Li Hao Has Returned

The third day. Heavenly Star City. Tomorrow would be three days since the ultimatum—the day Li Hao was supposed to start lopping off heads. Today, the atmosphere hanging over Heavenly Star City was stifling to the extreme. *Li Hao has fled!* The rumor spread wider and faster by the hour, propelled by countless aristocrats. Some sneered brazenly, "Li Hao was just blowing hot air! He wouldn't dare execute nobles in broad daylight. Doing so would be signing his own death warrant!" Relatives of the arrested nobles marched straight to the Night Patrol headquarters, clamoring loudly for the detainees to be released. *Even Li Hao, that executioner, has run away! How much longer do you think you can keep this up?* The Martial Guard Army had cordoned off the courtyard, taking over guarding duties from the Night Patrol. But the pressure mounted swiftly. Even within the Night Patrol itself, several deputy directors began stirring up trouble. *Release them!* Things could not continue like this. Thousands of nobles were being detained. When Li Hao was around, he was there to shoulder the blame, but now that he had vanished, what else could they do besides releasing them? Huang Long was the loudest voice among them. It was only when Hou Xiaochen showed his face that the clamor subsided slightly. *** Inside the Night Patrol headquarters. The place was packed to the gills. Not just the people outside—even in the central courtyard, where the nobles had been detained for days, some had caught wind of the rumors. Cold sneers rippled through the crowd: "Let’s see how much longer they can keep us locked up!" "He was too reckless, too eager to show off his sharp edges. Fools like that never meet a good end!" "Weren't you scared out of your wits the past two days? Not scared anymore?" "..." One nobleman after another burst into hearty laughter, completely ignoring the sour stench clinging to their bodies. Li Hao had fled! Granted, something similar had happened once before, but back then, he had only been up against a single department. This time, he was facing the entire realm. It was a completely different ballgame. Among the crowd, someone turned to Mu Xiaorong and chuckled, "Miss Mu, now that things have reached this point... isn't it time to head out? Director Mu is probably worried sick. Why don't we walk out together? I doubt these northern barbarians would dare lay a finger on a single hair of our heads!" Someone else looked at the North Sea King's grandson and said with a smile, "Brother Yu, Senior North Sea King is probably waiting for you to return for a reunion." The young man smiled faintly, offering no reply. Calling the grandson of a pirate "brother"... Li Hao had pointed this out before, and now it was on full display. All because the young man's grandfather was the North Sea King! The supreme pirate of the North Sea commanded tens of thousands of supernaturals and an army of experts. In an era like this, even nobles knew when to bow their heads—such as when the other party was overpoweringly strong. Had Li Hao not resorted to slaughter, they might have yielded to him as well. Yet when Li Hao went on a killing spree and demanded their lives, not a single one was willing to accept it. These two held the highest status among the detainees. Seeing that neither of them made a move to leave, the other nobles hesitated as well. "Aren't you two leaving? There’s nothing here, and a whole bunch of brutes are watching over us like hawks. Thousands of us crammed together—we're practically stewing in our own filth..." Someone grumbled. Yet... deep down, lingering fear still held them back. The next moment, an arrogant young man stepped forward with a haughty scowl. "If none of you are leaving, I'll go first! Let's see who dares stop me!" With that, he strode toward the exit. Martial Guard soldiers guarded the courtyard gate. At this moment, they watched the youth with cold eyes. The young man gave a contemptuous sneer, producing a medallion from his waist. "Open your blind dog eyes! I am Zhou Chao, Senior City Inspecting Commissioner of the Night Patrol! My father is a deputy director of the Night Patrol! Li Hao has detained me for days without a shred of evidence proving I committed any crime. Get out of my way right now... or no one will be able to save your miserable lives!" The soldiers of the Martial Guard Army remained dead silent. They refused to budge, their swords and sabers half-drawn from their sheaths. Step aside? Impossible! Silver Moon martial masters might not be stronger than others, nor did they have extra arms or extra courage. Yet Silver Moon martial masters possessed an extra ounce of stubborn savagery! And an extra refusal to fear death! Not far away, Chen Jin strode over with a massive greataxe in hand. Looking at the young man, he bared his teeth in a savage grin. "Take one step out, and I'll split you in two! Governor-General Li isn't here, and Director Hou hasn't given the word. Step outside if you have the guts!" "Chen Jin!" The youth clearly recognized Chen Jin and sneered coldly, "You’d better remember where you are—this is Heavenly Star City! Not that barbaric wasteland of Silver Moon! I gave Li Hao face and gave him three days to investigate. The three days are up! As I see it, you lot have no right to hold me!" The commotion drew widespread attention. People throughout the courtyard turned their heads toward the gate. Outside, some Night Patrol members observed quietly from a distance. Big Eyes and his two companions watched in silence from afar, peculiar expressions flickering in their eyes. Deputy Director Zhou's son was making his move. Li Hao was absent, and Hou Xiaochen had retreated into his quarters after showing his face earlier. Meanwhile, Deputy