Origin God Armament

"To celebrate the founding of our branch today, everyone's coming over to Li Hao's place tonight!" Now that Mu Sen had left, those remaining would be eating out of the same pot from now on. Liu Long wasn't a particularly warm person, so Liu Yan took the initiative to arrange things. Beaming with smiles, she said, "Young Wang, Young Hu, Young Li, no objections from you three, right?" "..." The three looked at her. Soon, Li Meng and Hu Hao turned their eyes toward Wang Ming. *You're the boss here; what you say goes.* All three were outsiders who weren't familiar with these locals. Whether Wang Ming wanted to act like a dragon crossing the river to dominate or simply tuck in his tail and submit, the other two would follow his lead. Wang Ming, however, didn't care about that at all. In his mind, his stay here was purely temporary. He would be leaving soon enough; he had no time to waste squabbling with Liu Long over power! Besides, Huang Yun had instructed him to interact more with Li Hao. Thinking it over, he still needed to carry out that assignment. He quickly nodded and said, "Fine, then we'll visit Deputy Director Li's home tonight!" Beside them, Li Hao was somewhat speechless. *Go to my place?* *In that new house of mine, I don't even know where to find food myself. Liu Yan sure knows how to make trouble.* *Wouldn't eating out be much simpler?!* Liu Yan didn't care in the slightest what he thought. Smiling brightly, she said, "Then let's leave it at that for now. The Inspectorate must have arranged lodgings for you as well. You've had a long and exhausting journey, so go settle in first, and we'll pick you up tonight." "Much obliged!" Wang Ming said nothing more, turning on his heel to leave. He didn't want to stay here a single minute longer. It was simply too awkward! Even though Li Hao and Liu Long didn't actually hold it against him, he couldn't get past it. His pride was too fierce to take it in stride. The moment he recalled confronting those few supernaturals—how he had been injured by a single blow and had to be rescued by Liu Long—he felt thoroughly humiliated. Soon, the three of them departed together. Once they were gone, Liu Long suddenly smiled. "Not bad!" Liu Yan also smiled and nodded. Yun Yao gave a slight nod of agreement as well. "Having those three isn't bad at all. At least we fought side by side last time, so they have some backbone. Though they're considered newcomers, they aren't completely green. Their strength is at the Lunar Nether stage, and they aren't slick old schemers..." All of them were quite satisfied with the three. As for their lack of combat experience... that was not an issue. What they truly feared was higher-ups assigning arrogant, unruly types, or supernaturals who came specifically to fight for control—that would have been a real headache. Not every supernatural was indifferent to power. For fame and profit, some supernaturals wouldn't hesitate to do things that made your stomach turn. Now, this was great. These few were fairly decent. At the side, Chen Jian also chuckled honestly. "Yeah, they're all right. Last time we dealt with those supernaturals, they helped out too, so we're already acquainted. That Wang Ming isn't weak either—he's stronger than us. It's pretty good!" Liu Long nodded, which was also the reason he felt at ease. He had no desire to fight for authority, but if someone truly came to seize control, he definitely wouldn't let it slide. He understood how crucial this squad was; they were all people he trusted, brothers who had braved life and death together. He wouldn't feel comfortable letting someone else command them—that could easily get people killed. Beside them, Li Hao wasn't concerned with any of that. Instead, he said with a headache, "Sister, I don't even have any cooking utensils over there." Liu Yan was exasperated. "Are you an idiot? Just order food directly and have a restaurant deliver it! It's just having a meal at your place. Who expects you to cook in the kitchen?" "..." Li Hao stared blankly. *Is hosting guests... done like this?* *Now I've learned something new!* *So you're just borrowing the venue!* *And here I was racking my brain over how to pull it off!* Liu Long laughed as well. "Just do as Liu Yan said. People like us can eat whatever. What we eat doesn't matter; hosting a meal for them is just to show good will." With that, he added, "During dinner, Li Hao, you can get closer to that Wang Ming and chat more, especially regarding upcoming supernatural matters." Pausing briefly, he added, "Matters concerning the Eight Great Families!" Li Hao's expression turned serious. This was something he had to pay attention to! In truth, he also dearly wanted to learn about the Eight Great Families. Unfortunately, his teacher didn't know much, and the others knew even less. He didn't know if the Night Watchers understood more. If one were talking about finding out the truth, Li Hao felt the best way would be to capture Ying Hongyue and interrogate him directly. Sadly, wasn't that impossible right now? Since that was the case, inquiring through Wang Ming worked as well. Li Hao nodded. Just as he was about to head out to order the food, Liu Long waved at him again. "Don't rush off! Now that our squad has officially become the Night Watchers Branch, staying in a basement doesn't look proper! Go find an office building for us to move into. We don't have much to carry anyway..." Li Hao nodded. "Alright. Then I'll have the Law Enforcement Team vacate their building, and we'll just take it over. That way we won't have to haul anything around—too troublesome!" The others stared at him in silence. *Good grief!