Star Gate

Chapter 453: The Twelfth Troop Takes the Field (IV)

Since Golden Spear had stepped forward, Mu Sen could no longer play dead. “Director, I’ll head in with the boss!”

Hou Xiaochen considered the two—Mu Sen’s defenses were strong and Golden Spear’s offensive was domineering. They should be able to take care of themselves if they encountered danger.

“Go on, but be careful.” He gave his approval. “Don’t touch the Black Armors, just assess the situation. Watch and observe. There is something wrong about what’s happening!”

“Understood!” The two quickly walked into the outer city. Dark and gloomy, it appeared like a bloodthirsty mouth. It was a rather horrifying sight.

Hou Xiaochen remained frowning and looked at the inner city gates. He sighed softly, feeling quite helpless. Li Hao... are you guys behind this? Or are you just searching for treasure inside the city and aren’t involved?

He sank deep in thought while holding a key in his hand. As a guest with a key, could he avoid certain dangers if he refrained from raising a hand against the army? After a while, he slipped Manager Yu the key while he patted her shoulder.

“Hold on to it and don’t throw it away. You just need to remember to keep it in your hand!” The woman nodded without saying a word.

A group of people watched the wandering cultivators and others entered the outer city. Black Armor footsteps rang through the outer city. All was as if the last expedition. The street patrols continued.

......

Inside a teahouse.

Li Hao ducked inside. There was nothing in the establishment apart from some chairs and stools. He did see a couple mysterious power stones, but was not at liberty to touch them. How would a Silver Armor troop leader be tempted by this kind of meager gain? Not to mention, military regulations denoted that soldiers could not touch a single item of civilian belongings.

I, Li Hao, am a person who follows the rules!

The young man peered intently through the door slats and wanted to laugh at what he saw outside. A ball of light was right in front of him. This was fun! He could hide in the ancient houses and accurately determine the enemy’s location with his eyes. He was invincible!

I can see you guys!

In everyone’s understanding, the ancient houses were not to be entered. Thus, Li Hao cracked open the door, reached toward an unsuspecting Sunflare, dragged him in and broke his neck!

There was no hesitation whatsoever and no need to investigate the other’s identity. The official authorities hadn’t brought Sunflares on this expedition. Their weakest was Sunflare, so there was no need for the young man to observe further. Whether it was the wandering cultivators or the three great organizations, only the provincial delegation was off limits. Everyone else was fair game.

The Sunflare died as soon as he was hauled inside. He probably hadn’t thought that he would die as soon as he entered the outer city.

“New recruit He Yong, there’s a Solar outside your house. Strike and drag them in!” A voice sounded in He Yong’s mind as he observed from a house in the distance. He blinked and looked around him. Was Li Hao nearby? How did he know? That was strange!

He Yong didn’t have a clear read on the Solar as the target had gone through the second passageway. After supernaturals were concealed, they were difficult to detect even for Silver Armors. But now, Li Hao was accurately identifying him from a distance.

Since the young man had spoken, He Yong would act! He opened the front door, grabbed the first supernatural he saw, and blasted out with a punch!

The Solar died; He Yong vanished with the body and entered another house. When others came to investigate, there was nothing to be seen. They looked at each other, mystified. Where did the loud sound come from?

In between bouts of his own activity, Li Hao continued to observe the surroundings. He could at least see the neighboring streets and knew where his people were. If a target of appropriate strength approached, he quickly gave an order.

The ten Bronze Armors were on par with peak Sunflare. Added to that two soldiers that were secretly powerhouses and the peak Sunflare that was Li Hao... the outer city abruptly became the killing fields!

Sunflare after Sunflare disappeared. Li Hao found it more difficult to defeat Solars, but the other two had an extremely easy time. Six Solars disappeared in short order with none the wiser.

......

In the plaza.

Hou Xiaochen’s brows knitted tightly together. “Ole Kong, go inside and... find Golden Spear and Mu Sen,” he transmitted. “Tell them to get out!”

Kong Jie started. Me? Are you sure? There was no need for him to go inside unless abnormal danger was on the horizon. Golden Spear wasn’t weak as he was a Nova. No one would easily eliminate him.

“Ole Hou...”

“Go in!” Urgency made Hou Xiaochen’s tone snap. The situation had grown out of hand. Something was wrong! He could vaguely sense that some Solars had suddenly disappeared!

This wasn’t information from his supernatural senses as Solars who’d taken the second passageway had their presences mostly obscured. That was a good development, but also a drawback. If in prior instances, everyone would sense the disappearance of a Solar in the outer city. But now, to vanish from sight was to vanish from their senses. Everyone could conceal their presences, so no one knew if someone disappeared.

