Star Gate

When were supernaturals ever willing to have their movements restricted? Hence, Night Watcher management was quite lax. Other than emergency missions, all that Night Watchers needed to do was to complete their regular duties. Someone who clocked in and out like Li Hao was a very strange entity from the perspective of the Night Watcher system.

Fine then!

Li Hao didn’t say anything. Silver City Night Watchers were much more loyal to their duties. They were at the law enforcement building everyday; almost no one went home. Here in White Moon City, going home was the norm.

Hao Lianchuan and Li Hao swiftly reached the fifth floor. The sight that greeted them from the staircase was... truly modest. There were only a few offices on the entire floor, not much else. Li Hao peeked into the other offices when the two walked past them. Only one seemed occupied, the others were empty.

Hao Lianchuan’s office was located at the end of the floor. As the two proceeded down the hallway, the deputy director pointed upward. “Director Hou’s office is upstairs. He has an entire floor to himself and it’s much more luxurious than mine. It comes with a rest lounge, I don’t have that!”

Li Hao awkwardly lowered his voice, “There’s nine of us Silver City Night Watchers and we utilize an entire building!”

Man, I pity you! My office in Silver City has a rest lounge. Poor you, yours is really tiny, it’s smaller than my own!

“Space is at a premium in White Moon,” Hao Lianchuan chuckled. “We should cut down where we can as we’re not that flush with funding. Three thousand star coins will purchase one square meter in Silver City, and that’s for a high-end house. Add a zero to that in White Moon. It’s exactly ten times higher!”

Thirty thousand per square meter?

Li Hao thought for a bit and nodded in agreement. “That’s really expensive! No wonder our headquarters is so small.”

The average Silver City salary was a little over one thousand coins a month. They had to work three years to afford one square meter in White Moon. Even houses were beyond one’s financial ability these days!

Li Hao started making requests when he followed Hao Lianchuan into the man’s office. “Director Hao, I am a commissioner inspector in Silver City, but a low rank one. Logically speaking, I should get a promotion with my visit to White Moon, right? Will I become a high rank commissioner inspector or a chief commissioner?”

Hao Lianchuan was rather put out and walked to his desk without answering. He glanced at Li Hao and sighed after a long moment, “Are you pretending, or do you mean it?”

“What is there to pretend? Of course I mean it!” The young man grinned. Who wouldn’t want a promotion? What would he pretend for?

“To be honest, there aren’t many Night Watchers who care about their rank,” Hao Lianchuan said slowly.

“That’s because they know too little!” Li Hao replied brusquely. “Ranks are very important! The dynasty is still the dynasty and the nine ministries are still the nine ministries. So long as the dynasty and nine ministries still exist, the ranks that everyone thinks aren’t important are very important!

“The dynasty adheres to a strict hierarchy. If a commissioner inspector contradicts a chief commissioner, that’s insubordination. No matter how strong one is, it’s up to the chief commissioner to determine if the incident is important.

“In the same vein, I can kill an inspector with one punch if they show disrespect to me. After that, I can present a just and proper explanation to the relevant departments that the person was guilty of insubordination. Not only will I not be punished, but I’ll be recorded with a mark of merit!

“No one will have a reason to make trouble for me so long as the dynasty has yet to collapse and follows these rules. The caveat is, of course, that we still operate within this system!”

Hao Lianchuan laughed, a true laugh this time. He indicated for the young man to sit and nodded merrily. fre(e)novelkiss

“Good thinking! I have to say, you make a lot of sense. It’s just that everyone looks to the fist and strength these days.”

“That’s because we’re still in a stage of fighting and killing each other.” Li Hao grinned. “Everyone will naturally meld into the system when peace is upon us again.”

“You seriously have a fondness for bureaucracy...” Hao Lianchuan smiled happily. Li Hao was very interesting sometimes. “What do you want then?”

“Chief commissioner!” Li Hao said boldly. “There are two levels to this rank, the first is lower level like Director Liu Long and Senior Huang Yun. The other is higher level like you, deputy director. I just want the lower level one. That way, no one will rank higher than me in the entire Silver Moon Inspectorate system other than the six directors.”

Of the six directors, five were high level directors. Hou Xiaochen was an even higher rank. At his grade, he was called a peacemaker commissioner, often shortened to peacemaker. They were in charge of making peace within a province as well as bringing tranquility and comfort to its denizens. Someone of this level was a first level provincial official that was part of the central court. In Silver Moon, only the leaders of the four government organizations were of this level.

Hao Lianchuan looked at Li Hao. This kid obviously has quite a few thoughts running through his mind.

“It’s not impossible for you to be promoted to chief commissioner.” He smiled after a while. “Under normal circumstances, we require those of this level to be Dominators or Sunflares. Liu Long was an exception as he was the head of the Silver City security. How about you?”

“I think I can spar with the Sunflare level Wang Ming.” Li Hao smiled.

“Oh, you!” Hao Lianchuan chuckled. “Very well, I will write up a report for you. The director needs to sign off on this, I don’t have the authority.”