Director Zhou was right here at the Night Patrol headquarters. And Deputy Director Zhou was allied with Huang Long. With Director Yao not interfering in administrative affairs, Huang and Zhou practically represented the Night Patrol. Yet his own son had been kept locked up here until today. Zhou Chao’s sudden provocation was no spur-of-the-moment whim. The trio understood instantly: this was either a probe or an attempt to force a showdown. In any case, two deputy directors were close at hand—one a Metamorphosis combatant and the other a peak Rising Light expert. They were confident they could intervene and stop Li Hao from doing anything drastic even if he returned. Big Eyes glanced over and sent a voice transmission: "Zhou Chao is at the peak of Three Suns, while Chen Jin is only a Thousand-Battler martial master. The gap between them is obvious. On the Martial Guard's side, Golden Spear seems to have gone into seclusion. Mu Lin isn't weak, but his focus is defense... In the entire Martial Guard Army, apart from those two, probably no one can handle Zhou Chao." With that, he scanned the surroundings. At this moment, numerous Night Patrol members had stepped outside. There were Rising Light experts, Three Suns experts, and those below Three Suns. The Night Patrol headquarters was teeming with powerhouses. The directors and deputy directors were, at minimum, at the peak of Rising Light or in the Metamorphosis stage. As for the Five Regional Commanders, aside from Hou Xiaochen and Huang Long, who each concurrently commanded a region, the commanders of the other three regions were also top-tier experts around the peak Rising Light level. Below them were many other Rising Light experts, such as Hu Qingfeng and the three of them. Right now, everyone was watching. A heavy silence reigned. Between the director and deputy directors, including Hou Xiaochen, there were eleven chief officials in total—one director and ten deputy directors. Almost all of them were at the headquarters right now; even those previously away had rushed back over the past two days. A deputy director walked out of the administrative building, gazing toward the gate with a slight frown. *The moment Li Hao left, Huang Long and his clique couldn't sit still anymore?* At this juncture, Hou Xiaochen’s deterrent power was actually weaker than Li Hao’s. Everyone knew that Hou Xiaochen was a veteran official who still cared about political decorum and boundaries. Li Hao, on the other hand, was a pure martial master. His official titles had all been bestowed overnight; he had never navigated the nuances of officialdom. Therefore, people were wary of Hou Xiaochen, but wariness was not sheer terror. Toward Li Hao... they felt genuine terror! That young man was a lunatic who genuinely slaughtered people without batting an eye! Not far off, Huang Long and Deputy Director Zhou walked over together, looking on in silence without saying a word. Yet their very presence exerted immense pressure. Beside them stood several other figures who were not part of the Night Patrol, but high-ranking officials from other departments—a deputy chief from the Internal Affairs Department, a deputy chief from the Military Law Department, an inspecting commissioner from the Department of Rites and Foreign Affairs... They had walked out together, and instantly, Zhou Chao in the distance seemed to gain immense backing. He roared furiously, "Chen Jin, don't think you can run lawless here! This is Heavenly Star City, and I am a Senior City Inspecting Commissioner! What are you? What authority do you have to stop me, let alone detain me? Fall back!" "Is the Martial Guard Army trying to rebel?" Zhou Chao barked furiously! All around the courtyard, the eyes of the nobles flashed. It was starting. The internal faction of the Night Patrol was making the first move to force Hou Xiaochen's hand. They were forcing Hou Xiaochen to release the prisoners. Once the people were freed, even if Li Hao returned, would he dare barge straight into the homes of aristocratic families to arrest and execute people? In the distance, numerous experts stood tall. Seeing this, several young nobles in the courtyard grew wildly excited and whispered, "My grandfather is here!" "My father came too..." "Hahaha!" "We can finally get out! These past few days... were sheer agony. I never want to step foot in this godforsaken place again in my entire life!" "Same here!" "..." The nobles were thrilled beyond measure. They had spotted their families! These past few days had been absolute torture. Earlier, their families had sent word telling them to wait just a bit longer while they worked out a solution. But days had passed without any news, driving them nearly frantic. Tomorrow was Li Hao's deadline, which meant the list of names ought to be finalized tonight. Yet up until now, no one had settled on a list. For no other reason than that doing so was impossible—they had to wait for word from outside; otherwise, choosing names would offend too many influential figures. Even some of the lesser nobles who did not see their relatives were ecstatic, as they were the ones most likely to end up on the list of one hundred names. Now that the major aristocrats were launching a counterattack against Li Hao, they could benefit from it and avoid death. Who would want to die? Life was far too comfortable—feasting on delicacies, dressed in fine silks, freely visiting Four Seas Island whenever they pleased. Who in their right mind would want to die? *** Inside the Director's Office Building. Yao Si watched in silence as Xiao Ye softly introduced the figure outside: "That is Zhou Chao, Deputy Director Zhou's son." Yao Si picked up his large tea mug and took a sip. There was no longer any