475 - 485

Chapter 475: Sassy Reinforcement

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The Kaedeian population had been dwindling even before the war started, and therefore, any Kaedeian life lost was a huge setback.

"My Lady, my lady... Your queen mother asks for you."

"I will be there in a minute." Heidi was busy sieving through the reports from all over Mars, many of whom were pleading for reinforcements. The Kaedeians knew that without the resistance forces, the Zergs would be able to gather force and crush down the Kaedeian defense. Therefore, even if Heidi had no manpower to spare, she agreed to support bands of warriors through other means.

When Heidi finally arrived at her mother's residence, she was greeted by the queen and many priestesses.

"Princess, the chosen one has finally arrived." The head priestess announced loudly, her voice trembling with excitement. It had been a long wait after all.

"The chosen one?" Heidi was taken it back by the news. Ever since Patroclus defeated Wang Tong in the space, she sneered every time someone brought up that name. If Wang Tong couldn't even defeat Patroclus, how could he save the humanity and the Kaedeians?

"How is that possible?" Heidi asked. "Didn't he die five years ago?"

"Princess, you should never doubt our savior. He was the messenger of the gods, the chosen one. I have seen his halo from far away, and it burned with such intensity like I have never seen before. It has got to be him!" The head priestess could not long hold her composure as she shouted.

"My Queen, please excuse me." The head priestess apologized after realizing she had been too loud.

"There is nothing to be sorry for. We all owe you gratitude for discovering the return of the promised savior. What should we do now?"

"We should send out search convoy to all districts of Mars; we need to find him!"

"The entire Mars? We neither have the time nor the manpower!" Heidi rose against the head priestess's proposal. As the commander of the Kaedeian forces, she knew they could not afford to lose any more fighters.

"Princess, please think of it in another way. We have been fighting a long war with the Zergs for centuries, much longer than the humans did. Now, the Zergs have finally made a mistake and merged their gene with the humans, unwittingly giving the humans an opportunity to eliminate the Zergs once for all. We can't pass up this opportunity." The head priestess urged as wisdom shone in her old eyes. She was not only concerned about the problem at hand, but also the solutions far in the future.

During the centuries-long struggle against the Zergs, Kaedeians had achieved some victories. But in the end, they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies and had to retreat to Mars. A few centuries later, the women warriors were still fighting the war against their old enemy. But this time, the tables seemed to have turned.

On the surface, the Zergs seemed to have gained the upper hand after they incorporated the human gene into their gene pool. However, the human gene was a mixed blessing to the Zerg in the long run. Not only they had inherited human's intelligence, but also all of their sins: jealousy, selfishness, lust, and more. These elements sowed the seeds of destruction that would, in time, bear the vile fruit of internal crisis.

Only five years after the war, the bud of destruction within the Zergs had already manifested itself in the form of the struggle between Patroclus and Moye.

The news about the return of the savior had lit up every priestess' face with glee. Ever since the invasion of the Zergs five years ago, life inside the Kaedeian city was dominated by sorrow and fear. Unlike the humans, Kaedeian had been defeated by the Zerg in such a crushing way that even three hundred years of recuperation was still not enough for them to forget the scars.

Although Heidi had her doubts, she accepted her queen mother's order. However, she reminded herself to not to kept her hopes high. After all, the savior had already failed them once. Like many young souls in the city, Heidi firmly believed that only perseverance and resilience could save their race from the scourge of Zerg.

In the afternoon, Guan Dongyang got the invitation to the tournament, which immediately lit up outrage everywhere at the camp.

"Balls! Thankless b*stards! They know that we are mostly Mastery casters, and that is why they called for a tournament! " Ross shouted and thumped his fist on the heavy table.

Each faction was to draft ten fighters, and the winner of each round would claim one-tenth of the war spoils.

As a small but effective group, the Battle Wolf's status had always been unclear among the other resistance groups. Guan Dongyang had expected some reluctance in the other two leaders to share the war spoils equally. Even if the other leaders had the decency to give Battle Wolf its fair share, it was impossible to divide the war spoils equally into three portion due to a level sixteen METAL suit, whose value was hard to measure using the other loots.

As a mastery caster, Guan Dongyang had an inferior defense than his METAL counterparts, and therefore, he was in the great need of such a high-level METAL to protect himself. However, both Marcos and Randolph felt that they could not pass up the opportunity either.

Guan Dongyang remained calm after reading the invitation letter for the tournament. "Whining and complaining won't change the fact that our strength is weaker than them. If it were you, would you be willing to share contents of the loot with weaklings? At any rate, they did not deny our rights to claim the spoils. They just want to use the tournament to prevent us from getting that super METAL, that's all."

"So, what is your call?" Ye Zi asked. She was tempted to negotiate a better deal with the other two factions as a member of the Divine Master Sect. However, after some thoughts, she conceded that between face and super METAL, the two leaders would choose the latter within a heartbeat.

Guan Dongyang shook his head and beamed from side to side. "I have news that I wished to announce later today. It would give Marcos a pleasant surprise. "

"You mean someone from House Lie is going to join us?" Ye Zi asked with a smile.

"How did you know?"

"Haha, boss, you never smile like that unless we are talking about Lie Xuan!"

"Haha! Well played, boss. That will be a hell of a sassy surprise for the other two factions! Haha!"

"Yes. Since it's an internal dispute, House Lie cannot interfere too much, so Lie Xuan will come alone. Our goal is the super METAL; the rest does not matter." Guan Dongyang announced.

"Boss, you can count on us!" The rest of the soldiers at the meeting room shouted in unison.

"I will go prepare a guest room for her." Ye Zi volunteered.

After the meeting, Guan Dongyang dispatched another assistant to compile a complete list of the loot, just in case the other two factions changed the contents in the cargo boxes. Two hundred men and women had followed him to the battlefield and bled, some even losing their lives. Guan Dongyang could not let their sacrifice go down the drain. In addition, Guan Dongyang suspected that there was more than just one super METAL among the loot based on the size of the escort team. So, he invited Lie Xuan to join his side in order to gain more odds in his favor

The young leader of Battle Wolf knew that he would be examined and tested during this tournament, and therefore, it would be a great opportunity to display his strength and pave the way to his leadership in the upcoming assault on Maersa.

…

"Captain, news about our victory had made its way to many other factions. We are going to have lots of spectators during the tournament."

Marcos scowled. "They can look, but don't they dare touch my loot!"

Chapter 476: Take Me With You

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"The more, the better, Captain. It will be a great opportunity to display our strength, don't you think? It will make it easier for you to claim dominance in the Maersa district once we push the Zergs out."

The thought of bringing the other factions to their knees brought a smile to Marcos' face. He wagered that it would only be a matter of time for the human resistance to kick the Zergs out of the city. Who would be in charge then? The great houses' power had eroded significantly over time, leaving a power vacuum in the region. To a warlord like Marcos, it was an opportunity of a lifetime to exert his influence and fill the power vacuum.

"I get what you mean. But, what if those a*sholes want a share of the loot? Man can do terrible things out of jealousy."

"Boss, if you want to be the leader of the world, you would have to get over the green eyes around you. If you are really concerned about safety, we can restrict the number of participants down to five in each faction. I doubt anyone is going to rob us in broad daylight. Plus, we have the full support of the Rock Buster."

There were two other factions in the Maersa district whose strength and influence was at par with, if not higher than Thunder Fire's. For now, all factions were united under the common goal of driving out the Zergs. Those who had ulterior motives were called rogues, and all human factions persecuted them upon sight.

Two years ago, a band of rogues rose to power on Mars. They raided and pillaged many settlements within House Lie's territory, and eventually aggravated the Lord of House Lie, Lie Jintian. Lie Jintian led an army and completely decimated the band. Its leader, a level twelve METAL warrior, was decapitated by Li Jintian himself. After the victory, Lie Jintian disemboweled the leader and set his heart on a pike as a message to all the other rogues.

After that turn of events, most bands of rogues put down their weapons, and they either returned home or joined the resistance groups.

Although Einherjar Lie Jintian was a mighty warrior, he had to be very careful while fighting against the Zergs. The Zergs had come up with methods of capturing and killing any Einherjar level fighter. Einherjars were rare commodities during such reduced circumstances; they were not only powerful on the battlefield, but also the embodiment of hope. Losing an Einherjar meant losing half the war.

As Marcos calculated his odds and weighed his options, he reckoned how much the resistance factions needed a central leader. He had tried many times—to no avail—to bring Guan Dongyang and the Battle Wolf under his wings. However, Guan Dongyang was very confident that he didn't need anyone's protection. Plus, Guan Dongyang would rather be his own boss, rather than exchange his freedom for safety in a cage.

Despite Guan Dongyang's turning down of his good will, Marcos always maintained a healthy relationship with the former. Marcos was convinced that the Battle Wolf was an even more valuable ally than the Rock Buster. The indispensable mastery casters aside, Battle Wolf was Marcos' only way to stay connected with House Lie and the Divine Master Sect.

"So be it! Don't you think Guan Dongyang's decision came a little bit too quick?"

"Yes indeed. Our report says that a convoy from House Lie is heading toward the Battle Wold. Lie Xuan is the leader."

