GDK 788: Exceed the quota
Ralph left in a dark face. After his figure had completely disappeared from the party, Aobashi put on a big smile and said, “Well done, Bryan!”
Aobashi and Erebus did not get along well with Ralph. It was easy to see why they would be supportive of Han Shuo’s actions. As soon as Ralph left, they started praising Han Shuo.
“Bryan, this Ralph has always been an arrogant one. Don’t take the matter too seriously.” consoled Erebus. He then let out a light groan and said, “His Second Corps have gotten on top of me for too long. I will make sure that it won’t happen again!”
“Save it. Your Third Corps is no match against him. The Second Corps is formidable in team combat strength. If my First Corps have no confidence in defeating them, what hope would your Third Corps have?” said Aobashi in a sweet smile. She clearly did not feel that Erebus’ divine guards could defeat Ralph’s.
The Divine Guard Chiefs of the City of Shadows knew each other’s strengths well. Their divine guards had fought against each other in the centennial competition many times and they knew their level of strength. It was clear to Aobashi that Erebus’ divine guards were hopeless against those of Ralph’s.
“Bryan, that Ralph is not easy to handle. But as we are all Divine Guard Chiefs, he wouldn’t dare give you any trouble in private. Don’t take what happened just now too seriously. His main goal in coming here is to diminish our morale while trying to learn about our situation. When it’s time to fight, I will make sure to give him a beating!” Aobashi said to Han Shuo.
Han Shuo nodded smilingly. He knew that both Aobashi and Erebus had taken his claims as nothing more than conceited, nonsensical words just to infuriate Ralph. The two did not feel that Han Shuo’s Fifth Corps had any chance of defeating Ralph’s Second Corps.
Soon after that, Han Shuo decided he had enough chit-chat for the day and left the party.
Carmelita followed him out cheerfully. As soon as they have left Aobashi and Erebus, she remarked, “Bryan, you really are discreet about revealing your strength!”
Han Shuo had never demonstrated his mighty strength to Carmelita the entire time. Although Andre and Wallace had shared a few things with her and she had learned about Han Shuo giving Portlem a beating back at the banquet hall in Celestial Pearl, Carmelita had never seen Han Shuo in action and therefore never really treated Han Shuo as an expert of equal class.
But finally now, Carmelita had witnessed with her own eyes how Han Shuo forced Ralph to stumble backward with one little punch. It was very surprising to her considering that Ralph’s strength was one realm above hers!
Carmelita suddenly caught a cheerful mood for no apparent reason. She recalled the time they first met and thought that no wonder Han Shuo had managed to survive and even rescue her from danger when all the divine guards were killed back in that treacherous mountain range.
It turned out that he was a formidable expert all along who had been concealing his true strength!
Not knowing how to respond to Carmelita’s pleasantly surprised gazes, Han Shuo forced a smile. He did not know how to explain it to Carmelita. Han Shuo could try to be frank and tell her that he only possessed lowgod strength back when he joined her mission in that mountain range. But if Han Shuo said so, not just Carmelita, but no one in the world would believe his words.
This was because no one on Elysium had ever managed to transcend from lowgod realm to highgod realm in such a short time!
“Carmelita, that Ralph really has an attitude. I did not expect that he wouldn’t even give you face!” said Han Shuo, trying to divert the topic.
Anger could immediately be seen on Carmelita who was about to ask Han Shuo about something. She replied, “That guy is totally a mad dog that my father keeps! He will bite at anyone he sees – as long as the person is not my father. But no one can disagree that the fella has outstanding strength and is very capable. Even his Second Corps divine guards are astonishing in strength. He always manages to somehow solve all the difficult problems that the City faced. Therefore, even though he is as wild as a mad dog, his position in the City remain unmoved!”
Han Shuo had heard plenty of rumors about Ralph. Wallace the City Lord would assign some of the most dangerous, sensitive, and despicable missions critical to the City of Shadows to Ralph. And Ralph doesn’t disappoint the City Lord. He would achieve all the mission objectives as demanded of him. It was also because of this that Wallace trusted him more than any other Divine Guard Chiefs, so much so that Wallace would even dismiss Carmelita’s complaints against Ralph.
“Don’t worry, after the competition, Ralph will learn to behave himself!” Han Shuo put on an unruffled face and confidently said, “My Fifth Corps will defeat his Second Corps in the team competition!”
Carmelita was astonished to hear that assertion from Han Shuo. She did not know where that confidence of Han Shuo’s came from. Although Carmelita was skeptical of Han Shuo’s claim, as Han Shuo had taken a jab at Ralph for her just then, she did not express her doubts but patted on Han Shuo’s shoulders smilingly and said, “It’s down to you!”
Han Shuo nodded. Shortly after, the two separated. Han Shuo returned to the Fifth Corps campsite while Carmelita returned to the center region campsite where Wallace and Andre stayed.
*** Among a luxuriant forest in the southeast region of Soaring Cloud Mountain Range stood a large number of emerald green camps. They were the temporary shelters for the divine guards of the Second Corps.
