"Captain, the main forces have begun to enter the city for rest gradually,"

the young officer wearing the blue uniform of the Rockville Mercenary Corps pushed open the tightly closed door and looked at the elderly man with gray-white beard sitting on the sofa in the hall, resting slightly. He said softly, "If most people enter the city, will the camp outside the city seem empty?"

At the young officer’s words, the elderly man slightly opened his eyes, glanced at the young officer, and said in a calm voice, "Let the Third Battalion stay outside the city. Have them arrange shifts for rest themselves, and issue additional garrison allowances."

"Yes." The young officer nodded and exited the office.

The elderly man sitting on the sofa watched him leave, then slowly closed his eyes again.

After a brief pause, he seemed to sense something, opened his eyes, and walked towards a concealed small door on the other side.

······

Storage Room

He Ao leaned against the edge of the storage rack, browsing through the information on the computer in front of him.

Most of the information was about the Rockville Energy Group Mercenary Corps’ equipment, and there were some mission details, but they were all simple, without involving core actions.

It didn’t even explain why the Mercenary Corps came near Dawn City.

However, there was some extra information. Emails from Stars Pharma indicated that they would provide medical support for the Mercenary Corps, including Transcendent treatment for the B-level Captain and the C-level core members.

The related medical supplies and equipment had been transported into the city today and were stored in the cold storage under the Stars Pharma building.

But other than that, there was nothing else.

It seemed that the real core information was probably held by a few core members like the Mercenary Corps Leader.

Crack—

At this moment, there was a soft sound behind He Ao, as the small door behind him slowly opened.

······

The elderly man with a gray-white beard, dressed in a blue military uniform, raised his head and looked at the narrow storage room in front of him.

This storage room was not very large, roughly a three-meter by three-meter small space, with two racks placed on either side and a computer at the far end.

At this moment, the computer was on, displaying a gray, hazy screen.

The elderly man in military uniform walked up to the computer, looking at that floating screen.

The content on the screen was gray, but faintly visible was a flashing screen, and the elderly man in a blue military uniform gazing at it.

This seemed to be a surveillance feed.

Seeing the content on the screen, the elderly man in military uniform immediately turned his gaze to look behind him.

In a nearly imperceptible corner behind him, a faint, almost invisible arc of light reflected.

He raised his hand, his fingertip slightly trembling.

The air at his fingertip was instantly compressed, passing through the void, and hit the spot where the arc of light was.

Bang—

Accompanied by a subtle shattering sound, the surveillance feed on the computer screen suddenly disappeared.

The elderly man turned back to look at the screen once again, slightly lowering his eyes.

Then he raised his hand, using his bracelet to make a call.

"Roster, what’s going on?" A somewhat hoarse, slightly puzzled voice came from the other end of the call, "Did something happen over there?"

"Your people installed surveillance in my apartment again." The elderly man in military uniform said hoarsely.

As he spoke, he raised his head and looked around.

The surroundings seemed empty, with nothing but himself.

He shut down the computer, raising his gaze as he walked slowly towards the small door with his bracelet in hand.

"Roster, you know the board needs to have an understanding of the Mercenary Corps." The hoarse voice on the line did not evade the issue, but addressed it directly.

"What, the board is interested in how I sleep, how I wake up?" The elderly man’s voice rose a little, "Why didn’t the board tell me about this when I was there?"

"I will warn them," the hoarse voice replied softly, "Next time you won’t see these cameras, but I still hope you understand, the current situation is not stable. You holding the armed forces might make the board wary. Letting them see some things appropriately is good for both of us."

"Those without power over arms hold power, fear is justified," the elderly man in military uniform said softly, "I hope I truly don’t see any new cameras. Whatever you do, just don’t let it be under my nose."

"Certainly," the hoarse voice said slowly, "I will take care of these, but do not spread it around now. Everything is sensitive; the board, the Gray Stone Palace, there’s even been an incident of the Mercenary Corps Leader rebelling recently."

"You hired me, providing resources and shares, I will do what I should," the elderly man in military uniform said calmly, "Rest assured."

