Star Gate

“The eight families are of the same breath and branches,” the manager said calmly. “Battle Heaven is confirmed to be the ancient city of the Wangs among the eight families. Under normal circumstances, it is as difficult as ascending to the heavens if we wish to enter the inner city and take the origin weapon!

“But someone of the eight families can likely accomplish the task. The caveat is that you’re still alive before you attempt to retrieve the origin weapon.”

Li Hao frowned and said calmly after a long while, “It’s not undoable, but that it’s not a proportional trade-off between payment and gain! I’m developing talents for the Silver Moon Guards, not putting things in my own pocket. Hence, even if you give me a dao comprehension weapon, I’ll be using it on the Guards. But for that, I need to pay an extremely high price and possibly even my life...?

“It’s not out of the question. However, it’s not worthy of a dao comprehension weapon. If I help Director Hou with the origin weapon, then the debts incurred by me and my master for saving our lives will be annulled! I will still be part of the Silver Moon Guards, but just with the regular relationship of supervisor and subordinate, not as someone who had their life saved. Director Hou also once said that everything comes with a price!

“He doesn’t feel like he saved our lives. He had my master explore thirty ruins for him, but my master didn’t complete the task. Battle Heaven will count as me exploring on behalf of my master...”

“Alright, then your master’s debt will be paid off.” Manager Yu raised a brow. “And yours? Do you wish to use one expedition to pay off two people’s debts?”

She understood the director’s intentions, so if Li Hao said this was to pay off debt... then it was to pay off debt. When it came to martial masters, a favor owed was easy grounds for ordering them around. But Hou Xiaochen further understood that if this favor was the only tie holding the martial master to them, trouble would arise sooner or later. Some people could not be held with just favors alone. That meant the bond would end as soon as they paid off their debt.

“The ruins of Battle Heaven are far from ordinary,” Li Hao said solemnly. “They are also far more dangerous than usual. Even Novas run the risk of dying. Director Hao may know better than me and he may have investigated the ancient city before. He should be well aware of the risks within! Not to mention, the origin weapon of Battle Heaven is remarkable. I think it’s worth both mine and my master’s lives!”

“Are your lives worth so little?” chuckled Manager Yu. “The director thinks that your lives are so much more valuable than this treasure.”

“The director thinks too highly of us!” Li Hao said softly. “Not to mention, the director will be part of the expedition as well. If the director himself seizes the origin weapon, there won’t be any need for me. If he can’t, that means the danger is greater than we thought. So if I’m successful, it should be worth two lives!”

Manager Yu thought for a moment and nodded. “Very well! I agree on behalf of the director and will give you another dao comprehension weapon. But it can’t be used too many times—it will dissipate in roughly ten times if Sunderers draw upon it. It can be used by Summoners only three to five times.”

So it would appear that differences in strength made for different rates of consumption. If Sunderers could only study it ten times... It wouldn’t be an especially fine item.

“Very good!” Li Hao breathed out. This was an additional benefit!

It was not bad as well. The Sword Sect’s people needed to be met with more presents upon their admittance. It was just as well if some of their Sunderers could grasp the aura and become half step Dominators. As for Dominators, it would be an exercise in bolstering their auras. That would depend on their luck.

Comprehending and bolstering the aura was just a process. The question of whether or not one could set foot into Dominator was up to the accumulation and foundation of the individual martial master. Some martial masters could swiftly break through after sensing the aura.

The aura was their permit for passage. If one grasped the permit and still could not set foot into Dominator, that meant they weren’t worth much. Times were hardly as they were when in a martial world suppressed by Yuan Shuo’s will.

“Then that’s it for now, is there anything else?” Manager Yu was in a good mood. You can leave if there’s nothing else. She normally sent people on their way after a few words unless they were discussing business. This extended conversation with Li Hao was already an exception.

“One more thing!” Li Hao quickly brought up. “If I have Director Liu Long come here, I wish for the Night Watchers to send a Sunflare in return to Silver City. Can it be Senior Huang Yun? He’s a wind supernatural, so he can get away easily if he runs into trouble.”

“Hmm?”

Huang Yun? An initial Sunflare... He’d reaped some benefits from the ruins, so was now a mid Sunflare. This veteran Sunflare had remained at this cultivation level for many years.

A mid Sunflare...

If things were as if before, a supernatural of this caliber would never be sent to a minor Silver City. There were thirty-two cities in Silver Moon and Silver City was the smallest of them all. But now there was Liu Long in the city, a Dominator! It was absolutely fine to trade him for Huang Yun.

Manager Yu nodded. “That can be arranged!” It was a small matter for a Sunflare to hold down the fort in Silver City.

Li Hao had seen many Solars by now, but that didn’t mean they were truly everywhere. His horizons were just raised an infinite number of times. The Solars he were familiar with were the top echelon of Silver Moon, the powerhouses from the central region. His line of sight had swiftly climbed from a tiny Silver City to the peak of Silver Moon. In reality, supernaturals were still rare in the province and Sunflare remained the height of provincial strength.

