Huang Dabiao Joins the Team

At the dinner table!

Yang Que and Huang Dabiao ate meat in great mouthfuls and drank wine just as heartily!

"Heh! Young Master Yang, you rich young masters really do live differently—fish and meat every day, with fragrant, fine wine to drink! This whole table must cost nearly ten thousand Gold Soul Coins! I only got to eat and drink at the Gathering Fragrance Pavilion today thanks to you. Normally, I wouldn't dare set foot in a restaurant this fancy!" Huang Dabiao said, taking a long drink.

"Ha! No need to call me Young Master Yang. Brother Huang, we hit it off the moment we met. My name's Yang Que—just call me Brother Yang!" Yang Que said with a smile.

"Ha! All right, then I'll take you up on that, Brother Yang. Here's a toast to you!" Huang Dabiao said heartily.

"Cheers!" Their cups clinked, and both drained them in one gulp.

"Brother Huang, if I'm not mistaken, you're a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, aren't you?" Yang Que asked. Huang Dabiao started. What sharp eyes this young man had—to see through his strength at a glance! A scion of a great family indeed. Huang Dabiao had hidden his strength so well, yet Yang Que had still spotted it. He couldn't be anyone ordinary within his family. Uneasy, Huang Dabiao nodded.

If he'd known a single scan from the system had revealed his strength, who knew what he would have thought...

"Then I was right. With your strength, Brother Huang, you ought to have food and clothing wherever you go. But that doesn't seem to be the case. Why?" Yang Que asked curiously.

Huang Dabiao pondered for a moment. "Brother Yang, we hit it off today, so I don't mind if you laugh at me. I'll tell you a little of my story."

"I used to serve at court. I was too honest, too blunt. I harmed the interests of quite a few officials and cut off many more from their sources of money. They came to hate me and pushed me out. In the end, I had no choice but to resign and withdraw from public life. I registered as a mercenary with the Mercenary Guild just to make a living. But that wasn't the end of it. They had no intention of letting me go, even after I'd retired. They kept crushing me, until I ended up like this..."

Yang Que listened. Huang Dabiao had told his story calmly and in few words, but anyone could hear the bitterness beneath them. An honest, upright official had been driven from office by crooked officials using every underhanded trick they had. His once-burning ambition to serve his country had gone cold, and they had kept hounding him even after he withdrew. No one could have borne that easily!

"Brother Huang, did you never think of finding another path? Or entering government service in another country?" Yang Que asked.

Huang Dabiao sighed. "It's not that I never thought of it. I can't afford to. I don't dare."

"Oh? Why not?" Yang Que grew even more curious.

"Those beasts were afraid I'd return to officialdom and cut off every last one of their money streams! They've confined my wife, children, and elders in Heaven Dou City. Otherwise, I'd have taken my family and fled long ago!" Huang Dabiao grew angrier as he spoke. He snatched up a wine jar and poured it straight into his mouth.

Yang Que was angered too and took a fierce swig of wine. In the original story, the Heaven Dou Empire had seemed fairly enlightened. He hadn't expected it to be crawling with so many parasites!

Ah, officialdom was the same everywhere! It had been the same in my previous life. Back on Earth, if you wanted to thrive in government like a fish in water, you had to let its vast dye vat stain you. Otherwise, you couldn't escape being pushed out and crushed. I never thought another world would be the same... If only there could be a decent government. But that was wishful thinking!

Wait. Government?

Maybe I could build one of my own! Though "family" might be a better word for it than "government."

Yang Que looked at Huang Dabiao. The man had served in government, and from what he'd said, he knew how it worked. His character seemed decent too. Of course, Yang Que would have to investigate whether his story was true. Still, he could be a good candidate!

Huang Dabiao noticed the look and frowned. "What is it, Brother Yang?"

"Haha! Nothing. Drink up!" Yang Que laughed, though he was already considering how to test him.

"Brother Huang, are you the only member of your Mercenary Group?" Yang Que asked.

"That's right. I registered the Ironblood Mercenary Group. It's reached Gold rank now. Why?" Huang Dabiao replied.

The Ironblood Mercenary Group? The name suited his temperament and character.

