“Your women?” Laila cast a displeased glance at Zhang Wen as the two pretty maids disappeared beyond the staircase. If one looked closely, they could notice a faint blush creeping onto Laila’s cheeks.
“Hehe! Our relationship…I guess I wasn’t wrong to say that, was I?” Zhang Wen smiled slightly at Laila.
“Right. Who asked this little girl to willingly follow you?” Laila sighed helplessly, then leaned toward Zhang Wen with a grin, whispering near his ear, “How does it feel to be a hero rescuing a beauty?”
“Not bad,” Zhang Wen nodded, quickly understanding Laila’s hidden meaning. “Thanks for your help.”
“No problem. It’s my duty as your deputy to assist the captain’s actions.”
As she spoke, Laila cast a flirtatious glance at Zhang Wen, further confirming her judgment of him in her heart—Zhang Wen’s strength wasn’t particularly high, but he possessed extraordinary sharpness.
In Laila’s opinion, Zhang Wen’s performance of punching the gorilla-man Nashon into the air and later easily defeating the last accomplice didn’t necessarily reflect his true strength. Because Zhang Wen had clearly taken Nashon by surprise when he wasn’t paying attention.
Then he scared the postmodernist man out of his wits, thereby achieving such an impressive result.
However, this performance was enough to prove Zhang Wen’s ability to seize opportunities. The moment the group led by the golden-haired man Nashon showed their biggest vulnerability, Zhang Wen had seized it firmly and struck decisively for victory.
Of course, part of this achievement also belonged to Laila. The punch Zhang Wen delivered to send the gorilla-man Nashon flying should not have been enough to overwhelm the golden-haired man Kaylo, who was nearly at the Saint level. Kaylo should have been able to withstand it, let alone being knocked backward along with Nashon by a single strike. The reason for such an unbelievable outcome was clearly because Laila had secretly struck from behind while everyone was focused on Zhang Wen.
“Huh?” Just as Zhang Wen and Laila were exchanging meaningful glances, a startled exclamation from beyond the staircase door shattered the “romantic” atmosphere inside the staircase.
Startled, Laila jumped away from Zhang Wen’s arms and turned around, only to discover that the unexpected visitor at the staircase was none other than Ryan, who had been persistently following Zhang Wen’s group earlier.
“You…you…” Ryan extended a finger, pointing at the embracing Zhang Wen and Laila, seemingly too astonished to know what to say.
“What’s wrong? I finally got a chance to play the hero rescuing a beauty. Do you really have to be so surprised?” Zhang Wen deliberately shrugged his shoulders, borrowing Laila’s earlier words.
“Hero rescuing a beauty?” Ryan was momentarily stunned, only then noticing the three battered individuals lying on the floor inside the staircase, besides Zhang Wen and Laila.
“Mr. Zhang, I’ll be off first,” Laila seemed to dislike being seen in such an intimate moment with Zhang Wen. She stood up, tidied her clothes, and walked away with a light, composed smile.
“What’s your relationship? And what happened here?” After passing Laila, Ryan suddenly seemed to regain his senses and eagerly asked Zhang Wen loudly.
“What happened here, can’t you see for yourself?” Zhang Wen gestured toward the scene. “These guys were trying to harass the maids aboard the Star Moon, so I couldn’t help but step in and help them. As for my relationship with that maid, I don’t think it’s any of your business. Besides, at your age, even if you wanted to get jealous, you’d probably have to wait a few more years, right?” Zhang Wen teased Ryan again.
“Jealous…jealous?” Ryan’s face immediately flushed a deep red.
“Haha! You’re blushing already? What a kid!” Seeing Ryan’s flustered expression, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Who’s a kid? I’m not!” Ryan, his face flushed red, suddenly shouted in embarrassment and ran off without a trace.
“Heh! Says he’s not a kid,” watching Ryan’s hasty figure disappearing, both Zhang Wen and Laila couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.
However, their lightheartedness lasted only for a few seconds.
“I’ll give you pathetic wastes one last minute. Anyone not present in the third-floor hall will pack their bags and leave!” Suddenly, Gro’s arrogant voice came through the staircase’s built-in telepathic communicator.
“Oh no!” Almost simultaneously, Zhang Wen and Laila’s expressions changed dramatically as they both looked toward the telepathic clock hanging at the top of the staircase door.
