497 - 507

Chapter 497: Martian Match Maker

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Lie Xuan was surprised by the fact that Duo Lun and Tan Bu's improvement was greater than most other warriors, including herself.

The two young soldiers had always sparred diligently, and they gave their 100% attention and effort while doing so. Therefore, the two were able to reap full benefits of the training. On the contrary, soldiers who had done a half a*s job while training would have gained little to nothing.

As the two young soldiers increased the intensity of attacks, some onlookers cheered for them even though their technique and moves were very simple and unsophisticated, especially in the eyes of Lie Xuan.

Amidst the exchanges of hacks and slashes, Tan Bu suddenly started the Divine Burst ability while Duo Lun's blade hurled at him. Tan Bu's sudden increase in speed caught the latter off guard. Tan Bu rose to the opportunity and sneaked in a flurry of attacks at Duo Lun when the latter was trying to regain his balance. As a result, Duo Lun suddenly lost the edge he had gained earlier.

However, Tan Bu's attacks were not able to end the match as Duo Lun dug in to hold his ground. When the effect of the Divine Burst finally passed, Duo Lun retaliated immediately and started his Divine Burst ability. The increased speed and vigor in Duo Lun's attack quickly helped him regain his advantage and slowly push Tan Bu to a corner.

Ross looked at the two soldiers' performance as a feeling of shame crept into him. He had been too content with his ability, believing that no one in the focus group would have wielded the Divine Burst ability better than him. But, Duo Lun and Tan Bu had proven him wrong.

Feeling ashamed for himself, Ross, the former champion of the Battle Wolf, wanted to turn on his heels and run away. After some time, he conceded that running away wouldn't solve the problem, and the only solution for catching up with his former subordinates was to work harder.

"Stop!" Wang Tong announced.

The two young soldiers paused immediately after hearing the command. They had already gotten used to such high-intensity training, so they didn't even need to take a deep breath to gather themselves. It was evident that they had not only trained during the day, but also during their downtime.

"This is the practical use of the Divine Burst technique. I can't teach you when or how to use it during a combat situation. You will have to find that out yourself. Lie Xuan and Ross, please demonstrate what you have learned." Wang Tong said.

"Captain, can you change the opponent for me?" Ross's face crumpled. He would rather fight Ye Zi than the sassy princess from House Lie.

"Why, Ross? Am I not a worthy opponent?" Lie Xuan rose to Ross' comment.

"Oh…no, no. Let's start then."

Three of the soldiers laughed at Ross' reluctant expression; this fight was going to be entertaining.

"You, you three, come with me. " Wang Tong said with a broad smile on his face.

The three soldiers who laughed at Ross lowered their head and followed him out of the room. Before Wang Tong walked out, he turned back and announced, "Ah, mind your own business, no matter what you hear."

The words sent a chill down the three soldier's spines.

Wang Tong then led the three soldiers into a separate room next door, and before long, wails and painful howls could be heard even across the brick wall.

"Ross, please!" Lie Xuan urged. She didn't bring any weapon with her.

Ross unsheathed his blade and reminded himself to be careful.

Duo Lun and Tan Bu didn't partner up this time. Instead, each of them found a new partner in order to share their knowledge. Wolves fought in packs, and therefore, sharing and teamwork were what made Battle Wolf a formidable war band.

As everyone sparred and practiced, the cry and shouts in the room next door kept going on.

After two hours, the clamor next door finally subsided. When the three soldiers filed into the training room, they were drenched in sweat. Wang Tong announced, "These three will take a break for now, and the rest of you can keep going. Duo Lun, let me know when it's time for lunch."

"Yes, Captain."

Wang Tong turned around and sauntered off while whistling a happy tone.

As soon as he disappeared, the soldiers surrounded the three "survivors" and asked them what had happened. "Balls! You guys look like you have just gotten back from hell."

"Hell? No, no. It was a heaven, heaven for a sadist." One of the three soldiers refuted sarcastically.

"It was... sigh... " Lu Dun failed to muster enough courage in him to repeat what he had been through. He didn't want to relive that experience ever again.

"Did you three at least learn how to use the Divine Burst after all that? "

Suddenly, the three saddened faces lit up with a shred of joy. They nodded. 'Was that confidence flickering in their eyes?' Lie Xuan wondered.

Questions sprouted into Lie Xuan's mind. Who was furface? How would he be able to teach three useless foot soldiers, their combined levels being still lower than Lie Xuan, to use a technique that had taken her so long to wield?

"Why don't you three take the day off?" Ross said compassionately.

"No Lieutenant, we just need to catch our breaths. Furface said we should practice more right after we have gotten the gist of it."

Moved by the three's devotion, the rest of the soldiers nodded and felt happy for them to have made the breakthrough.

…

Wang Tong retired to his shop and started tinkering with the METAL suits again. He knew he didn't have much time left with Battle Wolf. The Zergs inside the City of Maersa were bound to seek retribution after their valuable cargo shipment was raided. Although Wang Tong had convinced the Battle Wolf to stay put in order to avoid running into Zerg forces, it would only be a matter of time for the Zergs to knock on their doors.

When Wang Tong picked the members of the focus group, he had focused solely on their physical conditions. However, after a few days of hellish training, he reckoned that these soldiers not only had a strong body, but also an iron will.

Lie Xuan stood at the threshold and watched Wang Tong meticulously putting pieces of the METAL suit together. She concluded that such patience was extremely rare in powerful warriors like him. As she marveled at Wang Tong's qualities, it occurred to her that House Lie could use a talent like him as well. Without any hesitation, Lie Xuan decided to enlist Wang Tong.

"Furface, time for lunch. Are you fixing METAL suits? Wow, you are so talented. Do you have a girlfriend?" Lie Xuan asked.

Wang Tong looked up and said stoically. "Yes."

"Oh-oh... really? Is she from the Battle Wolf?" Lie Xuan kept on prying for more answers from Wang Tong.

"No, she is not on Mars." Wang Tong answered disinterestedly.

"Long distance relationship, eh? It must be difficult, in this day and age, you know? With the communication being cut off and all that... Have you thought about finding a new one on Mars?"

Wang Tong grinned. "You want to be my matchmaker?"

"Well, why not? Do you really want that girl to wait for you for god knows how long? Man are idiots!" Lie Xuan shot back at Wang Tong.

"Hehe, not everyone is like Lie Jian." Wang Tong said with a knowing smile.

"Do you know my brother?" Lie Xuan asked, but she didn't defend his brother's promiscuous lifestyle. Ever since the Zerg invasion, Lie Jian had taken a long, hard look at his personality, and had turned his unsavory habits back a few notches.

"Hehe, no. But, everyone here on Mars talks about him. Let's go eat now, before there is nothing left. Those soldiers eat like pigs."

…

In the afternoon, when Wang Tong walked into the Mastery caster class, everyone except for Guan Dongyang was surprised by his new look, just like the morning class was.

"Today we will work on the Instant Cast. This is the bread and butter of any Mastery caster's ability. Killing Zergs is empty talk without knowing how to cast spells efficiently."

"Furface, are we going to learn new spells?" Hamir licked his lips in excitement.

"Of course! How about the Mastery tornado?"

Chapter 498: Mastery Tornado

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Tornado?" The name quickly piqued everyone's attention.

"Yes, this is a mid-level wind elemental Mastery. I want our team to specialize in the wind-fire hybrid mastery. By mixing the two, we would be able to multiply our damage output."

The promise of the new and powerful mastery combination kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

"Hybrid Mastery?" Ye Zi's mind raced. She had learned of such method while she was with the Divine Mastery sect. However, she had never heard of anyone mentioning it outside the Sect, much less putting it into action.

However preposterous Wang Tong's plan sounded to be, no one doubted it, not even Ye Zi.

Guan Dongyang firmly believed that Wang Tong's plan was not an overshoot. In fact, he would never doubt anything that Wang Tong told him. His job right now was to carry out Wang Tong's will, and there was no need to ask questions. The fate of the Battle Wolf was at Wang Tong's disposal ever since Guan Dongyang and Wang Tong's exchange of hearts on the way back from the tournament.

"Wang Tong has plotted out the course for us. We only live once, so we can't pass up the opportunity to be remembered throughout history as the most bada*s mastery warriors. I have already said all I want, and the rest will depend on our actions!" Guan Dongyang encouraged the mastery casters, his voice holding an unwavering determination.

"Yes, Captain!"

…

Despite yesterday's training, the Instant Cast remained an impossible hurdle for most mastery casters except for Ye Zi and Hamir. Wang Tong knew that he shouldn't push the casters too far too quickly; things such as the mastery cultivation took time and patience.

After a while, Wang Tong ordered everyone to take a break. He sat down beside Guan Dongyang and started chatting with him.

"Is there still no news from the City of Maersa?"

"Nothing. It's been strangely quiet in there." Guan Dongyang replied. The inactivity of Zergs had confused him.

"I don't like it. We need to send out some scouts. Are you sure our camp is safe?"

"No one knows of our location other than ourselves. But you are right; we need to double the guards."

"What's going on with the other factions?"

"Also quiet. But, their silence is less alarming than the Zergs'. I think they are still recovering from the shock."

"I bet that they are waiting for us to make a move on the City. We are still too weak to scale that wall. At best, we can lure the Zergs out of the city into the open."

