Hidden under the darkness, a four-legged silhouette leap over the protective barrier belonged to the Tusked Copper Bear's nest and entered the core of their nest without alarming any of the sleeping bears. Instead of announcing its return, the Tusked Copper Bear Zhang Wu Ji defeated lightly wakes the bears that loyal to him to follow him and escape from the nest.
Among the hundred and twenty Tusked Copper Bears in the nest, only thirty-three included itself, left the nest in order to follow their new master. Moving in a pack, they quickly reach an entrance into the Chrysanthemum Flower City, which was purposely hidden by some mechanical equipment and fake foliage.
They entered the entrance of two meters wide and two meters tall, and was quickly assembled in the Secret Chamber, where it was prepared as a bunker for the important people such as the City Lord, the Department Chiefs, and some high ranking officers. But now, it becomes the base for the pack of Tusked Copper Bears.
"Ahem." a cough belonged to a human vibrates in the chamber, and alerted all the bears in this chamber. Except for the leader still able to maintain his calmness, the others are all into their aggressive mode, with their claws and jaws are all ready to attack at any time.
"ROAR!" the leader Tusked Copper Bear came forward and stands beside the human to allow himself to be petted. This action made the younger bear cubs to not be so cautious against this human, but for the juvenile bears, it was a completely different story. They participate in the fight against the human before, which is why their conservative judgment against a human is much more different compared to the cubs.
As to handle these little kids in the pack, the human took some Qi Sensing Pills and fed them through a few flicks of his finger. After tasting the sweetness came from the human, their alertness against this person is reduced to minimal. After a few rounds of feedings through his flick of a finger, the group of juvenile cubs completely lost their composure and behaves like a child instead.
If the leader can speak and act like a human, it will most probably say;
"How shameless are all of you. A few pills and you're exposed to your belly to his human. At least your leader, I, got beaten until fainted before he healed me and ordered me to follow him. How can the pack of Tusked Copper Bears grows if you're all so pampered?"
"Alright, mealtime is done. If you follow me, you guys are going to get good food every day, but if you don't listen to my words, I'm going to let you starve, alright? Come on, tell them..." the human turned out to be Zhang Wu Ji. As he speaks, the leader bear listened carefully as it knows that his position is going to be between his packs and the human master.
"ROAR! ROROROROAR! (Human say, you good, food good. You bad, no food)" Unknown to how the leader Tusked Copper Bear is delivering the words, the bears all stand up on their two feet and cries out loudly. It seems like a cry filled with complaints, but in fact, all of them were happy with the treatments.
Leaving the packs of Tusked Copper Bears for time being, Zhang Wu Ji ordered the City Forge to massively produce the Willow Crossbows and a sub-variation product that uses the Explosive Sack from the Firebomb Toad to creates the Fire Toad's Touch. Only after giving them a direction to follow Zhang Wu Ji left in secret to the Northern direction, in order to see if the reports from the scouting team are accurate.
About 300km outside from the City Wall, Zhang Wu Ji found the convoy belonged to the Upper South Merchant Corporation. With members of between 200 to 300 men strong, they're busy enjoying their food and drinks without a hint of having difficulties to deliver the purchased order made by the Chrysanthemum Flower City. This intention alone already stated their standing in this matter.
"Let's see... 275 members. 175 male and 100 females. Wait... Alright, total that up to 300 now." Zhang Wu Ji made a head count to expect the accurate numbers of staff handling the delivery of this convoy. When he just finished with their overall count, a carriage pulled by two Peony Fleeting Stallion then appeared, with twenty five skimpily dressed ladies coming out and went into the embrace of the guys.
From their appearance, this twenty-five people with the twenty-five butterflies are the people in charge. Without wasting his time, Zhang Wu Ji uses his Orchid Assassination Art to get closer to the party and having his first expression of a live performance of a mass orgy.
