519 - 529

Chapter 519: The Black Market

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

A server brought their dinner directly to their room. The ornate platter boasted an entire roast chicken. For someone who was powerless like the hostel manager, it was paramount to get on the good side of a high ranking field medic such as Ye Zi.

Wang Tong's belly growled at the smell of the roast chicken. It had been a while since he had eaten any meat.

After wolfing down most of the chicken, the three left the most savory meat for Ye Zi, a pair of drumsticks.

While amusing herself with the wild and funny scene of three men fighting over meat, Ye Zi's mind drifted off to the time that she had spent at the Sect. Although House Lie was the only great house on the Mars, the members of the Divine Mastery sect were the true nobles there. Never had Ye Zi seen the Sect members lose their table manners, which they upheld so religiously.

After the dinner, the four decided to pay a visit to the black market. When they finally arrived at their destination, Ye Zi became hesitant to enter the unsavory locale.

As a high ranking field medic, Ye Zi had the luxury to distance herself from what was happening at the very bottom of the society. But, not a lot of people, especially the powerless women, were that fortunate.

To the powerful, the black market was heaven on earth, and to the others, it was hell, if not worse.

On a "T" shaped stage, a few dancers wiggled their curvaceous bodies in a racy performance. Below the stage, a few dozen men shouted something to each other while holding the beer cups high.

The colorful lights reflected off the glittered skins of the dancers and the glass mugs, painting a lurid scene of debauchery. During the time of war, only such acts could remind people that they were still alive.

Duo Lun and Tan Bu had been to black markets many times before they joined Battle Wolf. So, they seemed indifferent to their surroundings. However, Ye Zi bit down her lips, trying to suppress the anger sprouting inside her belly.

Some men's eyes ran up and down on Ye Zi's body as if they wanted to jump on her and tear her robe apart. But, the high ranking medic's badge on her robe had deterred them from putting their thoughts into actions.

"Come, hold my hand." Wang Tong cracked a smile and spoke in a deep voice. Ye Zi didn't think twice and grabbed Wang Tong's arm, which came as an instant relief.

"I don't think it is the problem with the Divine Mastery Sect. You know, the humans were like this even before the Zergs invaded. It's just human nature." Wang Tong remarked, hoping to offer her some consolation. However, he knew that this should not happen in a city that was surrounded by the enemy. It was as if the humans had given up.

"Sir, would you like some heaven dust? Only fifth Blues." A creepy looking man with greasy hair stopped Wang Tong and asked.

Heaven Dust was a hallucinogenic drug favored by rich people. Seeing Wang Tong with a girl of exquisite beauty in his arm, the dealer took him as one of the super-rich.

Duo Lun pushed the man away and grunted, "F*ck off!" Scared and startled, the dealer quickly put away the pills and disappeared into the crowd.

The market was filled with strange characters; Wang Tong noticed a few leaders of the resistance groups here as well.

Blues were now the official currency on Mars after it got the backing of House Lie and the Sect. With the official depot being so stingy on their offer, many merchants dared the little-known waters of the black market to try their luck. Understandably, people were cautious towards each other in such an environment.

"Those guys standing there are mercs. They can be hired for dirty jobs. Zergs or humans, they don't care." Duo Lun pointed to a group of big guys standing by the bar.

"A lot is going on here."

"Boss, if you can take over the City of Maersa, you will see all sorts of people coming to join us. Especially if we can secure some victories against Zerg's sieges, more people will come than you can imagine." Tan Bu put in.

"Let's move. The auction house is just right up ahead." Duo Lun announced. Although it was supposed to be an underground auction house, its extravagant storefront had brushed off any promise of secrecy, and it even charged an entrance fee.

"One Blue per guest, please." Two METAL warriors stopped the four at the gate.

Wang Tong reluctantly took out four coins and handed to the guard as he lamented on how expensive the city life was.

After paying up the entrance fee, Wang Tong doubled down on his determination to find a good deal here.

When they finally arrived at the hall where the auction was going to take place, they found that the room was already packed with thousands of spectators.

Wang Tong could not afford a better seat, so they sat down in a corner with a terrible view of the stage.

"Is it always so packed?" Wang Tong asked.

"This is not even the most crowded day yet. They have to accommodate merchants from all over the region after all."

The auction started, and Wang Tong watched it carefully. Most of the items started at a price higher than what the city would offer. However, as the auction progressed, the items became weirder and weirder. Wang Tong channeled out his soul energy and listened to the conversations between onlookers. Before long, he learned that some of the items being put on auction stand were obtained illegally.

However, it got worse after the stolen and robbed goods. A half-naked man with a lewd smile walked on to the stage with a curvy female in tow. As soon as the pair reached the center of the stage, the man lifted the girl's skirt and exposed her private parts. The girl blushed and looked away, tears flickering in her eyes.

Ye Zi gritted her teeth, trying to control her anger. She had never thought that such vile act would be happening under the nose of the chief priest of the Sect.

Wang Tong sensed her agitation, so he squeezed her hands gently and said, "You are right to be mad, but nothing will change if we don't act."

Soon, the girl was sold to a greasy middle age man with the price of one hundred blues. Ye Zi was saddened to see the girl's indifferent look for her unjust treatment.

"It is illegal and immoral to sell another human. Sanders will have a lot to answer to." Ye Zi spoke under her breath.

"What good will it be even if the young master knew about it? Will he punish Sanders and forsake the control of the territory?" Duo Lun remarked, his voice laced with anger and resignation.

The more Wang Tong learned about the current situation on Mars, the more he felt the need to change it. However, changes took time.

"You guys hang in here for a while. I need to figure out how to put our goods onto that stage." Wang Tong said.

Chapter 520: An Unusual Crystal

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Maybe I should go with you. I might be able to help." Ye Zi put in. Wang Tong nodded in response, and the two walked toward the sales room, where a man in his forties greeted them.

"What can I do for you?" He asked politely, his eyes glued to Ye Zi's Sect badge.

"We have something for the auction." Wang Tong announced.

"Not sure what you want to sell? If it is not anything 'special,' if you know what I mean, I would recommend you to use the official exchange depot. We charge a 10% commission fee."

"I do have something very special, but I am not sure if anyone here is able to recognize its value." Wang Tong remarked.

"Hehe… Sir, we have been in this business for years, and have seen everything you can imagine. Bring it out and let us examine it, then we will give you a fair offer."

"Are you in charge here?"

"Yes, I am. My name is Syracuse, and I am the owner here. I bet you two are from Battle Wolf? I have heard about your recent success, so I will waive your commission fees." Syracuse smiled. He was going to leave Jade City a few days ago, but since he had heard that Xiao Yuyu was going to pay the city a visit, he had decided to stay a few more days.

"You…You are Syracuse?" Ye Zi was shocked by the name.

"You bet!" Syracuse said with a typical businessman's sleazy smile.

"Is he...famous?" Wang Tong asked quietly under his breath, but it was loud enough for Syracuse to hear him. Ye Zi hurried for an explanation.

Syracuse had made a name for himself after the war broke out as the go-to person for auctions. He had set up branches within human settlements all over Mars.

Syracuse waved in appreciation for Ye Zi's introduction and then said, "I am not that successful… Just a merchant, that's all. If you don't mind, may I ask whom I am talking to?"

"Ye Zi… I am Battle Wolf's field medic, and he is Wang Tong, one of our captains." Ye Zi said. She noticed the light of anticipation in Syracuse's eyes dim after he realized that the man was not Guan Dongyang.

"Captain Tong, what would you like to sell?" The old merchant asked.

Wang Tong took out an energy crystal and set it on the table. "I have got a very special energy crystal."

Disappointment flashed across Syracuse's face. Energy crystals were one of the most common items on the market. There was nothing spectacular about them, and they were dirt cheap unless they were from a super METAL. However, Syracuse noticed that the one on the table was only of a mid-tier level.

To confirm his initial appraisal, he picked the crystal up and held it close to his eyes. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "What's this inside?" As Syracuse scanned the energy crystal, he found something unusual with it.

"Hehe… There are three Mastery spells inside the crystal. They can be used by a person who does not even know how to fight." Wang Tong revealed the truth. From the way Syracuse carried himself, Wang Tong was certain that he was a powerful fighter and an experienced appraiser.

"This is not a good place to talk. Please follow me." Syracuse invited the two into an inner chamber, where they were greeted by a dozen young and beautiful servant girls, who brought them fresh fruits.

"Captain Tong, is this the new invention of the Fire Lord? I haven't seen Guan Dongyang for a while, and didn't know that he had advanced his cultivation so quickly." Syracuse lamented. All this while, he held the crystal tightly in his hand.

"Hehe… I am relieved that you are able to recognize its value. Yes, this is the work of our captain. Not only that, the mastery spell inside of it is like nothing you have ever seen. It's a buff spell called Divine Light. When used, it will be able to improve the level of all friendly soldiers around you to level seventeen." Wang Tong spoke slowly, and then produced another one of the same crystal from his pocket and set it on the table.

"This one contains a Fire Inferno Spell, Captain Guan's famous AOE spell… level eighteen and single use." Wang Tong watched Syracuse's face attentively, trying to catch the merchant's thoughts.

Syracuse's face didn't betray his emotions as he asked with the same calmness, "How many of these crystals have you brought with you?"

"Three of the Divine Light, and two Fire Inferno."

Syracuse held Wang Tong's gaze and asked slowly. "Who can use them?"

