Inside the five-tiered structure of the Star-Moon, there are only two rooms. One of them is the “safe room” where Hassan himself resides, while the other is the legendary “Golden Room,” spoken of only in whispers.
Since Hassan purchased the Star-Moon, numerous important figures have been hosted aboard, including planetary governors. Yet, the “Golden Room” on the fifth level has never revealed its true face to anyone.
But now, within this nearly inaccessible “Golden Room,” a man who appears to be in his early thirties, yet whose eyes carry the weariness of an old soul, sits calmly on a central leather chair, watching a man and two women before him.
Undoubtedly, this man who has earned Hassan’s exception to open the fifth level of the Star-Moon is none other than the most prominent high-tier warrior in the Southern Region—Omega the Thunder God.
“So, you didn’t follow my orders to kill Andreisten but were instead convinced by him? And now you’re trying to convince me?” Omega, draped in his signature black cloak, asked with a mysterious smile, his gaze fixed on Lofley, the leftmost of the three apprentices.
“Yes, that’s exactly what happened… but…” Lofley gritted her teeth and took a half-step forward.
“But? You directly disobeyed my orders. Looks like I’ve been too lenient with you, little Lofley.” Omega slowly rose, still smiling.
Sweat poured from Lofley, quickly soaking her entire body. She clenched her teeth, struggling against the terrifying pressure emanating from Omega that nearly crushed her.
“Hmm?” Omega glanced at Lofley, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
The oppressive pressure on Lofley vanished in an instant. However, her battle energy was already completely drained, and her body collapsed limply. Maryann 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 bother with Maryann but instead turned his gaze to the closed door on the other side.
“Haha. I wouldn’t want to interrupt Omega’s lesson with his disciples,” Hassan’s laughter came from outside the door. Soon after, the heavy door was pushed open, and Hassan entered with Anthony, the leader of the Blue-Cloaks, following behind.
“Just a few unruly juniors. Please forgive my poor students for making you laugh, Hassan.” Omega laughed heartily and waved his hand dismissively at his three apprentices.
The three immediately fled through a side door, as if escaping a great calamity.
“Lofley, you’ve gone mad! Truly mad!” As soon as they reached the gangplank, Groe hissed angrily at Lofley. “How dare you defy the teacher’s orders and speak up for Zhang Wen? You almost got us all killed just now!”
“But we’re still alive, aren’t we?” Lofley shot back, rolling her eyes.
“Lofley’s right,” Maryann stood beside Lofley. “Given our strength, killing Zhang Wen was impossible. So, aside from the risky attempt to persuade the teacher, we had no other choice.”
“Then what do you think the teacher will decide?” Groe, frustrated, knocked on the gangplank and asked in a hushed tone.
“Hehe! Isn’t it obvious? If the teacher hadn’t been even slightly moved, how could we still be standing here safe and sound?” Lofley lifted her head and smiled.
“Tsk! Don’t get too happy. 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 before striding off the gangplank.
※※※
Time rewinds a few minutes.
Just as Thunder God Omega was landing on the deck of the Star-Moon in his private airship, Zhang Wen received a new visitor.
“Mr. Zhang Wen, I’ve fulfilled our agreement. I assume you’ve also found your maid, Miss Yinel?” Barten, with his cute baby face, knocked on Zhang Wen’s door and gave him a polite bow.
“Of course.” Zhang Wen smiled and invited Barten inside. Yinel and Carly had already changed 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 my… oh! It seems you’ve already found the person I was looking for.” Barten smiled, his gaze settling on Carly.
“Hmm?” Carly looked up, gazing innocently at Barten.
“Rick… oh, no. I should probably address you as Miss Carly now.” Barten politely bowed again to Carly and sat down opposite the two girls.
“Barten, now that Carly has been rescued, can you finally explain why you boarded Hassan’s ship?” Zhang Wen, half-smiling, asked Barten again.
“Hehe. You probably already guessed my intentions, Teacher Zhang Wen?”
“I’d still prefer to hear it from you to be safe.”
“Alright. Since I’ve already met Miss Carly, there’s no need to keep it a secret. The purpose of my journey here is indeed for Miss Carly.” Barten smiled and pointed at Carly.
“And who exactly are you?” Carly asked, slightly frowning.
“Hehe! You should be able to figure it out from my name. I have no intention of hiding my identity. I’m a mercenary of the Dark Flash clan. Our clan has some connections with Governor Temiso. This time, I was hired by Governor Temiso to bring back Miss Carly, who ran away from home. To be honest, it took quite a bit of effort to confirm that Miss Carly was indeed on this ship.” Barten stood up with a smile and flicked a small badge from his fingertip like a magician.
Carly picked up the badge, infused it slightly with her mind energy, and then nodded dejectedly at Zhang Wen.
“Yes, it’s my father’s mark.”
“Then, Miss Carly, please come back with me now. Governor Temiso has been eagerly awaiting your return.” Barten smiled and gestured to Carly.
“Eh? Now?” Carly blinked in surprise, her gaze shifting to Yinel beside her, then shook her head firmly. “No! I’m not going back now!”
“Miss Carly, please don’t make things difficult for me. Governor Temiso’s exact words were to bring you back to the governor’s mansion as soon as I saw you.”
“I won’t go back.” Carly shook her head calmly, clearly resolute.
“This puts me in a bit of a dilemma then,” Barten continued to smile.
“Hey, Barten, I also think you’d better not take Carly away for now,” Zhang Wen suddenly interjected, having been quietly watching the conversation between Barten and Carly.
