Chapter 287 – What Should We Do About This?

Professional Center, Talent Market.

After leaving the office floors, Su Ming took the elevator and arrived here on the tenth floor.

The moment he stepped inside, Su Ming’s eardrums were immediately assaulted by a massive wave of noise.

“D-Rank team ‘Bee Emperor Waterfall’ recruiting! Anyone interested in joining a team, come take a look here!”

“C-Rank team ‘Wind Fire Mountain Forest’ currently needs two Sorcerers! Three-Star Sorcerers, please come over!”

“C-Rank team ‘Flowing Silver’ recruiting one special talent! Those skilled in detection, come check us out!”

“B-Rank team ‘Phosphorus Fire Blade’ sincerely invites Upper-Rank Professionals to join!”

“Newcomers who haven’t joined a team yet, please come this way!”

“Come take a look!”

The shouts came at Su Ming like soundwaves, instantly enveloping him and leaving him standing there dumbfounded, unable to recover for a long time.

“Brother, you’re new here, right?”

“What’s your star rating?”

“Are you a Sorcerer or a Hunter?”

“Have you done the Bloodline and Spirituality tests yet?”

“If you want to join a team, you can go check over there – our team has people receiving newcomers there.”

“You look so young, you must have just started out, right?”

“No problem, as long as you have potential, even if you’re a complete newcomer, our team welcomes you. We can even provide funding and heavily invest in your development.”

“Here, take this, go check over there – our people are waiting.”

“And take ours too!”

While Su Ming stood frozen, several people swarmed around him, not giving him a chance to speak. They chattered nonstop with flying spittle, then shoved what looked like flyers into his hands, enthusiastically promoting their own teams. In no time at all, Su Ming’s hands were completely filled with stacks of flyers.

This made Su Ming’s head buzz, and he nearly retreated to check whether this was really the Talent Market or some wholesale supermarket.

“Did… I come to the wrong place…?”

Su Ming fell into deep self-doubt.

He simply couldn’t help it – he never imagined the Professional Center’s Talent Market would be like this.

Not only were there people enthusiastically promoting their teams everywhere, but there were also reception counters resembling market stalls set up in every corner. These counters appeared to be team recruitment stations, with people inside shouting just as enthusiastically, introducing their teams to anyone passing by – exactly like elderly vendors hawking vegetables in a food market, only even more energetic.

The most bewildering part was that in this marketplace-like chaos, the crowd was not only massive but every person either radiated vigorous Qi or displayed prominent spirituality – clearly all Professionals.

Su Ming could only feel a dull headache coming on.

But he couldn’t actually leave, nor dared he remain standing there to be handed more flyers.

So Su Ming could only suppress his urge to flee, forcing himself to move forward with difficulty.

“Everyone pay attention!”

“No crowding!”

“No forced promotions!”

“Be careful!”

Several fierce-looking staff members who seemed to belong to the Professional Center were roaring with even louder voices than the recruiters, struggling to maintain order at the scene.Without them, Su Ming was certain the scene would have spiraled out of control. Forget aggressive marketing—even forced recruitment might have occurred.

“What am I supposed to do now?”

Su Ming was genuinely at a loss.

He had come to recruit, but he had no desire to emulate these people—shouting himself hoarse like an elderly vendor at a vegetable market, desperately trying to catch the attention of passersby.

Especially since his standards were high. From the outset, he aimed to recruit Upper-Rank Professionals, striving directly for an A-Rank team. Yet here he was… selling vegetables?

Who could tolerate this!?

“Can Upper-Rank Professionals really be recruited this way?”

Su Ming sank into deep doubt once more.

Fortunately, a passing staff member noticed his bewildered stance and kindly offered guidance.

“Those looking to recruit members should set up a reception area within the white lines. If you don’t want to yell and shout like them, you can move further back—it’s quieter there.”

Following the staff’s advice, Su Ming had no choice but to press onward, deeper into the Talent Market.

And then he understood why it was considered quieter here.