"Haha, no wonder Guan Dongyang had replied to my invitation so quickly. Lie Xuan is a gorgeous little hot pepper, right? I have heard that she had reached level seventeen a year ago, and her tactics are the Tactics of the Blaze."

"Boss, this tournament is our internal business, so I don't think House Lie would interfere too much. At most, they would just send one warrior to fight for Battle Wolf. However, for the sake of safety, I think we should invite that man as our champion." Li Xiu pressed his face close to Marcos' ear and whispered a name.

Marcos nodded. "He has a bad temper, and is very expensive as well. Do you think he would come to join us?"

"Boss, time can make a hero kneel. His life had been difficult, and I have heard a report saying that the Zergs had discovered his last hiding spot, and he was forced to move again. At this moment, I believe he is more worried about having a covered roof on top of his wife and kids than his face. We can offer to bring his wife and kids under our protection, give them food and accommodation, and most importantly, safety. I would be hard pressed to see him turning us down."

"That sounds like a plan! If you can bring him to my camp, I will give you full credit for our success."

"Thank you, captain. Once the condition is right, we will quickly rise to power and claim the throne of Maersa!"

"Hehe, don't celebrate too early. But thanks to you, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. When you talk to him, tell him that it is his responsibility as a martian to join the resistance and fight against the Zergs."

"Will do!"

Marcos watched as Li Xiu sauntered out of the room. Marcos heaved a sigh and was absorbed in reflections of his achievements. The Thunder Fire started out as a martial group, not that much different from a gym. In the early years, Marcos focused solely on growth and chose his battles carefully. After a few years of careful planning and a dozen strategic successes, Thunder Fire's growth finally started to pick up speed. Marcos was very proud of himself for having created the band from scratch.

At the war camp of the Battle Wolf, Guan Dongyang gathered the warriors he had drafted to join the tournament around the campfire and gave them an inspiring speech. Wang Tong listened quietly as his mind slowly drifted into a reverie.

What would have happened if he had managed to kill Patroclus five years ago? Would that have changed the fate of humanity?

What would happen to his family and friend if he wasn't there to protect them?

When Jansining told him to look after Bei Bei, he meant not only to protect the little girl, but also to protect the world in which Bei Bei could enjoy her life.

However difficult it was to fulfill his promise to Jansining, Wang Tong had to do it.

For the longest time, Wang Tong was proud of his resilience and perseverance. But right now, he realized that enduring suffering quietly was nothing to be proud of. The real pride should be in actions to change what was wrong, to make the world a better place, and to end the suffering, like what Guan Dongyang was doing.

"Furface, what are you thinking?" Ye Zi's voice wrenched Wang Tong's mind out of his deep thoughts.

Wang Tong turned to Ye Zi and asked, "Do you think I can go with you?"

"You want to go to the tournament? Can you tell me why?" Ye Zi's eyes locked onto Wang Tong's face.

"I am the mechanic, am I not? I can identify how good the loot is."

"Fine, fine. I will talk to the captain. I don't think he will say no. "Ye Zi nodded.

"Thank you, Officer Ye."

"Save the courtesy. Just call me Ye Zi please, Furface!"

"Ok, Ye Zi. There is a question that I always wanted to ask you, but I am not sure if it's appropriate."

"Ask along."

"Michaux and the Divine Master Set are well known for their Mastery. I wonder if they provide mastery training to the public?"

Ye Zi was caught off guard, not by the question, but by the way Wang Tong said it. Michaux Odin was a legendary warrior, and only a few could mention his name with such levity as Wang Tong had just done.

"Why? Are you interested in becoming a mastery caster? You have a pretty solid soul energy, I will give you that. Maybe you should give it a try."

Chapter 477: The Secrets Of Mastery

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Yeah, I am interested." Wang Tong cracked a smile.

"Is that confidence I just sensed in you? Hehe. Yes, the Divine Master Sect provides such training, and most low-level mastery casters graduate from their school. Although the mastery might seem easy at the beginning, it is tough to level up once you have learned the basics, much more difficult than METAL combat at least. To tell you a secret…" Ye Zi covered her mouth and spoke under her breath. "Even Guan Dongyang was considered low-level mastery compared to Michaux. Luckily, you can combine mastery casters' powers to achieve more significant damage. "

Wang Tong nodded and asked, "Which type of mastery is the most wildly used nowadays?"

Ye Zi knew right away that Wang Tong was not an ordinary mechanic, or perhaps not a mechanic at all. She answered carefully, "The fire element, because it can deliver the greatest damage."

"Hehe, don't fool me. If I were Michaux, I would focus on the ice element." Wang Tong refuted.

At this point, Ye Zi could no longer hold on to her calm appearance. Her master had told her that there was an elite group within the Sect who focused solely on ice element. She had accidentally overheard the Divine Master himself state his suspicion that the red glob had an icy core inside.

But all those were strictly top secrets, and even Guan Dongyang's mastery had used fire element. How did Furface come to such a conclusion?

A question rang loud and clear in Ye Zi's mind, 'Who is he?'

He called himself Wang Tong, a name that Ye Zi had never heard of; it had to be fake. Ye Zi studied Wang Tong from head to toe, and other than pity, she couldn't feel anything else.

Ye Zi gathered herself and cracked a smile, "I'm... too busy lately. We should practice Mastery together once I have some time. "

Wang Tong smiled and then nodded, his eyes still fixated on Guan Dongyang. Guan Dongyang was about to finish his inspirational speech that had lit up everyone's spirit.

There was something in the younger generation of warriors that the older generation such as Marcos had lacked. That very something was everywhere around the camp; it was in their altruistic ideology, their passion for achieving greatness, and the ever-burning desire to save humanity. To these young warriors, the personal gain was not the top priority. It was the common good that they cared about the most.

The tournament was scheduled in three days, but Guan Dongyang didn't let the challenge get the better of him, and he carried out the daily routine around the camp as usual. One such routine was drilling with the Mastery casters. Group mastery required coordination, and therefore, practice and constant drilling were necessary. The benefit of training in a group was profound to an individual's cultivation, since it made it much easier for each caster to tap into the natural energy around them. The Mastery was a relatively new field, and therefore, the cultivators could often encounter pleasant surprises during experiments from time to time. The same could not be said about METAL combat, since the techniques were very well established.

As soon as Guan Dongyang discovered the surprising benefit of group cultivation, he had ordered his mastery casters to practice together every day. After each day's group practice, Guan Dongyang also took a few minutes to offer his precious advice. During that time, not only did the mastery casters gather around him, but the METAL fighters would also listen attentively to see if there was anything useful for them.

Mixing mastery and METAL combat was what Guan Dongyang had always encouraged. Mastery could help METAL warriors advance in their cultivation, and mastery casters could also benefit from the robust physique on the battlefield.

Even Ye Zi attended the session and took notes from time to time. Although she had received training from the Divine Masters, she found that she could learn a great deal from Guan Dongyang's unique and battle-hardened mastery style.

Wang Tong nodded as he listened to Guan Dongyang's class. Guan Dongyang had divided mastery techniques into different difficulty levels, and encouraged the new students to start from the easier ones. This division was considered to be an ingenious creation by almost everyone, but Wang Tong had immediately noticed more than a dozen defects in the theory. In Guan Dongyang's system, the highest level of mastery consisted only of two offensive moves: fireball and fire drake. Both were the most rudimentary forms of mastery in Wang Tong's opinion.

If it were five years ago, Wang Tong would have shouted out his thoughts without considering the consequences. But, the new Wang Tong was no longer the brash teenager, and he had started to appreciate the value of taking things slowly.

One merit that Wang Tong found in the Battle Wolf's mastery casters was their solid foundation and strict discipline.

After Guan Dongyang finished his class, some of his students kept their silence and summarized the class in their minds, and some were discussing about what they had learned with their friends.

"What do you think?" Ye Zi asked.

"Not bad." Wang Tong nodded. He thought that it was rather impressive for Guan Dongyang to form such a solid Mastery team from scratch.

"That's it?"

"Um... yes?" Wang Tong replied, unsure what else to say.

Ye Zi searched Wang Tong's face for any sign that befitted an extraordinary warrior and failed. She found it hard to endure Wang Tong's levity when talking about the best Mastery fighter in the entire district. In the end, she was convinced that it was Wang Tong's mechanical skill that had lent him his blind confidence.

After Ye Zi walked away with Guan Dongyang, Tan Bu and Duo Lun sneaked up to Wang Tong. "Furface, when are you going to teach everyone your tactics?"

"Hehe, there is no hurry. Let me observe you for a couple more days. How about you meet me at my shop tonight, and I will run some tests on you."

"Tests? What kind of tests?"

"You will know when you arrive."

"Roger that." Tan Bu announced.

Duo Lun pressed closer to Wang Tong and spoke quietly, "Do you want to join us to see Captain's sweetheart? The flower of the Mars, the spicy beauty, Lie Xuan!"

"More like a deadly she-wolf, that one!" Tan Bu piped up.

Although Lie Xuan was a gorgeous girl, she had a temper worse than that of a raging bull.

Wang Tong cracked a knowing smile, but the smile immediately evaporated from his face.

Lun Duo patted Wang Tong's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, we will find you a nice girl too."