“Oh? Why is that?”
“Because she’s Carly, the daughter of Governor Temiso.” Zhang Wen smirked slightly. “The Star-Moon is sailing in the middle of the sea right now. If you insist on taking Carly away now, there are only two possibilities. The first is to explain the situation to Hassan and ask him to find a place for you to disembark. The second is to leave the ship without Hassan’s permission, finding an opportunity to steal an airship.”
“Hmm… that does seem to be the case.” Barten nodded, agreeing with Zhang Wen’s judgment.
“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 don’t think much of the explanation that ‘Governor Temiso’s daughter ran away, and he asked you to find her’ is particularly convincing. Even if Hassan believes you, the person being welcomed on the deck right now might not be very comfortable with it.”
Zhang Wen smiled and spread his hands.
“He might hesitate to send someone to eliminate you due to possible retaliation from the Dark Flash clan. But if it’s just a matter of finding a place to keep you under house arrest until the Southern Region’s battle for supremacy is over, there wouldn’t be a problem. As for the second scenario, if you were acting alone, there might be a slight chance of success. But if you also wanted to take Carly with you… I think the likelihood of you being discovered by Omega on the way and being killed on the spot would be quite high.”
“Hmm. It seems I really shouldn’t act recklessly for now.” Barten said, his baby face showing no change in expression.
“Alright, stop pretending. You should understand yourself. With Thunder God Omega around, taking Carly away is simply unrealistic! In fact, even if the journey on the Star-Moon ends, it won’t be easy for you to leave this ship!” Zhang Wen smiled confidently and sat down beside Yinel and Carly.
“Sigh! That’s indeed the case. I’m also troubled by this. Originally, the intelligence I received indicated that Omega wouldn’t board the Star-Moon until tomorrow. But I didn’t expect him to appear a day earlier.” Barten finally sighed, his baby face showing a troubled expression. “Teacher Zhang Wen, can you give me any suggestions?”
“Suggestions…?” Zhang Wen, who had lured Barten into his trap step by step, smiled happily again. “I don’t have any suggestions. But I do have a piece of advice.”
“Advice?” Barten looked at Zhang Wen, puzzled.
“Hehe, as the ancients said, ‘When the boat reaches the bridge, it will find its way straight.’ 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, suddenly, Zhang Wen stood up and walked to the door. Almost simultaneously, Barten also turned his gaze to the door.
“Teacher Zhang Wen, aren’t you going to invite me in?” Groe’s voice suddenly echoed from within Zhang Wen’s cabin.
“Since the two examiners have come all the way here, of course I welcome you,” Zhang Wen opened the door and invited Groe and Maryann inside.
“Teacher Zhang Wen has other guests?” Groe looked surprised at the three people on the sofa.
“Hehe, you mean you want them to step aside for a moment?” Zhang Wen intentionally asked in return.
“No, that’s not necessary.” Groe sneered and waved his hand at Zhang Wen. “Our teacher’s decisions have never been afraid of anyone knowing. Teacher Zhang Wen, our teacher has officially informed you that he is very interested in your suggestion. However, no matter how attractive the future may be, 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.”
On the fifth deck of the Starlight Moon, there are only two rooms. One is the “safe room” where Hassan himself resides, and the other is the legendary “Golden Chamber,” which has only ever been mentioned in rumors.
Since Hassan acquired the Starlight Moon, the ship has hosted countless dignitaries, including planetary governors. Yet, the Golden Chamber on the fifth deck has never been revealed to anyone.
However, now, in this almost never-opened Golden Chamber, a man who appears to be in his early thirties but whose eyes carry the weight of an old man sits in the central leather chair, observing the man and two women before him.
Undoubtedly, this man, who has compelled Hassan to make an exception and open the fifth deck’s restricted area, is the most prominent super-tier powerhouse in the Southern Realm—Thunder God Omega.
“So, you didn’t follow my orders to kill Andrestein, but instead were persuaded by him? And now you intend to convince me according to his wishes?” Thunder God Omega, draped in his signature black cloak, smiled inscrutably, his gaze fixed on Roflei, who stood to the far left among his three disciples.
“Yes, that’s true… but…” Roflei clenched her teeth and took half a step forward.
“But? You directly disobeyed my command. It seems I’ve been too lenient with you, hasn’t it, little Roflei?” Omega slowly stood up, still smiling.
Sweat poured from Roflei’s body, instantly soaking her. She gritted her teeth, struggling against the overwhelming pressure emanating from Omega that threatened to crush her.
“Hmm?” Omega glanced at Roflei, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
The immense pressure on Roflei vanished in an instant, but her energy was completely drained, and she collapsed. Marian quickly caught her.
“Mr. Hassan, this is your ship. Why be so polite? Since you’re here, why not come in?” Omega didn’t pay attention to Marian but instead turned his gaze to the tightly shut door on the other side.
“Haha. How could I interrupt while Mr. Omega is disciplining his disciples?” Hassan’s laughter echoed from outside the door. Soon, the door opened, and Hassan, followed by the leader of the Blue Cloaks, Anthony, entered.
“Just a few unruly youngsters. I hope you’re not laughing at me, Mr. Hassan,” Omega laughed heartily, waving his hand dismissively at his three disciples.
The disciples quickly slipped out through the side door as if granted amnesty.
“Roflei, you’re insane! Absolutely insane!” As soon as they stepped onto the floating staircase, Gero couldn’t help but shout at Roflei through clenched teeth. “How dare you defy the teacher’s orders and side with that Zhang Wen? You almost got us all killed!”