"Good." The hoarse voice on the phone nodded.

"That’s it then," the elderly man nodded slightly, "I can’t keep my old friend waiting too long either."

The voice on the other end paused slightly, but before he could say anything, the call was cut off.

Meanwhile, the elderly man in military uniform turned back, delivering a flying kick to his rear side.

Bang—

An explosive sonic boom echoed in the void, igniting a brilliant flame in the light.

A skeletal figure wrapped in flames appeared in the darkness, stepping back two steps.

The elderly man in military uniform immediately retreated, glancing at the cracks on the wall where they had just collided, raised his head, and looked at the skeleton in flames.

In this dim, enclosed space, the skeleton emerging from the darkness in flames was somewhat eerie.

As the elderly man in military uniform gazed, the flames on the skeleton slowly retracted, transforming into a dignified old man with white, curly hair.

"Long time no see, Hawke." The elderly man in military uniform looked at the figure revealed after the flames subsided, greeting softly.

Despite this, his body remained tense, as if on alert.

"How did you know I was behind you?" He Ao asked the elderly man in military uniform.

"That spot was precisely my blindspot," the elderly man said calmly, "If I lacked this much judgment, I would’ve been dead long ago,"

He noted He Ao’s slight backward steps, speaking softly, "Are you injured? It seems the rumors about you clashing with your Mercenary Corps are true?"

"To be precise, I was being hunted," He Ao lifted his head, calmly looking at the elderly man in military uniform, neither denying nor confirming, "The Church of the Grim Reaper was involved."

Upon hearing this name, the elderly man in military uniform slightly opened his narrowed eyes, "Seems our group made a move. You came here to gather information on the Church of the Grim Reaper?"

"No," He Ao shook his head, "I came looking for clues. My son’s body was taken away."

Upon hearing these words, the elderly man in the uniform was slightly taken aback. He looked up at He Ao and said hoarsely, "Although I really want to tell you something, I indeed have nothing here; I am merely acting under orders."

"I know," He Ao withdrew his gaze, raised his head, and looked at the elderly man, as dots of flames appeared on his body. "Are you just going to let me leave like this?"

The elderly man glanced at the cracked walls.

······

Boom——

A violent roar ripped the sky, trembling the streets, overshadowing the dense sound of vehicles entering the city.

The north wing of the small building standing under the sky collapsed with a boom, and in an instant, half of it had fallen.

And along with the sound of this collapse, a figure carrying flames rushed out from the building, rolled into the street, and disappeared into the crisscross alleys.

At the same time, the elderly man in the uniform also walked out from the dust, raised his head, and looked in the direction where the figure in flames disappeared.

"Captain?" A slightly flustered young officer immediately rushed over, raised his head, and looked at the elderly man. "Do you need to arrange people to pursue him?"

"No need," the elderly man shook his head. "Do not pursue a trapped beast; you cannot stop him. Just arrange for a symbolic monitoring."

"Yes." The young officer nodded, picked up the walkie-talkie on his chest, and quickly said something.

After all matters had been arranged, he returned to the elderly man’s side and softly asked, "Captain, who was that person?"

"Hawke." The elderly man said hoarsely.

Upon hearing this name, the young officer was slightly taken aback and then suddenly realized something, "Hawke, the captain from the Menshu Group?"

"Yes." The elderly man nodded slightly.

"I heard he betrayed the Menshu Group and colluded with the cult. He is now on the run," the young officer said with some surprise.

"He may not be the one who betrayed." The elderly man shook his head.

"I heard several major groups issued a bounty together, a reward of a hundred million." The young officer looked in the direction the flames disappeared, deliberating.

Upon hearing this, the elderly man glanced at him, "Don’t even think about it. Even severely injured, he isn’t a pushover. Those who can earn this hundred million don’t lack money, so they won’t take this risk. Those willing to risk it can’t earn this money."

He also looked in the direction where the flames had disappeared, "This bounty was issued merely to constantly provoke cannon fodder to attack him, consuming him, ensuring he has no time to heal his injuries."