Spring of Life mixed into the brew. He watched in silence for a moment before speaking softly: "Is he guilty?" "This... no... he isn't..." Xiao Ye was very nervous. She had joined the Night Patrol five years ago and knew the old director reasonably well—meaning she knew he spent every day sipping tea, reading newspapers, and ignoring all affairs. Five years ago, she had viewed him as a peerless hero of the realm. Five years later, she no longer thought so. This man... was old! Yao Si said softly, "It's just the two of us here. What are you afraid of? Whether he is guilty or not, I'm just curious. What do you think of his character?" Xiao Ye felt uneasy, but the old director rarely reprimanded anyone, aside from that sudden burst of temper a few days ago. With that in mind, she lowered her voice and whispered, "This Zhou Chao... isn't a good person. I don't know much about his other deeds, but here in the Night Patrol, he... he forced himself on many... many of our sisters. But no one dares speak out. Director, you know that not many of our people possess power or background. Many are experts recruited from among commoners... small-time martial masters, Starlight or Moon Nether supernaturals. They joined because they knew the Night Patrol was legitimate authority. When subjected to such things, they just close their eyes and endure it." This was the Night Patrol, not the Nine Departments. The Night Patrol actually housed very few nobles, because when it was founded, its purpose was to serve as cannon fodder. The Nine Departments possessed power, but they were unwilling to wage war against the Three Great Organizations. The Night Patrol had been intended as sacrificial pawns. Later, thanks to Yao Si's sheer strength over the course of fifteen years, the Night Patrol firmly established its footing and absorbed a vast number of rogue martial masters and supernaturals. Only then did it gain the power to challenge the Nine Departments. Yao Si remained calm. "They are all his own comrades. The supernaturals of this department are the ones charging onto the battlefield for them. If he wants women, it's not like there are no brothels. To lay his hands on his own people—what was he thinking?" It was one thing if it was consensual. It was not as though he could not find women, lacked wealth and influence, or lacked people throwing themselves at him. As the son of a deputy director and a peak Three Suns expert himself, was he ever short of women? Seeing that the director said nothing more, Xiao Ye felt a wave of disappointment, which she quickly masked behind a forced smile. "They're nobles. Perhaps... that's just their taste." With that, she offered another small smile and went quiet. Her heart was heavy with disappointment. She had spoken up! She had taken a tremendous risk—even risking Deputy Director Zhou finding out—to tell the director that Zhou Chao was a wicked man, a criminal who wouldn't even spare his own people. And yet... the director merely asked why. *Why!* *How would I know why? All I know is that all of you are indeed cut from the same cloth. Good thing I didn't say more, that I didn't mention other, even more vile atrocities, but only brought this up in passing.* At that moment, Xiao Ye mocked herself inwardly... *I should have known it would be like this.* *Had I known, I wouldn't have said a single word.* In the eyes of the director, what were a few Moon Nether or Solar Flare cultivators worth? They were just commoners, weak Heaven-Blessed Divine Masters, or lucky wretches who stumbled into energy infusion. Meanwhile, Deputy Director Zhou was Huang Long's right-hand man and a peak Rising Light expert... She thought back to that ridiculous, comical figure she had seen at first glance. Dressed in a trench coat, wearing a fedora, holding a cane... When she had gone downstairs that night and seen him, she had thought him utterly absurd and amusing. Yet looking back today... what a domineering, heroic man he was! If only there were more people like him in this world, would things ever have come to this? And yet... The spark in her heart was instantly extinguished. He had left. The entire world wanted him dead. No one would help him. Not a single one of the Nine Departments had stepped forward—not even the Inspectorate. And within the Night Patrol, aside from Hou Xiaochen, who had arrived alongside him, not a single high-ranking official stood up to lend him a hand. His... hurried, desperate flight must have been so desolate. Could anyone blame him? No! He was only twenty years old. He had probably gone to the Inspectorate hoping someone might back him up, but no one had. Not a single soul was willing to stand by his side. At this moment, Xiao Ye’s heart turned to ash. *This Night Patrol is nothing more than a place to scrape together a living. I might as well keep serving as this old man's secretary. At least... this old man doesn't treat female supernaturals like playthings and whores like the rest of them do!