“But we’re still alive, aren’t we?” Roflei shot Gero a glare.
“Roflei is right,” Marian stood by Roflei. “With our strength, killing Zhang Wen is impossible. So, besides risking it all to persuade the teacher, we had no other choice.”
“So, what do you think the teacher will decide?” Gero angrily struck the floating staircase, lowering his voice.
“Heh! Isn’t it obvious? If the teacher wasn’t at least a little tempted, how could we still be alive and well?” Roflei raised her head and smiled slightly.
“Tch! Don’t get too excited. Even if the teacher is tempted by Zhang Wen’s proposal, he might not forgive a disciple who disobeyed his orders. You’d better pray for yourself first.” Gero coldly glanced at Roflei and strode out of the floating staircase.
※※※
A few minutes earlier.
Just as Thunder God Omega landed on the deck of the Starlight Moon in his private airship, Zhang Wen also welcomed a new guest.
“Mr. Zhang Wen, I’ve fulfilled our agreement. You must have found your maid, right?” Batenping, with his adorable baby face, knocked on Zhang Wen’s door and bowed with a smile.
“Of course,” Zhang Wen smiled and invited Batenping in. Enil and Carlet had already changed back into formal attire, chatting on the sofa as if nothing had happened.
“That’s great. Now, regarding the person I asked you to help find… Oh! It seems you’ve already found her.” Batenping smiled, his gaze falling on Carlet.
“Hmm?” Carlet looked up innocently at Batenping.
“Rick… Oh, no. I should call you Miss Carlet now, shouldn’t I?” Batenping bowed politely to Carlet again and sat down across from the two girls.
“Batenping, now that Carlet has been rescued, can you explain in detail why you boarded Hassan’s ship?” Zhang Wen asked with a half-smile.
“Haha. Mr. Zhang Wen, you must have already guessed my purpose, haven’t you?”
“I’d rather hear it from you to be sure.”
“Alright. Now that I’ve met Miss Carlet, there’s no need to keep it a secret any longer. My purpose for coming here is precisely for Miss Carlet.” Batenping smiled and pointed at Carlet.
“Who exactly are you?” Carlet frowned slightly.
“Haha! You should be able to tell from my name that I have no intention of hiding my identity. I am 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 the runaway Miss Carlet back. To be honest, it took quite some effort to confirm that Miss Carlet was on this ship.” Batenping stood up, and with a flick of his fingers, a small emblem appeared as if by magic.
Carlet took the emblem, infused it with a bit of psychic energy, and then nodded somewhat dejectedly at Zhang Wen.
“Yes, it’s my father’s mark.”
“So, Miss Carlet, please come back with me now. Governor Temiso is eagerly awaiting your return.” Batenping smiled and gestured to Carlet.
“Eh? Go back now?” Carlet blinked in surprise, her gaze shifting to Enil beside her, then she resolutely shook her head. “No! I’m not going back now!”
“Miss Carlet, please don’t make this difficult for me. Governor Temiso’s exact words were to bring you back to the governor’s mansion as soon as I found you.”
“I’m not going back,” Carlet calmly shook her head, her resolve firm.
“This is quite a headache for me,” Batenping continued to smile.
“Hey, Batenping, I think it’s best if you don’t take Carlet away just yet,” Zhang Wen, who had been quietly observing the conversation between Batenping and Carlet, suddenly interjected.
“Oh? Why?”
“Because she’s Carlet, Governor Temiso’s daughter,” Zhang Wen smiled slightly. “The Starlight Moon is currently in the middle of the ocean. If you insist on taking Carlet away now, there are only two possibilities. First, you explain the situation to Hassan and have him find a place for you to disembark. Second, you bypass Hassan and find an opportunity to steal an airship and leave.”
“Hmm… That seems to be the case,” Batenping nodded, agreeing with Zhang Wen’s assessment.
“In the first scenario, you’d have to explain to Hassan why Governor Temiso’s daughter and a Dark Flash assassin are on the Starlight Moon together. Frankly, I’m not optimistic about the explanation that ‘Governor Temiso’s daughter ran away, and Governor Temiso asked you to find her.’ Even if Hassan believes you, I doubt the person currently being welcomed on the deck would be too comfortable with it.”
Zhang Wen spread his hands with a smile.
“Having someone kill you might still be a concern due to the Dark Flash Clan’s retaliation. But if they just find a place to detain you and release you after the Southern Realm’s power struggle is over, that would be fine. As for the second scenario, if you were acting alone, there might be a chance of success. But if you want to take Carlet with you… I think the likelihood of Thunder God Omega discovering you midway and killing you on the spot is much higher.”
“Hmm. It seems I should indeed not act rashly,” Batenping said, his baby face expression unchanged.
“Alright, stop pretending. You should understand this yourself. With Thunder God Omega here, taking Carlet away is simply unrealistic! Even when the Starlight Moon’s journey ends, leaving the ship won’t be easy!” Zhang Wen confidently smiled, sitting down beside Enil and Carlet.
“Sigh! That’s true. I’m also troubled by this. According to the information I received, Omega wasn’t supposed to board the Starlight Moon until tomorrow. I didn’t expect him to appear a day early.” Batenping finally sighed, a look of distress appearing on his baby face. “Mr. Zhang Wen, do you have any suggestions for me?”
“Suggestions…” Zhang Wen, who had been gradually luring Batenping into his trap, smiled again. “I don’t have any suggestions. But I do have a proverb.”
“A proverb?” Batenping looked at Zhang Wen in confusion.
