Chapter 306: Law of Qi

The special forces troops sighed in relief. Xia Na herself understood Wang Po's intentions, but she had no impression of him at all beyond her minor interactions with him during her last mission.

She replied, "Very well, Captain Wang, I'm impressed by your diligence. Now, if you don't mind, I won't trouble you any longer. We'll be heading straight back to Qi— our troop leader's waiting for us!"

Xia Na's response was little more than an outright rejection, but this wasn't an outcome that Wang Po was willing to accept. After all, he had never failed to get his hands on any of his prey before, and Xia Na wouldn't be the first.

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Wang Po turned his attention to Zhang Lie. "What's the hurry? It's still early in the day! If I'm not mistaken, the hunter standing behind you must be the famous Zhang Lie! It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Zhang. Many of my subordinates are fans of yours. Would you be willing to sign an autograph for me?"

He had been rather curious why Xia Na would be willing to protect him like a mother hen with her chicks, and why the team leaders of the special forces troops seemed to be trying to suck up to him. After all, he might be a famous hunter in the first realm, but he was only a newcomer in the second!

The team leaders of the special forces were all prideful and haughty, so why were they treating him so well? Could their mission be to protect this newcomer with significant latent potential?

Only by figuring out their relationship to Zhang Lie could he decide on his attitude toward him.

"Please don't joke around, Captain Wang—he's a key element of our mission!" Xia Na replied, motioning for Zhang Lie not to speak with the back of her hand.

"A key element of your mission? If you've all been out in the forests by Qi, is your mission to help him acquire basic and mutated gene fragments in the second realm, then? My goodness, I simply can't believe that the champion of the Void Cup himself would need such a large group of forces accompanying him! This has to be the funniest joke I've heard all year!"

Xia Na's protective attitude toward Zhang Lie caused Wang Po to turn jealous, and his attitude toward Zhang Lie became far more dismissive than before.

The team leaders' faces flashed in anger, and even Xia Na herself replied coldly, "Captain Wang, I don't believe our mission has any relevance to you. Furthermore, please note that Mr. Zhang Lie has just been given the role of deputy troop leader of the special forces. He bears greater authority within Qi than you, so please show him the respect afforded to his station. No one can besmirch the honor of the special forces—not you, and not the Tianji Council!"

Wang Po was dumbstruck. By order of the governor, the deputy troop leader of the special forces?! What sort of situation was this? He hadn't heard about it at all! Didn't the special forces only have a single troop leader, Zhou Liao? What was this deputy troop leader business?

Furthermore, if this was a command by the governor himself, why hadn't the Tianji Council received any news of this sudden development? Could Xia Na be trying to protect Zhang Lie? No, given how the team leaders surrounding Zhang Lie were behaving, that was hardly likely.

Could he really have become the deputy troop leader of the Qi special forces, then? Just how did he manage to get such an important position as a newcomer to the second realm? Even if his contributions within the first realm were massive, this was the second realm—how could he have gotten the various team leaders to submit to his authority?

In fact, the Tianji Council had been made aware of Zhang Lie's instatement as of that afternoon, but by that time, Wang Po had already left headquarters.

"Surely it's a stretch to suggest that I'm besmirching the special forces' honor, Miss Xia Na! You're not joking about Mr. Zhang Lie's position, are you?

Wang Po's chest suddenly felt suffused with jealousy when he saw how ardently Xia Na defended Zhang Lie. He strode forward, staring at Xia Na all the while, as though trying to discern something from her look.

"Of course I'm not joking, Mr. Wang Po. I'm sure the records have been sent to the Tianji Council headquarters by now."

Xia Na's firm response caused any remaining doubt in Wang Po's mind to evaporate. Had Zhang Lie really become a deputy troop leader the moment he ascended to the second realm? Wang Po became furious. He had spent ten long years to get his position, but Zhang Lie had achieved more in a single day!

In rage, Wang Po sucked in a deep breath—and smelled alcohol on Xia Na. ?Alcohol?! No—the special forces troops were forbidden to drink while on duty!

Wang Po, who had forgotten his initial motive entirely, couldn't help but smile.

"Haha, alright, I apologize for doubting your new position, Deputy Leader Zhang. However, as the deputy troop leader, shouldn't you be responsible for these troops? Why are you hiding behind a woman?" Wang Po called out.

Of course, Zhang Lie had to respond to this provocation. "A humorous joke, Captain Wang! It's simply my first day on duty, and I'm still unfamiliar with Qi as a whole. Team Leader Xia and the others are all excellent leaders, so I'm letting them?show me the ropes for the moment. Is something the matter?"

.

Zhang Lie naturally stepped forward as well. He tried not to cause trouble, but he certainly didn't intend on being a punching bag. Even in the Void Cup, he had deftly handled the aggression of the winged. Why would he fear a captain of the Tianji Council, who was nothing in comparison?

Wang Po laughed in anger. "Are you aware, Deputy Leader Zhang, that special forces troops are forbidden to drink while on duty?"