Although he did exercise a lot in his youth before coming into this world, the hormone that spreads all around this location still aroused him slightly, as he steps closer to the Carriage filled with materials. Afraid that he will end up getting locked inside of the carriage if he tried to steal something, Zhang Wu Ji is smart enough to not steal the supplies in the carriage, but outside of the carriage.
With a few mild flashes, Zhang Wu Ji steals the rope, wooden wheel, and the saddle that tied the carriage with the pulling beast together, and many mere items such as their wine jar, foods, swords, and spears. Only after all of their items went missing the people started to feel weird about it.
"Where did the wine go? What are you guys looking at? Go grab another bottle... Ah??? Where is my belt?" one of the loudest guys shouts when he found out the items nearby already went missing. Some of the guards stand up to look for their equipment but found nothing except the mound that previously holds their weapons together.
"My sword is gone! My belt is gone!"
"Aargh! Who steals my Universal Health Pill!"
"Damn! Where are my pants!"
The situation turned into an unrest due to the missing item all around them. Even the twenty-five convoy officers lost a few items, such as their weapon, the girl's clothing, their shoes, handkerchief, and even sniff bottle that dropped on the ground. Literally, all item that can be stolen is gone from their side.
"Quick! Check the carriage and see if anything is trapped inside!" their leader exposed his identity and ordered a few members to check the carriage. The moment they go in, the gate immediately locked. Crying to be released, the leader went to the carriage and stop the mechanical engine on the base of the carriage and remove the lock.
"If there's nothing in the cage, then that means some Wild Beast is causing trouble with us, and not the people from the Chrysanthemum Flower City. Everyone get ready and move forward again. We will get a rest after six hours!" the leader instructed everyone to get ready before they started to move.
Sneakily, he took the golden bell out in the open and creates the chime that will attract the Wild Beast. After a few rings, a Wild Beast with the shape of a three meters gorilla appeared from the forest and came closer to the Convoy Leader to let him inspects the belonging tied behind the beast.
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"No wonder... The real treasure is not on the carriage Pulled by the Peony Fleeting Stallions but on this silverback Gorilla. The strength of this beast cannot be underestimated too..." Zhang Wu Ji inspects the situation from afar pinpoints each of their action before he planned their next attack against them later in the sunset. But before that, he will have to handle the issue with this 15th Stage Inner Qi Warrior Tier's Silverback Gorilla.
After he left them aside, Zhang Wu Ji flew back to the city to plan for his next move. With the outside of the City, Wall is under the attack from the Wild Beast again, Zhang Wu Ji deployed two teams of troops to meet their attack in the open and retaliates.
Armed with Willow Crossbows, their rain of bolts easily killed most of the vanguards before the heavier troops arrived into the battlefield. As for the problem to handle the heavier Wild Beast, the Yuan-Tie Hand Cannon's team is arranged to overcome their attack.
This was the first complete victory for the human side, after being pushed back many times until now. This results further implies the importance of having a proper commanding officer in battle. With an aim in their mind now, the human forces increased and become stronger. Along with the support that continuously came from Peony Flower City, the rebuilding of Chrysanthemum Flower City quickly reaches their completion state, right before the convoy from the Upper South Merchant Corporation.
What will they think about when the destruction of the city did not happen? According to the report from the treasurer, their order was made ten days ago, until Zhang Wu Ji was here for his fourth day. This means the delay of the delivery has been late for over a week long. With the penalty rate of 1 Million Gold Coins / daily, the Upper South Merchant Corporation is expected to pay at least 7 million when their delivery reaches the city.
But unfortunate to them, Zhang Wu Ji's intention is not as kind as this. With the group of thirty-three Tusked Copper Bears under his Foods-Command, Zhang Wu Ji took the lead to attack the convoy to serve as a distraction, while a few of them will target the convoy leader in order to steal the golden bell from him.