“Haha, as the ancients said, ‘When the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten itself.’ I wonder if you’ve heard that 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, Batenping also turned his gaze to the door.
“Mr. Zhang Wen, aren’t you going to invite me in?” Gero’s voice suddenly rang out inside Zhang Wen’s cabin.
“Of course, I welcome the esteemed examiners,” Zhang Wen opened the door and ushered Gero and Marian inside.
“Mr. Zhang Wen, you have other guests?” Gero looked at the three on the sofa in surprise.
“Haha. Are you suggesting they should leave for now?” Zhang Wen deliberately asked.
“No, that’s unnecessary,” Gero coldly smiled and waved his hand at Zhang Wen. “Our teacher’s decisions are never afraid of being known by anyone. Mr. Zhang Wen, our teacher has instructed us to formally inform you that he is very interested in your proposal. However, no matter how promising the future may seem, it remains just empty words until it becomes reality. Therefore, before he agrees to your request, you must first prove that you are qualified to cooperate with us.”
“Oh? What kind of proof does Thunder God Omega want?” Zhang Wen smiled slightly.
“It’s simple. You must reach the final stage of this selection competition. In the upcoming tests, the teacher will personally evaluate the remaining participants. He will neither give you special treatment nor target you specifically. As long as you become the final victor, the teacher will acknowledge your qualification to cooperate with us and formally consider your proposal.”
“No problem. Since I boarded this ship, I never intended to leave as a loser,” Zhang Wen confidently smiled.
“Good,” Gero said no more, exchanged a glance with Marian, and the two turned to leave.
“Wait!” Zhang Wen called out to them as they reached the door.
“What else?” Gero turned back, displeased.
“If Omega wanted to send me a message, why did he send you two? Where is Roflei, whom I entrusted to deliver my message to him?”
“Roflei? She failed to complete the task assigned by the teacher, disobeyed his orders, and even delivered a message for the teacher’s enemy. So, the teacher has ordered her to be detained. She will be sent away tomorrow. As for where she’s being sent, who knows?” Gero quickly finished speaking and walked out without looking back.
After listening to the conversation between Gero and Zhang Wen, Batenping finally understood what Zhang Wen meant by “When the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten itself.”
Zhang Wen had proposed a cooperation to Omega. Omega seemed to have the same intention of forming an alliance. Once the cooperation between Zhang Wen and Omega succeeded, 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. He would then not be too concerned about the peculiar presence of Carlet and Batenping on the Starlight Moon.
Of course, all of this was contingent on the “successful cooperation” between Omega and Zhang Wen.
Thinking of this, Batenping’s baby face once again wore a cute smile. He scratched his head and straightforwardly said to Zhang Wen, “Mr. Zhang Wen, why do I feel like I’ve been played by you?”
“Heh!” Zhang Wen smiled slightly but didn’t answer Batenping’s question.
Woo… Woo… Woo!
At that moment, the psychic screen hanging in the center of the room emitted three crisp sounds and lit up.
“Contestants, thank you for your patience,” Anthony of the Blue Cloaks appeared on the psychic screen with a smile. “Due to various reasons, the Starlight Moon, which was originally scheduled to depart last night, has remained in this area for an additional twelve hours. Fortunately, our third round of tests has concluded as planned. According to our statistics, a total of nineteen contestants have returned to the Starlight Moon.”
“Only nineteen? Didn’t each airship bring back four people? Why are there only nineteen?” Another contestant’s voice came through the psychic screen’s speaker.
Zhang Wen and his group then noticed that the Starlight Moon’s psychic screen also had a communication device that allowed free communication with other rooms.
“That’s because, during the previous tests, some unfortunate accidents occurred. Some contestants who had already passed the tests were unable to continue for various reasons. However, to compensate, Mr. Hassan has decided to provide an additional one million Imperial Credits as a reward. Congratulations to all of you.” Anthony calmly explained, easily deflecting the contestant’s question.
“Hmph! Fool! What’s wrong with nineteen? The fewer the people, the greater our chances of winning, right?” Another contestant’s triumphant shout also helped Anthony a great deal. After he spoke, no one else questioned the previous issue.
“Anyway, starting today, you will enter the second phase of this selection competition. In the first phase, Mr. Hassan promised that the tests would not threaten your lives. In the Infinite Arena, even if you couldn’t pass the tests, the assistants we hired would at most injure you…”
“Hey! If we really couldn’t pass the tests, who knows if those people would injure us or kill us? Anyway, the teams that returned to the Starlight Moon are all still alive.” As Anthony spoke, someone couldn’t help but sneer in the communication channel.
However, Anthony didn’t pause to explain but continued.
“…From the second phase onward, we can no longer guarantee your safety. Therefore, if you wish to withdraw from the tests, please do so within twelve hours. We will provide the first phase’s reward and escort you away. If no withdrawal request is made within twelve hours, we will assume you agree to continue the tests. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
After speaking, Anthony slightly bowed. The screen then switched to a cold-looking middle-aged man in his thirties, draped in a black cloak and sitting on a wide black chair.
“Thunder God Omega!”
“Is that Thunder God Omega?”
“A super-tier powerhouse… Tch!”
“Why is Thunder God Omega on the ship? I thought the teams we’re competing with have nothing to do with Omega?”
Several contestants’ low exclamations suddenly filled the communication channel. 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 raised his head. His icy gaze seemed to penetrate the screen, staring directly at every contestant sitting before it.
Omega’s voice wasn’t loud, but the previously chaotic communication channel instantly fell silent, leaving only the faint static of psychic energy filling the equipment.
