Star Gate

Chapter 99: Paving the Way (II)

“Then it is settled!” Yuan Shuo finally smiled. “You’re just honorary disciples, so there’s no need to set an official banquet. While I don’t have many disciples, they’re all official ones. You three are honorary disciples, so remember to hail them as senior brother and sister when you see them in the future! Remember, ties of fraternal love bind you together. You must do your utmost to help in times of trouble. That is what it means to be of the same teaching!”

He threw out a booklet. “Your teacher doesn’t have anything good to give you, so here is the New Book of Five Styles! Others are not permitted to learn of it, particularly the breathing technique!”

It was just the breathing technique, not the Breathing Method of the Five Styles!

“Do not underestimate this. Although supernaturals do not practice martial dao, it is not necessarily a good thing to solely rely on absorbing mysterious power. It is an external force, after all. Training both the internal and external is the true way!”

Excitement dawned on the Night Watchers’ faces. They knew about the New Book of Five Styles! They might not have thought much about it before, but who dared belittle it after Yuan Shuo reached beyond his level to kill a Solar?

“Our thanks to our teacher!” Genuine emotion entered their voices.

Yuan Shuo’s lips stretched in a crafty, wolfish smile. These three were Darkmoon and very young. Wang Ming was almost a Fullmoon—not far from Sunflare. They were all so young and direct inductees of the Night Watchers. If lucky, they would soon reach Sunflare and become the agency’s core strength in Silver Moon.

He was paving the way for Li Hao!

“Ah, yes. Li Hao of Silver City will be your little senior brother in the future!” Yuan Shuo added. “Being a martial master, he has no supernatural abilities! He may not be as strong as you guys, but he’s inherited my knowledge. You must protect him well—he will undoubtedly be of help to you down the road. I’m sure you’re aware of how lacking the agency’s knowledge banks are. Sometimes, knowledge changes destiny. There will come a day when you have use for him.”

The trio looked at each other; it was Wang Ming who answered first. “We will remember teacher’s words!”

“Mmhmm!” Yuan Shuo nodded. “Then let’s locate our next target, I’ll let you get a few hits in this time. You need to make it to Sunflare as quickly as possible—only then can you have your voice heard. Look at you three now! You do whatever you’re told with no freedom at all. You bring dishonor to my name!”

The trio grinned foolishly and didn’t dare say anything. Their superior was in the sky overhead!

……

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Up in the air.

Hao Lianchuan grasped Yuan Shuo’s intentions after listening for a while. This was rather unexpected! It seemed that the professor quite cared about his final disciple. He’d gone through this act just to find some backers for Li Hao!

Li Hao had no foundation in the Night Watchers, but now he had two junior brothers and one junior sister. Even though this was a result of Yuan Shuo’s casual mention and forced acceptance, they had to acknowledge the relationship after receiving his New Book of Five Styles. In the martial dao world, lying to or betraying one’s master was the most heinous offense. Not until Yuan Shuo’s death would this tie be severed!

The Night Watchers were an official, legitimate organization. They couldn’t commit such actions. If they did, the agency would clean house!

Yuan Shuo… Li Hao!

Yuan Shuo was paving the way for Li Hao and not keeping the young man by his side to propagate his teachings… Did the professor hope that Li Hao could join the Night Watchers?

That was just as well! It would deepen their ties with Yuan Shuo. Otherwise, the agency found it tough to direct him after his ascension.

……

Li Hao had no idea that he’d suddenly gained two junior brothers and a junior sister. After continual absorption for a day, he digested eighty percent of the scarlet shadow’s power in his body. The rest would be absorbed through natural processes over the next two days.

He threw a casual punch when he rose, eliciting a series of pops and cracks from his bones and meridians. Joy dawned in his eyes. He’d improved so quickly!

He couldn’t determine what level he was at the moment, but the strength that he’d just punched with seemed to approach Liu Yan’s. Liu Yan was peak Slayer, nearly a Sunderer!

“This feels nice!” He hadn’t even been a Slayer a few days ago and was now approaching Sunderer. Jubilance and celebrations were in order! And the key thing was, he still had a lot of other gains to digest.

When he walked out of the lounge, he saw that only Wu Chao was left on the bed. Chen Jian had recovered enough to walk around.

Liu Long was as aloof as ever to see the young man. “It’s good that you’re out, the delivery from the Night Watchers has come! We received 160 cubes of mysterious power in total!”

All of it came from the supernaturals, none of the martial masters could supply this resource.

“Your teacher collected roughly 1400 cubes—so many that they were compressed and stored in the Inspectorate warehouse. Your teacher can go withdraw them whenever he needs to!