"Anyone, really. There is no level requirement, if that's what you are asking."

It had finally occurred to Syracuse how powerful these crystals were. It meant that any ordinary person could carry a level eighteen spell with them at any time.

"Captain Tong, may I propose a win-win approach?"

"Do tell!" Wang Tong smiled broadly. Everything was going according to his plan so far.

…

The next day morning, the entire Jade City was up early in the morning, preparing for the welcoming ceremony.

When Xiao Yuyu and her mastery casters filed into the city gate, the city boiled over in joy and pride. Wang Tong and his friends watched the procession quietly. As warriors, they would not hide in the city and pray for the protection of the powerful.

The Divine Mastery Sect had been influential even before the Zerg invasion. The external pressure on human society had only lent the Sect even more power and respect among the Martians, so much so that even a field medic from the Sect was revered as a goddess.

The Sect's influence could be effective in uniting the Martians against the Zergs, but it could also be used by corrupted forces for ulterior motives.

Although the Jade city boasted a watertight defense, its citizens lacked the will to fight. The false appearance of order and safety inside the wall had made its dwellers content. They had forgotten that they were still at war. The lack of aggression was a drastic contrast to the people in the Maersa district.

As a high ranking field medic, it was not difficult for Ye Zi to arrange a meeting with Xiao Yuyu after she had met with the local lords. Wang Tong decided to tag along and to see what it was like inside the Sect.

Wang Tong had talked a few hours with Syracuse about what to do with the profits after they sold the crystal. Eventually, they settled on a relatively fair plan. Syracuse made it clear that he wanted Battle Wolf to become his long-term partner in his business endeavor; therefore, he was willing to sacrifice some of the profits now in order to win the exclusive rights to sell their energy crystals.

…

Sanders was not in a good mood. His nephew's body was found a few miles outside of the city; he was flayed, and had his flesh carved out.

Sanders had lost his only son in the war. Guilt spurred him to spoil the only male offspring of his family: his nephew. He had known about Charles' outrageous crimes against powerless people, but couldn't find the will to punish him. Finally, he realized, Charles had paid the ultimate price for his foolishness.

Chapter 521: The Chief Medic Xiao YuYu

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Sanders felt a mixture of anger and remorse. However, the arrival of the chief medic made it impossible for him to moan over his loss. Of late, he had carried out a few policies that defied the orders of the Sect. However, he was confident that he should be able to handle a little girl such as Xiao Yuyu. Despite the immense influence the Sect had on everyone's daily life, the Jade City was in Sander's tight grip. Without a good reason, the Sect would be hard pressed to revoke his control over the Jade City. At the same time, Sanders dared not cross the line too much either. After all, the Sect's power was much greater than the city's.

Thanks to this fragile balance of power, the two parties have compromised and tolerated each other's existence.

In the giant meeting hall sat all the important lords of the city, including Syracuse. Although he was not a citizen of the Jade City, his financial clout was recognized everywhere on Mars.

After some time, the chief medic, Xiao Yuyu arrived in the hall. Many saluted her, since a large percentage of the attendees were members of the sect.

Xiao Yuyu was on a mission. The leaders of the Sect were no fools; despite their need for Sanders to manage the city, they could not turn a blind eye when the latter wanted Jade City to become an independent city-state. Xiao Yuyu was sent here to remind Sanders that his loyalties had been questioned.

The meeting started amicably, and neither side got down to business. Needless to say, Xiao Yuyu found the meeting appalling. She could be on the battlefield saving lives right now instead of listening to these sycophants whispering sweat poison into her ears.

After having listened to Ye Zi's briefing on what had happened at the meeting, Tan Bu and Duo Lun knotted their faces, "That's exactly why nothing will ever be done on the Mars. This planet is doomed!"

"I really hope that it is not the case in the rest of the cities." Ye Zi heaved a sigh. "My friend told me that one of Xiao Yuyu's objectives was to urge Sanders to be more proactive in the war. Over the years, Sander's army has swelled in ranks, but very rarely achieved any success on the battlefield. Instead of fighting, they grew fat and greedy, and started to bully the smaller settlements in the area."

"His nephew should be a telltale sign of the problem."

"No one can do anything about it unless the change comes from the top. I believe that even now, there are many warriors inside the city wall that are willing to fight back. But, without Sander's orders, they won't get a chance to contribute to the war. The problem is in the leadership." Ye Zi heaved a sigh of resignation.

"If I were Xiao Yuyu, I would blow up the meeting hall." Tan Bu shouted.

Jade City was well protected by the resistance factions surrounding it. Therefore, no small number of Zergs could even reach the city wall before they were eliminated by them. On the other hand, the complex and difficult terrain posed challenges for Zergs to maneuver in large numbers. Both advantages lent Sanders confidence while he blatantly defied the Sect's order.

Wang Tong cracked a smile, " Mars is a dog eats dog world. Michaux is a good person, but not a good leader. Meanwhile, Lie Jian could have been a good leader if he learned to be more compassionate. No wonder the two were so close… they are made for each other. Let's wait and see what is going to happen. But, I bet Michaux won't just let it slide. He will make Sanders pay."

Even Ye Zi felt that the Sect had been too lenient, but Wang Tong insisted that Michaux would take action soon. Suddenly, it occurred to Ye Zi that Wang Tong didn't turn to Michaux and Lei Jian because he knew that he would not be able to convince the two to fight for his cause. Wang Tong and Michaux were on two different paths, and no one yet knew which path would lead to success.

Wang Tong didn't think that he could change the mind of Michaux and Lie Jian, neither was he convinced that the two most powerful Martian leaders could improve the situation on Mars.

In his view, the status quo on Mars would last at most for a few years, and he saw absolutely no hope in defeating the Zergs without his personal involvement.

At the crux of the problem was the warlord-like mindset of the faction leaders. Heroism had always plagued the Martians' mind, including Lie Jian. Wang Tong was convinced that even if Lei Jian were able to save the humans from the Zerg, he would not give them their freedom. Mars would become Lie Jian's personal kingdom forever.

This would never happen during peaceful times thanks to the might of the Confederation. However, without the Confederation, anything was possible.

After Lie Jain had advanced his cultivation during the Pan Solar System tournament, he had improved his power by leaps and bounds. Very soon after the Zerg invasion, he had reached the legendary level, and his power had become unmatched on Mars.

The meeting between the Sect and Sanders didn't last too long, ending with Xiao Yuyu recommending everyone to spend more time preparing for the war against the Zergs.

Everyone at the meeting pretended that they didn't catch what Xiao Yuyu was alluding tom simply smiling at the chief medic as if she had just given them a pat on the back.

After the meeting, Xiao Yuyu was engrossed in reflections about what had happened at the meeting. These men were shrewd politicians and avid negotiators. Every time she tried to bring up the war with the Zergs, someone would sidetrack the conversation.

"Vorenus, what do you think about the meeting?"

"Chief, I think the Jade city is corrupt through and through. You are wasting your time with them. Just carry out young master's order and be done with it."

Xiao Yuyu nodded; however, it would be easier said than done, since not only Sanders was a level seventeen warrior, he also had many powerful fighters under his command. In addition, the district needed a powerful leader, and the citizens' lives would fall into disarray without him.

That being said, Sanders had crossed the line that he knew he shouldn't have. Should every other city act like the Jade City would, Mars would soon fall into chaos and crumble under the Zergs' attack.

Meanwhile, Sanders had gathered all of his trusted advisers in his private meeting room.

"My Lord, we are not yet sure who the murderer is. But, we are certain he or she is hiding in the city."

"Ok, we will talk about that later. What about Xiao Yuyu? When does she want to leave the city?" Sanders asked with a cigar in his mouth.

"My lord, I believe she is here to make sure everything is running normally. We will send out our men right away to make some noise out there and put on a show for her. I believe she will leave us alone. If she really wants to stay here, we might as well marry her to some lucky b*stard in the city, making sure that she will never leave."

"Haha… That's true! But, we can't let our guard down. She has brought some of her best casters with her."

"Roger that."

Sanders smiled. He never thought that he would remain under the service of the Divine Mastery Sect. He had risked his life and taken over the Jade City from the jaws of the Zergs, and he wouldn't hand it over to the Sect so easily.

…

Wang Tong was slightly amused by the transformation of the Divine Mastery Sect. He wagered that Michaux was not having the greatest time of his life, since all he had wanted to follow the divine way, and not bear the worldly burden.

"Ye Zi, you can go inside and meet chief, but your servants will have to wait outside," Vorenus told Ye Zi with a smile.

"They are my friends, not servants, and he is the one who wanted to talk to chief in the first place." Ye Zi explained.

Vorenus nodded. "Fine, you can enter with this gentleman. But, the other two will have to wait outside."

"Boss, don't worry about us. We can spar with this guard for fun." Tan Bu announced with a broad smile. Compared to their hosts in the Jade City, the two young soldiers liked Xiao Yuyu and her crew much better.

Vorenus was a warrior in his forties. He was friendly and down to earth. He was also intrigued by the eagerness and enthusiasm of the two young soldiers.

Chapter 522: Xiao Yuyu's Doubts

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Vorenus also knew that Battle Wolf severely lacked talented soldiers, which was why Michaux had sent Ye Zi to assist Guan Dongyang.

"Greetings, chief medic." Ye Zi announced as soon as she stepped into the meeting room. Wang Tong saw Xiao Yu Yu loll in an armchair while dressed in a casual outfit.