This is the aura of a super-tier powerhouse!
Almost every contestant before the screen had the same thought.
“Starting today, I will be the examiner for your upcoming tests. I hate nonsense. So, I’ll only give you one piece of advice. If you don’t want to die, get lost!”
As soon as Omega uttered the word “lost,” an overwhelming pressure seemed to emanate from the screen, enveloping every contestant!
“Tch!” In Zhang Wen’s room, Batenping was the first to react. His figure flashed, and the substantial pressure slid past him like water hitting a rock.
Zhang Wen’s reaction wasn’t much slower. He stood up abruptly, positioning himself in front of Enil and Carlet. The Spring Water Technique’s energy surged fully, colliding with the descending pressure. A massive vortex tore the last wooden table in the room to pieces and overturned several wicker chairs before gradually dissipating.
“Heh… Truly the top super-tier powerhouse of the Southern Realm. Even the pressure transmitted through the psychic line has such power. The challenge Omega gave me seems simple, but it’s not so easy to pass,” Zhang Wen smiled wryly, exchanging a glance with Batenping as he surveyed the once again chaotic room.
“Haha… Hahaha! Interesting! Too interesting. This is what gets me excited! Hahaha!” In another room on the second deck of the Starlight Moon, a young man who always wore a gentle smile stared at the cloaked figure on the screen, his body trembling with excitement.
“It’s simple. In this selection competition, you must make it to the end. In the upcoming tests, the teacher will personally evaluate the remaining contestants. He will neither give you any special treatment nor target you specifically. As long as you become the final victor, the 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 failure.” Zhang Wen smiled confidently.
“Good.” Groe didn’t say another word and exchanged a glance with Maryann before the two turned and left together.
“Wait!” The two were suddenly called back as they reached the door.
“What else?” Groe turned his head in displeasure.
“Omega wanted to give me a message. Why did he send the two of you? What about Lofley, who I entrusted to deliver my message to him?”
“Lofley? She failed the task the teacher assigned to her, disobeyed the teacher’s orders, and even helped the teacher’s enemy deliver a message. Therefore, the 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 hearing the conversation between Groe and Zhang Wen, Barten finally understood the meaning behind Zhang Wen’s words about “When the boat reaches the bridge, it will find its way straight.”
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 succeeded, the implicit alignment of Zhang Wen with Governor Temiso would naturally no longer pose a threat in Thunder God Omega’s eyes. He wouldn’t be too concerned about the strangeness of Carly and Barten’s presence on the Star-Moon.
Of course, all of this hinges on the premise that Omega and Zhang Wen’s “cooperation succeeds.”
Thinking of this, Barten’s baby face once again displayed a cute smile. He scratched his head and candidly smiled at Zhang Wen, “Teacher Zhang Wen, why do I feel like I’ve been outmaneuvered by you?”
“Hehe!” Zhang Wen smiled slightly again but did not answer Barten’s question.
Wu…wu…wu!
Just then, the mind-art screen hanging in the center of the room suddenly emitted three crisp sounds and lit up.
“Ladies and gentlemen competitors, we’ve kept you waiting.” Anthony, the leader of the Blue-Cloaks, appeared smiling in the center of the mind-art screen. “Due to various reasons, the Star-Moon, which was originally scheduled to depart last night, has stayed in this sea area for an additional twelve hours. Fortunately, our third round of tests still ended according to plan. According to our statistics, a total of nineteen competitors have returned to the Star-Moon.”
“Only nineteen? Didn’t they say each airship could bring back four people? Why are there only nineteen?” Another competitor’s voice came from the mind-art screen’s speaker.
Zhang Wen’s group only now noticed that the mind-art 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 competitors who had originally passed the test were unable to continue for various reasons. However, to compensate all of you, Mr. Hassan has decided to provide an additional reward of one million imperial shields. Congratulations to all of you.” Anthony said impassively, easily brushing off the competitor’s question.
On the fifth deck of the Starlight Moon, there are only two rooms in total. One of them is the “Safe Room” where Hassan himself resides. The other is the legendary “Golden Chamber,” which has only ever been mentioned in rumors.
Since Hassan acquired the Starlight Moon, the ship has hosted countless dignitaries, including planetary governors. Yet, the “Golden Chamber” on the fifth deck has never been revealed to anyone.
However, now, in this “Golden Chamber” that is almost never opened to outsiders, a man who appears to be in his early thirties but whose eyes carry the weight of an old man sits on a leather chair at the center, gazing at the two women and one man before him.
Without a doubt, this man, who has compelled Hassan to break the rule and open the fifth deck’s restricted area, is none other than the most prominent super-tier powerhouse in the Southern Realm—the Thunder God Omega.
“So, you didn’t follow my orders to kill Andrestein, but instead were persuaded by him? And now you plan to convince me according to his wishes?”
The Thunder God Omega, draped in his signature black cloak, wore an enigmatic smile as his gaze fell on Roflei, who stood on the far left among his three disciples.
“Well, yes… but…” Roflei clenched her teeth and took half a step forward.
“But? You directly disobeyed my command. It seems I’ve been too lenient with you, haven’t I, little Roflei?” Omega slowly rose to his feet, still smiling.
Sweat poured from Roflei’s body, instantly soaking her. She gritted her teeth, struggling against the overwhelming energy pressure emanating from Omega that threatened to crush her.
“Hmm?” Omega glanced at Roflei, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
The immense pressure on Roflei vanished in an instant, but her combat energy was completely drained, and she collapsed weakly. Marian quickly caught her.