That attack was too organized, leaving even the convoy leader himself to feel something wrong in this attack. After noticing that he lost the golden bell in his pocket, he becomes panic, but afraid that he will lose his life if he tried to randomly look for the Silverback Gorilla that recognizes the golden bell but not the person holding it.
While he spends the time to search for the Silverback Gorilla, Zhang Wu Ji already summoned it earlier from a location about half an hour away from their initial position, and clear the backpack of the beast after he fed it with many Qi Sensing Pills.
This time, the Upper South Merchant Corporation is going to suffer a huge loss. When Zhang Wu Ji reaches the Chrysanthemum Flower City, he was greeted with the view of two hundred Convoy Escort Members that failed to complete their task. With the materials is stolen in the middle of their trip here, this trip here is a complete loss.
As the acting City Lord, Zhang Wu Ji holds the right to executes them before they request for the compensation from the Merchant Corporation. But what these people did not imagine that the culprit behind all of this is standing just before them. Looking at their pitiful appearance, Zhang Wu Ji felt like laughing out loud.
"City Lord Zhang, please give us another chance." the leader begged on behalf of all his members to be given another chance. Nobody wanted to die for nothing, especially the order they received is only to delay the delivery to the city by few days. The occurred expenses will be completely covered by the Upper South Merchant Corporation instead.
"What is the compensation we will get if we let you go?" Zhang Wu Ji stares at the leader with a fierce expression, which left the leader to become speechless from his overbearing disposition.
"No wonder the city is able to deflect the attack from Beast Infestation without trouble and supplies from us!" the leader finally realized how foolish is his action to listen to their corporation's instruction and try to fight against his ability to lead a city. If Zhang Wu Ji decides to behead them to ease his fury, will any of them able to escape this fate?
"City Lord Zhang, please pity the two hundred members here with families and parents back home, and be merciful on all of us. Your kindness will be remembered until the day we're dead. If we can do anything on behalf of the city, please go ahead and order us to do it." the Convoy Leader kneeled and speaks.
Leaving the situation to be handled by the people of the city, Zhang Wu Ji returned to his accommodation before he tells Meng Ran to keep the secret of his disappearance. Using the Orchid Assassination Art, he stealthily went to the chamber resides by the Tusked Copper Bears to reward them for their performance today.
Without holding back, Zhang Wu Ji flings a total of 3,300 Qi Sensing Pills out as the rewards before he moves his finger to call the leader over to his side. With a hand on the bear's head, Zhang Wu Ji makes sure his departure is made known to the leader and its tribe.
"I will return to where I came in another few more days. This means we will be separated from each another. I come from the Seven Star County, the upper part of the Bamboo Forest. Do you want to stay here or follow me back?" Zhang Wu Ji questioned the bear leader.
The bear stares at him for a moment before it went to pat the other bear cubs inside the chamber. After hesitates for a moment, the Tusked Copper Bear Leader gave Zhang Wu Ji a bow before it returned to the side of the other younger cubs.
"I approve your decision. On behalf of your tribe, I will request the City Lord and Chief Treasurer to give your people some protection. In return, protect this city and communicates with the others. Make something different, and don't be satisfied by becoming a mere Ruler of the Eastern Forest." Zhang Wu Ji said and gave a pat on the leader's head.
"Small Nourishment Art!" Zhang Wu Ji gives his blessing to the bear leader before leaving. In the next morning, the personal attendants of Headmaster Windchaser come with the request to summon Zhang Wu Ji to return to the Peony Flower City. This means he completed the task the headmaster assigned him to do.
Riding the Hundred Horses Carriage once more, their return trip back to the Peony Flower City took him three days. And when he reaches the city, Zhang Wu Ji's arrival is welcomed by all the residents everywhere inside the city. Under the escort of the residents, Zhang Wu Ji headed straight to the Mystic Engineer Establishment to meet the headmaster.
This time, the headmaster's impression on him become much better, with the confidence that this youth will not disappoint him. With a wave of his hand, the headmaster delivered a scroll that twice thicker than the usual blueprints he'd seen before. As he read the title, a box of description appears.