"Don't listen to him. He can barely find himself a girl! Tell you what, the best girl in this area is right inside our medic room. But, there are always more good-looking girls in other war camps. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, right? We just have to fight harder at the tournament, and maybe we will win more than just the loot." Tan Bu said.

"Only the top fighters are allowed to join the tournament. What are you going to do there?" Lun Duo asked.

"Which top fighter is willing to be the cargo, driver? If I don't help them with the transportation, the loot is not going to grow a pair of legs and walk home, is it?"

Wang Tong shook his head as Tan Bu reminded him too much of Karl.

"Look! The one in red is Lie Xuan! She is so hot!"

Wang Tong looked in the direction where Lun Duo was pointing at and saw six members of House Lie. Lie Xuan was easy to identify by her red dress that accentuated her curvy and tenacious body. A charming and intoxicating smile lingered on her elegant face. No wonder Guan Dongyang would fall for her.

Chapter 478: Visitors from House Lie

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

There was another familiar face among the member of House Lie: Lie Wushuang. Lie Wushuang had just turned twenty-seven this year, and his seniority and experience had lent him confidence. Each step he took held an unswerving determination and purpose. Among the half dozen warriors sent by House Lie, he ought to be the strongest.

"Balls! That's Lie Wushuang! He is the boss' competitor." Lun Duo scowled and lamented.

"He has no chance! How many years had he stayed close to Lie Xuan, and still no dice? If Lie Xuan were interested in him, they would have already gotten married." Tan Bu shook his head. Clearly, he knew women better than his best friend.

While they were speaking, the entourage had filed into Guan Dongyang's room. Lie Xuan held hands with Ye Zi and started chattering like two teenage girls. Everyone's face lit up with glee; it was evident that Guan Dongyang had kept an amicable relationship with House Lie.

As Lie Xuan and Ye Zi walked out of the room and disappeared into the distance, Tan Bu and Lun Duo both heaved a sigh.

"I would rather die in the bed with a hot muffin than live a single extra day. I have decided, I will work extra hours every day to become one of the super METAL warriors, and find myself a sweetheart as beautiful as those two." Tan Bu thought for a few seconds and then announced with determination in his voice.

When he finished announcing his newfound resolution, he found out that Duo Lun had already left him, dragging Wang Tong behind.

"Don't mind him; he is an idiot." The wind blew a few words out of Duo Lun's mouth into Tan Bu's ears.

"Hehe, everything is possible." Wang Tong said quietly to himself.

Tan Bu caught up with the two and walked to their rooms together. Suddenly, they heard a voice calling out to them, and they saw Ross scuttling toward them.

"What are you three doing here?" Ross asked.

"Nothing, nothing. We didn't do anything." Tan Bu hurried to reply.

"I know you guys are peeking at those girls. Everyone knows that you only think with what's in between your legs instead of what's on your shoulder. Come, Furface. Boss is looking for you. We have a guest today, so don't let us down." Ross commanded.

"What's up?"

"I have no idea either, just follow me. Ask less, do more!"

Wang Tong nodded and waved to the two young soldiers. "Don't forget to find me tonight."

When Wang Tong arrived at Guan Dongyang's room, he was greeted by swells of laughter. Everyone was listening to Lie Xuan's recent battles while throwing banter at her from time to time.

Guan Dongyang didn't pay much attention to Wang Tong when he first heard of his arrival. However, during the battle at the hills, he was surprised by how well his METAL had functioned. Therefore, he thought he owed Wang Tong a formal appreciation.

Ye Zi knew Wang Tong well, and therefore, she pushed herself up from the chair, walked to Wang Tong, and introduced him.

"This is the furface of Battle Wolf… An excellent METAL mechanic, palpably the best on Mars! We will take him with us to the tournament to identify the looted METAL."

Lie Xuan surveyed Wang Tong and heaved a sigh of disappointment. Martians were never good at hiding their feelings. "The best? Do you think the five mechanics of House Lie are any worse than this...loser? "

Although Guan Dongyang was well aware of Lie Xuan's personality, her ill choice of words spurred a knot on Guan Dongyang's face.

Sensing her words had gone a little overboard, Lie Xuan quickly plastered on a whimsical smile and laughed out loud. "Haha! I was just joking! Come sit by me, Mr. Furface. We will be counting on you to see through any tricks from the Thunder Fire."

Wang Tong nodded; time didn't change her carelessness, but made her made more aware of other's feelings nonetheless.

"Brother Guan, we should take advantage and establish your authority among the other factions. Let those Thunder Fire shoot themselves in the foot." Lie Wushuang announced.

"Hehe, you have spoken my mind, Brother Wushuang. I will send the Battle Wolf members out first, and you can help out once things start to get hairy."

Lie Wushuang nodded in approval. He scanned the room and found Wang Tong sitting quietly in his seat.

"You don't like to talk, do you?" Lie Wushuang asked.

Wang Tong's eyes found Lie Wushuang's gaze, but he didn't say a word.

Ye Zi hurried to reply on behalf of Wang Tong. "He is just a technician, probably too afraid to talk to you at this moment."

"Lie Xuan, make sure you rest well. We will move out tomorrow."

"Roger that."

"Ah… We have other matters to take care of. You two, please continue. " Ye Zi squeezed a wink at everyone and left the room. Ross and everyone else picked up the cue and followed Ye Zi out of the room, leaving Guan Dongyang alone with Lie Xuan.

Lie Xuan cast a glance at Lie Wushuang, willing him to stay.

It was true that Lie Wushuang used to be obsessed with Le Xuan, but not anymore. However, Guan Dongyang's insistent courtship of his former lover annoyed the former like a prick in his side.

Lie Jian really liked Guan Dongyang's talent, but his favor was limited to only business. Even though Lie Jian never planned to marry his sister to Guan Dongyang, neither did he ever openly oppose his courtship. Using her sister as a pivot, Lie Jian played a smart game against two of his most potent associates. He used Guan Dongyang's actions to stoke the flame of jealousy inside Lie Wushuang, and in the end, they both had to ask him for help —a hefty bargaining chip that he could weigh in when asking the two for their loyalties.

"Furface, don't mind what Lie Xuan had said. House Lie folks can be jerks sometimes." Ye Zi said.

Wang Tong shrugged.

Ye Zi cracked a smile and then said, "They are very generous this time. Other than Lie Wushuang and Lie Xuan, the other four warriors are all level sixteen. It should give the Thunder Fire some pressure."

"Is it allowed to have external aid from House Lie?"

"Of course!" Ye Zi was taken aback by the question.

"What if Thunder Fire does the same?"

"Phf... What kind of aid would they have?" Ye Zi snorted.

"Hey, you! Have we met before?" A deep voice boomed behind the two. It was Lie Wushuang, his eyes locked onto Wang Tong.

"No." Wang Tong shook his head.

Lie Wushuang thought for a second; it was true that he never knew any mechanic except for those who worked for House Lie.

After exchanged a greeting with Ye Zi, Lie Wushuang left with his associates.

"You should go back and prepare for tomorrow's task, " Ye Zi said to Wang Tong.

Wang Tong nodded and walked away. But, he didn't go back to his room. Instead, he went straight to Duo Lun and Tan Bu's room.

"Hey, Furface, how did you know we were here? Did you cast a location spell on us? Haha!"

"Spell you're a*s! " Wang Tong cursed for the first time in a long time.

Sensing that Wang Tong was finally loosening up, Tan Bu said, "Here we go! Let it all out. You know, I was dumped fifty-six times! And look at me now… a chick magnet!"

"I was never dumped." Wang Tong protested, but his voice betrayed him.

"We know the pain, bro. We neither have the power nor a pretty face like our boss. But, as long as we keep at it, we will be fine. Hey, do you want to know some useful information to up your game a notch?"

"Oh? Do tell." Wang Tong's interest was piqued.

"Haha, there are beauty queens on Mars. The first one is Heidi, but it is impossible to court her because of obvious reasons. The second is the most beautiful and talented medic Susu. She is the founder of the Field Medic Association. The third is the daughter of the Lord of Thunder Drum, Zambrotta."

"Zambrotta's daughter?" Wang Tong shouted in disbelief as Zambrotta's ragged face appeared in his mind.

"Yes, she looks like her mom. After Einherjar Wannabe defeated Zambrotta, he recovered and regained momentum in the development of the Thunder Drum. After the Zergs' invasion, he fled with his followers and quickly formed a resistance force. His group is the third most powerful force right after the House Lie and the Divine Master Sect."

Chapter 479: How Can I Make A Man Out Of You?

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Funny business aside, I am here to see if you two are ready for tomorrow."

"Go ahead. Tell us what to do."

"Just hit me." Wang Tong opened up his arms and said.

"Haha! Furface, are you out of your mind? I am level eleven, and Duo Lun is level ten. If we attack you with full force, you are going to get killed." Tan Bu waved his arms in dismay.

"Are you sure?" Before Wang Tong's voice faded, Tan Bu and Duo Lun felt a fit of spasm in their legs that threatened to steal their balance. The two warriors hurried to maintain balance. However, they found that the more control they exerted over their legs, the more intense the spasm grew.

The struggle went on for ten minutes, and the two soldiers finally gave up and collapsed to the ground.