Ah, so Wang Ming was right. We can go to Hao Lianchuan if we have things that need taking care of. He’ll agree to almost everything, but won’t be able to actually accomplish it. He’ll shift everything to Hou Xiaochen when it comes down to it.

“You’ve guessed at some of Hu Dingfang’s matter, right?” Hao Lianchuan changed the topic.

“I have. My senior sister is his wife, correct?”

“Smart boy!” The deputy director nodded. “So what are you thinking? Your senior sister has made quite a name for herself in the Tiger Wings. Hu Dingfang listens to and relies heavily on her. She wants you to go to the Tiger Wings as she thinks you’ll be safer there.

“And to be honest, you will be, unless the Tiger Wings are eliminated,” Hao Lianchuan admitted. “But if you go there, you’ll be a pet bird. Your senior sister... To be honest, she doesn’t understand martial masters. She has very good potential, but she’s not a martial master in the true sense of the term. She doesn’t understand that martial masters are half crippled when they’re cocooned in a tame environment!

“Do you want to go?” the deputy director concluded with a solemn expression.

“No!” Li Hao shook his head. “Not to mention, my teacher never told me to seek out a senior sister. Hu Dingfang didn’t learn his breathing method from my teacher, which means that my senior sister privately taught it on her own. That is a clear violation of martial world rules! Teacher likely couldn’t bring himself to throw her out as he should’ve... so how can I go against my teacher’s will at this time?”

“You guessed it.” Hao Lianchuan rose to open the window. He exhaled slowly when a cool breeze brushed over their faces. “I’ll ask you one more time—do you wish to become a supernatural or remain a martial master? This will affect your arrangements to come.”

“A martial master!” Li Hao responded decisively. “My teacher is a Summoner of Spirit. I won’t consider the supernatural unless I become one too.”

“Very good!” Hao Lianchuan smiled. “It’s up to Director Hou as to what your exact arrangements will be. I can only tell you a little ahead of time that if you insist on continuing down the path of martial dao, you’ll probably end up in the Guards. Everyone in the Guards is a martial master!

“But we can set that aside for now. There’s also a lot of people who want to meet you. What do you say?”

“We can arrange for a meeting of martial masters.” Li Hao thought for a bit. “The half step Dominators or Dominators can be invited. There doesn’t need to be too many people. I’ll use my discretion in answering their questions, and it’s up to them whether they believe me or not.”

“Mmhmm, there’s also other people who wish to meet you apart from the martial masters...”

“From the provincial government or upstairs?”

“Upstairs.”

“It’s best not to offend those upstairs,” Li Hao thought for a bit. “They’re probably concerned with the eight families, but I’m not too familiar with the topic. We can meet, but someone should be with me. Let’s say... Manager Yu!”

“Not me?” Hao Lianchuan snorted with annoyance. “Why the secretary?”

Li Hao didn’t respond.

Because you’re too weak! If those upstairs want to see me, I don’t need to speculate what the results will be. I just need to know that Manager Yu will be a powerful Nova at critical moments, that’s all.

One had to possess sufficient support before erupting with all-out hostility. Hao Lianchuan... didn’t necessarily provide that support.

The deputy director himself thought for a moment and broke out laughing. “Li Hao, your mind works fast. I’d thought that you wouldn’t know how to handle these situations since it’s your first time, and you being in a new environment. It looks like you’ve thought of everything already.”

Li Hao nodded. Of course! Not to mention, he wasn’t too worried since there was Hou Xiaochen backing him up. Even if a faction wanted to take him, they had to consider the director’s reaction.

“Director Hao, when can I see Director Hou?” the young man asked.

“What are you in such a rush for?”

“I have matters to discuss with the director. Director Hao... may not be able to make the decision in this.”

Hao Lianchuan snorted with annoyance again. “Out with it, what can’t I make the decisions in?”

“A lot of stuff!” Li Hao answered mercilessly. “I don’t have that many requests for this trip to White Moon, nor do I have the right to ask for anything. But since I’ve been requested here, surely I’m not here just to go through the motions. And you also said that martial masters are not kept in captivity! Therefore, I have my own thoughts regarding this matter.

“Number one, I want the right to enforce the law,” he began calmly. “I wish to be able to implement the law on any supernatural or martial master outside the Night Watcher system. When I feel that I’m in danger or that the other is a threat to society, I have the right to execute them. I need the entire Night Watcher agency to shoulder the consequences for this, not just myself!”

The right of law enforcement!

Hao Lianchuan’s eyes darted around in thought.

“Number two, I desire immunity! Simply put, other than the Night Watchers, Directors Hou and Hao, there is no one who has the right to interfere with or punish me in the entire governmental system. I have the right to ignore any commands not from the two directors!

“Number three, I need the powers appropriate to a chief commissioner. Based on the rules of the Inspectorate and Night Watchers, I have the right to command all personnel within the nearby Inspectorates and Night Watcher branches in times of emergency. Any that are lower in rank or equivalent rank need to obey my commands during a temporary state of battle readiness!”

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