"Nice to see you, sister. This is…?" Xiao Yuyu gave Ye Zi a warm smile and looked curiously at Wang Tong.

"My name is Wang Tong. I am the training captain of Battle Wolf."

Since Wang Tong had come with Ye Zi, Xiao Yuyu wasn't suspicious of this stranger. Plus, if Wang Tong was up to no good, Vorenus would not have let him in.

"Ye Zi, how are you doing at Battle Wolf? I have heard many good things about Guan Dongyang and his team. I wager that you have helped him a lot."

"Captain Guan has advanced his cultivation very fast lately, and the overall strength of the group has improved as well." Ye Zi nodded.

"I know you want something from me. Just tell me, sis. I will do whatever I can." Xiao Yuyu remarked.

Her words piqued Wang Tong's attention; he marveled at the strong bond between the field medics. With Ye Zi's help, he might be able to execute his plan with ease.

'Step one: enlist Xiao Yuyu. Step two...'

Sensing Wang Tong's gaze on Xiao Yuyu's face, Ye Zi glared at Wang Tong; the expression on her face could pass for jealousy.

Wang Tong didn't overthink Xiao Yuyu's glare as he announced: "Chief Medic, we are here to do business with the Sect."

"Oh? Business? With us?" Xiao Yuyu was caught off guard.

"Yes. Captain Guan has invented a new type of buff mastery: Divine Light. It is a powerful spell on the battlefield, so we thought that we might be able to exchange the spell with you for some provisions." Wang Tong said.

"Selling your mastery?" Xiao Yuyu chuckled at the thought that someone was going to sell mastery spell to the most powerful mastery caster.

Guan Dongyang was alone by himself, while the Sect was a team made up of equally, if not more powerful casters than Guan Dongyang. Michaux knew that in order to grow his power, he needed to keep on admitting new members. He had been working on enlisting Guan Dongyang for years, but so far, the latter had not budged.

Guan Dongyang preferred working by himself and fighting for his own causes. A few times, he had contemplated the option of joining the Sect. But, the promise of constraints that were going to be imposed on him deterred him from taking action every time.

"Chief, you should take a look at this spell first. It is quite something." Ye Zi said.

"Oh? Very well! I will take a look." Xiao Yuyu's interest was piqued. As a high-level caster, she was naturally drawn to powerful spells.

"Ye Zi, you can demonstrate it for her." Wang Tong said.

"Me?" Ye Zi was caught off guard. She doubted that she was ready for such a powerful spell.

"Who else? I am a METAL warrior, remember?" Wang Tong put in casually.

Xiao Yuyu caught the subtle drift in the interaction between Wang Tong and Ye Zi. She wondered what had given this young man so much confidence while talking to a well-respected field medic such as Ye Zi.

Ye Zi took out a crystal and started to channel out her soul energy. The spell was too powerful to cast quickly, so she took her time to muster the energy.

Xiao Yuyu noticed the drastic change in Ye Zi's power. She had been only level fifteen when she left for Battle wolf, and now, she was well over level sixteen. In addition, this spell was a level seventeen spell. How could Ye Zi wield a spell one level above her?

As more energy poured out, Xiao Yuyu's face because serious and she watched the spell with a newfound fascination. After two more minutes, a light finally beamed down on Xiao Yuyu.

Xiao Yuyu knew that this was a buff spell, so she didn't fight back. Hearing the commotion, Vorenus stepped into the room and found Xiao Yuyu being surrounded by a golden light. However, he didn't think that it was harmful to her either.

With her eyes closed, Xiao Yuyu felt the golden energy reinforcing her sea of consciousness and warming up her body like a beam of sunlight shining from inside. After a while, she finally opened her eyes.

Ye Zi was exhausted and drenched in sweat. Wang Tong had been teaching her the spell on their way to the Jade City. However, since the spell was one level above her current level, pulling it off successfully required concentration and a lot of energy.

Although the Divine Mastery Sect had discouraged the practice of using high-level spells before one was ready, Wang Tong didn't think it was a problem at all. He believed that as long as one had understood the spell well enough, one could cast the spell with minimum soul energy. Even if Ye Zi really used up soul energy to complete the spell, she could always rely on the energy crystals.

Xiao Yuyu found it difficult to believe that a level nineteen elemental fire caster would be able to create such a powerful buff spell.

"Chief, please cast a spell on me" Vorenus spoke up.

Xiao Yuyu knew what Vorenus was up to, so she unleashed a fire bolt on him.

Vorenus punched at the bolt and shattered it. However, he was pushed back a few steps by the force of the bolt.

"What do you think?"

"It's incredible… At least a 30% increase in power."

"I know. I can also feel that my scanning ability has improved as well. No wonder young master liked Guan Dongyang so much!" Xiao Yuyu exclaimed.

"Hehe, yeah! I will need to step out now; there are two young soldiers still waiting for me outside." Seeing that Xiao Yuyu was not in danger, Vorenus started out.

Wang Tong shifted his gaze from Vorenus back to Xiao Yuyu, and marveled at the Sect's swelling rank of powerful warriors. He wagered that Vorenus was at lease level twenty.

"Chief, our captain had told me that this spell is at level seventeen, but anyone at level sixteen or above would be able to use it. It can improve the soldier's strength, speed, as well as reaction time. It will be a valuable asset to the Sect." Wang Tong gave Xiao Yuyu a salesman's pitch.

Listening to the sleazy sales pitch of Wang Tong, Xiao Yuyu lamented on how much this spell was undervalued by the seller. It was a revolutionary innovation in the history of spell-making. She, too, had attempted such buff spells, but failed.

The unique part of the spell was its ability to boost the soldier's abilities without overtaxing their soul energy; this was a groundbreaking advancement. Xiao Yuyu believed that at the hands of the Sect Medics, this spell would be put to good use.

"Ye Zi, what does Captain Guan want in exchange for the spell?"

Before Ye Zi could say anything, Wang Tong answered, "Hehe! Chief Medic, I will be negotiating the terms on behalf of her." Wang Tong knew that Ye Zi would not be a good deal-maker, considering her connection with the Sect.

"Excuse me?" Xiao Yuyu shot Wang Tong a curious glance and then looked back at Ye Zi. She wondered how this no account earned both Guan Dongyang and Ye Zi's trust.

"Chief Medic, it's true. Captain Wang is in charge." Ye Zi confirmed.

If Xiao Yuyu was shocked by Ye Zi's answer, she didn't wear it on her face.

Chapter 523: The Zergs' Surprise Attack

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Very well, Captain Tong! Please tell us what it is that you want in exchange for the spell." Xiao Yuyu plastered a smile on her face.

Wang Tong marveled at his luck for meeting the chief medic, who was able to appreciate the power of the spell.

"Chief, what we want is simple; we want to be the leader of the Maersa district." Wang Tong announced with candor and confidence.

"Captain Tong, the Sect cannot dictate the power dynamic of regional factions… You know that." Ye Zi shot back at him.

"Of course, I do. But, if the sect can lend us fifty mastery casters to aid us in our siege on the City of Maersa, Battle Wolf should be able to establish authority after taking the city. After the siege, it will be up to the casters to choose between staying at Battle Wolf or returning the Sect."

Xiao Yuyu was at a loss, since the demand went very much against the grain of Guan Dongyang's character. He had been a proud young warlord who would turn down reinforcements even if they were free.

"What level of casters does Guan Dongyang want? I can't guarantee high-level casters."

"We will accept anyone who is higher than level twelve. However, they needed to be members of the Sect who have a solid foundation and sound understanding of the Mastery."

"No problem! What else?"

"Nothing... except that in order to learn the Divine Light, the Sect field medics will have to come to Battle Wolf."

Wang Tong finally spoke his real demand: to have the field medic working in Battle Wolf for free during their training.

Xiao Yuyu was quick to see through Wang Tong's ruse, so she piped up, "This spell is only level seventeen. I think sending one level eighteen medic should suffice."

Wang Tong rose to the comment, "Ye Zi, please explain the inner workings of the spell to Chief. Let's see if she can understand it only through words." Wang Tong was not simply full of himself; his confidence came from the genuine difficulties in learning the Divine Light. A certain connection needed to be built prior to casting the spell, a process which Wang Tong called "bridging." Without it, it was almost impossible even to comprehend the divine light. The bridging was difficult to do by oneself, and Wang Tong had helped both Guan Dongyang and Ye Zi to establish the connections.

After Ye Zi explained the spell, Xiao Yuyu felt that the spell was not difficult to understand at all. However, it wasn't until she tried to cast the spell herself that she realized that her understanding was off by a long chalk.

"The element is off. Something is just not right." Xiao Yuyu furrowed her brows and complained.

"Hehe… You need to come to the Battle Wolf, and we will help you with the bridging process. Only then you will be able to understand the spell fully. Captain Guan had invented this spell after he got the inspiration from the gods."

"Let me think about it. Is there anything else you want?" Xiao Yuyu asked; something told her that Wang Tong wanted more.

"Nothing else. Oh…We are putting a few items on auction tonight, I believe you will be interested in one or two of them. Why don't you come and take a look?" Wang Tong said with a smirk before he started out. Ye Zi was left there to catch up with her old friend.

Wang Tong stepped out of the meeting room and saw Duo Lun and Tan Bu standing by the entrance, faces red like boiled lobsters. Wang Tong knew they had a spar with Veronus, and it didn't go very well for them.

