Chapter 93: Rising to Fame

“It’s me.”

Ji Xinghuo nodded, openly admitting it.

Yesterday, while registering for bounty hunter qualifications, he used his real name. He had thought it through, now possessing significant strength, he no longer needed the low profile he’d maintained before.

Being more high-profile might bring some inconveniences, but it would save him a lot of trouble.

Besides, this couldn’t be hidden.

Fortunately, this is the Midpoint Fortress. Even if he became famous, it wouldn’t spread back to Earth quickly and cause too much of a sensation. Bounty hunting is quite a marginal circle, with few people paying attention. As long as he managed it well, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Seeing Ji Xinghuo admitting it, the bounty hunters were full of praise.

“Awesome!”

“Hehe, I guessed right. He eliminated the patrol alone, not a team.”

“What’s your name, brother?”

The faces of the bounty hunters showed admiration, but they didn’t crowd around him like ordinary spectators.

Each person here had emerged from numerous life-or-death battles, owning their pride, not easily shocked, having seen much adversity.

However, some still harbored doubts.

Ji Xinghuo looked clean, without any injuries. Most importantly, he didn’t seem like a super mutant. Judging by his weapons and equipment, he was clearly a ranger, at most a high-level ranger. How had he managed to eliminate three to four patrols overnight alone?

There was a possibility that these spoils weren’t hunted by Ji Xinghuo himself but rather with a strong person’s help, allowing him to turn them in for points.

However, the likelihood was low as it would be easy to expose.

Despite their doubts, no one spoke up.

Among the mutants, there were hidden dragons and crouching tigers; one should never judge by appearances.

Ji Xinghuo noticed some skeptical gazes and didn’t offer explanations. He didn’t agree to befriend a few bounty hunters who wanted to get to know him, but he also didn’t embarrass them and simply introduced himself by name.

He also mentioned a few patrol attack locations, warning everyone to be careful to avoid trouble.

This convinced the bounty hunters a bit more.

“Everything’s been counted.”

At that moment, the staff at the rewards office said, “These spoils can get you 3.2 million in bounties and 132 points. Do you need to count them yourself?”

“No need,” Ji Xinghuo shook his head.

The spoils he turned in were more numerous than ‘Red Devil’ Alex’s, but they were only up to third-tier, so the bounties he received were just a few hundred thousand more than Alex.

The points, however, were nearly double that of Alex, purely a victory by quantity.

“Please show your qualification certificate.”

Ji Xinghuo displayed the certificate he had obtained yesterday.

The staff member glanced at it and immediately registered him, remembering Ji Xinghuo from when he had just registered yesterday and even taken his photo.

Soon, a stack of cash was handed to Ji Xinghuo. “Please keep it safe.”

3.2 million!

Each bill in this stack was valued at 100,000 Asian Yuan. Earning so much in one night, Ji Xinghuo felt like he was picking up money.

If he could earn 3 million every day, he would be a billionaire in just a Star Realm month!

But that was unlikely.

As the bounty hunters said, last night’s attack was the first. The patrols of the North Luo Master Clan were now prepared, making assassinations difficult. Moreover, the legendary fighters of the clan were no pushovers; one wrong move, and his own life would be at risk.

“So cool!” A bounty hunter eyeing the prize money expressed envy.

Ji Xinghuo’s single earning could match their two months’ income.

“Is this just ‘okay’?”

The brother who had talked with Ji Xinghuo on the road earlier was also in line, looking at the several million in cash in Ji Xinghuo’s hand with a bittersweet expression.

He now realized how wrong he’d been.

This wasn’t just some newbie, clearly a big fish causing chaos among the bounty hunters at Midpoint Fortress!

Ji Xinghuo pocketed the money and scanned the surrounding bounty hunters, saying, “Everyone, be more cautious hunting in the coming days. Try to stay away from the enemy’s patrol routes.”

The bounty hunters’ expressions changed.

They understood the subtext in Ji Xinghuo’s reminder; he planned to continue hunting the North Luo Master Clan’s patrols.

Some were skeptical. Wasn’t this courting death?

After speaking, Ji Xinghuo didn’t linger and left the rewards hall under the gaze of many bounty hunters. As he passed the scoreboard, he glanced at it; the last placed score was 205 points. His weren’t enough to rank yet, but that would likely change by tomorrow.

In the level-two city zone, Ji Xinghuo casually entered a shop dealing in alien species goods and sold the alien species he had harvested from the bodies of the North Luo Master Clan.

These alien species were highly productive but not very valuable, selling for only about two hundred thousand in total.

Ji Xinghuo placed the money in Qinghong’s dimensional stomach and returned to the level-one city zone to check into an inn, eat, and rest. When he woke up, it was already noon.

Sitting in his room, he then opened the interface of Wanxiang Star Pupil.

Last night, after killing four patrols and clearing two sentinels after dark, plus a few solitary enemies from the North Luo Master Clan who were bounty hunters, they were unlucky to encounter Ji Xinghuo discovered them, and he didn’t hesitate to shoot them down.

Over a hundred enemies, totaling 148 points of mental source energy!