“Mr. Hassan, this is your ship. No need to be so polite. Since you’re here, why not come in?” Omega didn’t pay attention to Marian but instead turned his gaze toward the tightly shut door on the other side.
“Haha. How could I interrupt while Mr. Omega is disciplining his disciples?” Hassan’s laughter echoed from outside the door. Moments later, the door opened, and Hassan entered, followed by the leader of the Blue Cloaks, Anthony.
“Just a few unruly youngsters. I hope I didn’t embarrass myself in front of you, Mr. Hassan,” Omega laughed heartily, waving his hand dismissively at his three disciples.
The disciples quickly slipped out through a side door, as if granted a reprieve.
“Roflei, you’re insane! Absolutely insane!” As soon as they stepped onto the floating staircase, Gero couldn’t help but shout at Roflei through gritted teeth. “How dare you defy the teacher’s orders and even speak up for that Zhang Wen? You almost got us all killed!”
“We’re still alive, aren’t we?” Roflei shot Gero a glare.
“Roflei’s right,” Marian sided with Roflei. “With our strength, killing Zhang Wen was impossible. So, aside from taking the risk of persuading the teacher, we had no other choice.”
“So, what do you think the teacher will decide?” Gero angrily knocked on the floating staircase, lowering his voice.
“Haha! Isn’t it obvious? If the teacher wasn’t at least a little tempted, how could we still be alive and well?” Roflei looked up with a faint smile.
“Tch! Don’t get too cocky. Even if the teacher is tempted by Zhang Wen’s proposal, he might not forgive a disciple who defied his orders. You’d better pray for yourself first.” Gero coldly glanced at Roflei and strode out of the floating staircase.
※※※
A few minutes earlier.
Just as the Thunder God Omega landed on the deck of the Starlight Moon in his private airship, Zhang Wen also welcomed a new guest.
“Mr. Zhang Wen, I’ve fulfilled our agreement. I assume you’ve found your maid?” Batenping, with his adorable baby face, knocked on Zhang Wen’s door and bowed with a smile.
“Of course,” Zhang Wen smiled and invited Batenping inside. Eniel and Carlett had already changed back into formal attire, chatting on the sofa as if nothing had happened.
“That’s wonderful. Now, regarding the person I asked you to help me find… Oh! It seems you’ve already found her.” Batenping smiled, his gaze falling on Carlett.
“Hmm?” Carlett looked up innocently at Batenping.
“Rick… Oh, no. I suppose I should call you Miss Carlett now,” Batenping bowed politely to Carlett and sat down across from the two girls.
“Batenping, now that Carlett has been rescued, perhaps you can explain in detail why you boarded Hassan’s ship,” Zhang Wen asked with a faint smile.
“Haha. Mr. Zhang Wen, I’m sure you’ve already guessed my purpose, haven’t you?”
“I’d rather hear it from you to be sure.”
“Very well. Now that I’ve met Miss Carlett, there’s no need to keep it a secret any longer. My purpose for being here is precisely for Miss Carlett,” Batenping pointed at Carlett with a smile.
“Who exactly are you?” Carlett frowned slightly.
“Haha! From my name, you should be able to tell that I’m not hiding 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 his runaway daughter, Miss Carlett. To be honest, it took quite a bit of effort to confirm that Miss Carlett was on this ship,” Batenping stood up, a small emblem magically appearing on his fingertip.
Carlett took the emblem, infused it with a bit of psychic energy, and then nodded dejectedly at Zhang Wen.
“Yes, it’s my father’s mark.”
“Then, Miss Carlett, please come back with me now. Governor Temiso is eagerly awaiting your return,” Batenping gestured to Carlett with a smile.
“What? Go back now?” Carlett blinked in surprise, her gaze shifting to Eniel beside her, and then she firmly shook her head. “No! I’m not going back now!”
“Miss Carlett, please don’t make this difficult for me. Governor Temiso’s explicit instructions were to bring you back to the governor’s mansion as soon as I found you.”
“I’m not going back,” Carlett calmly shook her head, her resolve unshaken.
“This is quite troublesome for me,” Batenping continued to smile.
“Hey, Batenping, I think it’s best if you don’t take Carlett away just yet,” Zhang Wen, who had been quietly observing the conversation between Batenping and Carlett, suddenly interjected.
“Oh? Why is that?”
“Because she’s Carlett, Governor Temiso’s daughter,” Zhang Wen smiled slightly. “The Starlight Moon is currently in the middle of the ocean. If you insist on taking Carlett away now, there are only two possibilities. First, you explain the situation to Hassan and have him find a place for you to disembark. Second, you bypass Hassan’s approval and find a way to steal an airship to leave.”
“Hmm… That seems to be the case,” Batenping nodded, agreeing with Zhang Wen’s assessment.
“In the first scenario, you’d have to explain to Hassan why Governor Temiso’s daughter and a Dark Flash assassin are on the Starlight Moon together. Frankly, I’m not optimistic about the explanation that ‘Governor Temiso’s daughter ran away, and Governor Temiso asked you to find her.’ Even if Hassan believes you, I doubt the person currently being welcomed on the deck would be too comfortable with it.”
Zhang Wen spread his hands with a smile.
“He might hesitate to kill you outright due to potential retaliation from the Dark Flash Clan. But if he just finds a place to detain you until the Southern Realm’s power struggle is over, that would be fine. As for the second scenario, if you were acting alone, you might have a chance of success. But if you’re trying to take Carlett with you… I think the likelihood of you being discovered by the Thunder God Omega halfway and killed on the spot is much higher.”