Wang Tong scowled; he had expected them to last for at least half an hour. He conceded that although he had improved their damage output, the tactics did nothing to strengthen their endurance. Blinded by their sudden increase in power, they might set themselves up in anger without even realizing it.

Tan Bu and Duo Lun laid on the ground while stared perplexity at each other; they didn't even know what had happened to them. They struggled to get up, but failed as they realized that their energy and GN force had been completely depleted.

"Start your tactics. Don't waste such an opportunity!" Wang Tong set his hands on both soldier's shoulders, sending a rush of energy into their systems.

Wang Tong looked at the two soldiers and was determined to find out the source of the problem.

The energy that Wang Tong sent into Duo Lun and Tan Bu lit up their motivation and spurred them to start their tactics anew.

Wang Tong watched carefully and reckoned that although the new tactics lacked in damage, they were easy to learn. But, how come they fell short so badly in terms of endurance?

Wang Tong mauled over the question when recognition suddenly dawned upon him.

The issues were with the GN nodes. Although the addition of sixteen GN nodes would boost the damage output, without a solid foundation, it would be hard for the cultivator to maintain the stability of the GN force. In other words, to alleviate the instability issue, Wang Tong could change the tactics so that it would only unlock eight additional GN nodes instead of sixteen.

However, changing the tactics meant that Wang Tong would have to choose another two testers, since it was already too late for Duo Lun and Tan Bu to alter their GN node configurations. The earlier change to their GN node movement was simply an addition of GN node circulation on top of their existing ones. However, reducing the GN nodes from 16 to 8 meant irreversibly changing what they had already learned.

This was not to say that Duo Lun and Tan Bu were stuck with an ineffective tactic. Since Wang Tong had already found out the cause of the problem, he would sooner or later discover the cure for them.

Nevertheless, Duo Lun and Tan Bu felt that they had nothing to complain. Wang Tong had already given them more than what they had wished for.

Wang Tong chose a flat rock on the edge of a hill and sat down, looking over into the distance as he watched the purple dusk of Mars. The three of them sat together until darkness surrounded them.

…

In the morning, Guan Dongyang and his entourage, including warriors form House Lie, marched toward the camp of Thunder Fire.

Wang Tong, Duo Lun, and Tan Bu sat inside the transport vehicle; they were the support staff of this mission. After having tasted Wang Tong's power, the two soldiers had finally acknowledged him as the leader of their trio. The more they know about Wang Tong, the more he resembled the 'Evil Genius' who tortured humans for fun.

"Furface, do you think we can eventually become badasses, killing Zergs with the snap of fingers?" Tan Bu asked.

Wang Tong cracked a smile and then said, "I don't think so. I would never want to face a swarm of Zergs all by myself."

"I mean if… IF you have to face thousands of Zergs, then what?"

"That's easy." Wang Tong smirked.

Tan Bu and Duo Lun cast each other a knowing glance.

"I will run away." Wang Tong said calmly.

Wang Tong's answer made the other fighters around them burst out laughing. Even Duo Lun and Tan Bu felt embarrassed. Wang Tong didn't mind them laughing at him. He looked through the cracked window into the distance and let the sneers slide off his ego like a breeze off his thick beard.

In the front of the line, Guan Dongyang and Lie Xuan took the lead side by side. This was a dream come true for Guan Dongyang to fight alongside the girl he loved. However, he was also painfully aware that the reality was far from ideal. Not only did Lie Xuan still treat him as one of her friends, but the success of the mission with the help of House Lie also meant that Battle Wolf would be branded with the family name of House Lie.

However, at this point, Guan Dongyang knew that he didn't have many options.

Battle Wolf moved through the meandering trails cautiously, trying to avoid contact with the Zergs. Just a few years ago, it was the Zergs that needed to watch out every time they were on a human planet. Patroclus' betrayal had turned the situation upside down.

But, however tough the situation was, human life carried on.

The fleet traveled slowly to make sure of their safety. In the night, they would make camp wherever they stopped. After dinner, some soldiers would take the night post on the high ground while the rest of the group rested. Ever since the emergence of the dark ones, the Zergs had learned to ambush, and even lure the human forces into their traps. The goal of the Zergs was no longer to kill as many humans as possible; instead, it was to eliminate the most powerful human.

Ever since the letdown that Duo Lun and Tan Bu had given Wang Tong, he had started to expect more from the two. Every time Tan Bu though of slacking off, he swallowed down his laziness as soon as he saw Wang Tong's demanding eyes.

A couple of days later, Wang Tong tested the two soldiers once again, and this time, the two soldiers lasted even shorter than the last time.

"Furface, how long do we have to do this for?" Tan Bu protested.

Wang Tong slowly turned a page of the book in his hand and said calmly, "Till the time you are strong enough."

Unlike Tun Bu, Duo Lun didn't speak a word. He knew that Wang Tong's intentions were good, as he was trying to help them overcome a hurdle in their cultivation. Having Wang Tong as their personal trainer was a blessing of the gods.

Wang Tong glanced at the two and said, "Don't you two want to become the Super METAL warriors?"

Chapter 480: Number One Meant Nothing

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Of course! Zergs killed my entire family, the only purpose in my life is to kill Zergs! Please Wang Tong, can you teach me your tactics so I can avenge my family?" Tan Bu suddenly pleaded with watery eyes. Tragedies like what happened to his family were occurring every day. Duo Lun heard a similar case as his and felt a jab at his heart. The foolish mask he wore in the war was his protection, not from the pain, but from becoming numb and indifferent to what was happening.

"Furface, we both know that you are very strong, and we had studied your tactics. From now on, you will be our Shifu, and we will follow you wherever you go. My story is similar to Tan Bu's. So, please help us to become stronger, such that we can kill as many Zergs as possible." Duo Lun said with his fist clenched tightly. A Zerg ate his sister right in front of him. The terrifying scene of his sister's legs dangling in the Zerg's mouth stunned Duo Lun and almost drove him to the verge of insanity. It was Guan Dongyang who had saved him from being the next victim, but he couldn't save him from the nightmare that haunted him every night.

Wang Tong had seen through Tan Bu's facade a long time ago. He understood the hatred toward Zergs that fueled both of these two young soldiers, and therefore, he was willing to pass his tactics to them. Wang Tong knew that he could not save the world by himself. Without everyone taking up arms and fighting for themselves, even General Li Feng couldn't have saved humanity.

Wang Tong nodded and then said, "There is no need to rush to a decision. In order to become a super METAL fighter, you will need to build a solid foundation first. You lacked strength and endurance before I taught you the tactics, and therefore, with the new tactics, it would be very easy to overspend your energy. You should know how dangerous that is on the battlefield. If you would like to change that, then you will need to follow my instructions, and be ready for hellish training."

After hearing Wang Tong's proposal, Duo Lun and Tan Bu decided to think about their options for a while. Wang Tong agreed, as it was important to think things through before taking any actions. That was the case for the two young warriors, as well as for Wang Tong.

Wang Tong left the two to their pondering and walked to a quiet clearing in the woods to sit down. The silence around him was familiar, if not cozy. Maybe he was meant to be alone forever, Wang Tong thought.

"What are you doing out here?" Ye Zi's musical voice rang behind Wang Tong.

"You are in a good mood." Wang Tong turned and cracked a smile at her.

"You too. I wonder how you could remain so amiable every day while the world is falling apart."

"Oh?" Wang tong rubbed his face. He had surprised that Ye Zi was able to see his expression under this thick curtain of fur.

"What do you think about the union between our captain and Xie Xuan? I wish they could be together."

"Oh? That means you already have someone else in mind?" Wang Tong asked abruptly.

Ye Zi blushed. "Don't veer off topic; we are talking about our captain!"

If Ye Zi hadn't known Wang Tong for a while, she might have taken his comment as flirting. However, she knew that Wang Tong was not interested in her, and neither was she.

"It's the Martian's custom to speak their mind, isn't it? You are not Martian enough, haha!"

"Of course, I am, I am a Martian through and through! Yes, I do like another man!" Ye Zi's face crinkled.

"Haha, now let me guess. Is that guy the tall, fair, handsome, stud, the most powerful mastery caster on Mars, Michaux Odin?"

"Yes, every girl on Mars wants to be with him. And one more thing, he is not only the most powerful on the Mars, but also the entire universe. The only Einherjar level Mastery warrior!"

"The strongest in the universe…" Wang Tong heaved a sigh as the former owner of the title appeared in his mind.

"So what? What can he do in the war?" Wang Tong stood up and said quietly. "I am going to bed."

Ye Zi was shocked by Wang Tong's sudden departure; it was the first time that anyone ever left her without proper closure of conversation. She rubbed her face and wondered if she had lost her charm.

After a while, she conceded that it was not her, but Furface's eccentricity that had made the conversation awkward. If Wang Tong was an Einherjar Level warrior and was twenty years older, she might be able to see where he was coming from.

What did he mean by "so what"?

Ye Zi's dream was to advance into level eighteen so that she could receive the certificate from the young master himself. The thought of standing face to face with the young master made her heart skip a beat. She still remembered the first time she saw the young master from a distance. The two pools of dark blue set deeply on his beautiful face; he was perfect.

