Inside the five-tiered vessel of the Star Moon, there were only two rooms. One was the “safe room” where Hassan himself resided, and the other was the legendary ‘Golden Room.’
Since Hassan had purchased the Star Moon, the ship had hosted countless important figures, including planetary governors. Yet, the ‘Golden Room’ on the fifth level had never revealed its true face to anyone.
But now, inside this almost never-opened ‘Golden Room,’ a man who appeared to be only around thirty, but whose eyes carried the weariness of an old soul, sat calmly on a central leather chair, facing a trio of one man and two women before him.
Undoubtedly, this man, who had earned Hassan’s exception to open the fifth-level restricted area of the Star Moon, was none other than the most powerful Omega-level warrior currently shining brightly in the Southlands—Omega the Thunder God.
“So, you didn’t follow my orders to kill Andrei Stein, but instead were convinced by him? And now you’re trying to convince me as well?”
Wrapped in his signature black cloak and wearing an enigmatic smile, Omega the Thunder God fixed his gaze on Lofley, the disciple standing farthest to the left among the three before him.
“Yes, that’s exactly what happened… But…” Lofley gritted her teeth and took a half-step forward.
“But? You directly disobeyed my command. Looks like I’ve been too lenient with you, haven’t I, little Lofley?” Omega slowly rose to his feet, still smiling.
Sweat poured from Lofley, quickly soaking her entire body. She clenched her teeth tightly, struggling to resist the terrifying pressure emanating from Omega that nearly crushed her.
“Hmm?” Omega glanced at Lofley, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes.
The immense pressure suddenly vanished. Lofley, however, had already exhausted all her battle energy and collapsed weakly to the ground. Mary Ann quickly caught and supported her.
“Hassan, this is your ship, so why be so polite? Now that we’re here, why not come in?” Omega didn’t pay attention to Mary Ann but instead turned his gaze to the closed door on the other side.
“Hehe. I wouldn’t want to interrupt Omega while he’s disciplining his disciples,” Hassan’s laughter sounded from outside the door. Soon after, the heavy door swung open, and Hassan entered first, followed closely by Anthony, the leader of the Blue-clad men.
“Just some unruly younglings. Please don’t mind them, Hassan,” Omega laughed heartily and waved his hand slightly at the three disciples beside him.
Instantly, the three slipped out through a side door, clearly relieved.
“Lofley, you’re insane! Absolutely insane!” As soon as they stepped onto the gangway, Groe hissed angrily at Lofley. “How dare you defy the teacher’s orders and even speak on behalf of that Zhang Wen? You nearly got all of us killed just now!”
“But we’re still alive, aren’t we?” Lofley shot Groe a glare.
“Lofley’s right,” Mary Ann stood beside Lofley. “With our current strength, it’s impossible to kill Zhang Wen. Therefore, aside from the risky attempt to persuade the teacher, we had no other choice.”
“Then what do you think the teacher will decide?” Groe frowned and asked in a lowered voice.
“Hehe! Isn’t it obvious? If the teacher wasn’t even slightly moved, how could we still be so safely alive right now?” Lofley lifted her head and smiled slightly.
“Tsk! Don’t get too happy yet. Even if the teacher is intrigued by Zhang Wen’s proposal, he might not forgive a disciple who once disobeyed his orders. You’d better pray for good fortune,” Groe coldly glanced at Lofley and strode off the gangway.
※※※
Back to a few minutes earlier.
Just as Thunder God Omega landed on the deck of the Star Moon aboard his private airship, Zhang Wen received a new visitor.
“Mr. Zhang Wen, I’ve fulfilled our agreement. I assume you’ve also found your lady servant by now?” Batanpin, with his cute baby face, knocked on Zhang Wen’s door, smiling as he bowed.
“Of course.” Zhang Wen smiled and invited Batanpin inside. Yinel and Calit had already changed back into formal attire and were chatting casually on the sofa as if nothing had happened.
“That’s great news. Then, I hope you can help me find…” Oh! It seems you’ve already found the person I was looking for.” Batanpin smiled, his gaze falling on Calit.
“Hmm?” Calit lifted her head, looking innocently at Batanpin.
