Chapter 4: Silver Five Stars

Field held the cat toy in his hand, swaying it left and right. Qiqi's eyes followed the movements of the toy, eagerly waiting for the right moment to pounce and grab it. But every time Field shook it, the toy slipped from her grasp. The scene on the wagon became chaotic, with everyone watching in surprise as Field swung the toy and Qiqi leaped and darted around.

Although they knew that Qiqi, being of the Cat Tribe, had a curious nature, they hadn't expected her to react like this. It seemed that petting cats wasn't a popular pastime in this world.

Finally, Qiqi managed to grab the toy, her face flushed with excitement. She looked at Field with sparkling eyes.

"Wasn't that fun?" Field chuckled.

"Very fun, meow!" Qiqi nodded enthusiastically. But then her expression fell as she looked at the broken toy in her hand. "I broke it, meow..."

"It's okay. If you like it, I can make you a sturdier one," Field said nonchalantly.

"You're such a good big guy, meow!" Qiqi exclaimed happily.

Field was taken aback. Had he just been handed the "good guy" card?

After this incident, Field and Qiqi's relationship evidently became closer. Field leaned against the wagon, chewing on a stalk of sweetgrass. It tasted a bit like mint, refreshing and sweet, and it was readily available. Field had often been dragged by his old man to exercise and forge weapons through the night. Chewing on sweetgrass helped him stay alert and awake, and it had become a habit.

More importantly, sweetgrass was a type of tobacco, and his old man used to love making cigarettes from the broad leaves of the lower part of the plant. Field had tried one, and it was strong, stronger than the cigarettes in the wasteland.

Then, Field got a beating from his old man and was warned not to touch it until he came of age.

Field didn't really mind. In his past life, living by the blade, cigarettes and alcohol were constant companions. But since his old man said so, Field decided to wait. Now that his old man was gone and no one was there to stop him, he had already rolled some cigarettes, but he hadn't lit a single one yet. There was a sense of ceremony to it.

This first cigarette had to be lit amidst the clash of swords and the roar of fire. That's what made it meaningful.

Perhaps, this was the romance of a mercenary.

Meanwhile, Qiqi sat on the cargo, chatting with Field above his head.

The little cat-eared girl was quite talkative and restless. Through her, Field learned some things. For example, Qiqi was seventeen years old, an adult in the Cat Tribe despite her small stature. She wasn't a child, just short, so one shouldn't underestimate her.

For example, Captain Geof had an adorable daughter who was three years old this year.

For example, there was an odious force in the city called the Seths Trading Company, involved in human trafficking. However, they didn't sell humans; they sold orcs.

Qiqi had nearly been caught by them and sold off when she first left home, so she despised the Seths Trading Company.

Field agreed. In his past life in the wasteland, there had been plenty of human trafficking gangs and factions. He'd seen one, and he'd killed one. Not only because he abhorred such actions, but also because those people were usually devoid of humanity.

The "Diesel Gang" would rob, and paying usually didn't result in a life-threatening situation, but those who trafficked in humans would not only rob but also kill, skin, harvest organs, and sell them, even crushing the meat and bones to make synthetic meat, which they sold to some unlucky people.

Such despicable acts were abominable, and Field never left survivors when dealing with such people.

It was also a way for a mercenary, stained with the blood of sin, to repay society and the world.

"Oh, by the way, what rank are you, meow?" suddenly, the little cat-eared girl asked.

The power system in this world was divided very strictly, unlike in the wasteland, where personal strength was determined solely by reputation and achievements.

The classification of the power system was simple and easy to understand, whether it was for mages, warriors, or other professions.

There were ten known ranks, the first five of which were named after metals in this world.

Chapter 4: Silver Five Stars

In this world, the power system was divided into two categories: the first five ranks were named after metals—Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Mithril. The next five ranks were associated with swords and magic, ranging from the lowest to the highest: Epic, Title, Epic, Legend, and Divine.

The first five ranks were easily understood, representing the most widely recognized and valued metals in this world.

The latter five ranks held their own meanings. On this vast road, there were many idle wanderers, often referred to as minstrels. "Epic" meant that your strength had reached a level worthy of being sung by minstrels, spreading your story far and wide. "Title" indicated that you had earned a place in history, leaving behind a distinctive title known to all. "Epic" was even more impressive, signifying immense power and influence, allowing you to leave a significant mark on history, with your story passed down through the ages. "Legend" was self-explanatory, denoting the pinnacle of existence, with your every action and deed having unparalleled impact on the present and future. As for "Divine," Field didn't understand it, as his old man didn't either, and they hadn't discussed it further. From Field's understanding, it probably meant being akin to a god or divine being. Who knows?

"I'm Silver, Silver Five Stars," Field said.

Each rank had ten stages, represented by "stars." Legend had it that this naming convention originated from mages, as every time they advanced, they would be surrounded by additional "starlight," which was quite spectacular. The advancement of warriors, on the other hand, was indicated by patterns of blood and qi.

Mages were considered the most colorful and dazzling profession in this world, so Field had always wanted to become a cool mage and had been striving for it. It was just that his muscles kept growing bigger and bigger, but he hadn't managed to manifest a single "starlight."

"Silver Five Stars, huh? Then you're not as powerful as me. I'm Silver Six Stars, meow~" The little cat-eared girl raised her chin proudly, her fluffy cat ears twitching, and her tail swaying unconsciously behind her.

It was strange. Field had seen several cat-eared girls before, but their tails were like thick noodles. Qiqi, on the other hand, had a fluffy tail like a feather duster, and Field didn't know what breed she was. Anyway, he thought she was cuter than those with thick noodle tails because she looked fluffy.

"Well, you better protect me then," Field joked shamelessly.

To his surprise, Qiqi took it seriously, blinked her big eyes, and said, "Don't worry, as a senior, I'll take care of you, meow!"

"Qiqi, scout," Captain Geof interrupted, unable to tolerate their banter any longer.

If they kept chatting, there would be no need for a scouting mission.

"Oh! I forgot, meow~" Qiqi playfully stuck out her tongue, then leaped agilely off the wagon. "I'll go scout now, meow!"

"Go ahead, I need to catch some sleep," Field waved his hand, closing his eyes and soon, the sound of his snoring filled the air.

Ogfor sighed and rubbed his forehead. It seemed that Field was truly a newcomer, lacking in vigilance. Although this mission wasn't very dangerous, it wasn't wise to fall asleep so soon after leaving the city gates.

But Geof didn't bother waking Field up. After all, there was nothing urgent, and Field wasn't a friend or comrade. He didn't need to pay too much attention to him.

Making this kind of mistake was common for most newcomers, but it was also the most fatal. He could remind them, but if they approached their tasks with such carelessness, they might not take it seriously anyway. It was better to let harsh reality teach them.

This was a mistake that most newbies made, and it was also the most deadly mistake. If you didn't have proper vigilance in this line of work, you would eventually pay the price.