didn’t dare to talk back. He could only leave holding the cloth bag.

Lin Mo watched the departing youth and was not surprised inside.

When a tree begins to rot, it is often already infested with termites everywhere.

“Put the ear directly on the table.”

Seeing Lin Mo approach, the staff in front still leaned lazily in his chair and said.

As he spoke, he reached out to grab the cloth bag, seemingly ready to repeat the same procedure.

“Knock knock—”

However, Lin Mo knocked on the table.

The man frowned, about to say something, but when he looked up and saw the thing Lin Mo just used to knock on the table, his expression suddenly changed slightly. He slowly sat up.

“So you’re an adventurer...”

Unlike those poor souls forced into service, formal adventurers couldn’t be treated so carelessly.

No one would stand up for penniless poor folk, but for officially employed adventurers, if they messed around, the association would receive complaints.

The Adventurers’ Association held great influence; even the lord would have to show them respect.

Moreover, the association was just next door, so he dared not act recklessly...

So he immediately changed his demeanor and used a familiar official tone: “Please present your proof of spoils.”