The Book Collection Room is located behind the task force and is slightly more forward than the support department where Li Jing is stationed.

The large area in the middle not only has the Book Collection Room but also the Welfare room and a Treasury; they are located near the task force for the convenience of the task members.

After all, in the entire ruins of the Great Tang, the task force is the core.

However, Xiao Mu was not heading to the Book Collection Room but to the Archive outside of it.

The scriptures in the Book Collection Room were not for everyone to view; only the Archive was open for access, serving essentially as a catalog for the Book Collection Room.

After gaining merit, members of the task force could, depending on the size of their contributions, have their team leader apply for the corresponding scriptures using the Archive's catalog on their behalf.

The Book Collection Room is right next to the Welfare room.

Xiao Mu used the Earth Escape Technique and arrived shortly.

There weren't many people at the Book Collection Room; at a glance, there were only about a dozen or so people.

Actually, excluding those who had sacrificed themselves on tasks, the entire task force did not have more than a hundred remaining members, and most of them were still out on assignments.

"Xiao Mu, it's you."

A robust voice suddenly rang out from one side, calling out Xiao Mu's name.

"Ren Xia."

Upon hearing the voice, Xiao Mu turned around and caught sight of Ren Xia.

"I didn't expect it, you joining the task force." Ren Xia had become much more amiable and no longer had the arrogance he exhibited at their first meeting.

It seems he also knew that Xiao Mu's strength now surpassed his own.

"You too," Xiao Mu responded with a smile.

"Ren Xia, who is this?" A man in his forties, standing by Ren Xia's side suddenly spoke up.

This man was of average height, somewhat corpulent, had a somewhat sinister face, and was surrounded by energies of Five Elements Wood, sharp Metal, thick Earth, as well as Extreme Yin Power. His strength was probably in the late stages of the Yin God Realm.

"Brother Li, his name is Xiao Mu. Like me, he was previously on reserve duty and has just joined the task force," Ren Xia said, treating the man with considerable respect, a far cry from his usual bravado, as he took on the role of an introducer.

"Xiao Mu, this is Li Jia, Brother Li, an expert in the task force responsible for distributing welfare to Task Group Two."

"Forget it, no need for introductions," Li Jia said with a dismissive wave of his hand, his demeanor somewhat frivolous as he glanced at Xiao Mu, his attitude cold and aloof, "You're from Group One, right?"

Xiao Mu just smiled, unfazed, "I've just joined Group One."

"Joining Group One now? Heh!" Li Jia gave a sneer, his mouth twisting into a mocking sneer.

Hearing that I was in Group One, this guy immediately showed a despising attitude. It seems the situation for Group One is indeed not great.

Catching the contemptuous expression on Li Jia's face, Xiao Mu was about to speak when someone else took over the conversation.

"Li Jia, watch your words. What's wrong with joining Group One now?"

The voice was that of a man, speaking sternly, conveying a sense of uprightness.

Xiao Mu turned his head to see a man in his thirties standing to his right, of average build, with a refined appearance and a friendly face.

This appearance did not match the strict tone of the voice that had just spoken.

Moreover, the man's strength was on par with Li Jia's, in the late stage of the Yin God Realm, with the Five Elements Power and the Power of Supreme Yang circulating around him.

Li Jia's eyelids lifted as he retorted loudly without ceremony, "It's you, Feng Xian. What's wrong with what I said? Hasn't your Group One just lost two more people?"

"Qin Jin and Zheng Huan, one turned into a horse, the other into a cow by the Curse Gate, both killed. With such high rates of incidents and mortality, sure, it's worth joining, indeed worth it, haha!"

Feng Xian, annoyed by Li Jia's sarcastic and mocking words, responded, "Li Jia, if you don't know, better not talk nonsense. The deaths of Qin Jin and Zheng Huan were just bad luck, running into the Curse Gate's people by chance. It has nothing to do with whether or not it's appropriate to join our Group One."

Li Jia's smile was filled with scorn, "Bad luck? If you want to comfort yourself like that, suit yourself. But why is it that our Group Two doesn't have such bad luck? Why is it that we seldom encounter people from the Curse Gate?"

"Good luck is nothing to brag about," Feng Xian said, sounding less confident.

"Haha! It seems you don't believe your own words about luck," Li Jia laughed out loud, turning to address Xiao Mu, "The newcomer, what was your name? Xiao... what was it again?"

The man either had forgotten Xiao Mu's name or was pretending not to know. "Since you've joined Group One, best to take care yourself. Let's hope we don't see your mutated corpse at the hands of the Curse Gate one day."

"You needn't worry about that, sir. Dealing with the Curse Gate, I, Xiao Mu, do have some experience. Even if the Divine Techniques of the Curse Gate are a bit more peculiar, they won't scare me off," Xiao Mu rebutted calmly, clearly not buying what Li Jia was selling.

"Quite confident, I see. I like these newborn calves not afraid of tigers. Well then... good luck," Li Jia said, his expression surprised, laughing loudly and insincerely wishing Xiao Mu well.

"Little Ren, let's go, time to collect this month's welfare."

With a casual call to Ren Xia, Li Jia turned and headed to the Welfare room.

Ren Xia nodded to Xiao Mu as a farewell and followed Li Jia.

"I just heard him call you Xiao Mu. When did you join our Group One?"

Once Li Jia had left, Feng Xian greeted Xiao Mu, his demeanor looking very friendly.

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