* *You really have a wicked streak in you.* *Making the Law Enforcement Team move out?!* *How many of us are there even?!* Seeing them stare, Li Hao felt a little puzzled and somewhat sheepish. He scratched his head. "What's wrong? Our headquarters is right underneath in the basement, and our storage room is there too. Moving all that isn't convenient, so having the Law Enforcement Team move out is much simpler. Their stuff is easy to pack, and if needed, I can hire a moving company for them." "..." Liu Yan laughed, and Liu Long was thoroughly helpless. He waved his hand. "Go handle it! But if people curse your name for it, you take the blame yourself!" *What a scoundrel!* Right after the branch was established, he wanted to occupy the dove's nest like a cuckoo. This kid Li Hao was showing his true colors now. *Just wait to get cursed out!* Paying him no further mind, the others resumed chatting amongst themselves. After a while, they headed downstairs. ... The moment they reached the ground floor, they were all taken aback. Downstairs, the Law Enforcement Team was in full swing, bustling with activity. Every single one of them was busy hauling boxes and furniture, coordinating with absolute enthusiasm. Liu Long was quite surprised. *These folks are this easy to persuade?* Every one of them even wore a broad grin on their face. Did something wonderful happen? They had worked here for years, yet when told to move, they just moved without feeling the least bit upset? "Captain!" People still habitually addressed him as Captain, greeting him in passing. Liu Long stopped a burly man carrying a load. "Old Zhou, you're being mighty proactive. That kid Li Hao didn't threaten you, did he?" "How could he!" The veteran inspector known as Old Zhou grinned joyfully. "Would Inspecting Commissioner Li do such a thing? Didn't he say that as long as we move out and get it done before today ends, everyone can go to Captain Liu's and your office to pick a good firearm? We get to choose for ourselves—if someone picks an artillery piece, they can haul it right away!" Saying that, he added with a strange look, "You two... surely know about this, right?" Liu Long and Liu Yan exchanged a glance, utterly resigned. *Know my ass!* *This kid sure can make empty promises.* Yet thinking about it, it didn't really matter. If they truly needed firearms, they could requisition them whenever they wanted. Keeping them displayed in their offices was only for convenience. Besides, now that the branch was established, by all rights, these Inspectorate firearms ought to be turned in anyway. The Night Watchers rarely carried firearms. "We know!" Liu Long grumbled in reply, then asked, "Just for that, you guys are running around like happy puppies?" "Of course that's not all!" Old Zhou laughed heartily. "Captain, Inspecting Commissioner Li truly lives up to being a top academy graduate—a man destined for great things! He said moving out now is so we can walk back in better later! I heard... um... are you going to recruit new members?" With that, he looked at Liu Long with anticipation. The Night Watchers were no longer a secret within the Law Enforcement Team. When the supernaturals appeared previously, the Law Enforcement Team had personally taken part in the battle, so everyone knew of the supernaturals' existence. According to Li Hao, this place had been requisitioned because Silver City now had that organization. Everyone on the Law Enforcement Team had a shot at joining, but it required a selection process. Even though they were moving out now, once selected later, they could return all the same. Moreover, there would be higher pay, better benefits, and a chance to become supernaturals. Everyone was brimming with anticipation! Liu Long, however, frowned slightly. "Old Zhou, it's very dangerous. You're a veteran inspector; you know plenty about how things work." *Why are you getting all worked up like some green youngster?* Old Zhou, however, chuckled. "Captain, I never expected to become one of those people! Inspecting Commissioner Li said we can recruit a few people to handle logistics and support services. Our rank will be bumped up by one level, and our salary will double! In any case, the salary comes from above, not out of your pocket. Inspecting Commissioner Li also said it would be foolish not to take it. He asked around, and under normal circumstances, the Night Watchers... ahem, can set up a civilian service branch locally, requiring quite a few hands. It's a matter of getting promotions and raises—foolish not to take it, don't you agree?" Liu Long felt somewhat awkward. *Is that so?* *I didn't know that.* *No, I never even considered such a thing.* *So that's how it is!* *The Night Watchers have a logistical service division?* He had originally planned to just let Li Hao handle all of that, but who knew Li Hao had turned around and outsourced the whole thing? *This kid really is something else!