"What's up with that face?" Wang Tong couldn't help a chuckle.

Tan Bu and Duo Lun didn't reply; they kept their silence while keeping their heads low.

"The two young fellows are very well trained. I don't think I can find anyone who is stronger than them at their age." Vorenus said.

"Haha… That is very nice of you to say. Let's go; we need to prepare."

"Yes."

Veronus wanted to test the strength of Wang Tong, but seeing that the latter was occupied with other businesses, he gave up the plan.

After sparring with the two young warriors, he was shocked to find out that Battle Wolf was no longer a mastery focused band. Although the two young soldiers were of low levels, they possessed keen intuition during combat. If every METAL warrior in the battle was as powerful as them, Veronus wagered that it would soon become one of the most powerful war-bands on Mars.

Wang Tong ordered Lun Duo and Tan Bu to find Syracuse and inform him that Xiao Yuyu would attend tonight's auction. Meanwhile, he planned to create a few more spell crystals.

Suddenly, the sirens went off in the city. Enemies were at the gate!

A dark shadow appeared in the sky and then fire rained down from above onto the city.

"Kill, kill, kill! Hahaha!" Hysterical laughter could be heard amidst the chaos.

The Zergs were attacking the city!

A group of the METAL warrior had already charged towards the Zergs. However, they were caught right in the middle of the firestorm and were reduced to ashes in a blink.

Zergs suddenly appeared on the streets of the Jade City, terrorizing the defenseless citizens. No one knew how or when they crossed the energy barrier.

"Lord Sanders, what is happening?" Xiao Yuyu stormed into Sander's office and questioned him.

Sanders remained calm and replied, "Please don't worry. I believe those were just Zergs' scouting party. Somehow, they managed to sneak into the city. They will be dealt with quickly."

Xiao Yuyu heaved a sigh of relief, but she cast an accusatory glance at Sanders and chastised the city lord, "How could you let the Zergs sneak into the city, and why didn't you notice it earlier? You need to protect your people!"

"These are a new breed of flying Zergs. We can't do anything about it."

"My lord, the two...two squadrons." A soldier stumbled into the room, mumbling.

"What about the two squadrons?"

"All dead."

"Bullsh*t! Kay is a level nineteen warrior! This cannot happen!

"My lord, that monster is nothing like we have ever seen before!"

"F*ck off! Tell them to dispatch our air units, NOW!"

"Yes, my lord!"

"I am going to see this monster for myself. Please let me know if you need any help." Xiao Yuyu announced. She couldn't just sit and watch the city get burned down.

"Please."

When Xiao Yuyu arrived at the streets, she found herself surrounded by fire and chaos. A monster hovered in the air, spitting venomous fire down at the soldiers who were struggling to keep alive.

"High-level dark one! " Veronus gasped.

"What do you think is his level?" Xiao Yuyu asked.

"At least level nineteen. Should we help them? " Veronus asked.

Sanders waved in dismissal and said, "No need to dirty your hand, lord Veronus. We can handle it ourselves."

A dozen or so jet fighters appeared at the other end of the horizon, and were fast approaching the monstrosity. From a distance, the jets struck the dark one with missiles.

"KOMM!" The strikes hit home.

As a dozen jets rumbled across the sky, the humans on the ground cheered for their success.

The leader of the air unit paged the control, "Control, control, mission completed, over."

"Congratulations…Watch out! Over."

"KOM!"

A jet was cut in half in the air. The dark one was still alive, and it caught up with another jet and sliced it with the sharp tip of its wing; the jet fell to the ground and exploded. The dark one swiped his tail and destroyed another three jets in one hit. In a blink, the entire air unit was destroyed.

Sanders did not flinch, as if he had been expecting such defeat.

Suddenly, a two meters wide laser beam blasted at the dark one and landed squarely on its head.

"Kom!"

"It's all over now, Chief Medic. You can rest well tonight." Sanders turned to Xiao Yuyu and remarked with a lewd smile.

"I am afraid it isn't," Veronus said with a cold voice.

The monster remained in the air; the laser blast seemed to have been deflected by its thick hide.

The monster threw back its head and shrieked, then rained death from above the city. In a blink, the entire city was ablaze with deadly fire.

Chapter 524: The Unknown Einherjar

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

"Lord Sanders, please evacuate your people right now, and don't let your low-level soldiers even go near that... thing."

"Yes."

Vorenus charged up his GN force and took off. His level twenty soul energy immediately drew the attention of all of the Zergs.

"Finally, someone worthy of my time." The dark one flapped his winds and turned towards Vorenus.

"Scarab, say "hi" to him for me."

A tail of some monster wheezed in front of Vorenus, tracing a dark line in the sky.

When the scarab Zerg finally revealed itself, Vorenus saw a giant monster with a turtle shell on its back and a long tail. It charged at him while spitting destructive fire from its fanged mouth.

Vorenus charged his GN force into his blade as he glued his eyes onto the most dangerous weapon of the scarab: its tail.

Suddenly, Vorenus disappeared and reappeared right next to the head of the monster. He had sensed that its week spot was the head, so he decided to strike there first.

But, before Vorenus could unleash an attack, he caught a glimpse of the monster's tail coming at him with a sweeping motion. Thus, he was forced to give up his attack and get out of the harm's way.

The level of the Zerg was too high for even Vorenus, much less any other ordinary fighter.

"Lord Sanders, should we send in more high-level soldiers?"

Sanders' face paled; the power of the Zerg had caught him off guard. "Of course! Help Mr. Vorenus! If anything happens to him, we are all done for!"

No one knew how this giant monster bypassed the city's security system. The METAL warriors lifted themselves from the ground one after another to help Vorenus. Meanwhile, the high level dark one didn't intervene; instead, it just watched the battle unfold as if enjoying a show.

Tan Bu and Lun Duo stared at the monsters in the sky and wondered what kind of Zergs they were.

"The mastery casters are on the move!" Duo Lun noticed.

As fire bolts rained onto the Scarab Zerg, the shelled Zerg retreated quickly and flew to a safe distance away from the mastery casters.

In a blink, two-level sixteen warriors died at the tip of the Scarab's tail.

"Pull back! Let me handle it myself!" Vorenus shouted to the other METAL soldiers. Holding the blade in both hands, he attacked the incoming tail with a wide sweep.

"KOM!"

The attack knocked the armored tail to a side and opened up the Zerg's defense. Vorenus rose to the opportunity and charged toward the Zerg's head. The Zerg's head simply retracted back into its shell like a turtle's, and the Blade landed on the hard shell instead.

"KOM!"

The giant Zerg was knocked back, but the impact also numbed Vorenus' palm.

"KOM!"

A row of deadly ice spears appeared out of nowhere and pierced through the Scarab. The Zerg lost its balance and then thudded back to the ground.

Xiao Yuyu had unleashed that spell from the top of a building; the Zerg was too powerful for Vorenus to fight alone.

But, as Vorenus was going to deliver the final killing blow, life returned to the fallen Zerg, and it spat fire out of its mouth, killing many innocent citizens.

Vorenus scowled and sped up; however, he felt the presence of a powerful enemy boring down on him from above. He didn't have time to evade the attack, and was dealt a blow on this back.

Having received a deadly blow, Vorenus was going to turn on his heels. However, three claws that were sharp like daggers dug into his shoulder and stopped him cold in his tracks.

Vorenus heard a cold voice speak behind him.

"Hehe… Level twenty, aren't you? How pathetic!"

KOM!

A fire dragon suddenly appeared below the dark one. The dark one smiled faintly and then tossed Vorenus right into the gaping mouth of the fire dragon before he disappeared into thin air.

When he reappeared, his mutated face was only two inches away from Xiao Yuyu.

"Human... who are you?" The dark one hissed.

"I am the chief medic of the Divine Mastery Sect, Xiao Yuyu!" Up close, Xiao Yuyu was astonished to realize that she had never seen such a Zerg before. His body, instead of being dark gray, shone with a faint blue light under the moonlight.

"The Divine Mastery Sect… Hmm! If you are strong, perhaps I should take you back with me as a gift for our Dark Lord."

"Ice Storm!"

Soul energy poured out from Xiao Yuyu's hand as she cast the level eighteen ice spell.

The spell blew an icy gale at the dark one. The dark one quickly covered his head to protect from the spell, but his body could not withstand the bitter coldness, and it gradually froze up.

While Xiao Yuyu cast the spell, she was concerned about Vorenus' injury.

On the ground, Vorenus still struggled against the Scarab Zerg, trying to cut off its head. However, the Scarab Zerg was smart and used its hard shell as protection. In between Vorenus' attacks, it would sneak its head out of the shell and wreak havoc to its surrounding.

Vorenus had tried to crack open its shell using brute force, but to no avail. Frustrated, he wondered since when did the Zerg evolve into such a powerful state.

Although Vorenus was convinced that the head and the neck area were the Zerg's weakness, without a distraction, it would be difficult for him to land a solid blow on it.

Meanwhile, the ice on the dark one's body quickly thawed, and the dark on was unharmed.

"Human, is this really your best attack?"

The dark one asked as he reached out its claws at Xiao Yuyu. Xiao Yuyu hurried to take a few steps away from the Zerg, but the dark one was faster.

As Xiao Yuyu was about to give up, she felt someone grab her from behind, and in a blink, she was teleported to a few dozen meters away from where she had been.