The crowd was drawn to the reception areas near the entrance, leaving the inner sections with significantly fewer people. Since most recruiters set up their stalls as close to the entrance as possible, this area had become relatively secluded—and indeed, much quieter than outside.

“Well, it’s still better than acting like a vegetable market uncle.”

Su Ming reluctantly accepted the situation.

What else could he do?

Abandon recruitment?

Give up on forming a team?

“Sigh…”

He let out a resigned breath, found a spot, and sat down.

He didn’t bother setting up a formal reception area. Instead, he pulled a pre-prepared sign from his backpack and propped it up in front of him.

Then, without much expectation, Su Ming settled in to wait—neither calling out to passersby nor actively pulling anyone in, adopting the attitude of “Jiang Taigong fishing—waiting for the willing to take the bait.”

Of course, to others, he appeared utterly lackadaisical.

A glance at his sign, however, was enough to raise eyebrows.

“New team sincerely recruiting members. No age or gender restrictions. Upper-Rank Professionals only. Terms negotiable.”

The sign also listed Su Ming’s Terminal number and contact details.

Those nearby took one look and burst into laughter.

“Wow, a new team recruiting—and only Upper-Rank Professionals?”

“So, the minimum requirement to join an E-Rank team is being an Upper-Rank Professional?”

“Does he have a gold mine at home? Or is he just here for laughs?”

“Hey, buddy, care to share your background?”

“If you’re some young master from one of the Eight Great Families, just say so. We promise not to mock you.”

Many chuckled and teased him this way, though beneath the jest lay a hint of probing.

Clearly, they weren’t foolish enough to mock someone outright without cause.

The truly astute, upon seeing Su Ming’s recruitment notice, began speculating inwardly—wondering if he had some formidable background.

If Su Ming truly were a young master from a super-powered Family, then it would be perfectly normal for his team to have such high standards.In fact, one Upper-Rank Professional was genuinely intrigued by Su Ming’s recruitment notice and couldn’t resist approaching to inquire.

“Which Family is backing you?”

It seemed even Upper-Rank Professionals sought to align themselves with larger power structures.

Rather, precisely because they were Upper-Rank Professionals, the resources required for further advancement were dozens, if not hundreds, of times greater than those needed by lower-rank practitioners. If a major Family were willing to sponsor them and provide resources, it would be a rare opportunity for Upper-Rank Professionals with limited potential.

One could only say that while major Families and factions were always eager to recruit talent, their standards for who they deemed worthy were exceptionally high.

Some individuals, even if they had already reached the Upper-Rank Professional level, would be passed over by major Families and factions if their potential and prospects were lacking.

The cost of nurturing them was high, but the returns were far from guaranteed.

Who could say whether pouring resources into them would lead to further breakthroughs?

Naturally, Professionals without backgrounds or family connections also sought sponsorship, striving to catch the attention of these major Families and factions.

This was a process of mutual selection, with neither side inherently weak nor strong—it all depended on individual qualifications and merits.

Take the person before him, for example. Su Ming could tell at a glance that he was likely a Hunter, and his potential was clearly limited.

It went without saying—the man’s hair was already half-gray. Even if he wasn’t fifty, he had to be in his late forties, yet his Aura and Qi barely placed him at the initial Four-Star level. What potential could he possibly have?

This person was likely similar to the Marmot from the Li Family, who preferred to remain anonymous. Even in his seventies or eighties, he would never Breakthrough to the Five-Star level, destined to remain stagnant for life.

In Longyao City, an Upper-Rank Professional with nearly exhausted potential might still be highly sought after, as no Family or faction would refuse the addition of an Upper-Rank Professional. However, in Tianfeng City, the situation was more nuanced.

Teams that didn’t care about potential and only sought labor might not appeal to him, while the teams he found appealing might not offer conditions that satisfied him.

Su Ming’s thoughts raced, but his expression remained unwavering.

“Don’t overthink it. I have no Family backing me,” Su Ming stated bluntly.

