Star Gate

Chapter 506: The Skies Are Vast Enough for the Birds to Soar Through (IV)

Hao Lianchuan opened the bottle and took a sniff. There were quite a few blood pearls inside; a couple were of the Solar level.

“Where did you get this from?”

“From killing people,” Li Hao chuckled. “Chin up, there’s no need to be so depressed, Director Hao. There won’t be many problems on land, the main issue is the coastline, which I’ll be in charge of. Send me a few water supernaturals, I don’t have much use for the rest. Oh, I could use some flight types and investigative types though.”

The young man suddenly paused and started laughing. “Just give me Yun Yao, Hu Hao, and Li Meng!”

Those three happened to be the attributes that he wanted. What a coincidence! He hadn’t had a chance to think of them before, but now abruptly recalled that they’d also come to White Moon City and were serving in the Night Watchers.

“Them?” Hao Lianchuan blinked. “They’re just Darkmoons and defending our shores is important. What good are three Darkmoons for? We have some more Sunflares and Solars at the Night Watchers now. Ole He is also a water type and he just made it to Solar. I’ll have him help you...”

One had to say, the fatty was quite generous. There were only three Solars in residence at the agency, but he was still sending one of them to help Li Hao.

“That’s alright.” The young man shook his head. “Solars are the same as Darkmoons to me as I only need them to be scouts. In fact, Solars would be wasted in that capacity. Those three will do and it’s more convenient since we’re well acquainted. I’m not familiar with Deputy Director He and it’s kind of awkward to have a veteran be my lackey.”

“Very well then.” Hao Lianchuan didn’t insist upon seeing how steadfast Li Hao was. He prepared to walk downstairs with the young man. “Do you think Director Hou will make it back from the central region?”

“......” Li Hao flicked him a sidelong glance. Why does it sound like you’re hoping he’ll die there? “I don’t know.”

“Man, Li Hao, I’m seriously kind of depressed,” Hao Lianchuan sighed heavily. “I thought I was a hotshot as a Solar, but so many Novas have died recently and hundreds of Solars as well. I feel that a Solar cultivation level isn’t the insurance that it once was. But I lack sufficient potential to find my fifth lock. I’m crippled...”

“Deputy Director Hao, what are you trying to say?” Li Hao suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. The man had sighed for most of their time together, so he might as well come out and say whatever was on his mind!

“Ahem, it’s nothing much. I just wanted to say... um... take your ole brother along!” The fatty suddenly beamed brightly, losing all traces of his melancholic expression.

Li Hao paused. What did he mean?

“Ole Hou’s gone, which leaves Silver Moon to us brothers!” Hao Lianchuan winked. “I hear that you killed a Nova in the ruins? My dear little brother, don’t pretend with big bro here. I’ve sighed for half a day now, but don’t hear you say that you want to help me. So I’ll be straight, I can do anything like kill people and set fires if there’s enough in it for me. Wang Ming’s too weak, I’m stronger than him!”

What... the... heck! Li Hao didn’t know what to say. The fuck? Where did fatty hear this from? Take you along? Do you think I’m a bandit?? And when the heck did we become brothers? I was calling you my uncle a few days ago, now we’re brothers?

Li Hao really had thought that the fatty was simply in a bad mood after all the sighing he was doing. Why did it seem now that he was thinking he had more room to flex his muscles after Hou Xiaochen was gone?

“Deputy Director...”

“Call me Brother Hao!” Hao Lianchuan corrected solemnly. “Don’t stand on ceremony with me now. Wang Ming made it to late Sunflare in a few short days. I’m not asking for much, just let me tag along when you do something next time and get me to peak Solar!”

“......” Li Hao was at a complete loss for words and didn’t want to speak further to someone who wasn't thinking clearly. He turned and left.

“The pirates also have treasure—and there’s a lot of precious objects in the watery depths,” Hao Lianchuan transmitted. “Remember to bring me with you if you go out and exterminate them! I may be a fire attribute, but I can still fight in the sea. No danger troubles me on land, that only occurs in the sea. Remember me!”

“......” Li Hao broke out in a sprint. The guy was crazy!

Hao Lianchuan was acting entirely beyond his expectations. The young man was still fretting over the situation in Silver Moon, but the fatty had already recovered and wanted to goad Li Hao into attacking the pirates together? How could he even think of that??

“Seriously, the pirates have treasure!” Hao Lianchuan called out. “Check the Silver Moon Guards’ files if you don’t believe me. There’s so much treasure in the sea. Apparently there’s even ancient ruins in the depths of the deep blue. There’s mines and Water of Life left. Let’s go do something big and get rich while people think we have to hole up in White Moon City!”