* Beside him, Liu Yan and the others snickered. Chen Jian couldn't help chuckling honestly. "Li Hao's thinking isn't bad at all. He even knows to look out for our old brothers' welfare. That's true enough—we don't care about rank promotions, but Old Zhou and the others do. Getting promoted is a win for anyone who manages it, and the higher-ups are footing the bill anyway." Still carrying his load, Old Zhou said excitedly, "Exactly! Captain, I thought you were the one specifically looking out for us old brothers. Wasn't it you?" He looked slightly disappointed. *For such a good thing, the Captain didn't think of his own brothers?* *Inspecting Commissioner Li is truly loyal!* Feeling embarrassed, Liu Long quickly regained his aloof composure. "Get lost! I considered it long ago; I was just worried you'd be afraid of the danger..." "Look at what you're saying, Captain. Never mind, I'll go ask Inspecting Commissioner Li if there's a spot for me... I won't chat with you anymore, Captain." With that, Old Zhou trotted off eagerly. Liu Long wore a face of helpless exasperation. *When the tea goes cold, people leave—and I haven't even left yet! These guys are truly realistic.* Before long, Li Hao returned. Seeing everyone busy, he called out loudly, "Put your backs into it, everyone, let's get moved by tonight! The new place is quite nice too. Also, I just went to see Director Mu. Director Mu couldn't bear to let everyone go, but after much pleading on my part, he granted ten quota spots! Furthermore, the highest promotion we can get is to First-Class Inspector; promoting to Inspecting Commissioner is too difficult... So I suggest Second-Class Inspectors apply to maximize the benefits!" "Of course, if Third-Class Inspectors want to vie for the opportunity, wait a bit! Once our department expands and we need more hands, I'll recruit more big brothers and sisters from the Law Enforcement Team to help out!" "Inspecting Commissioner Li is truly stand-up!" "As expected of a top graduate from Silver City Ancient Academy!" "Inspecting Commissioner is awesome!" "..." A barrage of flattery erupted from the crowd. To them, this was genuinely thrilling. Working their fingers to the bone, they weren't like Liu Long and the others—bachelors who had nobody else to feed. They had families to support. Promotions and pay raises were deeply satisfying to them. ... To the side, Liu Long watched in silence for a long time before turning to Liu Yan, murmuring, "Over the past few years, we've been single-mindedly pursuing the supernatural and forgot about ordinary life. No wonder the Law Enforcement Team was in such disarray before." They had forgotten what these brothers needed. Promotions and raises, as long as one stayed within the system, were what everyone pursued. And Liu Long hadn't given them that in recent years. As for Li Hao, this kid still considered himself an ordinary person. He knew what these people wanted and could satisfy their desires. That was why, even though he had just been promoted, everyone happily addressed him as Inspecting Commissioner. Calling him that cost nothing, and getting into this logistics division meant making real money. Liu Yan nodded slightly, then smiled. "Nothing to do with me; I'm just a deputy. Boss, that's your blame to bear—don't try shifting it onto me." As they spoke, Li Hao jogged over, high-spirited. "Everyone's willing to move! I spoke with Director Mu, and he said the building next door can be used by the Law Enforcement Team. It was originally empty anyway, so it just needs a light cleaning! Boss, look, we have our own headquarters now!" Liu Long couldn't help laughing. "You certainly know how to handle affairs!" *And here I thought he'd cause a storm of grievances.* "How did you think of recruiting a bunch of people for logistics?" "Wang Ming mentioned it." Li Hao still remembered. "Back then, when he asked me to go to White Moon City, he said even though I was an ordinary person, it didn't matter because White Moon City also needed ordinary people for logistics. So I looked into it, and sure enough, Night Watchers branches have the authority to recruit ordinary people. They just don't go to the front lines. The exact quota isn't strictly fixed, but generally, as long as they don't outnumber the Night Watchers, there's no major issue." "You do have a good memory!" Liu Long praised him, then suddenly said, "Still, don't neglect your proper duties! Don't spend all your time obsessing over officialdom; being too bureaucratic is no good. You should still think about raising your strength. You're a deputy director now—with your current strength... it won't cut it!" Li Hao gave a dry laugh. "Don't worry, Boss. I've been working hard and striving to advance to the supernatural realm soon!" *Strength?* *I've reached Hundred-Breaker; that should be decent enough, right?* Sharpening the axe doesn't delay chopping wood. Li Hao didn't actually want to be bogged down with logistics forever. Finding people to share the burden now would free up plenty of time for him to practice martial arts later. ... After a bustling, chaotic day, evening arrived. The nine Night Watchers set out in two vehicles. One was driven by Liu Yan's group, and the other was the car assigned to Li Hao, Silver 7219. Liu Long and the others were in the first vehicle. Li Hao took Wang Ming's trio. Wang Ming didn't actually want to sit in the passenger seat, but Li Meng and Hu Hao had already claimed the back, and he couldn't be bothered squeezing with them, so he reluctantly sat up front. Yet after riding for a short while, he could no longer keep calm. "Li Hao, do you even know how to drive?!" He couldn't help shouting. Before getting into the car, he had resolved not to speak with Li Hao privately, but how on earth was this guy driving? Li Hao said enthusiastically, "Of course! I've driven before, just not a car as upscale as this one. Driving is so simple—all you need is steering, gas, and brakes. Old Wang, don't you know how?" Now that he and Wang Ming held the same rank, he no longer called him Officer. Wang Ming wasn't old; Li Hao was twenty, and Wang Ming seemed about the same age, or perhaps even a little younger. Previously, this guy had called him Brother Hao. Calling him "Little Brother" wouldn't be very polite either, so Li Hao chose to call him Old Wang. Wang Ming was rendered speechless. *I don't know how?