Gauss spread the task file on the desk.
The Advanced Councilor had handed it to him before leaving.
"I believe the Guild has already introduced the details of the task. The Black Tooth Tribe excels in beast taming. Although this is likely just an expedition team, if they are involved, we could still face wolf cavalry, or even small groups of flying cavalry."
"Moreover, as a reconnaissance Profession, Miss Ying...Ying, you will face considerable initial pressure and are very likely to encounter the enemy first."
"I have no problem." Ying nodded indifferently.
When saying this, she appeared quite confident.
After reaching a preliminary consensus, Gauss continued to delve into the topic, discussing preparation for the task, routes, combat coordination, and other matters for almost an hour.
Although it was a discussion, Gauss talked the most, with Serdur and Aaliyah occasionally chiming in, while Ying was the most taciturn.
She seemed very aloof.
"So, we’ve reached a preliminary cooperation intention?" Gauss concluded, looking at Ying.
During the discussion, he also briefly reached an agreement through the Communication Technique with Aaliyah and Serdur.
Both of them had a good impression of Ying.
"Alright, looking forward to working together." Ying stood up and slightly nodded to the three of them.
After everything was confirmed, the four left the meeting room and officially accepted this special "informal task" from the Advanced Councilor.
The task completion deadline was longer than he imagined.
It was tentatively set for completion within two months.
However, considering that so much time had passed since the exploration team’s disappearance, the likelihood of survival was minuscule, so their main task was to investigate the cause of the event and eliminate the Black Tooth Tribe forces.
Thus, a longer deadline was reasonable, knowing that the previous team spent an entire month without any results.
Gauss and the others needed to be prepared for a prolonged engagement.
After leaving the Guild, the four agreed to meet at the Adventurer’s Guild entrance the following morning.
After waving goodbye to Ying, the team went their separate ways.
Watching her back, Aaliyah whispered.
"She really speaks very little."
"But she seems quite nice."
Except for those with deep schemes and considerable self-control, most people can roughly feel each other’s personality after being together for one or two hours.
Serdur nodded as well.
Silence is a good thing, implying that the other person probably won’t casually meddle with their team.
As long as Gauss led the team, temporarily adding a member wasn’t something he minded.
"Let’s see tomorrow." Gauss led the two toward the inn’s direction.
He and Ying planned to execute some regular tasks around the area first.
Although considering the team’s strength, accepting basic tasks seemed odd, it was a good way to hone the team’s cohesiveness in advance.
In another direction.
Ying’s shadow still "chatted" with her.
[Didn’t expect you actually have some fate with him.]
"Indeed." Ying nodded.
But she felt conflicted inside about whether to casually reveal the backstory of that night to Gauss sometime.
She was mulling over it during the meeting, but couldn’t think of a suitable entry point.
So she kept pondering.
[He does look decent, though his strength is a bit low, otherwise you’d truly be a perfect match.]
"Oh...what are you talking about, Said?" Ying nonchalantly stepped on her shadow.
Said was the name she gave to her shadow.
[Ow! Why step on me, embarrassed?]
"Don’t feel like dealing with you."
[But truth be told, that Mage named Gauss is indeed interesting, despite only being level 3, he shows no trace of intimidation before you, quite composed and steady, you might want to...]
"Let’s finish this task first."
Ying didn’t immediately refute this time, she indeed noticed Gauss possessing a stability and calmness beyond his level.
[That task, do you think it really is that simple? The Black Tooth Tribe expedition, involving the missing exploration team...sounds more like a declaration or provocation]
"Could be just the beginning."
[And you still want to take this task?]
"Precisely because of that, all the more reason to take it."
...
Next day.
The temporary four-person team gathered at the Adventurer’s Guild entrance.
And amidst surprised gazes from others, Gauss walked calmly into the crowd, discussing the notice board filled with basic tasks with the three teammates.
Unbelievable.
Some bottom adventurers were long accustomed to Gauss, this "god" who often snatched tasks with them recently.
Unexpectedly, today, he went even further.
Actually brought teammates along.
Especially seeing among them a tall female with an identity badge flaunting no less than 5 hexagram stars, was almost jaw-dropping.
No mistake, right?
Already level 5 Professionals, yet running here to handle such tasks?
Many people even rubbed their eyes secretly, confirming they didn’t miscount the stars.
No matter how many times they looked, those were five dazzling, glaring stars.
Insane...
What merit do they have competing with level 5 Professionals for the same "work"?
While the bottom adventurers felt dumbfounded, suspecting they weren’t fully awake.
Several loud voices echoed from behind.
"This task has a bit too few goblins, merely twenty or so."
"Boss, it’s a basic task, 20 some are already a lot."
"My mistake, haven’t been here for a while."
The bottom adventurers turned to see yet another few adventurers with bronze-level badges proudly walking over.
More?
The bottom adventurers felt the sky collapsing.
When did Professionals start fighting over jobs with them too? And it sounds like they’re aiming for goblin-related tasks, akin to that Goblin Slayer Gauss.
If even Professionals are returning to do basic tasks, doesn’t it make them no different from now?
Or perhaps, the ultimate goal for adventurers is goblin slaying??