Star Gate

Only if Li Hao killed the city’s senior executives would it not lead back to the mines. It might be better if the city’s entire senior leadership was shuffled. If things weren’t improved, at least they wouldn’t be any worse. This was the first place of its kind that Li Hao was encountering, but it definitely wouldn’t be the last.

He really couldn’t directly intervene for the lives of these countless people. There was nothing he could do.

……

A batch of people died soundlessly in a small city of the central region on this night. The fatty and accountant pointed them out one by one for Li Hao. He killed every single person involved in the evil. The strongest among them was at the Solar level, which meant that no one escaped from the young man.

When he left later that night, Li Hao also burned the fatty and fake accountant’s corpses. He continued down south. He would not know about the future fate of this city or the thousands of refugees on the mountain. For a moment, he experienced Hong Yitang’s struggles and difficulties. It was not hard to save a person, the difficulty came in helping them settle in and bring hope back to their lives again.

The difficulties further came in the form of thousands, tens of thousand, and hundreds of thousands of people that needed help. Ten thousand people were in trouble from a small city—how many would need help from one thousand cities?

The potential figure gave Li Hao heart palpitations. This dynasty seemed more like a cage, yet Hong Yitang had decided to be the savior of the times. It was a mind-boggling thought that made Li Hao shudder. It was too horrifying.

He admired Hong Yitang’s purpose, resolution, and boldness of vision, but felt that there was no hope of the man accomplishing his goal.

“There’s absolutely no chance! The larger problems can be extrapolated from the minor areas. Even though I’m seeing only a small portion of the picture, this is still part of the bustling central region. This is only a small city of one million strong! Ole Hong… should just stick to being a martial master,” Li Hao mumbled as he traveled elsewhere.

His master had the right idea! He traveled the world with a beauty by his side. Master’s right, my most pressing task is to seek out Red Moon for revenge. Hong Yitang can worry about his heroic mission. I’m just a minor martial master!

When he killed pirates a few days ago, he’d felt that he had the potential to be a savior. It was a job well done when he killed officials, slaughtered pirates, and threw those he rescued at the Sword Sect. But now… that budding thought was snuffed out.

Instead, fury rose in his heart. How could the central Inspectorate conduct itself this way?? I am of the Inspectorate as well, how can the senior levels of the Inspectorate permit this to happen?!

“Does the inspector general eat shit for food?! Why doesn’t he intervene in this? Our oath is to protect society’s security and safeguard the people’s peace. It’s become complete bullshit!” Li Hao grumbled a nonstop litany of complaints. He thought back to the oath he’d taken when he first joined the Inspectorate. He, and a group of others, had loudly proclaimed their oath with extremely high fervor.

“I think I’ll take a look at Skystar City!” He adjusted his bearing to the center-south. I’d like to see what kind of people are in charge of this dynasty. All of this is happening right beneath your noses, are you blind?! You instantly know of a battle in the east and immediately know of a supernatural death in Silver Moon. You’re not blind!

You sniff out new ruins faster than dogs and the entire world knows of a treasure one hour after it’s found. You’re so eager to build a useless bridge spanning one hundred and fifty kilometers of the sea. How can you turn a blind eye to a mining mountain that wants people to eat their own children?!

“Skystar City… wait for me!” Li Hao suddenly didn’t want to seek out Red Moon members anymore. He wanted to visit the place that was the richest, strongest, most vibrant in the world. The one with the highest population and greatest sum of powerhouses. Would it be dangerous?

It would be very dangerous!

But… so what?

His teacher had said to travel the world and take a look around, that it was a fascinating place. Indeed it was, it was so fascinating that he’d witnessed such a show as soon as he entered the central region.

Li Hao grinned. Then I’ll visit the most prosperous and fascinating place in this world!

……

At the same time.

Skystar City.

The Inspectorate.

“A small city in the Far Sea province—the city of Utmost Joy—saw the deaths of its inspector general, deputy general, captain of the law enforcement team, and vice captain of the law enforcement team in one night! Their report says that it might be the doing of a powerhouse that is at least a Solar.”

“Oh, I see. Have Far Sea put out an order for the culprit’s arrest!”

“Understood!”

The matter was over with a few simple words. No one mentioned it again. This matter was too small for the vast Inspectorate. It oversaw ninety-nine provinces and thousands of cities. The Inspectorate of a small city had lost its senior leadership. That could be taken care of locally, no one cared.