“My deepest thanks!” Li Hao grinned at accomplishing his goals. He didn’t want to stay any longer, he had a team to build! The young man wasn’t so inclined before, but since he’d accepted the job, he had to get on it.

There was power in numbers, not to mention his own plans that he had in mind.

......

Li Hao set course for Hao Lianchuan’s office.

“Director, can we contact Silver City?”

“You want to talk to Liu Long?” Hao Lianchuan flicked a glance at him.

“Yes.”

“You can, but try not to mention anything classified. Although we have cross-city communicators, they’re easily intercepted...”

Li Hao didn’t ask how that was possible, he wasn’t interested. He wasn’t going to talk about anything classified, anyhow.

After Hao Lianchuan granted permission, he led the young man to an office on the fifth floor that was normally shut. There were people inside, but they rarely came out. There were some massive machines inside that Li Hao could not identify. They seemed to be antiques excavated from somewhere, or they might’ve been crafted in an antique style.

“Contact Mu Sen of Silver City!” Hao Lianchuan ordered and looked at Li Hao. “The Night Watchers of Silver City are newly established and haven’t had time to set up a communication system. Mu Sen has one, though.”

Li Hao nodded, watching the people around him swiftly get to work. Mu Sen’s portly face soon appeared on the big screen. Mu Sen and Mu Lin were very much alike! Mu Lin was even fatter, which cast Mu Sen in a skinnier light. The latter saw Hao Lianchuan as soon as he focused his gaze and beamed, “Director Hao!”

Li Hao looked at the machine instead of saying anything. It consumed mysterious power, making it a supernatural object. It was no ordinary electronic communications device.

“Have Liu Long come here, on the double! Li Hao has business with him!”

Mu Sen immediately ordered Communications to contact Liu Long. The man wouldn’t be too far away since the Night Watchers were next door at the law enforcement building. Liu Long was usually present in the office as well.

He strode into view less than three minutes later, wearing his usual trench coat. Liu Long greeted Hao Lianchuan when he saw the deputy director, then turned to Li Hao.

The young man ignored the others and said baldly, “Chief, I joined the Silver Moon Guards and now lead a hundred person team myself. I don’t have people on my team. If you don’t mind, bring the Demon Hunters here. There’s more opportunity in White Moon.”

Mu Sen was rather surprised by these words. Li Hao was building a team by himself? He was a Dominator? That was fast! Although startled, he found the situation easy to accept after thinking it over. Dominator was normal since Li Hao had been a half step away before. He’d simply gone through a fast rate of improvement.

It was just astonishing that an initial Dominator would be accepted so quickly to the point of building his own team! Meanwhile, Liu Long frowned.

“The Night Watchers will send Senior Huang Yun to take up residence in Silver City instead. I’ll have Wang Ming go as well if we really need it.”

Hao Lianchuan flicked a glance at Li Hao. Well well, you have quite the authority now, don’t you? Are Sunflares people you can order around?

Wang Ming was a true genius among Night Watchers—he’d sensed five supernatural locks. His path was not at an end, he’d simply just broken three locks at the moment. If all went well, he would eventually be a Nova.

Of course, potential was just potential. It was still up to his fortunes and luck as to whether he would actually succeed on his cultivation journey. However, Wang Ming’s transfer wasn’t something that Li Hao could decide—not unless Wang Ming himself wished the move. But was that possible?

Not likely, were Hao Lianchuan’s thoughts.

Liu Long thought for a moment before responding, “Is it everyone, or just me?”

“All martial masters can come and they should all come. As for Sis Yun Yao and the others, chief can ask what they want. But if they come, they can only join the Night Watchers or the Guards support system.

“Clouds surge and winds rise in White Moon City,” Li Hao concluded. “The opportunities may be greater here! You can be at ease about Silver City! Also, there are a lot of old seniors here—Earthturner Sword, Golden Spear, Yu Luocha, Southern Fist, the Heartjab Daughter...

“The martial world is back!” The young man grinned.

“Golden Spear?” Liu Long’s eyes widened. He had been one of the three premier martial masters of Silver Moon, alongside his father! So he was... still alive? Liu Long didn’t use the spear anymore, despite being Silver Spear’s son. However, his father’s reputation continued to deeply impact him. The Liu family spear had once been known throughout the lands!

Liu Long thought rapidly. If Li Hao wanted him to go, the lad must think that the current Silver City was no longer the center of disorder. The stone door ruin could also be set aside for now. Hence, he nodded after some thought. “Alright! I’ll pack up today and be at White Moon in three days. However, Huang Yun must be here within three.”

“No problem.” Li Hao grinned. “Senior Huang Yun can fly and he’s a wind supernatural. He’s very fast, one day is enough.”

Hao Lianchuan wanted to conspicuously roll his eyes! You talk like Huang Yun is one of your subordinates! It should be me saying these words.

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