* Perhaps those men preferred the struggle of female supernaturals... but who dared resist? The faint light that had flickered in Xiao Ye’s eyes vanished completely. A polite smile returned to her face, just like that female manager. This was the way of the world: if you couldn't resist, you survived. Just survive! Yao Si glanced at her. After a long silence, he suddenly spoke softly, "Xiao Ye, do you know of a man named Yun Haoran?" "Who does the Director mean?" "Yun Haoran." Xiao Ye froze for a moment, startled. A flush of emotion rose to her cheeks, only to quickly turn into deep sorrow. The shift in her expression was astonishingly swift. A moment later, her face settled into dead silence. Forcing a smile, she said, "I know of him. Yun Haoran, former Rector of Heavenly Star Ancient Academy, a grand scholar who single-handedly championed universal education. He hoped to make education accessible to all citizens and vigorously promoted the development of ancient civilization's technologies. He openly shared several techniques with the public, such as cement manufacturing and agricultural land reclamation, sparking a wave of technological reform through machinery across the realm..." "In the year 1725 of the Star Yuan Calendar, Yun Haoran sought to coordinate with ancient academies across the land to establish ten thousand primary and secondary schools, accommodating ten million students... Yet just as the proposal was submitted to the Nine Departments, Yun Haoran died... killed in his own home. On that very day, supernatural experts from the Three Great Organizations infiltrated Heavenly Star City, slaughtering people across the streets and murdering Rector Yun." "His entire family, young and old, was wiped out..." Toward the end, Xiao Ye’s tone became unnervingly flat. "The moment Rector Yun died, all technological promotion was halted! Heavenly Star Ancient Academy shut its doors, and all teachers and students were driven out. The ancient academy became what is now the Heavenly Star Supernatural Academy. It's said that among the teachers of that era, those who didn't die fled; hardly any remain alive. Many of the students left Heavenly Star City as well..." At that point, she smiled faintly again. "Five years ago, I... I actually wanted to enter the ancient academy to learn some technical skills. Later, when the academy was gone, I happened to achieve energy infusion and came to the Night Patrol. Fortunately, the Director took notice of me, and since I knew how to read and write, I became your secretary... I suppose I can consider myself lucky." Yao Si gave a small nod. "Did you know? I knew him. In fact, we were very close." Xiao Ye was taken aback. Yao Si continued, "Guess whether he was a supernatural?" Xiao Ye frowned slightly. "I never heard anything about that. Wasn't he an ordinary person?" "No, no. He was a supernatural—in fact, a supernatural converted from a martial master. Five years ago, on that very day, he had just stepped into the Rising Light realm." Xiao Ye froze. Five years ago... Rising Light! A Rising Light expert from five years ago would be equivalent to Divine Power today, wouldn't they? Even if there was a slight disparity, it was at least comparable to the Metamorphosis stage of today! Yet... she felt a wave of daze. "That can't be right. It was said that members of the Three Great Organizations were captured that day and several were executed—all of them Solar Flares, and supposedly... supposedly even a Three Suns expert was killed. Back then, Three Suns were overwhelmingly powerful, so everyone thought Rector Yun was simply unfortunate to cross paths with one..." Yao Si let out a soft chuckle. "Indeed... They caught the culprits and killed them, giving the whole world an explanation. Thus, everyone quickly forgot about it. Had they failed to capture the killers, it would have been hard to justify. After all, Yun Haoran was a renowned scholar across the realm, the head of education at Heavenly Star Ancient Academy, a pioneer of technological reform, and a researcher dedicated to people's livelihoods... Every move he made affected ancient academies throughout the land. Back then, intellectuals everywhere were drawing upon the cultural and technological research of Heavenly Star Ancient Academy..." "That's why things changed so rapidly in those years. Manufacturing cars, building houses, constructing machines, airplanes, cannons, televisions, telecommunications... Covering clothing, food, housing, and transport. Halfway through the push... it all came to an abrupt halt!" He let out a sigh, gazing into the distance with lamentation. "After he died, I relinquished my authority. I felt... this era was too dangerous! My strength was far too meager; you cannot snap an iron bar with bare hands." Xiao Ye stared blankly. What did he mean? Were the director and Rector Yun close friends? Five years ago, Yun Haoran died. Five years ago, the director officially stepped back from power, refusing to meddle in Night Patrol affairs any longer and letting Huang Long take charge. Yao Si fell silent. He merely gazed out... as though seeing that world-renowned scholar once more. Yet his end had been tragic. In the end, he could not escape death, and his name was gradually forgotten by all. Back then, the people of the Heavenly Star Dynasty were isolated from information; news didn't travel as freely as it did today. Yet back then, so many things had been invented and popularized by him. Back then, people had stood by to guard and shield him. Among them was an old man named Yao Si... Later, Yao Si gave up. *Lie low. Bide your time.* With Yun Haoran’s death, that spark of light had vanished. He, Yao Si, was no match for those forces. Today... someone else was stepping forward, someone far fiercer and more ruthless than Yun Haoran! Yun Haoran had pursued technological reform, moving step by step. This young man, however, intended to kill to establish dominance, driving reform through martial might and forcing the upper echelons to yield. Who was wiser? Yao Si did not know. All he knew was... Yun Haoran had died, and Li Hao... was in far greater peril! *** In the distance, the conflict had escalated. Zhou Chao’s aura erupted as he roared furiously, "Get lost! Do you think I won't execute you on the spot for insubordination?" *** Chen Jin gripped his heavy greataxe, murderous intent flashing in his eyes. Yet he found himself somewhat pinned in place. He was only a Thousand-Battler, not in the Spirit Nourishing realm. He was confident he could slay a peak Solar Flare, but dealing with Three Suns was difficult. Unless they formed a battle formation, he had virtually zero hope against a peak Three Suns combatant. Around him, several Thousand-Battler centurions rushed over. Seeing them arrive, Chen Jin took a deep breath, the greataxe in his hands trembling. Zhou Chao’s gaze turned icy. "What, you dare make a move against me? Think carefully—insubordination is a capital offense!" He seemed to be deliberately provoking them! Rage flared within Chen Jin. *A capital offense?