First-Grade Blueprint - Iron Kong-Que
-Travelling Speed: 200km/hour | Fighter Qi Consumption Rate: 400
-Capacity: 12 people / 40 Tonnes | Usage: Transportation / Battle-Ark
-Durability: 10/10 | Quality: Acceptable-Grade Complete Blueprint
-Information: The Iron Kong-Que (Peacock) is created by an unknown Celestial Designer in his prime after he was mesmerized by the beautiful flight appearance of a Golden Feather Peacock. Inspired by the dream to ride one, the Celestial Designer created this blueprint.
-Weapon 1: Mounted Blood Crossbow x 2
-Damage: 160 | Capacity: 140 bolts
-Weapon 2: Que-Piercer x 10
-Damage: 140 | Capacity: 10 javelins
-
Ingredient Required:
(4) Small Fighter Qi Weaving Stone
(1) Tonne of Ironwood
(1) Tonne of Low-Tier Spirit-Grade Pure Iron
(1) Tonne of Low-Tier Spirit-Grade Sentient Iron
(1) Tonne of Low-Tier Spirit-Grade Crystal Iron
(3) Tonnes of Iron Alloy
(140) High-Quality Elemental Crystals
(600) Liters of Wild Beast's Fresh Blood
(600) Liters of High-Quality Water
-
"Oh my god... Look at their requirement to create this Metal Bird. And it was still a First-Grade treasure..." Zhang Wu Ji almost turned speechless by the heavy requirement to forge this metal bird, but still, he's satisfied with the fact he obtained the blueprint in hand.
"Headmaster Windchaser, Junior Zhang Wu Ji greatly appreciate this generous gift." Zhang Wu Ji was completely taken aback by the elder's action of giving him the blueprint, thus, he kneeled on both knees to display his highest appreciation towards the elder.
Carrying the disposition of a headmaster, Windchaser uses his Lord Qi to bring Zhang Wu Ji back on his knees before they communicate in an equal position. This form of respect is given only to those that willing to give their all to a completely random people without asking for any return. For somebody rich of the experience like Windchaser, such a person is a treasure of a sect that shall be protected at all cost.
"Master Windchaser, can this junior ask, at where can this junior found the Small Fighter Qi Weaving Stone and a large number of High-Quality Element Crystals?" Zhang Wu Ji can't help but ask about this two main ingredients and their whereabouts. As for the Iron Wood and four different kinds of Iron Metal, It wasn't a problem at all for him to produce them by himself.
Next, the blood of Wild Beast and Pure Water can be obtained through his own mean as well, leaving him with the two items as the most difficult ingredient for him to procure.
"I know where can you obtain the Fighter Qi Weaving Stones, but the number of stones you will get is depending on your personal luck. What's more, the location to get this Weaving Stone is extremely dangerous." Master Windchaser replied.
"Master Windchaser, please share the location with this junior. I will try my best to see if I am up to the challenge." Zhang Wu Ji cupped his hands together hoping the master will share with him the whereabouts of the location.
"I'm not sure are you up to the challenge... The location is one of the Mineral Vein belonged to the Upper South Merchant Corporation jurisdiction, the Red Mineral Vein Cave. This location is one of the lower-tier caves that produce a large amount of Ruby Gem and guarded by ten Inner Qi Warrior Cultivators." the elder explained the situation of this location, and strongly insist that this is only his estimation, nothing more.
"So... All this junior need is to mess with their operation and try my best to enter their cave to look for the Qi Weaving Stone, correct? I have a good feeling this is going to be extremely fun..." Zhang Wu Ji smiled the moment he heard about the few keywords in the explanation.
Upper South Merchant Corporation, Red Mineral Vein Cave with Ruby Gem as their main product, and cause havoc to those that supporting Yang Chen Kun's faction.