Chapter 19: Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover_1

"What did you see?"

Without warning, a middle-aged man of refined appearance clad in a dark blue robe appeared next to Motan, curiously tilting his head as he asked the question.

"I saw an epic." Motan glanced at the statue of Gary, the founder of the Adventurer's Guild, then turned back to look at the statue of the Nameless Adventurer, a figure with no discernable facial features or identifying marks of any profession or race. "And also a mirror~"

The man smiled warmly at him, "Well said, that's how I feel whenever I come here too..."

"It's not a feeling." Motan gave the man a faint smile and shook his head, "An epic and a mirror, that's what I saw, but if you ask how I felt..."

He raised his head to gaze at the Pioneers' Gate, a structure so vast it could easily admit even a ginormous adult dragon, and murmured, "Freedom and rebellion, nothing more."

The man paused momentarily, giving Motan a thoughtful look. However, he chose not to respond, simply patted Motan's shoulder and turned away.

Curious, Motan looked back, only to find the stranger had vanished as though he had never been there at all.

A pang of regret came over him. Had he crafted his response with a little more forethought rather than simply uttering what was in his mind, perhaps he would have been offered some hidden mission from the handsome man, such as a night visit to the Temple of Hill at the outskirts of Anka market...

Followed by a reward of a book on Sword Control Technique, a full set of Heaven Master Symbols, and an immortal sister with the bloodline of the goddess Nuwa~

"Idiot." Motan rolled his eyes at himself, inwardly cursing before striding towards the Adventurer Guild's Pioneer's Gate. He needed to rush his registration as his connection was unpredictable and he couldn't afford to waste time daydreaming.

As one of the largest Adventurer's Guild branches on the Northwest Continent, the Anka branch was filled with adventurers of different races, genders, ages, worldviews, and sexual orientation. The sight was so overwhelming, it made Motan feel like he had accidentally entered a subway station during rush hour...

Not that the crowd was so packed he'd be carried off his feet, but the sheer number of adventurers was larger than all the beings he had seen in the game combined.

A lean thief, shrouded entirely in black leather with a dagger hanging at his waist and not a single air hole in his mask, was leaning against a wall as if asleep, projecting an aura of deadly menace.

A petite white elf huntress with pointy ears and a longbow on her back was quietly conversing with her companions. Motan noticed an almost indiscernible halo ripple around her every now and then, suggesting perhaps beneath her agile exterior, she was also a steadfast female priest.

An elderly human mage strolled calmly through the crowd, with every formidable adventurer making way as he passed. His simple, unremarkable wand emitted sparks while his deep well of magic was unfathomable.

There was also a silent half-orc girl standing in front of a shop window, her gray wolf ears and sharp fangs visible. Despite her quiet demeanor, it was evident she had just completed a dangerous and difficult task and was waiting for a higher-level officer to arrive...

And so many others were there, their formidable presence clear with just one glance!

[As expected from the Adventurer's Guild, indeed...]

Immediately upon his arrival, Motan gathered quite a bit of information with just a quick scan. He was both awed and respectful. Yet just after formulating this thought, a loud wail sounded across the hall.

"Argh! Who stepped on my foot!" The lean thief, who earlier projected an 'intense icy chill,' jumped three feet high, peering around warily before asking in confusion, "Eh? Why is it dark?"

A kind hearted passerby patted his arm and pointed out, "Your mask has fallen..."

"Oh, thank you!" He quickly readjusted his mask and mumbled, "Actually it's supposed to be flipped down. I just forgot to cut out the holes earlier. No wonder I felt so suffocated when I accidentally dozed off... "

Motan: "....."

Then, not far away, the elegant elf huntress who was suspected to be a 'steadfast female priest,' complained to her companion with a crestfallen face, "But it's beautiful..."

"What do you mean beautiful?" The lizardman summoner next to her turned green with anger, stamping his feet while scolding her, "What's a ranger apprentice like you doing buying halo sparkle powder when you have plenty of free time? If you were skilled in tree climbing, I could let it slide. But no, you're an elf who can't even climb trees and intermittently emit light, are you looking for a quick death!?"

The ranger apprentice shrunk back, her face flushed as she quietly retorted, "All girls like to sparkle, and the one I bought was almost expired from the Goblin's second-hand market, so it shouldn't sparkle that much..."