Demon Hunt!

Through the darkness, a vessel darted swiftly across the surface of the sea. It moved like a giant kun plunging into the ocean. In the distance, patches of light appeared. Li Hao gazed ahead, recognizing what was likely Flowing Cloud City, one of the three coastal cities. Further ahead lay Fenghai, and at the very end stood Nandu City. Nandu lay adjacent to the North Sea. Li Hao stepped out onto the bow, looking into the distance where brilliant lights shone. The southern cities of Silver Moon were indeed livelier at night than those in the north. From far away, he could even vaguely make out figures by the shore. Couples seemed to be strolling along the beach at night, staying out late, likely unaware that coastal cities faced the threat of pirate raids. Or perhaps they simply did not know. Moments later, someone else walked up to the bow. Liu Long looked completely normal, but Wang Ming appeared green around the gills, looking rather seasick. He stepped out of the cabin, looked toward the distant lights, and dry-heaved slightly. "Ugh, this is awful... We're moving fast, though. We've already reached Flowing Cloud City?" From White Moon City to Flowing Cloud City was several hundred li, yet it felt as if they had arrived in just a brief moment. This ship under their feet was truly swift. Li Hao said nothing. Liu Long transmitted through the armor's comms, "We saw a few merchant ships along the way. Even at night, merchant vessels are running. I used to think Silver Moon didn't have much maritime transport, but it seems quite prosperous." There were indeed ships out on the water. Li Hao had checked them—they were not pirates. Generally, such vessels had a supernatural or two guarding them just as a precaution, though against actual pirates, they would be utterly useless. Li Hao remained silent as the small ship cut rapidly through the waves, quickly leaving the lights behind. Wang Ming, though feeling dizzy, was growing slightly lightheaded with romantic notions. "Traveling through the dark really feels like those novels—riding the wind and cleaving the waves, piercing the darkness to protect the common people! Those folks probably have no idea someone is out on the sea in the dead of night safeguarding them, do they?" Liu Long laughed and transmitted, "Don't get too carried away. Be careful you don't run into pirates and end up too terrified to walk. Looking at you, you can barely stand." "It's just seasickness, a normal reaction! Once we meet the enemy, I might actually get pumped up." The two exchanged a few transmitted remarks, while Li Hao stayed silent, standing at the bow and gazing into the distance. Wang Ming's words had struck a chord in his heart. At that moment, he thought of the Battle Heaven Army. Advancing through the darkness, cleaving the wind and waves, defending Silver Moon... Was that what they were doing? Before setting out, he had felt no such sentiment. Yet seeing Flowing Cloud City ablaze with lights behind them, a faint, indescribable sense of pride naturally welled up. *Do you know that in this darkness, an army is patrolling to protect your path?* His sudden decision to set out to sea in the middle of the night had not been a mere whim. Over the past few days, thoughts and ideas had continually surfaced in his mind, influenced by the Battle Heaven Army and by people like Hong Yitang... Without realizing it, he had begun thinking about things he had never considered before. If pirates truly invaded the Moon Sea... would it impact Silver Moon? Better to take a look... If some blind pirates truly came, then when it was time to fight, they would fight. When such thoughts arose, leading him to take the initiative to march out to battle... Li Hao understood that he had ultimately been influenced. Call it naive or call it foolish, but the moment he led his team out to sea, he truly harbored the intention of annihilating the enemy beyond their borders. He made no deliberate effort to suppress it; going with the flow was enough. Facing the sea breeze as waves crashed, the vessel continued darting across the ocean at tremendous speed. *** In the blink of an eye, two hours slipped by. Another city came into view. It was bustling. The further south they went, the livelier it became. At the end of the Moon Sea lay the North Sea. To the Heavenly Star Dynasty, the North Sea belonged to the north, but to Silver Moon, it was the southern frontier. Entering the North Sea meant crossing into the border of the northern lands. "Fenghai City." Beside him, Wang