Chapter 60 - 60: On To The Danger Zone

"Why... are you holding a camera?"

Not only Yun Hao, Sun Fang, and the attendant from the Song family were looking at Jia Su, but also the other people that were doing business in front of the entrance of Hengyang Safe Zone were looking at him.

How could they not, when Jia Su was carrying a camera the size of a medium-sized dog.

"Well... I decided to document y-- I mean to document the hunt," Jia Su's awkward chuckle traveled through Yun Hao's ears like a blunt knife. He knew something else was going on, but the only thing he could do was nod his head in response.

"Why didn't you say so in advance!?" Sun Fang approached Jia Su, checking the camera he was holding carefully, "I would have worn my best outfit. Make sure to only capture my good side, okay?"

"That's no problem. This camera is fitted with Somy's latest movement and facial tracking technology. It'll automatically try to capture any movement at an almost distant speed."

"Is that why it's so large?"

"Yes, it's fitted with its own gimbal, not to mention it captures everything at a 360 degree--"

"Excuse me."

Before Jia Su could finish his words, the attendant from the Song family also approached him, "But you are aware that thing would impede your ability to perform well in this hunt, right?"

"It's alright, I can just attach this to my body, see?" Jia Su then hang the camera in front of his chest and started running around all over the place. And as he explained, the camera was moving on its own.

"Ho," Yun Hao could not help but exclaim in awe, "Technology."

"Okay, enough. Enough," the Song family attendant waved his hand as he fidgeted with his tablet, "So there are a total of four of you? Please follow me, we need to finalize your registration. By the way, do you already have a name for your team?"

"...Is that necessary?" Yun Hao blinked a couple of times at the attendant's question.

"Most likely. The Confederation would not require it if it is not," the attendant said as he continued to walk towards Hengyang's gate, where a crowd of people has already gathered, "Just pick a simple one if this is a temporary party."

The group all looked at each other, before giving a collective nod.

"Wolf's Fang--"

"Champion."

"Alright, I will have your group registered as Champion," the attendant nodded, "Leader would be Yun Hao, members are Sun Fang, Jia Ning, and Jia Su. Please wait for your group to be called."

"...Did we even say our names?" Jia Su could not help but slightly be taken aback, "W--"

"What kinda name is that, man!?"

But before he could finish his words, Sun Fang stepped in front of Yun Hao, slightly tip-toeing as he was a bit short than him, "Champion? That's a retarded name! And since when did you decide your leadership?"

"Relax, Sun Fang," Yun Hao only let out a sigh as he patted Sun Fang's shoulder, "That's just the way life is."

"W-- Guys?" Sun Fang then looked at Jia Ning and Jia Su, "Champion is a stupid name, right?"

"It is," Jia Ning nodded her head, "But it is starting to grow on me now that it's being repeated a lot of times."

"Same," Jia Su also nodded, "Also, it is only natural that he would become our leader-- he brought us together, after all."

"Tch," hearing the other's opinions, Sun Fang could only click his tongue as he walked in front of the group, "Fine. But don't expect me to follow your commands, okay!? I only follow my own path, the path of glory and--"

"Hitting women?"

"--and hitting wome-- No!"

The other two could only let out a chuckle as Yun Hao and Sun Fang's exchange of words once again echoed through the air.

"We're live already, by the way."

However, one line from Jia Su quickly made Sun Fang stopped, causing him to fix his hair and straighten his walk as he glanced at the camera, "What's up, viewers?"

"..."

Seeing this, the attendant that was walking back to them could not help but roll his eyes, "You're already registered. Just go to the terminal as soon as your name is called."

The attendant then walked away, leaving the four by themselves. And not even a few minutes after...

"The Champion team, please go to booth 7 to claim your tracker."

And with their group name being called, the four immediately proceeded to the booth with the number 7 hanging on top of it. And as soon as they walked into the crowd of people, the crowd's eyes quickly fell upon them.

"Is it just me, or is everyone looking at us?" Yun Hao mentioned.

"I told you it's a stupid ass name!"

"Language, Sun Fang. We're on camera right now," Yun Hao smirked. And his words seemed effective as Sun Fang quickly let it go and just let out a small smile.

