Chapter 229 The Mercenary Department

His current wealth was enough to power up his dream team for years, but he planned to turn this into a seedling, one that would grow up and yield a grand tree of its own.

A successful team was one that would depend entirely on his own resources, bringing more profit on the long run than the ones he'd place in as investment.

If he started his team without putting the goal of profit from the start, then it'd end up quite bad for him and others in the end.

As for those sitting in front of him, they were all petrified, not knowing what they should say or do.

"Why are you looking like this? Come on, don't be this shy, these are all yours," he controlled himself to not laugh, while motioning his head towards them to pick their cores.

"Are you sure?" Sara picked up her core, didn't put it away like others, "once we spread the word, there is no going back in your promise." Instead, she waved it, using it as a warning towards the consequences they'd all face if William failed to follow his words and promise.

"I don't need to lie!"

*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*

And in the next moment, he took out fifty cores, letting them stack on top of each other, issuing a loud clanging sound that looked like the most alluring noise in the world to the other four.

"I can fulfil my words anytime I want, and I never say something I can't do."

His words, coupled with the large number of the cores made them believe what he said right now. He wasn't bluffing, not showing off, nor trying to trick anyone.

He didn't even promise anything based on what yet to come, not on the future gains from this team. He already got what it took to pay fifty team members on the spot.

If they knew this was just a small part of his current wealth, their shock would skyrocket and go off the roof!

"I believe there is no room for doubt anymore," he stepped up, took the cores one by one and stored them again inside his ring like they were nothing.

"I hope you select good and capable disciples," William took two minutes to store these cores, and during which none of the four said a word.

He knew in this world, in any world, in any time and place, wealth was always a good point in everyone's eyes.

Anyone would question joining him thanks to many things, but when they'd realise how much they'd gain from joining him, things would instantly change.

As long as he'd pay them well, people would consider joining him. And after dealing with him for a little time, they'd get to know how immense such a chance of joining him was.

But they got to first join him, and William depended on the allure of wealth to convince those he desired into joining his team.

"Don't mess things up," as everyone stored their cores away, prepared to leave, William kept stressing over this point, "joining me is just the beginning. It's not a permanent admission in the team. They have to follow us outside in a task, then get assessed before I'll decide to admit or chase them away."

The four nodded in silence, not knowing how they'd express their inner shock, which didn't fade away even when they started to move out.

William stood at the door, watching the four silhouettes moving in different directions, vanishing from his sight. "I hope this offer will be rich enough to make enough of those special kids to join."

He knew when the news would spread out, and they'd definitely do, many of the disciples would try to actively seek joining his team.

But he didn't want just anyone. Even in this experimental trip, he didn't want to see any dead weight in the team.

He started to consider adding a small test at first, to see who was worth getting such a chance from the start.

Trusting the four to select the best wasn't enough guarantee for him. So, he started to consider doing a little selection round before finally setting out.

"I need to go and select a mission first," he knew he got the rest of the day off, without much to do. So, he decided to go and pay the Mercenary department a visit.

He'd select a suitable task from there, before heading towards the market to gather up what he and his team would need in this adventure.

The Mercenary department was actually a very crowded place. William paid visits to it in his past life to help other disciples in carrying their stuff till the safe zones of the forest, or to go there and find opportunities to work.

The life of a porter or any common spirit master wasn't that good nor easy. When he arrived there, he was welcomed with a familiar sight.

The Mercenary department was around the central zone in the academy, just next to the headmaster's residence. So, it was expected that this region didn't suffer many losses, if any at all.

As the work to clear the ruins all over the academy got done, it was normal to see such a grand gathering of spirit masters. They were either actively offering their services, trying to recruit porters and free common spirit masters, or going in and out from that building to book missions.

William passed by the side of all this crowdedness, not giving a single care about anyone shouting, offering their services.

He didn't want to hire just random guys; he wanted real good seeds to support and nourish.

Trying to recruit any of the common spirit masters here without testing their abilities was a mistake. He'd better wait for others to select the early batch, before he'd filter them using further tests.

The Mercenary department was a five storey grand building, with no garden or wall outside, only an open plaza that got paved in a special type of ore.