The gap between a first-level mercenary group and a second-level one was wider than most imagined, especially in terms of privileges.
Take genetic medicine, for example. A first-level group only received fifty bottles a week at the preferential price. Beyond that quota, the cost reverted to three hundred points per bottle.
But a second-level group? They enjoyed a discount on two hundred bottles each week.
That difference alone was staggering, and when all benefits were considered together, the second-level mercenary group's resource privileges were at least five times greater than the first-level's.
It was no wonder Roger spoke with such confidence.
"Is this true?" Lin Xinghai asked, his excitement impossible to hide.
"Of course," Roger replied. "Once we're promoted, we still won't match the full resources of a third-level group, but don't forget—third-level groups cultivate many seed members. Even then, our Sky Splitting Mercenary Group will be able to give you training and treatment not inferior to theirs."
Lin Xinghai chuckled. "Relax, I'm not the ungrateful type. As long as the Sky Splitting Mercenary Group doesn't betray me, I won't leave. But…" His eyes twinkled mischievously. "If you really want to win people's hearts, your expression needs work. Maybe a few more bottles of genetic medicine would do better."
Roger's face froze, then darkened. He stood abruptly. "You brat! Enough nonsense. We gather at Mercenary Plaza at eight tomorrow morning."
He turned to leave, but Lin Xinghai quickly called out, "Lao Luo, wait. I need a favor."
Roger paused. His scolding tone returned, but the smile tugging at his lips betrayed his mood. "No big or small, eh? What is it?"
Lin Xinghai's casual address—"Lao Luo" instead of "Captain Roger"—was small but telling. The distance between them was closing.
"I want to find good jobs for my roommates, preferably in official institutions," Lin Xinghai explained. "If the Axe Gang ever decides to target them, it'll make things complicated."
The mention of roommates made Roger raise an eyebrow. He remembered checking Lin Xinghai's records earlier and discovering he lived in dorm 301. When he saw the room, he nearly thought he'd entered the wrong place—five beautiful women living with him. To this day, Roger still couldn't figure out what kind of luck the kid had.
"What's your relationship with them?" he asked bluntly. The answer would determine just how far he'd go to help.
Lin Xinghai understood immediately. After a pause, he said carefully, "Liu Miaomiao and I are university classmates. We get along very well. If it's within my power, I'll help them as much as I can—so long as it doesn't put my life on the line."
Roger nodded, his thoughts settled. "The director of the Government Affairs Office owes me a favor. Getting them in won't be a problem. Don't expect high-ranking positions though—likely front desk or receptionist work."
Lin Xinghai's eyes lit up. "That's already more than enough. Thank you."
"I'll speak to the director right away. If nothing goes wrong, they'll be officially hired tomorrow." Roger departed in a hurry, not only to arrange the jobs but also to report Lin Xinghai's unique situation to the group leader.
After all, special physiques were exceedingly rare. In the entire Star Shield Refuge, with hundreds of thousands of people, only one director possessed such a trait. If cultivated properly, Lin Xinghai could become the backbone of the Sky Splitting Mercenary Group—perhaps even the key to reaching the peak.
Watching Roger leave, Lin Xinghai muttered under his breath, You didn't even pay for the coffee.
Still, compared to Liu Miaomiao's future, two cups of coffee meant nothing. He settled the six-point bill himself and returned to the dormitory, smiling.
…
Inside, the five women were still anxiously discussing job prospects.
"You're back! Are you heading out on a mission tomorrow?" Liu Miaomiao asked the moment he entered.
"Yeah, early in the morning," Lin Xinghai replied with an easy smile.
"Where to?" Wang Yao pressed.
"That Captain Luo from earlier—was he here to arrange your mission?" Shen Yimei added.
"Is it dangerous?" Liu Miaomiao's brows furrowed with worry.
The girls' questions tumbled over each other. Their voices carried curiosity, but more than that, concern. A mercenary's life was perilous, and without Lin Xinghai's protection, they themselves would be in greater danger. Whether out of care or self-interest, they desperately hoped nothing would happen to him.
"I just went to learn about the mission," Lin Xinghai reassured them. "Safety won't be an issue. As for the details—those stay secret until it's over."
The calm in his voice eased their nerves, and the girls reluctantly held back further questions.
Lin Xinghai stepped over to Liu Miaomiao's bed. "So, how's the job search going?"
Spread out before them was a floor plan of the lower area. Buildings, factories, and facilities were circled with notes scribbled beside them. The map made it painfully clear how limited their choices were.
"It's not looking good," Liu Miaomiao admitted. "There are only seven places left we can even apply for. If that fails, we'll have no choice but to work in the garment factory. It's grueling, but at least the physical strain is lighter." Her voice dimmed with discouragement.
"Then what about this place?" Lin Xinghai asked, pointing to a large, elegant building at the center of the plan.
The women followed his finger and exchanged wry looks. The Government Affairs Office. Not only was it beautiful, but it also symbolized status and stability. Yet on their map, it wasn't even labeled.
"It's not that we didn't think of it," Liu Miaomiao sighed. "It's just impossible. They never recruit outsiders."
Lin Xinghai leaned back casually. "What if you could work there? Say, front desk or receptionist positions."
The girls stared at him, stunned.
"Even the lowest-paid role there earns eighty points a week," Liu Miaomiao said, shaking her head. "Almost double other jobs. Of course I'd want it—but that's a dream."
Then her eyes widened. She caught the glimmer in his smile. "Ah Xing… what do you mean?"
The others turned to him, their faces alight with hope.
Lin Xinghai let them hang for a moment before finally nodding. "I asked Captain Roger to help. He has connections with the director. If all goes smoothly, you'll all be working there starting tomorrow."
"WHAT?!"
Their collective shriek nearly deafened him.
In the next second, Wang Yao launched herself at him, arms tight, bouncing with glee. The others followed, even Liu Miaomiao, their earlier restraint forgotten as they embraced him together.
Lin Xinghai was happy too—though the soft warmth pressing against him stirred another kind of torment. For all his composure, the fire in his chest and lower abdomen now had nowhere to go.