The clock’s pointer was pointing at 3:59 PM. There was only one minute left until the ten-minute deadline Gro had previously mentioned…
“Hurry!” Laila cried out in alarm, grabbing Zhang Wen and rushing out. Zhang Wen had never seen such a panicked expression on Laila’s face before…
Meanwhile, in the corridor near the third-floor hall of the Star Moon, a major commotion was brewing.
“What? Waste? Who do you think you are, daring to call me a waste?”
“Hassan, don’t think you’re invincible just because you’ve got some money! Even the Emperor of the Empire himself wouldn’t dare to speak to me like this!”
Gro’s casual use of the word “waste” immediately caused the eyes of the tenth-tier experts aboard the Star Moon to flash with anger. These tenth-tier experts, who were renowned in the Southlands, had never endured such an insult before.
“Hmph! So arrogant! I’d like to see what that kid is really capable of!” Besides the furious roars, a few martial artists still maintained their composure. However, they were also frowning, exchanging glances as they walked toward the hall.
※※※
“Huh? What does Gro mean by doing this? Isn’t he offending everyone by shouting like that?”
At the top of the Star Moon, there was a room that even the ship’s crew couldn’t enter. In fact, most of the crew aboard the Star Moon didn’t even know that such a room existed at the top of the ship.
The walls of this small room were all composed of pieces of highly pure raw stone. In addition, the decorations and furnishings in the room were all meticulously crafted to the highest standards. Even the third-floor hall of the Star Moon couldn’t match the luxury of this small room.
And the person residing in this small room was none other than the organizer of this selection competition—the richest merchant in the Southlands, Hassan.
Unlike the image of a wealthy man with a fat head and big belly that most people imagine, Hassan, although already in his later years with graying temples, maintained a remarkably fit physique. His pair of eyes, gleaming with sharpness, also revealed the astuteness and capability of this top merchant in the Southlands.
At this moment, Hassan was lying on a bed wrapped in a towel, enjoying a massage from a pretty maid behind him, while looking up at the figure in front of him. Embedded in the wall in front of Hassan was a large psychic screen. The left side of the screen was divided into more than a dozen regular TV-sized frames. Everything happening at every important location aboard the Star Moon was clearly displayed on these frames. On the right side of the screen was the familiar blue-clad figure to all the tenth-tier experts who had boarded the ship.
“Gro deliberately provoking those tenth-tier experts isn’t meant to sabotage our plan,” the blue-clad man calmly answered Hassan’s question.
“Is that how you see it?” Hassan raised his head in confusion.
“Exactly. Gro is merely using this opportunity to intimidate these competitors. Omega, the Thunder God, has been hiding in Alpha Planet for ten years and has brought four Saint-level disciples to compete for dominance in the Southlands, clearly determined to win. Omega agreed to send a second team to join the competition to increase his chances of victory. However, on the other hand, he is also worried about someone else taking advantage of the situation. Therefore, Gro naturally wants to warn these martial artists who might become the second team’s members to obediently follow behind as assistants and not to covet the title of Southland’s ruler.”
“Oh! So that’s the case.” Hassan sat up, waved his hand to dismiss the maid, and adopted a more consultative tone. “Anthony, in this matter, I trust your judgment. However, if you think there’s no problem, then feel free to ignore Gro’s little schemes. I promised Omega that I wouldn’t interfere with their actions during the test period.”
“Alright.” The blue-clad man nodded slightly and after a moment, added, “Also, we’ve basically clarified the origins of Nashon and the other ‘rats’ who sneaked in. We’ve now confirmed that there are three groups of rats aboard the Star Moon. Besides Nashon’s group, who are spying for the Derek family, there’s also a cardinal under the Red Bishop Orlach, and two agents from the Alliance. Additionally, we intercepted a psychic wave transmitted to the Federation’s diplomatic office on the planet Kassares, but we haven’t identified who sent the message yet.”
“Haha! So the Star Moon is indeed a place where dragons and snakes mingle. The Federation, the Alliance, all sorts of people are here.” Hassan laughed heartily. “These rats want to snoop on our secrets, let them watch. They probably don’t know that everything is already under your and my control! Anthony, have some fun with them. Consider it a warm-up exercise before the competition starts.”
“Alright. I’ll take care of everything.” The blue-clad man calmly nodded, ending his conversation with Hassan.
