Evolution Online: My 10,000× Reward System Multiplies Everything

The memory was gone as soon as it came, and Kaelen was left standing there in surprise and confusion.

After he woke up in front of Stronghold 5 ten years ago, his memory had been messed up so badly that Kaelen could only remember what went down that fateful night at Stronghold 2 and had only vague memories surrounding everything else.

He returned his focus to the little girl still standing before him and smiled.

”I’m sorry, I can’t take this...” Before he could finish speaking, the girl had taken his hand and placed the flower inside.

”Take good care of her, and she’ll bring you luck. That’s what my mother said.” The little girl beamed with a smile that revealed her missing front tooth before she ran off to her father.

Kaelen stared at the flower for a long moment before his lips curled up in a faint smile as his fingers wrapped around it.

’Alright then. Let’s see what Lady Luck has in store for us,’ he mused to himself when several footsteps began approaching him, and Kaelen raised his head to see the mercenary group.

”My name’s Marco,” the leader began as soon as they arrived before him. ”I’m the Commander of the Bull’s Eye Mercenary Group. I’ll go straight to the point. As you may have heard, we’re trying to transport the famous singer, Lindsey, to Stronghold 4 by land. We need a guide who knows the path all the way up to the Grand Canyon. We also need someone who has good survival skills and instincts. We’re paying well, and twice the price for this kind of mission due to its nature. Do you think you’re up for the task—”

”Not interested.”

Kaelen replied before the man could finish, and before they could react, he was already walking back to his stand when he saw that the mutated bear he’d left there had been reduced to a pile of bones that the stray dogs were now licking with full stomachs.

”What the hell?!” He screamed and immediately charged after them. The dogs immediately dragged what was left and disappeared into the streets as Kaelen chased after them like a madman, leaving the mercenary group stunned and speechless.

”Commander, what do we do?” One of them snapped out of their daze to ask.

The Commander was silent for a moment.

”We try to recruit him.”

”What? Didn’t he just blatantly reject the offer without even hearing the rewards first?” One asked in confusion.

”What I did just now was only a test. The way he came and drew so much attention to himself was almost practiced, like he wanted to be noticed. If he was just an impostor or assassin trying to infiltrate our mission that way, he would’ve accepted the offer on the spot, as that was his plan all along. But after seeing his skills and lack of motive to be recruited even with money, if we could get him onboard, we might make it through the Grand Canyon this time without having to lose so much manpower.” The Commander explained calmly.

The team’s eyes gleamed brightly as they stared at the man.

”Commander... you’re a genius!”

”Yeah. Always thinking two steps ahead.”

The Commander coughed awkwardly as he tried to keep a straight face. ”I have an IQ of 280, after all.” He mumbled in self-gratification.

Meanwhile...

Kaelen chased the group of stray dogs, and as soon as he was out of sight, he suddenly stopped and stood there for a moment before his lips curled up in a faint smile. He turned and began walking back the way he came from.

As soon as he arrived back at the square, where some of the locals were still gathered with dark expressions after losing their chance to buy meat for dirt cheap, he spoke.

”Attention, everyone! Our market isn’t over yet. We only hit a minor inconvenience, but as the greatest hunter in this stronghold who’s mastered the terrain beyond the wasteland like the back of my palm, I’m heading back outside to hunt some more. And I’ll be returning here in no time with twice as much meat. First come, first served. So if you want to be there, you’d better get in line before I get back here.” Kaelen recited his sales pitch, and everyone paused to exchange glances amongst themselves before the first person suddenly dashed forward.

That snapped everyone out of it, and they charged into the line as well.

Kaelen looked at this and smiled proudly when a voice came from behind him.

”Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?”

Kaelen turned to see the Commander. ”Reconsider what? I heard you and your team leave for the wasteland and return with fewer people each time. And how many times has it been already? You’re asking me to reconsider living the best life here and making twice as much as those greedy merchants make from their inflated prices? Look at all my customers. I’m rich!” Kaelen said enthusiastically.

The Commander turned to look at the long line that had formed. Indeed, though his prices might be low, he should make a decent profit off the entire slums fighting to buy his meat.

”Alright. What do you want—”

”I want you to stop bugging me, old man.” Kaelen said as he was already walking away.

”O-Old man?” The Commander blurted out in disbelief. ”Did he just call me old man? I’m only 49!”

One of his men suddenly coughed awkwardly. ”Sir, it doesn’t seem he’s interested at all in risking his life for this. I think we should find someone else—”

”No. That was only the second test...”

The men’s lips twitched as they stared at their Commander with blank gazes.

”He’s an experienced assassin. He could’ve seen through my first test, but he should’ve fallen for the second one when I asked what he wanted. This clears most of my doubts about his fake identity.”

”Why do I feel like you’re making this up?”

”W-What was that?”

”N-Nothing, sir. I was only asking how we’ll recruit him if he isn’t moved by money.”

”Good question, Fred. He might not be moved by materialistic things... but something must kill a man.”

”A-Are you suggesting?” One of the men asked in surprise.

”You’re correct, soldier. As soon as he returns... we’ll use that on him. We might not have to waste a dime on his head if everything goes according to plan.” The Commander said as a dangerous glint flashed across his eyes.

Meanwhile...

”Arise!”

Kaelen had ventured deep into the forest beyond the stronghold when he had to stop after noticing the beasts were twice as numerous and relentless as he could remember.

It was simply impossible for the mercenary team to make it all the way through unscathed.

Luckily for them, Kaelen was interested in their mission.

Though he rejected them twice, the third time was always the charm because if they previously had doubts about his wilderness survival skills, Kaelen was about to bring back beasts only found deep into the forest and somewhere around the Grand Canyon they spoke of.

That should make recruiting him irresistible to them, and Kaelen didn’t plan to reject them a third time.

They were going to set off at dawn the next morning, but to actually make it through the forest and to the Grand Canyon, which would mark the beginning of the journey of no return, Kaelen was about to do them a favor.

And that favor was...

Kaelen looked behind him to see his army of over 5,000 standing at attention, with the Supreme Elder Dragon at the front of the troops as the commander.

”Time to expand our army. SKD?”

”Milord?”

”...Kill every beast above Tier 25 in this forest.”

***

Back at the slums, inside the parked armoured vehicles, were two women who hadn’t stepped out but watched the commotion from inside the truck.

One was a beautiful woman with soft features and an artsy dress made only for fashion and not battle. Anyone who set their eyes on her would immediately recognize her because she was the famous singer, Lindsey.

Meanwhile, sitting beside her was a woman in a combat outfit and a short black cape with a hood. She had blonde hair and dull grey eyes that were barely visible on the woman’s pale face.

Contrary to Lindsey’s anxious expression, this woman’s was passive and indifferent, like she couldn’t be bothered by anything in the world.

From the moment the man stepped into the heart of the slums to the moment he disappeared into the wasteland, her eyes were locked onto him like she was assessing his every move.

When she finally turned to face the singer sitting beside her, she spoke.

”Don’t worry. We’ll make it through the Grand Canyon this time.” She said lifelessly.

”H-How are you so sure? We haven’t even recruited another guide, and how sure are you they won’t be as incompetent as the last ones or run off on their own in the slightest face of danger?”

The blonde woman turned to look out the window again, at the distance where Kaelen had disappeared. An indescribable glint flashed across her dull eyes.

”I’m sure.”