“Hmm. It seems I’d better not act rashly for now,” Batenping said, his baby-faced expression unchanged.
“Alright, stop pretending. You know it yourself. With the Thunder God Omega around, taking Carlett away is completely unrealistic! In fact, even when the Starlight Moon’s journey ends, it won’t be easy for you to leave this ship!” Zhang Wen confidently smiled as he sat down beside Eniel and Carlett.
“Sigh! That’s true. I’ve been troubled by this as well. According to the intelligence I received, Omega wasn’t supposed to board the Starlight Moon until tomorrow. I didn’t expect him to appear a day early,” Batenping finally sighed, a troubled look appearing on his baby face. “Mr. Zhang Wen, do you have any suggestions for me?”
“Suggestions…” Zhang Wen, who had been gradually luring Batenping into his trap, smiled and said, “I don’t have any suggestions. But I do have a proverb for you.”
“A proverb?” Batenping looked at Zhang Wen in confusion.
“Haha, the ancients said, ‘When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten.’ I wonder if you’ve heard that 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, Batenping also turned his gaze toward the door.
“Mr. Zhang Wen, aren’t you going to invite me in?” Gero’s voice suddenly rang out inside Zhang Wen’s cabin.
“Of course, I welcome the arrival of both examiners,” Zhang Wen opened the door and ushered Gero and Marian inside.
“Mr. Zhang Wen, you have other guests?” Gero glanced in surprise at the three people on the sofa.
“Haha. Are you suggesting they should leave for now?” Zhang Wen deliberately countered.
“No, that’s unnecessary,” Gero sneered and waved his hand at Zhang Wen. “Our teacher’s decisions are never afraid of being known by anyone. Mr. Zhang Wen, the teacher has instructed us to formally inform you that he is very interested in your proposal. However, no matter how promising the future may seem, it remains mere words until it becomes reality. Therefore, before he agrees to your request, you must first prove that you are qualified to cooperate with us.”
“Oh? What kind of proof does the Thunder God Omega want?” Zhang Wen smiled slightly.
“It’s simple. You must make it to the end of this selection competition. In the upcoming tests, the teacher will personally evaluate the remaining participants. He won’t give you any special treatment, nor will he specifically target you. As long as you become the final victor, the teacher will acknowledge your qualification to cooperate with us and formally consider your proposal.”
“No problem. Since I boarded this ship, I never intended to leave as a loser,” Zhang Wen confidently smiled.
“Good,” Gero said nothing more, exchanged a glance with Marian, and the two turned to leave.
“Wait!” Zhang Wen called out to them as they reached the door.
“What else?” Gero turned back with displeasure.
“If Omega wanted to send me a message, why did he send the two of you? Where’s Roflei, whom I entrusted to deliver my message to him?”
“Roflei? She failed to complete the task assigned by the teacher, defied his orders, and even delivered a message to the teacher’s enemy. So, the teacher has ordered her to be detained. Tomorrow, she’ll be sent away. As for where she’ll be sent, who knows?” Gero quickly finished speaking and walked out without looking back.
After listening to the conversation between Gero and Zhang Wen, Batenping finally understood what Zhang Wen meant by “When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten.”
Zhang Wen had proposed a cooperation to Omega. Omega seemed equally interested in forming an alliance. Once the cooperation between Zhang Wen and Omega succeeded, Governor Temiso, who was vaguely on the same side as Zhang Wen, would naturally no longer be a threat in Omega’s eyes. He wouldn’t pay much attention to the oddity of Carlett and Batenping appearing on the Starlight Moon.
Of course, all of this hinged on the success of the cooperation between Omega and Zhang Wen.
Thinking of this, Batenping’s baby face once again lit up with a cute smile. He scratched his head and candidly said to Zhang Wen, “Mr. Zhang Wen, why do I feel like I’ve been played by you?”
“Hey!” Zhang Wen smiled again but didn’t answer Batenping’s question.
Beep… Beep… Beep!
At that moment, the psychic screen hanging in the center of the room emitted three crisp sounds and lit up.
“Contestants, thank you for your patience,” Anthony, the leader of the Blue Cloaks, appeared on the screen with a smile. “Due to various reasons, the Starlight Moon, which was originally scheduled to depart last night, has remained in this area for an additional twelve hours. Fortunately, our third round of testing has concluded as planned. According to our statistics, a total of nineteen contestants have returned to the Starlight Moon.”
“Only nineteen? Didn’t each airship bring back four people? Why are there only nineteen?” Another contestant’s voice came through the psychic screen’s speaker.
Zhang Wen and his group then noticed that the Starlight Moon’s psychic screen was equipped with a communication device that allowed free communication with other rooms.
“That’s because, during the previous test, some unfortunate accidents occurred. Some contestants who had already passed the test were unable to continue for various reasons. However, to compensate, Mr. Hassan has decided to offer an additional one million imperial credits as a reward. Congratulations to all of you,” Anthony calmly explained, easily deflecting the contestant’s question.
“Hmph! Idiots! What’s wrong with nineteen? The fewer the people, the greater our chances of winning, right?” Another contestant’s smug shout helped Anthony quite a bit. After that, no one else questioned the earlier issue.
“From today onward, you will enter the second phase of this selection competition. In the first phase, Mr. Hassan promised that the tests would not threaten your lives. In the Infinite Arena, even if you failed the test, the assistants we hired would at most injure you…”
“Hey! If we really failed the test, who knows if those people would just injure us or kill us? After all, the only teams that returned to the Starlight Moon are the ones still alive,” as Anthony spoke, someone couldn’t help but sneer in the communication channel.