※※※
“Damn it! Damn it!” While dragging Zhang Wen desperately down the corridor, Laila cursed angrily. They had already wasted too much time due to the golden-haired man’s group and now had no way of reaching the third-floor hall within the allotted time.
“Forget it. We’re already going to be late anyway.” Zhang Wen simply grabbed Laila and slowed their pace.
“If you get eliminated, we’re finished!” Laila gritted her teeth and struggled.
“Don’t panic. Maybe there’s another way.” Zhang Wen held Laila’s shoulders. “First, tell me, what was going on with Nashon and Kaylo earlier? From their expressions, they didn’t seem to care much about whether they’d continue in the competition or not.”
“Those who want to claim the title of Southland’s ruler aren’t just Hassan. The top family in the Southlands, the Derek family, the Church of the Heavenly Gods, including the Empire and the Federation, all want to control the underground forces in the Southlands by seizing the title of Southland’s ruler. The selection competition Hassan is holding this time is well-known throughout the Southlands. Of course, those factions would send spies to sneak in. First, to find out what kind of talents Hassan can select, and second, to also take a peek at the Thunder God Omega’s strength…”
Laila finally calmed herself and quietly explained Nashon’s group’s identity to Zhang Wen while continuing to walk toward the third-floor hall with him.
At this moment, Laila was as obedient as any normal girl who had been frightened, gently leaning against Zhang Wen’s chest. Zhang Wen, as if comforting her, gently patted Laila’s back. However, his gaze didn’t linger on Laila but frequently fell on the psychic surveillance devices in the corners of the corridor.
It didn’t take long for Zhang Wen and Laila to reach the door of the third-floor hall.
However, the hall’s doors were already tightly shut. Four bodyguards dressed in black combat suits stood solemnly at the entrance. Besides Zhang Wen, several other martial artists were also blocked outside. They cursed and roared, trying to get the guards to let them in, but the guards didn’t even change their expressions.
Only when they saw Laila arriving with Zhang Wen at the entrance of the third-floor hall did their faces show a trace of confusion.
“Wait! What’s your name?” Several guards blocked Laila, who was rushing toward the hall with Zhang Wen.
“My name is Julie. I’m a first-class maid responsible for serving the guests in the third-floor hall.” Laila calmly provided her false identity.
“Julie?” The guard who stopped Laila looked at her suspiciously for a moment, then quickly took out a communication stone. After letting Laila input some psychic energy, the communication stone immediately projected a personal profile, including a full-body photo, into the air.
“Why are you so late? You’re five minutes behind schedule.” After carefully comparing Laila’s face with the photo on the communication stone, the guards still weren’t convinced.
“There was a problem with the elevator on the east corridor of the hall. You can ask the steward Anthony for details.” Laila answered again.
“Alright.” The guards exchanged glances and made a gap for Laila to pass through, but still firmly blocked Zhang Wen’s way. “You can go in, but he has to stay.”
“Why? He’s a guest who was stuck in the elevator with me.”
“These are Mr. Gro’s orders. After four o’clock, no guests are allowed to enter the hall. Sir, please return to your room.” The guards politely gestured for Zhang Wen to leave.
“This… this is unfair! If it weren’t for the accident in the elevator, he would never have been late.” Laila’s face turned red with anger as she argued with the guards.
“Sorry. We’re powerless to help.” The guards replied mechanically. One of the female guards even quickly opened a small gap in the door, intending to push Laila into the hall forcefully.
“No! You can’t treat Master Hassan’s guests like this!” Lailiya argued fiercely.
As Lailiya continued her heated dispute with the female bodyguard, Zhang Wen had already peeked through the gap in the grand door and clearly seen what was happening inside the hall.
Inside the hall, four or five dozen physical adepts had already gathered. Of course, saying “gathered” didn’t mean they were all standing together. These tenth-rank powerhouses were all local strongmen in the southern regions, used to scheming against each other. Even aboard the Xingyue, they remained deeply suspicious of one another.
Therefore, among these three to four dozen tenth-rank experts, most acted like magical beasts in the Sandra Forest, dividing the hall into many separate territories, each guarding their own patch of ground.
Only around the hall’s perimeter could one find small clusters of physical adepts who had relatively good relations, gathering in twos and threes, whispering quietly while occasionally erupting into soft, mocking laughter.