…

The group traveled one more day and finally arrived at the camp of the Thunder Fire. Thunder Fire was a large band, and their camp was the size of a small city. Half of the citizens were militias, and the other half were support staffs, who were also fighters but at much lower levels than their at-arms counterpart.

The bustling camp gave people the illusion of safety and order. Inside the war camp, Marcos was the king and his orders were the absolute truth.

Battle Wolf marched deeper into the camp and found themselves surrounded by suspicious looks. In the eyes of the Thunder Fire, Battle Wolf's demand for an equal share of the spoils was outrageous.

Despite the unwelcoming mood in the camp, no one dared to even raise their voice at Battle Wolf. Not only was Guan Dongyang's power well known in the Maersa district, but the sight of House Lie's crimson sigil would have deterred even the most flamboyant troublemakers.

The warriors from Battle Wolf could sense the fear around them, and it lent them confidence; they straightened their back and lengthened their strides.

In a situation like this, Tan Bu should have already been jumping up and down to proclaim his superiority. But, he was tired, too tired to even walk. Wang Tong's training assignment was brutal, but he followed it through nonetheless.

After the band had marched for a while, a warrior with a haughty figure approached them, with a file of well-equipped METAL fighters trailing behind him. The big man was the captain of Thunder Fire, Marcos.

"Haha… Brother Dongyang, you have kept us waiting! Ah… these two must be the famous Lie Xuan and Lei Wushuang, eh?"

"Yes, captain Marcos, and thank you for waiting."

Chapter 481: Meat On A Chopping Block

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Hehe… Brother Dongyang, why are you so bitter? Come inside. We have wines and beers! There are other guests that I want to introduce to you."

Marcos announced as his eyes shifted in between Guan Dongyang and members of House Lie, discerning which way the wind was blowing in between. By studying just a few exchanges of looks between Guan Dongyang and his House Lie allies, Marcos had gathered that House Lie had volunteered their help without Guan Dongyang asking for it. In fact, Guan Dongyang refused House Lie's help many times and didn't accept their aid until the last minute. House Lie could have claimed the entire loot for Guan Dongyang if he had asked, but due to his reluctance, they only sent in a few warriors as backup.

In just a few glances, Marcos had learned about the power dynamic between Guan Dongyang and his allies. He reckoned that since House Lie was a force to be reckoned with, he would let Lie Xuan win her round of the match. As for the rest of the nine matches, he would not give Guan Dongyang any chance.

Wang Tong and other support staffs didn't have the same privilege as their band leaders, and therefore, they waited outside the inner camp. As Guan Dongyang walked into the inner camp, he found many familiar faces. Not only were the leaders of the Rock Buster there, but also leaders of many other factions, big and small. They all came to watch the tournament and see if they could benefit from any unexpected developments.

"Balls! When can we join those hotshots?" Tun Bu lamented. He cast a quick glance at Wang Tong and found that furface was not at all offended by the unfair treatment.

"Hey, you three, mind where you are going. This is the Thunder Fire's turf! Not your squalid little wolf den!" A Thunder Fire soldier shouted at them.

The words got under the Battle Wolf's skins. Although they were ordered to exercise restraint, some warriors still failed to suppress anger on their faces. However, the battle wolf warriors were disciplined soldiers, and therefore, no one rose to the rude comment. Seeing no one replying him, the Thunder Fire soldier sauntered away with a satisfied, smug look on his face.

"Jerk!"

"Is that how they treat people who used to fight side by side with them? "

"I can't stand it! If not for Boss' order, I would have squashed his face then and there!"

"Let's wait and see who will laugh in the end!"

After complaining about their ostentatious and contemptuous host, Tan Bu and Lun Duo joined Wang Tong at the dinner table. After wolfing down some meal, they started their cultivation.

Meanwhile, inside the inner camp, the dining table was set, full of delicacies that were hard to find nowadays. However, such a feast wasn't the focal point of the dining room; it was Lie Xuan and Lie Wushuang. Cups were raised in their names many times as faction leaders turned into an army of toadies that fought amongst themselves to lick House Lie's boots. After much drinking and obsequious toasts, the group didn't even touch upon the topic of the tournament within four hours. Finally, Marcos thought that enough was enough, so he cleared his throat and started to talk business,

"As you all know, Guan Dongyang, Randolph, and I had successfully intercepted a Zerg's provision fleet, and we have obtained a lot of loot. But, it was rather difficult to distribute the loot fairly amongst the three of us, and therefore, we decided to do it through a tournament. I have partitioned the spoil into ten piles, and each will be the prize for one round of a match. After ten matches, all the loot will be distributed. I have marked and listed every single piece of loot box, so you know that I didn't hide any for myself."

"That sounds fair to me. I will join the tournament." Guan Dongyang announced, and then he started out of the room with Lie Xuan in tow, although Lie Wushuang stayed. He was here representing House Lie, so he needed to remain neutral in this matter.

"Captain Marcos, you seem very confident about this tournament." Lie Wushuang asked with a faint smile.

"Not at all. Guan Dongyang is a well-known level eighteen mastery warrior, and none of his soldiers will be an easy nut to crack. Plus, I will have no chance of winning against him if you decide to help him, will I?"

The question piqued everyone's interest, and the room suddenly became silent.

"Hehe, this is between you three… It is none of my business. But, you know the relationship between Lie Xuan and Guan Dongyang, so I can't promise that she will stand and watch Guan Dongyang lose the battle."

"Haha, then let me be frank with you! I will make sure that Lei Xuan wins her round, so that you and House Lie can have a ladder to get down from your obligation." Marcos announced while he studied changes in Lie Wushuang's eyes. His proposal had hit the mark; he knew that Guan Dongyang was no more than a pawn in the House Lie's game. Without the support of House Lie, Guan Dongyang could be easily defeated.

"Ye Zi, can you tell furface to take a look at the loot? I need a report on it." Guan Dongyang asked.

"No problem."

"furface? What is his actual name?" Lie Xuan asked curiously.

Ye Zi paused for a second and then said, "Who knows? They just call him furface."

"Interesting...About tomorrow, do you think you can handle it?"

Guan Dongyang shrugged and then said, "I will have to, even if I can't. The Battle Wolf's reputation is at stake."

Xie Xuan cast a glance at Guan Dongyang and then nodded. "You can count on me tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"Yeah yeah, It's nothing."

Wang Tong eavesdropped on the two's conversation and shook his head; Guan Dongyang was too inexperienced in wooing a girl.

"Stop ogling at her!" Ye Zi scolded him. "I thought you are an innocent boy, but you turned into a pervert at the sight of hot pants and tank tops just like everyone else!"

Wang Tong didn't mind as he retorted with a jest, "Hehe, if you dress up like that, I might consider ogling at you too." Before Ye Zi could fire back, Wang Tong waved goodbye at her and ran away.

Ye Zi gritted her teeth and caught up with Wang Tong, but she said nothing.

Seeing that Ye Zi and Wang Tong had arrived to examine the loot, the two guards at the gate stepped aside to let them in. Marcos had shown them the sigils of all major factions, and they recognized the star of Divine Mastery on Ye Zi's shirt right away.

"Do we need to open these crates?"

Wang Tong shook his head and set his palm down on the box—soul scan!

After some time, Wang Tong finished scanning all ten boxes and found out that the contents of one box was worth more than all the other nine combined.

"That's it?" Ye Zi stared at Wang Tong, unsure what he had done.

"Yea, I have gone through all of them."

"So? Are you one hundred percent sure about your findings?" Ye Zi pressed Wang Tong for a confirmation. "This is no joke. Our group's reputation is at stake."

Wang Tong nodded. "I am very certain. The super METAL is hidden inside the third box. It is at least level twenty or above. The tenth box has the strangest contents. They are expensive but useless; wines, cigars and all that. There is also a little casket in box ten, and there are fifty space crystals inside that little casket."

Ye Zi was shocked; she realized that what was in the ten boxes was only a small fraction of the loot, and most of them were hidden inside the fifty space crystals in box number ten.

This was valuable information, and Wang Tong's ability to see through Thunder Fire's trick cast him under a different light in Ye Zi's eyes.

As a resourceful mastery user, Ye Zi knew thousands of applications of soul energy, but she had never heard of Soul Scan.

Chapter 482: Hammer Blows

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The resistance forces strictly forbade cheating during public events. However, Marcos's actions trod a thin line between cheating and cunning poly, since technically, all the contents were still inside the ten boxes.

Marcos was convinced that he had everything planned out, but he never thought that Battle Wolf would have a freak called Wang Tong, who appeared to have telepathic abilities. Marcos' plan was simple, using the super METAL as a lure to coax Guan Dongyang into using his most powerful warrior in the third round, so he could easily win the final round when Guan Dongyang no longer had any trump cards to play. However precious the super METAL was, it was the remainder of the loot that could significantly improve the overall combat capacity of Thunder Fire.

After Ye Zi left for her accommodation, Wang Tong led Tan Bu and Duo Lun toward his room. Halfway to their destination, they saw two people walking in the distance; one of them was Li Xiu, Marcos' adviser, and the other was a middle-aged man. Li Xiu hunched his back like a sycophant while talking to his company. On the other hand, the other man walked with his chin up. His stride held such purpose and pride as if he was the most powerful fighter on the Mars. Suddenly, the middle-age man paused as he saw a figure in the distance, and uncertainty flickered on his face.