"Oh? I didn't expect your Mercenary Group to have reached Gold rank, Brother Huang! I've registered one myself. I have an idea: what if the Yanhuang Mercenary Group and your Ironblood Mercenary Group joined forces? What do you think?" Yang Que asked.

"That... might not work. It isn't that I look down on you, brother, but you know my circumstances. If our groups join together, I'm afraid the people crushing me will target you too," Huang Dabiao said.

"Ha! Let them come. I fear nothing!" Yang Que swept his robe aside, radiating the bearing of a conqueror!

Huang Dabiao paused. This young man had no small ambitions. Following him might be better than struggling alone. Perhaps someday he could even rescue his family! Huang Dabiao weighed the thought.

"All right! If you're not afraid, brother, I won't fuss over it. The Ironblood Mercenary Group I founded will join your Yanhuang Mercenary Group!" Huang Dabiao slapped the table as he spoke.

"Join it outright? That..." Yang Que hesitated. The Ironblood Mercenary Group had reached Gold rank and made a name for itself. Huang Dabiao had built it step by step. Yang Que would gladly accept it, but he felt he would be doing Huang Dabiao wrong.

"That's right. Join it outright—no need to merge as equals! Since you think so highly of me, brother, there's nothing else to consider. From now on, I'll follow your lead!" Huang Dabiao said firmly.

"All right. If you've made up your mind, Brother Huang, I won't refuse!" Yang Que said.

"Haha! We can deal with that later. First, let's eat and drink!" Huang Dabiao raised his wine jar and drank.

"Good! We won't leave until we're drunk!" Yang Que picked up a jar and drank heartily too.

The next day!

Yang Que and Huang Dabiao went to the Mercenary Guild together. Huang Dabiao transferred all the points from his Group Leader Token to Yang Que's token, disbanded the Ironblood Mercenary Group, and joined Yang Que's Yanhuang Mercenary Group!

The steward was baffled. The leader of a Gold Mercenary Group had joined a Black Iron Mercenary Group—no, it had reached Silver rank now!

Even so, Gold and Silver Mercenary Groups were worlds apart in standing! Their influence and commission rates couldn't compare, and this Silver Mercenary Group had only just been founded!

Unable to contain his curiosity, the steward asked, "Leader Huang, what are you doing?"

Huang Dabiao laughed. "Can't you tell? It's obvious! Leader Yang's talent far surpasses mine. I saw that talent and joined his Mercenary Group! Young Master Yang is the leader now, Old Wu. Don't get it wrong!"

Steward Wu gave a rueful smile. "I know Young Master Yang is extremely talented. Defeating a Soul Ancestor with the strength of a Soul Elder is no simple feat!"

"But Old Huang, you know your situation. To achieve what you want, you need someone powerful to back you—not just a talented young man!" Steward Wu looked at Yang Que as he spoke, clearly doubting the strength of Yang Que's family.

Their exchange made it clear the steward's surname was Wu, and the two were close. That was hardly surprising. They were around the same age: one a low-ranking figure in the Mercenary Guild, the other a Soul Emperor who had spent years being crushed. It was only natural they got along.

Steward Wu added, "Young Master Yang, could you tell us about your family? Then I could rest easy about Old Huang following you."

"Old Wu, you..." Huang Dabiao was displeased and started to object, but Yang Que raised a hand and cut him off.

"You're right, Steward Wu. If I don't reveal my identity, Brother Huang really would be in danger following me. As far as you know, I'm only a talented young man," Yang Que said.

Suddenly, Yang Que pulled a Jade Pendant from his robes and tossed it to Steward Wu. The pendant was blue throughout, with a lifelike Thunder Dragon carved into it. It was the very pendant Yu Tianheng had given him!

Huang Dabiao and Steward Wu looked at the Jade Pendant. Their pupils contracted!

Was that—?!

A Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Jade Pendant?!

"Is that identity enough?" Yang Que asked evenly.

"Y-you're from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?!" Steward Wu's voice shook.

His manner changed at once, turning respectful. After all, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan ranked among the top five sects on the entire continent!

Yang Que smiled without a word. All I did was show you a pendant. Fill in the rest yourselves. Sometimes, what people imagine on their own is the deadliest thing of all!