"I agree. It's not just the walls… The Zergs have burrowed complicated tunnels under the city, linking them with surrounding areas and giving them much greater mobility than us."

"They are a smart lot! The dark ones live in the city, and the primal Zergs hide under the earth. I have never seen a better use of space."

"To hell with those pests, digging holes everywhere. "

"What do you think of their decision of becoming more like humans?"

"It might have given them a short-term advantage, a huge one at that. But, they have overlooked the dark side of human traits. Zergs had always excelled in unity, but one will only need to glance over the human history to know why human traits would not sit well in a Zerg colony. I have the full confidence in humans' eventual victory. " Guan Dongyang announced.

"Yes, and no. You are right in saying that the dark ones are prone to human weakness. But, you are wrong because our biggest enemy is not the dark ones." Wang Tong said with a thoughtful smile.

Guan Dongyang's answer was based on his experience on Mars, which was the most optimistic one among all other major planets. The reason behind that was not because the Mars lacked Zergs, but because Mars' Zergs were mostly low-level first generation primitive Zergs.

On the Earth and the Moon, the situation had deteriorated beyond control. Not only Patroclus had killed humanity's last hope, Einherjars, but one Einherjar's switching of alliance had dealt a devastating blow to their morale as well.

All the torment and suffering of the human race could be traced back to one person: Patroclus.

If he hadn't betrayed his own people, the Zergs would have never taken control of the Earth and the Moon. Patroclus was not only the best strategist the world had ever seen, but he knew the weakness in the confederation. Instead of spreading the plague of distrust and infighting among the Zergs, Patroclus used it against the human forces.

Under the pressure of Patroclus and the hybrid race, the immortals, that he had created, the human resistance force was on the brink of annihilation.

Not only did Einherjar Andres die in his attempt to undo his mistake, but Einherjar Li Zhidao was also gravely injured while trying to stop Patroclus from committing more crimes. Till this day, Li Zhidao was still recovering from his wounds. Although Li Zhidao was able to deal a few powerful blows to Patroclus, the Ivantian's new body had allowed him to recover at an incredible rate.

Some believed that Patroclus had fully recovered a while ago, but he was biding his time, using the human resistance as a bargaining chip to help him exert influence under the nose of the Queen Zerg. Some even believed that Patroclus was using the time to cultivate a new powerful tactic.

Wang Tong patted on Guan Dongyang's shoulder and then said, "I look forward to the challenge to fight him for the third time."

"Hehe, only you would say that."

As time flew by, the ten days of boot camp training were was finally over. Although Wang Tong still taught the higher level techniques, the members of the focus group had taken up the responsibility of training the other soldiers.

From there on, Wang Tong felt that his job had become much easier. Considering the large differences in soldiers' levels, Wang Tong didn't require everyone to be on the same page immediately.

During the METAL combat classes, Wang Tong taught the warriors a new skill: Flame Cut. Before he took over the training, Guan Dongyang had always encouraged the METAL warriors to learn Mastery, but the drastically different exercise had spread the soldiers' focus too thin. The Flame cut had struck a fine balance between the soul energy, GN force, and the natural forces.

In addition, based on Wang Tong's observation, he had found out that most Martians' inner energy was more compatible with the fire element, which explained why the House Lie had always been using fire-related tactics. Wang Tong was confident that the combination of the Flame cut and the Divine Burst should be able to increase the overall combat ability of Battle Wolf.

Wang Tong was also aware that in addition to increasing the overall power of the team, he also needed to groom a few exceptionally tough warriors as leaders and champions of the band. Wang Tong hoped that the members of the focus group would eventually be able to fill that role.

In addition to the Flame Cut and the Divine Burst, Wang Tong also taught a few selected soldiers the Six Death Slashes. This was a special technique that Wang Tong had created based on his years of fighting with the Zergs. Each one of the six strikes aimed at the vital points of the Zergs, and would cause instant death. So deadly were these sword techniques that the METAL fight would have to be very careful even when training.

Things got a little bit more complicated when it came down to the mastery training. Wang Tong could only provide instructions about the basic theories, while it was up to the mastery casters to comprehend the meaning over time and apply the theory in real fights.

When Wang Tong started to teach the mastery casters the group mastery using combined elements, even he was caught off guard by how complicated the stuff could get. However, thanks to the solid foundation that Guan Dongyang had provided to the mastery warriors, they eventually overcome the difficulties and started to grasp the concept.

While the rest of the team was improving by leaps and bounds, Wang Tong and Guan Dongyang also sparred with each other from time to time. Since Guan Dongyang had just advanced into level nineteen, he needed to adjust to his new power. The adjustment process could have taken him at least three to five years, but with Wang Tong's help, he felt he had made huge improvements every day.

Chapter 499: Survival Of The Fittest

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Sometimes, Wang Tong wondered if Patroclus had joined the Zergs as an undercover agent. Espionage had been the Dower family's traditional perk anyways. Perhaps, someone at the House Dower had foreseen the power dynamics decades ago, and had planned Patroclus' switch of allegiance. However, if that were the case, why did Patroclus did all he could to see to the human race's extinction?

Or, maybe Patroclus had initially turned to the Zerg as an undercover, but the merging process had consumed his ability to reason, and driven him to madness, giving him the idea of creating his own race, the immortals.

Wang Tong had denied the reality and his responsibility for five years, and he reckoned that it was about time to finally face his destiny.

On the plaza inside Battle Wolf's camp, the soldiers practiced the Flame Cut in unison. Their movement held a deadly force that threatened to crush anything in their path. It was an encouraging sight to behold.

In half a month, Wang Tong had established his authority within the group. His words carried more weight than even that of Guan Dongyang, although part of this change was thanks to Guan Dongyang's unwavering support.

Sensing the great improvements in the soldiers of the Battle Wolf, Wang Tong started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. When he first started training the soldiers, he never thought about what would happen in the end. However, as he witnessed the growth around him, a vision of the future started to take shape in his mind.

Wherever Wang Tong went, the soldiers around him beamed from side to side; eager to show off their recent improvement as they exercised with greater enthusiasm and vigor.

Everyone knew that Wang Tong had a soft spot for food. Therefore, some soldiers had smuggled food from the kitchen to his shop in exchange for a one on one tutoring session.

The risk of being caught stealing food out of the kitchen by Hamir was a small price to pay for powerful abilities.

Lun Duo and Tan Bu also grew their power very quickly and had become the left and right-hand men of Ross. Seeing that everyone was catching up with him, Ross devoted more time to his training. Not only did he have a solid foundation, but Wang Tong's help had quickly improved his combat abilities, which helped him strengthen his confidence amidst the fierce competition.

When Wang Tong arrived at the Mastery's classroom, everyone was talking about the Mastery Tornado that Wang Tong had promised to teach them. Some discussion had turned into a heated debate, but Wang Tong didn't interfere, neither did he clarify the student's questions. He knew that fully understanding a mastery spell was a long process, and only through debating over and over again could one fully grasp the concepts. Being told of a concept and fully understanding it were two entirely different things.

Guan Dongyang gave Wang Tong a knowing smile as soon as he saw him. He was the first one to grasp the inner workings of the Mastery Tornado fully. Although even a mid-level mastery would be able to wield it with ease, its power would grow as the cultivator leveled up.

The Fire drake was the run of the mill kind of Mastery, so, as soon as the wielder reached level sixteen, its damage output would fall short compared to the caster's potential. Therefore, Guan Dongyang had used the self-invented Inferno Hell as a step-up from the normal fire drake. However, ever since he reached level nineteen, he started to use Wang Tong's new version of the Inferno Fire.

"Although the wind and the fire elements are compatible with each other, you will likely have to wait until level twenty to be able to combine them effectively." Wang Tong smiled at Guan Dongyang and said.

"Hehe, I have already known that. Did you intend to use the Mastery Tornado as a group mastery? I had always thought that we had too many casters in our group mastery. However, when I was experimenting with the fire and the wind element yesterday, I realized how wrong I was: we need more men!"

"Hehe! There are seventy mastery casters in Battle Wolf. I estimate that we would need at least two hundred casters to mix the two elements successfully."

"Two...Two hundred?" Guan Dongyang asked incredulously.

"Yes. Haha... On another note, since the Zergs have decided to turtle inside the city, we might as well pay them a visit. Would you like to join me?" Wang Tong said with a smirk.

"Haha, that sounds interesting! Count me in!"

"Me too!" Lie Xuan announced from behind the two.

Wang Tong scowled. "This is a risky mission. Let the men handle it."

Guan Dongyang furrowed his brows; he knew Wang Tong was about to experience some shock.

"Haha, I won't go if it isn't dangerous. Dongyang, what do you say?" Lie Xuan walked to Guan Dongyang and linked their arms.

Guan Dongyang suppressed a scowl, and without any hesitation, he threw Wang Tong under the bus, "My sweetheart is a powerful fighter. I say we should let her tag along."

"Fine, fine. But, you need to listen to orders. "

"Look at yourself. All of us are top warriors on Mars. Why are you so afraid of puny bugs? Alright, I will listen to your orders, mister. Are you happy now?" Lie Xuan said with a mischievous smirk on her face. She wanted to enter the city to gain more information for House Lie.

Since Guan Dongyang had lived around the city for over five years, he knew a lot about the city and its surrounding areas. As he was showing Wang Tong the Zergs' defense layout around the city, a soldier stormed into the room.