The dark one also hurried back to the sky like a startled bird, an ugly bird at that.

The Scarab Zerg on the ground also took off and was back in the air in an instant. In the sky, in between the two Zergs was another figure: a human figure.

Soldiers could sense the temperature dropping by the second, and before long, snow started to fall from the sky. As soon as the snow touched the blazing fire, the flame waned significantly and then eventually died out.

Finally, people had a clear view of the human in the sky; he was in an Einherjar METAL suit.

"Gosh! That's an Einherjar!"

"We are saved!"

"That must be the Divine Master himself!"

Xiao Yuyu looked at the unfamiliar face in that shiny Einherjar METAL and wondered who that was. The stranger had just used a spell that was so powerful that only the young master would be able to wield it.

The Scarab Zerg attacked as it shot belligerent flames at the human Einherjar warrior.

Seeing this, the humans on the ground gasped: the Einherjar didn't dodge the attack at all.

"KOM!"

The flame had hit home. However, the Einherjar was unharmed.

"Human, who are you?" The Scarab Zerg asked while brandishing its tail.

Einherjar answered the question with a slap on the Zerg's face.

Feeling humiliated, the Zerg shouted in hysteria.

"Kill him! Kill him!"

The Scarab shot large fireballs out of his mouth, but all of them missed their target.

The Einherjar jabbed the Zerg with his right hand.

"KOM"

The Zerg was blown away and only stopped by a wall. Before the Scarab Zerg was able to gather itself, the Einherjar delivered another blow on the shell. The punch went straight through the shell, deep into the belly of the beast.

Seeing his partner's downfall, the dark one finally attacked. His ten fingers turned into ten sharp blades, all of them pointed at the Einherjar.

Xiao Yuyu was engrossed in the fight scene, and she reckoned that this Einherjar was not from Mars. Plus, she had never heard of any Einherjar who was both a METAL warrior and a mastery caster.

On the other hand, the high-level dark one had reached at least the legendary level. He was even capable of copying humans' combat techniques.

The Einherjar disappeared, and the attack passed right through him and landed on a high rise building. The steel and concrete building was sliced in half in an instant.

The dark one didn't stop there, as he folded his hands and turned his fingers into a blade made out of bones. He launched himself into the air and delivered the same sidearm attack that Vorenus had just executed.

"Kom!"

Both the dark one and the Einherjar appeared in the sky, and along with them came a swell of explosions.

"You are of a new breed, aren't you? How many of you are there?" The Einherjar asked slowly. The dark one felt that his body was hijacked by a powerful force. Despite his resistance, a few words tumbled out from his mouth.

"Twelve..."

"What is the goal?"

"Evolution, towards... humans' secret."

"Did Patroclus send anyone to Mars of late?"

"Yes."

"Is Moye fully recovered?"

The mere mentioning of Moye agitated the dark one. Wang Tong furrowed his brows as he lost control over the dark one's mind. He had many more questions.

The dark one paused for a second and let out a pained wince before his head exploded from inside.

The battle was over, and the Einherjar slowly faded out of view.

The victory came so suddenly that the citizens were still recovering from the trauma. While Sanders marveled at his extreme luck of being saved by a mysterious Einherjar, he also wondered who this Einherjar was.

Right after the battle, Xiao Yuyu rushed to Vorenus to tend to his wounds.

"Just like young master had said, Zergs are getting stronger." Xiao Yuyu said.

Vorenus nodded, "Both Zergs were of new breeds that we have never seen before. The Scarab Zerg is around level eighteen, but it has an extraordinary defense. That dark one must have already reached the legendary level, and he is capable of imitating human moves. We need to report this development back to young master as soon as possible."

Xiao Yuyu nodded, "The dark one is onto something, there is no question about it. People here are being too optimistic."

"Touché! And I bet you that Sanders is not alone among all the other city lords. We have been too nice to them."

"Who do you think that Einherjar was? One of us?" Xiao Yuyu asked.

"Not likely. We know all the legendary level warriors in the sect, and none of them would show up here. I think this impersonator is more powerful than even the legendary level. Who would that be?" Vorenus asked curiously.

"Where is boss?" Lun Duo asked.

"Yeah, where is he? I hope he is not dead."

"I am so moved that you two still remembered me. Haha... Thank you very much, I am still alive." Wang Tong said with a broad smile as he walked into the room.

Due to the Zerg attack and the mysterious Einherjar's dramatic rescue, the auction was called off. No one knew who the Einherjar was, and Sanders was convinced that he was a warrior from the Sect. If Sanders had learned any lesson today, it was not to mess with the Sect.

Therefore, Sanders made up his mind to obey the Sect's order from then on.

Wang Tong would never have imagined that his involvement would have helped Xiao Yuyu and the Divine Mastery Sect unexpectedly. All this while, he wondered how powerful Patroclus had gotten, and what would happen if he were to fight him there and then.

Chapter 525: Captain Wannabe

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Despite the Zergs' destruction of the city, more people in the streets felt excited about the appearance of an Einherjar than remorse for their loss.

"Have you seen the Einherjar?"

The news spread to every corner of the city from the city center, which was hit by the surprise attack.

"Yes, and he is a new Einherjar. The gods are on our side!"

The victory had instilled much confidence and spirit in the citizens. Sanders also quickly adjusted his attitude and decided to follow the Sect's instructions to the letters from then on.

Sanders was a shrewd politician. Having believed that the Einherjar was one of the members of the Sect, he started a propaganda campaign about the power and might of the Divine Mastery Sect.

When Wang Tong returned to the hotel, he saw Mr. Wannabe and Charcoal were playing chess.

"Hey, your master is calling you." Mr. Wannabe spoke to Charcoal.

Charcoal stood up and turned his head to Wang Tong; meanwhile, Mr. Wannabe charged up his soul energy and stole a piece of chess from charcoal at lightning speed.

"He is messing with you. " Wang Tong said with a broad smile.

"Shut up, you! Come on now, it's your turn." Mr. Wannabe urged Charcoal to move a piece on the chess board. But, when he looked down on the board again, he noticed that the piece he stole was returned to its original spot.

"Don't waste your time, Mr. Wannabe. This game board is part of Charcoal. You won't be able to make any changes."

Mr. Wannabe sank into his armchair and then said, "Hey, Kiddo, you look happy. How's your recovery?"

"I'm recovering, slowly but surely. "

"You are an idiot, you know? I will give you a six out of ten for your performance at Battle Wolf. 6.5 at most!"

"No way! I thought I had managed everything well. We can't rush things, you know?"

"Based on my knowledge, nothing is too fast as long as the foundation is solid enough. Don't let your mind slow you down. This is the age of bloodshed… The quickest way to establish power is to use brute force."

"We are a resistance force, not bandits. " Wang Tong rose to the comment.

Mr. Wannabe's face became serious as he said, "That is not what I mean. I just want you to know that you are not the savior of the world, you are just a leader of a piss poor band of weaklings. You don't need to play by the rule as the powerful people would. You need to focus more on the results instead of your approach."

Wang Tong asked, "Then, what should I do?"

"It's up to you. Take my words with a grain of salt. I am a very aggressive person, while Li Feng had been too passive. You need to know what your style is and stop wasting your time on these small skirmishes. Remember your goal. We will lose everything once Patroclus enters the super Einherjar level." Mr. Wannabe said.

Wang Tong's eyes glinted with realization. There had been three people in Wang Tong's life that had influenced him the most. The first one was the Old Fart. He had taught Wang Tong how to survive in the human world, but had taught him little about how to be a good person. The second person was Li Feng. Although they had only met a few times in the space crystal, General Li Feng's unwavering conviction in humanity had moved Wang Tong and given him a reason to fight.

The third one was Mr. Wannabe; he was both a teacher and a friend.

Mr. Wannabe had saved him twice at the expense of his own life essence. Wang Tong was hidden from the world for five years to recuperate and strengthen himself. He couldn't afford to let Mr. Wannabe waste his life essence on him again, since it meant that the old ghost would perish forever.

Wang Tong saw the sense in Mr. Wannabe's words. Perhaps, the five years of seclusion had made him forget about his old principals that he used to be so proud of. He conceded that he had been too passive, and needed to be more aggressive in the future.

"Mr. Wannabe, would you like to join me in Battle Wolf? I can get you a job there. Aren't you bored?"

"No way! I don't want to work for you."

"Hehe… But, I bet you will be interested. It must get boring inside that small crystal. I can let you train the METAL soldiers. How about that?"

"I am a… super…Wait, what? You said training?" An almost sadistic smile found Mr. Wannabe's face, and he nodded at Wang Tong, who smiled back knowingly.

In the last five years, Wang Tong and Mr. Wannabe had been working on unlocking the deeper layers of the crystal. By then, the seal had gotten so weak that Mr. Wannabe was able to appear in the real world. Although he could only appear outside the crystal for a limited time, this development had lightened his mood significantly.

Having Mr. Wannabe as the instructor for the METAL warriors was a win-win solution for both Wang Tong and the old ghost. Not only would Mr. Wannabe enjoy the fresh air outside the crystal, but Wang Tong could also free up some time to improve his cultivation. Like Mr. Wannabe had suggested, he needed to be bolder in his endeavors, and in order to do that, he first needed to free up some time.