* *You are the prisoner here!* The axe in his hands trembled harder. He wanted to kill—to slaughter these bastards! This Zhou Chao was utter scum who had committed every foul deed imaginable. In the month and more since they had arrived at the Night Patrol, what vile rumor hadn't they heard? Such rumors even circulated within the Night Patrol itself. Early on, people had even warned the female martial masters of the Martial Guard Army to beware of Zhou Chao, until Hou Xiaochen flexed his might and put the fear into them. "Get lost!" "Did you hear me?" Zhou Chao stepped forward with a chilling expression, seemingly unafraid that the other party would strike. They wouldn't dare. Not far away, Huang Long and his allies stood like towering mountains, exerting crushing pressure on everyone. Yet Huang Long’s gaze was not fixed here, but on another administrative building—the domain of Hou Xiaochen. *** Inside Hou Xiaochen's office building. Hou Xiaochen simply watched. Chief Steward Yu was seething with fury. She wanted to go down and kill! Hou Xiaochen, however, spoke softly: "No rush. Wait!" "Director!" Chief Steward Yu radiated chilling intent. "I want to kill someone!" Who dared push Silver Moon martial masters around like this? Who dared provoke Silver Moon martial masters so blatantly? A piece of trash, a scumbag—he actually dared! Hou Xiaochen said calmly, "Wait a little longer... Let them understand that when you lack strength, this is what happens. You get beaten, you get humiliated, and you have... zero dignity!" Who was he referring to? Chen Jin and the others. Martial arts had declined... that was what everyone said. *You are too weak, so you have no recourse.* A long spear slowly materialized in his grip. He murmured, "Wait... I want to wait until Chen Jin strikes... and then... kill them!" Li Hao had vanished, so he... would set an example for Li Hao first. *Huang Long, do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?* *Or do you think having a few Metamorphosis experts by your side gives you free rein to act without restraint?* *** Chen Jin held his greataxe. He was a hot-tempered man to begin with. At this moment, his fury raged out of control. The next instant, he let out a thunderous roar, swinging his axe in a furious strike: "Dog bastard, I'll butcher you!" *Boom!* Even Zhou Chao was stunned. *You actually dare attack?* His father and several deputy chiefs were right behind him, along with Huang Long, all top-tier powerhouses. He had assumed these people wouldn't have the guts. Of course, if they dared, all the better. A sudden grin spread across his face! A good thing! These northern barbarians truly couldn't withstand provocation. To actually dare strike at him now... this time, not even Hou Xiaochen could protect them. Metallic supernatural power erupted in an instant! *Boom!* A fist shot forth, golden radiance blazing in all directions. Zhou Chao sneered, "Such insolence! The Martial Guard Army commits insubordination and dares attack me! A rotten trunk breeds rotten branches. Today, I'll execute you and purge the traitors from the Night Patrol!" At that exact moment, Huang Long and his cohort turned their gazes into the distance, looking toward Hou Xiaochen, who had now shown himself by the window. The eyes of the deputy chiefs flickered. The deputy chief of the Internal Affairs Department sent a voice transmission to Huang Long: "Be careful in a moment. That man is certainly formidable—he might even possess the power to slay Metamorphosis combatants. The Chief speculated he might be approaching Divine Power... Of course, our goal isn't to kill him, only to hold him back..." "Don't worry, I know what to do!" Huang Long’s eyes flashed with venom as he glared at Hou Xiaochen. *If you dare make a move... perfect. I'll use the power of the Nine Departments to eliminate you!* In the distance, an earth-shattering blast erupted! Chen Jin stumbled back several paces, his palms slick with blood. Yet his ferocity remained unabated. With an enraged roar, his greataxe swept across the sky. Heaven-Cleaving Axe! *Boom!* Like mountains crumbling and the earth splitting, the force of Heaven Cleaving was astonishingly mighty. However... the disparity in raw strength remained. Peak Three Suns far exceeded Thousand-Battler inner force. Zhou Chao's supernatural power surged as he threw another punch, brilliant light radiating everywhere. Around them, the faces of several Thousand-Battler centurions darkened. Zhang Yang of the Five Tigers Broken Saber Sect, Xie Lan of the Jade Sword Sect, Wu Yue, successor of the Heart-Shattering Palm... Every martial master wore a ferocious expression. Seeing Chen Jin, successor of the Mountain Cleaving Axe, on the verge of defeat, the others exchanged glances and nodded in unison. In an instant, several Thousand-Battlers charged forward simultaneously, their unstoppable momentum terrifyingly fierce! "Kill!" "Kill!" Beside them, hundreds of Martial Guard soldiers roared in unison, brandishing their sabers and spears with wild ferocity. The sight actually made several of the watching nobles shrink back in fear. A bunch of useless trash barely comparable to Moon Nether... dared raise their weapons against them! Zhou Chao barked cold laughter, "A bunch of trash! Come at me, all of you!" *A few more Thousand-Battlers, that's all. Did you think peak Three Suns power was just for show?