Ming had recovered considerably and had plenty of knowledge to share. By now, quite a few people had gathered on the bow, coming out to get some fresh air and view the sea and city under the night sky. "Fenghai City is considered a major metropolis, with a population of over four million, and it's quite wealthy in the south... but it still can't compare to Nandu City! Nandu is the truly wealthy city of southern Silver Moon. Because it leads to the North Sea, its maritime trade is remarkably developed, and it serves as a natural harbor. Goods from the Central Region are first shipped to Nandu before being distributed across Silver Moon. "Nandu's population isn't enormous—over three million—yet the tax revenue it provides each year is second only to White Moon City, even surpassing Yaoguang City. It's a crucial economic lifeline for Silver Moon. "In Nandu... there's even a bit of the Central Region's atmosphere. All sorts of fun, novel things that you might not find in White Moon City are guaranteed to be in Nandu! I visited Nandu for fun several times in the past. It's not just people from Silver Moon there; folk from many northern cities and even from the Central Region gather in Nandu. It has the feel of an open port..." As a scion of a prominent family, Wang Ming was very familiar with these matters. "Nandu also has a Night Patroller branch of considerable strength, overseen by two Solar Flares, over a dozen Lunar Nethers, and thirty or forty Starlight Masters... In hindsight, that might not seem like much now, but strictly speaking, their garrison force is second only to White Moon and Yaoguang." Li Hao nodded slightly. Such strength might seem insignificant to them today, but one had to remember that before this, when the Silver City branch was established, having a single Thousand-Battler in Liu Long made it top-tier branch strength. Nandu was indeed treated with great importance. "Not only that, there is also a military garrison stationed there, not huge, but around three thousand men... to maintain order in Nandu. "This ship is absurdly fast. I suspect Director Hou and the others might have only just passed Nandu not long ago... Taking this sea route is actually faster for entering the North Sea, though overland transport along here isn't very convenient." Hou Xiaochen and his group likely had not taken this route, traveling by land instead, so they naturally would not pass through Nandu. From a geographic standpoint, however, crossing from Nandu through the entrance of the North Sea allowed one to cut straight into Beihai Province, which was closer than traveling by land. As he spoke, Wang Ming added with a look of anticipation, "Once we reach Nandu, if we still haven't found any sign of pirates... how about we go into Nandu for some fun? My treat! The food, drinks, and entertainment there... are all better than White Moon City's. And the atmosphere isn't stifling; it feels like a commercial capital, unlike White Moon City, which feels like a political and cultural center—far too serious..." Li Hao did not scold him. Instead, he smiled. "Is it really that fun?" "Of course! Commander, you haven't seen it: neon lights, wine, gorgeous women everywhere, money spent like dirt. There, if you have money, you can have whatever you want..." As Wang Ming spoke, he grew increasingly excited. "How about I take you around? The girls there are stunning, famous far and wide..." "Ahem!" Liu Long cleared his throat lightly, cutting Wang Ming off. He was getting out of line! This wasn't a private transmission; Wang Ming was practically grinning ear to ear, speaking directly aloud. Beside them, several people cast contemptuous looks his way. Hong Qing, for instance, and Liu Yan... though clad in black armor, their expressions were concealed. Wang Ming chuckled, unbothered, and continued, "Seriously, Commander, I meant after our patrol is over, we could go relax. Not right now! Why is everyone staring at me?" He wasn't neglecting his duties. "Shut up for now." Li Hao offered no further comment and glanced into the distance. As the small vessel raced ahead, merchant ships did indeed appear more frequent along this stretch of water. He could even faintly see lights; some merchant ships were brightly illuminated. Back toward White Moon City, there had been nothing of the sort. The small vessel steered clear of these ships. The further they went, the stronger the sense of prosperity became. It was already late at night, yet the distant lights seemed to grow brighter and brighter. Far off, a