Chapter 399: Founding a City

Zhang Lie narrowed his eyes. "What can you do to me if I insist on leaving?"

"We can't do anything to you, of course, but neither can you do anything to us." The man stood right in front of Zhang Lie and blocked his way.

Zhang Lie extended three fingers at him. "I'll count to three. If you don't make way, don't blame me about what happens next."

The man looked all around him and smiled. "We're in the middle of Qi. Are you really going to strike me?"

"Three!"

The man patted himself on the cheeks. "Strike me if you dare, Zhang Lie, champion of mankind! Everyone will see this blow."

"Two!"

The man laughed. "As a champion of mankind, are you really going to bully a common hunter like me?"

His companions added, "Right, we're all weak hunters, and none of us are comparable to you. Aren't you afraid of the blow to your reputation if you strike us in broad daylight?"

"One!"

"I might only be a weak hunter, but I never backed down when facing the sura. I fought with my life on the line—do you really dare hit me?!"

"I too played a huge role in the defense of Qi, and I should be protected by its laws!"

A gust of hot wind rose as the man was flung away into the distance, tracing out a parabola in the sky as he flew out of the city grounds.

"Respect you? What's there to respect about you? As for the laws of Qi, well, I have witnesses around for your reprehensible behavior. I said, scram!"

Zhang Lie had no qualms about attacking these immoral fellows.

.

As Zhang Lie glanced at the other hunters of Qi who had milled around the scene and even taken part in blocking his way, he couldn't hide the flash of disappointment in his eyes. What right did these hunters have to demand his limit-breaking potions? Just because they were weak and poor, while he was strong and rich?

It had taken him plenty of time to scale up his potion crafting to his current extent, and collecting, refining, and concocting the potion had required immense effort and time on his part. Why should he help them all for nothing?

Hong Xi shielded her eyes as she glanced toward where the man had fallen. "Now that he's flown out of the city, we shouldn't need to beat him up, should we?"

"Make way! Don't force us to strike you!" Sun Mengmeng cried out, "If not for the fact that you all participated valiantly in defending Qi, I would have struck you all down already!"

"Let's go." Zhang Lie strode forward.

The companions of the hunter who had been punted out of the city hurriedly stepped forward. "No, you can't leave!"

"We won't let you go unless you hand over those limit-breaking potions!"

"Everyone saw you hit that fellow—either you hand over those potions, or we expel you from Qi!"

"And what right do you have to expel me?"

Zhang Lie sent a pulse of genetic energy rippling in a wave before him, sending those hunters blocking his way flying. He walked out of the city gates with the members of Team Zenith, none of the bystanders remaining daring to stop him.

Only when he was gone did the hunters of Qi seem to come to a realization.

"Wait, you can't leave!"

"Champion of mankind, Zhang Lie, you can't leave!"

"What's going to happen to Qi if you do?"

It was only when they saw Zhang Lie walk away from Qi that they began to regret what they had done.

Zhang Lie was a hunter on par with the sura king, and if Zhang Lie were to remain in Qi, Qi would have nothing to fear. Even the nearby enemy races had retreated because of his pressure; if he were to leave and the enemy races found out, wouldn't they take back the land they had been forced to give up?

It really seemed like Zhang Lie was planning to leave Qi completely, but all their calculations had been predicated on the fact that Zhang Lie wouldn't leave, no matter what.

Reflecting on those calculations, however, they found that they had been very, very wrong.

Zhang Lie hadn't asked for anything as thanks for saving Qi numerous times; he had even attacked the neighboring enemy races and acquired more land for Qi.

This selfless behavior led the hunters to believe that Zhang Lie had become attached to Qi, but that was wrong. Now that they had disgusted him with their shameless begging, he didn't want to remain in Qi any longer.

When they heralded him as a champion of mankind, they had expected him to provide selflessly for humanity, particularly for the hunters of Qi, but Zhang Lie had never agreed to this. He wasn't a champion of mankind, and he had no intentions to become one.

Zhang Lie was free to roam the second realm as he pleased; he had rescued Qi out of a sense of responsibility as a fellow human, not because of the hunters of Qi.

Furthermore, Zhang Lie already had his own plans in mind.

As the hunters in Qi watched him leave, they couldn't help but curse themselves for what they had done, succumbing to their greed and spurning Zhang Lie from Qi. Only when he had left did they realize the serious error they had committed.

Someone chased after him and asked, "Where are you going? You won't be able to do anything if you leave Qi! How are you going to get back to the real world?"

"That's none of your business." Zhang Lie snorted as he left a horde of screaming hunters behind.

"Come back!"

"Get back here!"

"Champion of mankind, come back! Qi needs you!" the hunters shouted.

"Don't desert us, champion!"

"Champion, Zhang Lie, we were wrong, we shouldn't have spurned you!"

No matter how they yelled, Zhang Lie didn't turn back.

As he headed out of Qi, however, he found Xiao Zhengyang standing in his way, a smile on his face. "You've forgotten something."

Zhang Lie frowned. "Do you want to prevent me from leaving, too?"

"No, I'm simply here to hand you something you left behind." Xiao Zhengyang motioned for Zhou Ming to carry a large parcel over.

Zhang Lie's eyes brightened. "The teleportation apparatus?"

"How else would you build your own city or return to Earth?"

"You aren't going to stop me?"

"Why should I?" Xiao Zhengyang pointed behind him. "It was those fools who chased you away. I know I can't make you stay, so why bother trying?"