After a quick glance around, Zhang Wen didn’t spot Xiluo or Agate inside the hall. However, Ryan, who had fled in panic earlier, was standing alone with a grim expression in a secluded corner.
The female bodyguard continued arguing with Lailiya. She clearly hadn’t expected Lailiya to be so strong. As a formidable eighth-rank physical adept, she was more than qualified to serve as an instructor at the academy, yet she found herself completely unable to overpower Lailiya.
The dispute between the female bodyguard and Lailiya presented an opportunity for the physical adepts who had been blocked at the entrance by the guards. These men were notorious troublemakers who thrived on chaos. Seeing that Hassan’s subordinates had created their own mess, how could they resist stirring the pot?
“That’s right! It’s fortunate this maid girl stood up for us! Obviously, the problem was with your own floating staircase—how can you blame us for being late?”
“It’s unfair! We’ll protest to Master Hassan!”
Several physical adepts seized the moment, shouting loudly as they surged forward.
The guards blocking the entrance dared not truly use force against these physical adepts, and their strength paled in comparison to these tenth-rank experts. As a result, the guards were quickly pushed aside by the adepts, shoved right up against the doorway.
“What’s going on?” Just as the physical adepts seemed poised to rush in, the calm yet authoritative voice of the blue-robed man, Anthony, suddenly rang out, stopping everyone in their tracks.
“No! You can’t treat Mr. Hassan’s guests like this!” Lelia argued fiercely.
As Lelia and the female bodyguard were locked in a heated dispute, Zhang Wen had already caught a glimpse of the situation inside the hall through the crack of the door.
The hall was now filled with forty to fifty martial artists. However, “filled” might be an overstatement, as these martial artists weren’t standing together. These tenth-tier experts, who were influential figures in the southern region, were accustomed to scheming against each other and remained highly vigilant even aboard the Starlight Moon.
Thus, these thirty to forty tenth-tier experts had divided the hall into various territories, much like the beasts in the Sandra Forest, each guarding their own area.
Only around the edges of the hall did a few martial artists who were on relatively good terms gather in small groups, whispering among themselves and occasionally letting out a few gleeful chuckles.
After a quick scan, Zhang Wen didn’t spot Xiu Luo or Agate in the hall. However, Ryan, who had fled earlier, was now standing alone in a secluded corner with a stern expression.
The argument between the female bodyguard and Lelia continued. The bodyguard, an eighth-tier martial artist who was skilled enough to be an instructor at the academy, was clearly surprised by Lelia’s strength and found herself unable to subdue her.
The commotion between the bodyguard and Lelia also caught the attention of a few martial artists who had been blocked at the entrance. These troublemakers, always eager to stir up chaos, saw an opportunity in the internal conflict among Hassan’s subordinates and decided to fan the flames.
“That’s right! Thank goodness for this maid who speaks up for justice! It’s your own elevator that malfunctioned. How can you blame us for being late?”
“This is unfair! We demand to protest to Mr. Hassan!”
Several martial artists seized the moment and began shouting as they pushed forward.
The bodyguards at the door dared not use force against these tenth-tier experts, and their strength was no match for them. In the blink of an eye, the bodyguards were shoved aside.
“What’s going on?” Just as the martial artists were about to surge forward, the calm yet authoritative voice of Anthony, the man in blue, suddenly rang out.
“Sir Anthony, this maid named Julie claims that the elevator on the east side malfunctioned, causing her and the guest named Zhang Wen to be late. She insists on bringing Mr. Zhang into the hall. The other guests… they refuse to listen to our advice, and we can’t stop them…” The flustered bodyguards shouted to Anthony as if they had found a savior.
“Tch!” The previously agitated martial artists reluctantly took a few steps back.
“Hmm? What happened to the east elevator?” Anthony frowned and looked directly at Lelia.
“Just now, the east elevator inexplicably stopped between the second and third floors. A few guests even tried to take advantage of me. It was only after Mr. Zhang defeated them that we managed to restart the elevator and get here,” Lelia explained confidently.
As a qualified deputy officer of the Imperial Guard, Lelia had mastered the art of rhetoric. Her words to Anthony were entirely truthful, yet the impression they gave was entirely different from what had actually happened.
“I see…” Anthony pondered for a moment before politely gesturing for Zhang Wen to enter. “Since Mr. Zhang’s delay was due to a malfunction of the Starlight Moon’s elevator, we naturally cannot hold him responsible for the consequences.”
