[Remuneration: 80 EL/person]
In fact, there are many escort recruitment commissions like this one that take the "Lookout City-Steel City Route", but only this one caught Qi Ji's attention.
There are two reasons. First, compared with other similar commissions, the reward for this order is... a bit low.
Generally speaking, if you want to hire a transcendent of the second realm as a ship bodyguard, 100 El is the bottom line. If the voyage is more dangerous and takes a long time, the price will have to be increased further.
80 Al...it's so shabby.
Second, if a captain or navigator wants to recruit extraordinary people as the guards of his ship or fleet, he will often mark at the end of the commission that "the applicant must have more than X years of sailing experience."
Because the situations of adventure at sea and adventure on land are completely different, as a bodyguard to ensure the safety of navigation, if there is not enough sufficient sailing experience, it will not only be unhelpful to the job, but may even cause quite serious adverse consequences.
On the vast ocean that is isolated from the world, even the slightest mistake will lead to a terrible tragedy.
However, this order did not include any similar requirements.
The above two strange features make this seemingly ordinary order "stand out" from the order panel crowded with orders.
This can only mean...
"Captain Meili is not just poor..."
Qi Ji couldn't help but smile, and then took a look at the deadline of the order:
"The 30th... isn't that today? Ha, under normal circumstances, no adventurer would dare to take on such a mission. Captain Meili would either give up the voyage and become even poorer, or set sail without any protection..."
She took a step forward and peeled off the commission form that was supposed to be doomed to fail... from the panel.
=======================
Asking for a monthly ticket on the 1st!
Chapter 406 Captain Meili
"Register as an adventurer."
Qi Ji held the order form in one hand, walked quickly to the counter and said to the registrar.
This was her first time in Lookout City, so naturally she did not have an identity with the local Adventurer's Guild, so she had to register one before accepting any commissions.
"……Well?"
The receptionist in charge of registration and guidance looked in astonishment at the little girl in front of her who was wrapped tightly in a cloak, and seemed very surprised by her figure and appearance.
However, the Adventurer's Guild in a big city is different from that in a small place like Stio. The tellers are used to all kinds of strange visitors and didn't say much.
After hesitating for a few seconds, the receptionist regained her professional smile, took out a booklet from the table beside her, and said gently:
"Of course. Ma'am, do you have proof of your ability?"
"Have."
Qi Ji reached under his cloak with his free hand and, like a magic trick, pinched out a silver metal card:
"promise."
The receptionist took it with both hands, looked at it carefully for a few seconds, and showed obvious surprise on her face:
"Is he actually a righteous master..."
When she saw the name on the voucher, her eyelids twitched uncontrollably again.
Then he stole a subtle glance at Qi Ji, whose face was hidden by the hood of the cloak, with a look of disbelief in his eyes.
She quickly suppressed the surprise on her face, then put the silver card down and filled in the information on it into the register one by one with a pen. After a while, she completed the registration of the adventurer's identity:
"Welcome to join the 'Sea Blue Guild', respected... Ms. 105."
As she spoke, she took out a silver metal card from under the counter and handed it to Qi Ji with both hands.
After taking out the metal card, Qi Ji discovered that it was a small object similar in shape to a dog tag: the main body was made of hard and thick square metal, with a hole on one side and a hemp rope strung on it, so it could be hung around the neck or wrist.
The main body of the card records some of the personal information provided by Qi Ji in an engraved manner:
"Name: 105
Gender: Female
"Strength level: Mage, high-level authentic mage
"Nationality: Glory to the Plantagenet Empire..."
In addition, there are also date of birth, number and so on, but I’m too lazy to look at them.
"Thanks."
Qi Ji hung the dog tag around his neck, then slapped the order in his hand on the counter:
"I've accepted this order. What procedures do I need to follow?"
The lady at the counter picked up the order and read the contents. A strange look appeared in her eyes, but she didn't say anything. She put it away silently and said:
"Of course, just sign these documents."
