Star Gate

Yuan Shuo was the driving force behind Li Hao’s martial dao enlightenment, so the young man developed with significant influence from the elderly professor. Yuan Shuo was equally ruthless when he fought! He wouldn’t have so many enemies otherwise.

“That’s enough of that, let’s interrogate these two first. Stop their bleeding, Yun Yao, don’t let them die. Though they might not know much since they’re minions, we might come across unexpected information!” Liu Long called out. It was difficult to question the two before they were restored to some modicum of good health.

Li Hao picked up the silk banner that’d fallen to the ground as they fought.

“What are you going to do with that?” Liu Yan asked.

“I’m going to hang it up!” Li Hao chuckled merrily. “Sis, this holds a lot of meaning as it’s my first silk banner! It’d be weird if I don’t display it since they openly brought it to me. I’ll go hang it up and say they took the back door!”

An instant hush descended over the team. Busy stemming Zhou He’s blood flow, the team doctor saw the man’s eyes widen. Yun Yao cursed inwardly when he almost choked on his next breath.

Animal! Li Hao’s a damned animal!

Hanging the silk banner at a time like this? She’d die from a fit of apoplexy if she was the man!

Li Hao neither knew nor cared to know. He scanned the banner with contentment, ever more satisfied the longer he looked at it.

“Benevolent and Compassionate—Gifted to Inspector Li Hao of the Inspectorate.” The characters grew more beautiful the more he gazed upon them. Well written! Indeed, he was benevolent and compassionate!

“Chief, Sis, I’m going to take this to Classified Affairs. I’ll bring it back when the transfer goes through.”

It was his first silk banner! How lovely it was, how could he bear to throw it away? He would hang it up in Classified Affairs first and then bring it to Law Enforcement!

“Have fun with the interrogation, I’m leaving!” Li Hao hummed a tune as he left with the banner, appearing the very picture of a rookie inspector receiving his first commendation from the general public. He brimmed with pride and joy!

Those in the basement looked wordlessly at each other.

“Everyone…” Wu Chao said slowly after a long pause. “Is that guy… a bit… perverted?”

Do you know where that banner comes from?? Do you realize what happened to those who brought it to you? Are you actually so thick-skinned as to take it back with you and display it for everyone to see??

The fuck?!

The team was both speechless and in awe of Li Hao’s mettle. How could the young man not be reminded of the blood he spilled when he looked at the red banner?

Liu Long opened and closed his mouth, concluding with a muffled “whatever!” after a while. What could he say? There was nothing to say!

After today’s battle, the team captain could tell that the rest of the team finally truly accepted Li Hao. He was no longer just bait, a disposable tool, or deadweight. Liu Long himself had shared the same opinions before.

This battle made them realize that the little guy wasn’t just a random bystander. If he survived the events to come, he would be more formidable than Liu Long in the future. Only now did the Demon Hunters treat him as one of them.

Of this, Li Hao most likely remained completely oblivious.

……

Li Hao set foot into Classified Affairs with a light step. What a beautiful day! His mood lightened when he saw Wang Ming.

“Good morning, Little Ming!”

Wang Ming was making a record of files on hand and stiffened when he heard the nickname. However, he quickly recovered.

“Hello Brother Hao, were you at the law enforcement team again?”

“Yep.” Li Hao waved the silk banner around. This was the pride and joy of a new inspector! Although he normally kept a low profile, even he couldn’t help but show off his mark of distinction. See! Look here! Someone’s given me a silk banner!

As expected, Wang Ming’s attention was caught. “A silk banner? For Brother Hao?”

“Yep, just a trifling matter. They were too polite and insisted on delivering a banner!” Li Hao answered casually and boomed heartily, “You’ll have your own one day, Little Ming!”

Their exchange caught other people’s attention and the rest of the department looked at Li Hao. Gossip ignited with a fury when they saw the banner; everyone wanted to know the particulars. The young man gave an honest recounting of doing nothing more than fixing a car for someone.

As for what happened to the people after they delivered the banner? Who cared?

……

It was a lively time at Classified Affairs for a while.

“Little Ming.” A thought occurred to Li Hao after he hung up the banner. “Didn’t you say you’d be late today? Have your family elders arrived?”

The guy had mentioned visiting elders at dinner yesterday.

“They have! I was late for an hour this morning—Brother Hao doesn’t know about it because you weren’t here.”

Li Hao nodded. They’re here! Night Watcher powerhouse or real elders?

