Master of Nine Stars

’What could be more satisfying than stirring the pot every now and then?’

...

Upon arriving in Songbai Town, Rong Yang left the team under Chen Bingxun’s strict orders to reunite with his lover.

With technical support from Miss Mao Rabbit, the Yin Hu, Dog, and Pig trio contacted Auntie She, who was stationed with the Snow Burning Corps company in Songbai Town.

Rong Taotao could only think about Merit Medals. Even though the Yin Hu, Dog, and Pig trio had already completed their mission the previous night—and a crucial part of it, at that—Rong Taotao was eager to do more. He immediately pleaded with Yin Hu to ask Auntie She if she had any other tasks for them.

Through his Invisible Headphones, Rong Taotao heard the entire conversation between Yin Hu and Auntie She.

When he heard that the prisoner under interrogation had just revealed another hideout outside the city, Rong Taotao stared at Yin Hu with wide, pleading eyes. He was practically about to go up and tug on his sleeve...

Chen Bingxun listened to Auntie She and replied, ”Alright, we’ll go investigate that cellar. Request backup and have a fully equipped team sent over.”

”Perfect!” Rong Taotao whispered, clenching his fists fiercely.

Setting aside the medals, Rong Taotao’s hatred for the Poacher organization had always been intense.

”Hah, let’s go.” Chen Bingxun glanced at Rong Taotao with a smile, then turned his horse and headed toward the south side of the city.

They had come from the north, so to reach the south, they had to cross the entire town.

Although the trio chose to stick to the edge of the city, even in the suburbs the streets were bustling with people and full of life.

As the transportation hub of the Snow Realm and the largest town in its northern region, Songbai Town was densely populated.

The New Year’s festival in Songbai Town was particularly renowned throughout the nation. Such a scene, filled with festive lanterns and a joyous atmosphere, was truly a beautiful sight.

For people like Rong Taotao, who survived in a harsh, bitterly cold land, the therapeutic effect of returning to the ”real world” was beyond what most could imagine.

Chen Bingxun suddenly remarked, ”This is good.”

”What is?” Rong Taotao asked, looking over with curiosity.

Chen Bingxun said, ”A lot happened last night, but the townspeople didn’t notice. Even if some did, it didn’t disrupt the town’s normal functions. For us, this is the best possible outcome.”

Rong Taotao nodded thoughtfully. ’He has a point,’ he thought.

If the streets were deserted and the townspeople were panicking, then no matter how great a victory the Snow Burning Corps and Soul Police achieved, no one would be able to enjoy the New Year.

Gao Lingwei spoke up, ”It’s a testament to the solid groundwork they do day in and day out. It makes it difficult for Poachers to gain a foothold here.”

Rong Taotao asked, ”How so?”

Gao Lingwei pulled her scarf up to cover the lower half of her face and gave an example. ”If the town’s butchers and firecracker vendors were all Poacher members, a lot of people would have been arrested last night, and the town wouldn’t be this lively today.”

”True enough,” Rong Taotao said with a smirk. ”Weren’t the ones who tried to assassinate us last year posing as tourists?

”If there were really that many Poachers in the city, the Qian Organization wouldn’t need to go to all the trouble of sneaking people in from the outside.”

Rong Taotao felt a surge of happiness as he spoke.

’This time, the Qian Organization is going to take a massive hit. They might even be completely wiped out! We’re definitely going to have a great New Year this year!’

Brimming with excitement, Rong Taotao met up with a newly arrived 20-man team from the Snow Burning Corps. Gao Lingwei summoned her Snowball Cat and went into search mode.

The Yin Hu, Dog, and Pig trio left the town and, guided by the Snow Burning Corps, ventured deep into the old-growth forest.

Gao Lingwei said softly, ”There’s a lookout over there.”

Chen Bingxun asked in a low voice, ”How many?”

”Just one.”

Chen Bingxun said, ”Take another, closer look.”

Gao Lingwei replied, ”I’m sure.”

After a moment’s thought, Chen Bingxun gave the order, ”Give Pig Pupil Sharing. Use the Snow Ghost Hand to capture him alive. Try not to alert the others.”

At Gao Lingwei’s command, Rong Taotao received the Snowball Cat’s vision and spotted a figure hundreds of meters away, lying prone in the thick snow, incredibly well-hidden.

’This Snowball Cat’s vision is fucking god-tier!’

’No wonder the Poachers want Gao Lingwei dead...’

And this was in broad daylight. If it had been nighttime... the lookout probably wouldn’t have noticed a thing. He could’ve been sitting there, bored out of his mind, and he would have been dead before he knew it.

Even in broad daylight, the lookout had little chance to react. The group moved without pause, not even bothering to search. They knew the exact location and advanced with incredible speed, making a beeline straight for their target...