In an era like this, lives were utterly worthless. Someone like Mu Sen of Silver City might draw some attention from Silver Moon if he died in the city, but who in the distant Skystar City would care?

……

At the same time, in another locale.

“Do we have news of Li Hao’s whereabouts?” Hou Xiaochen paged through information and looked at Manager Yu.

“No.”

“That lad…” Hou Xiaochen frowned. “He’s just vanished without a trace, huh? Hong Yitang and the rest aren’t going back and apparently Yuan Shuo’s been traced coming for Jadelight Sword. But Li Hao’s gone missing!”

How ludicrous! The entire world had its eyes on Li Hao, but the young man had gone missing and no faction was able to track him down.

“He might’ve gone back to Silver Moon. He’s no fool and knows that it’s dangerous outside,” said Manager Yu.

“The kid disappeared near East Shore, has he possibly come to the central region?” Hou Xiaochen asked uncertainly.

Manager Yu broke out in a rare smile. “How could he! The central region is so dangerous and so many people want to kill him! He would be walking on thin ice even with the director here. I say this guy’s crafty as heck and won’t come here.”

“But he ran off to the east before, who would’ve believed that?” Hou Xiaochen laughed. “Forget it, so he’s disappeared. He won’t come to Skystar City even if he’s come to the central region. It’d be nice for him to take a spin around outside, witness the splendors of the region, and then go home. After being promoted to peacemaker commissioner, Ole Zhao and the others will probably have him take my spot. That’s just as well.”

Manager Yu didn’t say anything, but found the idea of Li Hao succeeding Hou Xiaochen to be… slightly uncomfortable. Of course, that had to do with Director General Zhao and the others. It was none of her business.

Not even Hou Xiaochen thought it possible that Li Hao would come to Skystar City. This was the heart of the dynasty! The nine ministries, royal family, aristocracies, divine mountains, and various factions were entangled in a complex web. A group of devilish Heaven Favored youngsters ran rampant and even he had to exercise prudence. Arrogance could only be flared under the auspices of the rules.

Countless people wanted to eat Li Hao. The young man would have an impossible time of things in the city. He had room to maneuver before, but now that the uses for his family’s sword were revealed and he’d killed Xu Qing, Hou Xiaochen felt that it was actually good the lad hadn’t come to the central region with him. Otherwise, the man would end up paying the price of his life while cleaning up after Li Hao.

Various thoughts rose in Hou Xiaochen’s mind as he rubbed his temples. Life was difficult here. He had to gingerly place down each foot—the waters of Skystar City were too deep. He lacked an opportunity to change the situation. Should he have those devils step way over the line?

But… was that doable? Would they dare?

……

The calendar ticked over to November as Li Hao traveled straight to Skystar City. He didn’t stop along the way; he didn’t do anything that a mundane wouldn’t do. He calmly walked past even when he saw more evils visited upon others or supernaturals committing crimes.

He didn’t kill anymore people. There were too many villains to exterminate in the world, the root cause was not here.

Where was it?

He didn’t know either. In Skystar City? Perhaps. His supernatural locks were slowly being saturated and his bridges of the five organs taking shape. The five auras were slowly receiving feedback from some of the locks and thus growing stronger as well. He continuously operated the breathing method, which worked in the background to strengthen the young man.

The roads in the central region were wide. Although they were a bit disorderly, the central region was mostly passable. He arrived at East Peak province after a few days. He would cross it to reach the Jade Sea province, then arrive at Skystar City.

The central belt of provinces around the capital city was an interesting notion. The four peaks were the outer perimeter and there were more provinces on the inside. Those provinces surrounded Skystar City. The largest inland sea surrounded Skystar City. Only after crossing the Skystar Sea did one reach the heart of the dynasty.

The Skystar Sea was a safe place. Being surrounded on all sides by powerhouses and situated in the central region, whoever dared sail its waters as a pirate was a true pirate. Though it was called a sea, it was more similar to Silver Moon’s Moon Sea.

It wasn’t too wide—quite dissimilar to the East Sea—and was one hundred and fifty kilometers at its widest. Although it was called a sea, it could be quite narrow. It was only two kilometers across at its narrowest.

etvolare’s Thoughts

Little does HXC know... heh.