"Captain, a messenger from the Blizzard Band wants to see you."

Ever since the fall of Thunder Fire after the tournament, Blizzard has risen to be the most influential war band around the area. However, they have remained distant from Battle Wolf and never sent in visitors, until now.

"Wang Tong, let's find out what they want."

"Hehe, I bet they want to form an alliance with us."

Uniting all the factions under the banner of the Battle Wolf had always been one of Guan Dongyang's goals. However, Battle Wolf was still too weak to become the leader of the factions.

Inside the meeting room, Guan Dongyang met with two of the Blizzard's messengers. "Captain Guan, we have a message for you from our Captain."

Guan Dongyang cracked a smile and then asked. "What is so important that it needed to disturb Captain Aamir?"

"The Thunder Fire and the Rock Buster have gathered forces against you. You need to move your camp soon."

Both Guan Dongyang and Wang Tong were shocked by the news. "That is impossible! I don't think Marcos would make such a stupid mistake."

"Hehe, Captain Guan, I think you have thought too highly of that jerk. Well, that was the message I needed to deliver. Goodbye to Captain Guan."

"Thank you. Please say thank you to your captain for me. "

The sudden turn of events had put a halt to Wang Tong and Guan Dongyang's plan of infiltrating the city. They couldn't afford to fight on both sides.

Regardless whether the news was true or not, Guan Dongyang had to treat it carefully. He called off the training and assembled a meeting.

No one could believe what they had heard when Guan Dongyang told them about the news.

"We need to figure out the truth sooner than later. I can't think of any reason why the Blizzard would spread false news."

"Balls! We were nice to them, but this is how they treat us? "

While everyone was venting their anger and disbelief, Hamir sat in his chair quietly. He was always the calm one. He glanced at Lie Xuan and then asked. "Lie Xuan, do you think House Lie would be able to help us out?"

Lei Xuan didn't reply; instead, she thought about the question for a while. Before she provided her answer, Ye Zi shook her head and then said: "Not likely. The Thunder Fire must be prepared for this attack, so they should know that Lie Xuan is with us, yet they still moved against us. I can tell that they are counting on House Lie's inability to act on the situation."

"These guys are nuts!"

"Captain, what should we do? We can't just sit and wait for our death."

Lie Xuan frowned. She knew that although Battle Wolf had greatly improved its strength over the last few weeks, a joined assault of Thunder Fire and Rock Buster would devastate the smaller and still budding war band. Ye Zi was right. However powerful the House Lie was, Maersa district was too far away from the power center to control effectively. Plus, this was an internal dispute between two local warbands, so House Lie have little to no reason to interfere.

"I will go to talk to Marcos. Maybe, I can talk some sense into his thick skull. We can't afford a civil war right now with the Zergs right at our doorsteps." Lie Xuan announced.

Guan Dongyang saw the sense in her plan. Negotiation seemed to be his best option right now.

Chapter 500: Bring On The War

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"A*sholes, they are A*SHOLES!" Ross shouted.

Despite the urgency, Guan Dongyang didn't seem too worried. He would have been stressed out if he got the news a year ago. However, now that he had Wang Tong, he could afford to stay calm.

"Wang Tong, what do you think of this?"

"Easy… If they really want to come, let them come. We will make sure that they don't return."

Silence fell into the meeting room. Not even Lie Xuan could have made such a bold statement. Wang Tong's words sounded more like Ross's rant.

"Wang Tong, you know that we are much smaller than those two bands combined. Why don't you think about the bigger picture?" Lie Xuan rose against Wang Tong's plan.

Wang Tong stood up and said, "So tell me, what is the bigger picture? Is it being pushed around by bullies? Regardless of our strength, we always have only two options: stand up for ourselves or continue being bullied."

"That's fine, but the Battle Wolf is still too weak to fight back." Lie Xuan shot back.

"I disagree! As a matter of fact, Guan Dongyang and I had been talking about moving against the Zergs, and Captain Marcos has kindly provided us an opportunity to test our strength." Wang Tong said as he cracked a smile that showed his confidence.

No one understood where his confidence came from though.

Guan Dongyang remained clam. He knew Wang Tong had spoken the truth. With the increased power and their familiarity with the complex terrain around the camp, defeating Thunder Fire was not impossible.

Ye Zi wanted to put her two cents in, but she thought that since both Wang Tong and Guan Dongyang had already made up their minds, there was no point in saying anything. She reckoned that Marcos' move was courting death, since he had set himself up as the enemy of two of the most powerful men on Mars.

"Hehe, I agree with Wang Tong. We can't make others think that we are weak. I believe that this battle will be the one that will help us establish our dominance in Maersa district." Guan Dongyang announced with conviction in his voice.

Hamir still thought it was a bad idea to fight the enemy head-on. He grinned and lamented the fact that ever since Wang Tong arrived in the Battle Wolf, Guan Dongyang agreed with everything he said, even if he was going to put the Battle Wolf on a suicidal mission.

Lie Xuan was an outsider, so she spoke no more and let the Battle Wolf sort it out by themselves.

"Boss, you finally said it! I have been waiting for you to make this decision. The Battle Wolf is ready for combat; no one will waver in front of our enemy! " Ross shouted. No one was surprised by his words, since fighting was the only solution that Ross knew to all problems.

Both Tan Bu and Duo Lun were Wang Tong's die-hard supporters, and therefore, they unequivocally supported his decision.

"Hehe… Lieutenant Ross, we will fight them for sure. But, the method will need more discussion. Our enemy not only has the advantage in numbers, but also their equipment." Wang Tong said.

"Even if we wanted to retreat, we would have nowhere to go. Therefore, fighting is our only option! We will teach the Thunder Fire a lesson." Someone chimed in.

Hamir furrowed his brows; he was convinced that without the aid of House Lie, Battle Wolf was doomed. However, he also saw the sense in Wang Tong's suggestion. If Battle Wolf kept on avoiding conflicts, it would never be able to establish itself among other resistant factions.

"Ok everyone, first thing first. We need to prepare for the battle. Second, the Blizzard was the one that gave us the information. They have extended their olive branch, and therefore, I think it's likely that they will side with us."

"I can talk to them on your behalf." Hamir volunteered. Since they wouldn't count on House Lie this time, they needed to seek other allies. Thunder Fire's rapid expansion had threatened Blizzard. As they said, 'An enemy's enemy is a friend.'

"Excellent! Ross, send a patrol out, and make sure everything is under control."

"Roger that!"

As everyone left the meeting room to go back to their posts, Wang Tong, Guan Dongyang, Ye Zi, and Lie Xuan were left alone in the room.

Lie Xuan stretched her arms and yawned, "This is too much talking for a poor soldier like me." She left the room with sassy footsteps. Guan Dongyang's eyes were glued to her firm and round butts.

"Ye Zi, don't worry. We will be fine, and Battle Wolf will weather this storm."

History had taught Wang Tong a lesson that crisis sometimes could be a ladder to power if used correctly. After he had got a grasp on the political scenario in the district of Maersa, he conceded that without uniting the scattered resistance forces, humans were doomed.

However, who would rise to the challenge to claim dominance in the region and unite everyone?

Life had taught Wang Tong many things, and one for them was that being nice sometimes would never get him anywhere.

His original plan, as he laid out earlier in front of Guan Dongyang, was to use the surprise attack on the Zergs to cast the Battle Wolf as the savior and leader of the district. However, Marcos suddenly gave him an even more direct solution.

Wang Tong wagered that as long as he could rein in the factions by displaying might, he should be able to form a united front against the Zergs. However, there would still be two more problems: first, the coalition would be cobbled together with the fear for Battle Wolf's power, so it would sooner or later fall apart; secondly, if he attracted more attention to himself, it would only be a matter of time before the Dark Lord noticed his existence. If Moye knew of his whereabouts, so would Patroclus.

Nevertheless, Wang Tong conceded that he had no other options. After much thinking, Wang Tong realized that although this would be a huge challenge for Guan Dongyang and his band, it would also be a good experience for Battle Wolf if they were able to pull through it.

Ross had sent in a few covert agents into Thunder Fire and quickly confirmed that they had been rapidly deploying their forces around the area of Battle Wolf's camp. Although Ross was still not sure what their motivations were, he could not exclude the possibility that they were preparing for a war.

When Ross' report reached Battle Wolf, Guan Dongyang acted without any hesitation. Although Battle Wolf had a disadvantage in numbers, they were more united than soldiers of any other factions.

Despite the superior forces, Marcos knew they he had to tread carefully after having seen the tremendous power of Guan Dongyang. If Guan Dongyang decided to use the same mastery that he had used on the Zergs, his soldiers would be reduced into ashes in a blink just like the Zergs did. However, Marcos had come prepared this time, and Wang Tong knew it.

Wang Tong wagered that Marcos' solution to Battle Wolf's mastery ability would be Nihlathak. Wang Tong had scared him away last time using his soul essence, so perhaps Nihlathak had realized something was amiss and came to find out himself?

Wang Tong knew that this time, he would have to make sure Nihlathak never returned. He would be the perfect touchstone as Guan Dongyang's level nineteen power.

"Boss, why do we have to warn them? We don't owe the Battle Wolf anything. Plus, you know that the Battle Wolf would be crushed by the Thunder Fire soon or later anyway." Hans, Aamir's adviser, lamented.