* "Break!" He threw a punch, but his expression shifted slightly in the next breath. Opposite him, Chen Jin fought tooth and nail without taking half a step back. Swinging his axe with continuous roars, he showed no intention of dodging—pure, unadulterated savagery. He was willing to endure this punch just to give the others an opening to slaughter Zhou Chao! Swords, spears, and sabers converged simultaneously. The Thousand-Battlers moved in flawless coordination, their martial force erupting together in a tremendous blast! *Boom!* Zhou Chao’s vision blurred for a fraction of a second, his mind jolted by the sheer shock of their unified force. Seeing this, even Hou Xiaochen was momentarily taken aback. The spear that had been about to strike was slowly reeled in. Huang Long and his companions were equally startled. Only five Thousand-Battler martial masters were fighting. In other words, five Solar Flare equivalents were attacking a peak Three Suns expert. Under normal circumstances, the two sides were not even in the same league. Yet at this moment, Zhou Chao appeared shaken. The fierce force of the martial masters and their suicidal charge actually struck fear into this pampered supernatural young master. Deputy Director Zhou frowned, finding the spectacle utterly humiliating. His son... was a peak Three Suns cultivator! Who knew how many precious treasures had been poured into him to reach this stage? Yet here he was, intimidated by a handful of muddy-legged martial masters. It was an embarrassment. Seeing that Zhou Chao was losing ground, struck squarely by a Heart-Shattering Palm strike until he spat blood and fell into a panic—to the point where he might actually be beaten to death if this continued... Deputy Director Zhou grew both anxious and enraged. He shot a glance toward a Rising Light expert standing nearby. That was one of his men, an early Rising Light cultivator. More than enough! In truth, sending even one more Three Suns expert would be enough to overwhelm them. But to be safe, he gave the man a signal to go finish off those brutes. What a nuisance! *** *Boom!* The five Thousand-Battler martial masters attacked in concert, instantly seizing the upper hand. A Heart-Shattering Palm struck Zhou Chao squarely, making him cough up blood. In his panic, Chen Jin's Mountain Cleaving Axe came crashing down, shattering his golden fist and sending blood splattering. Zhou Chao shrieked in agony, scrambling backward in retreat. Behind him, Mu Xiaorong and the others watched on, their expressions filled with disdain and exasperation. A peak Three Suns combatant couldn't even handle five Thousand-Battlers working together. And after all that bluster earlier! The aristocratic scions were equally speechless, harboring both fear toward these martial masters and contempt toward Zhou Chao. What a useless waste—had he spent all his energy on women? However, the crowd's expressions soon shifted. Someone was coming! In the distance, a Rising Light expert in a Night Patrol uniform strode over with an imposing aura, barking coldly as he walked: "What are you doing? Chen Jin, stop this at once! We are all part of the Night Patrol. Are you trying to kill each other here and make us a laughingstock?" Chen Jin and the others were consumed by fury! Bastard! It was Zhou Chao who was trying to break out! He was the criminal! How dare they shield him so openly? Xie Lan sent a voice transmission to the others, her tone urgent and furious: "Fall back... quickly! This man carries killing intent. He wants to kill us!" A Rising Light expert! Taking on a peak Three Suns cultivator was already pushing their limits; had their opponent not been so soft, they might never have suppressed him. But against a Rising Light expert, no matter how weak, they stood no chance. Chen Jin roared back via voice transmission, "Fall back my ass! I'm not running... Let him try and kill me!" It was too suffocating! This was the Night Patrol headquarters. They were the enforcers of the law, while the other side was the lawbreaker resisting arrest. And yet they were the ones expected to back down? Not a chance! Seeing his resolve, Xie Lan and the others said no more. Pouring everything they had into their attacks, explosions rang out continuously. They intended to butcher Zhou Chao before the newcomer could intervene! Killing one meant breaking even! "Insolent fools! Didn't you hear me tell you to stop?" The Rising Light expert’s gaze turned vicious. He tore through the air toward them. These martial masters were truly mad—having been told to stand down, a handful of mere Thousand-Battlers dared ignore a Rising Light expert. The next instant, a massive energy palm swatted down toward the group! Chen Jin and the others could already feel the deadly crisis, the explosive energy looming over them... yet they paid it no heed, determined to kill Zhou Chao! All around, the rest of the Martial Guard soldiers roared in fury! Vital energy erupted! In a flash, several hundred Martial Guard soldiers fell into formation, charging ferociously toward the Rising Light expert! The sight stunned many onlookers. Had they lost their minds? A group of Moon Nether-level soldiers charging to ambush a... Rising Light expert? Separated by Solar Flare and Three Suns—two whole major realms and seven or eight minor stages. Did they truly think sheer numbers could bridge that chasm? "Courting death!" The Rising Light expert slammed a palm down toward the charging soldiers. Since they had a death wish, they could all perish together. As for Hou Xiaochen... someone else would deal with him. In the distance, a flash of spear light gleamed. At this moment, Hou Xiaochen finally chose to strike. Simultaneously, the auras of Huang Long and his allies erupted, blanketing the entire Night Patrol headquarters with overwhelming pressure that threatened to blow the complex apart. Right at that split second, a figure broke through the void. His speed was pushed to the absolute extreme. The Wind-Chasing Boots flashed with blinding light. The very next second, the figure materialized right in front of the attacking Rising Light expert. The expert froze, terror flickering across his face, and scrambled to speak: "Li—" *Bang!