Chapter 477 8: I Only Know My Rules

SWISH!

Beside the stone buildings of Mountain City, a silver Qi Flame arrow shot across the sky, arriving with fierce momentum.

It was as fast as a streaming light, as swift as lightning.

Although it was merely an illusory Qi Flame, it had condensed into a tangible form. Like an arrow forged from alloy, it pierced the air like a dragon, flashing directly into view.

WHOOSH!

The piercing sound of the projectile tearing through the air made Yan Zhengfeng and the others' eardrums sting, their expressions changing drastically.

In a mere fraction of a breath, the silver arrow pierced through all obstacles and arrived right in front of Lu Chao.

It was about to strike him.

CLANG!

The ring of a blade echoed, reverberating through the vast sky.

From the convoy behind them, a streak of black light flashed like a meteor, landing firmly in Lu Chao's right hand.

In the next instant...

CLANG!

A crisp sound echoed, like the clash of metal weapons.

The iron-solid Qi Flame arrow was blocked by the black Ink Blade, and a series of CRACKING sounds emanated from the blade's surface.

The blade visibly trembled, as if struck by heavy artillery.

Several wisps of white air exploded in the surrounding void, kicking up a turbulent gust of wind.

"This..."

The situation completely exceeded everyone's expectations. Even Yan Zhengfeng's pupils shrank.

The lingering shockwaves stirred up dust and debris, stinging their eyes.

That solid Qi Flame arrow was undoubtedly a Transcendence Level technique. The Qi Flame had truly materialized, packing formidable power.

But how did Special Commissioner Chen's black blade appear?

"Qi-guided Object Manipulation?"

Before they could react, a surprised voice rang out from afar.

The crowd barely recovered their senses and turned to look at the source of the Qi Flame arrow.

Looking straight into the distance, several warlord commanders appeared at the entrance of a stone building hundreds of meters away, Superpower Level auras flashing by.

Standing in the center, Lu Weilong wore a military-green general's overcoat. His raised right hand hovered in midair as he locked eyes with Lu Chao from hundreds of meters away.

"Qi-guided Object Manipulation?"

Hearing his words clearly, Yan Zhengfeng and the other warlord commanders were all shocked, subconsciously repeating the phrase.

Qi-guided Object Manipulation was rumored to be a state only achievable when one's mastery over weapons reached an extremely high realm. By focusing one's mind, a combat weapon could be summoned through the air within a certain distance, ready to defend its master at any time.

"Yoo~~"

Inside the black sedan, Ghost Element let out a soft hum. As if understanding their murmurs, it stretched out. Its ruby-red eyes flashed slightly, hiding all its merits and achievements.

Lu Chao offered no explanation. He simply flicked his blade in silence.

BANG!

The Qi Flame arrow hovering before him violently shuddered, disintegrating and dissipating into the air.

He met Lu Weilong's gaze across the distance, lightly wiping the blade as he said, "Is this Mr. Lu's way of treating guests?"

As his voice faded, the atmosphere grew heavy.

Seeing him so effortlessly deflect a Transcendence Level strike, everyone was secretly astonished, even though they knew Lu Weilong had held back considerably.

"Of course not." Lu Weilong recovered his wits, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes. Feigning shame, he said, "Special Commissioner Chen has traveled a long way and must be exhausted.

"I originally instructed Yan Xiong to host you properly and avoid any offense. I never expected him to commit such a blunder. Speaking of which, this is my fault."

At this point, his tone deepened, suppressing his emotions as much as possible without showing the slightest hint of anger. In just a few words, he put on a self-righteous facade, acting as if he were taking the blame out of loyalty.

Hearing this, Yan Zhengfeng and the others frowned, finding him difficult to deal with. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell this was orchestrated by him, yet now he had completely washed his hands of it.

Lu Chao also narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the man.

A reckless, domineering warlord leader was not terrifying. It was this kind of deeply scheming, smiling tiger that was the hardest to handle.

"Therefore." Lu Weilong suddenly smiled, leading his men forward on his own accord. Cupping his hands, he said, "I ask Special Commissioner Chen to do me a small favor and show mercy.

"Yan Xiong is, after all, one of the leaders of our Fortress Mountain City. Although he is at fault, his crime does not warrant death.

"The rules here are ultimately a bit different from Alliance Country laws... What do you say, Special Commissioner Chen?"

His words sounded sincere, but anyone could hear the underlying meaning, pressing forward step by step.

In that instant, Lu Chao sensed a faint malice.

