After the Light Fungus mission, the team returned to the mission hall and handed in the materials.
The reward was divided according to team rules.
Fang Ming received the standard newcomer share.
He took the primeval stone, looked at it for a moment, then put it away.
He did not object.
But displeasure was clearly written on his face.
The team members saw it.
Gu Yue Shi Nan also saw it.
He acted as if he had not noticed and continued smiling.
"Fang Ming, you performed well for your first mission. Since you are new, there are some things I should explain to you."
He spoke about clan missions.
Every Gu Master had to complete missions regularly.
Mission results affected evaluation.
Evaluation affected future team arrangements, resource access, and the clan's impression.
Missions could not be abandoned casually.
Team leaders also had a role in reporting performance.
Everything he said was true.
But truth could also be used as pressure.
Fang Ming listened quietly.
After Shi Nan finished, a female Gu Master named Gu Yue Shi Rou laughed lightly.
"Junior Fang Ming, this is your first mission with us. Should you not treat the seniors once?"
Another female Gu Master named Gu Yue Shi Lan also smiled.
"That's right. You won the year-end examination and received one hundred and fifty primeval stones. A small meal should not be difficult."
The male Gu Master, Gu Yue Shi Kang, crossed his arms and laughed.
"A new teammate should understand human relations. In the future, we will be working together often."
Shi Rou looked at Fang Ming's face and added, "Junior Fang Ming, you should not be too sensitive about the reward. Newcomers always start like this. Seniors have more experience and naturally carry more responsibility."
Fang Ming's face showed displeasure again.
Shi Rou did not stop.
"Besides, one meal is nothing. If you cannot even part with a few primeval stones, how will you get along with the team later?"
The team members thought Fang Ming would endure it like he had endured the reward distribution.
Then Fang Ming turned toward Shi Rou.
"Shut the fuck up."
The air froze.
Shi Rou's face changed.
"What did you say?"
Fang Ming looked at her coldly.
"You have long hair but short memory. You keep flaunting your useless experience at me, but what did you do in the previous mission? Run from the village to the site, then run back from the site to the village?"
Shi Rou's expression turned ugly.
Fang Ming continued, "Team rules aside, you took more reward than me while doing less. Now you have the audacity to ask me to treat you?"
His voice grew sharper.
"I would rather treat a dog. At least a dog would not take my mission commission."
Shi Rou exploded.
"You ungrateful bastard!"
Shi Lan also became angry. "You have no manners!"
Shi Kang frowned and stepped forward. "Fang Ming, speaking to a girl like that is not manly."
Fang Ming laughed from anger.
"You are even worse."
He pointed at Shi Kang.
"A lustful simp whose whole role in the mission was staring at these bitches' asses. You still dare talk about being manly?"
Shi Kang's face flushed red.
Shi Rou and Shi Lan began cursing.
Fang Ming did not stop.
He turned back to the two female Gu Masters and scolded them even more harshly. His voice rose in the mission hall, drawing the attention of passing Gu Masters.
Soon, people began stopping to watch.
A newly graduated A-grade Rank two Gu Master arguing with his team in the mission hall was not a small matter.
Shi Nan's expression finally changed.
This could not continue.
Their task was to slow Fang Ming and suppress him, not break with him completely on the first day.
"Enough."
Shi Nan stepped between them.
"We are a team. What does this look like?"
Shi Rou still wanted to speak, but Shi Nan gave her a look.
She gritted her teeth and swallowed the words.
Shi Nan turned to Fang Ming and smiled again, though the smile was more strained now.
"Fang Ming, you are young and just finished your first mission. It is normal to be tired. Since this matter started because of a meal, I will treat everyone today. Consider it a gathering to welcome you properly."
Fang Ming looked at him.
After a moment, he said, "Since team leader says so."
The meal did not repair anything.
During the meal, Fang Ming only spoke to Shi Nan.
He ignored Shi Rou, Shi Lan, and Shi Kang completely.
Even when they tried to talk to him after calming down, he acted as if they did not exist.
After finishing, Fang Ming stood.
"Team leader, I will take my leave first."
Shi Nan quickly asked, "Fang Ming, have you made arrangements for renting a place? Staying at inns is not suitable long term. I know a few houses with good locations."
Fang Ming's expression cooled slightly.
"I will look later. I just returned from a mission and need rest. I am in no mood to negotiate prices or look at houses."
After saying this, he left.
Shi Nan watched his back, his expression no longer relaxed.
Fang Ming was not angry.
Not truly.
This was a display.
Just as Shi Nan had displayed authority, Fang Ming had displayed his value.
The team could not simply kick him out. Fang Ming was worth more to the Shi faction than this small team. If pushed too hard, he might really break with them.
Next time, if Fang Ming asked for something reasonable, they would have to think carefully before refusing.
