Chapter 381: Blade Mountain Flame Sea

There were difficulties in both choices.

This was the situation that Zero City was presently facing.

Chen Xiaolian was able to immediately grasp hold of another crux of the matter. He narrowed his eyes; a spark glimmered across his eyes as he pondered an unknown matter.

After a while, Chen Xiaolian said in a low tone, “So, this C11 mine used to be your guild’s?”

“Yes.”

Qiao Yifeng did not attempt to deny this point. Chen Xiaolian had already found out about it anyways. He was more than willing to admit it.

“A few years ago, this quest was issued out by Zero City and we were able to become the owner of the C11 mine. After this mine was produced, we were the ones to obtain it. At the same time, we obtained the rights to it for two years. After the two years were up, we faced another period of competition and was able to retain our rights to it again and again… however, Zero City’s system has a rule. The owner is not allowed to hold a mine for more than three times in a row. So, this year, when the ownership right over this mine expired, we had no choice but to let go of this mine.”

Chen Xiaolian smiled and said, “My instinct tells me that you are lying once more.”

Qiao Yifeng was momentarily surprised.

Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “Not being allowed to hold a mine for more than three times in a row. I feel that rule is something you said to deceive me.”

Qiao Yifeng was silent for a moment. He looked at Chen Xiaolian and said, “How can you be so sure?”

Chen Xiaolian smiled before replying, “If that is the case, there would be no need for you to appear in Kombia. There would also be no need for you to bring me here.”

He deliberately paused before slowly continuing, “Assuming the reason you sent me to Kombia is to get me killed, why would you appear there? You were waiting for me? Clearly, you were not there for me… you were there for the mine, right?”

“What I said is the truth,” said Qiao Yifeng as he shook his head. “You are too distrustful.”

“You are an old fox; I have to keep a close eye on you. Otherwise, who knows when I might get set up again?” Chen Xiaolian shot out bluntly – truth be told, there was no need for him to be courteous toward Qiao Yifeng. Even if he was Qiao Qiao’s father, this old man had tried to set up Chen Xiaolian time and again. Additionally, that was a setup that could had killed him. Was there a need to be courteous?

“I’ll admit that I had indeed wanted to kill you back then.” After thinking about it, Qiao Yifeng smiled wryly. “Let’s put that aside for now. The reason I am in Kombia is because… I am the one who usually manages this mine.”

Pausing, he then continued in a whisper, “More accurately, that Zayad is someone who receives our support. Otherwise, considering the frequency of riots in Kombia, do you think that fellow could have stayed in power for long?”

Chen Xiaolian frowned. “You people are supporting Zayad? When you put it that way… his mech?”

“We were the ones who provided him with it,” answered Qiao Yifeng with a nod. “It’s an I-Model Sentinel mech. However, we did remove many of its core weaponry. The one we gave him is an emasculated version.”

Chen Xiaolian stared with widened eyes. “Are you shitting me? You tossed a Sentinel mech into that piss poor country of Kombia? Neither their government nor the rebel army have heavy weapons! They have no air force to speak of! They don’t even have a bloody tank! And you gave him a bloody mech?! That mech is enough to flatten that rebel army a hundred times over!”

“Naturally, there are restrictions placed on it,” replied Qiao Yifeng with a shake of his head. “Several restrictive protocols had been placed on that mech. There are many constraints when using it. For example, we had limited its operations to only a certain area within Kabuka City. Additionally, the mech cannot be used over a certain time limit. These are all for the sake of restraining Zayad from using the mech as a weapon. It could only be used as a life-saving card. This strategy can be considered a success. For the past few years, there had been two ownership change quests for the C11 mine but we were able to safely get past them. The quests involved getting rid of Zayad.

“Because the system assumed that the C11 mine belongs to the Kombian government. Thus, each time there is an ownership change quest, the first thing they have to deal with is the government. We are Zayad’s supporters, the puppet masters behind Zayad. Thus, our competitors would always be thinking of ways to finish off Zayad… so, we gave him the mech in order to protect him.”

“I don’t get it. Is a mech enough to protect Zayad from being killed? If his enemies are ordinary humans, then yes. However, his enemies are the resident guild members from Zero City! How can a mech be enough against them?”

Qiao Yifeng gave a helpless sigh. “Things are not that simple.

“In the earlier quests, we were the owners of the mine. In other words, we were the defending side while the other resident guilds were the invading side.

“When Zero City issued out the quest, it had given the defending side some preferential treatment.

“As the defending side, we are the established owner of the mine while the invading side has to attack and seize control of the mine by killing off Zayad. However, there are restrictions placed on the invading side. Some powers and methods are restricted.

“Otherwise, they can just drop a nuke down on Kabuka and incinerate Zayad on the spot to complete the quest.

“However, that is not how it is done. That is also not how the quest is completed.

“Back then, Zayad was by default on our defending side while the invading side has to send people out to kill off Zayad. However, the ones to do so cannot be Awakened ones. It can only be ordinary humans.

“Thus, those guilds on the invading side can only make arrangements in secrecy. Either hire mercenary companies in Africa to kill him or buy up the rebel army to attack Kombia.

“Thus, a mech is sufficient to protect Zayad’s life.”

“Then, what about this time’s quest?”

“This time’s quest is different,” said Qiao Yifeng with a strained smile. “As we had already become the owner of the C11 mine three times in a row, the ownership of the C11 mine was forcibly taken away by Zero City’s system. We were no longer the default owner of the mine – in other words, this time, there was no defending side!

“Since there was no defending side… Zayad would no longer be part of our forces. Thus, he would no longer receive preferential treatment from the quest. It became possible to directly take action to kill him off.”