Within his line of sight, even the second leader, Xiao Chen, who was at odds with Lu Weilong, chose to remain silent. Although the other warlord commanders had varying expressions, their hidden malice and wait-and-see attitudes were clearly reflected in Lu Chao's heart.

Except, of course, for that familiar figure he was finally seeing again.

"Never mind."

Lu Chao seemingly casually withdrew his gaze, forcibly suppressing the urge to acknowledge Brother Hao.

He then looked down at his feet. Yan Xiong was bleeding from his seven orifices, severely injured and on the verge of death. However, the man was still awake, not unconscious. His venomous resentment and malicious desire for revenge were clearly perceived, lingering unmistakably.

"Mr. Lu is absolutely right...

"I really don't quite understand the rules of Fortress Mountain City."

He nodded, his face devoid of emotion, seemingly backing down.

Mistakenly believing that Lu Chao intended to let the matter go, a hint of patronizing control flashed in Lu Weilong's eyes, his inner wariness gradually replaced by mockery.

"Special Commissioner Chen is indeed magnanimous. Since that's the case, then please—"

"However, I do know..." Lu Chao looked up, meeting his gaze.

SQUELCH!

The black blade swung, and blood sprayed. Yan Xiong's head rolled onto the ground with a THUD.

"...my rules."

Gazes froze in astonishment. Whether it was the warlord commanders or the second leader Xiao Chen, their eyes were wide with disbelief.

Even Brother Hao, who stood to the side smoking like an uninvolved bystander, paused his movements, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes as he looked at Lu Chao.

BUZZ!

Suddenly, an invisible aura enveloped the surrounding streets.

The smile on Lu Weilong's face gradually faded, morphing into an expression of cold indifference. His presence, which was nearing the Peak Transcendence Level, was extraordinarily powerful, instantly freezing the nearby air. Even Yan Zhengfeng, who was at the Peak of Limit-Breaking, felt a psychological suppression. Breathing became difficult, and an inexplicable fear of confronting a higher form of life rose within him.

CLANG!

However, the ring of a blade sounded. Lu Chao stood steadily in place, stepping on Yan Xiong's headless corpse.

The blood on the blade evaporated and vanished. Staring at Lu Weilong, he said, "If Mr. Lu wishes to start a war, our Alliance Country is ready to oblige at any time.

"After all, the wilderness is vast, and Fortress Mountain City isn't the only one out there."

Hearing this, Xiao Chen and the others' expressions changed slightly, naturally catching his uncompromising stance.

The Alliance Country indeed did not want the warlords running amok and affecting the decisive battle with the Rebels. But if pushed too far, they would simply pay the price to prop up new warlord leaders, or even amass a large army and go to war directly.

For a moment, the atmosphere shifted. Lu Weilong's eyes flickered with various emotions. Hesitation, fury, reluctance... Lu Chao clearly sensed it all.

His face remained calm, devoid of any worry.

The Alliance Country, with its army of a million strong, was his greatest source of confidence. Not to mention, he could hold his own against the Transcendence Level, so he naturally did not fear these so-called warlord factions.

The other party wanted to show him who was in charge, but he had similar intentions to seize the initiative in the negotiations. As for the worst-case scenario, it would be nothing more than a massacre.

"Special Commissioner Chen truly possesses great courage," Lu Weilong spoke in a deep voice, his face gloomy and rather unsightly.

Lu Chao's confidence made him feel a trace of pressure, and the words 'Alliance Country' carried exceptional weight.

After hesitating for a few breaths, he gradually reined in his Transcendence Level aura, ultimately choosing to take a step back.

"Yan Xiong indeed acted recklessly and domineeringly. Since he dared to attack an Alliance Country commissioner, his death is well-deserved." He changed his tune, his face returning to its usual expression. He then stepped aside and gestured, "Then, please.

"Special Commissioner Chen."

CLINK!

Sheathing the Ink Blade, Lu Chao shot him a glance. His gaze swept over the Mountain City civilians, whose faces were numb yet quietly blooming with hope.

He stepped forward, stepping over Yan Xiong's headless corpse, and led his team onward as he said, "Alright.

"Let me see just how much sincerity Fortress Mountain City has."

***

Ten-odd minutes later, a negotiation meeting began.

Material aid, mine surveying, and certain production technologies—these were the Alliance Country's promises to Fortress Mountain City. In exchange, the various warlords of Fortress Mountain City had to agree to the Alliance Country stationing a military unit there.

This point caused numerous disputes during the negotiations, which were ultimately put on hold.