* *I think you're the one who doesn't know how!* *Good lord, steering, gas, and brakes are all it takes?!* Technically speaking... that wasn't wrong, but the way this guy drove was utterly terrifying! Wang Ming decided to stay calm and divert his attention; he was afraid he might actually throw up from this guy's driving. "Li Hao, how did Silver City recommend you for deputy director?" "Oh, the Boss said I was more suitable and the others weren't, so they chose me." *Bullshit!* Wang Ming felt like cursing. In the back, Li Meng was also swaying and bumping around, feeling nauseated. At this point, she could only jump in to change the subject: "Li Hao, you haven't reached the Ten-Slayer realm yet, have you? You received some mysterious energy this time—did you match with a suitable type?" "Nope!" Li Hao said dejectedly, "Teacher said my constitution might be peculiar, making it hard to match mysterious energy. Better to wait a bit. I'll start with the path of the martial master first. Once a martial master becomes powerful, they aren't inferior to supernaturals." "Then have you entered the Ten-Slayer realm?" "Pretty much!" Li Hao smiled. "I should be close to the Ten-Slayer realm. I seem to be able to make my sinews and bones resonate in unison. It's just that... I lack actual combat experience. Teacher said martial masters and supernaturals without combat experience are all useless trash!" The moment those words landed, the expressions of all three passengers turned unsightly. Fortunately, Li Hao had included himself in that description, or they would have thought he was taking a jab at them. Wang Ming was nearly driven mad with annoyance. Suppressing his discomfort, he continued, "Did you go see Old Yuan these past few days?" "I did." "What did he say to you?" "A lot. What about it?" "Nothing." Seeing this, Wang Ming said no more. It seemed Yuan Shuo truly hadn't mentioned taking on disciples. While he felt somewhat relieved, on second thought, Yuan Shuo hadn't even mentioned it to his student... Sure enough, nominal disciples truly received no regard! *What is out of reach always stirs the heart!* If Yuan Shuo had loudly publicized it, they would have been displeased. Yet Yuan Shuo hadn't even mentioned it to his personal disciple. Good heavens, the disparity between a personal disciple and a nominal disciple was far too vast. Ever since they arrived in Silver City, Yuan Shuo hadn't inquired about them once—it was truly disheartening. Li Hao didn't dwell on that. Behind the wheel, he asked, "Right, Sister Li, Brother Hu, Teacher said you came last time to protect him on an expedition to some ruins. Where are those ruins? Why was it canceled?" Li Meng was outspoken and didn't hide anything. "It wasn't canceled; it was postponed! Many people have their eyes on those ruins. Before Old Yuan broke through, our side had arranged for Director Hao to lead the team—a Three Sols leading the way. The other factions were roughly similar; everyone had their restrictions." "But now, Old Yuan must go. Even if we agree not to let him go, the other organizations want him there because he understands those ancient ruins intimately. Three years ago, the Night Watchers explored it once, and the result was devastating—three Solar Radiance experts died, along with several Lunar Nether experts." "Old Yuan was heavily injured back then as well... Over the past few years, the Night Watchers and other organizations have conducted several probes, all suffering significant losses. Therefore, as an eyewitness and survivor, Old Yuan must participate. But now that he can slay a Three Sols, the various factions need more time to prepare." Put this way, Li Hao understood. "You keep mentioning various organizations. Does that mean Red Moon, Feitian, and Yama?" "More than that!" Li Meng explained further, "The Three Great Organizations are merely the strongest three in the supernatural realm! Various small supernatural organizations spring up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Some crop up every year, some get wiped out, but others grow stronger!" "The Night Watchers and the Three Great Organizations occupy the very top tier of the entire supernatural realm. Below them are weaker ones." "It's that chaotic?" Just as Li Hao finished speaking, he slammed on the brakes. The inertia nearly threw everyone forward. Fortunately, they were supernaturals and managed to steady themselves, but they were thoroughly speechless—this guy had almost driven them into a river! Li Hao didn't take it to heart. His interest piqued, he resumed driving and asked, "Sister Li, don't the Night Watchers care at all? Either wipe them out to establish authority or recruit them. How do so many organizations manage to emerge?" Li Meng remained silent. Wang Ming grew impatient and cut in bluntly, "How could