"Mr. Nihlathak, why did you stop?"

"No, nothing." Nihlathak shook his head and focused at a distance again: the figure was gone.

The tournament would be carried out at the inner camp, and it was not open to the public. However, since each faction had brought a great many followers with them, the inner camp was packed with spectators nonetheless. Marcos ordered his guards to keep close eyes on the ten chests full of treasures, just in case jealousy encouraged some onlookers to cross the line.

All the attendees were well aware of the political moment wedged among the three factions. Rock Buster was on the verge of merging with Thunder Fire, and so, it was a no-brainer that these two would form an alliance against Battle Wolf. Although Battle Wolf was the smallest of the three, it was not the case in terms of its power. Not only was Guan Dongyang a potent mastery fighter, but he also had the help of House Lie.

"Captain, I have heard that Marcos has invited Nihlathak, the Hammer, as his champion."

Among many factions that came to watch the show, Blizzard was one of the largest warbands. Its leader, Aamir, was also one of the renowned warriors of Maersa District.

Aamir nodded and sneaked a sidelong glance at the middle-aged man beside Marcos. He had been keeping it to himself ever since the beginning of the meeting. Standing right beside Marcos was a skinny little fellow who plastered an amiable smile on his face; that was Marcos's adviser Li Xiu. Thunder Fire's rising to power was largely thanks to him.

Sometimes, in order to persuade powerful fighters, one would have to look around him. Thunder Fire knew that their hope of enlisting Nihlathak rested on his son, and the best way to strike a chord with him—a twenty-five-year-old young man—was a pretty face.

Li Xiu had sowed the seed of enlisting Nihlathak many years ago when Thunder Fire saved a young girl from the death clutch of a Zerg. This girl used to be from a powerful house, and was very beautiful, making her a rare and very useful commodity in the political arena. After a few long talks, the girl had agreed to get to know the young man that Li Xiu had been talking so much about. After having dated him for a few years, the girl finally bore the fruit of their love, and so did Li Xiu's investments. In order to help his son secure a better position in Thunder Fire, and to give his grandson a better future, Nihlathak had decided to help Thunder Fire.

Nihlathak had always believed that everything would be fine as long as he excelled at METAL combat, but life had taught him a lesson, and so, he had to bend his pride.

For Nihlathak, deciding to come to the tournament was the hardest part. But once he was at the camp, he felt relaxed, since he knew that no one could beat him in a one on one fight.

Wang Tong and his friends were at the end of the line. Although Tan Bu was very excited about the tournament, he conceded that he would be useless on stage.

Guan Dongyang was the first in the line, seeming relaxed and calm. Even at the sight of Nihlathak, he didn't waver.

"Brother Dongyang, we have been waiting for you! Before we start the tournament, I have two important announcements to make. First is that Mr. Nihlathak, the Hammer, will join the Thunder Fire. It is Thunder Fire's great honor to have a legend fighting among our ranks."

Marcos paused for a second to let the news set in. He scanned the crowd and enjoyed the shocking expression on everyone's face. On the other side, Nihlathak nodded perfunctorily.

"The second announcement is that Thunder Fire and Rock Buster will merge into one unit from now on. Mr. Randolph will become our vice-captain."

Randolph stood up and announced with a deep voice, "We are all united under the common goal of driving out the Zergs. Only together can we make the world a better place! I have decided to join forces with Thunder Fire, and I believe, we will eventually kick the Zergs out of Maersa."

The implication of the second news was even more profound than the first one. Aamir pulled a taut face; he reckoned that the combined force of Thunder Fire and Rock Buster would make them the biggest unit in Maersa. Suddenly, he felt a chill creep into his gut.

"Furface, look at Aamir's face. Haha, he is pissed!"

"Nihlathak? Didn't he swear that he won't join any faction?"

"God knows… Looks like Battle Wolf is going to have a bad time."

"Touché! I bet even House Lie would have to reconsider their approach with Thunder Fire after the merger."

"No kidding! If Guan Dongyang keeps his silence, Battle Wolf was bound to loss face this time."

"I have heard that Guan Dongyang even wanted to be the leader of all factions one day… So much for his grand ambitions."

"Hehe, let's wait and see. This tournament is going to be rich!"

Marcos's face was lit up with glee as he glanced at the pale face of Aamir and suppressed a sneer.

Aamir quickly gathered himself and congratulated Marcos. Following Aamir's lead, every one congratulated Marcos for his success, and no one paid any attention to Guan Dongyang and the Thunder Fire.

However, Guan Dongyang maintained his composure under the pressure and waited for everyone to finish their words.

"Wang Tong, are you sure the last box was full of space crystals?"

"Yes, I have double checked. I bet they are going to have Nihlathak during that round." Wang Tong announced, and his guess struck a chord with Ye Zi.

Ye Zi quickly reported this development to Guan Dongyang, whose face blackened as he realized that he had walked into a trap.

For the first round of the match, Battle Wolf had sent in Ross, a level fifteen warrior and the strongest METAL fighter in Battle Wolf. Thunder Fire had sent a level sixteen warrior. The one level of difference meant that the Thunder Fire warrior would have a huge advantage over Ross.

Despite Ross' effort, he was quickly defeated by the Thunder Fire.

"Father, these guys are too weak for you. I think I can finish all of them by myself." A young man sitting behind Nihlathak announced, his voice laced with conceit.

"Shut up and watch!" Nihlathak refuted.

The young fellow pouted. A beautiful girl sitting beside him tugged at his shirt, willing him to control his temper.

Duo Lun scanned them, and his eyes found that pregnant girl beside Nihlathak's son, which sent a tremor down his body.

"Uh? What's up?"

"No... nothing." Duo Lun sighed.

Chapter 483: Insult Granted

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Balls! What are you hiding? Do you know that girl?"

"She is my ex." Duo Lun spoke reluctantly. Just when he and that girl were getting serious about their relationship, the Zergs came and pulled the rug from under their feet. Duo Lun would have never thought that the next time he saw her, she would already be someone else's wife.

Aside from a whim of sad nostalgia, Duo Lun didn't overthink this encounter. He felt happy for his former lover to be able to find a safe home.

After a while, the pregnant girl also found Duo Lun. A pleasant surprise flickered in her eyes, but it quickly faded.

Fate was often cruel.

Although the pair of old lovers didn't speak a word to each other, the young man sitting beside the woman noticed their exchange of gazes. A knot of fire suddenly lit up in his belly as he shouted at his wife, "Are you cheating on me?"

The girl looked away and said quietly, "An old friend, didn't expect him to be still alive."

"Friend? I don't think so. You two had been ogling at each other for a while." Hawk raised his voice. When they first shared the bed together, Hawk was upset to find out that she was no longer a virgin. And now, he was convinced that it was that no-account that had taken his wife's first time. He could feel the smoldering anger burning in his throat. Since he had found out the culprit, he could not let him walk out of the camp unpunished.

After Ross was defeated, the referee, Lie Wushuang, announced the start of the second round.

Guan Dongyang didn't care much about the second round, since he knew that the super METAL was in the third box. As for the tenth box, which contained the space crystals, Guan Dongyang decided that he might as well give up the idea of winning that round, since he wagered that Marcos would send in Nihlathak. The Hammer was two level above him, and therefore, winning was nearly impossible.

After the first round's victory, Marcos was about to announce his next champion. But suddenly, a high pitched voice came from behind Nihlathak; it was his son.

"You, come out here!" He shouted while pointed his finger at a soldier amongst the rank of the Battle Wolf.

Nihlathak scowled, but he didn't stop his son. He reckoned that he had been too protective to his son, and it was about time for him to do what he wanted, and learn from his own actions. Plus, his son was a level sixteen warrior, and therefore, as long as he wasn't challenging Guan Dongyang, he should be able to handle any other fighter from Battle Wolf.

Although Marcos didn't wear his displeasure on his face, he deeply despised this ostentatious fool. Not only did Hawk lack strength and wits, but he also had a foul temper. However, Marcos had kept him close because a barking fool was the easiest tool to manipulate.

"My name is Hawk. Guan Dongyang, please name your champion. I want to fight him!" Hawk announced as he pointed his blade at Duo Lun.

Duo Lun was caught off guard by the development. He had felt a sense of hatred in Hawk's eyes earlier on, but right then, jealousy had driven him to want his life.

Guan Dongyang gave Hawk a taut face. He knew that if he let Duo Lun go meet a level sixteen warrior, he would be sending him to his demise.

"Mr. Hawk, our champion for this round is not Duo Lun."

"Phf! I don't care! You can have two fighters fighting me at the same time. Come on, let's start already!"

Hawk shouted out, his voice filled with contempt and anger. He cast an accusatory glance at his wife and found out that her face had turned pale. Although another man already took her before she met him, he was obsessed with her charming appearance nonetheless. After knowing her for a while, Hawk was surprised to find out that she was very obedient. Pressured by his father and the captain of the Thunder Fire, he had to end the carefree single life and marry the girl. She would not be his first wife, he told himself, as he could flirt with other girls once he gained a firm footing inside Thunder Fire.