The following process was very convenient. In just two or three minutes, Qi Ji retrieved his strength certificate and left the Hailan Guild, heading towards the Harbor Street in the coastal area.
"It's convenient to have a certificate. It only takes less than ten minutes to complete the whole process."
She flipped the silver metal card that served as proof of her strength over and over in one hand, while she jumped briskly on the road. The dog tag hanging on her chest bounced with her movements.
This so-called "certificate of strength" was forged by her using spiritual means, but with her extremely superb control and imitation skills, it is no different from the official version issued by the church.
"Come to think of it, when I first came to Stio, I didn't have the ability to create something like this..."
Recalling what happened when she first tried to take an order from the "Fearless Guild" in Stio, she couldn't help but feel a sense of regret in comparison.
Not long after, she entered the waterfront again and came to the "Eleven Cards, Third Street, Harbor" mentioned on the order form.
The so-called "Third Street of the Harbor" is a street with residential buildings on both sides. There are both rental houses and owner-occupied houses, but they are all closely and chaotically packed together, presenting a structure similar to that of a townhouse.
However, whether it is the terrible sanitary conditions on the streets or the ubiquitous burnt, black and mottled marks on the walls of the buildings, they all declare to visitors that this is not a decent community.
"As the captain of a sea vessel, living in a place like this is really embarrassing."
Qi Ji stopped for a moment at the bottom of Building 11, looking up and down carefully at the dilapidated and gloomy building, then walked into the dark stairwell while sighing.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
She climbed up the creaking wooden stairs to the third floor. Standing in the dimly lit corridor, she gently knocked on the door of the room numbered "2".
"Tuk, duh."
“…Excuse me?”
Qi Ji heard the rustling sound of clothes rubbing against each other behind the door, and a few seconds later a questioning voice came from behind.
Because of the obstruction of the wooden door and the wall, the sound sounded muffled and only a female voice could be heard; no other tones could be distinguished.
"I'm an adventurer who's here to apply for the position of escort for the Challenger," Qi Ji said as he took out the commission from under his cloak. "Is Captain Meili here?"
"Ah? Oh, here it comes!"
Qi Ji could hear the voices in the room, and the mood was obviously a lot more excited. Then there was a burst of hurried footsteps, and a few seconds later the wooden door was creaked open:
"I'm Mary, the captain of the Challenger. Madam, you...eh?"
After seeing the person's body shape and clothing, the female captain was stunned and the words of gratitude she was about to say were stuck.
"Hello."
Qi Ji ignored her reaction and handed the order form to the other party:
"My name is Yao Lingwu, a high-level righteous mage. Here are the relevant documents. Please confirm them."
The person who appeared in front of Qi Ji was a woman in her twenties. Her hair was dark purple in color, naturally curly, and draped slightly fluffy on her back.
Her skin color is a very healthy wheat color, her facial features are pretty and three-dimensional, and she has a unique exotic charm. Her appearance is somewhat different from that of people in all countries in the human world, and she seems to have foreign blood.
Today, she wears leather boots, jeans, a white shirt and a leather jacket, and is dressed neatly. She is also quite tall, about meters including the soles of her shoes, which adds to her strong and capable temperament.
"Forehead……"
She looked down at the little creature in front of her, who was not even as tall as her nose, and tilted her head in confusion. After a long while, she leaned down on her knees and said in a gentle and calm tone:
"Little sister, if you want to be an adventurer, it's best to start with simple city missions. When you grow up a little, consider commissions at sea~~"
As he said this, he stretched out a hand and wanted to touch Qi Ji's head.
Qi Ji's mouth twitched slightly, and a "#" appeared on his forehead, but he sighed helplessly, as if he had already expected the other party to have such a reaction.
Chapter 407 Set sail
Lookout City, seaside area, "the port of a thousand sails".
As one of the largest seaports in the Templar State, the Port of Thousand Sails is the heart of the entire Lookout City. It can be said that this city has been built around it since its inception.