Charcoal and Mr. Wannabe started their chess game again, leaving Wang Tong alone to cultivate his soul essence. Despite Mr. Wannabe's powerful abilities on the battlefield, he was no match for Charcoal when it came down to chess.

Eyes closed, Wang Tong mauled on Mr. Wannabe's words. Although he conceded that Mr. Wannabe's suggestion was right, it would be up to him to set the limit on the degree of his boldness. Too much of anything was never good for anyone after all.

Wang Tong was amused by the contrast between Mr. Wannabe and Li Feng. He then smiled faintly and embarked on the cultivation of the divine way.

…

Jade City had doubled its guards to make sure the tragedy would not happen again. Sanders also sent out more scouts to the surrounding area, believing that the main reason for the accident was a failed enemy reconnaissance system.

After the turn of events, Sanders had made up his mind to be absolutely loyal to the Sect. In order to show off his loyalty, Sanders wagered that he needed to make progress in the war. Luckily, Xiao Yuyu didn't seem to blame it all on Sanders; she knew that it would be very easy for high-level dark ones to avoid the scouts' detection.

Chapter 526: Crystal Gun

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The news about the attack quickly got into the ears of the young master. Numerous skirmishes were happening every day, but none had the profound impact as the one that occurred in Jade City.

The combined strength of Xiao Yuyu and Vorenus could barely fend off the dark one's attack alone, much less when the dark one was aided by the Scarab Zerg. Over the five years, the Zergs had surprised humans with their power many times, and therefore, Xiao Yuyu knew that the humans could not lower their guard. The cunning Zergs would not hesitate to deliver the deadliest blow when they noticed a hint of relaxation in humans. Even when the humans were constantly on high alert, they were still struggling with the power of the Zergs.

After the Sect had received the footage of the battle scene, they broadcasted it across Mars. The appearance of another Einherjar would boost the Martians' confidence, even though no one knew who this Einherjar was.

Life in Jade City had returned to normal in just one day. Wang Tong and Ye Zi also started to iron out the last few wrinkles in their first step in working with the Sect.

Syracuse had also got wind of the collaboration between Battle Wolf and the Sect. This development lent him confidence in the success of the upcoming auction.

Despite the reputation of Guan Dongyang and the expertise of Xiao Yuyu, the merchant's pragmatism had spurred Syracuse to demand Wang Tong to demonstrate the usage of the two crystals during the auction.

Although Wang Tong thought it was a waste to use two crystals just for the show, he accepted the demand.

Syracuse informed all of his business contacts about the auction, which not only came from within the city, but also from the outside. Many attendees who were located too far away from the Jade city would join the auction via video conferencing.

Since the skynet satellite system had been destroyed by the Zergs, all communications were made possible with landlines. Communication was of paramount importance to the resistance groups. Not only did they need it to stay connected with each other, but the humans also relied on it to get a sense of unity and solace.

Due to the high profile attendees, Sanders had called off all the unsavory auction items, such as slaves and stolen goods.

Xiao Yuyu's mood lightened up significantly after the incident. The carcasses of the dark one and the Scarab were being moved to the Sect's lab for experiments. The biggest surprise that came to Xiao Yuyu was the change in Sander's attitude. It had occurred to her that Sanders had picked up his slack and started to work on preparing for the war. In a couple of days, he had issued a dozen edicts that aimed to strengthen its military capacity. Although the Divine Mastery sect didn't send in a single soldier, as the leader of Mars, it had played an important role in uniting the different factions under the same banner.

When Wang Tong and his friends arrived at the auction house again, they reckoned that the ambiance inside had changed significantly.

"Wang Tong, chief Medic has agreed to our terms. "

"Hehe, good job!" Wang Tong nodded pleasantly.

"That's it? No reward?" Ye Zi asked.

"Ah, of course, there is. Ask Captain Guan!" Wang Tong cracked a smile.

"Pff... Stingy!" Ye Zi rolled her eyes at him.

Wang Tong scanned the people pouring into the auction house, and noticed that almost all of the attendees were influential men and women in the city. It had occurred to him that Syracuse didn't organize this auction solely for his energy crystals; instead, Wang Tong happened to have walked into his office with the crystal right before the annual Grand Auction.

As the auction house started to fill up, people soon gathered in small groups and started socializing with each other while waiting for the auction to start. Most of the conversation topic covered the identity of the mysterious Einherjar. Some lamented about the danger of not having a legendary level warrior guarding their city. Although there were no legendary level warriors in the Jade city, there were numerous level twenty warriors. However, for one reason or another, none of these level twenty warriors appeared during the battle.

Accompanying Xiao Yuyu, Sanders also attended the auction. Sanders should have counted himself lucky that he didn't' work for House Lie, since Lie Jian would have never given him a second chance. Compared to House Lie, the Divine Mastery Sect was much more lenient and patient with their subjects.

Syracuse hosted the auction by himself, and the first item was a mint condition super METAL. This was a work of art from House Ma before it lost its manufacturing capabilities. The blade symbol on the METAL's pauldron would make any METAL warrior's face shine with pride. This was not only a precious gift for anyone who was interested in METAL combat, but also a rare and very practical armor for METAL warriors. Most of its kind had been destroyed during the war, and by then, only a handful of copies remained.

The bidding quickly followed suit; buyers raised their number one after another, and the price quickly skyrocketed.

Xiao Yuyu and Vorenus sat in a VIP room as they watched the action unfold, seemingly uninterested in the METAL suit. They were waiting for even rarer items.

"This Syracuse is quite a character." Xiao Yuyu cracked a smile.

"Absolutely! He is well connected in all cities, and even in the territories that are controlled by the dark ones. Sometimes, even we have to rely on his information about the situations in remote areas." Sanders put in.

"Is that right?" Vorenus asked with a knotted face. It was not good news that the local lords would have to rely on a merchant to collect intelligence on the Zergs.

Sensing the edge in Vorenus' voice, Sanders cracked a smile and then said, "Although he is a greedy businessman, he has talents that others lack, and we need to utilize all sorts of talents in order to defeat the Zergs. On another note, if you see anything you like, I will buy it for you as a gift."

"Thank you, Lord Sanders, but that will be too much." Xiao Yuyu refused the offer politely.

Sanders waved his hand and insisted on his offer. "This is not a bribe. It's just a token of appreciation for saving us from the Zergs."

Xiao Yuyu smiled and let the matter slide; she doubted that she would like anything in this auction.

Suddenly, they heard a wave of gasps rising from the audience. On the podium rested a gun.

"This is the work of the Kaedeian weapon master, Cinderella! A GN crystal gun! The energy crystal can reduce the GN force required to fire the gun by seventy percent!" Syracuse announced excitedly.

Chapter 527: Spell Crystals

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

The crystal gun project had been shelved by the Confederation for many years due to fruitless experiments. The crystal gun was first introduced to the battlefield by the Kaedeian vanguard, and became their standard equipment. The technology of the gun was fiercely guarded by the female warriors, and Cinderella was the only Kaedeian weaponsmith who still knew how to create such a weapon. By now, only a handful of the original crystal guns were left in the world, and they were kept close to Kaedeian royalties.

"This is the new X series GN force crystal gun. With the hair-trigger add-on, it can fire over one hundred and twenty shots per second. It can be used by any soldier above level fifteen. Starting at one thousand blues!"

The price immediately shocked everyone. Many major factions wanted to pick up the research from where the Confederation left it, so this gun could be a perfect experiment sample. The working principle of the crystal gun was simple, but the core martial required a legendary craftsman to create, which made replicating the gun nearly impossible outside Cinderella's workshop. The difficulties in making the core component had also drastically reduced the number of guns that could be produced. Should any lab be able to find a way to mass produce the core component, the powerful guns would be used by many more human soldiers.

Despite the immense value of the gun, many people hesitated in bidding at first.

"Fifteen hundred!"

On the screen, an anonymous buyer raised his ticket via the teleconference and stated his price; he was located in Cesar City, miles away from Jade City.

These anonymous buyers were the main customers of Syracuse. Despite their elusive identity, their cheques never bounced.

Sanders sneaked a glance at Xiao Yuyu and Vorenus beside him; he could tell that they were very interested in the gun, although they barely had the need to use it in order to defend themselves.

Sanders waved at one of his servants and whispered an order. A few seconds later, someone raised their number and increased the price to two thousand blues.

Everyone in the city knew the young man who bid for the gun was one of Sanders representatives, so none of them decided to raise their number again. However, the same could not be said about those anonymous buyers who joined the auction via teleconferencing.

"Three thousand." A buyer from Brooklyn raised the price again.

Lun Duo and Tan Bu looked at each other with surprise; they had never thought that a gun could be worth so much money. Unknown to the two young soldiers, three thousand could barely cover Syracuse's cost of acquiring the gun.

"Five thousand."

An anonymous buyer from Alexander City doubled down on his offer. A smile found the corner of Syracuse's mouth; he knew that the bidding war had finally started.

Soon, the price of the gun was jacked to over ten thousand, and by then, only the buyers from the big cities were still left in the game. Even if anyone in a smaller city such as Jade City wanted to bid for the gun, the price had gone way beyond their limit.

"Fifteen thousand!"

Suddenly, someone inside the auction house shouted out his offer. When Syracuse looked toward the speaker, the smile on his face evaporated in an instant.

It was Wang Tong, the piss poor leader of a piss poor war band.