“We have thunder, earth, water, metal, and wind attributed power this time.” The captain looked at the others. “I claim primary credit for this operation! I will receive thirty percent, Li Hao gets twenty. The rest will be split among you guys. Does anyone have any opinions?”

After Liu Long and Li Hao split half of the gains, that left less than Li Hao’s share for the remaining four.

“Of course not!” Liu Yan giggled. “It’s nice to get any! This is more than I expected.”

She was getting twenty cubes with this split! They were lucky to get three to five cubes in previous missions and would suffer worse injuries in the process. Thanks to Li Hao, she’d emerged mostly unscathed this time. Thus, she was quite satisfied with twenty cubes.

If she was satisfied, the others would also be satisfied as they were weaker than her.

Li Hao’s thirty-two was roughly equivalent to killing a supernatural. Liu Long had determined the split according to that deed, assigning everything from the supernatural he killed to the young man.

The captain nodded after seeing no one object. “Very well! This is our largest gain in several years. I hope that someone can succeed this time!”

He said this with a bit of hope and desire. The desire applied less to him as he thought of Yuan Shuo and how the professor had decapitated four enemies with one stroke. Martial masters could also be invincible!

He was peak Sunderer and eons away from Dominator. But if he could break through, did he still need to ascend? He would be a Sunflare if he made the crossover, but the Dominator Yuan Shuo could kill Solars. If Liu Long also possessed the ability to kill Solars, would Silver City still have its charter revoked?

No way!

Liu Long abruptly found unexpected hesitation in his long pursuit of the supernatural. He wasn’t as resolute as before. Dominators had long disappeared from Silver Moon and there had been no hope or potential in his future. But now… should he set aside personal dignity and beg Yuan Shuo for some pointers? Would the old man agree?

Pointers from a Dominator might entail that he took fewer twists and turns.

Liu Long looked apologetically at Li Hao. Should he use the little guy to have him put in a good word for Liu Long?

Li Hao was grinning straightforwardly, as if quite happy with his allotment. Thirty-two cubes were a lot. His teacher’s fourteen hundred were his teacher’s. He could at most ask for a couple hundred before he popped from energy overlord. The opportunity to break through to Sunderer seemed right in front of him!

“Everyone, rest well tonight. We continue our duties tomorrow while the experts are still here!” Liu Long once more looked at Li Hao. “Li Hao, you can rest for a few more days and keep your teacher company. If you need anything, you can always come to me, your chief, your captain of the law enforcement team!”

He was basically telling the young man to go to his teacher’s. If he was too tired, Liu Long could piggyback him there!

Being quick on the uptake, Li Hao immediately caught the undertones. How funny, it looks like Liu Long truly accepts the outcome this time. He was always reluctant or unwilling when Yuan Shuo was mentioned before. It seems the affairs of last night were no small impact.

“Alright! I’ll come to chief if I really need to!”

Liu Long nodded with satisfaction before turning to leave. Meanwhile, Li Hao couldn’t wait to see the mysterious power he’d been allotted. He wanted to request all five elements this time. Perhaps he could strengthen his five organs and grow stronger!

……

The Inspectorate, the treasury.

All of the loot from battle was held here. Although it was night and powerhouses present within the city, the Inspectorate didn’t dare relax their guard on account of the value in the vaults. Mu Sen personally led men to stand at the doors. He would not be at ease until Yuan Shuo retrieved his items.

One thousand cubes of mysterious power!

Silver City was such a small place that even the highly ranked Mu Sen had never seen so many. This would be a rare sight in any city other than White Moon or Flare.

The guard was heavy around the treasury; Li Hao could sense numerous machine guns locking onto him when he entered its vicinity. With the inspector general also present, not even regular Sunflares would be able to seize the treasures inside.

“Li Hao of the law enforcement team greets Inspector General Mu!” Li Hao saluted. He wasn’t too familiar with the inspector general apart from a decent first impression. When he first withdrew from school to join Classified Affairs, Mu Sen had advised him to finish his studies first before joining the Inspectorate.

His second impression came from last night. Although the inspector general didn’t leave the city, he’d helped Liu Long to the best of abilities inside the city. Li Hao hadn’t caught the conversation between Mu Sen and Hao Lianchuan.

“Li Hao!” Mu Sen smiled radiantly. “Well done, well done!” He nodded with his compliments; the young man had no idea what he was being praised for. “Are you here for the mysterious power?”

“Yes.” Li Hao nodded.

“Your teacher’s share or the Demon Hunters’?”

“Just mine, I wouldn’t dare meddle with teacher’s portion.” Li Hao smiled bashfully.