Star Gate

Chapter 298: First Visit To White Moon City (III)

Li Hao furrowed his brows. He knew that he had a senior sister in White Moon City. She was in her thirties, but he wasn’t sure what her name was. Something... Hua? His teacher had mentioned it a few times, but always quickly changed the topic afterward. It was like he’d subconsciously mentioned it, then refused to speak anymore on it.

Hao Lianchuan knew why Hu Dingfang knew the Breathing Method of the Five Styles, didn’t he? Since the commander was still alive after gaining that knowledge... Was it out of lack of strength or another reason that Li Hao’s teacher didn’t kill him? Or perhaps he’d tacitly agreed to the commander retaining his knowledge, or maybe he felt there was no need to raise the topic.

Whatever it was, Li Hao nodded without asking further.

“Hu Dingfang is a good sapling from the military,” He Yong piped up. “But when it comes down to who is the most prestigious from the military in Silver Moon, that would be Commander Yu of the Silver Moon Division!”

The veteran martial master knew that Li Hao wouldn’t recognize the name, so he explained with a smile, “Commander Yu is an old general and has overseen the Silver Moon Division for thirty years. He was the commander-in-chief of the entire Silver Moon military when I left!

“He’s the one you need to keep an eye out for, if just for the fact that he was quite well known through Silver Moon’s martial world back in the day.”

“He’s part of the martial world?” Li Hao blinked.

“No, but he’s a martial master!” He Yong shook his head. “Your master dared to fight everyone and anyone when he rampaged through the land in his prime. After your master sparred with Commander Yu though, he completed a few missions for the military. We don’t know the results since neither of them spoke of it, but everyone guessed that he walked away owing a favor or that a brotherhood blossomed in the arena.

“There are reasons why someone might befriend your master after a fight. Or rather, there’s a reason why each person survives. Of course, he might not have dared to kill the commander as Commander Yu wasn’t an ordinary individual.

“We’re not too sure when it comes to that one’s strength. He doesn’t need to suppress the martial world through strength—the martial world and military steered clear of each other back in the day. But you can indeed pay more attention to him. We’re not certain if he’s a supernatural or martial master.”

Li Hao nodded.

“That one really keeps a low profile,” Wang Ming added. “But he does command a lot of respect. My grandpa usually mentions Commander Yu in a reverent tone. Out of the three divisions, only the Silver Moon Division has participated in war. The others aren’t as tested in the battlefield.”

“War?” Li Hao suddenly felt ill-informed again. “Why was there ever war?”

“Ah, you don’t know,” Wang Ming explained. “There was war roughly twenty years ago when a few provinces rebelled and wished to secede from dynastic rule. Since we were the closest, the Silver Moon Division received orders to march south—Commander Yu led his men in battle against the rebels. The dynasty’s army was yet to advance when Commander Yu defeated the allied army of three provinces. I don’t know what the particulars were, but there were only one hundred some thousand in the Silver Moon Division then, compared to five hundred thousand in the rebel army. It was incredible, he quelled the uprising with fewer numbers!”

“It also had something to do with the three great organizations,” He Yong added. “There were shadows of the three great organizations in that insurrection. They might’ve started the rebellion because they’d discovered clues of the supernatural domain, we’re still not sure why. It was better to keep a low profile then. But after that, people say that the three great organizations might’ve already formed then, discovered something important, fought over it, and that ultimately led to the three provinces rising up!

“The central region has some information on how Commander Yu defeated the mutiny despite being outnumbered, but it’s all classified. Based on what I know, he might’ve killed some of the organizations’ powerhouses. He’s the only one who knows the details.”

“......”

The two filled in the gaps in Li Hao’s knowledge. Wang Ming’s good intentions were clear, but who knew what ran through He Yong’s mind? Some of his information came from the royal family, but he freely revealed them to Li Hao without any concern.

The young man slowly came to know White Moon better—it was a hundred times more complicated than Silver City! A lot of people who he couldn’t afford to offend were here and the heart of the province was here.

Other than current heavyweights, there were also others who’d retired from the central region. In addition, some had family members that occupied important positions in other provinces. There were numerous similar instances, making them all personages that Li Hao could not afford to offend.

Hou Xiaochen wasn’t his father, and even if the man was, there were still existences that the sons and daughters of the powerful could not afford to upset. Hou Xiaochen was yet to rebel. So long as he didn’t do so, his status in Silver Moon wasn’t the highest.

Li Hao quickly committed everything to memory.

Wang Ming thought of something at the end and mentioned before they got into the car, “Oh, right! There’s also the Night Watchers themselves! Remember that Director Hou is the biggest inside the Night Watchers, but number two isn’t Director Hao, it’s the secretary, Manager Yu!”

