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Chapter 9: Silver Sparrow's Additional Condition

The comments were ablaze with excitement.

  • Wow, it's rare to see someone with a subordinate!

  • It's quite uncommon; the White Tower doesn't usually skimp on items and weapons, but they don't easily let their NPCs go.

  • And this NPC looks high-level!

  • Ethan's luck is off the charts!

  • Just surviving a 3S level instance is lucky enough, let alone getting great rewards.

  • Now that the rewards are claimed, they'll be leaving the White Tower, right?

  • The Avalon Guild members must be waiting outside.

  • Is Ethan joining Avalon Guild? His skills in the boss fight far exceeded expectations.

  • Yeah, his triple-kill performance could put him in the top fifteen of the solo rankings.

  • Aren't the major powerhouses trying to recruit him? Just watching Avalon Guild pick up such talent?

  • There might be concerns. Last time Qing Lan got a dud with a bronze token, now they can't even sell it at a discount.

  • You mean Huo Ziyan? It's more about his mental pressure, his skills are still solid.

  • Whatever the reason, he's washed up now.

After the rewards were distributed, the Little Red Riding Hood instance came to an end. The colorful virtual blocks dispersed, leaving the survivors standing in an empty hall. This was the first level of the White Tower, featuring nothing but a closed door. The White Tower is an unadorned, purely white edifice, lacking any superfluous decoration. After the Fourth Calamity, towers of varying heights like this one suddenly appeared all over the world, enlisting all of humanity as players. Entering an instance could yield bountiful rewards, but failure meant the price of one's life. Who the developers of the White Tower are, why it descended upon Earth, and what its purpose is, remains unknown. It simply appeared overnight, altering everything.

Ethan, still oblivious to these matters, and likely indifferent even if informed, had his personality significantly altered by the repetitive torment of his initial thousand runs.

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways."

Ethan seemed like he'd just returned from a shopping spree, with Little Red Riding Hood under his left arm and his hammer on his right, bidding farewell to everyone.

Max, having passed out from blood loss, was being carried by an impatient Oliver, while Grace efficiently called for an ambulance.

Hearing Ethan's intention to leave, Oliver called out, "Hey, bro, where do you live? Can I get your contact info?"

Oliver's question reminded Ethan.

He hadn't yet found a place to stay.

But Ethan was easygoing, planning to figure it out after leaving the instance.

"I'll contact you if there's a chance," he replied, his tone neither distant nor intimate.

Emily, who had been silently hoping on the sidelines, couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

Emma saw right through her thoughts.

"If you want his contact, just be bold."

She patted the girl's back.

"I... better not," Emily shook her head, "If we're in the same district, we're bound to meet again."

Ethan walked towards the door, halting midway to lower his head and meet the wide-eyed gaze of Little Red Riding Hood.

Perhaps due to leaving the decaying environment, the NPC's dead-white complexion seemed less terrifying.

"I was wondering... what happens to you after we leave through this door? I don't have a bracelet yet."

"I don't know," replied Little Red Riding Hood innocently.

"..."

Ethan's question was soon answered.

The moment he pushed open the door, fresh air rushed in, and both Little Red Riding Hood and the inflatable hammer dissolved into data particles, merging into Ethan's body.

"So, they'll be automatically inputted once I get a bracelet..."

Ethan murmured to himself.

Relieved of the two burdens, he flexibly rotated his shoulders. But before he could take in a few breaths of fresh air, he was swarmed by reporters outside.

"Mr. Walker, how does it feel to survive a 3S instance?"

"Ethan, are you joining Avalon Guild?"

"Mr. Walker, have you ever served in a guild before?"

Startled by the unexpected throng, Ethan was momentarily at a loss. Where did all these people come from?

As he stood disoriented, two tall bodyguards in black cleared a path through the crowd, flanking him protectively.

"Mr. Walker, our vice guild leader requests your presence."

"Please follow us."

Bewildered, Ethan nodded. Although unsure of the guards' origins, it was certainly better than being besieged by reporters.

The bodyguards, true professionals, managed to extricate Ethan from the crowd after some effort. It was more exhausting than entering the instance.

Ethan was escorted to a black business car. As soon as the car door shut, the reporters outside were cut off. The vehicle, emblazoned with the Avalon Guild insignia, sped away.

Inside the car, Ethan sat facing Alex Johnson, the vice guild leader of Avalon Guild, flanked by assistants Susan Harper and Emily Johnson. Susan winked flirtatiously at Ethan, while Emily maintained a stern demeanor, seemingly unimpressed by Ethan.

Ethan, unaware of their identities, could tell that Alex, seated in the middle, was in charge. He remained silent, and so did the others.

"Mr. Walker, hello," Alex, dressed impeccably in a suit, greeted with a warm smile. "It's our first meeting; I am Alex Johnson, vice guild leader of Avalon Guild."

Ethan nodded in acknowledgment.

"Hello."

Alex got straight to the point.

"We've seen your performance in the instance, Mr. Walker. Your comprehensive abilities are impressive, exactly what our guild urgently needs. Let's be frank, I hope you will join Avalon Guild. The contract is already prepared."

Susan handed Ethan a black folder, her fingers lightly grazing his hand as she withdrew. Ethan, however, remained unresponsive, focusing instead on the contract Alex offered. Though he didn't understand all the professional jargon, it was clear this was a very generous offer, demonstrating Avalon Guild's sincerity.

Rubbing his temples, Ethan, though not fatigued within the White Tower, felt a sudden onslaught of weariness and sleepiness now that he was outside.

"Now's not the time to sleep," he thought to himself.

"Vice Guild Leader Johnson, I might not understand everything, but I can see your offer is unusually generous, not typical for a newcomer. If there are any additional conditions, please state them directly."

A flicker of appreciation showed in Alex's eyes. Ethan was no simpleton; he was astute and sharp-witted.

"Avalon Guild has only one condition: we want you to join the team entering the 'Huaiyin Fourth Middle School' instance."

'Huaiyin Fourth Middle School' was the instance that almost led to the annihilation of Avalon Guild's second team. In what was supposed to be an A-level item collection instance, Alex and his team unexpectedly triggered a hidden SSS-level side quest.

The event had caused a stir within Avalon Guild, casting a deep shadow over everyone who witnessed the live stream and the survivors.

"We're organizing a new team for Huaiyin. Ethan, I want you to lead it."

"Why the urgency?" Ethan sensed something unusual. "Your people are traumatized, avoiding that instance would seem wiser."

Alex's smile faded, and the faces of Susan and Emily grew more somber.

"It's because the guild leader's sister is trapped in that side quest, her fate unknown."

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