Ji Xinghuo looked at the numerous abilities on the interface, pondered thoroughly, and then invested all into “Rotating Magnetic Field,” progressing it to (Level 2, 204/1699).

Every advancement in the Rotating Magnetic Field increased the range of magnetic sensing.

In battle, surveillance is the most crucial ability.

Ji Xinghuo felt the distance of magnetic sensing increase by tens of meters after investing mental source energy. At this rate, once the Rotating Magnetic Field reached level three, the sensing range should reach 1500 meters. Such a sensing distance could allow one to avoid even legendary fighters.

He glanced at the time; there were still more than ten hours until star night, and it was inconvenient to cultivate in Midpoint Fortress.

Doing nothing for these ten hours was too boring.

“Maybe I can go out during the day?”

Ji Xinghuo quickly decided to give it a try and cancelled his room at the inn.

As he passed through the lobby of the inn, he noticed some astonished looks and turned to see they were from two bounty hunters who looked familiar, likely having seen each other in the rewards hall this morning.

They also recognized Ji Xinghuo.

He nodded slightly in greeting and then walked out of the inn.

Reaching the city gate, Ji Xinghuo found a few bounty hunters waiting for the gate to open. They were skilled in concealment, either as Shadow Blades, Wraiths, or Illusionists.

“Ji Xinghuo?” someone asked softly.

“It’s me,” Ji Xinghuo nodded, acknowledging the person whose curiosity was evident.

“Are you going out to hunt during the day?” another bounty hunter asked curiously, “Didn’t you just come back this morning?”

“Got a bit bored, so I just came out,” Ji Xinghuo replied honestly, “Might as well earn more money.”

The other bounty hunters were speechless.

In Ji Xinghuo’s mouth, hunting the North Luo Master Clan sounded straightforward, as if there was no risk and he was just picking up money outside.

What they didn’t know was that it indeed felt almost like picking up money to Ji Xinghuo.

“Daytime hunting is much more dangerous than at night; without the cover of darkness, it’s hard to conceal our movements. We must be extra careful,” another bounty hunter kindly advised.

Ji Xinghuo nodded and said, “Thank you.”

The bounty hunter chuckled again, “But the enemy thinks the same way—they think it’s safer during the day and might be more relaxed, giving us more opportunities to strike.”

Ji Xinghuo couldn’t help but observe the other.

Dressed in camouflaged armor with two daggers at his waist and a crossbow on his arm, the attire was lightweight and agile, clearly a Shadow Blade.

Many bounty hunters at Midpoint Fortress dressed like this.

Judging from the fluctuations of etheric energy, this Shadow Blade was a super mutant with strong capabilities.

Ji Xinghuo extended his hand in greeting, introducing himself, “I’m Ji Xinghuo. Nice to meet you.”

“Jiang Cheng,” the Shadow Blade shook hands and then released it, smiling, “I know you. I’ve heard your name several times from others today.” His eyes were filled with curiosity, “Some say you have someone helping you secretly, but it seems they were wrong.”

Ji Xinghuo remembered Jiang Cheng, who was fifth on the monthly scores board.

“They’ll stop doubting soon,” Ji Xinghuo said casually, full of confidence.

“Awesome!”

As the city gate slowly opened, the two walked out, and Jiang Cheng said, “Let’s collaborate sometime.”

After saying this, he disappeared from sight.

But only from the eyes of others; Ji Xinghuo could still see him—a dim figure speeding away at high speed like a stream flowing through shadows, silent.

Ji Xinghuo pretended not to see and also entered stealth mode, heading in another direction.

Yesterday, he went in the northeast direction; today, he switched to the southwest. Along the defense line, he traveled for over an hour, then directly crossed through the buffer zone from the ground.

Avoiding several enemy waves, Ji Xinghuo penetrated the back lines of the North Luo Master Clan’s defense and finally locked onto a hunting target after

traveling deep into enemy territory for over ten kilometers.

It was still a patrol of twenty men.

However, Ji Xinghuo didn’t act rashly but followed the patrol from behind. In stealth mode, he tracked them for half an hour, his magnetic field sensing scanning the surroundings, until they were about to enter a military camp. He then stopped and approached from another direction to investigate the inside.

This investigation made him take a sharp breath.

In the magnetic field sensing, this ordinary-looking fortress housed over three hundred people, among them one from the Legendary Da Guan, whose magnetic field was intensely strong, shining like a beacon in the darkness.

Legendary!

Ji Xinghuo clicked his tongue in astonishment.

It had to be admitted, the North Luo Master Clan was quick to react; just overnight, they started setting traps specifically against him.

If he had acted just then, the patrol used as bait would have been attacked, and soon a legendary fighter would have come to their aid.

The stealth ring couldn’t fool legendary fighters, and it was daytime; Ji Xinghuo felt his chances of escaping from a legendary fighter were less than one in ten.

He decisively retreated, changing locations.

“I don’t believe you’ve got so many legends to lay ambushes,” Ji Xinghuo turned and stealthily moved in another direction.

Chapter Three, Later.