Sharp Wasn't Dead
"Sharp is not dead!" Gu Ding edited out the message, but ultimately did not send it to Bade.
He didn't really have a relationship with Bade; his previous warnings were just a way to get back at the military. However, judging from the video he just watched, Bade was clearly not one of his kind. As the saying goes, those who walk different paths cannot make plans together, Gu Ding felt there was no need to be friends with someone like that.
Bade seemed to have only one crazy thought in his mind: to increase his bounty. He was willing to stop at nothing to achieve this. While Gu Ding also wanted his bounty to keep rising, he wouldn't actively provoke trouble like Bade.
Bade's previous actions in the mall were nothing short of provocation; he even managed to outmaneuver a powerful Military Department General. If he had chosen to behead his opponent instead of piercing his heart, his plan might have actually succeeded.
The significant increase in the bounty would have attracted many powerful individuals to his team, greatly enhancing their overall strength. However, things didn't go as planned, and his scheme ultimately failed. Sharp's survival meant that his plan to assassinate the Military Department General had ended in failure.
But Bade was unaware of this. After plunging the long knife into Sharp's chest, he quickly left the mall. In his mind, Sharp couldn't possibly survive.
Their hideout was a Slums where even the toilets were open-air, lying on the street. There was no surveillance, and not even a bar, which is a staple in every neighborhood.
They were currently staying at a decent guesthouse, where the monthly rent was only 1 Star Coin. To be honest, Bade was taken aback when he heard the price.
He casually tossed the landlord a handful of Star Coin, saying, "Don't tell anyone we're staying here, not even your friends or relatives. Nobody can tell, especially not anyone from the Federal Government. If you can keep this a secret, we'll give you a generous reward before we leave."
When Bade returned, the team members, who had been feeling frustrated all night, surrounded him. "Boss, how's the plan going? Did you encounter any Military Department General? Did you have any battles with them?"
Bade took Sharp's sword from his Storage Space. "Do you know whose sword this is?"
"Could this be Sharp's knife?" A young man with a slightly better eye stared at the knife for a long time, and said somewhat uncertainly, "I saw Sharp using this knife in a video."
"What do you mean 'seems like'? Sharp is using this very knife!" Bade proudly raised his knife, drew the long blade, its edge gleaming with a chilling light, clearly indicating it was no ordinary weapon.
The crowd began to believe it somewhat.
"I see some people still don't quite believe it, but this time, I didn't forget to record the whole thing with my Smart Watch," Bade said, projecting the video he had recorded.
The video was over twenty minutes long, and because it was filmed from Bade's perspective, it was a bit dizzying to watch. From Bade's point of view, everyone could see that Sharp was indeed terrifyingly strong.
After a moment of silence when Bade finally plunged the longsword into Sharp's chest, the room erupted in cheers. Many people shouted excitedly. They hadn't expected their leader to be so powerful, single-handedly taking down Military Department General. This feat was unprecedented in the Long Teng Universe Country; no newcomer had ever accomplished it.
"That Sharp, it seems like he didn't draw his sword at all from beginning to end..." a voice said weakly from the crowd.
Those who heard this voice fell silent for a moment.
"This proves that our boss is so powerful that Sharp died before he could even draw his sword," one person said, offering a weak attempt at flattery.
The crowd then became noisy again.
Bade knew that this time, he was truly lucky. If Sharp had taken the fight seriously from the start and attacked with all his might, he wouldn't have had a single chance of winning. The opponent's attack, even with the scabbard still on, was terrifying enough to be impossible for him to resist; one could only imagine what would happen once the longsword was drawn. Sharp's defeat was entirely due to his carelessness.
He was also very satisfied with his performance, and he believed that the video would soon be spread and his net worth would soon skyrocket.
Meanwhile, Gu Ding Team was discussing how to deal with the military's attack.
"Judging from the current situation, the military shouldn't be able to find us in the short term. But once most of the others have been arrested, they'll concentrate their efforts on hunting us down. With fewer people around, they can simply put up Wanted Order, and many people who have seen us can provide clues, bringing us closer to our capture." The Sea Emperor was very familiar with the military's pursuit procedures. When there were many people, they wouldn't post Wanted Order because they wouldn't be very effective; ordinary residents wouldn't see them all, and many would forget them even if they did. But when the number of people was small, the effectiveness of Wanted Order became apparent; a casual glance would leave an impression.