city stood like an eternal daylight metropolis, a novel sight to Li Hao. He had truly never witnessed such a nightscape. In Silver City, almost all lights were extinguished past ten at night. While White Moon City had lights, it was relatively solemn and lacked noisy clamor. Here, however, across a great distance, Li Hao's sharp hearing could faintly catch strains of music. Coming from a small town, Li Hao felt a bit like a country bumpkin. To be honest, when Wang Ming suggested going for some fun... ahem, he had felt a slight stir of temptation. But to preserve his image, he chose a silent refusal. There were so many people watching! Still, once their patrol reached the junction of the Moon Sea, if they saw nothing, venturing into the North Sea would be risky due to its vastness and the ease of getting lost. Resting in Nandu for a bit might not be a bad idea. As Li Hao pondered this, they drew closer to the city. Under the glow of lights, the city gradually revealed its outline. What a brilliantly illuminated city! That such a sleepless city existed on the northern border of Silver Moon surprised even Li Hao. On the distant beaches, even in the middle of the night, one could still see numerous lanterns, bonfires, and torches. There was even singing! Beside him, someone gave a cold snort. Li Hao turned to look and heard Hong Qing huff, "Everyone says the north is already in turmoil and Silver Moon is in danger of upheaval, yet these people are still singing and dancing in the dead of night. Truly, as the ancient poem says, the songstress knows not the grief of a ruined realm, still singing songs of a fallen court across the river." At these words, Wang Ming refused to back down and promptly retorted, "This is a commercial capital. The north hasn't fallen into chaos yet, and even if it does... Nandu is famous for its port commerce. If those songs and this image of peace and prosperity disappear, Nandu will be ruined. Do you know how much tax revenue Silver Moon would lose if Nandu falls apart? Nandu is a crucial port and serves as a vital transit corridor for supplies. Without Nandu's prosperity, out of Silver Moon's population of over a hundred million, at least thirty million people wouldn't have enough to eat... That's no exaggeration! "Silver Moon has always been poor, with few local specialties; Nandu practically sustains half the province... What do you know? As long as those songs continue, you should be secretly celebrating! If they truly stop... heh, then we're in massive trouble!" Both sides seemed to make sense. Li Hao felt a bit amused and glanced at Wang Ming. Was this fellow's defense truly because Nandu's songs symbolized Silver Moon's prosperity, or was he merely justifying himself because he enjoyed the lively scenery? Regardless, Wang Ming's words held truth. As Silver Moon's outermost southern port city, if Nandu showed signs of decline, the entire province would indeed suffer a severe blow. Hong Qing, who had been snorting in disdain, now looked somewhat dazed upon hearing this. *Really?* She didn't know much about such things. She had simply felt that this bustling scene seemed out of place with the news she had heard. Hearing Wang Ming's explanation, she couldn't help asking, "Can Nandu's prosperity really feed so many people?" "Would I lie about that?" Wang Ming scoffed. "Read more books and newspapers. The taxes here are heavy, and it's not just the people of Nandu making money through business; the annual tax revenue supports more than half of Silver Moon's official administrative apparatus. Our salaries depend on this! The Central Region hasn't provided support or allocated funds in recent years, so we have to be self-sufficient. This place also handles the transport of critical supplies, including grain from other northern provinces and the Central Region... "Silver Moon itself doesn't produce much grain. Winters are too cold, so it's not as fertile or suitable for cultivation as the south. Silver Moon still needs to import grain. Though the amount isn't enormous, this channel cannot be cut off. Beyond that, many necessities of our daily lives rely on this route for distribution across the province. Transporting everything overland would incur unaffordable costs in manpower and resources. Only maritime shipping saves massive amounts of effort and materials..." This scion of a prominent family gave everyone a quick lesson on Nandu's importance. Without Nandu, Silver Moon would be completely cut off, left to rely solely on meager handouts from neighboring