it be that simple?! Supernaturals nurtured after the fact are easy enough to handle, but some Heaven-Blessed Divine Masters are supernaturals from the start. Some even progress at a terrifying pace, faster than anyone in our Night Watchers... Before you've even discovered them, they've already reached Solar Radiance or even Three Sols! They haven't broken any laws, so should we pay the price to go hunt them down just because they're supernaturals?" He continued, "As for recruiting them... that happens too! But some supernaturals simply refuse to join. What can you do? The world is vast. If you try to catch them, they flee. Forcing them to join only breeds disloyalty and rebellion, which causes even more trouble." Toward the end, he sighed. "The crux of the matter is that the Night Watchers lack attraction for supernaturals! Even the Three Great Organizations are more appealing to them than the Night Watchers!" "Why?" Li Hao was curious. With official government backing, how could they be less appealing than the Three Great Organizations? This was something he couldn't comprehend. The government possessed every advantage. When supernaturals first emerged, the government also had the deterrence of firearms and heavy weaponry, yet they still had fewer experts than the Three Great Organizations. How pathetic was that? "Sigh!" Wang Ming sighed. Li Meng, blunt and indignant, blurted out, "It's all because of mysterious energy! The founders of the Three Great Organizations became supernaturals much earlier. They accumulated strength in secret and seem to have seized several massive ruins or other treasures... In short, they can produce vast quantities of mysterious energy." "The Night Watchers started a step later and missed the golden opportunity. They failed to occupy the ruins that produce mysterious energy, nor did they acquire the crucial treasures capable of absorbing it. Even if they have some, it's very little." She said dejectedly, "Tell me, without as much mysterious energy, how could we attract supernaturals? The chaos in the Central Region right now is actually because of this—and the Night Watchers are the main instigators of that chaos!" Wang Ming coughed lightly! Li Meng didn't care. "It's the truth! The Night Watchers headquarters... I don't mean Silver Moon Province, but the Central Headquarters. Several experts weren't willing to be constrained by the Three Great Organizations, so they secretly exterminated a few smaller organizations to seize ruins and supernatural items that generate mysterious energy. But they got caught; they didn't do it cleanly enough! Now the Three Great Organizations are making trouble, clashing non-stop in the Central Region, demanding that the Night Watchers hand over the culprits. With opportunists fishing in troubled waters, that entire area has erupted into a chaotic war!" "Because of that, regions like Silver Moon Province are keeping a very low profile. The Night Watchers generally don't dare stir up trouble rashly, fearing that the surrounding areas might descend into utter turmoil as well. Furthermore, the Central Region won't give us much aid—it's already good enough if those people manage to keep the Three Great Organizations and the rogue factions tied down." At this moment, Li Hao was genuinely astonished. "You mean... over in the Central Region, the Night Watchers went out to rob those things directly... and then... got ganged up on?" "Yep!" Though it sounded unflattering, Li Meng couldn't help smiling. "You're not wrong—they got ganged up on! I heard that experts above Three Sols have clashed multiple times! The Night Watchers alone couldn't withstand all of them combined... But this time, they snapped and even launched several city-destroying bombs. Of course, plenty of people died on both sides. Both sides are wary of each other now, and things are a total mess over there." Li Hao suddenly chuckled. "Fascinating. So the Night Watchers are actually quite aggressive in the Central Region?" To think they dared to secretly slaughter organizations to seize treasures! Previously, he had assumed the Night Watchers were completely inept... ahem, utterly helpless. For instance, in Silver Moon Province, they were even forced to abandon certain cities. Yet over there, a full-scale war was underway? And the Night Watchers had started it! Truly unexpected. Seeing that Li Meng had already let slip things she shouldn't have, Wang Ming could only add, "It's decent enough! Actually, speaking of this matter... it doesn't sound very noble. It's not that they intentionally went to fight pitched battles with the major organizations; after all, full-scale clashes inflict heavy losses on everyone. It was mainly a few young Heaven-Blessed Divine Masters who feared neither heaven nor earth. Feeling that mysterious energy was scarce, they secretly joined forces, found a small organization, wiped them out, and snatched their treasure!" "Nobody knew at first, but later it came to light. By then, neither side could back down, so war broke out." "It was already a powder keg on the verge of exploding. That incident served as the fuse, instantly detonating the Central Region." Wang Ming sighed with emotion and shook his head. "Those Heaven-Blessed Divine Masters were reckless troublemakers! I heard both sides were originally negotiating without jumping straight into open warfare. But those guys went and slaughtered the grandson of Yama's leader and made off