“What? Why does he get to pass? We were also delayed because of the elevator!” Several other martial artists immediately began to clamor.
“If you were indeed delayed due to the elevator malfunction, you may enter now. But if I later discover that you’re lying, are you prepared to face the consequences?” Anthony’s gaze turned icy as he swept it over the troublemakers, and the group immediately fell silent.
“Alright, move along!” The bodyguards quickly reformed their defensive line, separating the martial artists from Zhang Wen and Lelia.
“Tch!” The martial artists dispersed reluctantly, while Zhang Wen and Lelia pushed open the door and entered the third-floor hall.
As the door on the east side of the hall opened, almost all the martial artists inside turned their attention to Zhang Wen and Lelia. The thick aura of killing intent that filled the hall made even Lelia feel a shiver of fear. But Zhang Wen remained calm, as if completely unaffected by the tense atmosphere.
To Lelia, Zhang Wen’s demeanor was perfectly normal. After all, Andrei Stanco had once been the leader of the Ruby Scepter and the former Silver Hunter! The scene aboard the Starlight Moon was nothing new to him.
“I’ll take my leave now. Be careful.” On the Starlight Moon, Lelia and Zhang Wen had different roles, so they couldn’t stay together all the time. After entering the hall, Lelia quickly parted ways with Zhang Wen.
Not long after Lelia left, Zhang Wen heard a voice filled with excitement call out from the crowd.
“Ah! Mr. Zhang!”
Then, Zhang Wen saw the two charming maids he had rescued from Nason earlier, carrying trays filled with various drinks, weaving their way through the crowd of martial artists. The two maids, upon seeing Zhang Wen, rushed to his side as if they had found a savior.
“That was terrifying!” Once they reached Zhang Wen, the two maids let out a sigh of relief, patting their chests as they pulled him to a corner of the hall.
The gathering of dozens of tenth-tier experts was something these two maids had never encountered before. Moreover, these tenth-tier experts weren’t like those from the Imperial Army or noble families. Those well-bred experts at least had some sense of decorum and manners.
But the tenth-tier experts gathered in this hall were all self-made warriors from the untamed regions. To put it nicely, they were influential figures; to put it bluntly, they were a group of incredibly powerful thugs, beasts who believed in the law of the jungle! And now, these thugs and beasts had been provoked!
The fierce glint in the eyes of these tenth-tier experts, the faint sneers on their lips, the hissing sounds of their combat energy, and the deliberate cracking of their knuckles… even the black-clad bodyguards by the door were pale with fear, let alone these two delicate maids.
“Tch!” The previously agitated physical adepts grumbled discontentedly and took a few steps back.
“Hmm? What happened to the eastern staircase?” Anthony furrowed his brow and looked straight at Lailiya.
“A while ago, the eastern staircase inexplicably stopped between the second and third floors. Several guests even tried to take advantage of me at that time. It was only after Teacher Zhang Wen defeated them that we managed to restart the staircase and arrive here,” Lailiya stated confidently.
As a qualified deputy officer of the elite guard regiment, Lailiya had mastered the art of language to a level of perfection. Every word she spoke to Anthony was technically true, yet the overall impression conveyed was completely different from what had actually occurred.
“Oh? Is that so…” Anthony fell silent for a moment before politely gesturing toward the hall with a “please enter” motion toward Zhang Wen. “Since Mr. Zhang Wen’s lateness was caused by a malfunction in Xingyue’s floating staircase, naturally we cannot hold Mr. Zhang Wen responsible for the consequences of this mishap.”
“What? Huh? Why should he be the only one allowed in? We were also delayed because of the staircase malfunction!” Several other physical adepts immediately began shouting loudly.
“If you indeed were delayed by the staircase malfunction, then you may all proceed inside now. However, if I later discover that you’re lying, are you prepared to face the consequences?” Anthony’s gaze turned icy cold as he swept his eyes over the rowdy adepts, instantly silencing the entire group.
“Alright, move along!” Several guards quickly reformed a protective barrier, separating the few physical adepts from Zhang Wen and Lailiya.
“Tch!” Grumbling unhappily, the physical adepts dispersed. Zhang Wen and Lailiya then pushed open the grand doors and stepped into the third floor’s grand hall.
