Seeing Ailian nodding in approval behind the counter, Anna changed the subject and said:

"However, the contribution points required for services like the space teleportation scroll and special equipment customization that Miss Ailian mentioned are not a small number."

"At least any adventure group that can earn that level of contribution points is likely to be able to consistently receive five-star team missions..."

Well, it turns out that Ailian specifically brought up the contribution points just to paint a rosy picture for them!

"Ms. Ailian, how much kickback can you get for recruiting people to form an adventure group? I didn't see you rushing me to form a group when I first came here."

Mark complained unhappily.

"Oh, sister Anna is really..."

Ailian chuckled softly and replied, "Of course I won't encourage new adventurers to form a group. I won't write my name as a recommender for adventurers who are not strong enough. And I'm also considering you. I heard that there are many monster corpses in the Phantom Wolf Valley. The Adventurer's Guild will not forcibly collect those corpses!"

"Right now, Phantom Wolf Valley is still shrouded in a special magic circle. The Magic Guild's special envoy said that the magic circle should naturally dissipate tonight. If we don't create an adventure group now, we won't have such a good opportunity again!"

Mark curled his lips and glanced at Ailian and said, "So, when Oak and the others formed the group, you didn't write your name as the recommender?"

"Guess?" Ailian covered her mouth and chuckled.

After exchanging glances with Monica, Mark decisively rejected the suggestion of forming an adventure group.

"We're not forming an adventuring group. Please help me settle these magic crystals!"

Mark said as he took out another small bag of magic crystals from the package and placed it on the counter.

There are only a dozen or so magic crystals of various sizes and colors. Most of them are magic crystals from second-level swamp poisonous lizards, and a small number are magic crystals from first- and second-level monsters outside the Monster Mountain Range.

There is only one third-level dark element poison attribute magic crystal, which also comes from the swamp poisonous lizard.

They are all worthless magic crystals. They can’t be sold at a high price on the black market. It’s better to sell them directly at the Adventurer’s Guild.

Ailian didn't seem surprised at all that Mark could come up with these magic crystals.

She counted the magic crystals with her fingers and then gave the Adventurer's Guild's price: "One third-level crystal, nine second-level crystals, and three first-level crystals, for a total of 193 gold. Do you want cash, too?"

"Yes. Cash."

It’s not that Mark likes to carry two heavy bags of gold coins, but he is going to the Black Gold Gang’s black market to make some purchases, so it’s always good to carry some cash with him.

As for the issue of Phantom Wolf Valley and establishing an adventure group mentioned by Ailian, he just regarded it as a piece of information that was not very useful.

Mark didn't know what Ellen's purpose was in reminding him to take away the Werewolf Magic Crystal in time last time, but at least it seemed that she had no ill intentions towards him.

When the adventure group was mentioned this time, he didn't feel that Ailian was strongly urging him to form a group. It seemed that she just wanted to remind him in disguise that something had happened in the Phantom Wolf Valley.

After all, Ailian should have learned some information about the situation in the Wolf Valley from the task items submitted by Beta last time.

Moreover, she had just specifically mentioned that the special envoys from the Magic Association had already arrived in Osborne Town, which already explained a lot of problems.

Perhaps asking him to form an adventure group was a lie, and telling him that the people investigating the werewolf incident had already arrived in Osborne Town was the truth.

The people from the Magic Association have already arrived, so how far can the people from the Holy Light Church be?

After leaving the Adventurer's Guild, Mark told Monica and Anna his thoughts.

"Mark, is there a possibility? Is this what you told Oak and the others about... that she has an illusion that she likes you?"

Monica gave Mark an unpleasant look.

To her, the conversation between Ailian and them just now did not contain any special meaning.

Even Anna agreed with Monica's idea:

"Yes, Mr. Mark. Miss Ellen is just being polite and building good relationships with every adventurer. After all, adventurers who accept missions from her and successfully complete them can bring her commission income..."

"Is that so?" Mark scratched his head awkwardly.

He had never had that thought before.

However, he had only met two appraisers so far, one was Monica and the other was Ailian.

Both of them seem to have second jobs.

A person like this is content to be a small clerk in the Adventurer's Guild, and his words and actions seem to be hinting at himself and providing information for himself.

How could Mark not think too much?

"Whether you're dreaming or not, what you said is indeed true. The Beta Adventure Group's last mission has been completed, and the people from the Magic Association and the Holy Light Church should have arrived."

After teasing Mark, Monica said confidently, "I wonder if there are any more Enlightenment Society installations in Phantom Wolf Valley. We'd better not get close to them. If we really want any intelligence, we can ask other adventurers after this incident is over."

Gold coins, magic crystals, and contribution points can indeed be exchanged for resources to improve the strength of the three-person team.

But the most important thing for the three of them is safety.

At present, the town of Osborne remains secret and does not reveal its whereabouts. The farther away from the Enlightenment Society and the Church of Holy Light, the safer it will be.

So after discussion, the three of them had no intention of returning to Chunhui Hotel to rest. Instead, they carried their bags and found the Black Gold Gang's base in Osborne Town.

Led by the black man Eddie, Mark and his two companions passed through the familiar secret door in the grape arbor and once again stepped into the underground square of the Black Gold Gang, which was filled with stardust light.

Perhaps it was to make everyone in the black market aware that it was night time.

A circle of resin torches was burning under the huge rock in the underground square.

The mixture of the burnt aroma of resin torches and the smell of damp rocks in the air actually gave them a strange sense of "freshness" after they had just returned from the Rotten Bone Swamp.

Vicky seemed to have anticipated this. She was leaning against the bronze pillar at the entrance to the central rock, her fingertips nimbly rotating the pair of diamond knuckles.

Seeing the three people's dusty appearance, her nose ring moved slightly, and she forced a slightly polite smile: "Hi, Messenger, I have been waiting for you here for a long time. You must have worked hard outside. Please follow me, the high priest is waiting for you."

Standing in front of the ordinary and simple wooden door again, Mark took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

The fresh scent of wood and orchids remained, and the halo of the bronze lamp elongated the black-robed figure sitting in the middle of the floor.

The black mask with the flowing galaxy printed on it turned towards them, its cold gaze seeming to penetrate the mask.

"Hmph, he's quite lucky to have made it back alive." Xingyue's voice was still as icy as ever, carrying with it an undisguised disdain. "It seems that while that old fellow's eye for talent is poor, he does have some luck. Where's Xingyue Black Gold?"