Star Gate

Chapter 244: The Second Passageway (I)

“All you need to do when ambushing a Solar is to break through the defenses of their mysterious power,” Hao Lianchuan continued transmitting. “Also keep in mind that ambushes are less effective when Solars carry an origin weapon on them. You saw what happened with Violet Moon—the Armor of the Thunder God instantly appeared over her and rendered extreme defensive capabilities. Not even the attacks in the air could kill her.

“If you want to eliminate that one... Figure out a way to get her into the sky and have the city hit her with a few blows. You stand a chance only after breaking the origin weapon!”

The look in Li Hao’s eyes grew increasingly odder. Didn’t you say that I shouldn’t kill her? But now you’re giving me ideas how to?

Hao Lianchuan didn’t care about the young man’s reaction. Anything he transmitted had nothing to do with him.

“She won’t be too strong even with the origin weapon. She’s still less than Violet Moon. Her weapon is possibly the lowest at yellow level, whereas Violet Moon’s is the arcane level. An arcane level can take five or six attacks, whereas a yellow can do three or four the most. But that will require her to be in the air for approximately ten seconds—which is where the true test of your capabilities comes in.”

“Director, why don’t you...” Li Hao said this aloud.

“Me what?” A startled Hao Lianchuan looked at the young man and continued transmitting, “I’m a Solar and everyone’s eyes are on me. You want me to kill one of my peers? Don’t even go there. I’ll be suspended for a formal investigation if someone sees me commit murder. Do it yourself if you want her head. You live a good life flowing with milk and honey. And, no one will believe you if you say I put you up to it, not to mention I’ll never admit to it!”

Li Hao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This one was seriously taking a casual tone to things! Do you really think I can fling a mid Solar into the air for ten seconds? You gotta be joking! I won’t be able to do that even with Liu Long helping me!

“It’s not that hard!” came Hao Lianchuan’s transmission again. He explained in deed and words, imparting his earnest teachings. “I’ll split you guys into your own team and you can run for the thickest group of Black Armors. Attract as many as you can. They won’t pay attention to you since martial masters are good at concealment. She’ll have to take to the air if there’s soldiers all around her!

“And, go to the inner city gates if you still can’t handle her. She’s dead without a doubt if the Silver Armor steps forth. Don’t you want water energy? Just act a bit faster and bring some back before the ground absorbs it all...” Hao Lianchuan finally fell silent after these last words.

“Director...” Li Hao began.

“Cut the chatter!” Hao Lianchuan rebuked. “You three, stay out of trouble!”

“......” Li Hao, Liu Long, and Liu Yan looked at each other, strange looks in their eyes. My heavens, what a two-faced guy! Director Hao was nothing good! He gave them a guide to killing Zhang Ting and the key thing was, the fatty refused to take the fall for it. Everything was conveyed through transmission and never mentioned aloud. Villains were always undercover, alright!

......

The end of the outer city.

There was indeed a house that looked different from the other houses in the city. Not only that, but there was a signboard over it. The front door was open.

“Rein Hall.” Li Hao recognized the ancient characters. As a student of ancient studies, he recognized the basics of ancient literature. He wasn’t the only one as the major organizations had also brought field experts on this expedition.

“Is this a reference to reining oneself in at the edge of a precipice?” someone asked hesitantly. What did this mean? Why was a passageway to the city named this? Did it mean for people to discard their evil intentions at the door? Or was it simply a sign for people to rein their horses in at this door?

“Hao Lianchuan, you guys have gone in before,” said the Revolution King as he saw Li Hao and the others arrive. “So did these guys too. Tell us, Li Hao, what’s inside?”

He knew Li Hao and could even identify the young man! Plainly, it wasn’t that these organizations didn’t care about the eight families or about Li Hao, but that the young man was too weak for them to pay too much attention to for the moment.

But now, the Revolution King identified Li Hao before the crowd.

Hao Lianchuan was the deputy director of the Night Watchers, Liu Long was a veteran inspector. As for Liu Yan... who could trust what a woman said, not to mention one with a grudge against Yama? In comparison, Li Hao seemed more genteel.

The young man frowned, took a look at the Revolution King, then at Hao Lianchuan.

“What are you looking at me for?” Hao Lianchuan said faintly, “You’re a Night Watcher...”

“Shut up, Hao Lianchuan!” roared the Revolution King. He looked at Li Hao with an icy look. “Li Hao, tell us what you experienced and saw. In addition, I wish for you to accompany the others for another attempt.”

The young man remained frowning and said after a long moment, “It’s very dangerous. I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear the consequences if I die.”

“Are you thinking of Yuan Shuo?” laughed the Revolution King.

“No, I’m thinking of Red Moon!” Li Hao answered calmly. “Ask Violet Moon if Ying Hongyue will kill you for causing my death.”

“......”

Silence. The look in Revolution’s eyes shifted while Violet Moon frowned slightly in the distance. She didn’t say anything. If Li Hao really did die here... It would cause enormous trouble—and not from Yuan Shuo. If the Revolution King was the cause, Red Moon might actually hunt him down for it.