Aamir smiled and then said, "I like Guan Dongyang. He is the only person who thinks not only for himself, but for everyone on Mars. I am willing to save him. I hope he will choose to avoid the Thunder Fire instead of courting death."

"Captain, the Thunder Fire's expansion is too rapid, and before long, they are going to dip their fingers into our territories. If Battle Wolf was eliminated, the next one would be us. I have heard that even the underground world is warming up to Marcos."

"That's what they do, a bunch of fools on the fence. Anyways, have you investigated the area where Guan Dongyang's mastery landed on?"

Chapter 501: Peace Negotiation

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Aamir cracked a smile. Although Hans was also a level eighteen Mastery Caster, his name was not nearly as well-known as that of Guan Dongyang. The levels of a caster only translated to his or her soul energy, but not the exact power.

"Sigh... Guan Dongyang is a real talent. He is already one of the top five casters on Mars. Based on the damage he had done to the Zergs, I suspect that he has already advanced into level nineteen." Hans said with admiration in his voice. His eyes were filled with reflection and jealousy. He was turning forty this year, and he was still stuck at level eighteen. Each day, he scraped the bottom of his mind to find a sliver of inspiration, but it was not that easy. For many years he had tried to advance his level but failed. One difference between the METAL fighter and the mastery casters was in the level at which they would start to understand the Divine Way. The METAL fighter would need to reach level twenty, while the Mastery caster would only need level sixteen.

"Is that so? Now I am interested." Aamir rubbed his stubby chin and then pondered if he should get involved in this mess.

Aamir thought hard about it as he weighed his options. Although Guan Dongyang was a powerful mastery caster, even Lie Jian was not able to bring him under his wings. Hence, Aamir knew that at most, they could be allies, and Guan Dongyang would never bow to him. However, Aamir reckoned that he was very different than Lie Jian, as he didn't want a guard dog, but a strong and reliable ally whom he could trust.

Plus, if he helped Battle Wolf in pulling through this difficult time, it would be easier for him to ask them for help in the future. In such reduced circumstances, no one could say for sure when they would need a hand.

After having made up his mind, Aamir waited patiently for Guan Dongyang to come and ask for his aid.

Meanwhile, at Battle Wolf's camp, everyone was on high alert, and its scouts followed the Thunder Fire's movements closely.

After realizing that they didn't have enough men to fight their enemies out in the open, Guan Dongyang dug in for a siege defense. However, he didn't order to beef up the camp defense, and left it in its meager state. Was it a ruse or an oversight?

Wang Tong stood on top of a watchtower and studied the terrain below. There was nowhere to hide outside this valley — either they would be chased down by the pursuing Thunder Fire, or be ambushed by Zergs. Therefore, it would be even more dangerous for Battle Wolf to run away, instead of digging in for a fight.

The only way to get stronger as a resistant force was to taking over other factions. However brutal and cruel the process of assimilation was, it was a small price for the eventual victory against the Zergs. Not only did the humans have to pay the price for their success, but also the Zergs. In order to further strengthen themselves, they had given up many traditional Zerg traits and become more like the humans.

One of the unsolved mysteries about the Zergs was their origin, since no one knew where they came from, not even the Kaedians. The Kaedeians were the first race to have encountered the Zergs. That happened during a time when Kaedeians were fearless space travelers instead of planet dwellers. One of the Kaedeian spaceships had run into a Zerg horde during a random expedition. The Kaedeians were confident that they could squash the Zerg Fleet with ease. However, the Zergs' power quickly gave them a dose of reality. As the Kaedeians pulled back during the war, they brought the scourge of the Zergs to the rest of the civilizations.

Wang Tong decided to go down the hill and survey the terrain himself. Like a phantom, he flashed in and out of view. One second, he was at the eastern edge of the large opening, and in the next, he was already behind a large rock to the west.

Charcoal suddenly appeared beside Wang Tong and announced, "All completed, master."

"Very well! "

"You are in a good mood, master. "

"Hehe, why not? Tell me a joke and brighten up my mood even more."

"Master, we have been through this... I can't tell jokes."

"Yeah, yeah. Well, can you at least give me the number?"

"Yes, master. They are within three kilometers."

"Excellent! Let's find a chair and wait for our show to start!"

"Captain, as you have advised, I have spread the news about our attack." Li Xiu said with an obsequious smile.

"Hehe, good. Let them be scared."

"Scared they will be! We need to give some pressure to those despicable weaklings." Li Xiu nodded in agreement. Their goal in the attack on Battle Wolf was not to eliminate them, but to display their strength in front of all factions.

"But, the report seemed to suggest that the Battle Wolf didn't run away as we expected. They are going to fight." Randolph said.

"Let them fight. They only have one Mastery caster, and I doubt he would be able to wreak havoc by himself. Plus, we have Nihlathak on our side. Maybe, Guan Dongyang won't even get the chance to use his mastery." Marcos said with a broad smile. After Nihlathak had received the news about what happened during Battle Wolf's Zerg encounter, the absence of the mechanic's role in their victory made him realize that he might have been fooled by the latter.

He had never heard of any young warrior who had reached the legendary level other than Michaux. The more Nihlathak thought about it, the more he was convinced that it was Guan Dongyang who had tricked him to believe that the furface was a powerful warrior.

Unable to come to terms with the blow to his ego, Nihlathak offered to fight against Guan Dongyang again.

"What is our plan, captain?"

"In order to establish our authority, we need to do two things… show off our strength and get rid of Blizzard. The attack on Battle Wolf is our first step, and we have to make sure that we succeed. The goal of this operation is displaying our might. Therefore, we can't attack with surprise… It will have to be a direct frontal attack."

"A marvelous plan, boss! The world needs a ruler like you." Li Xiu said servilely.

Everyone else chimed in and applauded Marcos' plan.

Thunder Fire had poured all of their force into this operation. The formation marching toward Battle Wolf was made up of five thousand well equipped and well-trained warriors, as well as five hundred heavy METAL units.

The five thousand warriors were mostly high-level warriors. The merger of Thunder Fire and Rock Buster had deepened Thunder fire's ranks significantly. In addition, there had been a few other smaller factions that had joined the Thunder Fire.

By then, it was already too late for Battle Wolf to escape.

Despite his imminent victory, Marcos had sent a negotiator to his enemy's camp as a perfunctory gesture to avert the crisis. The price Battle Wolf had to pay was to become part of Thunder Fire.

"Please consider the offer, Captain Guan. You don't want the two hundred warriors of yours to die, do you?" Li Xiu was the person that Marcos had sent to Battle Wolf.

Guan Dongyang might have been tempted to surrender for the sake of his comrades' lives, but he knew he didn't have to because he had Wang Tong.

Guan Dongyang cracked a smile and then replied, "Why don't you go back and tell Marcos that he better give up the attack and surrender for the sake of his five thousand warriors?"

Li Xiu's face blacked and then he fired back, "How dare you! You have left us with no other options!"

"Try me!" Guan Dongyang's smile evaporated from his face, and he cast a chilling glance at Li Xiu.

"Why? Do you want to kill me to vent your desperation? I never feared death the moment I joined Thunder Fire." Li Xiu asked.

"No. I need you to tell Marcos to clean his neck for my blade. Get out of my sight… NOW!" Guan Dongyang waved a dismiss and sent an unseen force at Li Xiu, who was blown out of the meeting room in a blink.

Chapter 502: Essence Buzz-saw!

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Li Xiu scrambled to his feet and ran towards the Thunder Fire's camp without saying a word, and that was it for the negotiation.

Wang Tong walked into the meeting room. "So?"

"They will start the attack soon."

"Li Xiu is quite a character, isn't he?" Wang Tong remarked.

"You think so?"

"There are many types of talents. As the chief adviser of the Thunder Fire, he had the guts to walk into our Camp, which means he is not just a pretty pin cushion. What a shame that he chooses to serve Marcos. Are you ready for Nihlathak?"

"If it were a few months ago, I would say no. But now that I am level nineteen, at least I get a chance, however slim it is."

"It's good that you think that way. You can focus solely on Nihlathak, and not worry about the rest. "

"Hehe… I have been waiting for you to say that."

Guan Dongyang knew that the outcome of his fight with the Hammer would make or break his overall plan. He had been waiting for this fight for a long time, so he was determined to win.

Wang Tong scanned the one hundred or so soldiers that made up the expendable unit.

"Ross, are you ready for this?"

"Don't worry boss. We are all ready to give up our lives for your band."

"Nah, Nah, no one is going to die. This is not a suicide mission, but a test of your recent training. Although, you guys could use a little bit more time to perfect what you have learned."

Wang Tong said as he gave everyone an approving smile.

Ross was caught off guard by Wang Tong's benevolence and calmness. Ross would be lying to say that he wasn't scared. However effective last couple month of training had been, the Thunder Fire was ten times stronger in number, and could easily overwhelm them. However, Wang Tong's words helped to soothe their overwrought nerves and instill a much-needed confidence in them.

"Go now. Find out what they are up to right now."

Wang Tong climbed up the watchtower and saw heavy METAL units pressing ahead of their marching column. The Thunder Fire's plan was clear: they knew that Guan Dongyang wouldn't come out of the camp due to Nihlathak, and therefore, they were planning to attack the camp defense with the slow but deadly heavy METAL.