In that case, no one on the outside would be aware if a powerhouse died inside.

Hou Xiaochen looked at the young man from Red Moon—the one with the heavenly eye. That Heaven’s Eye seemed to have sensed something as he was looking at the outer city, but he was also frowning with resignation as he couldn’t see anything.

Kong Jie had no choice but to quickly enter the city. What is going on that requires my personal presence? After running into the gloom, his face twitched with shock when he saw a door open and a Black Armor drag a supernatural inside an ancient house. Both of them vanished before he had a chance to react!

“Retreat!” Li Hao’s voice rang in He Yong’s mind. “Get out of there! There seems to be a... powerhouse near you. It’s either Hou Xiaochen or Kong Jie, retreat!”

He Yong jerked with shock. Da fuck? You know even that? How was the kid making these discoveries? Was it further functionality of a silver armor? How he envied that level of armor! He hadn’t discovered Kong Jie at all—he wouldn’t have made a move if he had.

He Yong yanked the door open, it wasn’t good to be blocked in here. He quickly threaded through the streets and vanished in front of Kong Jie’s openmouthed gaze. Cold sweat beaded the latter’s forehead.

Nova! That was absolutely Nova level strength! Fucking hell, Black Armors were Novas?? What?! And they could conduct ambushes from ancient houses; the expedition team was done for! Most of the guys who’d entered the outer city this time would probably die.

Kong Jie didn’t have time to dwell on the strange Black Armor. He quickly went to find Golden Spear and Mu Sen so that they wouldn’t lose their lives here.

......

As Kong Jie departed, He Yong, Hong Yitang, Li Hao, and ten Bronze Armors struck swift and true.

“There’s Bronze Armors in the houses!” someone shrieked. That rather set those outside at ease.

Man, and here I was getting scared. There were Bronze Armors last time, so it looks like these soldiers are up to their old tricks. The Bronze Armors are strong, but that’s all there is to them. They don’t pose much of a threat to Solars!

Hearts that had been in throats could settle back down. Meanwhile, the outer city grew quiet. Some disturbances sounded every now and then when supernaturals fought Black Armors. Wandering cultivators ran out in great excitement, dragging suits of armor. The expedition team was still successful at times.

Smiles graced some of the powerhouses’ faces when they saw the sight. It looked like these wandering cultivators were still useful and the soldiers in the outer city would be eliminated in due course.

Therefore, those powerhouses stirred with desire. Some of the Solars and even Novas of the three great organizations looked at their leaders. Shall we go in too? Golden Spear, Mu Sen, and Kong Jie on the Night Watcher side had entered. They couldn’t be allowed to claim more treasure!

Green Moon looked at her counterparts; moments later, some Solars set out from the three great organizations. Obtaining more Black Armor was good for them too.

......

Li Hao and his men were scything their way through the enemy. They grabbed people, dragged them into the ancient houses, and quickly executed them! Being able to see the balls of light was of greatest help to the young man unless he faced a martial master. However, there weren’t many martial masters that were stronger than him in the expedition team.

A row of data appeared on Li Hao’s visor after he killed another Sunflare.

“Troop Leader Li Hao of the newly designated Twelfth Troop: 11 merits!

“Company Leader Hong Yitang of the First Company in the newly designated Twelfth Troop: 14 merits!

“Soldier He Yong of the First Company in the newly designated Twelfth Troop: 17 merits!”

These numbers had appeared several times—sometimes flashing after they killed one person, sometimes manifesting after they killed several. What did eleven merits mean?

Li Hao wasn’t sure, yet he could tell that He Yong was an excellent soldier. He had more merits than Hong Yitang!

The young man made some swift calculations. Three Sunflares might amount to one merit, one Solar might be one. He’d killed more than twenty Sunflare and three initial Solars, but he’d only collected eleven merits.

It looked like He Yong had killed quite a few, and some not through his directions. The guy would strike on his own after observing the situation. While he protested that this wasn’t the best course of action, he was more brutal than anyone in action!

Hong Yitang had also killed more than Li Hao. All of these people said one thing but meant another. As the young man thought, martial masters were nothing good. They were all horrible people!

I wonder what the elven merits are good for? A promotion? Or rewards? The armor infrastructure is really incredible, alright! Even deeds of merit are clearly calculated. They didn’t even need examination officers in the ancient civilization. Who designed this?? Damn they’re good!