The Night Watchers were easy to bully, but Red Moon was one to avoid provoking. The government agency had to consider the rules and the bigger picture at times. Red Moon did not.

“You can ask me though, I’ll answer honestly,” Li Hao said calmly. “But a Sunderer like me is not taking the risk again, so you can spare the threats!”

“Look at a young man like you with such sharp wits,” the Revolution King chuckled meaningfully. “You think of threatening me with Red Moon!”

How interesting! It wasn’t Yuan Shuo or the Night Watchers that the young man thought to employ, but Red Moon! Was that ludicrous?

Very!

But it was this ludicrous threat that the Revolution King had to give respect to.

“Tell us what you saw and what happened when you entered the house!”

“One hundred cubes of mysterious power!” Li Hao replied.

“What??” The Revolution King thought he’d heard incorrectly and looked at the young man with surprise.

“One hundred cubes!” Li Hao set his jaw stubbornly. “I want fire attributed mysterious power! I’m telling you only after you give them to me! A big organization like yours won’t lack for a little bit of mysterious power!”

“......” The Revolution King laughed. “It’s fine if you don’t say anything. We’ll have someone from the Night Watchers make the trip!”

Hao Lianchuan looked at him with a half smile. “Are you sure about that?”

The Revolution King’s laugh turned into a frown and he turned back to Li Hao after a moment. “One hundred cubes is nothing so long as you answer honestly. But we don’t have any fire energy, I can give you water energy!”

“Water energy...” Li Hao mumbled. “I need fire energy though... the fire heart ape...”

He abruptly shut his mouth, but the rest had their ears perked up. This must have something to do with the Summoner of Spirit cultivation level! What Yuan Shuo had deployed before was the fire heart ape. The power of fire made one feel that it was similar to supernatural abilities. As they thought, Li Hao needed fire energy as well!

The assembly drew some quick conclusions and knew that they had to make a report to their respective senior councils when they left the ruins. They needed to tell their superiors to prepare more fire energy. It was general knowledge that the fire heart ape had much to do with the blood pearls. But now, it seemed that fire mysterious power was required as well.

The more the young man protested, the more the Revolution King smiled. “We really don’t have any fire energy. Water energy is just the same! I’ll give you 150 cubes—you can trade for 150 cubes of fire energy when we leave. And if you can’t, go to Hao Lianchuan. He’s a fire supernatural. If he accumulates his strength for a month or two without using it, that will easily provide 100 cubes as well.”

Li Hao was unsatisfied and glanced at Hao Lianchuan. The deputy director was likewise frowning. Sensing that he couldn’t gain any more, the young man acquiesced in a muffled voice, “Give it to me!”

Something shaped like a human bone was tossed over. The young man didn’t reach out for it. Hao Lianchuan cursed inwardly and caught it instead. He probed it with his senses before deeming it safe and throwing it to Li Hao.

“It was pitch black after I entered the house,” the young man began. “And it’s much bigger than what we see now! It’s impossible to determine direction inside, it’s like you’re completely lost! It feels like someone’s watching you the whole time and there’s countless little hands touching you, feeling you in the dark!”

Li Hao paused, then continued, “It was suffocating! There was a sensation in the gloom like something was about to seal you away. I didn’t understand before, but I’m guessing that it was to seal away mysterious power. Or perhaps not seal... it just felt like something was blocking all of your pores. It was awful! But I’m a martial master, so the sensations weren’t that apparent to me. Maybe supernaturals will feel it more keenly.”

“Were you attacked?” the Revolution King suddenly asked.

“No.” Li Hao shook his head.

“How long did it take for you to enter the outer city?”

“I’m not sure, it felt like a split second... I didn’t measure the exact time that lapsed. It’s difficult to calculate as time is hard to determine in there.”

“The three of you went in together? Was anyone hurt?”

“No!” Li Hao shook his head. “It was just hard to endure. It felt like surfacing from water when we entered the city, like we’d survived certain disaster.”

“Did you pass by the inner city gates when you entered the outer city?” Violet Moon abruptly interrupted.

“The inner city gates?” Li Hao shook his head. “There’s no need, there are a lot of little alleys in the streets. We ran into Black Armors before long and knew about their strength. The Night Watchers also told us about the dangers—Director Hao said to avoid them. We left through an alleyway.”

“Which one?”

“It’s after six... houses on the right after entering the outer city. Or the seventh, if not the sixth. If you enter the second street after leaving it, you’ll find a teahouse at the intersection...”

Violet Moon frowned, then asked, “You three are martial masters. Did any supernaturals enter?” She was wondering if the supernatural ripples that occurred on the first street had something to do with these guys.

“No.” Li Hao shook his head. “Supernaturals only have a ten percent chance of survival if they try this way. Not to mention, you guys were right behind us and know how many of us came in. You’d see if any supernaturals vanished.”

That was true! These three were the only ones of the Night Watchers who’d disappeared. All of the supernaturals were accounted for.

“Is there anything else?”

“No!” Li Hao shook his head, but did so with some guilt in his eyes. He ducked his head and didn’t dare meet anyone’s eyes.

The Revolution King and others stirred with interest. There was more! The kid was holding something back!

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