with an extraordinary treasure! That completely infuriated Yama, and negotiations broke down immediately..." Li Hao was stunned. "Those guys... were that ferocious? Could they have had ulterior motives, deliberately provoking a war?" "Who knows? Probably not. Even if they did... it's not a huge issue." Wang Ming chuckled dryly. "I heard that extraordinary treasure is extremely crucial! Yama's grandson had only stolen it out to show off, but they slaughtered him and handed it directly over to the Night Watchers headquarters. When the big shots at headquarters got their hands on it, even those who initially opposed open warfare couldn't hold back anymore and fought directly! According to City-Patrolling Envoy Huang, that treasure might be capable of generating massive amounts of mysterious energy! Perhaps even special mysterious energy that can assess a person's constitution!" Li Hao was surprised. *Assess constitution?* *What did that mean?* Wang Ming explained again, "In other words, if they use it on you, it can determine which type of mysterious energy matches you and channel that directly, giving you a ninety-percent success rate when advancing to supernatural! That's absurdly high. You have to understand that right now, people are guided randomly, and whether it succeeds is pure luck." "Who has that much mysterious energy to waste?!" "If this thing works, nine out of ten people will succeed when guided... The Night Watchers' strength will skyrocket! On one hand, we have a massive population base; on the other, our internal structure is more stable, allowing for rigorous selection to pick the best of the best." "In the past, the Three Great Organizations were so powerful precisely because of this—they could evaluate constitutions, find the matching mysterious energy, and succeed with a direct guiding process... Tell me, isn't that an extraordinary treasure?" Li Hao drew a sharp breath and nodded. An extraordinary treasure indeed! The Night Watchers had fallen behind likely due to lacking such a thing. If he were a big shot in the Night Watchers, he certainly wouldn't return it either. At worst, they would wage war! If it meant fighting, they would fight. Even if they suffered heavy casualties, they had to fight—the treasure was not going back! No wonder rumors said the Central Region was tearing itself apart to the point of deploying city-destroying bombs. At this moment, Li Hao felt his eyes opened; he suddenly understood the core of the chaos in the Central Region. Sure enough, these people from White Moon City knew so much. Even Yuan Shuo wasn't aware of this, let alone Liu Long, yet Wang Ming, a mere Lunar Nether, knew it clear as day. "Then... is that treasure still in the hands of the Night Watchers?" "Of course. Otherwise, the fighting would have stopped long ago." Wang Ming smiled. "In any case, the fighting over there is completely insane, but... chaos has its perks!" Wang Ming sighed with feeling. "I heard that because there's so much combat, people are advancing rapidly. Originally, experts above Three Sols were exceedingly rare, but recently I heard someone broke through again—and they're quite young. All the major organizations have joined the fray now. The Three Great Organizations want to prevent the Night Watchers from expanding, while the small and medium organizations hope to seize the treasure for a piece of the pie. If they obtain it to evaluate constitutions and grow their power, they can contend with the major organizations!" Thus, the Central Region attracted an overwhelming number of supernaturals into the fray. Frequent major battles meant frequent opportunities. Many people broke through. Supernaturals at the Lunar Nether level died every single day over there—who knew how many had fallen? Regardless, every day brought new breakthroughs and new supernaturals. Hu Hao, who had remained quiet all this while, suddenly chimed in, "It's best if the war doesn't end too quickly. Otherwise... Deputy Director Li's side will probably be in trouble, and Professor Yuan too!" Right now, the Red Moon experts had no time to bother with them because they simply couldn't spare more powerful fighters. Yet once the Central Region war concluded, in tiny Silver Moon Province, a single Yuan Shuo wouldn't be able to hold them off. Li Hao didn't seem too worried. He smiled and said, "If they come, let them come. Our Silver City Branch isn't weak either!" "..." The others ignored him. *He doesn't know the heights of heaven or the depths of the earth!* *With a few Lunar Nether and Hundred-Breakers, you think you can stand against Red Moon?* *What a joke.* *This guy truly doesn't understand the cruelty of the supernatural realm.