News of this battle quickly spread throughout the district. Thunder Fire's decisive advantage had made the battle seem more like a show.

The heavy METAL pressed closer to the camp, trampling down whatever was in their way. These deadly war machines had the ability to level the camp defense in a blink once they got close enough.

Behind the bulky and slow heavy METAL were rows after rows of METAL fighters.

Once the Battle Wolf's camp was within the heavy METAL's shooting range, they paused, aimed their missile launchers, and then launched thousands of ballistic missiles toward the camp wall. The missiles exploded before they were able to get too close to the wall, as if they had hit an invisible wall. Was it energy shield?

Ye Zi had asked aid from Michaux, and the young master and sent in a few energy shield stations to help the Battle Wolf's defense. That was all he could do.

However, after only one round of intense bombardment, the energy shield ran out of juice, and the camp was exposed.

Guan Dongyang watched the battle unfold from the top of the watchtower with Wang Tong on his side.

He knew that if the next barrage reached their camp, many lives would be lost.

Wang Tong reached out his hands, and two golden balls appeared. Guan Dongyang had no idea what they were, but he could feel that they held tremendous energies within. However, it was difficult for Guan Dongyang to discern whether it was GN force or natural forces that were packed inside the balls.

The golden balls started to spin and let out a whirl with an increasingly higher pitch. In a blink, they flattered into discs.

Wang Tong drew a large gulp of air as if he replenished the energy that he had spent to cast the spell.

Everyone inside the camp was stunned by the first round of shelling. The second round was about to come. Ross and his comrades looked at the steel monsters in the distance and then looked up at the watchtower where two figures stood still against a golden light.

"Dongyang, go… NOW!"

Guan Dongyang launched himself into the sky, and then a deafening voice boomed down at the invaders.

"Nihlathak, come out and meet your death."

Nihlathak heard the voice calling him out. He smirked and then disappeared into thin air. When he reappeared, he was already hovering high up in the sky.

"Kiddo, surrender now, and I will let you live."

"Nihlathak, you are getting old and easily confused. What a pity that I have a do away with such a high-level warrior."

"You are courting death! " Nihlathak's face was contorted with anger, as if fire was going to erupt out of all holes on his face. He waved a hand, signaling the heavy METAL to attack.

Before the cannons were able to fire another shot, Wang Tong unleashed the two spinning discs, each of whom had grown to about three meters in size. They shot at the artillery column and sliced into their gun barrel like butter. In half a heartbeat, the two discs had demolished a dozen or so heavy siege cannons.

The Art of Soul Essence—Essence Buzz Saw!

The two golden discs didn't stop and continued to wreak havoc deeper into the enemy rank. A few Thunder Fire soldiers threw themselves at the discs in an effort to stop them. Their bodies were sliced in half before they could even utter a cry.

Seeing that a few dozen more siege cannons were turned into piles of scrap metal, Nihlathak turned around, intending to rush and stop the discs. However, his path was blocked by Guan Dongyang.

"Mr. Nihlathak, you are fighting me, don't you remember?"

Before Guan Dongyang finished his words, he started a mastery and unleashed a fire drake at the Hammer.

Nihlathak sent out a wave of soul energy and shattered the fire drake in an instant.

"Incredible! You have already reached level nineteen… No wonder so many people kept on telling me about you. Too bad for you, today will be the day you die!" Nihlathak changed his mind about saving the screaming heavy METAL warriors below him and decided to focus on the level nineteen mastery caster.

The two golden discs were unstoppable, and not even the heavy METAL warriors were able to alter their course, much less stationary equipment.

As the golden discs wheezed past their heads, the METAL warriors that survived heaved a sigh of relief. But when then looked ahead, they were terrified to find another two of such discs that were charging towards them.

Gold was the color of harvest, but the four golden discs were harvesting life instead of crops that nurtured life.

Warriors inside the camp watched the slaughter with awe and terror. They had never seen anything that was so efficient in claiming lives from this world.

Wang Tong walked out of the watchtower and towards a group of soldiers. "Hey, how are you guys holding up there?"

The levity in his voice made the soldiers' hair stand on their ends. Was Wang Tong a human or a demon from hell?

"We are waiting for your orders!"

The five hundred heavy METAL that used to be the pride of the Thunder Fire were decimated by Wang Tong. The ear piercing squelching noise of the discs sawing into Metal and the wet sloppy noise of them cutting into flesh had driven the survivors mad. They dropped their weapons and turned on their heels.

Marcos was shocked by the sorry state of his vanguard.

Li Xiu was stunned by the scene as well. In front of them, the ground where the five hundred heavy METAL warriors stood was painted with red blood leaking out of their bodies and black grease from the machines. There had been five hundred warriors standing there, and now, there was no one left.

Wang Tong didn't follow up with more attacks. He hoped that Marcos could rein in his foolishness and retreat.

"Captain, what should we do?" Li Xiu was almost losing it, and didn't know what to do next. The setback had dealt a huge blow to their morale. However, if they pulled back, they would be a laughing stock for the rest of their lives.

Marcos swallowed down the humiliation and reckoned that his hope rested on Nihlathak. But somehow, he had a nagging feeling that something worse was waiting for him.

In theory, a Mastery caster would never be able to win a one on one fight against a METAL warrior. There were only a very few of the mastery casters who could fight against METAL warriors, and Guan Dongyang happened to be one of those few exceptional casters.

Chapter 503: Inferno Cauldron

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

As Guan Dongyang turned on his soul energy protection shield, he rammed into Nihlathak with abandon.

Although the damage output of the Mastery was high, the humans had a high defense against mastery attacks. It was particularity the case for level twenty warriors such as the Hammer.

Since this was not a spar, both of the fighters wanted to finish off their opponent as quickly as possible.

Lie Xuan was worried for the safety of Guan Dongyang. The Hammer had entered level twenty many years ago, and Guan Dongyang had just recently advanced into level nineteen. The difference in their power showed up in the way the battle was playing out. Nihlathak was able to either dodge Guan Dongyang's mastery attack with ease or shatter the attack before it could reach him. Even those attack that were able to land on Nihlathak were not even able to make a scratch on his super METAL.

The higher level a warrior was at, the more capable they were in defense. Survivability on the battleground was the number one priority of any fighter.

"Captain, if we get stuck in a stalemate for too long, we are going to lose. Their morale is getting higher" Lie Xiu announced. He could tell that the tide of the battle was turning in favor of the Battle Wolf.

"I know what you mean. But, do you really think morale would play a role while they are outnumbered ten to one? Nonetheless, I agree that we did a terrible job in collecting intelligence. Why wasn't I told that Guan Dongyang had access to a soul energy shield?"

Marcos suspected that House Lie was behind this costly equipment, since no one else would have such deep pockets. As Marcos lamented on Guan Dongyang's luck, he realized that it was still too early to order his forces to charge. He had chosen the course of actions a few months ago when Guan Dongyang ostentatiously took away the loot from his camp.

Marcos prided himself on his instinct, since it had saved his hide many times. This time, his instinct told him that there was something fishy inside the Battle Wolf's camp, something powerful. He wagered that it would be safer to order a full-on assault on the city once Nihlathak was done with Guan Dongyang. Otherwise, they would be struggling on both fronts.

Seeing that the Thunder Fire did not attack, Wang Tong ordered everyone to take position and wait for orders. Both sides then waited patiently, as if they were not here for a war but to enjoy a show between Guan Dongyang and Nihlathak.

Everyone had a good idea about the power of a level twenty METAL warrior, since there had been many such powerful warriors, and their abilities were well known. However, it was not the case for a level nineteen mastery caster. The power of the casters differed drastically from individual to individual even when they were at the same level.

Luo Jiali, the lieutenant of the mastery unit in Thunder Fire, who was a level seventeen caster, watched Guan Dongyang's precise and elegant movements with awe.

So far, neither of the warriors could get an edge on their opponent. Nihlathak remained calm even though the fight was progressing much slower than he had planned. He reckoned that Guan Dongyang would soon use up his bag of tricks. Although Guan Dongyang had demonstrated his deadly area of effect spell that decimated an entire Zerg Army, the Hammer wagered that it would be useless against a single target that was at level twenty.

"Dongyang's Battle Qi is waning," Hamir said worriedly. He knew Guan Dongyang's strength very well, and knew that Guan Dongyang was one of the very few casters could fight one on one with a METAL warrior.

Ye Zi swallowed down her nervousness. She believed that Guan Dongyang would turn the table sooner or later. If Wang Tong was not convinced that Guan Dongyang would win, he would not let him partake in the fight.

While his comrades worried and prayed for him, Guan Dongyang was dealt a second blow to the chest. Thanks to his fluent skill in the instant cast, he was able to boost the energy shield right before the blow landed; otherwise, the blade would have pierced through his flesh.

Thus it was, a mastery caster without the ability of instant cast would be nothing but a piece of dead meat on the chopping block while fighting a METAL warrior at a high level.

Although Guan Dongyang was slowly losing his ground, his spirit did not waver. The attacks from a level twenty warriors had forced his mastery spells to the next level. He clearly felt the natural energy flowing through his system, interlocking with his soul energy. The sensation was exhilarating.

Nihlathak delivered another blow at him, but Guan Dongyang didn't evade and jerked his body forward to meet the attack.

