The Adventurer’s Hall was bustling with people.
The layout of the Adventurer’s Guild building in Forest Crown Town was similar to that in Gray Rock Town, both divided into two levels.
The center featured a spacious task announcement board and public service counter, while the second floor was a restricted area accessible only to the Professionals.
However, unlike the rough, practical style of Gray Rock Town, the Guild Hall in Forest Crown Town was adorned with many green plants and potted blooms, with vibrant vines climbing up the stone columns, presenting a thriving scene.
Moreover, the large-leafed spider plants, vividly colored orchids, and various unnamed ferns were cleverly placed in the corners, on windowsills, and as area dividers, infusing the space—originally meant to be filled with sweat—with a rare freshness and natural aroma, somewhat alleviating the tension lingering in the air.
At this moment, everywhere in the ground floor hall were figures of Adventurers.
Warrior Apprentices in worn leather armor, Ranger Apprentices carrying bows and arrows, Mage Apprentices holding magic staffs discussing softly, and newcomers possibly just arriving from distant towns crowded the hall.
In groups of three or five, they whispered to each other, exchanging hearsay and unverified information, forming a buzzing background noise.
The recent anomaly in Jade Forest undoubtedly grabbed the attention of many Bottom Adventurers, even though many of them hadn’t visited Outpost 11 and didn’t intend to become associated with this border outpost. However, this didn’t mean the fall of the outpost had nothing to do with them.
In fact, it was deeply tied to everyone’s life and adventures.
The most direct impact discussed was that the number and activities of nearby demons might increase.
Without the threat and cleansing conducted by the outpost, the demons deep in the forest were likely to expand their territory outward.
This meant that when executing commissions in villages, farms, and more remote areas surrounding Forest Crown Town, Adventurers must be extra vigilant and pay more attention even when traveling, alert to any unusual signs.
Who knows, several cunning goblins or Jackal-Wolf People might jump out of those woods corners or abandoned mines believed to be safe in the past.
For Bottom Adventurers relying on low-level tasks around to survive, the future work risk undoubtedly increased.
However, aside from these apparent risks, for those Adventurers with sharp senses, they realized that this upheaval didn’t come without any benefits.
Danger and turmoil often come with more commissions and higher rewards.
At this very moment, as the morning staff posted "freshly released" commission task lists on the notice board, numerous Bottom Adventurers instantly gathered around.
There were patrol and demon cleanup commissions released by the town guard; merchant guilds recruiting experienced Adventurers for protection to ensure smooth trade routes to other towns; and many other missions for hunting and collecting. The rewards were generally higher than usual.
"I spotted this commission first, sorry."
"Don’t push me!!"
"Captain, this task location is too far, let’s choose another one."
"...."
Gauss, stepping through the entrance and seeing this familiar yet noisy scene, couldn’t help but show a nostalgic expression.
In fact, each time he visited a different Adventurer’s Guild, he enjoyed observing the halls filled with Bottom Adventurers.
Firstly, it reminded him of when he first became an Adventurer, without even a few copper coins, holding the shabbiest wooden spear, calculating the potential gains from the tasks posted on the walls. It was a sweet reminiscence of hard times.
Secondly, it served as a microcosm of the adventurer ecosystem nearby, where various people gathered here for their own goals, both under survival pressure yet maintaining the most primal vitality, offering a clear insight into the shifting dynamics of an area.
After surveying the first-floor hall for a while, the team proceeded upstairs along the side stairway.
Unlike the clamorous ground floor, the environment on the second floor was much quieter.
Thick carpets absorbed footsteps, with walls adorned with oil paintings depicting famous adventure scenes or trophies as decorations.
Though not sparse, the prevailing atmosphere was composed and equipped professionals populated the area, either conversing in a cozy sofa zone, leaning on railings overlooking the ground floor, or contemplating those tougher commissions posted on particular task boards.
Due to the prior outpost guarding incident, more Professional-level adventurers than ordinary towns were gathered in Forest Crown Town.
Some came from surrounding small towns, others from more prosperous inland regions.
Gauss could even spot several exceptionally formidable teams wearing elite five-star badges at a glance.
To ordinary people, these adventurers were practically the most elite individuals they could come into contact with.
Because this phase of Adventurers sometimes still accepted lower difficulty public town commissions for some reasons, but once advancing to the master stage, they typically focused on more secretive and significant mission commissions, generally active around major cities or recruited by large factions, gradually fading out from the social circles of ordinary adventurers and civilians.
Gauss wasn’t the only one discreetly observing those elite five-star teams, others were quietly discussing them as well.
The gap between Professional-level adventurers themselves was greater than the gap between Professionals and Bottom Adventurers.