Master of Nine Stars

The small, slender figure in the rat-head mask moved with terrifying speed. He drove a knee hard into one fugitive’s back while the staff in his hand extended endlessly, crashing down hard on another fugitive’s head.

"We’re still missing one... Oh, no we’re not," Gao Lingwei said, her tone shifting mid-sentence. In her line of sight, a figure in a snake-head mask emerged from behind a tree, drawn by the sound. She was carrying a poacher, his life and death uncertain.

"Excellent!" Yin Hu’s heart was filled with admiration, and he let out a heavy sigh.

The deeper the night, the stronger the wind, the heavier the snow, the stronger Gao Lingwei became!

Gao Lingwei could simply stand before her target and flick out a mask, and the desperately fleeing criminal wouldn’t even realize it!

With their vision obstructed, the fugitive’s full attention was on the pursuers behind them. By the time the fugitive discovered the mask, it was all over...

’She’s a perfect fit for the Twelfth Squad. She was born for it!’

’I have to get her on the team! I have to!!!’

With every passing second, Gao Lingwei’s performance only deepened Yin Hu’s desire for this exceptional talent.

"Auntie She, we meet again," Gao Lingwei said softly.

"Heh, Ling Wei, if you don’t come closer, I can’t see you." A slightly hoarse female voice drifted through the wind and snow.

Snake was dragging a fugitive by the head with one hand. She took two steps forward before she could make out the others who had gathered around.

Snake gave Yin Hu a slight nod before looking back at Gao Lingwei. She smiled. "Congratulations on realizing your dream."

"It’s still early. This is just the Outer League," Gao Lingwei said, knowing what Snake was referring to.

Rong Taotao knew that Gao Lingwei and Snake had some history. The first time the Twelfth Squad requisitioned Gao Lingwei for a mission outside the three walls, Snake had been by Gao Lingwei’s side the entire time.

This was also the second time Rong Taotao had seen Snake. The first time had been in Snow Forest 27, just outside this wall, right after the New Year.

During that first meeting, Snake had openly teased Gao Lingwei, asking Rong Taotao if he was the one Gao Lingwei was thinking about day and night while on missions.

"That sneak attack of yours was a surprise. You even gave me a fright!" The small, slender figure in the rat-head mask knocked the fugitive unconscious while cuffing him, looking up at Gao Lingwei.

Judging by the sound of his voice, he wasn’t young.

Gao Lingwei just nodded without speaking.

Snake turned to Yin Hu. "Chenlong said Cold Flower’s squad has been taken care of. You killed the ones you needed to and captured the rest?"

"Haha," Yin Hu chuckled. "You were on missions with Gao Lingwei for several months. Do I really need to spell out how effective she is?"

"Heh." Snake was quite the character; she wasn’t intimidated by Fu Tiance, and she certainly wasn’t scared of Yin Hu either. She smiled. "You should just give up that mask when it’s time. You need to focus on what’s important to solve this. Once a certain someone joins the squad, Ling Wei will follow."

Rong Taotao blinked. ’These Great Gods... uh, why are they just chatting now?’

’Snap out of it! All of you!’

’We’re in the middle of a mission!’

"What’s the status?" Suddenly, Rong Yang’s voice sounded in his mind.

Rong Taotao replied, "Got all three of them. What’s your status? Give me your position."

Rong Yang’s voice returned, "It’s over. There was only one leader, Cold Flower. The squad you guys caught was the main poacher team. The one we were chasing was just the rearguard, meant to draw your fire."

Rong Taotao pursed his lips, looked at Yin Hu, and said, "My brother says they’re finished on their end too."

"Good, let’s wrap it up," Yin Hu nodded.

Gao Lingwei suddenly spoke up, "Is the mission over? Can we return to Qianshan Pass?"

Yin Hu asked, "Are you in a hurry to go back?"

Gao Lingwei pressed her lips together. "I’m on the verge of breaking through to the next Minor Rank. It could happen any moment. If the mission is over..."

"Oh? That’s great news! I’ll make a note of your performance and contributions for this mission when I get back." Yin Hu glanced around. "Ugly Ox and Wu Ma, you two will escort the teachers and students back to Qianshan Pass. Then return to Hundred Corps Pass and regroup with the main force."

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes, sir!"

As he spoke, Yin Hu suddenly extended his hand toward Rong Taotao.

Rong Taotao, not understanding why, reached out and shook it.