Wang Tong felt some awe in silence. He knew the fight was challenging for Guan Dongyang; however, he was able to grasp any opportunity he got to fight back.

Last time at the tournament, Wang Tong had already noticed a fatal flaw in the Hammer's technique. The real damage of the Thunder Hammer technique came from the explosive effect after the blade had landed on its target. Therefore, one should be able to counter the attack before the explosive effect kicked in.

That being said, even without his powerful technique, Nihlathak was a force to be reckoned with due to his high level. Guan Dongyang's move was still risky.

"KOM!"

Nihlathak's blade pieced through Guan Dongyang's defense and into his flesh. However, this was only the onset of the real blow, and it was not fatal. Even as Nihlathak challenged soul energy into the blade to create the explosion at the blade-tip deep in Guan Dongyang's flesh, Guan Dongyang started a mastery attack.

"Mastery Tornado!"

As he used the instant cast ability, a tornado appeared around Nihlathak in a blink. He gave up his attack and hurried to safety with the tornado hot on his trail.

When the Hammer was finally surrounded by the wild gale once again, Guan Dongyang unleashed the energy fused in the wind towards Nihlathak. The whirlwind disappeared, but Nihlathak was unharmed thanks to his super METAL.

"Haha… Guan Dongyang, is this your new blow dryer?" Nihlathak's laughter was laced with contempt and arrogance.

"Hehe. I see that it is not enough for you. Let me spice things up a little for you."

Guan Dongyang tapped into an energy crystal to draw more soul energy into his system, and a whirlwind appeared around Nihlathak again.

"Infinite Fire Drake!"

Thousands of fire drakes rushed into the wild gale. Having absorbed the fire energy, the tornado grew in size, and in a blink, it was big enough to devour a small village. Then, the pale gray wind started to turn orange and then red as it shrunk to its original size.

Wang Tong was deeply impressed by Guan Dongyang's ingenuity. Wang Tong had only brushed over the concept of blending two elements together with him, and Guan Dongyang had adopted this idea to create his own spell.

"Inferno Cauldron!"

Guan Dongyang shouted as he sealed the opening of the spinning tornado, turning it into a ball of a flaming whirlwind.

Guan Dong was most comfortable with the fire element, and therefore, he had decided to use the fire element as the main ingredient in the hybrid spell. In a blink, he had released over a hundred fire drakes into the churning current; the combined effect was so deadly that it could melt through any defense.

Nihlathak felt that something was not right when the first fire drake fused itself with the tornado. But, when he wanted to get out of his cage, his only escape route was shut, and he was trapped.

Chapter 504: Forward Thinker Or A Traitor?

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The fiery spinning cage was inescapable, because it was able to reflect any GN force that was thrown at it.

The spell was extremely taxing on Guan Dongyang's system. He gritted his teeth and endured the pain from rapid depletion of his soul energy. He knew he had only one shot at this; so, he swallowed down the pain and carried on the spell without hesitation.

After ten minutes, Guan Dongyang finally stopped the spell and descended to the ground. He didn't even have enough soul energy to stay afloat. The fiery ball slowly disappeared, and something dark fell from the sky, thudding on to the ground.

Nihlathak's flesh, bones, and his super METAL were melted altogether and reduced into a clump of black matter the size of a dog.

The sight of what was left of Nihlathak caught Guan Dongyang by surprise. Did he just win the battle? When the reality finally set in, Guan Dongyang raised his arms and shouted to the sky. Behind him, he could hear a swell of cheers and shouts rise in the camp.

Despite the exhaustion and dizziness, Guan Dongyang didn't retreat to his camp. He remained on the battleground, waiting for the Thunder Fire's reaction.

Marcos was paralyzed by the devastating blow. Two of his trump cards: the heavy METAL and Nihlathak, had both failed. If he carried on, he might lose everything.

"Captain, let's pull back. There will be a time for revenge."

"Let's call it off, Captain. Even if we can get rid of Guan Dongyang with our advantage in number, we still need to face Blizzard." Randolph pleaded. He finally conceded that they had underestimated Guan Dongyang's power. Who would think that he had such a deadly secret weapon that had wiped out an entire legion of heavy METAL in a blink? Many of his comrades were among the ranks of those heavy METAL that had to lose their lives.

Everyone looked to Marcos for his decision, who clenched his fists and then said, "Randolph, Li Xiu, I have no other options. One of us has to die today, either him or me. If we retreat, there will be no more Thunder Fire."

Marcos suddenly charged up his soul energy and shouted out, "CHARGE!"

Despite the disastrous setbacks, Marcos had mustered his courage and dug in for a fight of life and death. He ordered his best METAL units to escort the Mastery team while the latter inched closer to the camp wall. As long as the Mastery units were able to get close enough, they could rain death on the Battle Wolf camp.

After the fight with the Hammer, Guan Dongyang had nothing left in him, and the rest of the defense were all up to Wang Tong.

"KOM!"

Suddenly, the ground under Thunder Fire's mastery units cracked open and bright lights shot out from within. Shadows of METAL warriors appeared against the intense light; It was the Battle Wolf! Before the Thunder Fire's soldiers knew what had happened, a few hundred METAL warriors from the Battle Wolf appeared right next to them, including Wang Tong.

The sudden development halted the Thunder Fire's march.

Wang Tong appeared behind Marcos and said with a mischievous smile. "Captain Marcos, we are just a small war band, and our strength is less than a fraction of Thunder Fire's. Why don't we both call it for the day since neither of us would ever be a threat to each other?"

Although the Battle Wolf would need to make an example out of the Thunder Fire in order to instill authority into other factions, the Thunder Fire could also be a force for the good when the internal struggle was over. Wang Tong was not Lie Jian; he knew that every human life was worth saving.

Marcos didn't dare move a hair. In front of him, all of his mastery casters were taken hostage by the Battle Wolf's warriors. Wang Tong's one word could mean the loss of all their lives. Marcos could also order his METAL warriors to swarm the kidnappers, but the merciless act could definitely taint his reputation.

Marcos realized that the nagging feeling of something ominous inside the Thunder Fire's camp was the person that had appeared behind him like a ghost. A person who could do that, Marcos conceded, would have to be more powerful than even the level twenty warrior Nihlathak.

"What does Guan Dongyang want?" Marcos asked, his voice eerily calm.

"Hehe… He doesn't want anything, but... you need to make a kind gesture to clean up this mess you have made." Wang Tong said.

Marcos chewed on Wang Tong's words for a second and then announced, "I, Marcos, leader of the Thunder Fire, would like to put Guan Dongyang's name forward as the leader of all factions in Maersa!"

"Hehe… Actions speak louder than words..." Wang Tong said lightheartedly.

Marco's mind reeled, 'Who is he?'

"What do you want?" Marcos spoke quietly.

"What I want is simple! Just leave all the equipment to us, including those broken ones. They are useless for you anyways."

"That's it?" Marcos asked in disbelief.

"Hehe… Yes."

"Very well. Please let go of my mastery casters."

"Not until you pull back the rest of your force."

"Why would I trust you."

"You don't have to." Wang Tong said with a smirk; he knew Marcos had no other options.

When Ross first heard about Wang Tong's plan, he was convinced that Wang Tong was high on some chemicals. When Wang Tong cast the teleportation spell and transported him right into the ranks of the enemy, he fumbled in his pocket to make sure he didn't overdose on something and was now hallucinating; he wasn't.

Ross and his comrades carried out Wang Tong's plan, and the rest was up to Wang Tong himself. Ross waited anxiously with a whimpering mastery caster in his clutch. They were surrounded by angry METAL warriors that could kill them in a heartbeat.

The mental state of the rest of the warriors was no better than Ross, except for Lie Xuan, Tan Bu, and Duo Lun. Lie Xuan didn't feel the slightest stress—she could have broken out of the encirclement with ease. Instead, she felt a nagging itch from the mystery that loomed over Wang Tong.

He was a Mechanic, a mastery caster, a METAL warrior, and a scholar, all in one package.

From what she had learned about the Divine Mastery Sect from her best friend Ye Zi, she was convinced that Wang Tong's mastery spells were from the Sect.

Lie Xuan was also convinced that Ye Zi had fallen in love with Wang Tong.

Duo Lun and Tan Bu held their blades steadily. They never doubted the success of this mission, since they believed in Wang Tong.

If Marcos were smart, he would stop his mistake there and then. There was only one person who could stand a chance against Wang Tong, and he was not on Mars.

Marcos let out a laugh and then announced, "Fine! I will leave all the equipment with you, and I will retreat. But, if you dare harm a hair on any of my mastery casters, I swear that I will make you pay!"

Chapter 505: Be A Strong Man

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"We are the Battle Wolf, and our words worth more than gold."

Wang Tong disappeared before his last words fell into Marcos' ears. Marcos turned, only to see that the former was already gone. He heaved a sigh of resignation.

After the Thunder Fire had retreated back to their camp, Ross let go of the Mastery casters as promised.

"How are you feeling, Dongyang?" Wang Tong asked with a smile.

"Balls, I was so terrified! Does it always have to be so risky?" Guan Dongyang grinned.

Wang Tong shrugged. "That was the best option I could think of. I like your new spell by the way. Very cool."

"Hehe, it's all thanks to you! It wasn't until you told me about the blending of different elements that I realized how much I still needed to learn."