* Li Hao, meanwhile, fell silent, deeply satisfied. He had gathered a tremendous amount of information in one go. That included the fact that even when the next rainy season arrived, Red Moon might not be able to deploy a large number of experts because the Central Region tied them down, making it impossible for them to disengage easily. If only a few came, perhaps they could be picked off one by one for meat. As for the Central Region... Li Hao had no intention of throwing his life away there right now. Hadn't they said it? Even those above Three Sols were constantly battling, and several had already died. It was terrifying; even his teacher going there would be courting death. However, Li Hao was extremely interested in those so-called extraordinary treasures and ruins—the treasures and sites capable of generating mysterious energy. He wondered: could his small sword also generate special mysterious energy continuously? Or once drained, would it be gone forever? Thinking of this, Li Hao asked abruptly, "Right, is that mysterious energy infinite? For example, with those treasures, once their mysterious energy is absorbed, can they keep generating more?" Wang Ming explained, "The major organizations all have methods to solve this. They can convert certain things to generate mysterious energy, or replenish and refill it. In any case, a treasure is required as an intermediary medium! These treasures also have a special title in the supernatural realm—Origin God Armaments! Any organization that possesses an Origin God Armament deserves serious attention, as it means they can continuously produce new supernaturals!" *Origin God Armament!* *Capable of replenishment, capable of conversion...* At this moment, Li Hao's thoughts raced. *Why do I feel that the weapons of the Eight Great Families might all be Origin God Armaments?* *No way! Right?!* The Eight Great Families might have eight weapons. Of course, maybe not eight, since someone in the ballad didn't use a weapon. If they were Origin God Armaments—eight of them at once... *Hiss!* Li Hao tested the waters. "Then... the sword I handed over last time, is that an Origin God Armament?" Wang Ming chuckled. "How could it be! How could an Origin God Armament be so easily obtained? Still... your sword is in a sealed state, so it's hard to say. If it really is an Origin God Armament... that would be terrifying. Who knows how many pieces Red Moon has already taken? If so... let's hope it isn't. Otherwise, Red Moon's strength will skyrocket, which would be disastrous." Li Hao, however, felt it was very likely. *Origin God Armament!* If that was the case, the Eight Great Families in ancient times might have been truly extraordinary. Each family had passed down an Origin God Armament! That was the foundation for establishing a major organization. Without an Origin God Armament and a stable source of mysterious energy, how could an organization last solely by killing people to seize their energy? Take the Demon Hunting Squad: relying on killing and looting, they would have been thoroughly wiped out long ago if Yuan Shuo hadn't stepped in this time. At this moment, he firmly etched the words "Origin God Armament" into his memory. He then thought of the dwindling special energy within his small jade sword—how could it be replenished? That energy was simply too useful. If it was exhausted completely, Li Hao would be heartbroken. "Old Wang, do other branches have Origin God Armaments?" "Are you kidding?! In the entire Silver Moon Province, out of all the Night Watchers divisions, only White Moon City has one! That's why a batch of supernaturals can be produced every year. All of us became supernaturals through that Origin God Armament." Wang Ming elaborated further, "That's why White Moon City has an expert stationed there year-round. Director Hou practically never leaves headquarters, remaining there continuously just to prevent the Origin God Armament from being stolen." The Director Hou he referred to was the number one figure of the Night Watchers in Silver Moon Province, the true big boss. A verified Three Sols expert! At this point, Li Meng chimed in, "Origin God Armaments don't just generate ordinary mysterious energy. From what I know, they can also generate certain special mysterious energies. As for how special, I'm not entirely clear, but I heard from some senior figures that when supernaturals first appeared, some people didn't realize how precious special mysterious energy was and directly absorbed the mysterious source within the Origin God Armaments... It was far too wasteful and extravagant! However, the effects were supposedly extraordinary. Many Solar Radiance and Three Sols experts actually absorbed origin energy back then." *Origin energy!* Li Hao's expression remained unchanged, but his heart trembled once again. *The sword energy and saber energy I absorbed... could they be this so-called origin energy?!* *Origin God Armaments produce special mysterious energy... Why does it sound more and more like my sword is an Origin God Armament?!* Wang Ming also scoffed, "The older generation of supernaturals were ignorant and reckless! Nobody does that kind of thing now. Unless an individual owns one exclusively, an Origin God Armament is the prerequisite for birthing a major organization. Who would mess around with it like that?" Li Hao, however, thought of his teacher. *Could Teacher... also be unaware of this?* He had assumed his teacher was omniscient. If he knew, Teacher should have guessed long ago that the saber and sword might both be Origin God Armaments. "Does... everyone know about Origin God Armaments?" "How could that be? Nobody knew before. In Silver Moon Province, perhaps only Director Hou knew. It was only after news of that extraordinary treasure spread during the Central Region war that it became widely known, and that was how we learned of the existence of Origin God Armaments." Li Hao nodded. Now he understood. His teacher probably genuinely hadn't known before. The news had only recently leaked, and since his teacher had stayed in Silver City all along, his information channels were limited. The Night Watchers wouldn't tell him everything either. Li Hao felt a surge of joy. There were things even his teacher didn't know—he would have to inform him later. *Origin God Armaments!