Star Gate

Chapter 449: The New Twelfth Troop (III)

Li Hao had many questions, but no one was giving him answers. The Silver Armor that’d spoken to him impatiently ignored his questions. Thus, the young man left with the Red Armor.

Moments later, another Red Armor led a Bronze Armor and Black Armor in from the distance.

“Li Hao, I’ve received word that we’ve been added to the Twelfth Troop of the Ninth Division,” came He Yong’s voice. “Ole Hong is my superior as the leader of the first company in the Twelfth Troop and I’m just a damn Black Armor!”

“Cut the bullcrap,” said an equally resigned Hong Yitang. “I’ve received word too that I have a superior officer—Troop Leader Li Hao! I’m to report to the troop leader!”

Although Li Hao was wearing a suit of silver armor, both of the men knew that it was the young man. As their superior in the army, a warning flashed across their visors even though they were far away.

Alert! The troop leader is in the vicinity!

Hong Yitang was quite at a loss. Were the eight families that big of a deal? Pfft! Li Hao was a Silver Armor troop leader as soon as he joined, and a powerhouse such as him was just a Bronze Armor! In the same vein, he could take some comfort in the fact that He Yong was the truly pitiful soul. The man was a soldier under his command, hah!

“I’ve figured out some things,” Hong Yitang continued. “Li Hao, this armor is incredible! Its defensive capabilities are very strong. I feel undeniable powerful even as just a Bronze Armor. Perhaps we weren’t using them properly before, making the sets of black armor only on par with Sunflare. Ask Old He, his armor seems highly capable...”

“Yeah, I think this equipment is nuts!” He Yong immediately piped up. “Of course, it depends on your strength. The stronger one is, the greater the defense and the more energy extracted from the ground. But I can’t seem to leave the ground. Once I do, I’m reduced to the regular armor’s capabilities.”

There were certain limits to the sets of black armor; Li Hao convened with them.

“I’ve discovered some things as well,” the young man’s voice traveled out of the silver armor. “You guys seem to have become my direct subordinates and I can send messages to you through the internals of the armor...”

His mind intent rippled, but stayed within the armor. However, Li Hao’s voice rang in the men’s minds. “Isn’t this fun?”

“......”

“I can do it too.” Hong Yitang immediately tried. “But I can only do that to Ole He. If you grant me the authorization, though, I seem to be able to make reports to you...”

“This armor is incredible!”

“These soldiers must have been ridiculously strong in the ancient civilization, as were the armors’ craftsmen! And this is just an internal communication system that facilitates efficient execution of orders.” Both He Yong and Hong Yitang were full of appreciation and amazement. This was astounding, and it was just for a reserve army left to safeguard the city! The skill and resources required for constructing these suits of armor were out of reach for the current Skystar Dynasty. A new communication rang in Li Hao’s armor.

“Troop Leader Li Hao of the newly designated Twelfth Troop of the Ninth Division, the Ninth Division is under attack at the eastern gates. The enemy is strong—is the Twelfth Troop willing to reinforce the division? As a new troop with weak battle capabilities and insufficient personnel, you can refuse the request. You can wait until your personnel and training is complete...”

Li Hao raised an eyebrow. Where was this voice coming from? The Gold Armor inside the city, or was this also part of the armor? If the Silver Armor could speak through this system, then so could the Gold Armor.

He didn’t want to stay here. According to the rules in his pamphlet, new recruits must undergo three months of training. If he didn’t head into battle, he’d have to take his two rookies and endure three months of grueling work within the barracks!

Are you kidding me? No way I’m wasting three months on that.

Hence, Li Hao accepted the mission.

“The newly formed Twelfth Troop will immediately march to the battlefield and await further orders. Resist the enemy and fight for humanity and Battle Heaven!” Some emotion entered the vigorous voice as it rang in Li Hao’s mind. A voice rang in Hong Yitang and He Yong’s minds as well.

“Advance, newly formed Twelfth Troop! Kill!”

The two Red Armors behind them saluted, as if knowing that the trio had accepted the mission. They thumped their chests with loud clangs!

Not only that, but soldiers everywhere seemed to have heard the directive. Chest thumps abounded as they saluted another troop about to head to the battlefield. Soldiers seeing them off could be glimpsed everywhere the eye could see.

“It’s an oddly... hot-blooded atmosphere,” He Yong murmured. “It’s like we’ll disappoint everyone if we don’t return in triumph...”