Duo Lun had always been the nice guy, but after hearing Hawk's insult, he felt the anger inside of his belly about to burst. He stared at Guan Dongyang and was waiting for his order.

"Go, Duo Lun. You will win this round, I promise! "

Duo Lun heard furface's voice in his ears. However, he didn't see furface's mouth move.

Duo Lun believed in Wang Tong's words, so he stepped forward and announced, "Captain, please approve my request to fight in this round."

Guan Dongyang was relieved by Duo Lun's voluntary request. Under the opponent's outrageous taunt, Guan Dongyang knew that he could not back down, but neither did he want to send Duo Lun to his death with his own hands. Duo Lun's volunteering to meet the challenge had given him a convenient ladder.

"Approved, be careful."

"Thank you, captain!"

Therefore, each side had decided on their champions for the second fight; it would be the son of the Hammer versus a no account. Everyone thought that Battle Wolf really had run out of steam.

As the audiences sneered at the no account's confidence, Nihlathak's eyes caught a glimpse of a strange young warrior.

Even as Duo Lun unsheathed his blade, he didn't know what would happen during his fight. But, Wang Tong had told him that he would win, so he would have to.

"KOM!"

Duo Lun charged up his soul energy and the power inside him shocked everyone in Battle Wolf. Everyone wondered when Duo Lun had secretly advanced into level eleven. The Battle Wolf members could not only feel the leap in the amount of soul energy and GN force, but also the quality.

Puzzlement was written all over Guan Dongyang's face. As a high-level warrior, he could tell the different qualities of GN forces. The quality of GN force was a significant factor in determining the max level of a warrior could reach. The quality of the GN force in Duo Lun told him that he had a bright future ahead of him.

Hawk grunted as he realized that his opponent was only a level eleven weakling. He sneaked another glance at his wife Jin Lin, and was furious to find out that she was flushing while staring at Duo Lun.

"KOM"

Hawk poured out his level sixteen soul energy, which immediately dwarfed his opponent's power; victory was already in the bag for him.

Nihlathak nodded in approval. So far, he was very pleased with his son's cultivation.

Duo Lun sensed the belligerent power of his opponent weighing on him heavily. However, he didn't forget that he was fighting as a Battle Wolf, so he didn't waver.

"Duo Lun, do exactly as I say. "

Wang Tong's voice rang inside Duo Lun's head again, which lent the young warrior confidence and determination.

As the referee announced the start of the battle, Hawk didn't attack right away. He wanted to play with his prey before delivering the killing blow. Like his father, Hawk used a large blade. Although Nihlathak was called the Hammer, he had never lifted a hammer on the battlefield. His weapon of choice was a heavy bastard sword. With each strike, he could send an explosion of energy at his enemy like the force of a hammer blow, and hence, his nickname was 'the Hammer'. As Nihlathak's son, Hawk had learned everything from his father. With one strike, he could have blown Duo Lun's weapon away, and the explosion would crush the latter's internal organs. However, if he fought that way, his opponent's demise would be too quick.

Hawk attacked Duo Lun with only one-third of his real strength, but Duo Lun nimbly evaded the attack. Hawk gave his opponent a stone cold sneer and laughed at his cowardliness in his mind.

He then followed his first attack with a backhand slash; the blade wheezed in the air with deadly force. However, Duo Lun evaded the attack again, despite it being a close call.

After some time, Hawk had rained six more attacks on Duo Lun, but none landed on the target. A swell of murmurs rose among the spectators as they were perplexed by Hawk's unsuccessful attempts.

"Hehe, you are good at hopping around. Maybe, the Battle Wolf should call themselves Little Bunny from then on!"

Annoyed by his slippery opponent, Hawk decided to no longer hold back his power. He charged up his soul energy and channeled it into the heavy blade. Suddenly, the air was filled to the brim with Hawk's battle qi, which bore down heavily on his opponent with the weight of a mountain. This time, Duo Lun shouldn't be able to escape the attack.

What happened next made the audiences let out a sharp gasp: Duo Lun closed his eyes. This was the biggest insult that Hawk had ever faced. Duo Lun would have to die!

Chapter 484: A Mechanic's Threat

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Eighteen Hammers!

This was the coup de grace of Nihlathak. It was obvious that the Hammer had taught his son well.

Despite the deadly attack he was facing, Duo Lun remained motionless with his eyes closed.

"Zenn!"

A glint of Blade Aura suddenly shot out of Hawk's blade, beaming directly at Duo Lun's throat.

At this moment of life and death, Duo Lun finally moved, and the timing was perfect. He slid underneath the silvery curve that the blade aura had traced out in the air, feeling the wind that blade aura had stirred up press against his hair.

He did not look like a level eleven fighter, but resembled someone who was much more experienced and powerful.

Hawk followed his attack with more hacks and slashes, his movement getting wider and losing fluidity. He always had been living under the wings of his father, and therefore, he rarely had any experience in real combat. After having missed many attacks, he felt annoyed and ashamed. Ignoring finesse and technique, he picked up the speed and intensity of his attack in order to bring the match to an end.

The Battle Wolf cheered after seeing the tide of the battle turning. Tan Bu looked to Wang Tong; he knew that the turn of events was because of Furface.

"Is this really Eighteen Hammers? It looks like Eighteen Rabid Dogs!" Tan Bu blurted out his insults. Hawk heard Tan Bu's words loud and clear, and a sudden burst of anger singed his throat, distracting him. In a blink, he caught a glimpse of white flash at the corner of his eyes, and then felt the coldness of steel against his neck. While he was distracted, Duo Lun's blade had pierced through his defense and rested one-tenth of an inch away from his neck.

Finally, Duo Lun opened his eyes. No one spoke a word in the arena, as they were all stunned by the victory of a level eleven against a level sixteen fighter. Marcos could not believe his eyes, but he swallowed down the defeat and quickly gathered himself as he said, "Hehe, Bother Dongyang's team is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Impressive! You have won this round."

Everyone around Marcos could feel the bitterness in his words. After hearing Marcos' announcement, Duo Lun sheathed his blade. He felt joyful, but not proud, since Wang Tong had instructed every move of his. Nonetheless, it was a good feeling to be considered a powerful fighter, although he was still far from it by a long chalk.

Even the warriors of the Battle Wolf were caught off guard by Duo Lun's victory. They would have never thought that the usually quiet and amiable Duo Lun was, in fact, one of the most powerful fighters amongst them.

Ye Zi knew something was amiss, so she sneaked a glance at furface and found a joyful smirk on his face, a proof that he was responsible for what had happened on the stage.

As everyone thought that the second round of match was over, they heard an angry roar from Hawk as he attacked Duo Lun from behind.

"Kom!"

A fireball hit squarely at Duo Lun's face, and the latter collapsed to the ground.

It was Guan Dongyang who had sent that fireball in order to defend his soldier from the sneak attack from behind. As the leader of the battle wolf, it was his duty to watch over his soldiers.

"Captain Marcos, please discipline your soldiers!" Guan Dongyang protested with a stone cold voice.

Marcos' face turned red like a lobster in a frying pan. Honesty, or at least its perception, was the most important quality while dealing with other factions. Hawk's action was outright shameful. If he were not Nihlathak's son, Marcos would have done away with him there and then. Plus, what kind of level sixteen soldier would fail to evade the most ordinary mastery spell?

Marcos was so ashamed that he failed to find any word in his mouth.

Nihlathak finally stood up and snorted at Guan Dongyang. "Young man, you are too presumptuous for your own good!"

"At least I don't think that I can get away with anything just because of my dad!" Guan Dongyang rose to the comment.

"Good, very good! Let me teach you a lesson today, young man! Marcos, I think you can save the rest of the eight matches and let me fight with this insolent boy to determine the owner of the rest of the loot!"

Nihlathak was the oldest and the most powerful in the camp, and therefore, he was offended by Guan Dongyang talking back. In a fit of anger, he announced a daring proposal.

Marcos' face lit up with glee; the situation was taking a turn in his favor.

"I will let you decide, Mr. Nihlathak," Marcos announced lightheartedly. If both of them agreed with the Hammer's proposal, it was the same as having Nihlathak, his best champion in this tournament, fighting for him for eight rounds instead of one.

As Marcos expected, Nihlathak insisted on his plan.

Guan Dongyang's mind raced. If he agreed to the proposal, he would be locked up with a level twenty warrior in a confined space, and his chance of winning was zero. However, he conceded that there was no other option, and he had to do it at this point.

"Captain, I can help you fight this round."

A voice rang at the back of Battle Wolf's soldiers. A young man with unruly beard stepped forward. Marcos frowned, as he could not recognize this face. One of his assistants pressed close to his ear and whispered something to him. But on hearing that, his puzzled frown didn't go away.

A mechanic? Absurd!

Guan Dongyang was caught by surprise. The moment Furface walked into the battlefield, he would be dead.

"Furface, step back! This is not funny!" Ye Zi urged with an edge in her voice.

Lie Xuan watched the events unfold with a smirk on her face. Earlier, a level eleven soldier had defeated a level sixteen, and now, a mechanic was going to challenge a level, twenty warriors? Ha! Things were getting more and more interesting!

Guan Dongyang was about to shot back at Furface when a voice rang in his ear. "Brother Dongyang, it has been a while since we last met on the Ark. Let me help you this time!"

