Star Gate

Chapter 133: Understanding Aura (I)

Several hundred meters directly across from his front yard was Qiao Peng’s residence. Qiao Feilong didn’t seem to live there. There was a ball of light in Qiao Peng’s house, one that was visible from several hundred meters away. Radiance akin to the full moon flooded Li Hao’s eyes. He could tell that this was the Plenilune that he’d seen at Qiao Mining Industries!

So that guy’s come here.

Was he here to surveil Li Hao? Who cared. He demonstrated only the strength of Slayer of Tens if he summoned the ringing of bones and meridians. No one would care as it didn’t pertain to the overall situation. In fact, there would be a problem if he wasn’t a Slayer—he would be too much of a trash talent that way and unfit to be Yuan Shuo’s disciple.

It was time to report to work. Li Hao quickly tidied up, showered, changed, and walked out of his complex.

......

Outside the garden.

Qiao Peng’s car was already parked at the door. It was the Plenilune driving today; he kept such a low profile it was as if he was invisible. The car window rolled down.

“Commissioner Inspector Li!” called out a beaming Qiao Peng. “I didn’t show you good hospitality yesterday and my father lectured me as well. I spent the night thinking about Liu Yan’s matter and realize there’s plenty of other fish in the sea. There’s no need to offend the commissioner inspector on account of one woman!

“If you’ll show me some face, I’d like to treat you tonight. I’ve got a table reserved at one of the best restaurants in town—it’s better to get rid of enmity than to keep it alive. I’d like to apologize to both Vice Captain Liu and Commissioner Inspector Li. How about it?”

Li Hao flicked a glance at him and irritably waved the man off. “Forget it, I have no interest in befriending young master Qiao. If I’m to befriend anyone, it should be Qiao Senior!”

He rode away on his bike, the meaning behind his words quite clear. Qiao Peng, you’re not worthy. I’d be willing to exchange a word or two if your old man was here.

Qiao Peng frowned, but quickly recovered his calm. He watched Li Hao leave before asking, “Uncle Chen, he’s a Slayer, right?”

“Yup,” the driver grunted and took a look as well. “He might’ve become a Slayer a few days ago. I sensed some hesitation in his practice this morning. Frequent interruptions means that he’s not too familiar with the boxing technique. It looks like Yuan Shuo has indeed skipped over Li Hao for his martial dao heritage.”

Li Hao had switched between breathing methods multiple times, causing stuttering in his routine. As a Plenilune, the driver could naturally sense the pauses. This was the hallmark of a rookie!

It was perfectly reasonable for Li Hao to struggle with the problem as he was a martial master newbie. Anyone familiar with the young man would know that he’d come in contact with only surface level trappings before this.

Qiao Peng chuckled, unsurprised by the response. “He became a deputy director thanks to Yuan Shuo’s influence—the Night Watchers were only taking action that most benefited them. A new Slayer like him, one that relied on mysterious power to reach his level of strength, leading some Darkmoons? I wonder what they really think.”

The driver didn’t answer.

“But the guy is diligent enough despite how cocky he is. He reports to work on time and clocks out when appropriate. He’s an interesting weirdo!”

As a Night Watcher deputy director, Li Hao still adhered to strict work hours and took a bike to the office... he really was a weirdo!

Of course, it might be because he’d yet to learn the lifestyle of this echelon of society, being newly promoted and all.

Qiao Peng lifted a hand as the young man disappeared into the distance. The car engine turned on and the vehicle headed for Qiao Mining Industries. He’d greeted Li Hao just to make it easier for a close look. There were now so many pairs of eyes on the young man that there was no need to get overly close. It was just as well that he didn’t want to go to dinner. All Li Hao did was scoff at Qiao Peng. While the latter could keep his head, he couldn’t help the resentment that brewed inside.

......

The former Law Enforcement building.

Li Hao reported to work on time, walking straight to Liu Yan’s office instead of his own. He hadn’t seen the vice captain last night; it was a rare sight to see her leave work early.

“Yo, is the sun rising from the west today?” Liu Yan laughed when she saw the young man. Li Hao voluntarily visiting her? What a rare sight this was!

Other than when he first reported for work at the law enforcement team, the guy hadn’t come to her office at all. What brought him here today?

“I’m here to see you, sis.” Li Hao grinned. “I haven’t seen you for an entire night—you’ve gotten prettier!”

“Pah!” Liu Yan spat at a confused Li Hao. The heck? I’m complimenting you. This is called a pleasantry, what are you getting mad for?

Liu Yan couldn’t help but curse with amusement when she noted his confusion, “What kinda crap is that? How am I prettier after a night? That’s not a compliment, that’s more like an insult! Big sis here is a widow and should be getting more gaunt by the day. Prettier after one night? Do you know what the problem with that is?”