* A single fist! A plain, unadorned punch smashed down, five forces detonating at once. With a deafening boom, the expert's head exploded! Pivoting, another punch blasted out—*Boom!* Zhou Chao was torn apart, his entire body blasting into bloody fragments. In the distance, Deputy Director Zhou froze. The next instant, an enraged roar tore from his throat: "Li Hao!" Huang Long was equally horrified and incensed. "How dare you murder a Senior City Inspecting Commissioner right here in the Night Patrol!" Li Hao cast a frigid glance over them without offering a single word of response. Turning toward the others, his gaze fell upon Mu Xiaorong and her peers. He said coldly, "Go on. Take one step out. Step one foot out of that courtyard and show me your courage!" Silence. They retreated. Terror! At that moment, a bone-chilling dread seeped into the very marrow of Mu Xiaorong and the others. Li Hao... had returned. He hadn't fled! Li Hao turned his head to look at Deputy Director Zhou, who was charging forward like a madman, a trace of mockery playing in his eyes. Looking toward Huang Long, the mockery in his gaze deepened even further. Huang Long snapped back to his senses instantly! "Fall back... quick! He's a dead man walking—don't throw yourself against him! He's back, which means he dies tomorrow... Quick!" Deputy Director Zhou had been burning with rage, but those words dumped a bucket of ice water over his head, sending a shiver through his heart. *Right.* *Li Hao has returned, which means he hasn't given up, and he is marked for death tomorrow... Right now, he is deliberately baiting me into attacking him... If I charge in, I will surely die.* In an instant, his mind cleared. He screeched to a halt, his eyes burning with venomous malice. Li Hao chuckled. Looking at him, and then sweeping his gaze over Huang Long and the rest, he said with a faint smile, "A bunch of useless trash! Having scumbags like you in the Night Patrol utterly disgusts me! Even if I handed you the courage on a silver platter, you wouldn't dare take a single step forward... Zhou, Huang, I went out for a little stroll, and your guts seemed to grow quite a bit. What, do you think having a few Metamorphosis experts beside you makes you something special?" Li Hao heaped relentless scorn upon them. "Come on, all of you! Just try making a move, and I promise not a single one of you will walk out of here alive!" "Hmph!" A cold snort of contempt rang out. The chiefs from the other departments remained completely silent. They had dared to move against Hou Xiaochen... yet none of them dared move against Li Hao. It was bizarre, almost laughable. Yet that was the stark reality. They knew Hou Xiaochen was strong, but they didn't fear him that much. They knew Li Hao might not be a match for Hou Xiaochen, but... they feared this madman! Besides, Li Hao was bound to die tomorrow. To escalate into a life-or-death brawl with him now was simply asking for trouble. Li Hao’s voice resonated in all directions: "Today is the final day. If the list of one hundred names isn't produced by tonight, I will execute a thousand people tomorrow—one out of every four! Don't count on the trash outside. Huang Long, Huang Chong, or whatever insect he is—if he dares take a single step near this place, I will send him on his way first!" Li Hao’s voice was merciless, utterly unvarnished! The next instant, he sent a voice transmission to Yao Si, who was watching from afar: "Write me an official indictment stating that Huang Long is colluding with the Three Great Organizations. Tomorrow, I will execute him to establish my authority!" Yao Si froze. He looked toward Li Hao without making a sound. "If you are still the Yao Si of old, write the indictment for me... If you don't, I'll execute you right alongside him tomorrow!" "..." Yao Si was thoroughly stunned, struggling to believe his own ears. What... had Li Hao just said? At that moment, no one around heard the voice transmission between Li Hao and Yao Si, but everyone heard Li Hao’s arrogant jeers looking down upon Huang Long. In the office, Xiao Ye clenched her fists, a sudden brilliant light flashing in her eyes! *He came back!* *He didn't run!* Yet the next moment, that light turned into deep worry and bitter despair... *You should have run! You're too foolish, too stubborn!* *Even if you ran away and were mocked by the entire world, it would still be better than marching to your death tomorrow.