This does drag the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan into it. Who cares? They owe me a favor anyway. No need to panic...

Far away, at the edge of the continent, a huge palace stood in the center of a towering mountain. A massive dragon's head rose above it. This was plainly the seat of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's leader!

At that moment, a middle-aged man with blue hair suddenly sneezed. "Strange. I'm already a level 96 Titled Douluo, and I can still sneeze? Who's talking about me? Or plotting against me?"

He was Yu Yuanzhen, the current leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!

Across from him sat a middle-aged man in blue robes. "Hey, Old Dragon, don't run off! I'm about to win this game. Don't make up an excuse to leave!"

He was Dan Moli, leader of the Pill Sect!

"Nonsense! Am I that sort of man? Come on, let's keep playing!" Yet even as Yu Yuanzhen said it, he remained faintly suspicious.

At the Mercenary Guild in Star Dou City!

The two men were still stunned. Huang Dabiao said to Steward Wu, "Rest easy now? The young master isn't just talented—he has powerful backing too! Besides, I only joined him because of his talent..."

Steward Wu smiled awkwardly. "Sorry you had to see that, Young Master Yang!"

Yang Que waved a hand. "I understand!"

With Steward Wu's help, they completed the change in membership. The points were transferred to the Yanhuang Mercenary Group's token as well, and it instantly turned gold!

In other words, the Yanhuang Mercenary Group Yang Que had founded had risen from Black Iron to Gold rank in just two days!

After completing the transfer, the two left the Mercenary Guild. As they walked out, the corners of both their mouths curved ever so slightly!

After Yang Que and Huang Dabiao left, a wisp of black smoke drifted from an inconspicuous corner of the Mercenary Guild and out the window!

"Did you sense it, Brother Huang?" Yang Que asked out of nowhere.

"Hm? You sensed it too?" Huang Dabiao was startled. This young man truly was a monstrous genius!

Yang Que heard the surprise in his voice and merely smiled.

"That should be Zhou Rong, deputy leader of the Mist Gold Mercenary Group. He's a level 45 control-type Soul Ancestor, and his Martial Soul is Mist! That Mercenary Group has another identity too!"

"They're the hounds of the Heaven Dou Empire's nobles! Over the years, most of the information those people got about me came from them!" Huang Dabiao said furiously.

"Heh, it's fine. Let them hear. It may not be a bad thing..." Yang Que lowered his head, an uncanny smile on his face!

Not long afterward!

In the courtyard of a vast estate in Heaven Dou City, an elderly man with snow-white hair was leisurely watering his flowers!

He was an Earl of the Heaven Dou Empire!

Just then, a steward hurried over. "My lord, a message has arrived from the leader of the Mist Mercenary Group!"

"Read it!"

"Criminal Huang Dabiao has disbanded his Ironblood Mercenary Group and joined the Yanhuang Mercenary Group. Its leader appears to be from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! He possesses a Jade Pendant bearing the clan's mark. I urge Your Lordship to prepare early!" the steward read.

"Oh? Huang Dabiao has managed to board the great ship of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? That's unexpected," the Earl said thoughtfully.

It seems our moves against him will have to wait. He's stubbornly hard to kill. We'll need a longer plan...

At the same time, every Earl's estate involved in targeting Huang Dabiao received the news! They were surprised, but none doubted it!

After all, a Jade Pendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wasn't something anyone could simply get hold of! Anyone who dared carry one without permission would be held to account by the clan. There was no doubt the man belonged to it!

Whether he was an important figure was another matter. That still needed investigating.

Before long, the Earls sent word to their respective Mercenary Groups, ordering them to stop suppressing Huang Dabiao for the time being!

Clearly, they wanted to establish Yang Que's identity before resuming their campaign against Huang Dabiao—or even killing him!

If Yang Que was nobody important, then offending him would be no great matter. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wouldn't clash head-on with the Heaven Dou Empire over an insignificant young disciple!

But it would take time to uncover the identity of the man carrying that Jade Pendant!

And that was exactly what Yang Que needed! Time was what he lacked most. Give him enough of it, and with his talent, conquering the Douluo Continent would be easy!