Upon hearing this sentence, the young officer was slightly taken aback, swallowed his saliva, "This is a bit too ruthless. Without spending a dime, they send others to death."

"People in this world are like that, paying unbearable costs for some illusory gigantic interests." Saying this, the elderly man’s gaze slightly lowered, looking at the half-collapsed small building beside him, a trace of distress flashing deep in his eyes.

He shook his head, turned around, and walked towards the other side of the small building that had not collapsed, "Let’s go, dealing with him isn’t our responsibility."

The young officer nodded, keeping up with the elderly man’s pace.

——

In the distant, dense alleys, He Ao raised his head, looking at the high wall behind him.

He lowered his head, glancing at the faintly seeping blood clots on his hand.

Roster was stronger than Hawke remembered.

At the core B-level of the Federation Big Consortium’s mercenary corps, many know each other, and there are some private interactions.

B-levels have their own small circles, especially among the consortium’s mercenary corps, where some open and covert struggles occasionally occur, requiring the captains to understand their enemies’ situations.

Even Fiss, a relatively solitary B-level from the Nolanka Group’s mercenary corps, sometimes attends gatherings hosted by other mercenary corps leaders.

Hawke’s relationship with Roster wasn’t particularly good, but they were barely acquaintances, exchanging battle experiences and having sparred a few times.

Of course, this ’friendship’ is limited to times when there are no profit relationships; when it comes to interests, everyone is loyal to their own masters.

At least, Roster had indeed tried to kill He Ao. If he could eliminate He Ao here, he wouldn’t hesitate.

However, he couldn’t possibly truly chase after, fearing that He Ao might set a trap and eliminate him, for a lean camel is larger than a horse.

He Ao brushed past his arm, the shadowy blood clots gradually disappearing.

He raised his head, looked at the setting sun in the sky, and walked toward the south.

The high-rise building, hanging with the upside-down insignia of the Sea of Stars, loomed faintly in the distance.

Ever since leaving the Rockville Energy Group, he had been thinking about one thing.

If the Church of the Grim Reaper placed such importance on the matter in Vicat City and arranged several people to guard it.

Then, after he dealt with those ’on-site personnel,’ are there other presences of the Church of the Grim Reaper behind them?

Did the people who were supposed to leave Vicat City truly depart?

——

The rays of the setting sun vanished from the horizon, spilling into the living room behind the giant floor-to-ceiling windows.

"It’s Hawke."

The figure in the shadows reached out, placing the tablet playing the video onto the table.

And the video on the tablet was of that burning Skeleton Knight.

Then the shadowy figure took out another photo, seeming to be a screenshot of some surveillance.

In that screenshot, a streak of fire crossed the sky, disappearing at the edge of the city.

"What’s Hawke doing here?" The figure sitting on the sofa said hoarsely, "Shouldn’t he find somewhere to hide and recuperate?"

"It seems he’s very persistent," the shadowy figure said softly, "He has Hades, this nuclear-powered mecha, and the speed is sufficient to enable his arrival here."

He lowered his head, looking at the figure on the sofa, and continued, "According to news from the mercenary corps, Hawke’s injuries haven’t healed, and he was also struck just now by Captain Roster."

"You mean···" The figure on the sofa seemed to realize something, slightly opening his mouth.

"He knows too much, and his abilities precisely affect our plans," the shadowy figure said slowly, "Getting rid of him here is, in fact, our optimal solution."

"Though he is heavily injured, he is nonetheless a formidable B-level," the figure on the sofa said softly, "We probably won’t be able to find him."

"No, he will come voluntarily," the shadowy figure shook his head, lowering his gaze to the photo with the dissipating flame, "He will voluntarily walk into the trap we set."

——

Stars Pharma Building

He Ao raised his head, glanced at the towering structure, looked at the gigantic upside-down insignia of the Sea of Stars, and slowly walked inside with the coming and going crowds.

The security personnel’s gaze naturally skipped over him, and as night fell, it swallowed the last bit of daylight.