"You have no awareness of how famous you've become in the last few weeks, have you?" Jia Ning then walked beside Yun Hao, "You... don't visit social media that much?"

"I deactivated my account a few years back."

"W… what? No social media?" Jia Ning could not help but blink a couple of times. She already considered herself quite introverted due to her incessant training, but whenever she rests, she always goes to social media to see what was going on outside these days, "What about WePipe? Surely you watch videos?"

"I watch boxing matches and motorcycle accidents from time to time."

"..." Jia Ning didn't know what to feel upon hearing Yun Hao's words, "Then what do you do in your free time?"

"I train my body," Yun Hao said as he suddenly swung his fists in the air, bobbing his head to the side as if he was fighting with someone.

"I… I see."

Even though Jia Ning was the one asking Yun Hao questions, it would seem she wasn't the one that was most focused on Yun Hao-- it was her brother.

Jia Su was currently fiddling with his camera, making sure that it tracked every movement that Yun Hao was making. Yes, this was the main reason he brought a camera. He tried to scout the internet to find if Yun Hao had a WePipe account, but no matter how deep he searched, he didn't have any.

And so, he decided to create one for him-- a channel dedicated to his exploits. Yun Hao was already getting famous, and the person himself was completely oblivious of it. So, Jia Su took it upon himself to control and filter out what content will be brought pertaining to Yun Hao.

After all, there were vultures out there who would try to defame him every chance they got, Jia Su shall be his secret public relations manager.

"You are the Champion team? Please give me your licenses so I can attach a tracker in it."

The group quickly handed their license cards to the teller, and the teller's next actions completely baffled Yun Hao. She touched their licenses one by one, with her two fingers letting out some sort of hologram similar to those alchemical circles as she did so.

He had already perceived it before as he started his cultivation journey, but cultivation… "It's like magic, isn't it?"

However, as soon as he said that, the teller quickly gave him a weird glare. "Here are your cards, truck number 3 is your ride," and without even looking, she quickly threw their cards back at them. Go, there are still other groups to accommodate."

"...What's her problem?" Yun Hao muttered as they walked away.

"Some cultivators don't like their techniques being called magic, Yun Hao," Jia Su explained, "It's like being compared to the people from the west with their spells and stuff."

"...Isn't that the same thing?"

"Well… I suppose," Jia Su let out a sigh. He was currently live right now, so he could just imagine what kind of comments were being made by some of the cultivators that were watching. But it wasn't bad, since the viewers will know what kind of person Yun Hao was right away.

"Pft, how did you even live with that kind of stupidity," Sun Fang let out a smirk.

"By not hitting women."

"You-- Delete that footage after!" Sun Fang quickly walked back beside Jia Su.

"I'm live right now," Jia Su said as he stepped away to try and avoid Sun Fang, "And that's our truck, you guys get inside first."

"Wai--"

Before Sun Fang could bother Jia Su any further, he was dragged away by Yun Hao onto the truck, pulling him by the scruff, his complaints being drowned by Jia Ning's chuckle. The group, however, quickly stopped with their banterings as soon as they got on the truck, as the group that was already on the truck was all glaring at them.

The only thing Yun Hao and the others could do was clear their throats as they awkwardly took their seats on one side of the bench. They weren't really able to talk anymore, as the group they were with seemed to be pretty serious.

The silence made Yun Hao finally feel his trembling nerves as the truck started to take off. The sound of Hengyang's Gate opening almost followed the erratic beating of his heart. The noise of the gate sounded like a hum, a testament to how thick and heavy it was… and it is.

For the first time in Yun Hao's life, he had finally seen how colossal the wall truly is. It took the truck almost a full minute for it to pass through the thick metal gates that still continued to slide open to allow the five trucks to pass through. Granted, they were moving slow, but still… it almost felt like the wall was going to swallow them whole.

Its sheer size was enough for Yun Hao to finally acknowledge how perilous the Danger Zone was and is. Whatever he finds there… he knows that the way he looks at the world will never be the same.

***

"Are we sure… this is only for Mortal ranks?"

"It's already been rated, you should relax. Let's go up so we can go home."

"I don't know man. This place feels a little…

....cold."