“......” Li Hao ran faster and faster. He might fall to temptation from the fatty if he was any slower. I haven’t decided on anything yet, but here you are, thinking of how to get rich.

“Go back and check the files, really! There are a few pirate factions near the Moon Sea. Once you’re on the waters, it’s difficult for foes to track you even if they’re strong. I remember that the Guards have a ship that’s an origin weapon. I don’t know if it was left behind—probably? Go take a look, and be quick about it! The big pirates from the North Sea are coming, so we need to take this opportunity to resolve the small pirates...”

“......”

Li Hao had completely vanished from sight. Hao Lianchuan sighed with a shake of his head at seeing how fast the young man had run off. Not much courage to this one, was there? There won’t be a chance for us to do anything later if we don’t do so now.

......

The Silver Moon Guards barracks.

A loud din used to rise daily from a place where martial masters trained everyday. But now, it was still. However, the Demon Hunters were training. They assembled ten to a group and practiced the Ten Rings Mountain Seal Formation. Several dozen people spread out over the massive plaza made exceedingly little sound.

Liu Long had returned ahead of time. He came back as soon as Hou Xiaochen left, not minding that he didn’t have a chance to speak to Hou Xiaochen. The latter hadn’t addressed that many people when he left.

There were also a few mundanes in the vast complex apart from the Demon Hunters. They were in charge of hygiene and cooking, but there was no sight of them to be seen as they stayed in the living quarters.

......

This empty sight was what greeted Li Hao when he returned. He watched the group train for a little bit before leaving alone. The warehouse required a visit. The young man wasn’t too familiar with the barracks, but he knew where the warehouse was.

A single story building appeared before long, one with a guard in front of it. The martial masters may have run off, but a few support supernaturals remained on duty. The Darkmoon at the door quickly called out, “Greetings, centurion!”

Li Hao looked at him briefly—this Darkmoon looked to be almost in his fifties and likely didn’t want to run around with the Guards anymore. Hence, he stayed.

“How many supernaturals are there in the base?” Li Hao inclined his head.

“Nine, including me!” answered the man. “Eight Darkmoons and one Sunflare. We are in charge of monitoring the outskirts, fixing any wear and tear to the barracks, and following the team out on missions if there is a need!”

The entire artificial forest was under the watchful eye of a surveillance system.

“I’ll meet everyone later. Now that the rest has gone, I am the acting ranking officer. I’m unfamiliar with you guys, so I’ve come to see you.”

“Congratulations, sir!” the man immediately belted.

“......” Li Hao grinned. As expected of someone with more years under his belt! You change your tune so quickly! “Open the warehouse doors.”

“You should have the key, sir...”

Is that so? Li Hao took out the storage ring that Golden Spear had given him and looked into it. The man appeared to have a certain degree of an organizing compulsion as everything was neatly categorized and laid out within the ring. Meanwhile, the young man had collected too many rings and stuffed them into jumbled messes. There were simply too many for him to organize.

A quick scan of the ring revealed the warehouse key. There it was, neatly labeled and captioned. It was impossible to miss.

Li Hao broke out into a grin. Had Golden Spear personally gone to this effort, or had the man set his disciples to the test? He put the matter to rest and took out the key to open the heavy warehouse door.

......

Through the door.

Everything inside was neatly arranged as well. First came the armory that stored all sorts of weapons. They looked to be in fine condition; their most eye-catching members were fifty complete sets of armor. Li Hao blinked at the sight.

He’d put down fifty suits of armor as collateral when he borrowed thirty mysterious power stones. Upon his return, he’d shut himself in seclusion and then sent off the others today. He’d completely forgotten the matter and knew that Golden Spear didn’t have enough equipment. The man only had five hundred sets of armor, so it was more than likely that he’d claimed Li Hao’s fifty.

But here they were, safe and sound. The young man sighed with appreciation. Golden Spear was a good man—on his end, Li Hao had forgotten to return the thirty stones!

While there was no use for the fifty sets now, Li Hao had the right to activate black armor. They might be useful in the days to come. He didn’t activate the ones that the Guards were using as they were one degree of separation removed. There also hadn’t been enough time for him to do so.

Now that he thought about it, when the expedition destroyed the Tenth Troop, they’d harvested nine hundred sets of armor. Part of the troop had died with their troop leader. Li Hao owned one hundred sets and the Silver Moon Guards roughly five hundred sets. The three great organizations owned one hundred each, but they didn’t make use of them in Silver Moon. Therefore, it was possible that they’d been transported to the central region.