* Meanwhile, Li Hao paid no heed to anyone. His voice boomed across the four quarters: "Tomorrow at ten in the morning, outside the North Gate of Heavenly Star City, I, Li Hao, shall execute a few people! There's no need to come crowd around; I will have the execution projected for all of you to see... Those living nearby, move a little farther away. I wouldn't want the blood of these nobles sullying your doorsteps!" For a moment, Heavenly Star City fell dead silent. The next second, an uproar erupted everywhere. "He's back!" "Damn, that northern barbarian has guts! Holy shit, I honestly thought he'd run... and he actually came back..." "Holy crap! This northern barbarian... is tough as iron!" "Hahaha, amazing! Brilliant! What a slap in the face! Let's see what those bastards in the city who claimed he ran have to say now!" "Laugh, go ahead and laugh! Coming back just means he's walking to his death!" "To your mother's death! I'll chop your head off!" "You dare insult me?" "I'll do more than insult you, I'll hack you to pieces! Tomorrow, once the northern barbarian slaughters those nobles, I'll hack you aristocratic running dogs to death!" "You... you've gone mad!" "Still better than being a dog like you!" "..." In an instant, the city exploded with noise. In an instant, the nobles across the city fell dead silent. Those who had been loudly proclaiming that Li Hao had fled shut their mouths entirely. No one dared utter another word, because they knew this might very well be Li Hao's final burst of madness before his death. He hadn't run, so if they kept shooting their mouths off now, dying by his hand would be a pointless death. Both sides were waiting for tomorrow. *** Inside the Night Patrol headquarters. Mu Xiaorong and the others retreated step by step, none of them daring to make a peep. In the distance, Huang Long wore an ugly expression, while Deputy Director Zhou’s face was ashen. Li Hao wiped his hands, glanced at the shifting gazes of the surrounding Night Patrol members, and chuckled. "What are you staring at? Scram! Keep staring... and I'll treat you all as Huang Long's lackeys and send you on your way. How about that?" In an instant, everyone in the vicinity vanished, the deputy directors included. "Governor-General!" Chen Jin and the others were overjoyed! At this moment, they were ecstatic. Governor-General Li was truly formidable—slaying a Rising Light expert and the son of a deputy director the moment he arrived, and after killing them... neither of those bastards dared make a peep. He had blown Zhou Chao to bits right in front of his biological father's face! The Governor-General was truly peerless! At this moment, they felt that Director Hou... was... was just a tiny bit hesitant. Of course, they understood the director's difficulties, but this just felt so immensely satisfying! Li Hao smiled and sent a voice transmission to them: "What's the rush? Just wait until tomorrow... Tomorrow, I'll beat Huang Long to death for you all to see what a true martial master looks like, and what it means to be drenched in sheer guts!" He let it slide today; killing Huang Long right now would force him to reveal too much. The man was a Metamorphosis combatant, after all. The group looked as if they had been injected with adrenaline. The next second, they roared in unison, "The Governor-General is mighty!" In the distance, Hou Xiaochen gave a wry smile. Glancing at Chief Steward Yu, he saw her pumping her arm vigorously, looking utterly thrilled. Hou Xiaochen sighed... *Jade Rakshasa, you're nearly fifty years old!* *What are you doing?* The entire Night Patrol headquarters resonated with the ferocious roars of the Martial Guard Army. They knew that their Governor-General... was Li Hao. At this moment, several Night Patrol members also pumped their fists in secret, filled with covert excitement and fervor. *What a righteous kill!* That demon Zhou Chao was dead! It was just a pity... a pity that the Governor-General hadn't slain his father as well... What a shame! And Huang Long... Of course, they understood that doing so was far too difficult. For a time, people felt both exhilaration and lamentation, accompanied by deep worry... Governor-General Li shouldn't have come back. By returning, he had cut off his own escape. *** Outside. A smile appeared on Li Hao’s face. Watching the figures quietly retreating into the distance, his grin widened. Looking farther off toward Yao Si's silhouette, he laughed. "I will await the Director's official document... I am of the Night Patrol, an enforcer of the law. I would never slaughter the innocent indiscriminately! Oh, right... you might as well send the official seal of the Night Patrol over to me. That way, whoever I want to kill, I can just stamp it!" "..." Yao Si remained silent, saying nothing as he shut the window. *Have you gone completely mad?* *Are you going to burn it all down in one final burst of insanity?* After shutting the window, a sudden faint smile crossed his face. Glancing at Xiao Ye, he was silent for a while before speaking: "Li Hao wants me to send the official seal over... so he can stamp away before killing people. What do you think... should I send it?" Xiao Ye froze, stammering after a long pause, "I... I don't know..." "Then take it to him!" Thousands of thoughts flooded Xiao Ye's mind in an instant... The next second, an official seal appeared in her hands—the very symbol of the Night Patrol's legitimacy. Xiao Ye was lost in thought for a brief moment. Then, clutching the seal tightly against her chest, she turned and sprinted out. She... was going to deliver it to Governor-General Li! She didn't care what the director was thinking, but she knew that with this seal... perhaps... things would be much easier for Governor-General Li. *** Li Hao was back! The news swept across the entire city in the blink of an eye. The Nine Departments fell silent; the imperial family fell silent. Word spread like wildfire: slaying Zhou Chao, slaying a Rising Light expert... Li Hao had gone completely insane—the frantic madness of a dying man, an unbelievable lunacy. He had slaughtered even members of the Night Patrol; why would he spare anyone else? At that moment, the various factions reached a consensus: provide the list of names first, lest Li Hao truly massacre them all. Give him the list and see if he actually dared to carry out the executions! Even if they handed it over, so what?