Linjiang... and Linjiang occasionally imposed restrictions and sanctions on Silver Moon. Compared to Wang Ming, Hong Qing appeared rather lacking in worldly experience. Although her father was immensely powerful, Hong Yitang rarely discussed politics and had never trained her in such matters, leaving her somewhat ignorant. Li Hao was much the same. Once Wang Ming finished speaking, Hong Qing said somewhat embarrassedly, "So that's how it is. My mistake then... Yes, prosperity here is a good thing. The more prosperous, the better! The singing really sounds nice!" Wang Ming had been bracing himself for an argument... but seeing her admit her mistake immediately, he was taken aback. He said with a strange look, "You... why aren't you like other people?" "What do you mean?" Hong Qing asked, puzzled. Wang Ming shook his head helplessly. "My friends, even when they know they're in the wrong, would argue with me for three days and three nights, stubbornly refusing to yield or admit defeat, finding every possible angle to nitpick. You... are really bizarre." How could the daughter of the Earth-Overturning Sword have such a personality? Of course, Wang Ming did not know just how formidable the Earth-Overturning Sword truly was. He only knew that Hong Yitang was a Three Suns cultivator, and an early-stage one at that... Had Wang Ming not deliberately built a deeper foundation, he might well have reached early Three Suns himself, so he naturally felt little awe. If he knew how terrifying the Earth-Overturning Sword actually was, he would probably be flattering Hong Qing instead of talking like this. Hong Qing looked at him strangely. "You explained it so clearly. Why would I argue?" "..." Since what he said made sense, she saw no reason to argue. Yet this guy seemed to have been hoping she would dispute him so they could have a shouting match. He was truly sick in the head. Wang Ming was at a loss for words. By this point, the small boat had drawn close to Nandu's port. However, Li Hao did not steer too close, merely guiding the vessel toward the beach, listening to the waves of clamor drifting from the shore. Truly lively! With his keen eyesight, Li Hao could see people eating barbecue and drinking wine. In the dead of night, it was actually quite chilly, even colder on the beach, yet those people seemed completely impervious to the cold. He could even faintly make out long-legged women... Li Hao looked over several times, and the boat's speed slowed slightly. On the bow, a group of country bumpkins stared wide-eyed with curiosity, gazing in that direction. Wang Ming was an experienced man about town, but apart from him, almost none of the others had ever traveled far from home. White Moon City was prosperous, but for the members from the Inspectorate, that prosperity had little to do with them, as they lacked the funds to indulge. At this moment, every one of them was watching with keen interest. Over the comms channel, someone transmitted, "Commander, this place is great. When we come back, how about we spend a day here?" "We don't have money, Commander. Could we get an advance on our pay?" "..." Once someone spoke up, other voices quickly chimed in on the open channel. Clearly, this bunch of bumpkins was captivated. Soon, another person said, "I won't go, but if we can get an advance, I want one too. Things must be expensive here, but if I save a bit, I can buy plenty of items to send back home..." This was definitely someone from Sword Gate. Hong Qing's voice sounded over the channel as well: "A little spending is fine; it supports Silver Moon's tax revenue! Sword Gate isn't that short on money right now anyway. My dad is a Three Suns; if he takes on a job, he earns even more. Since it's everyone's first time earning a salary... a little indulgence is fine!" "..." Li Hao listened speechlessly. *Old Hong, do you have any idea your daughter is practically ready to sell you out?* *A Three Suns doing odd jobs to earn cash... If word got out, people would die of laughter.