He had shown them that he was someone who might tear off the roof.
If they did not want that, it was better to let him open a window.
After leaving the restaurant, Fang Ming strolled through Gu Yue Village.
He did not return to the inn immediately.
Instead, he walked leisurely until he reached the inn where Fang Yuan had been staying.
He asked for a jug of wine, then called the innkeeper over.
"My friend Fang Yuan usually stays here. When does he return?"
The innkeeper looked at him and said, "Young master, Fang Yuan already left."
Fang Ming's eyes moved slightly.
"Left?"
"Yes. He moved out."
"Do you know where he lives now?"
The innkeeper shook his head.
"I do not."
Fang Ming took out one primeval stone and placed it on the table.
"How long ago did he leave?"
The innkeeper's attitude immediately became more respectful.
"Two days ago."
Fang Ming's expression turned serious for a brief moment.
Then he nodded.
"That is enough. You can attend to the other guests."
The innkeeper left.
Fang Ming sat alone with the wine, thinking.
Around this time, a small wolf tide should happen.
Several Gu Masters would die.
Originally, that matter was only a memory from the story. But now, Fang Ming had joined a team that seemed determined to take long, useless travel missions frequently.
Tomorrow or the day after, they might accept another mission.
If they happened to encounter wolves, they could be surrounded or chased.
Fang Ming thought of his own weakness.
He had scanned the four members of his team before.
All four had movement Gu.
Only Rank one movement Gu, which was why Fang Ming did not want to waste a copy chance on them.
But the fact remained.
Right now, he was the slowest member of the team.
Even the Rank one Shi Kang was faster than him because he had a movement Gu.
In wolf tide chaos, one did not need to run faster than the wolves.
One only needed to run faster than the team.
Fang Ming needed a movement Gu.
A good one.
Immediately.
Where could he find a suitable Rank two movement Gu in a short time?
The mission hall.
Gu Masters usually returned around this time to hand in mission reports.
There would be many teams there.
Fang Ming stood and left the inn.
Fang Yuan's new residence could wait.
Copying the right movement Gu was more important.
When Fang Ming entered the mission hall alone, several curious gazes turned toward him.
Gu Yue Village was neither too large nor too small. Among Gu Masters, even if people did not know each other personally, they had usually heard of each other.
Fang Ming was famous now.
A-grade talent.
Rank two before graduation.
Winner of the academy final tournament.
Many Gu Master teams had attended the tournament because they needed to replenish members. Naturally, they recognized him.
Seeing him enter alone, some people became curious.
Soon, gossip about Fang Ming arguing with his team earlier began spreading among the Gu Masters working around the mission hall.
Fang Ming did not care.
He moved randomly through the hall.
He did not head toward the staff.
He did not seem to be looking for anyone specific.
He only circled around different groups and passing Gu Masters.
The reason was simple.
He needed to get within one meter to scan what Gu they had.
After more than ten minutes, a team returned to hand in a mission.
Fang Ming's eyes lit up.
He found what he needed.
Rank two movement Gu.
Step on Wind Gu.
One member of that team had attended the academy during the same period as Fang Ming. They were not close, but Fang Ming had maintained average relationships with most classmates.
He approached naturally.
"Gu Yue Lin."
The young Gu Master turned and recognized him.
"Fang Ming?"
Fang Ming smiled.
"I heard your team went out recently. How was the mission?"
The other youth immediately became interested.
"We hunted a brown bear. It was not easy."
Fang Ming showed surprise.
"A brown bear? That sounds much more exciting than my team. We only run around collecting herbs, fungus, and things like that."
The other team members laughed.
One of them said, "Those missions are good for newcomers. Do not look down on them. They teach you how to move outside the village."
Fang Ming nodded seriously.
"That is true. Still, hunting a brown bear sounds worth hearing about. If seniors do not mind, let me treat everyone to dinner and hear the story properly."
Someone was offering to pay.
Naturally, they did not refuse.
They went to a nearby small restaurant.
During the meal, Fang Ming acted interested and excited. He asked about the bear, the terrain, the fight, and how the team coordinated.
The Gu Masters were happy to talk.
Fang Ming listened carefully.
He kept close enough to the Gu Master carrying Step on Wind Gu.
The copy took quite a while.
Fang Ming continued playing his role until the meal ended.
By then, the copy was complete.
The meal cost him ten primeval stones.
It was worth it.
After leaving the restaurant, Fang Ming walked alone through the cold street.
If his team did not accept a mission tomorrow, he could train with Step on Wind Gu first.
If they did accept one and unfortunately encountered wolves, then he would adapt.
He did not want to expose a Gu he could not explain.
But in chaos, if the team scattered and everyone focused on surviving, he could use Step on Wind Gu without drawing too much attention.
And if they saw it, then so be it survival alwayse comes first and the explanations later.