Syracuse prayed with all the force he could muster that someone would top his price. But, even after three long, silent minutes, no one had risen to the challenge. Following a crisp din of the gavel, Wang Tong had become the new owner of this legendary gun. Knowing that Wang Tong could never fulfill the payment, Syracuse felt that his heart was bleeding. He could only hope that Wang Tong's crystals could fetch a higher price than he had expected.

A murmur rose from the crowd as everyone wondered how a penniless war band could afford such an expensive weapon.

Lan Duo and Tan Bu were shocked by the development; they asked Wang Tong, "Boss, how will we be able to afford that?"

"Hehe, don't worry! Who said that I am going to pay with blues? We have another invaluable asset in our team, remember?" Wang Tong said and pointed his mouth towards Ye Zi.

After the crystal gun, another few expensive items were brought to the podium and sold. These were luxury items that were useless on a battlefield. Although the humans were in a war with Zergs, leisure and entertainment never lacked customers.

After the few routine transactions, everyone knew that the main item of the auction was about to show up. The anticipation kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

When the item finally arrived, everyone found out that they were a few energy crystals.

Although no one knew what was so special about these crystals, the buyers knew that Syracuse would not let them down. A few buyers who had been waiting for this movement for too long to resist the sleepiness rubbed their eyes and studied the crystal attentively.

"May I have your attention, please? Tonight's last item is this set of energy crystals!"

Wang Tong whispered something to Ye Zi and gave something to her. Ye Zi paused for a second and then nodded, despite the doubts flickering in her eyes.

"Do it."

"Yes." Ye Zi could not doubt Wang Tong, so she decided to carry out his instructions.

"There are five of them in total… The one on the left is called the crystal of divine light, and the two to your left are called Infernal Hell. Both are the works of the Fire Lord, Guan Dongyang. "

The mentioning of Guan Dongyang's name rekindled the interest of some of the buyers. However, they wondered what was so special about these crystals that they even had their names. Curiosity made them wait for Syracuse to finish his introduction of the items.

"Every single one of these crystals contains three level seventeen divine light spells. The Divine Light is a new mastery spell created by Guan Dongyang. It is a powerful buff spell that can improve the soldiers' strength, speed, and reactions. To put it simply, it can increase the power of an affected soldier by at least one level. It lasts around ten to thirty minutes. There are no restrictions on the level of the caster and neither the type of elements the caster specializes in."

A wave of astonished murmurs rose among the audience. These crystals worked the same as the GN Crystal gun, but instead of GN force, they utilized mastery. If it were real, Guan Dongyang could be considered as one of the most talented mastery casters in the world. In addition, the spells inside the incredible crystal also sounded amazing to many buyers.

"I have gotten the permission from the owner of these crystals to use one of the crystals and demonstrate its power. For the sake of fairness, I have invited the medic from the Sect, Ye Zi, to test these crystals for us. I will also need another METAL warrior to step on to the stage to help her."

"Hehe… I have never seen anything like it. Antonio, why don't you go help chief out?" Sanders asked.

Antonio walked onto the stage; the screen showed that he was a level eighteen warrior, and he would be the test subject.

Chapter 528: Annual Auction Event

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Ye Zi activated the crystal with only a level two soul energy in order to testify Wang Tong's claim regarding the zero-level requirement for using the crystal. Suddenly, a bright white light shed from above onto Antonio, as well as a few buyers sat at the front row.

The feeling was palpable for anyone inside the light.

"Gosh! I leveled up!"

"Where does this power come from?"

The ones in the audience seats were the first to notice the effect. They were of much lower level than Antonio, and therefore, they quickly felt the surge of energy.

On the stage, the gauge read that Antonio had just leveled up into level nineteen.

Syracuse was under the light as well, and he felt the warm energy swimming inside his system as well. If he were impressed by the spell, he didn't show it on his face.

Due to Antonio's relatively high level, the effect lasted only five minutes. However, it was enough to impress everyone at the auction. The audiences under the stage felt that the effect on them had lasted for more than ten minutes. In addition, after the effect had subsided, no one felt any signs of withdrawing too much energy as one would after using the conventional buff spells.

Since a Sect medic verified the crystal and the spells, it gained solid support from the Divine Mastery sect.

Despite the impressed murmurs around her, Ye Zi was still worried that these crystals were not going to fetch as high a price as Wang Tong had hoped.

"This crystal still has two charges left, and the rest each have three charges. All three will be sold together, starting at ten thousand blues."

As soon as Syracuse had finished his announcement, the bidding started. "Twenty thousand!" It was someone from Cesar City.

"Thirty thousand!"

"Thirty-five thousand. " Sander's voice boomed inside the auction hall.

Although Jade city was a small city, Sanders could not pass up the opportunity of acquiring the most valuable mastery artifact, especially when these crystals were already inside his city.

"Fifty thousand!" The huge increment in price made Sanders's offer look pathetic.

Duo Lun and Tan Bu stared at each other in surprise, shocked at the promise of getting filthy rich.

Silence fell into the auction hall for a few seconds, before another voice rose.

"Sixty thousand."

The anonymous speaker was from Dawn Light City, the headquarters of Divine Mastery sect. After a long silence laced with murmur and gasps, Syracuse finally struck the gavel on the podium.

"DEAL!"

Duo Lun and Tan Bu's face bloomed like two flowers.

The three Divine Light crystals were sold, and now everyone's shifted their attention onto the two crystals of Infernal Hell.

"These two crystals each contain a level nineteen fire element spell—Inferno Hell. It is an area of effect spell with an effective radius of fifty meters. Anything within that radius will be reduced to ashes in a blink. The minimum requirement for using the spell is level five, and the range of the spell is two hundred meters. Since it will be difficult to verify such devastating power, I urge everyone to have faith in the credibility of the Fire Lord."

Although the two crystals could not be tested, the sale of the last three crystals lent credence their effect. Plus, everyone had heard the news of Guan Dongyang's recent victory over the Zergs using his powerful fire spell. However, since it was unconventional to auction something that could not be verified, Syracuse started the price at five thousand and let his customers decide for themselves.

Walking in the streets with a level nineteen fire spell was like walking with a weapon of mass destruction. Such a weapon was able to change the tide of the battle in an instant.

Ten thousand!

Fifteen thousand!

Twenty thousand!

Although mastery casters had become prevalent over the years, it was hard to find a level nineteen caster. Therefore, any spell from a powerful level nineteen caster such as Guan Dongyang would be highly sought after.

The two Inferno Hell crystals were finally sold for eighty thousand blues in total. The two crystals had been an eye opener for everyone at that auction.

Syracuse was more than happy with the outcome of the auction. It was a good start for his collaboration with Battle Wolf. The power of these crystals convinced him that only his financial clout could construct a large enough platform for their sales.

When Syracuse was about to announce the end of the auction, a worker hurried to his side and whispered to him. Syracuse turned around and announced to the audiences, "Next, I am about to present to you an even more amazing item!"

Syracuse's announcement caught everyone' attention, including those who had already left their seats. They quickly returned to their seats and looked at the stage attentively.

Lu Duo strode onto the stage with nothing in his hand. No one, not even Syracuse, knew what it was about. He was only told that Wang Tong requested the showing of one last item. To show his goodwill, Syracuse had made an exception and allowed the auction of the last item that he was uninformed of.

Without speaking a word, Duo Lun took off his shirt and revealed his naked body.

A swell of murmurs rose from the audiences; some wondered if Syracuse was going to put on a slave for auction.

On the stage, Duo Lun unsheathed his blade and pierced it into his belly. Everyone was shocked by the development; after a few gasps, a dead silence fell into the auction hall.

Ye Zi was also taken aback by the turn of events. She rushed towards the stage, but was stopped by Tan Bu.

Duo Lun pulled the blade out of his belly and pressed the wound with his left hand to prevent blood from spilling out. Something glinted in his left hand; it was an energy crystal.

Suddenly, a white light shot out of his left palm, and under the soft touch of the light, his wound was healed in a few seconds.

After a while, Duo Lun gathered himself and announced, "This is the healing crystal. It can be used to heal wounds using the mastery spell inside instantly."

The audience's mind reeled at the revelation.

Xiao Yuyu and Ye Zi gave each other a surprised glance; this spell was unheard of even within the Sect.

"What a fool!" Wang Tong lamented at Duo Lun's recklessness. He had ordered him to demonstrate the healing ability with a live chicken, but he had used himself instead.

Although Duo Lun was not an eloquent speaker, he knew how to make a point without using words.

"Are you alright, young man?" Syracuse asked Duo Lun, seemingly concerned about his well-being.

Duo Lun didn't speak; instead, he charged up his GN force to show that he was very well and alive.

"OK, that's enough! I didn't mean to doubt you; you can leave the rest to me now. " Syracuse said.

Duo Lun nodded and then handed over the crystal to Syracuse.

"It can only be used one more time." Duo Lun added.

"Alright everyone, let's take a break now, and we will resume in ten minutes," Syracuse announced to the speaker.

The Auction house boiled over as soon as the Syracuse finished his words.

He walked to Ye Zi and asked, "How many of these crystals do you have?"

Ye Zi was at a loss. She looked to Duo Lun.

"Only one." Duo Lun answered.

"How long does it take Captain Guan to make one of these."

"The material is hard to come by. I don't think you will see any more of them anytime soon." Duo Lun answered with the exact same words that Wang Tong had told him.