* Clearly, even she had been somewhat drawn in by the bustling atmosphere. The group was so absorbed that they barely noticed the vessel slowing down. Right at that moment, Li Hao glanced into the distance. A boat was speeding toward them rapidly. It carried no grand aura, only a faint, small cluster of light, seemingly from a water-element supernatural—not particularly strong, around the early Lunar Nether level. Even from far away, Li Hao spotted something unusual... The person appeared stained with blood. A pirate? It didn't look like it. Puzzled, he pondered for a moment before steering the boat swiftly in that direction. In the blink of an eye, they drew close. Only then could he clearly see the man's face and the panic written across it. This was a water-element supernatural, frantically driving his small boat in flight. At first, he hadn't noticed Li Hao and the others. When the distance between them closed to just over a hundred meters, the man finally spotted their vessel... The next instant, his eyes lit up with intense brilliance, and he yelled frantically, "Are you the Martial Guard Army?" He seemed to recognize the ship. Before Li Hao could speak, the man shouted, "Didn't the Martial Guard Army leave? Thank heavens you haven't... Disaster! Pirates are attacking ahead! A town on the Linjiang side was slaughtered, and they're advancing toward us! The merchant ship I was on was completely destroyed by them. It looks like the White Shark Pirates... I was heading to Nandu to deliver the warning! Thank goodness you're here..." He had been terrified, but seeing this vessel brought him immense relief. Li Hao stepped on empty air, flying out swiftly to grab the man by the collar. Seeing Li Hao clad in armor, the man showed no fear, feeling even more reassured. "Pirates?" After Li Hao tossed him onto the bow, the man saw numerous figures in black armor and grew even more relieved. He rushed out, "Yes, pirates! The White Shark Pirates! Over in Linjiang, a town was slaughtered, tens of thousands dead... There are a lot of pirates! I took a look from afar; there are at least five or six hundred of them, all supernaturals, with powerful experts leading them! I saw the shark banner, the symbol of their leader's presence on the ship!" The man trembled with lingering terror. "Our merchant ship wasn't as fast as theirs. They caught up and smashed it to pieces. Luckily, I'm a water-element supernatural, so I dove into the water and escaped with my life. I rushed back to report the news, never expecting to run into the Martial Guard Army... Fantastic!" The man was a mixture of terror and delight. But on the vessel, the atmosphere instantly froze. Five to six hundred supernaturals! So many! The White Shark Pirates! Meanwhile, the man's initial joy gave way to doubt as he looked around. "Rumors outside said the Martial Guard Army had withdrawn from Silver Moon, accompanying Director Hou to the Central Region and that you might already be at the North Sea by now. You..." He scanned the deck and noticed few people, his heart sinking. *Just this many?* Whenever the Martial Guard Army deployed, they moved en masse, numbering over a thousand. His earlier joy had stemmed from the belief that over a thousand Martial Guard soldiers could easily handle pirates. Yet... how many were here? To many, the Martial Guard Army was a secret. To merchants operating maritime routes, however, it was not, as the Martial Guard Army possessed considerable fame on the seas. "General, are... are you really the Martial Guard Army?" "Yes, the Martial Guard Army's Demon Hunt Corps!" Li Hao replied in a heavy voice. "Are you certain they are the White Shark Pirates?" "Yes... Didn't you leave with Director Hou?" "No, we are the force left behind to guard the province." Li Hao gazed into the distance, frowning slightly. He had merely intended to encounter some minor pirate crew, yet right off the bat, he had run into the White Shark Pirates, one of the eight major pirate fleets, boasting five to six hundred supernaturals with a commander personally leading them... This was troublesome. "How many... how many men do you have?" "Just what you see." "We're finished!" The man panicked completely. "Leave! Quick, flee! Warn Nandu to call for reinforcements immediately! Otherwise... Nandu is doomed! I suspect they've come for revenge. Two years ago, the Martial Guard Army crushed the White Shark Pirates' Third Commander, making a name for themselves. The pirate lords gave the Martial Guard Army face and didn't dare cause trouble in Silver Moon. Now that the White Shark Pirates are heading this way, they must be taking advantage of the Martial Guard Army's departure to seek revenge on Silver Moon! "Any later and it'll be too late! Those bastards have no humanity! Once they enter Nandu, it will be a bloodbath..." Having only these few men shattered the man's earlier relief, leaving only terror and despair. *Run!