Star Gate

July 19.

The downpour continued; another rainy day. It wasn’t as heavy as last night, however. Today, a fine drizzle added a refreshing trace to the summer heat. Everything that’d happened last night seemed to be a distant memory.

Of course, the citizenry didn’t actually forget about last night. The blazing sun that’d risen in the northern sky and its subsequent plunge and extinguishment were unforgettable.

No one knew what had happened.

They only knew that the city’s government still existed and that the Inspectorate conducted their usual rounds on this day. That was enough. The government was always dependable and trustworthy, particularly in troubled times. They had no one else to turn to other than the official authorities.

The big church in the city had already been razed. The area was off limits and a new forbidden zone. Not only that, but any place that a supernatural had died was taboo. Inspectors cordoned them off, forbidding entrance and egress.

The warehouse in the northern outskirts was most important of all! A premier existence beyond Sunflare laid there, dead by Yuan Shuo’s hands. Crisscrossed with ten thousand cuts, he was dead beyond a doubt.

……

Near the warehouse.

The structure was torn asunder after last night’s battle, revealing massive amounts of explosives buried underneath. There were also a few cannons hidden in the distance—more of Liu Long’s arrangements.

It was a pity that none of them had been brought into play. Of course, that was also a good thing as the situation might look different today if all contingencies were activated last night.

The surroundings teemed with people at where Divine Brokensky had fallen. Huang Yun, Wang Ming, Hu Hao, Li Meng…

Night Watcher powerhouses were all gathered together. Chubby Mu Sen was here as well; an injured Liu Long stood in the rain, his trench coat flapping around him as he waited for something.

A figure manifested in the air when the rain suddenly paused. A short-haired man appeared with a tired expression. He didn’t even have time to rest after traveling a long distance.

Huang Yun was the first to discover his presence and walked up with joy. “Director Hao’s come in person!” He hadn’t thought that this personage would come so swiftly! It was a fast trip even if the director had come from White Moon City. It looked like Silver City’s events were making the province’s Night Watchers stir with restlessness.

The short-haired man landed on the ground. Roughly forty years old and a moderate height of one hundred and seventy centimeters, he inclined a tired head at Huang Yun and smiled at Mu Sen. “Inspector General Mu!”

Mu Sen ranked highly as he was a chief commissioner, the true boss of Silver City’s law enforcement agency. He was one rank higher than Huang Yun.

Huang Yun’s official title was that of a commissioner inspector—the same as Liu Long’s. Night Watcher ranks were higher than their peers of the Inspectorate, so Huang Yun could be regarded as the same rank as Mu Sen.

“Director Hao is here quick, is everything in order at White Moon City?” Mu Sen nodded slightly.

“Everything is fine!” The director smiled faintly. “White Moon is impregnable, no one dares rashly cause trouble…”

He was simply responding with an empty pleasantry, but Mu Sen replied in a sarcastic tone, “Is that so? If White Moon is a mighty fortress, why did a Sunflare visit us last night? Have the little cities become less worthy than the big ones?”

“……” It took a few moments for the director to react. I just wanted to say that we haven’t had an easy time of things either. Why do the Night Watchers sound so heinous when the same words come from you?

“Inspector General Mu has misunderstood…”

Mu Sen didn’t care. “We’re used to it! A little city like us only has a few million residents, it doesn’t matter if we all die! But a place like White Moon City? You have thirty million! It’s a super city that would see too many deaths if anything happened! See, Silver City doesn’t even have a Night Watcher branch. Such is cold, harsh reality!”

Liu Long stood off to the side with his head lowered. His ears twitched and he murmured, “Silver City is so small that we barely have any supernaturals. Any that appear go to White Moon City, so we’re unable to create a branch!”

“That’s true!” Mu Sen chuckled. “The last inspector general was a strong talent! I heard that he made the crossover as a Sunderer and became a Sunflare. What a pity that he couldn’t make it back to us! The world is so vast and the outside so alluring. There’s nothing that can be done if he wishes to see it!”

Director Hao didn’t know what to say, so Huang Yun coughed quietly instead.

“Inspector General Mu, the situation is more dire than you think. There aren’t enough Night Watchers to go around and trouble constantly roils in the center region. We’ve redeployed some of our elites there, so we’re truly unable to fully take care of each of the thirty-two cities in Silver Moon.

“I gave up defending East Lake City to come here in secret. Thankfully nothing happened there, or I would be a sinner for the ages!”