Yin Hu’s hand was large and thick, and his grip was a bit strong. "Remember, my promise to you still stands."

As he said this, Yin Hu raised his other hand and tapped his tiger-head mask.

"Oh..."

Gao Lingwei, however, did something very rare and stepped forward, extending her own hand.

Yin Hu smiled, let go of Rong Taotao’s hand, and shook Gao Lingwei’s.

Gao Lingwei said, "I haven’t had a chance to ask your name."

Yin Hu replied, "Chen Bingxun. You can just call me Captain Chen."

Rong Taotao couldn’t help but crack a grin. ’Tsk tsk... that’s quite a name. Full of high aspirations and no small amount of ambition.’

’He thought a name like Fu Tiance was already grand enough, and now here comes a Chen Bingxun...’

Gao Lingwei said, "Thank you for your guidance and support, Captain Chen. I look forward to our next mission together."

"You’re a reservist, so you should live a normal school life. We try not to interfere. But as long as you’re within the Third Wall, we’ll have missions together again." Chen Bingxun released her hand at the opportune moment and turned to Xia Fangran and Li Lie. "Since all the fugitives are in custody, we won’t keep you two teachers from your students."

"Ah, sounds good." Xia Fangran nodded immediately, looking utterly relieved.

Li Lie, however, looked at Yin Hu with a smile. "We’re northwest of Qianshan Pass, at the Pine Soul Soul Martial assessment site #0. If you have any free time in the next two months, come visit with some liquor."

"Haha." Yin Hu laughed heartily, seeming to be in an excellent mood, and nodded repeatedly.

Rong Taotao suddenly blurted out, "Bring extra peanuts! All I have are chocolate bars, and Coach Li says they don’t pair well, so he’s just been drinking by himself~"

"You brat." Li Lie clamped a hand on Rong Taotao’s head and messed up his hair, then summoned his Snow Night Shock. He unceremoniously threw Rong Taotao sideways onto its back before vaulting up behind him.

"Bye-bye," Rong Taotao hurriedly waved at the group. After the Snow Night Shock darted forward a few meters, he couldn’t see their figures anymore.

’Ugh, this is infuriating!’

’What’s gotten into Coach Li? I don’t want to ride with you!’

’Look at Hu Bugui, it’s dying for me to ride it...’

Rong Taotao, lying sideways on the horse’s back, lifted his head and looked pitifully at Gao Lingwei, who was catching up on her horse from behind.

Seeing this, Gao Lingwei’s mood seemed to improve quite a bit. A hint of a smile appeared on her face as she urged her horse forward and extended her hand.

Rong Taotao thought she was going to pull him over to her. But to his surprise, the corners of Gao Lingwei’s mouth turned up slightly. She pushed aside his outstretched arm, and with one hand, gently tidied Rong Taotao’s floppy natural curls, and then...

’Then she just left!’

’Just left!!!’

"Well, well? Who’s this? Isn’t it the excellent student Rong Taotao?" On his other side, Xia Fangran rode up close. Now that the mission was over, the gossiper started his chattering. "What’s wrong? Your partner doesn’t want you anymore? Thrown aside?"

With a pained expression, Rong Taotao said, "Well, just look at who my teacher is. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it~"

Xia Fangran: ???

"Hahahaha!" Li Lie roared with laughter, grabbing Rong Taotao by his belt and holding him out to Xia Fangran. "Here, you want to teach him a lesson?"

"The hell I will! Give him to whoever you want!" Xia Fangran grumbled, then kicked his horse’s flanks and bolted forward.

Rong Taotao was once again pressed against the horse’s back in front of Li Lie, his face full of resentment.

’Damn it all, you’re picking on a kid!’

’You’re just bullying me because I don’t have a Snow Night Shock!’

’It’s unrealistic to wait for my Cloud Dog to grow up. I’ll just have to hope my Snow General Candle grows up fast, to like two-point-four or two-point-five meters tall. Then I can ride on his neck... eh? Hold on!’

’Apart from its helmet, armor, cape, and armored boots, which are made of solid Shuangxue, Snow General Candle’s body is ethereal. It can even maintain a state of dispersed frost-mist.’

’So... once Rong Ling gets a little bigger, could I slip inside its armor and merge with its body?’

’Ooh, now that’s an idea. I’ll have to ask Professor Wang Tianzhu when I get back...’

...

Recommending a friend’s novel, *The Man Behind the Empress*. I hear it’s a peculiar story about a man from the modern workplace and an ancient empress...