* Five to six hundred supernaturals was ten times their numbers. Li Hao fell into deep thought. After a moment, he asked, "What is their strength?" "What?" "I'm asking, do they have many Three Suns and Rising Light experts?" "That..." "If they keep moving, roughly how long until they reach Nandu?" "Within three hours, guaranteed. They aren't moving particularly fast, taking their time, and some pirates are even indulging in revelry... I pushed myself to the limit to rush back. At most three hours, possibly faster." "In three hours, can Nandu be evacuated?" "That... absolutely impossible!" The man was an experienced hand and shook his head immediately. "Still, evacuating as many as possible is better than nothing. Three hours... with proper command, more than half the population could be evacuated. Otherwise, even though they only have several hundred men, all of them are powerful supernaturals. The city garrison has only three thousand troops; even if fully mobilized, they can't hold out for long. With top experts present, thermal weapons become utterly useless..." Li Hao exhaled. "Three hours... five to six hundred supernaturals. You're an old hand at sea, right?" "General, I..." "Answer me!" "Yes!" "Based on your experience, among those five or six hundred, would there be more than ten Three Suns? Would there be more than three Rising Light experts?" "No!" The man shook his head hurriedly. "It's only one branch of the White Shark Pirates; how could there be so many experts? According to our experience, these five or six hundred are likely under one of the White Shark Pirates' three commanders, most probably the pirate Sea Shark. He holds a grudge against the Martial Guard Army; two years ago, he was the one who led his men into the Moon Sea, only to be driven back by the Martial Guard Army. If it's him, he's the cruelest of the lot. But under his command, there are probably three to five Three Suns, several dozen Solar Flares, and the rest are below Solar Flare..." Li Hao let out a breath. That was manageable. "Is he the only Rising Light?" "Most likely... though I can't guarantee it. General, you... you all..." Li Hao pondered for a moment before speaking. "Nandu is a crucial port; it cannot be lightly alarmed. Evacuating is easy, but rebuilding is hard! When you go ashore shortly, find... never mind..." Li Hao looked at Wang Ming. "Accompany him to Nandu. Inform the Night Patrollers branch here, tell them... send word to White Moon City, and you... find Inspectorate Director Kong and have him come to Nandu!" Wang Ming said urgently, "Me?" "Yes. You know this place, your status is high enough, and your strength suffices." Li Hao looked into the distance and smiled. "Just when we were getting drowsy, someone handed us a pillow... I'm going to meet them!" Wang Ming panicked. "Those are White Shark pirates! There's a Rising Light expert..." "I know. It's just a single Rising Light!" Li Hao chuckled and took out a token. "Take my token. If they doubt you... discipline them as needed! First, impose martial law along the coast to prevent issues. Inform Director Kong to come over. If he doesn't... notify the entire city. If I send word, lead an immediate evacuation. Within a thousand li, we can stay in touch." Wang Ming wanted to refuse, but thinking carefully, aside from himself, perhaps only Liu Long could handle it. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Fine, I'll go! Be careful. If things look bad, retreat! Don't be reckless—we only have several dozen men..." Li Hao said nothing more. He placed Wang Ming and the water-element supernatural onto the other small boat. The next instant, the Giant Kun Divine Vessel shot forth like an arrow released from a bow. On the water, the water-element supernatural watched the ship speed away, feeling uneasy. "General, just now... who were they?" Wang Ming glanced in that direction, his mood sour, and muttered grimly, "The Demon Hunt Corps! You'll know soon enough. With the Demon Hunt Corps around, no danger is truly a danger. What are you panicking for? When we enter the city, wipe that look off your face. It's fine. The White Shark Pirates... what do they amount to?" Seeing him grit his teeth as he spoke, the man dared not ask further, though curiosity still lingered in his mind. *The Demon Hunt Corps?