“No! You can’t treat Mr. Hassan’s guests like this!” Lelia argued vehemently.
As Lelia and the female bodyguard were locked in a heated dispute, Zhang Wen had already peered through the gap in the door to assess the situation in the hall.
At that moment, the hall was filled with forty to fifty martial artists. However, the term “gathered” was somewhat misleading, as these martial artists were not standing together. These tenth-tier experts were all influential figures in the southern region, accustomed to scheming against one another. Even aboard the Starlight, they remained deeply suspicious of each other.
Thus, these thirty to forty tenth-tier experts had divided the hall into various territories, much like the beasts in the Sandra Forest, each guarding their own domain.
Only around the edges of the hall did a few martial artists with relatively good relationships gather in small groups, whispering among themselves and occasionally letting out a few gleeful chuckles.
After a quick scan, Zhang Wen didn’t spot Xiu Luo or Agate in the hall. However, Ryan, who had fled earlier, was now standing alone in a secluded corner, his face stern.
The argument between the female bodyguard and Lelia continued. The bodyguard, an eighth-tier martial artist and a skilled instructor at the academy, was clearly surprised by Lelia’s strength. Despite her prowess, she found herself unable to subdue Lelia.
The commotion between the bodyguard and Lelia caught the attention of the martial artists who had been blocked at the entrance. These troublemakers, always eager to stir up chaos, saw an opportunity in the chaos caused by Hassan’s subordinates.
“That’s right! Thank goodness this maid is speaking up for us! It’s your own floating platform that malfunctioned. How can you blame us for being late?”
“This is unfair! We demand to lodge a complaint with Mr. Hassan!”
Seizing the moment, several martial artists shouted and surged forward.
The bodyguards at the door dared not use force against these tenth-tier experts, and their strength was no match for them. In an instant, the bodyguards were pushed aside.
“What’s going on?” Just as the martial artists were about to storm out, the calm yet authoritative voice of Anthony, the man in blue, rang out.
“Sir Anthony, this maid named Julie claims that the floating platform on the east corridor malfunctioned, causing her and the guest named Zhang Wen to be late. She insists on bringing Mr. Zhang into the hall. The other guests… they refuse to listen to us. We couldn’t stop them…” The flustered bodyguards shouted as if they had found a savior.
“Tch!” The previously agitated martial artists reluctantly took a few steps back.
“Hmm? What happened to the east floating platform?” Anthony frowned, his gaze fixed on Lelia.
“Earlier, the east floating platform inexplicably stopped between the second and third floors. Some guests even tried to take advantage of me. It was only after Mr. Zhang defeated them that we managed to restart the platform and get here,” Lelia explained confidently.
As a qualified deputy officer of the Imperial Guard, Lelia had mastered the art of rhetoric. Her words to Anthony were entirely truthful, yet the impression they gave was entirely different from what had actually happened.
“Oh? Is that so…” Anthony pondered for a moment before politely gesturing for Zhang Wen to enter. “Since Mr. Zhang’s delay was due to a malfunction of the Starlight’s floating platform, we naturally cannot hold him responsible for the consequences.”
“What? Why does he get to pass? We were also delayed because of the platform!” Several other martial artists immediately began to clamor.
“If you were indeed delayed due to the platform malfunction, you may enter now. But if I later discover that you’re lying, are you prepared to face the consequences?” Anthony’s gaze turned icy as he swept it over the troublemakers, who immediately fell silent.
“Alright, move along!” The bodyguards quickly reformed their defensive line, separating the martial artists from Zhang Wen and Lelia.
“Tch!” The martialists dispersed grudgingly, while Zhang Wen and Lelia pushed open the door and entered the third-floor hall.
As the door on the east side of the hall opened, almost all the martial artists in the room turned their attention to Zhang Wen and Lelia. The thick aura of killing intent that filled the hall made even Lelia feel a shiver of fear. But Zhang Wen remained calm, as if completely unaffected by the tense atmosphere.
To Lelia, Zhang Wen’s composure was entirely expected. After all, Andre Stanco had once been the leader of the Ruby Scepter and a former Silver Hunter! The scene aboard the Starlight was nothing new to him.
“I’ll take my leave now. Be careful.” On the Starlight, Lelia and Zhang Wen had different roles, so they couldn’t stay together for long. After entering the hall, Lelia quickly parted ways with Zhang Wen.