The familiar voice sent a tremor to Guan Dongyang's body before he even realized who the voice belonged to. After half a second, hope lit up in Guan Dongyang's eyes.

It had been five years, so how could he have forgotten the man who faced Patroclus by himself in order to save time for the rest of the crew on Ark?

As recognition dawned upon Guan Dongyang, he gathered himself and announced, "Brother… furface… Please, go ahead. We will be counting on you."

The rest of the Battle Wolf warriors could only stare at the two in confusion.

But, Lie Xuan had picked up the subtle changes on Guan Dongyang's face. She knew something was amiss.

"Excellent! What a promising young lad! I am sure you will live longer than me!" Nihlathak laughed.

Guan Dongyang didn't mind the Hammer's satirical jab. "Mr. Nihlathak, if you can last more than five minutes against my mechanic, I will count it as your victory."

Everyone laughed; it was a preposterous claim!

Nihlathak narrowed his eyes and studied Wang Tong's face. "Who are you?"

The tone in Hammer's question silenced everyone; he was getting serious.

Wang Tong cracked a smile and then replied, "I am a nobody, just a lowly mechanic. I will try not to hurt you too badly."

Some people gasped, and some laughed at Wang Tong's absurd confidence.

Guan Dongyang relaxed in an armchair as if he were about to watch a good show. However, his clenched fists had betrayed his excitement.

Despite the blazing anger inside him, Nihlathak reminded himself to be careful. He had sneaked a soul energy attack at Wang Tong, but he didn't seem to be affected by it at all.

Suddenly, a tsunami of deadly energy gushed toward Nihlathak. Acting out of instinct, Nihlathak charged up his soul energy to defend, and the two waves of energies collided. The impact sent an overbearing attack at Nihlathak's sea of consciousness and gravely damaged it.

Nihlathak's face turned pale like a piece of paper, and he could no longer sense the presence of Wang Tong's soul energy. He finally realized that his opponent was not a lowly mechanic, but a legendary, Einherjar level warrior.

Chapter 485: Transition

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Nihlathak reckoned that if he continued the fight, he would definitively shoot himself in the feet. The young warrior in front of him had reached the so-called "legendary level" in the new ranking system, and therefore, fighting Nihlathak would be child's play for Wang Tong.

Thinking that, Nihlathak pulled back his soul energy and bowed to Wang Tong, "I concede defeat." He turned to his son and announced without any hesitation, "Let's go."

"Dad, he…"

Before Hawk could finish his words, his father gave him a knuckle sandwich and scolded him with scathing fire, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself, you useless fool?"

Nihlathak turned his heel and left the battleground without even looking back.

Five seconds after the beginning of the fight, the audiences were suddenly wrenched out of their anticipation, and their faces were ridden with disbelief. Some remembered rumors about many of Guan Dongyang's old friends being top warriors. Perhaps the self-proclaimed mechanic was one of Guan Dongyang's powerful friends in disguise.

Anger, shock, and denial reddened Marcos's face. He was only able to keep the first loot crate out of all the spoils he had planned to keep. He glanced at Guan Dongyang with shifty eyes, still feeling dazed. He hoped that all of this was just a bad dream.

Since even Nihlathak had conceded defeat quickly, Marcos found it hard to muster the courage to speak out for himself.

"Hehe… Hey Marcos, Mr. Nihlathak has conceded defeat. Are you going to help Battle Wolf load up their truck?" Aamir, captain of the Blizzard, stood up and shouted at Marcos with a smirk.

"Captain Marcos, the battle has finished. As the referee, I announce the Battle Wolf the victor, and therefore, the owner of the nine loot crates." Lie Wushuang announced coldly. He was surprised by the development as well.

Ye Zi covered her mouth to stifle a cry. A few seconds ago, she had been worried for Wang Tong's safety, and now, she could barely hold in her joy.

"By the Gods! Furface, you are bada*s!"

"Nihlathak must have diarrhea today… haha!"

"Or, Maybe the Hammer was too tired after too much hammering in bed last night! Haha!"

The soldiers of Battle Wolf laughed out loud and joked about Hammer's sudden defeat. Only Duo Lun and Tan Bu remained silent, as they realized how terrifying Wang Tong's power was.

Could he be a legendary level warrior?

Was that even possible for a young person like him?

Without his beard, he could barely pass for a twenty years old!

"Well done, Brother Dongyang! I will tag along next time you are on a mission. I promise you that the Blizzards are not two-faced, back-stabbing a*sholes like some others!"

"Hehe, you are always welcome to join us, Brother Aamir."

Despite the pain of losing everything, Marcos had to plaster on a benevolent smile and congratulate Guan Dongyang.

Soldiers of the Battle Wolf surrounded Wang Tong, asking him how he had done it. Wang Tong shrugged and concluded that his opponent had to be sick today.

Guan Dongyang didn't debunk Wang Tong's disguise; he would have a lot of catching up to do with this old friend in private. Calling Wang Tong a Legendary Level warrior was an understatement. He was Wang Tong, the savior of mankind.

Lie Xuan had never seen such a strange expression that had flashed across Guan Dongyang's face. What had just happened? How come Nihlathak had left the battlefield without landing even one blow? Was all of this just another ruse?

This tournament had been an eye opener for the resistance groups at Maersa District. Not only had they experienced a dramatic turn of events, but also a copious amount of treasures, including an extremely rare piece of super METAL. As the Battle Wolf carried the loot back to their truck, Marcos felt that his heart was bleeding blood.

On their way home, soldiers of the battle wolf were overtaken by a strange mixture of excitement and bewilderment. The bewilderment came from two particular instances. The first instance was when Duo Lun, a level eleven —previously level nine—no account defeated the son of the infamous Hammer. But, the second instance was even more perplexing, as a mechanic with no combat experience had defeated Hammer himself in a blink!

Nihlathak was a renowned fighter on Mars, and he could wipe out an entire camp of a smaller war-band. However, he conceded his defeat against a METAL mechanic. How was that possible?

Everyone knew that Guan Dongyang and Nihlathak had never met before. Otherwise, rumors about the two colluding with each other would have sprouted out before they even left Thunder Fire's camp.

Many people believed that Nihlathak's defeat was a ploy set by House Lie. They were convinced that House Lie had come to an agreement with Nihlathak behind Marcos' back, and therefore, effectively turning the tournament into a show for entertainment.

During such trying times, soldiers' allegiances changed more frequently than their underpants; anything was possible.

The six members of House Lie were all mired in deep thoughts. Knowing that Nihlathak's sudden retreat had nothing to do with House Lie, the development seemed even more unthinkable to them than others. Thanks to the Martians' typical sense of pride, most powerful fighters avoided contacting House Lie. They would rather be the toughest bada*s in their squalid middle of nowhere than becoming one of the many guard dogs of House Lie.

Despite the wide spectrum in the conjectures about what had happened, no one had thought that Wang Tong had overcome the Hammer with his might.

Guan Dongyang and Wang Tong sat in the same car. They had been talking in private for over a few hours, and not even Lie Xuan nor Ye Zi were allowed to interrupt them.

Inside the car, Guan Dongyang's face was red with excitement. He had been telling Wang Tong about the political movement on Mars and the status of the war. Although Guan Dongyang had many questions to ask Wang Tong, he decided to leave those for later after Wang Tong had gained a grasp on the most pressing issues.

Although Moye's injury had given the humans on Mars a brief reprieve, once he recovered, which he would sooner or later, then what?

After having tasted humiliation at the hands of a human, the dark lord would guarantee to double down on his malice and commit more heinous crimes to avenge himself.

"What is your plan, Wang Tong? I will follow your order; you can count on me!" Guan Dongyang pounded his chest and claimed.

"Hehe, why do you choose me over House Lie?"

"You mean Lie Jian? Well, he could pass for a leader, but he cares too much about his own family. Plus, now that you are back with us, he doesn't stand a chance!" Guan Dongyang shouted and then realized that he had raised voice unconsciously. Wang Tong's return not only helped him win the tournament, but also gave him hope for the salvation of the human race.

Wang Tong shook his head and said, "Nah, I don't want to be in charge of the Battle Wolf. That's your job."

Guan Dongyang pulled a taut face and refuted, "Since when have you become a coward? If it were not for you, we would have been already dead on that Ark! Managing the Battle Wolf is nothing to you. Don't look down on me. Am I not worthy of teaming up with you?" Guan Dongyang's voice was filled with candor and trust. He was a man of his words, and had never changed his course for anyone.

Seeing the determination in Guan Dongyang's eyes, Wang Tong stood up and shook his hands. "Very well, Dongyang! I promise you that I will get rid of Moye!"

"Attaboy! Haha!" Guan Dongyang's elation was beyond words, so he shook Wang Tong's hand heavily, not intending to let go. He knew that Wang Tong had left out a lot of his stories, but he didn't mind. To him, fighting alongside the world's savior was the most exciting and fulfilling thing he could think of.

When Wang Tong first landed on Mars, he thought it would be easy to eliminate all the dark ones. However, now he knew that he had been very naive. Guan Dongyang had convinced him that the only way to save the Mars was to join Battle Wolf and prepare for a long war by strengthening the martian soldiers.