Chapter 21: The First Official Commission

After undergoing what could only be called a "baptism" in equipment registration with the neurotic craftsman Arthur Conan, Lin Jie’s identity verification process as a contracted hunter for I.A.R.C. finally reached its last step.Barton led him to the administrative district of the Underground City, a place defined by rigor and order.

There, a stern-faced female clerk wearing a monocle took a silver-plate photograph of Lin Jie for his identity file.

In the photo his gaze was calm and deep—a far cry from the vagrant image he had worn while lurking in the White Church District.

He was then handed a palm-sized "Freelance Hunter Manual" bound in hard black leather.

The manual detailed the association’s basic regulations, the points redemption system, and the commission acceptance procedures.

More importantly, he received a sum of "start-up funds"—ten heavy British gold pounds.

A fortune that at the time could support an ordinary working family for a year was now his initial investment into the inner world.

Being unconditionally trusted and resourced by such a vast organization made Lin Jie feel, for the first time, the weight behind the phrase "value of talent."

"All right, Mr. Lin." Barton watched Lin Jie neatly stow away the gold coins and the manual, his face offering a formal smile. "Your identity verification is complete. From now on you may freely accept any commission you’re interested in from that mission board over there. As your guide, my part ends here. Good luck."

Barton’s implication was clear: the preliminary guidance and investment were finished;how far Lin Jie could go in this world now depended entirely on his own abilities.

Lin Jie nodded, understanding the efficient coldness of a professional organization.

Without further words, he walked straight to the huge commission board he had only observed from afar before.

Standing before the wall, he felt at once the strange and dangerous presence emanating from cases around the world.

Hundreds of postings hung there, each representing a mysterious incident hidden beneath the surface world;behind every place name there might lurk a UMA that preys on people.

He saw a commission from Egypt claiming that mummies guarding the depths of a pyramid were attacking expedition teams;another from New Jersey in the United States complained of bipedal hoofed flying creatures appearing in an ancient cemetery in a southern pine wilderness.

Stories that used to belong to street pulp or supernatural novels were here listed as priced "jobs."

Lin Jie had good self-awareness.

He immediately ignored high-risk commissions labeled "Town-class" and above—he knew that with his current strength, approaching such things voluntarily would be suicide. Had it not been for Marcus and the others appearing in time, he might not have survived the Mist Walker incident.

His eyes searched carefully through the entry-level area at the bottom labeled "Alert-class."

He needed a case that was safe enough to test his own abilities, let him become familiar with the hunter workflow, and ideally allow him to leverage his "tactical brain."

Soon, a commission that had been posted not long ago—its ink still not fully dry—caught his attention.

This was it.

Without hesitation, Lin Jie tore the commission sheet from the board.

He had three reasons for choosing this commission.

First, it was local to London. That spared him long-distance travel and let him operate in a relatively familiar environment.

Second, it was a typical investigative assignment. The core of the case was "puzzle-solving" rather than "combat," which perfectly matched his tactical-brain role. He was confident he had unparalleled advantage in gathering clues and analyzing patterns.

Third—and most important—the phrase in the description about the "varied types of stolen items" triggered a sharp association. Brass, rubber, lubricants... each item alone was unremarkable, but together they resembled parts and consumables needed for some mechanical device.

It reminded him of a UMA recorded in the Cartographer’s diary—one of those small creatures with a particular fetish for human industrial creations.

Holding the commission, Lin Jie returned to the administrative counter.

The stern-faced female clerk pressed a special seal into his Freelance Hunter Manual to mark "mission accepted" and handed him a more detailed dossier containing Scotland Yard’s public investigation reports on the case.

"As a newly commissioned hunter on your first mission, the association recommends you team up with an experienced Investigator," the clerk said in an emotionless tone. "If you need, I can open the 'assistance' recruitment list for you."

"Not for now, thank you." Lin Jie declined politely.

He was not arrogant;his reasoning went deeper.

He needed a hunt fully led by himself to thoroughly validate his capability system.

Also, many of his investigative methods and thought patterns came from another world. He did not want to prematurely expose them to a stranger 'overseer' before he was familiar with how the organization operated.

As he prepared to leave the Underground City and begin his first hunter campaign, Barton called after him.

"Wait a moment, Mr. Lin." Barton approached, wearing an expression that mixed bureaucratic business with a hint of concern. "I just checked the commission you accepted. United Spices and Textiles Company... one of its shareholders is an association 'peripheral sponsor.'"

"So headquarters has extra interest in this case. Although you refused to team up, for safety reasons the association cannot allow a newcomer to face an entirely unknown situation alone."

Lin Jie’s brow tightened;he sensed the situation was more complicated than he had thought.

Reading his hesitation, Barton explained: "Don't get me wrong—this isn't surveillance, but a necessary safeguard. The association will assign an Investigator to accompany you in a 'non-cooperative' capacity."

"He will not interfere with any of your investigative plans or actions. His only task is to pull you out if you encounter mortal danger and the situation spirals out of control."

"You can think of him as a 'safety line' following behind you. Of course, if you complete the mission independently, all the bounty and credit will still belong to you alone."

The arrangement sounded reasonable and difficult to refuse.

It guaranteed his leadership, provided security, and satisfied the association’s dual need to protect new recruits and be accountable to sponsors.

"I understand. So who is this 'safety line'?" Lin Jie asked.

Barton’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

He waved toward a burly man who had stood like a silent statue the entire time.

"Marcus, looks like you’ve got new work."

The burly man Marcus, who had been mute up until now, displayed a priceless expression on hearing his name.

It was a mixture of "why me?" shock, disdain at "I’m not dealing with some rookie for this trivial matter," and the constipated acceptance of "but this is an order I can’t refuse."

He finally trudged over to Lin Jie, emitting a low snort from his nose by way of greeting.

Lin Jie looked at the temporary bodyguard in front of him—two heads taller than him, built like a bear, and who had, just days before, been intent on dragging him back for interrogation—and a playful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

His first official commission was destined not to be boring.