Not long after Lelia left, Zhang Wen heard a voice filled with excitement call out from the crowd.
“Ah! Mr. Zhang!”
Zhang Wen then saw the two charming maids he had rescued from Nashun earlier, carrying trays filled with various drinks, weaving their way through the crowd of martial artists. The two maids, upon seeing Zhang Wen, rushed to his side as if he were their savior.
“That was terrifying!” Once they reached Zhang Wen, the two maids let out a sigh of relief, patting their chests as they pulled Zhang Wen to a secluded corner of the hall.
The sight of dozens of tenth-tier experts gathered in one place was something the two maids had never encountered before. Moreover, these experts weren’t like those from the Imperial Army or noble families. Those well-bred experts at least had some semblance of decorum and manners.
The tenth-tier experts gathered in the hall were all self-made warriors from the untamed regions. To put it kindly, they were influential figures; to put it bluntly, they were a group of exceptionally powerful thugs, beasts who believed in the law of the jungle! And now, these thugs and beasts were thoroughly provoked!
The fierce glint in their eyes, the faint sneers on their lips, the hissing sound of their combat energy, and the deliberate cracking of their knuckles—even the black-clad bodyguards by the door were pale with fear, let alone the two delicate maids.
“No! You can’t treat Mr. Hassan’s guests like this!” Lelia argued vehemently.
As Lelia and the female bodyguard were locked in a heated dispute, Zhang Wen had already caught a glimpse of the situation inside the hall through the crack in the door.
The hall was now filled with forty to fifty martial artists. However, “filled” might be an overstatement, as these martial artists weren’t exactly standing together. These tenth-tier experts, who were influential figures in the Southern Realm, were accustomed to scheming against each other and remained highly vigilant even aboard the Starlight.
Thus, these thirty to forty tenth-tier experts had divided the hall into various territories, much like the beasts in the Sandra Forest, each guarding their own patch of ground.
Only around the edges of the hall did a few martial artists who were on relatively good terms gather in small groups, whispering among themselves and occasionally letting out a few gleeful chuckles.
After a quick scan, Zhang Wen didn’t spot Shura or Agate in the hall. However, Ryan, who had fled earlier, was now standing alone in a secluded corner, his face stern.
The argument between the female bodyguard and Lelia continued. The bodyguard, an eighth-tier martial artist who was skilled enough to be an instructor at an academy, was clearly surprised by Lelia’s strength and found herself unable to subdue her.
The ongoing dispute also caught the attention of a few martial artists who had been blocked at the entrance by the bodyguards. These troublemakers, always eager to stir up chaos, saw an opportunity in the commotion caused by Hassan’s subordinates and wasted no time in fanning the flames.
“That’s right! Thank goodness this maid is speaking up for us! It’s your own elevator that malfunctioned, so how can you blame us for being late?”
“This is unfair! We demand to lodge a complaint with Mr. Hassan!”
Taking advantage of the situation, several martial artists shouted and surged forward.
The bodyguards at the door dared not use force against these tenth-tier experts, and their own strength paled in comparison. In the blink of an eye, several bodyguards were pushed aside by the martial artists.
“What’s going on?” Just as the martial artists were about to storm out, a calm yet authoritative voice rang out. It was Anthony, the man in blue.
“Sir Anthony, this maid named Julie claims that the elevator on the east side malfunctioned, causing her and the guest named Zhang Wen to be late. She insists on bringing Mr. Zhang into the hall. The other guests… they refuse to listen to our advice, and we can’t hold them back…” The flustered bodyguards shouted as if they had found a savior.
“Tch!” The previously agitated martial artists reluctantly took a few steps back.
“Hmm? What happened to the east elevator?” Anthony frowned and turned his gaze directly to Lelia.
“Just now, the east elevator inexplicably stopped between the second and third floors. A few guests even tried to take advantage of me. It was only after Mr. Zhang defeated them that we managed to restart the elevator and get here,” Lelia explained confidently.
As a qualified deputy officer of the Imperial Guard, Lelia had mastered the art of rhetoric. Her words to Anthony were entirely truthful, yet the impression they conveyed was completely different from what had actually happened.
“I see…” Anthony pondered for a moment before politely gesturing for Zhang Wen to enter. “Since Mr. Zhang’s delay was due to a malfunction in the Starlight’s elevator, we naturally cannot hold him responsible for the consequences.”
“What? Why does he get to go in? We were also delayed because of the elevator!” Several other martial artists immediately began to clamor.
“If you were indeed delayed due to the elevator malfunction, you may enter now. But if I later find out that you’re lying, are you prepared to face the consequences?” Anthony’s gaze turned icy as he swept it over the troublemakers, who immediately fell silent.
“Alright, move along!” The bodyguards quickly reformed their defensive line, separating the martial artists from Zhang Wen and Lelia.
“Tch!” The martial artists dispersed grudgingly, while Zhang Wen and Lelia pushed open the door and entered the third-floor hall.
As the door on the east side of the hall opened, almost all the martial artists inside turned their attention to Zhang Wen and Lelia. The thick aura of killing intent that filled the hall made even Lelia feel a bit nervous. However, Zhang Wen remained calm, as if he were completely unaffected by the tense atmosphere.
To Lelia, Zhang Wen’s demeanor was entirely normal. After all, Andrei Stanko had once been the leader of the Ruby Scepter and a former Silver Hunter! The scene aboard the Starlight was nothing new to him.
“I’ll take my leave now. Be careful.” On the Starlight, Lelia and Zhang Wen had different roles, so they couldn’t stay together all the time. After entering the hall, Lelia quickly parted ways with Zhang Wen.
Not long after Lelia left, Zhang Wen heard a voice filled with excitement call out from the crowd.
“Ah! Mr. Zhang!”
Zhang Wen then saw the two charming maids he had rescued from Nashun earlier, carrying trays filled with various beverages, weaving their way through the crowd of martial artists. The two maids, upon seeing Zhang Wen, rushed to his side as if they had found a savior.
“That was terrifying!” Once they reached Zhang Wen, the two maids let out a sigh of relief, patting their chests and pulling Zhang Wen to a secluded corner of the hall.
The sight of dozens of tenth-tier experts gathered together was something these two maids had never encountered before. Moreover, these tenth-tier experts weren’t like those from the Imperial Army or noble families. Those proper experts at least had some semblance of decorum and manners.
The tenth-tier experts gathered in the hall were all self-made warriors from the untamed regions. To put it nicely, they were influential figures; to put it bluntly, they were a group of highly skilled thugs, beasts who believed in the law of the jungle! And now, these thugs and beasts were thoroughly enraged!
The fierce glint in their eyes, the faint, sinister smiles on their lips, the hissing sound of their combat energy, and the deliberate cracking of their knuckles… Even the black-clad bodyguards by the door were pale with fear, let alone these two delicate maids.
“I’ll be off then. Be careful,” Lailiya whispered. Due to their different roles aboard the Xingyue, she and Zhang Wen couldn’t always stay together. After entering the hall, Lailiya quickly separated from Zhang Wen.
No sooner had Lailiya walked away than Zhang Wen heard a voice filled with delight suddenly shout from within the crowd.
“Ah! Teacher Zhang Wen!”
Following that, Zhang Wen spotted the two pretty maids he had rescued from Nason’s grasp earlier. Now carrying trays filled with various drinks, they weaved through the crowd of physical adepts and rushed toward him. Upon reaching Zhang Wen, the two lovely maids clung to him like saviors, running to his side as if flying.
“You scared us half to death!” Standing beside Zhang Wen, the two pretty maids finally exhaled in relief, patting their sexy little chests while still visibly shaken. They quickly pulled Zhang Wen toward a quiet corner on the hall’s side.
The two pretty maids had never before encountered such a gathering of dozens of tenth-rank experts. Moreover, unlike experts from imperial armies or noble families who generally maintained decorum and observed certain etiquette, these tenth-rank experts were all self-made powerhouses from uncharted territories.
To put it nicely, they were local strongmen; to put it bluntly, they were nothing more than extremely powerful thugs—beasts at heart who believed in survival of the fittest. And now, these beasts had been provoked!
Looking at the ferocious glints in those tenth-rank experts’ eyes, the faint, sinister smiles on their lips, hearing the hissing sounds of their battle energy circulating, and the occasional “crackling” sounds from their knuckles being deliberately clenched… even the black-clad guards standing by the door had turned pale with fear, let alone these two delicate, charming maids.
Just standing near the entrance, the two maids could already feel the oppressive atmosphere.
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