The Way of the Extraordinary

9:45 PM, 69 Hamburg Street, Queens, a massage and wellness parlor.

Zhang Yuanqing, wearing a baseball cap, mask, and sunglasses, arrived again at the wellness parlor with pink neon signs and an ambiguous atmosphere.

This Japanese-style parlor had wooden sliding doors, tatami mats, and white lanterns with Japanese writing. The decor was authentically Japanese, but the waitresses standing in the store were all blonde-haired and blue-eyed Western women.

He entered the door, looked around, and walked straight to a young woman in a pink uniform with painted eyebrows and eyeliner, saying, "I'm looking for Catherine, I've been here before." As he spoke, he took off his mask.

The young woman in the pink uniform immediately showed a flattering and humble smile when she saw him: "I'll take you there."

This gentleman was a guest who could enter Catherine's private room, most likely her new favorite.

Following the young woman inside, passing through a dimly lit corridor with paintings of nude women, Zhang Yuanqing arrived again outside that private room.

"Knock, knock!" The young woman gently knocked on the door, didn't say anything, and silently retreated.

Zhang Yuanqing turned the doorknob and pushed open the door wrapped in brass carvings.

A sweet and fragrant scent floated in the air. He scanned the private room, and a dozen square meters of bath quietly floated with rose petals. The red light of the surveillance camera was off.

Catherine, with her silver short hair, was sitting on the single sofa in the rest area, wearing a black纱裙 (sha qun - gauze dress), her face delicate and rosy.

"Tell me about the gathering!" Zhang Yuanqing sat next to her, casually picked up the teapot on the glass round table, and poured himself a cup.

Catherine looked up, glanced at the clock on the wall, and saw that there were still ten minutes before the gathering started, so she smiled and said, "Tonight's gathering is an internal gathering of the Hunter Guild, the highest-level gathering for the Saint stage. Everyone attending is a peak Saint."

"This is your first time attending such a gathering. Remember to be low-key later, don't be provoked, don't get angry, and don't start conflicts with people..."

Zhang Yuanqing curled his lips: "I've already been provoked!" He was referring to the fact that, as a peak Saint, as a Illusionist skilled at controlling emotions, he was actually told "don't get angry" and "don't be provoked."

This was essentially a provocation, a provocation against his profession.

Catherine shrugged and didn't explain.

She wouldn't make such a warning to a normal Illusionist, but Tongtian Jiaozhu was different. He was an evil practitioner of extreme madness and extreme bias, with malice corroding his bones.

After the assessment that day, the Hunter Guild's chairman had commented on this person, saying that there were two types of evil practitioners: one was purely evil people, and the other was those with a kind and pure nature who were driven mad by the injustice of the secular world.

Tongtian Jiaozhu was the second type. These people were more biased, lost faith in humanity and society, and their minds were filled with destroying the world or changing the world.

A representative figure was the Demon Eye Heavenly King of the Second District!

These people usually don't do evil things, and are even more righteous than orderly professions, but their sense of justice is distorted, morbid, and completely insane.

"It's time!" Catherine said, looking at the clock on the wall.

The next second, Zhang Yuanqing heard a Spirit Realm prompt in his ear: 【Ding! The Hunter Guild invites you to enter the Spirit Realm--"Whispers Under Thunder and Lightning", number 667, do you accept?】The meeting place is in the Spirit Realm Whispers Under Thunder and Lightning. Tsk, the sarcasm is full. Can I name my gang's Spirit Realm in the future...? Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate and chose to accept.

【Ding! The Spirit Realm map is opening, enter the Spirit Realm in 10 seconds. The Spirit Realm you are entering this time is "Whispers Under Thunder and Lightning", number: 667】Ten seconds later, the scene in front of him presented a wavy pattern, and the world was blurred.

Then, Zhang Yuanqing saw a classical-style conference room, a solid wood conference table carved with strange and beautiful patterns, and twelve retro-style high-backed chairs. At the head of the conference table was Catherine, the charming silver-haired vice chairman. To her left and right were four people, two wearing capes, hoods, and masks.

The other two were a listless, uninspired youth with chestnut curly hair, a high nose, a delicate appearance, fair skin, and freckles all over his face.

The other was a middle-aged man with a wine-soaked nose, messy brown hair, a big belly, and a face full of stubble, looking like a middle-aged drunkard. Zhang Yuanqing was shocked when he saw these two.

The listless one was Hecate of the Church of the Night God, ranked fourth on the A-level wanted list in New York County. The middle-aged drunkard with a wine-soaked nose and a big belly was the famous Baxk, ranked second on the A-level wanted list. He was known as a peak Saint even more powerful than Osmond and Hoover.

These two are members of the Hunter Guild? I didn't expect to meet Baxk here, the chairman specifically asked me to kill him... While Zhang Yuanqing was sizing them up, the four people were also examining the new member.

"Tsk, so he's the new member from the Second District, the Dream Controller who killed that Julian Medder."

The hooded and masked person on the left grunted: "I heard that you Dream Controllers are good at assassination. In head-on battles, you're as weak as women."

Zhang Yuanqing sensed a "what qualifications do you have to sit at the same table as me" disdain from his emotions.

In addition, this person's emotions were full of arrogance and conceit. His personality and emotions were very similar to a Siren. Wearing a hood and mask and not daring to show his true face, he was from the Church of the Sea God. Zhang Yuanqing coldly said, "If you can kill a Wind Mage, you can kill a Siren too."

As soon as these words came out, the hooded guy on the left had a violent emotional fluctuation. The eyes under the mask seemed sharp and murderous... It seemed like they would start fighting the squishy Illusionist if they disagreed.