“Rick… Oh, no. I should probably call you Miss Calit now,” Batanpin politely bowed again to Calit and sat down opposite the two girls.
“Batanpin, since Calit has been rescued, can you now explain in detail why you boarded Hassan’s ship?” Zhang Wen looked at Batanpin with a half-smile and asked again.
“Hehe. My purpose, Master Zhang Wen, you probably already guessed, right?”
“I’d still prefer to hear it from your own mouth to be sure.”
“Alright then. Now that I’ve met Miss Calit, there’s no need to keep it a secret anymore. The reason I came here is precisely for Miss Calit.” Batanpin smiled and pointed at Calit with his finger.
“And who exactly are you?” Calit lightly furrowed her brows.
“Hehe! You two should be able to tell from my name, I didn’t intend to hide my identity. I’m a mercenary from the Dark Flash Clan. Our clan has some connections with Governor Temiso. This time, I was hired by Governor Temiso to bring back Miss Calit, who ran away from home. To be honest, it took quite a bit of effort to confirm that Miss Calit was indeed on this ship.” Batanpin stood up with a smile and flicked a small badge from his fingertip like a magician.
Calit picked up the badge, slightly channeling her mind energy into it, then nodded slightly to Zhang Wen, looking somewhat deflated.
“Yes, it’s my father’s mark.”
“Then, Miss Calit, please come back with me now. Governor Temiso has been eagerly awaiting your return day and night.” Batanpin smiled and gestured toward Calit.
“Eh? Go back now?” Calit blinked in surprise, her gaze flickering to Yinel beside her, then shook her head firmly. “No! I won’t go back now!”
“Miss Calit, please don’t make things difficult for me. Governor Temiso’s exact words were to bring you back to the Governor’s Mansion immediately upon seeing you.”
“I won’t go back.” Calit shook her head calmly, clearly resolute.
“This is quite a problem for me then,” Batanpin continued smiling.
“Hehe! Batanpin, I also think it’s better if you don’t take Calit away just yet,” Zhang Wen, who had been silently watching Batanpin and Calit’s conversation, suddenly interjected.
“Oh? Why is that?”
“Because she is Calit, the daughter of Governor Temiso.” Zhang Wen curled his lips into a slight smile. “The Star Moon is currently sailing in the middle of the ocean. If you insist on taking Calit away now, there are only two possibilities. The first is to explain the situation to Hassan and have him find a place for you both to disembark. The second is to leave without Hassan’s permission, finding an opportunity to steal an airship.”
“Mm… That does seem to be the case.” Batanpin nodded, agreeing with Zhang Wen’s assessment.
“In the first scenario, you’d have to explain to Hassan why the daughter of Governor Temiso and an assassin from the Dark Flash Clan are together on the Star Moon. To be honest, I’m not too optimistic about the ‘Governor Temiso’s daughter ran away, so Governor Temiso sent you to find her’ explanation being too convincing. Even if Hassan believes you, the person currently being welcomed on the deck might not be too comfortable with it.”
Zhang Wen smiled and spread his hands.
“He might hesitate to have you killed out of fear of retaliation from the Dark Flash Clan. However, if he just wanted to find a place to detain you both until the Southlands Dominance Contest is over, that wouldn’t be a problem. As for the second scenario, if it were just you acting alone, there might be a slight chance of success. But if you wanted to take Calit along…” Zhang Wen smiled confidently and sat down beside Yinel and Calit.
“I think the likelihood of you being discovered by Thunder God Omega halfway through and being killed on the spot would be much higher.”
“Mm. It seems I really shouldn’t act rashly just yet,” Batanpin said, though his baby face showed no change in expression.
“Alright, stop pretending. You should understand yourself. With Thunder God Omega around, taking Calit away is simply unrealistic! In fact, even after the Star Moon’s journey ends, it won’t be easy for you two to leave this ship!” Zhang Wen smiled confidently, sitting beside Yinel and Calit.
“Sigh! Indeed. I was just pondering this very issue. The information I received originally indicated that Omega wouldn’t board the Star Moon until tomorrow. Unexpectedly, he arrived a day early.” Batanpin finally sighed, his baby face showing a hint of distress. “Master Zhang, can you offer me any suggestions?”