“No Family backing?” The Upper-Rank Professional was taken aback, then asked, “Then is there some non-Family faction supporting you?”

“None either,” Su Ming replied calmly, utterly unfazed.

“Then you…” The Upper-Rank Professional was speechless.

“Exactly.” Su Ming grinned, flashing a bright smile. “I’m a self-made rookie.”

The Upper-Rank Professional was utterly stunned.

“A self-made new team like yours dares to impose restrictions, and only for Upper-Rank Professionals?”

Not only the Upper-Rank Professional but even the people around them exchanged bewildered glances, rendered speechless.

Of course, Su Ming wasn’t intimidated.

“What does it matter if it’s a self-made new team? As long as we can offer the right conditions, isn’t that enough?”

Su Ming wore an expression of complete nonchalance.Seeing this, the Upper-Rank Professional shook his head and left without a word.

The surrounding crowd also lost interest.

“I thought it was another young master from some major Family out to make his mark.”

“Turns out it’s just a rookie trying to make empty promises?”

“With no Family backing or organizational support, completely penniless—what kind of terms could he possibly offer to tempt an Upper-Rank Professional?”

“Truly, a newborn calf fears no tiger.”

After leaving such comments, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Su Ming’s area instantly became deserted, the surrounding noise seeming to drift further away from him.

“Should I have a background scene added here, with a few leaves blown by the wind and a whooshing sound effect to emphasize the loneliness and desolation?”

Su Ming shrugged.

He wasn’t discouraged, nor did he care much about others’ opinions.

Long before this, he had known that recruiting team members as a self-made newcomer—and limiting it to Upper-Rank Professionals—would inevitably draw strange looks.

Thus, Su Ming had already prepared himself mentally.

He even had the leisure to pull out a lounge chair from his backpack, set it up right at the recruitment spot, and comfortably lie down.

Those around him shook their heads again at the sight.

“He’ll never recruit anyone like this.”

“This young man just isn’t cut out for it.”

“Let’s just ignore him and focus on our own recruitment.”

“Right, if we don’t complete the team’s recruitment task, we probably won’t get any Contribution Points this month.”

Soon, Su Ming’s area became completely deserted, with no one around.

Even passing Professionals, upon seeing Su Ming lounging comfortably in his chair and reading the content on the board in front of him, chose to ignore him.

Only a few Professionals who hadn’t found much success in Tianfeng City and had never been recruited by any team approached Su Ming, telling him that his approach was wrong. As a newcomer, he should be more pragmatic and recruit members he could actually attract.

For example, people like them.

Their demands weren’t high: room and board, one mission a month, and a few tens of thousands of Contribution Points would suffice…

To such freeloaders, Su Ming had only one word.

“Scram!”

In short, by the end of the day, Su Ming had gained nothing.

The next few days were the same. Su Ming arrived punctually at the Talent Market every day but still failed to recruit any satisfactory new team members.

“It seems this place really isn’t working.”

Su Ming began to wonder if he should try another approach.

It was under such circumstances that an opportunity quietly arrived.

…

It was a sunny and pleasant afternoon.

On this day, the Talent Market at the Professional Center was, as always, filled with shouts and clamor.

Amid the bustling crowd, a figure quietly appeared.

It was a woman in the prime of her youth, who seemed somewhat aloof, weary, and carried an air of having traveled far.

The woman had an extraordinary Aura and an ethereal demeanor, with a figure so enchanting that even her back view made people’s hearts itch with the desire to embrace her.

However, seeing her face would likely bring a great sense of disappointment.Because this ethereal woman not only had a huge saber scar on her face, but also had one of her palms completely severed.

Undoubtedly, this was a woman who had once seen Hell.

Her body clearly bore signs of severe injuries—the kind that could have been fatal.

Yet when she appeared, the entire Talent Market still erupted in an uproar.

“It’s her!”

“Is she here again?”

Many began whispering among themselves.

(End of Chapter)