"So, you mean that no matter how we hide, we'll be discovered sooner or later, and a battle is inevitable?" Gu Ding had heard some theoretical knowledge about hunting Wanted Criminal at the military academy, so he roughly understood why the Sea Emperor said those words.
"That's right, but the military is unlikely to make any major moves during Sharp's seclusion," Sea Emperor continued. "If they do make any major moves, they will definitely need to coordinate with their two top Combat Strength."
"So they will proceed methodically during this period, slowly pursuing and wearing down our patience." Gu Ding nodded.
"Indeed, although it's time-consuming and expensive for the military, Interstellar Pirate are reluctant to be stuck in one place for long, and they've capitalized on this. Besides, with the New Trade Route open, everyone is even more eager to enter the Universe Sea; nobody wants to fall behind." Liliath understood the military's thinking. "Moreover, the most crucial point is that our ships are under their control, the port's Sky Dome is sealed off, and all civilian and commercial ships are prohibited from entering or leaving. The only way to leave this planet is to eliminate the military. Therefore, conflict is inevitable."
"The military's operation tonight wasn't exactly a failure; they recaptured forty-eight wanted criminals," Sea Emperor reported the latest figures. "Less than ten percent escaped. Walter is still conducting facial recognition. But so far, it seems the results aren't great; everyone else is being quite cautious."
"They'll start searching unmonitored areas tomorrow morning, and I expect small-scale battles will break out," Gu Ding guessed. He figured that most of the others, apart from his own group, were probably using the same method to avoid being located.
"A few teams have people with the ability to disguise themselves, and they should be able to escape this situation as well," Liliath added.
"If you need a disguise, I can make Disguise Mask so that you can completely transform into someone else." No one doubted Robert's craftsmanship.
However, Liliath glanced at Bigge beside her and said, " With Bigge's build, changing his face would still attract attention."
"Physical appearance isn't a major issue. I can concoct Body Sculpting Potion that can shrink muscles and bones, but these injections cause extreme pain to the user. However, I don't think we need to run away. If we don't show up, the military will keep guarding. You've probably heard that Bigge is Sharp's primary target. He won't leave easily without seeing Bigge." Gu Ding understood the obsession of martial arts masters, and most importantly, the longer they hid, the later they would enter the Universe Sea. Therefore, he preferred a decisive battle. The worst outcome would be being captured and imprisoned in the Federal Prison. With the Sea Emperor around, he could easily escape from the Federal Prison; he had already done something similar once.
Just as everyone was still discussing, Gu Ding's communicator suddenly rang. He looked at the number and saw that it was Bade's. He didn't quite understand why Bade would contact him.
After the call connected, Bade's voice came from the other end, "Gu Ding, you guys are probably also trying to escape this planet, right?"
"What brilliant ideas do you have?" Gu Ding didn't expect that Bade was no longer considering increasing the bounty.
"Here's what I'm thinking: let's unite all of us, including Mien and An Luo, and launch an attack on the port. We'll each reclaim our own ships and then escape. But all of this is useless without your cooperation. Only you can open the port's Sky Dome, and only you can destroy the port's Armor-Piercing Cannon system. Without your assistance, this operation is just empty talk, which is why I shamelessly dialed your number, which is currently disconnected." Bade's idea wasn't wrong, but Gu Ding thought it wouldn't work. "I've thought about it. After it's done, Sharp's knife will be yours for free. I think Mien and An Luo would be happy to pay some compensation. If you agree, I'll talk to them."
"The Sky Dome barrier at the port isn't the biggest problem, nor is the Armor-Piercing Cannon. The biggest problem is the three Youlong interceptor ships floating outside this planet." The other teams clearly didn't know about the Young Dragon, and Gu Ding didn't intend to hide anything. "It was because of the two incidents on Fengyuan Star and Konstruk Star that the guys in the military were already on guard against me before they came this time."
"No way! Are you sure there are three Young Dragons?" Upon hearing the news brought by Gu Ding, Bade's voice was noticeably less confident than before.
"I'm pretty sure, three really big ones. If you want to see them, I can send you the videos I took later." Gu Ding smiled wryly.
Bade was silent for a moment, then said, "If all else fails, we might as well join forces and wipe out those military guys. Sharp is already dead, and the military only has one Tenth-Order Gene Body left. As long as Bigge holds that woman back, once we take out the rest of the military, the port will be ours."
"Your idea is good, but Sharp isn't dead. Not only is he alive, he's also advanced to Eleventh Order genetic entity because of his battle with you." Gu Ding finally couldn't help but tell Bade this bad news. (To be continued.)