“Suggestions…?” Zhang Wen, who had gradually lured Batanpin into his trap, curled his lips into a smile again, clearly pleased. “I don’t have any suggestions. But I do have a piece of advice.”
“Advice?” Batanpin looked puzzled at Zhang Wen.
“Hehe, as the ancients said, ‘the boat will find its way straight when it reaches the bridge.’ I wonder if you’ve heard this saying before.” Zhang Wen smiled mysteriously, uttering a phrase that none of the three present had ever heard. Then, Zhang Wen suddenly stood up and walked to the door. Almost simultaneously, Batanpin also turned his gaze toward the door.
“Master Zhang, aren’t you going to invite me in?” Groe’s voice suddenly echoed from within Zhang Wen’s small cabin.
“Two examiners gracing me with their presence, of course I welcome you,” Zhang Wen opened the door and ushered Groe and Mary Ann inside.
“Master Zhang actually has other guests?” Groe looked surprised at the three on the sofa.
“Hehe. You mean you want them to temporarily step aside?” Zhang Wen playfully asked in return.
“No, there’s no need.” Groe sneered and waved at Zhang Wen. “Our teacher’s decisions have never been afraid of anyone knowing. Master Zhang, our teacher has officially sent us to inform you that he is very interested in your proposal. However, no matter how attractive a future may seem, it’s just empty talk until it becomes reality. Therefore, before he agrees to your request, you must first prove that you have the qualifications to cooperate with us.”
“Oh? What kind of proof does Thunder God Omega want?” Zhang Wen curled his lips again.
“It’s simple. In this selection competition, you must make it to the end. In the upcoming tests, our teacher will personally test the remaining contestants. He won’t give you any special treatment, nor will he specifically target you. As long as you become the final victor, our teacher will acknowledge your qualifications to cooperate with us and formally consider your cooperation proposal.”
“No problem. Since I boarded this ship, I never intended to leave as a loser.” Zhang Wen smiled confidently.
“Good.” Groe didn’t say another word, exchanged a glance with Mary Ann, and the two turned and left together.
“Wait!” As the two reached the door, they were suddenly called back by Zhang Wen.
“What else?” Groe turned his head in displeasure.
“Why would Omega send you two to deliver a message to me? Where is Lofley, who I entrusted to deliver the message to him?”
“Lofley? She failed the task our teacher assigned, disobeyed his orders, and even helped the enemy by delivering messages. Therefore, our teacher has ordered her to be placed under house arrest. She will be sent away tomorrow. As to where exactly, only the gods know.” Groe quickly finished speaking and walked out without looking back.
After listening to the conversation between Groe and Zhang Wen, Batanpin finally understood the meaning behind Zhang Wen’s words, “the boat will find its way straight when it reaches the bridge.”
Zhang Wen had proposed cooperation to Omega. Omega seemed to have the same intention of joining forces. Once the cooperation between Zhang Wen and Omega was successful, the Governor Temiso, who was vaguely on the same side as Zhang Wen, would naturally no longer be a threat in Thunder God Omega’s eyes. Thus, he wouldn’t be too concerned about the strange presence of Calit and Batanpin on the Star Moon.
Of course, all of this was based on the premise that Omega and Zhang Wen’s “cooperation” would be successful.
Thinking of this, Batanpin’s baby face once again broke into a cute smile. He scratched his head and straightforwardly smiled at Zhang Wen. “Master Zhang, why do I feel like I’ve been outmaneuvered by you?”
“Hehe!” Zhang Wen smiled slightly again but did not answer Batanpin’s question.
Wu…wu…wu!
Just then, the psychic screen hanging in the center of the room suddenly emitted three crisp sounds and lit up.
“Ladies and gentlemen contestants, we’ve kept you waiting.” Anthony, the leader of the Blue-clad men, appeared smiling in the center of the psychic screen. “Due to various reasons, the Star Moon, which was originally scheduled to depart yesterday night, has stayed an additional twelve hours in this sea area. Fortunately, our third round of testing still concluded normally as planned. According to our statistics, a total of nineteen contestants have returned to the Star Moon.”