"Unlike a METAL warrior, you don't need to reach the legendary level to get exposed to the Divine Way. Your improvement has just begun, and there will be even more surprises awaiting you in the future."

"Haha! I am so lucky to have you around me!" Guan Dongyang laughed out loud. The exertion quickly reminded him that he was still injured. Guan Dongyang then cupped his wound and lamented, "I wish I could recover soon."

"Don't you worry! We have just made so much money that you can sit on you're a*s for a while and do nothing."

"Balls! All you asked for were some broken METAL suits and piles of garbage."

Wang Tong winked at Guan Dongyang and then said: "You forgot you had a super mechanic."

Guan Dongyang was shocked. "You mean you can fix all that junk? "

"Of course! Otherwise, why would I ask for them?"

After the warriors of the Battle Wolf had cleaned up the battlefield, they appeared in front of Guan Dongyang's room. The victory had given them confidence as they stood with heads high.

"Boss, captain, what should we do next?" Ross asked.

"I need to recuperate. Wang Tong will be in charge." Guan Dongyang said without hesitation. Finally, he could be as far away from the paperwork as possible.

"Ross, pack up the equipment they had left and ship them to my shop."

"Roger that!" Ross left the room with a few other METAL warriors in tow. None of them asked about Wang Tong's reason for collecting all that junk as they fully trusted Wang Tong's decisions.

"Ouch! Be gentle, Ye Zi. It hurts!"

"Hang in there, boss. The damage was not small. My level is too low to clean it without pain. Just a little bit longer, and it will be over soon."

"But... but... it really hurts!" Guan Dongyang pleaded, his eyes holding tears.

"Hehe… Dongyang, don't act like a kid. You are the boss, remember?" Wang Tong jested.

"Boss my a*s! Why don't you try it?"

"Suh... Lie Xuan is coming."

"Ye Zi, don't mind me. This is nothing, just a scratch." Guan Dongyang suddenly changed into a different person.

Ye Zi suppressed a snicker and then continued to clean the wound for him.

"What a victory! I have led the House Lie into many battles, but I have never seen such a miraculous victory." Lie Xuan announced, "Dongyang, I think the news about this battle is going to spread across Mars very quickly."

"I won't disappoint you, babes."

The intimate love name made Lie Xuan blush, as she cleared her throat and said lightly, "Take care." Then, she hurried out of the room.

"Ye Zi, Wang Tong, have you ever seen her blush before? Haha!" Guan Dongyang said with a broad smile.

Lie Xuan liked a strong man. Despite Guan Dongyang's renowned reputation, she always found it hard to make the connection between the thin mastery caster and the muscular prince charming of her dreams. However, when Guan Dongyang showed his strength and defeated Nihlathak, he had captured her heart almost instantly.

"You lucky b*stard!" Wang Tong said with a smile. Love could always make the world a nice place, even during a war.

Seeing Guan Dongyang's face blooming like a flower, Ye Zi shook her head and conceded that his IQ was as high as a six-year-old when he was in love.

Thunder Fire's defeat had shocked the entire Maersa district. After the war, everyone thought of Guan Dongyang very differently than before.

Guan Dongyang, the Lord of Fire, had defeated a METAL warrior one level higher than him. The unprecedented achievement had brought his reputation to a new height.

Before the victory, he was considered quiet, if not irrelevant, among the top warriors of the Mars. It was true that he had led his war band and killed thousands of Zergs, but so what? Zergs were easy to kill, but defeating a level twenty METAL warrior as a Mastery caster was nothing close to easy.

People were impressed by not only Guan Dongyang's personal strength, but also his ability to manage the battlefield, leveraging the element of surprise, precise timing of mobilization, and converting the enemies' oversight into his advantages.

It didn't take long before people started to suspect that there was another powerful warrior hidden within the ranks of Battle Wolf.

Although the battle changed nothing in the overall political struggle on Mars, it had completely changed the landscape of power in the Maersa district. The cards on the table had been reshuffled; while the former leader was now ruing out of cards to play, the previously insignificant player was on a winning streak.

However, it was still too earlier to say who the eventual winner of the game would be. After a few victories, Guan Dongyang had gathered a handful of good cards; he just needed to know who to play them on the table.

"Hans, what do you think of it?" The news about Guan Dongyang's victory had caught Aamir by surprise.

"I am not surprised by Guan Dongyang's victory over Nihlathak, but I wonder who had unleashed the four golden discs that had decimated the heavy METAL?"

"Is that a weapon or a mastery?" Aamir asked curiously.

"I have no idea. But, I wager it's something along the line of mastery and GN force." Hans was puzzled by the nature of the golden discs as well.

"Where do you think they got it from?"

"No clue. When I first saw it, I thought it was made out of GN force. But, a normal GN force attack would wane after each hit, yet these discs didn't. They just kept going; therefore, I suspect that these discs could replenish energy by absorbing natural forces, like a mastery spell."

"You know that is impossible! Do you think someone inside the Battle Wolf had done the impossible?"

"I don't know."

"Well, looks like we need to wait until things are clear. He also has powerful friends apparently." Aamir said slowly.

Chapter 506: Immortals Versus Dark Ones

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

One of Guan Dongyang's allies, the Divine Mastery Sect, was the most influential force on Mars. No one knew exactly how powerful they were. Their cultivation was at least twenty years ahead of the rest of the humans, and this was particularly the case in terms of their understanding of the soul energy. Although the Divine Mastery Sect focused solely on inner cultivation and research during the peaceful times, and was not best known for their combat ability, after the Zerg Invasion, they were forced to reveal their unmatched combat skills.

Between pissing off the Divine Mastery Sect and the House Lie, any war-band would choose the latter in a heartbeat.

"How is the situation in Maersa?"

"It is rather strange. The Zergs should have poured out of the city gates by now, but our scouts reported that they had seen none outside the City. Instead, there was a lot of commotion inside. There must be something going on inside the city that has distracted them."

"Oh? What could it be? The Zergs are not well known for their tolerance." Aamir asked as he rolled a cigar and lit it up.

"Hans, we need to know more… we must. The Zergs' transition towards humanity is going to be the best shot we have to get rid of them."

"Yes, Captain."

Ever since the shipment was raided by the human resistance, the Zergs had acted against their vengeful nature. It was hard to imagine that they would swallow down the loss and let the matters slide.

The Zergs didn't even attack Battle Wolf's camp after it was exposed during the skirmish against Thunder Fire. Although Guan Dongyang had already packed up and relocated, there had been ample time for the Zergs to deliver a blow to Guan Dongyang.

What would have made the Zergs act so out of character?

Meanwhile, loud commotion could be heard from inside Maersa City as if they were preparing for an invasion. It was not only the case in Maersa, but also in all the Zerg occupied cities.

This was an order from the Dark Lord Moye, and there was only one individual who could make the dark Lord Panic: Patroclus.

The news of Patroclus killing the other two Zerg warlords had shocked all the Zergs. Despite the Zergs' aggressive nature, their social status within the highly stratified society was very stagnant. Therefore, things such as murdering the commanders of the same level was unheard of in the history of the Zerg race.

After that incidence, Moye had always been watching out for Patroclus's suspicious actions. The four of them— Moye, Patroclus, and the two warlords killed by Patroclus— had been at the same rank. And now, the number had reduced to two. Moye knew that he would be the next target sooner or later. Therefore, he requested to rule the human world on the other side of the solar system, far away from Patroclus.

The separation worked for a while until Moye recently heard that a secret convey was sent to the Mars by Patroclus.

After the group arrived at Mars, they didn't do anything destructive, but neither did Moye know exactly what they were up to. His report said that the members of the convoy had already infiltrated all occupied cities on Mars.

In the eyes of the Zerg populous, Moye was at least half a rank higher than Patroclus. However, Patroclus never played by the Zerg's rule. Ever since he had assimilated the forces and resources of the two other warlords, Moye had lost all advantage he used to hold against the Ivantian hybrid. By far, most of Patroclus' actions were against the grains of Zerg traditions. He was dismantling the framework that defined the Zergs from inside. What was worse, Patroclus was not alone, since all the dark ones' mindset was similar to him, and their number and influence were growing rapidly.

"Mr. Turbolix, welcome to the City of Maersa."

"Thank you, Mr. Kun. "

"The tables are set. Please enjoy."

"After you, please."

In the kitchen, human slaves worked diligently to prepare the dishes. Although the Zergs were capable of doing laborious work, they had chosen to let the slaves do their chores.

Lives of the humans who had any use to the Zerg community were spared by their Zerg Master. However, it was not uncommon to hear about slaves being abused to death; it happened almost on a daily basis.

Turbolix walked with heavy and wide strides, his steps carrying confidence and power. He was one of the human warriors that had turned their backs on their own race. He was young and strong, one of Patroclus's favorite generals.

Seeing the humans' imminent defeat, Turbolix switched his allegiance to Patroclus in order to survive. Although his action was viewed as apostasy in the eyes of other human soldiers—mostly those from older generations—he was convinced that that was the only option for him. Time had changed and so should the humans. If the humans were stuck in their old mindset, refusing the gift of the new era based on old and tiring dogma, the human race would never be able to advance.

Turbolix was confident that he had done the right thing. Unlike his old and bitter human counterparts, he was forward thinking and adaptive. The conviction had lent him ignorance to the sufferings of the humans around him. The only price he had to pay was a worm-like Zerg that bore into his chest, living symbiotically with him.