Ralph flew back to his camp in a gloomy dark face. Upon his return, Kiffan, the Captain for the Company that will represent the Second Corps in the competition, stepped forward, bowed slightly, and asked, “What ails you, my Lord?”
Kiffan was an illegitimate child from a small family clan where he suffered endless years of abuse and torture. There was only hatred in his heart and malice in his mind. As boundless as his hate was, alone, he did not have enough power to make retribution. But things changed when he met his mentor. Ralph took him into his Second Corps for he saw the rage and thirst for blood in Kiffan’s eyes. He trained Kiffan and helped Kiffan exterminate the family clan that afflicted him all the agony. He watched as Kiffan slowly killed his own father.
After Ralph assisted Kiffan in getting his revenge, he fully submitted to Ralph and took Ralph as his master. He had been serving Ralph faithfully for countless years and went through fire and water for him. Kiffan was also responsible for training the new Second Corps recruits with extreme and insane methods. There was no regard given to their lives. At the cost of tremendous injuries and deaths, the Second Corps divine guards were transformed into bloodthirsty, deadly wild beasts.
“I have met that Chief of Fifth Corps – the one told in the rumors,” replied Ralph in a sinister voice.
A corner of Kiffan’s lips curled with icy disdain. He said, “That pharmacist from Celestial Pearl? What does he know? That guy should be making medicines in his room instead of managing the Fifth Corps! How foolish of him to even participate in this competition. He needs to learn his place! My Lord, have you taught him a lesson?”
Ralph’s face suddenly turned cold as though he recalled Han Shuo beating him back with one punch. Ralph replied in a cold, loud voice, “He declared that he will defeat our Second Corps and the Company you lead will lose to his!”
Kiffan was astounded. After a long while, he snapped out of the daze and put on a sinister smirk, “What a funny youngster. Our Second Corps has stood tall in the City of Shadows unchallenged for many years. Does he think he can surpass and unseat us right after becoming a Chief? How preposterous!”
“In every competition, every team is bound by a quota – a maximum number of casualties they can cause. Kiffan, when you are up against the Fifth Corps later in the competition, you may exceed the quota. I will handle all the repercussions!”
Kiffan was startled. He immediately knew that Ralph must truly be angered by that pharmacist from Celestial Pearl. Otherwise, Ralph would never have disobeyed Wallace’s command and asked him to kill more divine guards of the Fifth Guards than the rules allowed.
Kiffan was a blind follower of Ralph’s. His loyalty lied with Ralph and not with Wallace. Therefore, Kiffan did not object to Ralph’s instruction. He quickly recovered from the shock, nodded, and answered, “Understood, my Lord. Once the Fifth Corps ran into our path, I will make them pay the price for offending Your Lordship!”
“Excellent!” replied Ralph as his mood suddenly turned better. It was as though he could already smell the scent of blood of the Fifth Corps divine guards as they were being annihilated.
At the same time, over on the other side of the mountain range, Han Shuo put on a grim smile and said to himself, “So there is such a thing as a quota for casualties. Hehe, Ralph, O Ralph, let’s see who will have a higher number of casualties!”
Right away, Han Shuo gathered Sanguis, Gilbert, Bollands, and Barnard to give them a few secret instructions.
Three days later, the Seven Divine Guard Chiefs and their men assembled at the center region of the mountain range. Wallace and the patriarchs of all major family clans were present. At their center, on one of the viewing platforms, an enormous oval sand table was placed. The terrain of Soaring Cloud Mountain Range was reflected on the sand table. It was also filled with numerous markers and many red and blue lines.
Ralph had been gazing at Han Shuo with cold eyes ever since the moment Han Shuo showed up. The hostility in his eyes was not concealed at all. Wallace, Andre, and others noticed it and took note of it.
Han Shuo, meanwhile, completely ignored Ralph’s unfriendly gazes. He chatted with Aobashi and Erebus in low voices. They would laugh loudly or exclaim from time to time. Clearly, Han Shuo was not in the least affected by Ralph’s hostile gaze.
Andre gazes at Han Shuo and then at Ralph from his platform distance away. His brows creased slightly.
Wallace had been talking with the other three patriarchs of large family clans. Finally, he went onto the stage and raised one hand to gather the crowd’s attention. When everyone looked at him in silence, Wallace began by giving a motivational speech before leading the crowd to kowtow and pray to the Overgod of Darkness.
Every century, right before the competition begins, a simple ceremony to worship the Overgod of Darkness will be held. Everyone was used to it and they followed Wallace’s lead in kowtowing. Han Shuo, however, wasn’t too willing to do so. The Overgod of Darkness wasn’t the god Han Shuo worshipped and he felt that he had no reason to be so humble. Seeing that no one was looking at him, he did not kneel on the ground but merely bowed his body slightly.
Han Shuo thought that no one would notice his sinful act of disrespecting the Darkness Overgod. But when the ceremony was near its end and he was ready to stand straight, he suddenly noticed that Ralph distance away was watching him coldly. He was sneering as though he had caught Han Shuo red-handed.