Chapter 9: The Demon Hunter Association, The Burning Heaven Squad!

Stepping into a building that resembled the real estate sales centers of his previous life, Yu Le found the atmosphere inside quite bustling.

Before he could even take a look around, a receptionist approached him. "Sir, welcome to the Monster Hunter Association. How may I help you?"

The Monster Hunter Association was a semi-official, semi-private organization. In a city like Burning City, while the Public Security Bureau was the official body nominally responsible for maintaining safety, everyone living there understood a simple truth: the Bureau was essentially a group of bureaucrats who used the guise of public safety to manage the citizenry and collect various exorbitant taxes. You couldn't rely on them for actual security, and if a member of the Bureau ever came looking for you, your safety was suddenly the very thing in question.

Life in this otherworldly city was nowhere near as safe as the society Yu Le had known in his past life. Beyond the rigid social hierarchy and disparities in status, the city was frequently plagued by rampaging monsters that threatened the lives and property of its people.

In this human realm, alongside humanity itself, lived various species of beasts, classified by their temperaments into Spirit Beasts and Monster Beasts. In Yu Le’s understanding, Spirit Beasts were akin to neutral monsters in a game; they might not be friendly toward humans, but as long as you didn't provoke them, they generally had no interest in bothering people. They were similar to herbivores—tame by nature and suitable for domestication.

Monster Beasts, however, were the hostile mobs of the gaming world: violent, aggressive, and ready to fight on sight. Most were carnivorous and took pleasure in killing and hunting. In more severe cases, they would actively invade human settlements, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. It was rumored that the great fire three years ago, which had consumed half the city—leading to its renaming as "Burning City"—was caused by the loss of control of a powerful monster's energy. Even after three years, the legend persisted, passed down with such vivid detail that numerous versions had emerged.

Because of the differences between the two, humans treated them differently. If one encountered a Spirit Beast, they would do everything in their power to capture it—much like the anglers Yu Le knew would hunt for fish. Their bodies were harvested for food, and their spirit cores were widely used in various fields.

If one encountered a Monster Beast, however, the situation was different. If capable, one had to kill it immediately. Especially if discovered within the city, it had to be reported to the Public Security Bureau at once. It was like finding a cockroach at home: the moment you saw one, it was proof that countless others were already hiding in the shadows.

Most of a Monster Beast's body was unusable. Due to their varied diets—some were scavengers, others ate human flesh—they carried all sorts of viruses. Aside from the rare few with scientific research value, monster carcasses were uniformly cremated to prevent further harm. Their internal monster cores also contained volatile, violent factors, making their power notoriously difficult to control. Yu Le had learned that while spirit cores could assist in cultivation, monster cores were generally relegated to serving as power sources for machinery, as they were unsuitable for human use.

The Public Security Bureau’s primary duty, besides cracking down on human crime, was to hunt down these stray monsters. While Yu Le didn't know about other cities, the gossip among the local anglers suggested that most of the officers in the Burning City Bureau were there through nepotism. They were good at bullying the common folk, but when faced with vicious monsters, they were cowardly. Expecting them to hunt monsters was like expecting a pig to climb a tree.

Therefore, the organizations that truly maintained the safety of Burning City and prevented monster outbreaks were the various hunting squads under the Monster Hunter Association. Cases involving monsters were either channeled to the Association through the Bureau or handled via private commissions. Once a hunting squad accepted a mission and completed it, they would receive payment and squad reputation points.

"I’m here to become a monster hunter. Are there any squads currently recruiting?"

The receptionist looked Yu Le up and down. Her attitude was neither warm nor cold. "Wait a moment," she said.

There were only three types of people who came to the Association. First were the "big spenders"—clients posting private missions or purchasing information. Second were the hunters themselves, here to accept tasks. Third were people like Yu Le, looking to register as a hunter and join a squad. One glance was enough for the receptionist to rule out the second category, as every hunter wore an official badge. Since he wasn't a big spender, she saw no need for excessive politeness.

"Here, fill out this registration form," she said, sliding a paper toward him.

Yu Le had already researched the process. The form was simple: identity information, whether he was a "Heaven-Blessed" (an Awakened), his weapon type and grade, and his current cultivation level. Yu Le filled in his officially recorded "Yellow-grade: Pan-Dragon Fishing Rod" and, being conservative, listed his level as the sixth stage of the Solid Rock Realm.

The receptionist reviewed the form, tapped away at her computer, and printed out a sheet. "There are currently five qualified squads recruiting. You can check the requirements. The registration fee is one thousand credits. Once you choose one, I’ll help you contact them and arrange an interview."

"Thank you," Yu Le said, nodding as he took the list.

1. Burning Heaven Squad—Mystic-grade squad, 5 members; Recruiting: 1. Requirements: Heaven-Blessed + Solid Rock Realm Stage 6; Mechanist + Solid Rock Realm Stage 6; Common Martial Artist + Solid Rock Realm Stage 7. (Life-type weapon users exempt from exams if Stage 5 or higher).
2. Riff Squad—Yellow-grade squad...

Yu Le scanned the list and lost interest in the other four immediately. The Burning Heaven Squad was the only one with a Mystic-grade rating. While a high rank didn't necessarily mean the squad was invincible, it guaranteed extensive experience. Squad rankings were based on accumulated points from official missions; the higher the rank, the more monsters they had faced.

"Hello, I’d like to apply for the Burning Heaven Squad." Yu Le pulled out a stack of bills and handed them to the receptionist.

She took the money and counted it, noticing there were eleven banknotes instead of ten. Just as she was about to speak, Yu Le smiled faintly. "A little tip for the coffee."

The receptionist’s expression softened, and she performed a few more operations on her computer. Perhaps the extra hundred credits had an effect, as she began to explain while processing his application: "The Burning Heaven Squad is a veteran group. They have two masters at the Iron Bone Realm serving as captain and vice-captain. The other three include two at the ninth stage of the Solid Rock Realm and one at the eighth stage... I’ll print the details for you."

*Iron Bone Realm? Is that the stage after Solid Rock?*

The receptionist adjusted her glasses and advised, "Your weapon is a life-utility tool. While it technically meets the requirements, the squad is only recruiting one person. You’re a bit old, and you don’t have much of a competitive edge. I could recommend some other decent Yellow-grade squads for you."

Having been born in the late nineties in his past life and having lived in this world for three years, Yu Le was now thirty—certainly not young. In terms of cultivation, it suggested his talent was average. But that was the old Yu Le.

Yu Le didn't back down. "Thank you, but please, just register me for the Burning Heaven Squad."

"Very well."