THWUMP!

An exquisite Snow Ghost Hand erupted from the snow. Its massive palm clamped down on the lookout’s head, enveloping it completely. He couldn’t even scream, only able to make muffled whimpers as his mouth and nose were covered.

When the scout was thrown viciously into the snow, he finally gasped for breath, only to look up and see more than twenty large horses and the twenty-odd members of the Snow Burning Corps glaring down at him like tigers.

The situation... was pretty hopeless.

The man’s mouth hung open, his face a mask of utter despair.

Yin Hu, mounted on his towering Snow Night Shock, looked down at the scout on the ground. He tossed a pair of handcuffs onto the snow, his piercing eyes locking onto the man’s. ”Live,” he said.

’That’s right, live.’

’If he provides enough intel and cooperates, maybe he’ll even get out of this...’

The scout, trembling under Yin Hu’s powerful aura, slowly lowered his head. He picked up the handcuffs and put them on his own wrists.

Rong Taotao: !!!

’Can someone really be that intimidating?’

’That was so cool! I have to try that!’

Yin Hu asked, ”How many people?”

”S-six... seven,” the scout stammered, his head bowed. ”One person is out and hasn’t returned. There are six more inside. One Soul Captain and five Soul Warriors.”

”Hah.” Yin Hu sneered, looking at the man with contempt. ”You’re certainly cut out to be a scout.”

Rong Taotao whispered, ”Captain Chen?”

”Hm?” Yin Hu turned his head. His expression softened considerably when he saw it was Rong Taotao—one of his own, after all.

Rong Taotao requested, ”Could I be the one to go in first...?”

A slight smile touched Yin Hu’s lips. He considered it for a moment, then said, ”Alright.”

”Brothers, can I borrow some handcuffs? Six pairs,” Rong Taotao said as he dismounted. He started asking the Snow Burning Corps soldiers behind him for the cuffs, all the while muttering, ”Live... live...”

Yin Hu: ???

’Is this kid rehearsing his lines right now?’

Holding the six pairs of handcuffs, Rong Taotao raised his left hand. A Snow Ghost Hand erupted from the snow, grabbed his ankle, and flung him through the air in a perfect parabola, sending him crashing down toward a patch of snow!

A Snow Burst Ball rapidly formed in Rong Taotao’s hand. He aimed it at the snowbank, and it exploded with a BANG!

The wooden planks beneath the snow splintered with a loud CRACK, and Rong Taotao crashed right into the cellar, scaring the daylights out of everyone hidden inside!

’Whoa, this cellar is pretty nice. Looks like a dorm room, with tables, beds and all...’

Holding the six pairs of handcuffs in his right hand, Rong Taotao tossed them onto the floor. His gaze swept over the stunned and shaken group as he said in a solemn voice, ”Live.”

The group: ”...”

Rong Taotao: ”...”

The two sides stared at each other. The cellar descended into a dead silence, broken only by the specks of frost and snow drifting through the air.

So awkward!

Rong Taotao didn’t make the first move, and the Poachers didn’t dare to act rashly. They had obviously recognized him.

The man who had taken first place in the Outer Region and won the national championship had to have defeated peak Soul Captains to climb that high. What’s more, Rong Taotao now had a legendary reputation as the man who’d fought the Eight Great Coins in a life-or-death struggle...

And among these six, the strongest was merely a Soul Captain, far from his peak.

Of course, his reputation was only part of it. The real reason for the silence was a combination of factors. Rong Taotao’s thunderous entrance, literally falling from the sky, had truly terrified them all.

Rong Taotao scratched his head, a pained look on his face. ’This isn’t how it was supposed to go, is it?’

’Looks like Yin Hu’s method doesn’t work for me,’ he thought. ’I’ve got to do things my own way.’

With this in mind, Rong Taotao put on a sorrowful expression and said, ”Surrender, Poachers. You’re surrounded by the Snow Burning Corps.”

WHOOSH...

Gao Lingwei landed behind him, still a little worried about him.

Standing just behind him, Gao Lingwei had on her red Patterned Mask. Her eyes narrowed, sweeping over the group before glancing at the scattered handcuffs on the floor. Then, she slowly drew her Great Xia Dragon Sparrow.

GULP. A woman swallowed hard, thoroughly intimidated by the Frost Fearful Face. She took a trembling step forward and picked up a pair of handcuffs from the floor.

Once the first one moved, a second followed.

Rong Taotao turned his head and shot Gao Lingwei a look of mock betrayal.

The mask on Gao Lingwei’s face immediately dissipated, and to avoid frightening him, she offered an encouraging smile.

Rong Taotao: ”...”