* He and his teacher currently held one each. He just didn't know how to produce mysterious energy indefinitely—or rather, what Li Hao needed wasn't that, but how to infinitely replenish the special sword and saber energy. Once he had a clear idea, there would be a way to solve it. Thinking of this, Li Hao felt even more delighted. A tremendous *BANG* shattered Li Hao's train of thought—the car had crashed! Wang Ming sighed, and Li Meng and Hu Hao sighed as well. *We should have known!* *We shouldn't have struck up a conversation with this guy. Now look—it would've been much more convenient to just let Hu Hao fly us over.* Li Hao felt rather sheepish. He got out to take a look, then quickly climbed back in. "It's fine! Just hit a stone bollard. Still drivable!" With that, he restarted the engine and continued driving. ... By the time they reached the entrance of his courtyard, the three supernaturals stepped out, their legs wobbling slightly. Meanwhile, Li Hao's newly acquired car was a total wreck, its entire front bumper and grille completely mangled. Li Hao sighed. *My car!* *In this lifetime, I'm truly not fated to be rich.* *Look at that—such a good car. If it needs repairs...* Li Hao suspected that without receiving his salary, he probably couldn't even afford to fix it. ... Throughout dinner, Li Hao ate with a distracted mind. The others assumed he was heartbroken over the car. In reality, he wasn't—or even if he was, it was only a tiny fraction of his concern. What he cared about far more were the Origin God Armaments and the Eight Great Families. The Eight Great Families and Origin God Armaments. If Red Moon knew that the weapons of the Eight Great Families could still be used, they would never give up—one hundred percent. Leaving aside the Bagua diagram above Silver City, a single Origin God Armament was enough to ensure they wouldn't let it go. After all, in the Central Region, people were beating each other's brains out over a single Origin God Armament. The reason Red Moon hadn't mobilized on a massive scale now was likely also out of fear of drawing others into the fray. *In that case, I need to be even more cautious. When they come to kill me, it won't just be for the Bagua, but also for the weapons... Hopefully, that sword at the Night Watchers can fool them a while longer.* ... While Li Hao and the others were having dinner... In White Moon City. A stern shout resonated in all directions: "Insolent! You seek death!" A thunderous boom echoed. A moment later, a crowd rapidly converged. Outside an important vault, an expert with shoulder-length hair stood with a frosty expression, scanning the surroundings. Only after a long while did he say, "Everyone return. It's nothing!" The crowd dispersed one after another. Once they were gone, the man looked toward Hao Lianchuan not far away and said in an icy voice, "There doesn't seem to be any extraordinary treasure here... except for the sword you brought back from Silver City!" This was the Night Watchers' Silver Moon Province headquarters! The other party had actually dared to infiltrate this deep. Far too audacious! Hao Lianchuan asked in a low voice, "Director Hou, is the person dead?" "Escaped!" At those words, Hao Lianchuan's expression changed drastically. *Escaped right before Director Hou?!* "An earth-attribute expert!" The man said coldly, "The Eight Great Families... weapons... Red Moon... It might not be Red Moon's people, but it seems many factions have their eyes on the weapons of the Eight Great Families. You must keep a close eye on Silver City. Now that the person and the sword are separated, perhaps overly powerful figures won't go there, but... once Yuan Shuo leaves, it would be best to bring that Li Hao to White Moon City. Otherwise, certain people might not stay quiet." "Understood!" Hao Lianchuan nodded, then couldn't help asking, "What's... the deal with the Eight Great Families anyway?" "Hard to say. It's too ancient; we can't unearth every secret." The man sighed. "That leader of Red Moon, Ying Hongyue, might have obtained ancient texts concerning the Eight Great Families. In short, keep a sharp eye out! Also, that Li Hao... give him an appropriate amount of extra attention!" At this point, his tone suddenly turned indifferent. "If these people refuse to give up, perhaps... we can use the opportunity to eliminate a portion of those troublemakers." Hao Lianchuan nodded. The opportunity was indeed suitable, but the fear was... whether the Night Watchers had enough strength to swallow such a tempting prize. "Also, tell Yuan Shuo that the ruins exploration is set for late next month." "Understood." Hao Lianchuan turned to leave, but at the doorway, he suddenly turned back and asked, "Director Hou, can we request more experts from the Central Region for reinforcements?" "No!" The man shook his head. "Impossible. They can barely hold their ground over there. They've asked me several times to support them with our Origin God Armament, but I refused. If I leave Silver Moon Province, you probably won't be able to hold the line." "Sigh!" With a sigh, Hao Lianchuan departed, feeling somewhat helpless. Both fronts were strained! Otherwise, this ruins exploration should have involved more people rather than having him as the sole Three Sols leading the team. This expedition was unlikely to be very safe.