Along the winding and long coastline, dozens of piers made mainly of brick, stone and hardwood extend hundreds of meters from the land. On both sides, sailing wooden boats are moored one after another according to the size of the ships and the depth of the draft.
The shallow sea area further away is an anchorage for ships entering the port to "queue up".
Large and small paddle boats and light sailing ships are densely but orderly distributed in this sea area, waiting for customs tax officials to board the ships for inspection in small boats, and then sail into the port to load and unload goods and embark and disembark passengers beside the pier.
Looking down from a high place, sails of various sizes, types, shapes and colors are dotted on the shimmering sea surface. Under the soft but bright morning light, they appear extremely small, yet radiate a charming luster.
"The Port of a Thousand Sails" is just as its name suggests.
On the other side of the harbor is the estuary. A steady stream of ships slowly sails along the excavated canal toward the sea, dispersed by the ocean currents, and headed toward their respective destinations.
Among hundreds of ships, an inconspicuous schooner was slowly moving along one of the canals towards the vast blue sea.
The sides of the ship are painted with patterns of "gold coins" and "mine carts" respectively.
"...Captain, is this guy...really reliable?"
On the deck of the Challenger, a burly sailor was standing behind a figure and speaking in a whisper.
"Of course no problem... probably."
Captain Mary folded her hands across her chest and looked in the same direction as the sailors around her with a strange expression. The tone of her answer was not as convincing as the content.
At the end of the direction they were looking at, the black-haired little girl who came to apply for the position of "bodyguard" and claimed to be a "high-level mage" was standing on the edge of the bow deck, her arms resting on the railing, looking at the bustling sea level.
The warm and humid sea breeze blew on her face, lifting her long hair and waving it playfully and freely behind her.
"But... Captain, I don't doubt her ability. After all, she has the certificate from the Sea Blue Guild, so it shouldn't be fake..."
The burly seaman scratched his head, looking very confused:
"But looking at her, she doesn't look like an experienced sea adventurer... She must be a 'top student' who just graduated from the Mage School. Wouldn't it be a bit... to have a novice like her as a bodyguard?"
He didn't finish the rest of the sentence. Although he really didn't have much talent or ability, as the second mate of the Challenger, his more than ten years of sailing career had allowed him to accumulate a lot of experience in this area.
It is clear how inappropriate it is to recruit a complete novice to take up an important position on the "lawless" sea.
Although Captain Meili did not have much practical experience due to her young age, she still had basic knowledge of navigation. How could she not hear the hidden meaning in the second mate's words?
"This is indeed a problem..."
She let out a long breath and rubbed the root of her nose with one hand. She looked like she had a headache.
"However, this voyage will only take less than a week. With my care and guidance, she won't run into any major problems... Having a high-level righteous mage escort her... is better than nothing, right?"
For the human world, the "Lookout City-Iron City Route" is a fairly mature waterway. As long as you guard against sporadic invasions by pirates and sirens, you generally don't have to worry about encountering any troubles.
Captain Mary is also a righteous mage and the only extraordinary person on the Challenger who has the ability to fight at sea.
With her around, she can also teach 105 some common sense along the way...there shouldn't be any problems, right?
Seeing that the second mate seemed to have something else to say, Meili immediately added:
"Besides, with our budget... can we really afford to hire a seasoned sea adventurer?"
"Um...too."
The second mate opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but soon realized that he had no way to refute her, so he did not raise any more objections and turned away.
Qi Ji certainly heard the conversation between the two clearly, but she also understood the mentality of these sailors who risked their lives to seek wealth on the sea, and knew that their concerns were very reasonable, so she didn't say anything and pretended not to hear it.
I just continued to lie on the bow, squinting my eyes slightly, enjoying the sea breeze gently blowing on my face and hair. It was quite comfortable.
“…It’s not good for your skin.”
After a while, footsteps suddenly sounded behind me, and Captain Meili's cold, calm, yet inexplicably friendly voice came:
