Chapter 1165: Scheme (IV)

A piercing radiance erupted from the Gold Armor and Li Hao looked away for a split second. A ball of light materialized out of the armor, leaving the equipment hovering in the air. Director General Wang’s body filled with life as well.

It was no longer a silent husk; light shone out of its eyes.

Li Hao silently glanced at it and placed the orange armor inside the star. The dao star began devouring the armor.

Director General Wang, or rather, Commander Wu, frowned at the sight. “It won’t wash away my core origin mark, will it? If it does, the armor...”

“It will not. Even if it does, we can just imprint your mark on it again.” Li Hao switched the topic. “Does the commander have any weapons that you use regularly? If so, you can also throw them in to be baptized. Otherwise, the world will suppress your weapon in the outside world and make it difficult for you to bring its full power to bear.”

“A weapon?” Commander Wu shook his head. “Just this armor is enough. I focus on defense—the reserve defenders are not deployed to the front lines, therefore...”

“I understand!” Li Hao nodded.

The commander looked around during this lull of action. “This thunder and lightning continuously gathers without dispersing. Does the new dao heavily target core origin?”

“Not to a great degree. They’re of the same origin, after all, but the new dao does show a stronger reaction compared to others. At the same time, this is strange,” mused a perplexed Li Hao. “They only gathered for a bit on previous occasions before dispersing. It’s been quite a while this time, and they’re increasing!

“Logically speaking, they should fade away after a bit... It’s my first time encountering this kind of situation. That’s fine, I’ll go back and ask the Sea Pacification Envoy and others. They know more than I do. Silver Moon and New Martial are of the same breath and branches. For the dao universe to target us so fiercely... Can it be that it’s discovered an external power?

“So it turns out that a dao universe can be unreliable at times too!” Li Hao burst into laughter. “Only the commander and I are here. Unless there’s power from a third party, such as the so-called Red Moon major world, then this shouldn't be happening. How very strange.”

𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Wu Peng’s eyes darted around. “Does the Eleventh Division leader mean that once Red Moon power enters the world, it will be heavily singled out?”

“That’s right!” Li Hao nodded. “That should be the case, but whether or not that’s actually true... I don’t know. I’ve never encountered that power, so I’ve simply come to a few conclusions based on what the seniors have said.”

Wu Peng nodded and asked no further. He looked around with puzzlement. “Do we take the same path out when we leave in a moment?”

“Not necessarily,” Li Hao replied. “Do you see the stars here? Each of them is a path of the new dao. We simply need to tear open the void near the new dao if we wish to leave. However, that doesn’t mean we’ll emerge where we entered from—we’ll show up near that cultivator of the new dao.

“As of the moment, I am the only one who walks the new dao in Battle Heaven, so do not go elsewhere, commander. Once you rip through the void to the outside world, who knows what will happen if you fall into someone else’s line of sight? The situation in the outside world is murky for now.”

Wu Peng looked around the surroundings again and did not make a sound. Each star represented one instance of the new dao. Tearing through the void would put them back in the outside world.

Li Hao accelerated his efforts on the armor and continued, “The brand is almost done. We can leave when it’s complete and you will be free of pressure in the outside world.

“But why is the thunder and lightning still present? This is so weird. Logically speaking, it shouldn’t continue for such a long period of time. Not unless Red Moon power has appeared... Is there someone here from Red Moon major world?

“But... that’s impossible. Only I can enter the dao universe...” He turned to Wu Peng, confusion and skepticism growing in his eyes.

“I don’t know either.” Wu Peng shook his head calmly when the young man looked over. “Can it be that the Eleventh Division leader has accidentally been contaminated by Red Moon power?”

“Contaminated?” Li Hao looked doubtful. “Can this power actively invade a person? Has Commander Wu seen it before?”

The young man took a few steps back, a strange look appearing in his eyes. Wu Peng raised an eyebrow when the void shook in the next moment.

“Eleventh Division leader... are you opening a fissure in the universe?”

“Mm... well, we’re almost done here, so we can go out! The others might be getting worried about us...” Li Hao grew increasingly grave and said carefully, “Let’s head out first, I’ll come back for the armor later. The thunder and lightning is getting stronger—I’m concerned that I won’t be able to hold it off. Let’s withdraw for now...”

“That is just as well!” Wu Peng nodded, understanding that Li Hao... was growing suspicious.

So this is another function of the dao universe! It can detect external power. Li Hao may not understand or be clear on the implications, but the others will grasp the connotations as soon as he leaves and speaks about it.

I’d wanted to make the young man’s acquaintance and slowly get to know everything he knew. But now...

“Then let us leave so that the others do not worry about us,” Wu Peng agreed. “Wait, what’s that??”

“What is what?” As soon as Li Hao turned for a look, a surge of strength erupted behind him and churned toward the young man!

Wu Peng looked on coolly. He just needed to avoid the original path they took and use any dao star to emerge in the outside world. That would suffice for his purposes.

Li Hao was too young and naive! Knowing that the dao universe repulsed Red Moon power, he should’ve long understood the situation at hand. He was wet behind the ears!

BOOM!

Despite being known for defense, Wu Peng smashed forward with a formidable punch. Li Hao’s body shattered from the direct blow. Incredulous, he turned his crumbling head at the ancient.

“Commander... why did you do that?”

Wu Peng did not respond. Why was this Li Hao’s reaction? Was he really not alert at all? How could someone like this kid succeed?!

An even greater surge of strength swept toward Li Hao, roiling through the universe.

“I did not wish to do this either,” Wu Peng said calmly. “It’s just that trouble might be upon me when you tell the others after we leave. Blame it on this dao universe being able to determine what types of energy are present! I was not aware of that, since I was encountering it for the first time. Thank you for notifying me!”

It was now that Li Hao reacted to the situation at hand.

“You... you are with Red Moon!” he gasped. “That’s impossible, Battle Heaven is my closest ally...”

“That is them, not me.”

BOOM!

A fist landed, smashing into a shield just before it connected with the target. Wu Peng’s eyes widened; the shield transformed into a human shape.

“Why?” The look in the old turtle’s eyes was extremely complicated.

“Guardian Turtle?” Wu Peng gaped. What was it doing here??

Nearby, the tattered Li Hao vanished and reappeared on the dao star of light. Wu Peng’s eyes narrowed and he commanded the countless tendrils of core origin on the star to explode!

Not only that, but the orange armor trembled like it was about to detonate as well!

And yet, Li Hao sat on the car and permitted the core origin energy to rampage as it would. He firmly kept the armor under control and smiled. “Commander, you won’t have much of an effect even if you break the dao star. What are you wasting time for?”

“......” Wu Peng’s expression shifted drastically and his physical body swelled up. Golden light flashed through the premises as a golden body appeared next to Director General Wang’s form. The director general’s body exploded with a roar, showcasing the commander’s original body.

“You guys... realized a while ago?” He looked at Li Hao and then at the old turtle with foreboding expressions.

Li Hao didn’t say a word. He simply looked quietly at the guardian.

“When has Battle Heaven ever done wrong to you?” sighed the turtle.

“It... hasn’t,” Wu Peng responded after his expressions flickered rapidly. “But... guardian, I’d like to know just where I fall short compared to Li Daozong? An immortal could be promoted to the commander of the main force, whereas I am only fit to be commander of the reserves after so many years of safeguarding Battle Heaven!

“I felt that it was finally my turn after the third commander was promoted, but the top brass decided on Li Daozong instead! He’s an Immortal! I am a Saint, but I am still a reserve defender commander! Everyone knows that reserve defenders are less than the main force! It would be the limits of propriety and ability if Li Daozong took my position, but do you see what transpired?!”

Li Daozong had been promoted to the main attack force, while he remained dawdling with the defenders!

“Just because of that?” sighed the turtle. “The defenders have a heavier burden on them and must maintain the peace of their territory...”

“Do you believe what you’re saying?” laughed Wu Peng. “That’s what everyone says, but if I want a commander of the main force to swap positions with me, do you think there’s anyone who will agree to that?”

The old turtle had no reply for that. It was true, no one would agree to that proposal. It was also true that what it’d said earlier were just pretty platitudes. The commander of a city’s defenders was indeed lacking compared to the main force.

But the senior executives had their own considerations in mind. It wasn’t personal strength that made one a good fit for the position.

“Isn’t it just because that he is of the Lis?” Wu Peng sneered. “Just because we are not imperial descendants, they get first pick of all the opportunities. They start off as generals in the army, whereas we need to break our backs for many years.

“In that case, we can only vie for our own opportunities! Whether it is the Human King or being an exalted emperor, everything is the result of their own efforts, no? Isn’t the New Martial spirit to resist everything? Then what wrong do I have in defying injustice?”

BAM!

He shook the void with his punch.

“So you’ve been awake all these years?” The look in the old turtle’s eyes changed. “Were you not injured at all when you ventured out?”

“What a pity that

you

were also awake all this time as well. I would’ve long taken Battle Heaven otherwise! It is such a shame... Old turtle, you’re just the soul of a weapon. What’s the point of being a slave for humans?”

“You betrayed us...” The old turtle’s primary body manifested and a massive shield blotted out the sun. It crashed down on the commander!

As man and turtle fought, Li Hao continued to focus on the armor. It finally stopped moving after a while, permitting the young man to heave a sigh of relief. The armor’s core origin brand had been washed clean!

Wu Peng...

Since the armor was now masterless, Li Hao could claim it for himself. He reached out and grabbed a handful of core origin energy, taking a moment to familiarize himself with it. A faint sheen of core origin soon covered his hand.

How about I pose as Wu Peng? I have his armor and core origin energy.

The young man began observing Wu Peng, taking note of his speech, gestures, mannerisms, battle methods, techniques, and habits. Unfortunately, he lacked Red Moon power since everything that’d been in him had been washed clean.

Perhaps he needed to make another trip to the seal and let the exalted emperor infect him.