Er... is there a problem with that? Whatever, there’s a problem if you say so.

“What reminded you of me today?” Liu Yan smiled winsomely and set the topic aside.

“I have a present!” Li Hao raised the box in his hand. “I visited Qiao Mining Industries yesterday and Qiao Feilong gave me ten cubes of mysterious power to give to you. It’s his apology.”

Liu Yan’s expression froze stiff! She glanced sharply at Li Hao.

“Sis, there’s no reason to turn it down!” The young man remained smiling faintly. “I’ll take it if you don’t want it.”

The woman furrowed her forehead and said faintly after a while, “You take it then!”

She was unhappy, but didn’t say anything. Some things were set in stone after they were accepted, yet certain things could not be accepted! What did the Qiaos imply with this gift?

It was blood money!

How could Li Hao accept it?? He knew the full story and she was the one to tell him all about it! Liu Yan was irate, but she forced her temper down. Ten cubes of mysterious power... since he’d taken them, then he could keep them.

Li Hao scuttled near Liu Yan and said softly, “I’m worried we won’t have a chance to accept presents in the future if we don’t do so now!”

The woman raised a brow. What was that supposed to mean?

“Sis, us Night Watchers are the government’s supernatural organization. We are a legitimate agency of authority. Is anyone allowed to pull a fast one over us? Is there no vengeance we do not pursue?” Li Hao needed to explain the details to Liu Long, but there was no need to do so with Liu Yan. All that needed to be said was one sentence—we take whatever vengeance we must!

“Don’t do anything brash!” Liu Yan hissed. “If we alarm Yama after already offending Red Moon...”

Li Hao laughed before she could finish. “Sis, you’re too far behind the times! What about Yama? You probably don’t know that some of the Night Watcher Heaven Favored in the central region offed Yama’s grandson! And took the organization’s most precious treasure! They’re beating each other to bits over there. That is the source of the war in the central region!”

Liu Yan and the others didn’t know because the flow of information was quite sluggish in fringe territory such as Silver Moon. There was no helping it, particularly as Silver City was on the border of this remote province. Being newly promoted, Liu Yan and the others weren’t even familiar with the Night Watcher situation in White Moon, to say nothing of the central region.

They only knew that it was a mess outside, but nothing about the specifics.

The vice captain’s expression shifted drastically and she looked at Li Hao with burgeoning excitement. “You mean... that the Night Watchers and Yama are already fighting each other?”

“That’s right!” Li Hao nodded emphatically. “What Wang Ming said to me should be true. He’s a highly prized genius among Night Watchers and a very important character in all of Silver Moon. Regular news won’t escape his notice.”

Wang Ming wasn’t part of the senior council, but he had potential. Upstairs wouldn’t hide this from him since they thought highly of him. He’d become a laughingstock if he ignorantly treated Yama as one of their own people.

The look in Liu Yan’s eyes deepened; she was becoming so agitated that she could barely contain herself. “So you mean... we’re... going to... move against Yama?”

Against the Qiaos?

“Indeed.” Li Hao inclined his head. “We haven’t fully decided yet, so don’t get too worked up, sis! So do you want the mysterious power? If not, I really will take it.”

“I want it!” Liu Yan answered promptly, obvious joy in her face. “You’re right, we may not have a chance to be presented with any in the future if this is true, so I want it!”

“Sis, did you finish absorbing all of the mysterious power you were distributed last time?” A merry Li Hao handed the storage box over.

She hadn’t received much, just twenty cubes. Liu Yan’s absorption speed should be faster after breaking through to Sunderer. Who knew if she finished her allotment?

“Pretty much, there’s just a few cubes left. What, are you done with yours? Surely not?! Liu Yan looked at the young man with surprise. Was he done with his? He was a Slayer who’d received thirty-two cubes. As fast as he could absorb energy, he wouldn’t do so everyday, would he?

Well, given how he’d used the energy on his last attempt, that could very well be possible. If that was the case, he was basically eating mysterious power.

One had to know that after joining the Night Watchers, Li Hao’s grade resulted in only one cube a month. That was a very large amount already—his salary wasn’t sufficient to feed him.

“No, I don’t lack mysterious power,” Li Hao laughed. “I’m just asking. It’s fine if you’ve finished it all, sis. If not, don’t hold back! We might have other sources soon and strength doesn’t come from being frugal!”

He was concerned that Liu Yan would use mysterious power sparingly and overly scrimp and save. If this operation succeeded, his agreement with the chief meant that his teacher wouldn’t demand too much mysterious power. In fact, there might not be any taken away the team. What Yuan Shuo wanted was the ruins.

Given Liu Long’s style, everyone on the team would receive mysterious power then.

“When do we do it?” Liu Yan asked after some thought.