* He didn't know much about the Martial Guard Army either. What was this Demon Hunt Corps? Yet seeing that small detachment of Martial Guard troops charge forward despite knowing the mortal peril, a flicker of excitement and apprehension stirred within him. "General, will they be all right?" "They'll be fine!" Wang Ming snapped irritably. "Hurry up and enter the city! Stop dawdling!" He wasn't a water-element cultivator, so he couldn't display much speed on the water. The water-element supernatural dared not speak again, pushing the boat forward at full speed. Before long, they reached the shore. Wang Ming had originally intended to head straight to the Night Patroller branch upon landing. But seeing the surrounding beach teeming with people, his aura suddenly erupted. His black armor retracted into his storage ring. Amid the supernatural's apprehension and the ensuing commotion around them, Wang Ming revealed his true face. He let out a cold snort. "Tourists around here, it's the middle of the night! Why haven't you gone back? Are you waiting to die? Clear out, all of you! I'm booking all the nearby vendors! Tonight, I'm hosting distinguished guests; this stretch of beach is closed to everyone else!" "On what grounds?" "Exactly!" "Think you're special just because you're a supernatural?" "..." Dissatisfaction erupted, and some yelled, "This is Nandu! Where did this punk come from? So what if you have powers?" In a flash, several supernatural auras appeared in the distance. Moments later, a squad of supernaturals arrived, eyeing Wang Ming warily. Someone shouted, "Good, the Night Patrollers are here! This punk is way too arrogant, causing trouble here! Arrest him quickly..." The Night Patrollers seemed to find Wang Ming somewhat familiar, but intimidated by his powerful aura, they hesitated. Moments later, a Solar Flare expert rapidly approached. As the man landed, Wang Ming didn't bother wasting words, tossing over a token. "Take me to the branch. Also, enforce martial law here. I am entertaining guests!" The newcomer was one of the two Solar Flares stationed here. Catching the token, he froze, looking at Wang Ming before blurting out, "Is it... Deputy... Deputy Director Li?" Li Hao! The order had only been handed down during the day, yet he had arrived in Nandu by nightfall? "Shut up!" Wang Ming transmitted. "Classified mission! Cut the chatter. Move quickly—have your men clear the coastline and shut down the port. Tell them young master Wang is hosting a banquet tonight..." *Wang Ming!* The Solar Flare recognized him now. His heart skipped a beat. Shutting down the port was no small matter. Yet he dared not raise objections. This was the deputy director's token. Even though Li Hao had only recently taken office, no one dared underestimate him; he was an expert who had slain six Three Suns in a single battle. The Solar Flare quickly made arrangements, and before long, several Night Patrollers went into action. The singing along the shore quickly died down. Some who had been waiting to watch the show saw the Night Patrollers stepping in personally... Though disgruntled and annoyed, they had no choice but to leave in a hurry. Unlucky! It seemed they had run into some big shot. How bored did someone have to be to come out here for a late-night snack in the middle of the night? Truly ridiculous! Yet in this day and age, in the eyes of ordinary folk, big shots throwing their weight around was hardly intolerable. The Heavenly Star Dynasty currently had immense tolerance for the misdeeds of high-ranking figures. It was just a late-night meal, not murder or arson. No matter how dissatisfied they were, they could only swallow their anger. Before long, the beach near the harbor fell completely silent. By this time, Wang Ming had briefed the Solar Flare on a few details. The Solar Flare turned pale. *The White Shark Pirates!* Deputy Director Li had taken his handful of greenhorn Martial Guard recruits to face the White Shark Pirates! The potential fallout was simply unimaginable. Terror and anxiety overwhelmed him instantly, and he couldn't help transmitting, "Wang Ming, why didn't you stop him... Even if we evacuate Nandu... how could you let Deputy Director Li and the others risk their lives against ten times their numbers!" Madness! This was sending them to their deaths! There was even a Rising Light among the enemy. "If Nandu... is evacuated, the losses will be catastrophic." Wang Ming felt stifled. He knew this might be related to what he had said earlier—exaggerating that Nandu fed tens of millions of people. Li Hao's decision to fight now had likely been influenced by that. It was all because of his big mouth! He felt deep regret; he shouldn't have run his mouth so carelessly. Otherwise, had Nandu not seemed so critical, perhaps Li Hao wouldn't have taken such a gamble. Even if he were willing, he wouldn't have risked the lives of several