An hour later, dedicated personnel guided Lu Chao and his team to a concrete building to rest.

"Too arrogant!

"These Alliance Country people are far too arrogant, actually daring to station an army in our Mountain City! Even if it's just a thousand men, it cannot be tolerated!"

"Exactly! And they even killed Mr. Yan. How is this a negotiation? They clearly want to start a war!"

Inside the stone building's conference hall, most of the warlord commanders had chosen to stay behind, including Xiao Chen, who sat on one side of the long sand table with his eyes slightly narrowed.

Someone spoke in a deep voice, filled with anger. The Rock Mountain Army faction, in particular, felt a sense of shared grief and the sorrow of losing their backing.

"General Yan was, after all, one of the leaders of our Mountain City. That man is completely despising our Mountain City's rules."

"That's right, Mr. Lu. You have to seek justice for General Yan."

Amidst the chorus of voices, everyone's eyes turned toward the head of the long sand table.

The smile on Lu Weilong's face had long since vanished.

"I will handle this matter," he spoke in a deep tone, revealing little emotion.

Hearing this, although the crowd had their own thoughts, they didn't dare press the issue further.

"In addition, there are many threats in the wilderness on the west side of Mountain City. The stationed Rock Mountain Army cannot go a day without a leader." Lu Weilong suddenly pointed at a trusted commander at the Exploration Level beside him, directly appointing him. "Starting today, Kui Wu will take over as the leader of the Rock Mountain Army. What do you all think?"

Although it sounded like a normal inquiry, everyone present knew that the Rock Mountain Army had long since become a faction under his control. No one dared to object, except for one.

"I actually think Oak is quite suitable." Xiao Chen suddenly spoke up, pointing to a man in the Rock Mountain Army. "He is already the vice leader of the Rock Mountain Army. It's only right that he takes over this position."

The Caucasian man named Oak revealed a faint smile upon hearing this.

Lu Weilong shot him a glance, then looked at Xiao Chen. "Is that so?

"Xiao, then why not pick a date and have him compete with Kui Wu? The winner will take over as the leader. What do you say?"

Oh?

Seeing that he didn't get angry and had uncharacteristically agreed, Xiao Chen pondered for a moment before finally nodding and accepting the proposal.

The group of warlords gradually departed, exiting the hall. Their distant chatter drifted back into the room.

The impact of the negotiations was not small. Some wavered, wanting to make a fortune, while others wanted to seize the opportunity to defect and choose a new master.

Lu Weilong's eyes flickered as he sat alone in his seat, watching the backs of the departing crowd. He first glanced at Chen Junhao, who had remained mostly silent the entire time, noting how the man kept his distance from the warlords of other factions, as if wanting to stay out of the fray.

He smiled mockingly, thinking to himself that the man was just a toothless tiger.

Finally, shaking his head, he shifted his gaze and stared continuously at Xiao Chen, who was flanked by several commanders, leaving in a dignified manner.

"Mr. Lu, why do I feel like the second leader is getting somewhat close to the Alliance Country?" His trusted aide, Kui Wu, stood behind him and asked in a low voice. He hadn't forgotten the second leader Xiao Chen's verbal obstruction just now.

Lu Weilong let out a cold smile and said disdainfully, "He is getting old and wants to wash his hands of this business."

"Then how do you see..."

"I have my own ways to deal with this." Pausing for a moment, he looked at Kui Wu and asked, "Also, how are your arrangements for the mine in the east coming along?"

"Rest assured, sir," the man named Kui Wu nodded. "Those fools from the Red Flame Army are incredibly stupid. Since the last attack, they're still the same; nothing has changed.

"I have already made the arrangements. We will send men to launch another night raid on that mine, giving them no Anning. In the end, they will know better and come begging for your protection."

"Mhm." Hearing this, Lu Weilong nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand. "Go.

"Don't worry about the Rock Mountain Army position. It can only belong to you."

"Yes, sir."

As his response fell, Kui Wu beamed with joy, bowing as he retreated.

Quietly, Lu Weilong was the only one left in the stone building's hall. He glanced at the Mountain City buildings outside, thinking of the events from earlier in the day.

Alliance Country?

Special Commissioner?

Lu Chao's blatant disrespect flashed in his mind's eye, along with Xiao Chen's rebuttal, and the ulterior motives of the third leader, Chen Junhao.

"Heh."

With a cold laugh, murderous intent glinted in his eyes. These people had forgotten their place.

Fortress Mountain City would forever belong to him and him alone!

Once his plans were in place, no matter who they were, they would all have to pay the price.