“Manager Yu... the woman by Director Hou’s side?”

“Yep!”

Li Hao already knew that the woman was very, very strong! A Nova! He hadn’t been certain before, but knew after Red Hair died. “Is she Director Hou’s wife?”

“Nope.”

“But they look very close.” Li Hao found that odd.

“Who knows? Just don’t say anything about it,” Wang Ming chuckled. “Manager Yu’s been taking care of Director Hou all these years, so she’s pretty much fulfilling the role even if she’s not... Director Hou doesn’t personally get involved in most Night Watcher affairs, it’s usually the secretary giving the orders.”

“I would’ve quit a long time ago if I was Hao Lianchuan,” He Yong sneered. “A woman lording it over me, hah!”

Wang Ming completely ignored the man. “Third highest is Director Hao. He’s a nice guy and easy to talk to, everyone usually goes to him if they have an issue. They only go to Manager Yu if it’s something unresolvable.

“Manager Yu can be a very harsh person, but if she says she can take care of something, that usually means she can! Director Hao... agrees easily, but can only resolve half what he promises.”

Li Hao burst out laughing. Even he was starting to feel sorry for Hao Lianchuan. This was what his subordinates thought of him, which meant that his execution skills... truly were mediocre.

The motorcycles continued forward, not stopping when they passed by some people and towns. They raised a lot of attention, but no ulterior motives crossed the mind. He Yong looked wild and ferocious, who would dare run afoul of the hulk with the big beard?

......

White Moon City.

A massive headache throbbing at his temples, Hao Lianchuan wearily walked out of the provincial government headquarters. Someone walked toward him as soon as he emerged, a young man in his twenties wearing an Inspectorate uniform. Its colors were a bit brighter than Hao Lianchuan’s and the hems were gilded with gold. His hair was long and tinged with green.

Hao Lianchuan’s headache intensified when he saw the person approaching him. Someone from Night Watcher central headquarters!

The central region headquarters had sent five people this time. Other than their leader keeping to himself, the others could be found all throughout the city over the past two days. The one in front of him was a thorny character.

Yu Xiao, twenty-six, male, initial Solar!

There were almost no Solars of twenty-six years old in Silver Moon, but plenty in the central region. There were even Solars that were twenty years old, not to mention those six years older than that. In this era, six years made one of a different generation!

Headquarters would certainly send strong personnel on a mission to manage the affairs of the border regions, but this guy was the weakest out of their contingent! It was clear to see that the central region dquarters was taking this mission very seriously. One Nova, four Solars—and two of the other Solars were peak Solars.

“Director Hao!” Yu Xiao approached with a hypocritical smile. No one found it false when Li Hao smiled, but this one’s rang especially false to Hao Lianchuan.

“Special Agent Yu!” Hao Lianchuan smiled back at him. “Do you have business with the provincial government?”

“No.” Yu Xiao continued smiling falsely. “I’m here for Director Hao. It’s been three days since Director Hou entered closed door cultivation, is he still not done? Why don’t we go take a look? Headquarters sent us with healing medicines this time that are quite effective...”

“Ah... I’ll ask Manager Yu when I get back.” Hao Lianchuan didn’t want to pay attention to him, but couldn’t fob him off randomly either.

Yu Xiao nodded, not that concerned. “In addition, headquarters is very concerned with Yuan Shuo’s matter! We hear that his disciple is about to arrive in White Moon City, possibly in the next day or two. Apparently he’s of the bloodline of the legendary eight families...”

“Mmm, that is the case.” Hao Lianchuan inclined his head.

“Headquarters wishes to know if we can obtain the method to Summoner of Spirit... Of course, this can be discussed. We just want to meet this Li... Li Hao and ask him a few questions. He’s a Night Watcher, so it should be fine, right?”

“That... should be fine!” Hao Lianchuan frowned. “But the special agent should also know that the martial world has certain rules. This has to do with top secrets and cannot be shared...”

“He’s a Night Watcher, not of the martial world!” Yu Xiao chuckled lightly. “And what martial world? That was gone a long time ago! Director Hao, let’s leave those stories in its day and age. If it really was around, would a bumpkin of the martial world be able to join the Night Watchers?”

He was quite speechless at the fatty in front of him. The martial world? What year was it already? It’d been twenty years since the supernatural rose and the martial world was long gone. The Dominators of the central world were just gasping for breath. Even if Yuan Shuo made the crossover, he would just map to Solar.

Were Solars strong?

Were they rare?

Novas were even dying in the central region, to say nothing of Solars. He, Yu Xiao, was a Solar at twenty-six years old! He would be a mid Solar soon. Although Yuan Shuo had killed Sun Yifei, Yu Xiao didn’t think of himself as less than Sun Yifei. That old man had long fallen behind the times!