The drunken Baxk and the sleepy Hecate narrowed their eyes and re-examined Zhang Yuanqing. "Tongtian Jiaozhu, sit down!" Catherine pointed to the third seat on the right. Zhang Yuanqing sat down silently. Catherine looked around and said, "Where's Cocktail?"

"Who knows!" The hooded and masked person on the right shrugged. Catherine pondered for a few seconds, her eyes showing emptiness. She should have opened the attribute panel or the gang panel.

Then, she listened for a moment and said, "Cocktail will be here soon, please wait a moment." The conference room became quiet, and no one spoke.

About fifteen minutes later, a figure appeared in the conference room, accompanied by a strong smell of blood. It was a tall, thin youth with a shaved head. The top of his head, reflecting the light, was covered with black tattoo patterns.

His facial features looked normal at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one would find that his eyes were different in size and height, his upper and lower lips were asymmetrical, and his left nostril was larger than his right. The height and thickness of his left and right eyebrows were also different. The entire person's facial features showed a kind of extreme asymmetry and chaos.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder would make you jump off a building. Has he cultivated the Chaos skill to his face...? Zhang Yuanqing twitched his mouth and looked away.

Cocktail was a senior executive of the Dionysus Club, a Bartender profession, a natural outlaw, a fish slipping through the net of order, and in charge of chaos.

"Sorry, I was busy slaughtering the execution team of the Judgment Department!" Cocktail ignored the bloodstains on his body and sat down with a smile.

Zhang Yuanqing, who had just looked away, immediately turned his gaze back.

He remembered that the Judgment Department had recently deployed an operation to encircle and suppress Cocktail.

"So who did you kill?" The hooded member on the left, suspected of being from the Church of the Sea God, asked in a deep voice.

"I wiped out two execution teams, eighteen people, seven Saints, two of whom were level 6 Wind Mages. I forgot their names, but they weren't the seed Saints of the Judgment Department anyway. I also lost three level 5 subordinates..." Cocktail subconsciously touched his waist but didn't find his wine pot, and immediately said impatiently, "Hurry up and start the meeting, my alcohol addiction is acting up."

Two execution teams were completely wiped out? With the Judgment Department's configuration, they shouldn't have lost so badly... Zhang Yuanqing's heart sank.

He guessed that internal spies had leaked the deployment of the operation, and the execution team was ambushed by Cocktail and his men.

Catherine curled her lips: "Not bad, it's a return gift to the Judgment Department!"

She then became serious and said, "The beast Haas is dead, everyone. The conflict between the two major camps has escalated. In the upcoming war, you peak Saints will all be involved and risk death."

"According to our post-event analysis, the beast Haas was located by the Five Elements Alliance's support team using special methods. This means that each of you may encounter the same situation as the beast Haas."

"There is one peak Saint and five level 5 Saints in the Five Elements Alliance's team. This configuration is enough to fight any of you." The masked man, suspected of being a member of the Church of the Sea God, sneered: "Don't compare that guy whose brain is controlled by his lower body with us. In our eyes, level 5 Saints are like children with knives, with no threat at all."

"Catherine, the only one you need to remind is the Dream Controller you recruited. This profession has no frontal combat ability. Once surrounded, it's a dead end."

Zhang Yuanqing didn't want to pay attention at first, but considering his character setting, he coldly responded, "Do you want to return to the Spirit Realm?" The implication being: are you looking for death!

The member suspected of being a Siren arrogantly said, "You can apply for a ring match with Catherine! I'll kill you tonight!"

The others looked on with amusement. Zhang Yuanqing didn't say anything more, and silently manipulated the emotions of the members other than Catherine and the Siren.

Seeing the Dream Controller from the Second District back down, the Siren sneered dismissively.

Catherine gave Tongtian Jiaozhu an approving look, praising his calmness for not arguing with a "strong enemy."

She said, "Don't underestimate the Five Elements Alliance's support team. They have Night Wanderers, Fire Masters, Scouts, Water Ghosts, and Wood Demons. Each of these professions has its own characteristics. If they cooperate well, they can fight anyone below the Dominion stage. Of course, if you have the level of Fu Qingyang and Yuan Shi Tianzun, then I didn't say anything."

Everyone immediately stopped talking.

Catherine continued, "After team analysis, the Five Elements Alliance team's positioning and tracking capabilities can directly threaten you, threaten the Saints and even Dominions in our camp."

"The chairman personally issued a mission to hunt down Jū Mang, the leader of the Five Elements Alliance's support team, with a reward of a Saint-stage superb item. If you can wipe out the Five Elements Alliance's team, the reward will be two superb items."

"This mission must be accepted by three or more people." She looked around at the peak Saints at the conference table: "Who's interested?" I'm being targeted by the Hunter Guild? Tsk, why target me when there are so many elites in the Judgment Department? I'm just a mercenary...

Zhang Yuanqing's mind was full of "what the hell".

Baxk raised his hand first and said, "I have nothing to do recently."

The others raised their hands one after another, indicating that they wanted to accept the mission.

Two Saint-stage superb items were enough to tempt them, and in the eyes of these peak Saints, a team with only one level 6 Saint was not very dangerous.

Catherine looked at Tongtian Jiaozhu, the only one who hadn't raised his hand, and frowned, "You don't want to accept it?"

Zhang Yuanqing said lightly, "Hunting Star Officials is a foolish act. Level 5 Star Officials can detect our deployments during stargazing. My suggestion is to only hunt Jū Mang."

He didn't want to involve his teammates.

Helaite of the Church of the Night God lazily said, "Don't worry, all deployments are carried out under the protection of the night, and the Star Officials won't sense it."

That's troublesome...

Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. He said expressionlessly, "Then I apply to accept the mission."

He had no reason to refuse anymore.