However, Anthony didn’t pause to explain and continued speaking.
“…Starting from the second phase, we can no longer guarantee your safety. Therefore, if you wish to withdraw from the test, please do so within the next twelve hours. We will provide the first phase’s reward and escort you off the ship. Those who do not request to withdraw within twelve hours will be considered as agreeing to continue the test. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
After speaking, Anthony bowed slightly. The screen then changed to show a cold, middle-aged man in his thirties, draped in a black cloak and sitting on a wide black chair.
“The Thunder God Omega!”
“Is that the Thunder God Omega?”
“A super-tier powerhouse… Tch!”
“Why is the Thunder God Omega on the ship? I thought the teams we’re competing with have nothing to do with Omega?”
Several contestants’ low exclamations flooded the communication channel. Among them, Zhang Wen even recognized the voice of his “acquaintance,” Old Goat.
“I am Omega,” a deep, hoarse male voice softly rang out.
The cold middle-aged man on the screen slowly raised his head. His icy gaze seemed to pierce through the screen, staring directly at every contestant sitting before it.
Omega’s voice wasn’t loud, but the previously chaotic communication channel instantly fell silent, leaving only the faint hiss of psychic energy filling the equipment.
This was the presence of a super-tier powerhouse!
Almost every contestant before the screen had the same thought.
“From today onward, I will be the examiner for your upcoming tests. I hate unnecessary words. So, I’ll only give you one piece of advice. If you don’t want to die, get out!”
As Omega uttered the word “out,” an overwhelming energy pressure seemed to emanate from the screen, enveloping every contestant!
“Tch!” In Zhang Wen’s room, Batenping was the first to react. His figure flashed, and the tangible energy pressure slid past him like water hitting a rock.
Zhang Wen’s reaction wasn’t much slower. He stood up abruptly, positioning himself in front of Eniel and Carlett. His Spring Water Technique combat energy surged, colliding with the descending energy pressure. A massive vortex tore the last wooden table in the room to pieces and overturned several wicker chairs before gradually dissipating.
“Haha… Truly the top super-tier powerhouse of the Southern Realm. Even the energy pressure transmitted through the psychic line has such power. The challenge Omega set for me seems simple, but it’s not so easy to pass,” Zhang Wen smiled wryly as he exchanged a glance with Batenping, looking at the now-messy room.
“Haha… Hahaha! Interesting! So interesting! This is what gets me excited! Hahaha!” In another room on the second deck of the Starlight Moon, a young man who always wore a gentle smile stared at the cloaked figure on the screen, his body trembling with excitement.
“In any case, starting today, you will enter the second phase of this selection competition. In the first phase of the competition, Mr. Hassan promised that the tests would not threaten your lives. Even if you couldn’t pass the test in the Infinite Arena, the assistants we invited would at most only injure you…”
“Hehe! If you really couldn’t pass the test, who knows whether those people would injure us or kill us? After all, the teams that returned to the Star-Moon were all still alive.” As Anthony spoke here, someone couldn’t help but sneer in the communication channel.
However, Anthony showed no intention of stopping to explain and continued speaking.
“…From the start of the second phase, we will no longer be able to guarantee your safety. Therefore, those who wish to withdraw from the test, please submit your request within twelve hours. We will provide the first phase’s bonus and send you off the ship. Those who have not submitted a withdrawal request 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 changed 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?”
“A high-tier warrior… tsk!”
“Why would Omega the Thunder God come aboard the ship? Wasn’t it said that the team we’re participating in has nothing to do with Omega?”
Several competitors in the communication channel couldn’t help but whisper in astonishment. Among them, Zhang Wen even recognized the voice of his “acquaintance,” Old Goat.
“I am Omega.” A deep, hoarse male voice softly echoed.
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 competitor sitting in front of it.
Omega’s voice wasn’t loud, but the previously chaotic communication channel instantly fell silent, with only the faint rustling sound of mind-energy filling the instruments.
This was the aura of a high-tier warrior!
The same thought surfaced in the mind of nearly every competitor watching the screen.
“Starting today, I will be your examiner for the upcoming tests. I hate wasting words. So I’ll give you just one piece of advice. If you don’t want to die, get out!”
Just as Omega spat out the word “out,” an overwhelming pressure, as if covering the sky and earth, seemed to emerge from the screen, enveloping every competitor!
“Tsk!” In Zhang Wen’s room, Barten was the first to react. His figure flickered, and that pressure, as solid as it was, slid off him like water hitting a rock.
Zhang Wen’s reaction wasn’t much slower than Barten’s. He abruptly stood up, positioning himself in front of Yinel and Carly. He activated his Spring Water Technique battle energy to its fullest, clashing head-on with the descending pressure. A massive vortex tore the last wooden table in the room into pieces, overturned several wicker chairs, and then gradually dissipated.
“Hehe… Truly worthy of being one of the top high-tier warriors in the Southern Region. The pressure he casually transmitted through the mind-art line was this powerful. The test Omega set for me seems simple, but in reality, it’s not that easy to pass.” Looking at the once again chaotic room, Zhang Wen smiled bitterly and exchanged a glance with Barten.
“Haha… Hahaha! Interesting! So interesting. It’s only this kind of challenge that can make one excited! Hahaha!” In another room on the second deck of the Star-Moon, the always smiling young man stared at the figure in the cloak in the center of the screen, his body trembling with excitement.
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