Feel the emotion and guilt! See, didn’t I come even though I had a critical mission?

It was understandable that Silver City would have numerous complaints to lodge about White Moon City. Mu Sen spoke the truth, they didn’t even have a Night Watcher branch. The agency’s multiple offices in the province could be found in the major cities, such as White Moon. Branches were staffed by Starlight, Darkmoon, and even a Sunflare in some major cities.

Mu Sen snorted with laughter.

“The Demon Hunters of Silver City are stronger than some of our branches!” chuckled Director Hao. “One Liu Long measures up against several Darkmoon, and Inspector Mu Sen is also exceedingly powerful. As small as Silver City is, its defensive capabilities are high. We just didn’t anticipate that the other side would send so many experts!

“One Solar, one Sunflare, ten Darkmoon, one Sunderer, and nine Slayers… To be frank, other than White Moon City and Flare City, not a single one of the other thirty-two in the province could have stood up to this force!”

It was blatant flattery of Mu Sen and his men, but it wasn’t what the inspector general wanted.

“So this means that Director Hao also acknowledges Silver City’s strength?” He grinned.

The director halted awkwardly in his tracks.

“In that case, I recommend promoting the Demon Hunters as the Night Watcher branch of Silver City!” Mu Sen pressed on relentlessly. “Liu Long will be the chief commissioner of the branch!”

“Um…”

“Liu Long accomplished a deed of great valor and must be rewarded!” Mu Sen refused to give the director time to say anything. “While he isn’t supernatural, is that the only trait that matters to the Night Watchers? Do they not look at practical combat strength and achievements? If that is the case, then the agency is far too short-sighted!”

The inspector general chuckled. “If a promotion is in order, then this new branch needs to be equipped with at least ten Night Watchers! Either Starlight or Darkmoon are fine! I believe one hundred cubes of mysterious power a month is the basic standard for resources. However, Silver City teeters on the precipice, so I think the usual allotment does not work. We’ll need at least one thousand cubes a month!”

Director Hao’s jaw dropped, as did Huang Yun’s eyes bulge. Wang Ming and the others gaped with incomprehension. What was this?

“Other than that, we can go with whatever’s typically given to the other cities! Additionally, we killed a Solar and a Sunflare during this operation, so the Night Watchers need to dole out supplies and issue commendations according to individual contribution.

“Ah, Silver City suffered enormous losses, so it’s best if you send some aid, particularly ice crystals! We need large sums of them. It’d be best if we can encase the entire city with ice crystals!

“And supernatural weapons too, we need some of those!”

“……”

Silence!

The scene was dead silent from beginning to end. Director Hao stared at the inspector general for a very long time. “I’m only a deputy. I will relay your words to headquarters. I do not have the authority to make the decision in this!”

Stall for time first!

Fatty Mu Sen has gone crazy, hasn’t he?? Saying this as soon as he sees me… Does he think I’m immune to whatever message I deliver?!

“Then I take it that Director Hao has agreed!” Mu Sen responded blithely. “The Night Watchers have one principal and five deputies in Silver Moon. Since the director agrees, I’m sure the others won’t have any objections.”

Oh fuck you! The director almost spat out loud. When did I agree to anything? Those upstairs want to withdraw from Silver City and migrate the people elsewhere. If we establish a Night Watcher branch here, that means we will defend it to the last. He really didn’t dare promise anything.

It suddenly felt that he’d come at the worst possible time. He was sitting on pins and needles!

Damned fatty! The accursed fatty was… sublime when it came to inserting himself into every possible opportunity!

“I do not mean to put you in a difficult spot, director,” Mu Sen wasn’t done. “But we can’t afford to not establish a Silver City branch! Yuan Shuo has ascended to Dominator of Thousands and is a peak Dominator. He can also be regarded as a Solar after killing one of them. How can the home of a Solar lack a Night Watcher branch? That would dishearten him to no end!

“Silver City no longer seems as simple as before, what with the eight families and all. Just that alone is worthy of Night Watcher attention! In my view, not only does a branch need to be formed, but so is a Solar needed in residence! A dozen Sunflares wouldn’t be out of hand either…”

This was getting too ridiculous! But the fatty’s words did need to be taken into consideration. Director Hao contemplated for a moment before inclining his head. “I will pass this along, but I reiterate, I cannot make the decision!”

“Mmhmm!” Mu Sen ceased to put the director in a difficult spot. The man was a deputy, after all, so it was unrealistic to expect a snap decision. What was important was that everyone was on the same page.