Chapter 14: Same Same, But New

"Good afternoon, Ms. Receptionist."

"Good aft—Aren't you Mr. Lucian Zhang? Weren't you just here yesterday, or was that earlier? Ah, don't tell me the people at the Trade Department didn't give you the right amount for the lithums!?"

"No."

"Ah! Forgive me for yapping!"

Right after Lucian's interview with one of the Looter agencies, he quickly made his way back to the Cultivator Association to ask for more details about what the foreman told him about being a private Looter.

"You… want to work as a Looter?" And as soon as he told the receptionist what he wanted, she immediately squinted her eyes at him while looking at him from head to toe, "But… why? Even though you're only of the Spirit Infant Level, they graded your Combat Proficiency as S — that is practically unprecedented!"

Lucian could really only slightly back away as the receptionist stood up and slammed her palms on her counter while raising her voice all at the same time, "You can just join the hunting quests!"

"Why are you shouting, Ms. Receptionist?" Lucian asked as he looked away, not knowing how to respond to the receptionist's words.

"Ah! S…sorry, Mr. Lucian! I got excited, sorry!" The receptionist stuttered as she sat back down to her station, quickly adjusting her uniform and hair as she smiled at Lucian even though he had not even looked at her face even once the entire conversation, "But… are you sure you don't want to just join any hunts? Subjugation missions? I'm also authorized to handle them and give them out."

"No," Lucian quickly refused, "Just please guide me to where I can know more about being a private Looter."

"That…" The receptionist once again squinted her eyes at Lucian, before just finally letting out a sigh and taking in a deep breath, "...I actually also handle the processing for private Looters."

"The scope of your job seems wide, Ms. Receptionist."

"Oh, I need the money," the receptionist let out a small giggle. But after a few seconds she just once again let out a small but very deep sigh and looked at Lucian, "Are… you sure you don't just want to accept hunting quests?"

"No," Lucian shook his head, "Hunting would take too much of my time."

"And so will being a private Looter," the receptionist wagged her finger, "Being a private Looter is different from public Looters from the agencies, Mr. Lucian. You need to follow the party while they hunt for monsters — not to mention you also need to travel with them."

"I… was not aware of that," Lucian placed his hand on his chin.

"Not to mention you also need to bring whatever it is you loot with you," the receptionist nodded, "It pays a lot more than just being a public looter, but you would need to spend more time, and not to mention it is also more dangerous."

"Is there a job I can get that will earn me the same as a Looter, but requires less time?"

"You can sell pills," the receptionist shrugged.

"I am not allowed to do that, Ms. Receptionist," Lucian quickly shook his head, "They will kill me."

"...Who will kill you?"

"That is a secret," Lucian once again shook his head.

"Hm…" The receptionist once again squinted her eyes as she stared at Lucian. But after a few seconds, she placed a finger on her chin and started to hum in thought, "Well then, if you want something that pays a lot but doesn't require much time with your current strength…

…then I think I just have the right job for you. And the job just happens to be scheduled for today, and it happens to be right here in the city too."

"This is…" Lucian glanced at the paper that the receptionist slid towards him on the counter, "...is still a request for a private Looter, Ms. Receptionist."

"That's true…

…but it's a different kind."

"Okay."

"...Why aren't you asking why no one has taken the job yet?"

"Why has the job not been taken yet, Ms. Receptionist?"

"Well…

…that's a secret."

"..."

***

"Very good, Young Master."

"Did all of you see that!? Ha… haha!"

The receptionist was right, the job was within the city and it did not even take Lucian half an hour to get to it — the only problem was that after arriving at the job site, there was no carcass to loot at all, there wasn't even a monster in sight.

Instead, he was asked to go inside some sort of coliseum, which was right beside the mansion of the client. He knew that a lot of cultivators were rich, and a quarter of them came from generations of wealth… but this was the third time now that Lucian was meeting a rich cultivator in less than a week.

"Did all of you see that!? Did you see what I did!?"

And now, his client was currently pointing at him. A child, perhaps barely even 12 years old. He was currently raising his sword and pointing it at everyone else in the coliseum.

"We did, Young Master. You're so great!"

"Wow, I think you could be the best of this generation, Young Master."

The people, who seemed to be the staff of the estate since they were all either wearing a maid's outfit or a neat suit, all clapped their hands as they praised their so-called young master.

As for Lucian, he just stood there wondering when he could actually do his job.

"You, Looter! Did you see what I did!?"

Unfortunately for Lucian, the young master placed his attention on him and also pointed his sword at his face.

"Yes, Young Master," Lucian, of course, answered the young master and nodded, "I saw you hit the wooden dummy and almost scratched it. Very good."

"..."

And as soon as Lucian said that, everyone who was clapping for the young master immediately stopped to look at him; the looks on their faces, either shocked or just downright confused if they heard what they heard.

"..." Lucian, however, was completely oblivious to the situation as he even took this chance to speak to the maid beside him since they were all looking at him, "Do you know when I get to loot the monster, Ms. Housemaid?"

"T…that…" The maid could not help but just stutter as she glanced at their young master, "I don't—Gh!"

And before the maid could speak any further, she found herself on the ground as their young master suddenly struck her on the stomach with the hilt of his sword.

"Did I tell you to talk to him!?" The young master let out a small roar as he looked down at the maid.

"N…no. I'm sorry… I'm sorry, Young… Young master!" The maid was clearly gasping for breath and struggling to even speak, and yet she still tried her best to appease and answer their master.

"And you, Looter…" The young master then stood directly in front of Lucian, "...Keep your fucking eyes open and watch. David, summon the mantis!"

"Young… Master Craig?" David, who seemed to be Craig's personal butler, quickly shook his head and waved his hands as he heard Craig's request, "Today's monster is only supposed to be the horned hare! I—"

"Do it or I'll make sure you won't get paid this month!" Craig then walked away toward the center of the coliseum where a platform was resting and jumped—no, he somersaulted to it. He then smirked as he landed on both feet and looked at Lucian…

…only to see him checking on the maid.

"If it still hurts after 1 day, you should get it checked by a doctor. But I suggest you have it checked now, Ms. Housemaid."

"..." The maid did not really say anything for fear of being struck by their young master again. She did, however, subtly nodded her head.

"It is okay to cry, it is a natural reaction and proves you still have a healthy mind, Ms. Housemaid," Lucian then held the maid's wrist to check her pulse.

"David, summon the mantis or I'll cut off all your pay!"

"But—"

"I am your Lord! Do as I say! And you, Looter, watch what I do…

…or I will also not pay you!"