Syracuse nodded, wagering that these crystals ought to be made out of very precious material to take on such incredible effects. Truth be told, Syracuse wanted one of these life-saving crystals for himself.

"Mr. Syracuse. Captain Guan is very generous to his friends. I don' think he could charge his friends any money for this, if you get what I mean." Duo Lun spoke slowly.

Picking up his hint, Syracuse's face was lit up with glee. "Of course! Thank you, young man! I will handle the rest from here on."

Without wasting any time, Syracuse rushed to contact his most powerful clients.

Ten minutes later, more people joined in the auction via teleconference. These new buyers were some of the most powerful and influential customers that Syracuse knew.

Syracuse knew that after Duo Lun's vivid demonstration, the item no longer needed any more introduction.

"On the podium, we have the one and only healing crystal in the world, starting at fifty thousand blues."

"A hundred thousand!"

A voice boomed inside the auction house through a speaker; it was from a buyer in Brooklyn. He had doubled the starting price off the bat to show his unequivocal determination in getting the crystal.

"Anyone else?" Despite the astronomical price, Syracuse's voice was calm, if not casual.

"A hundred and fifty thousand."

"A hundred and fifty thousand, a gentleman from Cesar City… Anyone else?"

Ye Zi was shocked by the amount of money being tossed around. She had never seen so much money while managing the funds for Battle Wolf.

Interest burned in Xiao Yuyu's eyes. The healing spell was especially close to home for her, and she was shocked by how powerful Guan Dongyang had become. Sensing her interest, Sanders bid one time perfunctorily, and his offer was quickly topped by another. He knew that acquiring this crystal was way beyond his capability.

Chapter 529: Always The Winner

Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_

Although Sanders had given up on the auction, he had made up his mind to cozy up to Guan Dongyang. After all, Jade City was right next to the Maersa district.

It was the first time for many buyers form Jade City to see an auction at such a grand scale. Ever since the war broke out, the wealth of the world had been more concentrated with the rich and powerful than ever before. Everyone wanted to own the life-saving crystal, and the bidding was about to get heated.

Syracuse knew the importance of patience. Why would he risk his life worthy of saving for one golden egg while he could make friends with the golden goose himself? Syracuse knew that Guan Dongyang was not in the habit of hoarding a huge amount of wealth, so this money would be spent on his band. It was evident to Syracuse that it was the fierce competition with other local war-bands that had driven him to form an alliance with him.

"Five Hundred Thousand!"

"They are people from the Blaze City… from House Lie." someone murmured.

"Five hundred and fifty."

"It is the Kaedeians! They have joined the bid as well."

Even the Kaedeians, who were usually reticent during public events, had weighed in.

Syracuse was caught off guard by the actions of Kaedeians, since it was his first time seeing them bidding on anything. He had kept an amicable relationship with these female warriors by offering them bits and pieces of information he had collected along his travel. In exchange for his service, the Kaedeians had sold him one of a few crystal guns that still existed in the world, at a hefty price of course.

When the price rose to seven hundred grand, most buyers gave up, except for the Kaedeians.

"Seven hundred grand, once."

"Seven hundred grand, twice."

"Seven hundred grand, DEAL!"

Duo Lun felt that he was dreaming. Even one blue to him was quite a fortune, much less seven hundred thousand of them.

As a member of the Divine Mastery Sect, money was nothing but a worldly burden to Ye Zi. However, seven hundred grand was too big of a burden for her to overlook.

The auction finally ended on a high note, and the astronomical price for his spells had pushed the fame of the fire lord to a new height.

"It was bought by the Kaedeians? Since when have these she-wolves become so obsessed with humans' craft?" Lie Jian said with a smirk.

"My Lord, could it be that someone important was injured within their ranks?"

"If that was the case, why didn't they ask the Sect for help? They are up to something. I can almost smell it."

"I agree, my lord."

Lie Jian had gained a lot more muscle over the five years, and his dark eyes glinted with a sharp light from time to time. One could have a gauge of his confidence and power just by looking at his imposing and stately appearance.

"Guan Dongyang is getting stronger. When I first heard about his victory over Nihlathak, I almost couldn't believe it. Interesting! What is going on with Lie Xuan? "

"Lie Wushuang has already returned, my lord. But Lie Xuan..."

"Never mind! She will regret it one day. Guan Dongyang is not a man who will spend much time on his woman. Anyhow, I hope when the Zergs are at his door, he will be strong enough to fend them off." A stone cold sneer found Lie Jian's mouth. He knew at first hand that once Guan Dongyang became powerful, it would only be a matter of time before the Zergs would sniff him out. By then, regardless of how powerful Guan Dongyang was, even if he was at the legendary level, it would be impossible for him to survive the attack without a strong team around him.

Meanwhile, inside the Kaedeian Palace…

"My Queen, we have bought that crystal, and it will be shipped to us within a week." An officer reported to the queen, who nodded in response.

"Mother, I have my reservations on purchasing this crystal. We are putting all of our eggs in one basket. That is not reasonable."

"Heidi, we have already talked about this."

"My queen, I can see where princess Heidi is coming from. However, as the prophet, I know what I saw in my dreams. Unlike humans, who have two options to choose, we only have one." The head priestess announced; her soft voice held an unswerving conviction.

"Venerable mother, I did not mean to doubt your vision. I just thought that we should work more closely with the Divine Mastery Sect instead of this... God knows who he is... The Sect is our strongest ally. " Princess Heidi insisted on her position.

"You are right, princess. However, you can't see far enough. The nature of this war has changed… It is no longer about eliminating the Zergs, if you get what I am saying. " The head priestess stood up and spoke in a more assertive tone.

"I don't understand… Please do tell," Heidi replied.

"The twin stars had foretold the forked paths that humanity is facing right now, but it didn't show me the path we should embark." Generations of memories rushed back to the head priestess as she spoke the words. She remembered the time when Zergs drove them out of their home and forced them to live with the Humans. The light in her eyes dimmed as the faces of her friends who died in the war appeared in her mind. The Kaedeian culture had been severely eroded along with the deceased; the race was dying slowly under her watch.

"The twin stars? Who is the star other than the savior?"

"Patroclus." The head priestess announced. The words hit Heidi's mind like a hammer.

"...Patroclus? Isn't he the traitor?"

"Hehe… My princess, he is not a traitor by a long chalk. If there had been a person such as him among Kaedeians, we wouldn't have ended up here, struggling on Mars." The head priestess seemed to admire the culprit of their suffering, the enemy of all humans, Patroclus.

"Why…?"

"I am sorry if I have offended you, princess. But, have you thought that after Patroclus merged with the Zerg and created the Immortals, the Zergs will never be able to eliminate the humans?"

"Yes, because they have all turned into monsters!" Heidi rose to the question. The thought of the vile thing buried deep inside the humans' chest made her stomach churn.

"My princess, if you were a Homo erectus who lived eons ago, covered in fur and walking with bent hind legs, you would think the modern humans looked alien as well. What I am trying to say is that after the merger, the humans didn't lose their humanity. In other words, they are still who they are, if not more."

"But, this is not natural! They were forced. and they will forever be the Zergs' slave."

"Is that so? Patroclus has already annexed powers of two of the most influential Zerg lords, and his power is still growing. He controls both Earth and the Moon, while the real Zerg Lord, Moye, has to watch his influence dwindling while hiding on Mars."

"You mean Patroclus has already hijacked the Zergs from the inside, and he already has the ability to carry out his own agenda?" A Kaedeian general asked.

"Exactly! Although he has become the public enemy for the crime he had committed, he was simply doing the necessary evil in order to reach immortality for the entire human race. What do you think is the difference between the Immortals and Humans other than their names?"

Silence fell into the palace as everyone was deep in their thoughts.

"If you are right, why don't we just surrender to Patroclus?" Heidi asked with an edge in her voice.

The head priestess heaved a sigh and then said, "As I said, I saw two paths for humans, but for us, we have only one choice: support the savior."

The head priestess' words reminded everyone the fact that the Kaedeians could not be assimilated by the Zergs.

There and then, Heidi finally saw the big picture of what was going on. From the perspective of a human sub-race, both Patroclus and Wang Tong could lead the humans to their salvation. However, the Kaedeians only had one option from the get-go.

As for the Zergs, they had already lost the war the moment Moye decided to transform Patroclus into a hybrid. It gave the Ivantian prince an opportunity to dismantle the threat of the Zergs from within.

Wang Tong knew Patroclus' plan from the very beginning, and he immediately knew that the path was not meant for him. In his opinion, the humans would overcome difficulties with a powerful will instead of physical superiority.

Having relied so much on their physical abilities, would the mortals appreciate the meaning of bravery, unity, generosity, and fairness? Although the immortals had gained amazing physical capabilities, their minds had inevitably weakened.

If there were no noble human values remaining inside the immortals, could they still be called humans?

When the test for humanity came, there would be tears, fear, and betrayal. And that was how humans became stronger as a race.

Patroclus had been fixated on the dark side of human nature, and therefore, his approach to humanity's ultimate salvation was to forsake the human qualities altogether. He had helped his followers adopt a new form which, except for the appearance, lacked all human traits.

On the other hand, Wang Tong believed in the good and bright side of the human nature; he had dedicated his life to encourage others to draw strength from their hearts and fight for a noble cause.

Wang Tong and Patroclus had embarked on two drastically different paths, as the Kaedeian prophet had foretold, and only time would tell which path would lead to the ultimate salvation of the human race.