Kun was a high-level dark one. Although he looked and acted like a human, he had nothing to do with the human race. Having received the enlightenment from his divine lord Patroclus, Turbolix looked down upon the primitive Zergs, including the dark ones. On the other hand, the dark ones firmly believed that they were the purest and the noblest blood in the Zerg world, and they held the same contempt towards the hybrid immortals, such as Turbolix.

Despite the differences, Kun and Turbolix treated each other with courtesy, just like the humans would.

Turbolix was a typical immortal, and therefore, his taste was akin to that of a human. He was worried that Kun, the dark one, would prepare a table full of disgusting Zerg "delicacies." However, when he sat down by the dining table, he realized that the meals were all human food.

"Mr. Turbolix, how does everything taste so far? "

"Impressive! You have done a lot of research into human taste buds, haha!"

"Yes, I have a little," Kun said with a satisfying smile. Knowledge of humans' fine culture and customs was considered a status symbol for high-class dark ones.

Kun clapped his wings together, willing the servants to bring out two naked girls. Both of the girls were slim in the waist and curvy at the top and bottom, typical beauty standards for a human taste. Kun was not aroused by the girls' appearances in the slightest. To him, these girls looked like aliens would to a human.

"Come to tend to my guest. Otherwise..."

The two girls didn't dare speak a word and hurried to Turbolix's side. Their bouncing bosom ignited the fire in between Turbolix's legs.

What was the point of becoming an immortal? To enjoy life.

Turbolix held one of the girls' chin and picked it up. "Come babes, my little friend needs some love."

The girl paused and wasn't sure what to do, so she looked to the other girl. When she turned her head back, she bent down and started to unbuckle Turbolix's trousers.

Turbolix snatched the girl's hand and moved it up along his body until it reached his chest.

"My little friend is here."

Turbolix ripped his shirt open, revealing a big, ugly scar, which suddenly burst open to reveal a scaly and ragged looking monster that slithered out of the wound, its mouth wide open. The girl screamed and jumped back, tripping over herself and falling to the ground.

A lighting ball appeared in Kun's hand. The girl's behavior was uncouth, and punishment was needed.

"Mayor Kun, it's fine. Come now babes, he likes fresh meat, but brains are his favorite." Seeing the girls' pale faces, Turbolix burst out laughing, "I was just kidding! Come to feed him, and then I can start eating as well."

The two girls walked to the monster reluctantly, and then fed it a piece of rare steak with trembling fingers. The vile thing devoured the meat with a satisfying wet croak, then it slithered back into Turbolix's chest and disappeared.

After the feast, Turbolix held a meeting with Kun, which ended with a heated debate.

"My lord, how was your meeting with Kun?"

"Hehe, those dark ones are idiots! They refuse to join us, but agreed to lend us some of the Zerglings. We need to act quickly, our Lord is waiting."

"Yes, my lord."

Turbolix was sent to hunt down a person who should have been dead. He disliked the mission since he was convinced that Patroclus had overestimated the strength of a dead person. However, he knew where Patroclus was coming from. After all, Patroclus' only defeat was at the hand of this individual.

Chapter 507: Business Tong

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

By then, the Battle Wolf had already relocated its base to avoid Zerg detection. Although moving the camp would temporarily cut back the soldier's training time and living quality, things started to improve significantly as soon as they settled down at the new location.

Guan Dongyang's display of strength had fanned the soldiers' enthusiasm for training. Comparing to their leader, their powers were too weak. But thanks to the Divine Burst technique, many soldiers' combat ability had improved significantly after a few weeks of industrious training.

After having experienced the series of events, Battle Wolf was no longer Guan Dongyang's one person show when it came down to fighting. With greater power at their disposal, the soldiers felt more comfortable in sharing the burden of war and fighting like a team.

Battle Wolf could not always rely on mastery tricks, since their successes were very circumstantial. To become a strong unit, they had to improve the overall strength of all soldiers.

Guan Dongyang spent his days inside his room while recuperating. The soldiers suspected that he might remain in such a state for a while since the respite had given him the opportunity to spend more time with Lie Xuan alone.

Despite the soldiers' enthusiasm, the reality hit them hard every time they attended Wang Tong's training sessions. Wang Tong had taught them that the key to success was perseverance. So, the soldiers dug in for a long struggle.

Other than the Divine Burst and Flame Cut, Wang Tong didn't teach the METAL warriors any more new techniques, fearing that more subjects would spread the soldiers' attention too thin. For most of the soldiers, Wang Tong only expected them to focus on strengthening their foundation and know the basics of the two techniques. That, Wang Tong wagered, should be enough for them to deal with most of the enemies they would face in the future.

Wang Tong's notorious training method was brutal. Not only did it include fierce competition, but each match would not end until one of the soldiers fell to the ground.

The Instant Cast method alone continued to be many Mastery warriors' roadblock in their cultivation. Despite the gruesome training, only a handful of soldiers had passed the test. However, Wang Tong didn't lose his patience; he knew that the Instant Cast was crucial in protecting the casters' life while they were on the battlefield. So, he carried on the training and waited patiently for even the least talented to grasp the technique.

Meanwhile, the more talented casters, such as Ye Zi, had been experimenting with blending the fire and wind elements. She and other members of the focus groups would be the backbone of Battle Wolf in the future, and therefore, their cultivation was far ahead of the rest of the warriors.

Of late, they had been trying group hybrid mastery, but all their attempts had failed.

"Kom!"

The explosion announced another failed attempt of the focus group. The crowd outside the training room watched anxiously as Ye Zi and her comrades hurried out of the door. They wanted to help the focus group, but they couldn't due to their limited abilities. They only hoped that the next explosion would not be so intense as to cause any real harm to the focus group.

"Stop gawking!" Ye Zi shouted at the onlookers. Then, she turned to Hamir. "Hamir, try it again. I think you have almost gotten it!"

"OK!"

A dozen casters rushed back into the tattered training room to try out their moves again.

The soldiers outside of the training room looked at each other with shame and regret. However intense their training was, at least it wasn't as dangerous as that of the focus group.

"Tan Bu, can you team up with me today instead of Duo Lun?" Ross asked. Tan Bu's power had grown rapidly, and he had quickly become one of the most powerful METAL warriors in Battle Wolf.

"Yes, Lieutenant." Tan Bu stopped sparring with Duo Lun.

Duo Lun wiped the sweat off his forehead as he marveled at Tan Bu's improvement. His friend's huge improvement had lent him motivation and determination to strengthen his own cultivation.

Meanwhile, Wang Tong sat in front of a pile of METAL parts, his brows furrowed.

"Are you kidding me, Charcoal? Only one hundred are salvageable?"

"Master, my calculation is correct."

"Balls! I should have been more careful about the equipment when I attacked. " Wang Tong said ruefully. Other than Ye Zi and Hamir, no one knew how deep a financial hole Battle Wolf was in. It was Guan Dongyang's self-made problem.

The METAL cannons were useless when damaged, but they would be worth a fortune when repaired. Wang Tong had expected to salvage at least four hundred of them, which should be enough to buy everyone in Battle Wolf a new set of METAL. But in the end, he got only a hundred or so.

Charcoal was not only helpful in assessing each equipment's degree of damage, but it also helped Wang Tong with the repair work.

Wang Tong's mind raced as he pondered on whom to sell this equipment to.

If he had a large number of them, House Lie or the Divine Mastery Sect might have been interested. However, one hundred sets were too small of a deal to catch their interest. Who else could he sell them to?

Sell them back to Marcos? No, that would be a d*ck move.

Who else was rich and powerful in Maersa?

Suddenly, realization dawned upon Wang Tong as he laughed out loud, "Haha! I am a genius!"

The shop gate cracked open and Ross walked in.

"What's so funny, captain? Time for lunch."

"Ah-Ha, Ross, could you please send a message to Blizzard and tell them that we have something they want?"

Although this equipment meant nothing to powerful players such as House Lie and the Divine Mastery Sect, it was a small fortune to any of the human resistance groups. Wang Tong had chosen Blizzard as his business partner because Aamir had warned them about the Thunder Fire's attack.

The thought made Wang Tong feel lighthearted, if not a little proud of himself for his astute business mind.

When Aamir heard Wang Tong's proposal, he wasn't sure what to make of it. Arsenals were essential during a war. After the collapse of the confederation, House Lie had risen to power and taken control of all the arsenal production facilities on Mars. By controlling the flow of war machines, House Lie maintained a tight grip on all the human resistance factions. The Divine Mastery's silence over House Lie's taking over of these facilities further solidified their dominant position.

At first, the House Lie had pumped out weapons from their facilities and spread them over the Mars to arm the local resistance groups. However, the Zergs started a few campaigns against these facilities and destroyed most of them. With the production dwindling, it had become harder and harder for resistance groups to get new weapons. Therefore, Aamir was caught off guard by Battle Wolf's offer of 100 heavy war-machines.

Although the price of the METAL suits on the black market fluctuated from time to time, it had always been easy to sell a mid-tier METAL suit compared to another equipment due to the large demand. The heavy METAL equipment, on the other hand, was only needed by a very specific group of warriors. It was only deployed in a sizable formation. Therefore, not anyone had a use for it. That being said, the heavy METAL played a crucial role in the offensive capability of a mid to large size army.