“Only nineteen people? Didn’t they say each airship could bring back four people? Why are there only nineteen?” Another contestant’s voice came from the psychic screen’s speaker.
At this point, Zhang Wen and his group noticed that the psychic screen on the Star Moon was equipped with a communicator that could freely communicate with other rooms.
“That’s because, during the previous tests, some unfortunate accidents occurred. Some contestants who had originally passed the competition were unable to continue due to various reasons. However, to compensate everyone, Mr. Hassan has decided to offer an additional reward of one million imperial shields. Congratulations to all of you.” Anthony replied effortlessly, easily brushing off the contestant’s question.
“Hmph! Idiot! What’s wrong with nineteen people? The fewer the people, the better our chances of winning, right?” Another contestant’s smug voice also helped Anthony quite a bit. After he spoke, no one asked the previous question again.
“In any case, from today onwards, you will enter the second phase of this selection competition. In the first phase of the competition, Mr. Hassan promised not to threaten your lives during the tests. At the Infinite Arena, even if you couldn’t pass the test, the assistants we invited would at most only injure you…”
“Hehe! If you really couldn’t pass the test, would those people injure us or kill us? Who knows? After all, the teams that returned to the Star Moon were all still alive.” As Anthony spoke, someone couldn’t help but sneer in the communication channel.
However, Anthony didn’t show any sign of stopping to explain and continued speaking.
“…From the second phase onwards, we will no longer be able to guarantee your safety. Therefore, if you wish to withdraw from the test, please do so within twelve hours. We will provide the first phase’s prize money and send you off the ship. Those who do not request to withdraw within twelve hours will be considered as agreeing to continue participating in the test. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
After Anthony finished speaking, he slightly bowed. The image on the screen then switched to a cold middle-aged man in his thirties, wearing a black cloak and sitting on a wide black chair.
“Omega the Thunder God!”
“He’s Omega the Thunder God?”
“An Omega-level warrior… Tsk!”
“Why would Omega the Thunder God come on board? Wasn’t it said that the team we’re participating in has nothing to do with Omega?”
The communication channel was suddenly filled with low exclamations from several contestants. Among them, Zhang Wen even recognized the voice of his “acquaintance,” Old Goat.
“I am Omega.” A deep, hoarse male voice softly sounded.
The cold middle-aged man on the screen slowly lifted his head. His icy gaze seemed to pierce through the screen, staring directly at every contestant sitting in front of their screens.
Omega’s voice wasn’t loud, but the previously chaotic communication channel instantly fell silent, with only the faint static of psychic energy filling the instruments.
This was the aura of an Omega-level warrior!
Almost every contestant in front of the screen had the same thought.
“From today onwards, I will be your examiner for the following tests. I hate wasting words. So I’ll just give you one piece of advice. If you don’t want to die, get out!”
Just as Omega spat out the final word “get out,” a pressure as if covering the sky and earth seemed to emerge from the screen, enveloping every contestant!
“Tsk!” In Zhang Wen’s room, Batanpin was the first to react. His figure flickered, and that pressure, as solid as it was, slid off him like water against a rock.
Zhang Wen’s reaction wasn’t much slower than Batanpin’s. He abruptly stood up, positioning himself in front of Yinel and Calit. With the Spring Water Technique’s battle energy fully activated, he collided head-on with the descending pressure. A massive vortex tore the last wooden table in the room into pieces and overturned several rattan chairs before gradually dissipating.
“Hehe… Truly worthy of being the top Omega-level warrior in the Southlands. The pressure transmitted through the psychic line alone has such power. The test Omega has set for me seems simple, but it’s actually not that easy to pass.” Looking at the once again chaotic room, Zhang Wen smiled wryly and exchanged a glance with Batanpin.
“Haha… Hahahaha! Interesting! So interesting. It’s only this kind of challenge that can make one excited! Hahahaha!” In another room on the second deck of the Star Moon, the young man who always wore a gentle smile stared at the figure in the cloak at the center of the screen, his body trembling with excitement.
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