“Why don’t we pay them a visit after work?” His lips stretched in a broad and simple smile. “We can let your family elders know that it will be smooth sailing for you since we’re looking after you.”

“That’s alright!” Wang Ming declined politely. “That elder is a bit eccentric and doesn’t like interacting with people.”

I see!

Definitely a Night Watcher, I can tell from his language too. He’d say dad or mom, not just elder. Li Hao dropped the subject. Asking too much would raise suspicion. Wang Ming, however, drew closer and lowered his voice.

“Brother Hao, it looks like it’s going to rain over the next two days. We happen to be off then—do you have any plans?”

It was the 16th today. Rain was forecasted for the 18th. Li Hao and his coworkers were scheduled for vacation on the 18th and 19th.

“Do you have any plans?” Li Hao asked curiously. “Do you have places in mind even though you’re new in town? How about you name where you want to go and I’ll see if I can make it?”

“Why don’t we go hiking?” Wang Ming replied eagerly. “People say there’s an impressive view at the top of Mt. Heavenly King on the city outskirts. Let’s go check it out!”

Hiking? The outskirts?

Li Hao thought for a bit while Chen Na scrunched her face up with disdain. “What fun is there in hiking? You’re out in the wilderness without any place to hide from the rain. Let’s go karaoke and grab food!”

“Sis Na, us guys don’t like karaoke,” Wang Ming laughed drily. “Hiking is training! There’s places to stay on the mountain so we can spend the night if we get tired. We can watch the sunrise. Maybe Mt. Heavenly King will be prettier in the rain!”

Chen Na very politely declined the offer. Forget it! She hated something as tiring and meaningless as hiking. Li Hao, on the other hand, made some swift judgment calls.

Did Wang Ming want him to go hiking to make it easier for the Night Watchers to find a suitable ambush spot? The mountain was sparsely occupied and there would be few visitors on a rainy day. It was an ideal spot for the Night Watchers to fight the scarlet shadow faction—there would be negligible impact on Silver City.

They were a government organization, after all. As numerous as their problems were, it didn’t change the fact that they were tasked to maintain order and were the greatest protective organization available to mundanes.

Therefore, both Night Watchers and Demon Hunters wished for the battle site to be in the outskirts, not inside the city. A fight between supernaturals could easily lead to widespread fatalities among mortals.

Mt. Heavenly King…

Li Hao thought it over. The Demon Hunters had picked a different spot that was also in the outskirts. Since the team relied on hot weapons, they required flat ground more suited for burying explosives.

“We’ll see!” He didn’t immediately turn the proposal down—he would ask Liu Long and the others first.

Wang Ming wanted to continue pushing, but had to set the topic aside when Li Hao bent his head down to work. He inwardly raced with anxiety—Li Hao could not remain in the city the entire time! He was obviously the next target and the Night Watchers had sent a significant personage for this operation. They highly valued the eight families of Silver City.

Wang Ming didn’t know much, just a few hints and shadows. Not many had cared about the eight families before, but recent happenings in the supernatural domain seemed to be linked with these unknown clans of Silver City.

Thus, important personnel from the Night Watchers had come to resolve the situation and to gain a better understanding of the sword of the Lis.

Wang Ming knew that Li Hao was working with the Demon Hunters. Perhaps he needs to follow their orders? In that case, it was up to that venerated one to decide on how to proceed.

……

A quiet morning passed in Classified Affairs. Li Hao’s silk banner was the subject of discussion for a while before everyone returned to their usual pursuits. Some people fell back into their usual banter while others brewed tea and read the paper. No one paid attention to Zhou He and his companion.

In their eyes, the two naturally left after delivering the banner. What would they stay for? A meal at the Inspectorate?

……

At the same time, outside the Inspectorate.

An old man casually plodded past the front gates. He shuffled toward a little black car parked on the street.

S 7219.

The old man carelessly glanced inside and shuffled away. There was no one inside and the car had been parked for a few hours!

He headed for a small alley. No one loitered in it since it was the middle of the work day. All was very quiet as the old man walked through it.

“They’re not there. There’s been no word from them after they went inside.”

An aloof male voice cracked through an earpiece hidden beneath white hair. “Come back to base first! Zhou He wouldn’t enter rashly. He’s gone missing after going inside and we’ve received no word from the Inspectorate. Either they’ve both deserted or they’ve been secretly captured. It’s very possible that the Demon Hunters are behind it if they’re in custody!”

Not the law enforcement team, or they’d receive some sort of notification.