It was a strange feeling! They were going to march against modern humans, of which they were a part of. Had they become turncoats to their entire era? A bizarre feeling assailed the three. Had they become traitors of their time? They’d joined an ancient army and accepted orders to fight present-day humans...

The question briefly flashed through their minds. Who cared! It was the feeling of being saluted by everyone that lingered.

“No one sent me off like this when I set out from the Silver Moon Guards,” Li Hao muttered as they walked. “If they had, I might’ve been a bit worked up too!”

Such was the truth. At times, the most inconsequential of actions were the most unforgettable. Soldiers saluted them wherever they went and still saw them off even after the trio walked out of sight. It was like they were joyously sending heroes off on a grand mission. Just this alone was very satisfying to Li Hao.

The three reached the complex entrance before long. A new Red Armor was here. It swiftly raised the guardrail and thumped its chest with a loud smash. The trio felt that it might have shouted something if it could speak.

They walked out amid this odd atmosphere that also made their blood run with passion. He Yong exhaled slowly when they were out. “I feel like... if we spent a long time in there, we’d definitely be assimilated by them. What a terrifying feeling!”

It was a sensation of constantly being brainwashed and fed a certain line of thinking. It was more frightening than what Hong Yitang had said earlier.

“This is why these soldiers are so strong!” Hong Yitang sighed. “We have our own thoughts and aren’t even of this time. It’s only been a short while since we joined this army, but we already have a solemn sense of duty. We’d probably feel this more acutely after three months of training. This is a terrifying place!”

Li Hao didn’t say anything as he’d received another directive. “Let’s go. I don’t know if it’s coming from upstairs or what, but we need to get to the battlefield in one hour. We’ll be punished according to military regulations if we’re late!”

They weren’t too far from the eastern gate, so one hour was plenty of time. It would seem that upstairs was being lenient to the newly designated troop. Li Hao took to the air, exulting in the feeling of flight. He soared proudly through a sky without obstacles.

The two below looked at him while simply running toward the eastern gate. “Don’t be too conspicuous,” Hong Yitang transmitted. “Your strength is on par with an unawakened Silver Armor. You don’t measure up to an awakened one, so be careful of powerful Novas attacking you. As high level as Silver Armors are, that may not necessarily be a good thing!”

Cackling, Li Hao immediately turned his armor black. “As a Silver Armor troop leader, I have the special privilege of disguising myself. There’s nothing to be afraid of!” He’d witnessed this ability in action last time and now he was the one putting it to use.

“We’re going to have a great time,” Li Hao barked with laughter. “I’m going to kill as many of the three great organizations as I can later. They’re in for some pain!” He’d finally found a chance to face his enemy head-on!

The two below didn’t say anything as they dwelled in their own thoughts. Becoming part of the Battle Heaven Army ran outside of their expectations. They didn’t know how to conduct themselves from this point—they’d just take it one step at a time.

They were here to seize treasure, but now they were part of the city defenders!

Meanwhile, Li Hao didn’t think that much. There was another Gold Armor in the military barracks, making for two in the city. Even without the trio’s interference, the expedition team might not find success this time.

The young man suddenly looked into the distance after flying for a while and did a double take. Am I seeing things, or did I just see a black dog running through the streets?

That was weird! Was it Panther?

A black dog reminded him of Panther, but that was impossible. Panther had run off a long time ago. It wouldn’t be here even if it hadn’t. Li Hao put it out of his mind. He couldn’t see anything anymore, so he would head to the eastern gate first.

......

At this moment, the eastern gate.

There was a great lull in the great battle. The supernaturals had retreated ] from the city gates and congregated in the distant plaza. A loud hubbub arose, many of the would-be plunderers sad and suffering. What the heck was this?? A fight had broken out as soon as they arrived and they didn’t reap any rewards for their trouble.

Almost four hundred supernaturals were dead in a short while! This kind of battle was rare even in the central region!

As the crowd agitated with shock and dismay, the powerhouses of the three great organizations frowned. This excavation felt different from last time, the situation hadn’t developed like this last month. The Black Armors seemed more difficult to manage and were acting in concert! They also seemed to be more intelligent—or was this because someone was directing them? The Gold Armor inside the city?

No one cared about the couple hundred dead—it wasn’t their people and mostly wandering cultivators. So what if they were dead? The dead were from different factions and the three great organizations were taking some time observing the situation.

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