dozen martial masters. Five to six hundred supernaturals... including Rising Light and Three Suns experts. It was far too dangerous. Wang Ming felt anxious and full of remorse. He could never speak so recklessly again. If anything went wrong this time... it would all be because of his loose lips. "Hurry, to the branch! Contact Director Kong immediately..." Without another word, he quickened his pace and rushed forward. At this moment, he still had no idea Li Hao had already killed a Rising Light; the only person who knew was Liu Long. *** Meanwhile, Li Hao pushed the vessel's speed to the limit. The ship shot across the water toward the distance. Standing at the bow, Li Hao spoke over the internal comms: "Everyone, stay sharp! There's nothing to fear. I'll take care of the Rising Light; the Three Suns... leave them to Commander Liu! Form the Ten-Ring Mountain Sealing Formation—the time has come to test what you've learned. Furthermore, this is only one fleet, not the entirety of their forces... We must remain cautious so as not to draw in more pirates." Li Hao took a deep breath. "Once we rout the enemy and wipe them out, I'll treat everyone to a day of fun and relaxation in Nandu. My treat!" "Commander is mighty!" Someone cheered over the comms, seemingly fearless. An enemy ten times their size? So what? If the commander wasn't afraid, what did they have to fear? As long as the Three Suns and Rising Light were held at bay, with their black armor, Solar Flares could hardly breach their defense. What was there to be scared of? Li Hao patted Black Panther beside him and said in a low voice, "If there's only one Rising Light, you don't need to get involved. Go scout the surroundings. Can you swim? I'm worried another commander might be around... That would be real trouble." "Woof, woof!" Black Panther nodded as if understanding. Li Hao wasn't overly concerned about ambushes; he could see supernatural auras. What he feared was the presence of powerful martial masters nearby. Liu Long glanced at Li Hao. An enemy ten times their size... and Li Hao had chosen to fight. There were still two or three hours before the enemy would reach Nandu. If they waited, perhaps... they could wait until Kong Jie arrived. An expert of that caliber moved very quickly. At the very least, they could have evacuated Nandu's population. Yet Li Hao had chosen the lowest-profile approach, even having Wang Ming avoid alarming the people of Nandu. At that moment, Liu Long felt mixed emotions. Looking at Li Hao, he wondered: had this lone traveler, who always claimed he wouldn't care about such things, begun to consider others? The Battle Heaven Army, Hong Yitang, and Liu Long himself all seemed to have continuously influenced this willful wanderer... Was that truly a good thing? For a moment, Liu Long didn't know what to say. Suddenly, he spoke aloud: "Advancing through the darkness, guarding in the darkness... Defend justice, slay the demons!" *Slay the demons!* In the squad, Liu Yan and the other veterans were slightly taken aback. Their captain hadn't uttered those words in a long time. Today... what had gotten into him? Though puzzled, the veteran members chimed in one after another the next moment: "Defend justice, enact righteous deeds, slay the demons!" In that instant, a surge of excitement washed over them. Weren't they... defending that very justice right now? Others in the Demon Hunt Corps who had never heard these words before felt a momentary daze. *Justice...* The next second, excitement gripped them as well. Were they... the side of justice? "Defend justice, enact righteous deeds, slay the demons!" The group suddenly roared across the comms channel. After shouting, they felt invigorated! Li Hao remained silent. *Justice?* *What is justice?* *I don't know.* *Am I defending justice?* *Perhaps!* *In this era, where is there so much justice to speak of?* Perhaps it was because hearing there was only one Rising Light gave him the courage; perhaps it was hearing Wang Ming say that the small city sustained thirty million people of Silver Moon; perhaps it was because Hou Xiaochen had told him before departing that the salary he drew came from the fat and marrow of the common people... and that he had to be worthy of it! Perhaps it was because the Battle Heaven Army's military code forbade retreat... Perhaps... there were countless reasons. *But bullcrap justice... is only good for fooling children.* He cursed internally, but a moment later, he quietly added in his heart: *For justice... slay the demons!*