Chapter 273 - 13: Cattle and Sheep Form Herds, Fierce Beasts Walk Alone

There were men and women, most of them captains from the Superpower Bureau. They were chatting and laughing, having apparently arranged to come train together.

Suddenly, their eyes met.

Lu Chao saw Xu Wei and several other elites from the East Port circle.

Even Captain Lin Yuan, who was also from Team Four, had joined them at some point.

The atmosphere fell silent as the newcomers’ chatter and laughter died away.

Lin Yuan looked a little awkward. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but seemed to hold back and remained silent.

STEP, STEP!

Amid the footsteps, the captains from the East Port circle gave Lu Chao a dispassionate, once-over look, their expressions mostly dismissive as they walked past.

They exchanged no greetings, brushing past each other like strangers.

Finally.

Lu Chao entered the elevator alone, and the metal doors slid shut.

As the floor number on the display changed, Lin Yuan averted his gaze, a hint of unease in his eyes.

"People strive for better things, just as water flows downward."

Noticing his expression and guessing his thoughts, Xu Wei frowned. "Don’t tell me you want to end up like Sun Jiayuan and Lu Chao, stuck in that little circle of outcasts?"

A flicker of conflict crossed Lin Yuan’s eyes at her question.

The higher one progressed within the Elite Level, the more difficult it became, and the more resources it consumed.

He came from a minor city circle and lacked access to resources, so his only hope was the Superpower Bureau.

But missions with high contributions and rewards were often incredibly difficult, achievable only through collaboration led by captains from the East Port and Yao Capital circles.

His team had been ranked among the lowest for a long time. If things kept on like this, it wasn’t just the complaints from his subordinates he had to worry about; the missed opportunities for resources and contributions alone were enough to leave a bitter taste.

"That’s more like it."

Seeing he had come to the right conclusion, Xu Wei nodded in satisfaction.

’It’s not like I didn’t want to make it on my own back in the day,’ she thought.

’But harsh reality taught me that some things are just set from the start.’

She suppressed the stray thought and gestured toward the group from the East Port circle a few steps ahead, deliberately lowering her voice. "I had to pull a lot of strings to get them to include you this time."

"Just follow my lead for now. Once you get to know them better, you’ll have a shot at those high-contribution missions too."

"Besides..."

She glanced at the descending numbers on the elevator display and gave a subtle smile. "Jiang Hua is getting close to the Superpower Level."

"Getting on his good side now will be a huge help to you later on."

...

「Noon, that same day.」

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting halos of light across the office desk.

Ignoring the gossip outside, Lu Chao finished his training, changed into a fresh set of casual clothes, and headed to the captain’s office.

"Those people have such big mouths."

"I swear, one of these days I’m going to rip their mouths right off."

Chen Xiao stood in the office, looking annoyed, as he bustled about helping Lu Chao sort through some files.

Lu Chao just smiled, signaling that it was no big deal.

He knew Chen Xiao was talking about the other members of the Superpower Teams who had been whispering about him.

As the two were making small talk,

STEP, STEP!

The sound of hurried footsteps approached. Someone burst into the office without even knocking.

It was Gao Hu, who had been transferred back to the city several days ago. He was dressed in a crisp vice-captain’s uniform, his face fierce with bulging eyes and a sallow complexion.

"Captain Lu."

He called out, his face etched with anxiety.

The room fell quiet. Chen Xiao quickly took the hint and left, leaving the two of them alone in the office.

"What is it?"

Lu Chao asked with a small smile, already knowing the answer.

Gao Hu looked older than his years. Though he was only in his twenties, he appeared to be over thirty, with a rugged, weather-beaten look that spoke of a hard life.

Lu Chao had deliberately avoided him for the past few days, making this their first meeting since Gao Hu was transferred back.

"Captain Lu..."

Unaware of what was on Lu Chao’s mind, Gao Hu spoke in an urgent, pleading tone. "The guys in the buffer zone are waiting for me. I need to get back there."

"The Iron Sand group finally slipped up. I can’t rest until we catch them..."

His voice was filled with determination.

The buffer zone was more dangerous, and it offered no time for proper rest or training.

But he was desperate to return to the front lines, to lead his team in pursuit of the warlord’s thugs.

It wasn’t just about the Fifth Team’s mission contribution rankings; it was about avenging their fallen former captain.

The office fell silent. Out in the hallway, Chen Xiao, Wang Dali, and the others exchanged glances and instinctively quieted their footsteps.

Finally.

"Vice Captain Gao."

Inside the office, Lu Chao met his gaze, taking in the desperation and pleading in Gao Hu’s eyes. "How have you been resting since you got back?" he asked suddenly.

Gao Hu froze.

It took him a few seconds to realize that he was brimming with energy. The exhaustion from days without sleep was completely gone.

Before he could fully process it, Lu Chao suddenly rose and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Bathed in the sunlight, his shadow stretched long across the office floor.

"I’ve been looking into what happened to Captain Zheng ever since the day I took this position."

"The fact that the Fifth Team is so well-disciplined today is part of the legacy he left for all of us."

His tone was even as he gazed out at the bustling high-rises, his eyes fixed on the distant entrance to the underground city plaza. "So, avenging Captain Zheng is not your personal crusade."

"It belongs to all of us in the Fifth Team."

WHUM!

The words struck Gao Hu like a physical blow. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at Lu Chao’s back.

Then, Lu Chao turned around, his expression solemn. "Since you’re rested and ready to get back in the fight, I’ll authorize you to take another team to the buffer zone."