Chapter 202: Succession Outset
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The Flame Emperor had always shown concern for Luo Yunyang and practically treated him like a grandson.
Even though Luo Yunyang’s current ranking on the Sky List exceeded the Flame Emperor’s, the older man’s concern was still the same.
When the Flame Emperor ran over anxiously to ask this, Luo Yunyang replied thoughtlessly, “One should constantly strive to make progress. If a tasty pie falls on my head, why shouldn’t I gobble it up on the spot?”
“You little brat! Can’t you be more serious? If a pie falls from the sky, there might be a trap lying in wait! Do you know what sort of post the Blood Strike Guard Commissar holds? They are a big shot among the Eight Armies and Three Guards. If it were a good position, do you think it would have landed in the lap of a young man like you so easily?”
Luo Yunyang smiled at the worried Flame Emperor. “I am well aware of the situation, Commander, but don’t you think that those ancient martial families and secret sects have been running around rampant lately?”
How could the Flame Emperor not know this? He had even gone to the Consul’s official residence and made a big fuss over the incident during Zhu Yan’s wedding ceremony.
Actually, this was exactly why he couldn’t let Luo Yunyang accept this dangerous position.
“Although being the Blood Strike Guard Commissar is great, that position is like a ton of gunpowder ready to explode at any time. Do you really want to do this?” the Flame Emperor asked gravely.
“I rank second on the Sky List, Commander!” Luo Yunyang replied with a grin.
The Flame Emperor shook his head. “That is impressive, but we do not know what sort of monsters and freaks hide behind these ancient martial families and secret sects. You might not know this, but those ancient martial families possess extraordinary skills that are pa.s.sed down from generation to generation. Even before the apocalypse, some of them had already refined a concealed force successfully.”
Mastering a concealed force wasn’t very difficult for martial masters those days, but successfully grasping the concept of concealed force before the apocalypse was rather extraordinary.
Strong fighters that possessed concealed force could basically match the strength of 10 people. If one had a sharp mind, they wouldn’t even have to fear firearms. If one word could describe these sort of people, that word would be ‘superhuman’.
However, if there had been strong fighters who could use concealed force before the apocalypse, how strong could these people have gotten after the apocalypse?
According to a saying, if one was a step ahead at the beginning, they would be a step ahead every step of the way. Luo Yunyang could kind of understand this by observing the effectiveness of his attribute regulator.
“Forming source cores largely relies on the activation of source fluid. However, the majority of these ancient martial families rely on the hidden power of their bloodlines.”
The Flame Emperor suddenly shook his head. “The Da Alliance has considered researching those bloodlines, but it isn’t easy. The 17 Western Cities tried researching werewolf bloodlines, but they were just too berserk. If one out of 100 subjects survived a forceful transplant, that would be considered a very good outcome.”
“If you really become the Blood Strike Guard Commissar, it’s best that you conform to former customs when it comes to handling certain matters. You have to tolerate these ancient martial families a little.”
Luo Yunyang studied the Flame Emperor’s expression before he asked lightly, “Are there any G.o.d-grade experts among them?”
“Although none have ever shown up, they probably do exist. These G.o.d-grade powerhouses are discouraged by the Martial G.o.ds and the Da Alliance’s taboo weapons, so they wouldn’t dare act unpredictably.”
As Luo Yunyang and the Flame Emperor were talking about the Blood Strike Guard, a voice on the outside suddenly reported, “Commander, the personnel of the Blood Strike Guard has requested to meet their Commissar.”
The Flame Emperor glanced at Luo Yunyang and shook his head. “It seems like things can no longer change. You have to be careful!”
Luo Yunyang smiled, but didn’t say anything.
Two minutes later, a few men in scarlet uniforms walked in. Their attire wasn’t very different from the Koi Guard’s, but the clothes looked a little awkward on them.
“Greetings, Commissar!” The men practically saluted Luo Yunyang as soon as they saw him get to his feet.
Luo Yunyang frowned slightly when he saw them. Their cultivation bases were too weak.
There were three third-grade martial masters and a second-grade martial master among them.
If they were together, they would be a considerable force, but right now, these were just the members of the Blood Strike Guard who had come to welcome him.
To Luo Yunyang’s knowledge, the Rising Dragon Army’s four Great Generals and eight Honorary Delegates were all grandmaster-level individuals.
Shouldn’t the highest-ranking commanding officers have shown up to welcome him? Why hadn’t a single one of them showed up? Could it be because they objected to his appointment as commander?
Luo Yunyang felt a little displeased at the thought.
“What are your positions in the Guard?” His voice was stern as he stared at the second-grade martial master at the front.
There wasn’t any dissent in the second-grade martial master’s expression. He understood Luo Yunyang’s position on the Sky List, yet he did not seem to be filled with fear.
“I am your subordinate, the Blood Strike Guard Vice-Commissar, Gu Jianguang!”
Luo Yunyang froze when he heard the middle-aged man’s words. He had never imagined that the Blood Strike Guard Vice-Commissar would actually be a second-grade martial master.
The Blood Strike Guard Vice-Commissar had a similar status as commanders like the Flame Emperor. How could such an important post actually be held by a second-grade martial master?
“How… How did you become the Vice-Commissar?” Luo Yunyang asked impolitely as he stared at Gu Jianguang.
There was no need for him to beat around the bush with someone like Gu Jianguang, which was why he had asked such a blunt question.
“I was the strongest person in the Blood Strike Guard, so when the previous Commissar pa.s.sed away, I became the Vice-Commissar.”
Suddenly, Gu Jianguang’s voice became kind of melancholic. “Your arrival is like a light in the darkness… Like a shower of rain after a prolonged drought!”
What the f*ck?
Luo Yunyang stared speechlessly at Gu Jianguang, who was sucking up to him shamelessly. If this fellow was the Blood Strike Guard’s strongest member, then how low was actually the level of the Blood Strike Guard?
“How many people are there in the Blood Strike Guard?” Luo Yunyang had a bad feeling about this.
“The Blood Strike Guard has always taken in only elite martialists, sir. Right now, we count slightly over 1,200 members,” Gu Jianguang said carefully, sensing Luo Yunyang’s fury.
Slightly over 1,200 members?
At first, this seemed like a decent number. However, this was the Blood Strike Guard, one of the Eight Armies and Three Guards of the Da Alliance!
There was no need to mention the Rising Dragon Army or any of the Eight Armies of the East. The Koi Guard had 3,000 men in Chang’an City alone.
If one added its main force in Shen’du, then the members of the entire Koi Guard were about 50,000. Compared to the Koi Guard, the Blood Strike Guard’s influence was actually supposed to be even higher.
“Where is everyone?” Luo Yunyang asked in an icy tone, glaring at Gu Jianguang.
“Sir, the Blood Strike Guard has always had low numbers. When the former Commissar pa.s.sed away, our numbers decreased even more.” Gu Jianguang trembled as he spoke. “I… I really wouldn’t dare lie to you, sir!”
Luo Yunyang couldn’t help but shake his head as he studied the three third-grade martial masters watching him. Although Lu Qubing had given him a rather large platform, this platform seemed to clearly be about to crumble.
“Sir, your secretary has already arrived. We better hurry up and pay a visit to all the various ancient martial families. If we are late…” Gu Jianguang rubbed his fingers together as he stammered. “It wouldn’t be good if we found ourselves on the wrong side of the door.”