Chapter 860 - 371: Full Recruitment_3
Outside Saint George’s Cathedral, Booker and Veronica, reserved two spots for them.
As Peace, he would also occupy one spot, leaving only four spots remaining out of the eight.
Before the banquet began, he had already gathered enough acquaintances, making a move before players approached to recommend themselves.
Coincidentally, the four people he had his eyes on were also gathered around him, ready to join his faction.
The first two he approached, one was wearing a pristine chef’s uniform with a neatly groomed mustache.
The other, even in winter, wore a sleeveless fighting outfit. However, he had washed his hair and trimmed his beard for the banquet, looking less like a vagabond.
These two were the hosts of "Each Issue’s Hotspot," Killing Intent Fluctuation and Divine Tongue.
The founders of "Each Issue’s Hotspot" were all star independent players in the Abyssal Game.
In Abyssal Game, one couldn’t become a star player by singing, dancing, or chat-based selling. To become a star player, one had to have a special skill or exceptional combat power.
Killing Intent Fluctuation and Divine Tongue belonged to the latter category.
Killing Intent Fluctuation, a player with dual talents in Strength and Agility, had a hidden class of Asura Warrior, ranked twenty-seventh in combat rankings.
In small factions of the Desolate Realm, few were stronger than Killing Intent Fluctuation.
The reason it’s ’few’ instead of ’none’ is because of Divine Tongue by his side.
Divine Tongue, a rare player with Endurance specialization, had a hidden class of Gourmet, ranked twelfth in the combat rankings.
During battles, Cold Mountain had mentioned that players in the top fifteen were called ranking players, and the threshold for ranking players was mastering Power of Root.
Cold Mountain happened to have tackled a dungeon with Divine Tongue and knew his information.
According to Cold Mountain, Divine Tongue’s root power was likely related to food or eating, as he could gain additional boosts by consuming various items containing Extraordinary Power.
Cold Mountain once saw Divine Tongue eat an Extraordinary Fruit that couldn’t be taken out of the dungeon, gaining a permanent attribute boost.
The two were also connected to Wu Chang, as they had guided him to earn his first bucket of gold and interviewed him during the World Dungeon exposure.
It was said that because of this, "Each Issue’s Hotspot" was targeted by the other three major organizations and was off the air for several days.
As compensation, he happened to carry the two through a dungeon.
Wu Chang took out two identity cards from his pocket and asked, "Are you two interested in joining our faction?"
Killing Intent Fluctuation and Divine Tongue didn’t hesitate and took the identity cards.
As soon as they got the identity cards, a prompt popped up before their eyes.
「Vice-captain of the Secret Magic Knight Order, Peace, has invited you to join. Would you like to join the Secret Magic Knight Order?」
Vice-captain?
The two were momentarily stunned by Wu Chang’s title but quickly recovered and chose to confirm.
"Of course, we’re interested."
Wu Chang received the notification of their acceptance and said, "Just report to the Secret Security Department after the banquet ends."
He parted ways with the two and sought out the third person, a tall, thin man dressed in black tight-fitting clothing.
The man had joined his faction during the Silent Route Dungeon, known for his stealth, reconnaissance, and escape skills, easily acquiring an invitation.
However, when he first contacted the Shadow, he did so under the identity of Li Zaisi, and now he had to pretend to be a stranger, stepping forward to ask:
"Agility Specialist?"
The Shadow nodded and replied, "Agility and Energy dual specialty."
Wu Chang: "Your presence is faint; you excel at Concealment, correct?"
The Shadow’s eyes held a trace of surprise, just like during their encounter on the Star Jump, transforming into a shadow and merging into the ground.
He then suddenly appeared behind Wu Chang.
Wu Chang raised an eyebrow, handed over an identity card, and asked, "We’re short of a Scout in the group, care to give it a shot?"
The Shadow took the identity card and, like the two before, chose to join.
Among the crowd, Wu Chang didn’t spot the Great White Shark from the Star Jump; she didn’t enter the dungeon, likely due to a mismatch in abilities, much like Colton from the White Tower.
If the dungeon’s backdrop were the Age of Exploration, the Great White Shark might have made it in.
At present, he had one identity card left, and nearby, Phantom held a wine glass, emanating an unapproachable aura, striking a pose.
In that stance, it seemed like he was waiting for Wu Chang to pick him.
Wu Chang smiled and walked over to Phantom. As Phantom caught a glimpse of him from the corner of his eye, his wine glass lowered, preparing to engage with Wu Chang.
Then he watched as Wu Chang walked past him, approaching a seemingly inconspicuous guy.
Crack.
The glass in Phantom’s hand instantly filled with fine cracks.
The last player Wu Chang approached was a young man with a Secret Police badge on his chest.
He drew near the young man, lowered his voice, and asked, "Quite a mysterious ability, does your true body want to join us?"
The young man trembled slightly, feigning ignorance, and said, "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
Wu Chang shrugged and continued:
"The ability to parasitize ordinary people is common, but the ability to parasitize foreign Transcendents, it’s the first time I see it on you."
Exposed, the young man’s body instantly tensed, entering a combat stance.
Wu Chang continued, "Don’t be nervous, I’m an Independent Player, only interested in in-game content."
"I’m not interested in player infighting, nor do I care what faction you’re part of outside the dungeon, as long as you don’t turn on your own."
After a moment’s thought, the young man finally took the identity card.
"How did you see through my ability?"
Wu Chang said, "That’s a secret. All you need to know is that even if you change bodies, I can still find you."
The young man sighed and said, "Alright, I’ll join."
「Player Ma Jia has accepted your recruitment and joined the Secret Magic Knight Order. Current player number: 10/12.」
The last player Wu Chang approached was Ma Jia, who appeared in the Silent Route Dungeon.
The way he discerned Ma Jia was similar to how he saw through the fisherman, relying on resentment.
With Ma Jia’s method of forcibly invading others’ flesh, it was hard not to arouse resentment.
Back on the Star Jump, Ma Jia controlled the fisherman he had possessed, ambushing and seriously injuring Zheng Ruiyuan, saving him much trouble.
Otherwise, it would have been quite tough to take down that mini-boss with Authority.
He remembered Ma Jia vividly, able to invade players with flesh, skilled in Mysticism, with strong abilities.
Most importantly, Ma Jia was a follower of Revelation.
Ma Jia’s entry into Steam Phantom, whether by coincidence or Kristen’s arrangement, was uncertain.
In any case, keeping him close was wise; perhaps in critical moments, he might even facilitate contact with Kristen.
With the last spot offered, the Management Bureau’s five-member group, Killing Intent Fluctuation, Divine Tongue, Shadow, Ma Jia, Booker, Veronica, and finally, Peace himself, completed the lineup of twelve Secret Magic Knight players.