“I don’t get it. Even if that is the case, why did you deceive me to go kill Zayad?” Chen Xiaolian frowned. “Isn’t Zayad the one you support?”

“It’s very simple. Our ownership right to the mine had expired. This time, we also had no qualifications to compete for the mine. Thus, there was no need to continue supporting Zayad. If he dies, so be it. Likewise, the other guilds would also want to seize the mine. Thus, there was a need for them to kill off Zayad.

“No. It would be more accurate to say, they had to get rid of the local government.

“Some guilds moved to support the rebel forces and started a rebellion. Their goal was to topple Zayad’s rule in order to complete this quest.

“Some attempted to approach Zayad, or just get rid of him directly.

“Simply put, these people did all sorts of things.

“As for me, my act of deceiving you and leading you into this quest, it was originally done to kill you.”

“I keep getting the feeling that you are not telling me the truth and that you are hiding something,” said Chen Xiaolian with a sneer.

…

“Blade Mountain Flame Sea… it’s really falling.”

Nicole sat on the beach of the Sea of Love. She held onto a cup of tequila in her hand and gulped it all down in a single go. Then, she exhaled deeply.

The scenes around her were familiar. At the same time however, there was a strange sense of unfamiliarity.

Who knows where this feeling had come from?

Nicole revealed a wry smile before shaking her head.

After her ‘resurrection’, she had been plagued by a special circumstance. It was her ‘other’ memories.

More accurately, it was her memories after her death in Tokyo. The memories of being an ‘ordinary’ human after being refreshed was still there inside her.

The existence of those memories made her feel as though she was suffering from a split personality.

It felt as though she possessed two sets of memories of her life.

In one, she grew up within Zero City and had to endure countless battles to become an outstanding Floating Angel.

In the other, she was an ordinary human. Born and raised in a farm in Texas. Later on, she entered the city and became a special agent for the government. Naturally, she was no 007. Most of the time would be spent on paperwork. She would only be sent out to the field every once in a blue moon.

These two different set of memories…

One was filled with a rain of bullets.

The other saw her growing up on the farm, riding, working… starting up the jeep to listen to country music.

The past few days, she had spent almost every night struggling as her dreams shuttled back and forth between those two lives.

This feeling… was very unpleasant!

At that moment, there was a glacial atmosphere in the Sea of Love.

Or more accurately, there was a glacial atmosphere all around Zero City. There was also a sense of heaviness there!

The call for the Board of Patriarchs’ meeting was no secret within Zero City.

The purpose of this meeting had already been circulated out.

A large-scale resident guild of Zero City was now at the cliff’s edge – it was about to fall!

For Zero City, something like this was always an Earth shattering matter!

As for Nicole, she was naturally familiar with the name of the guild that was about to fall.

As a member of the Angel Corps of Zero City, Nicole knew the names of every resident guild like the back of her hand!

The Angel Corps was a special existence within Zero City… even more so compared to the various resident guilds of Zero City.

“Have they fallen?” Nicole finished up another glass of tequila before heavily placing the glass down on the table.

Things were getting more interesting!

She had just found out about Qiao Yifeng and decided to run back to the city to find out about this matter. In the end…

Qiao Yifeng? Chen Xiaolian?

What exactly is the connection between you two?

The representative for a soon to fall super powerful guild, how was this person connected to the kid?

Nicole observed the block on the wall with a blank expression.

By now, the Board of Patriarchs’ meeting should have begun, right?

Has a resolution been reached? There will surely be another intense quarrel that could even escalate into a fight!

Humph!

It was at that moment that Nicole suddenly heard a familiar voice.

“Are you planning to follow us everywhere we go?”

There was anger in the voice.

Hearing those words, Nicole turned her head and saw a young woman with long black hair. The young woman was standing outside this open bar that was situated within the Sea of Love’s beach. She had a clenched fist out as she furiously stared at the few men standing behind her.

Those men were all wearing robes common to Zero City. From the insignia on the robes, Nicole was able to instantly identify who those men were.

As for the young woman with long black hair, she was someone that Nicole was even more familiar with!

…

Anger flared out from Qiao Qiao’s eyes but the small figure beside her tugged her fingers.

There was the same mushroom hairstyle on Soo Soo’s head. She looked up at her older sister with her big innocent looking eyes.

“Unnie…”

Seeing Soo Soo shake her head vigorously, Qiao Qiao forced down the feeling of rage within her. She took a deep breath.

She pulled Soo Soo with her as she entered the bar. She sat down before the counter and slammed the surface of the counter. “Give me a glass of wine! And make it strong!”

“Unnie…”

Soo Soo gave Qiao Qiao a frown and Qiao Qiao shook her head in return. “Just a glass, just one glass, all right? My heart feels like it’s about to suffocate to death right now!”

There were no other people inside the bar.

As for Nicole, she was seated less than five metres away from Qiao Qiao and Soo Soo.

This Floating Angel gave Qiao Qiao a curious glance. She lifted her glass of wine and secretly observed the pair of sisters through the glass while covering her own eyes with it.

How did these two girls appear in Zero City?

Nicole became intrigued.

She then turned to look at the few men outside the bar.

“Men from Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild? Hmm…”

…

“May I ask? This guild that you are part of, just what is it called?” asked Chen Xiaolian as he looked at Qiao Yifeng.

Qiao Yifeng hesitated for a moment before whispering out a name. However, every syllable was uttered with a tone of resolution!

“Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild!”

…

[TL: There was no need for Chen Xiaolian to topple the local government as per the quest because the other Awakened ones did it for him. #winning. ]