Chapter 305 – The Anxious Benlajet

The Mission Hall maintained its peculiar coexistence of desolation and bustle, where crowded and empty spaces were sharply divided.

Marked by the enormous crystal chandelier adorning the center of the Mission Hall, the brightly illuminated side remained perpetually bustling. Before the massive mission board, numerous gray-robed Apprentice Rank mages browsed through various apprentice-level missions. Occasionally, some apprentices would call out like adventurers, urging others to form teams to complete missions together.

“Hey, the Patterned Tree squad is heading out again! This time it’s an Apprentice Rank gathering mission—guaranteed safe. We need one mage skilled in healing spells. Distribution methods to be discussed in person!”

“Elegant Mage Robe squad only accepts Apprentice-Level Mages who have mastered at least two or more Apprentice-Level spells. Mission: clearing pheromone caterpillars in the Eastern Sea Leaf Forest. Departing the day after tomorrow!”

“Healing ointments, Swiftstep potions—one exchange point each, no bargaining…”

Beyond the clamor of apprentices discussing missions, many gray-robed apprentices forming teams or promoting alchemical products also shouted their offers loudly. Thus, the apprentice section of this Mission Hall resembled a noisy marketplace.

In contrast to the apprentice area’s commotion, the mentor section was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Most Formal-Level Mages coming here to accept missions wore low-key plain Mage Robes, using magic to elevate their feet to avoid making sounds. Everyone moved with light steps, and conversations between mages mostly occurred through magic message transmission.

Seemingly designed to accommodate this atmosphere favored by all Formal-Level Mages, the entire mentor mission area maintained a dim color scheme. Pale blue crystal lamps illuminated only small portions of the space, with only flickering blue flame candles slowly swaying in many shadowy corners.

However, today, the cool-toned atmosphere of the entire mentor mission area was disrupted.

Right in the center of the hall, a plump old man wearing a bright red Mage Robe that clashed with the environment was boldly greeting every mage around him. When he saw newly promoted Formal-Level Mages acting nervous and reverent, he would even laugh boisterously without restraint.

Because of this plump old man’s presence, the entire mage mission area’s ambiance had turned peculiar.

Yet strangely, facing this seemingly harmless, kindly old man’s atmosphere-breaking behavior, other mages could only respond with awkward smiles before offering respectful greetings. Subsequently, those mages originally intending to enter the Mission Hall would either detour widely or simply turn around and leave.

Looking carefully, the only person in the entire mission area who didn’t feel awkward was probably this plump old man himself.

Without needing any guesswork, everyone knew this old man dressed head-to-toe in bright red was the famously eccentric master of the entire Gray Rain Country Truth Division—Master Ben Lajie.

Today, for some unknown reason, this fellow had actually arrived early at the Mission Hall and had been staying there for a long time—only looking at missions without selecting any, as if deliberately waiting for something.However, regardless of what he was waiting for, a Master-Level powerhouse alone could serve as a crowd-clearing presence. At least during the time Ben Lajie stayed in the Mission Hall, many mages who originally intended to visit chose to “come another day.” No one wanted to casually linger near a suspected mentally unstable Master-Level powerhouse.

Thus, unnoticed, an entire day passed…

Until nightfall once again descended upon the Thought of Truth branch, when the somewhat absent-minded and distracted Ben Lajie suddenly burst into hearty laughter and strode toward the hall entrance:

“Well, well, old friend Cyan, what a coincidence! What brings you to the Mission Hall too? Let me tell you, legend has it that the siren mural in the hall transforms into a beautiful woman and descends on a certain day during the Scorching Sun Season. Are you here to see it as well?”

——————————————

Punk didn’t even need to see the speaker—just hearing the exclamation, “Well, well, old friend Cyan, what a coincidence!”—to know exactly who was talking.

Sure enough, as soon as Punk stepped into the hall, before he could even hand his identification tag to the reception mage, this overly familiar old swindler came “rolling” out like a ball, spouting nonsense about some “beautiful siren.”

Although there’s a saying that “one doesn’t hit a smiling face,” Punk was in a foul mood and showed no courtesy to the portly old Ben Lajie:

“Cut the useless chatter, old man. Care to explain now? Or is your so-called ‘grand plan’ only meant to last half a year?”

Punk’s abrupt, direct, and merciless questioning caught Ben Lajie off guard, forcing him to halt awkwardly mid-stride. Scratching his head with a look of embarrassment, he replied with a bitter smile:

“Ah, I had no choice. You must understand, a competent merchant needs more than just a sharp mind—they also require…”

“No, no, no, my esteemed Mr. Benlajie Nokani. From what I know, a merchant only needs one thing—success. Excuses are reserved for failures alone.”

Punk’s sarcasm was cold and emotionless, leaving Ben Lajie speechless. With a conflicted expression, he trailed behind Punk into the Mission Hall:

“Er… well, you do have a point. But some matters truly can’t be resolved by a merchant or even a Senior Mentor. Believe me, even you would be helpless in this situation.”

Once the topic shifted to the uncontrollable factors affecting his “business,” Ben Lajie immediately launched into a lengthy explanation, not caring whether Punk was listening:

“You’re an alchemy master focused on research, sitting in your Magic Tower with fools lining up to be exploited. But you have no idea how troublesome those Red Robes are! Can you believe it? Those idiots went mad and collectively attacked the Gray Rain Country’s Professionals Council, all because they couldn’t stand the Mage Guild taking charge!””Oh my god, the Mage Guild’s Legendary big shot ‘Incinerator’ Ankazan Flamebrow is conducting research at the Flute Hills, and those Red Robes actually dared to destroy two Mage Guild garrison cities in their madness. Now I hear the Legendary Archmage himself has been alerted. Who in the Gray Rain Country would dare continue trading with the Red Robes these days? To lay low, I’ve completely severed all connections with the Red Robes.”

“Oh, really?”

After listening to Ben Lajie’s emotionally charged and exceedingly mournful rant, Punk showed no extra reaction. He simply continued carefully reviewing the mission information before replying to Ben Lajie as if quite absent-minded.

“Alright, I know you’re going to ask why cutting off the Red Robes contact means the black market is useless. Let me be straightforward – when the Red Robes attacked the Mage Guild, they used that ‘Withered Heart’ potion they bought from you last time. The thing’s power seems to have been a bit too overwhelming – three cities and the surrounding rivers were completely destroyed. I’m truly afraid the Legendary powerhouse might come knocking…”

“To sum it up, you’re just scared. No need for all these excuses!”

Without waiting for Ben Lajie to finish, an impatient Punk pinpointed the essence of Ben Lajie’s excuse with a single sentence!

The time to embark on the journey has come. Where are the tickets?

(End of Chapter)