Chapter 677: Something Seems Off

The eight-star expert gave Han Fei as much pressure as Xiao Zhan did when he fought with his full strength.

Han Fei’s first impression was that the man was a peak-level Hidden Fisher who could kill him with a gentle breath.

Although Uncle Bei Huo was a Hidden Fisher too, he wasn’t as threatening as the eight-star expert, who seemed to have cultivated his intimidating vibe through fighting.

The eight-star expert said, “Since you know two of them, you have enough friends here. I am Liang Tian, head of the First Department. I may call on you for missions of the First Unit later…”

According to Liang Tian’s introduction, the hunter girl was named Ye Xiangxiang. She was best at movement and sword techniques.

The young man who used arrays was named Meng Guiyi, who was much more skilled at arrays than Han Fei. It was said he could draw more than five hundred arrays.

The swordsman was named Ning Dong, meaning winter, but he wasn’t cold at all. He was warm and friendly, and an armorist besides being a soul warrior. His previous attack definitely didn’t reflect his full strength.

Han Fei said, “Wait, I found a lot of acquaintances back in the battle in the sea, including Cao Tian, Ye Baiyu, Cao Jiaren, Mu Ling etc. If you are here, shouldn’t they be here too?”

Liang Tian’s lips curled. “You do know a lot of people. They’re all with us, but not here at this present moment. You should get familiar with each other first. The First Unit will be gathered in half a month… Han Fei, Yang Dao must’ve mentioned to you that a mission would come half a month later, so you need to make a breakthrough and stabilize yourself in the new level, for a great battle is bound to take place.”

After that, Liang Tian dropped a hint to Bei Huo, and the two of them went to the woods far away.

When Han Fei and the other members were left alone, Han Fei spoke to Tang Ge telepathically,

Don’t show that we know each other well. I’m probably still being watched.

Tang Ge frowned.

Why?

Han Fei replied,

Some trivia back in the Scattered Stars Prison.

Han Fei didn’t explain any further but simply looked around and walked to Meng Guiyi, before he suddenly laid his hand on Meng Guiyi’s shoulder as if they were old friends. “Brother Meng, it’s such an honor to finally meet you…”

Meng Guiyi was stunned. “Huh? Do you know me?”

Han Fei smiled. “I do now. Brother Meng, I have some questions regarding arrays. I’m told that Brother Meng is an expert who knows ten thousand arrays. I do admire you.”

“Cough, cough… That’s an overstatement! But what are your questions, Brother Han?”

“It may take a while. Let’s go over them one by one…”

Not far away, Ning Dong said, “Han Fei, you’re new here. Don’t spend all your time just with Guiyi! Let’s get to know each other. We’ll be on a mission as a team in half a month anyway.”

Han Fei slapped his thigh and said, “You’re right. We should get to know each other. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Han Fei, and I’m good at refining and cooking. Do you want to eat anything?”

Ye Xiangxiang glared at Han Fei with spite. “What a glutton.”

An hour later…

Ye Xiangxiang was holding a crab leg and gulping it in. She finished it and looked for another one, only to find nothing left in the pot except a sh.e.l.l.

Immediately, Ye Xiangxiang said, “Shameless… Well… Han Fei, how did you cook it? Why is it so delicious?”

Han Fei said with curled lips, “You think talents in cultivation are everything? One day, it suddenly hit me: why are we always so busy that we can’t even enjoy food from the vast ocean? So, I devoted myself to culinary studies…”

Han Fei went on bragging about himself, having no idea what he said exactly. Tang Ge shook his head nonstop, but was secretly glad that Han Fei had become more lighthearted than before.

But the other four people, including Chen Aochen, thought differently and felt greatly enlightened about how Han Fei made such delicious food.

After they were all full, Han Fei and Tang Ge slipped away with an excuse.

Fearing that anyone would eavesdrop, Han Fei created a soundproof array and a spiritual blockage array, before they finally started to talk.

“I need to tell you something.”

Both of them said at the same time.

Tang Ge grinned. “You go first.”

Han Fei frowned. “Do you know what our pop’s name was?”

Tang Ge was stunned. “You’ve been investigating Uncle Han too?”

Han Fei asked in surprise, “So have you? I vaguely recall that people called him Boss Han. I don’t know his real name.”

Tang Ge grinned. “Uncle Han was indeed called Boss Han back then. I don’t know his real name either.”

Han Fei said, “Mu Ling must be from an influential family and has a lot of sources. Can you ask her about a person named Han Guanshu?”

Tang Ge asked in shock, “How do you know him?”

Han Fei was dazed too. “Have you been looking into him too?”

Tang Ge smiled bitterly. “I had been looking into the matter even before I came to the level-three fishery.”

Han Fei gasped. “Seriously?”

Han Fei never thought that Han Guanshu would be related to him… He merely thought that some great event that involved the Thug Academy, the Scattered Stars Island and Thousand Star City must’ve happened thirty years earlier.

Han Fei merely speculated that the Scattered Stars Island was the source of everything.

Tang Ge, however, slightly shook his head. “I didn’t find anything. I suspected that he was my adoptive father, but there was too little information for me to collect. However, one thing is certain: he might not be dead yet. Some people might have claimed that he died to cover something up.”

Han Fei frowned hard. “I don’t think so either. The timing isn’t right.”

Tang Ge nodded. “There’s indeed some problems with the timeline, but they can be answered. Has it occurred to you that he wasn’t killed but simply hid himself in the Heavenly Water Village?”

Han Fei remarked, “Then my mother should still be alive. Han Guanshu was the highest commander of the Scattered Stars Island in the past. Could he have married a random woman in a village? Could he have been in the mood for that when he was busy running for life?”

Tang Ge was rather confused too. “That’s indeed a problem. However, maybe certain details that we don’t know have been covered up. In any case, I think it’s a good possibility.”

Han Fei waved his hand. “Since you looked into it and didn’t find anything, it means that we aren’t qualified to learn that part of history yet. Right, why did you come to the Scattered Stars First Unit?”

Tang Ge smiled. “Before I came to the Scattered Stars Island, many people in the Thousand Star City had taken part in a battle in a treasure trove, which was claimed to be a test. But it turned out to be a real battle, and our compet.i.tors were the best of the sea demons. Many people from the Thousand Star City were killed or severely wounded, but we won in the end.”

Han Fei asked in surprise., “So, you’ve been engaged in the war against sea demons since the beginning?”

Tang Ge nodded. “Yes. Also, let me tell you, there’s a myriad of treasure troves around the Scattered Stars Island, and the Undersea Chimney pops up now and then too. There will be compet.i.tions every time it’s opened. Sometimes the experts will fight, and sometimes it’s for the low-level guys. The Scattered Stars First Unit mostly takes part in such treasure trove battles.”

Han Fei’s eyes widened. “Hiss! Doesn’t it mean that there will be a lot of treasures to take?”

Tang Ge shook his head. “Not necessarily. Some treasure troves are relatively safe and only the sea demons are dangerous, but some are so perilous that we might have to cooperate with sea demons.”

Han Fei was stunned. “Cooperate?”

Tang Ge heaved a sigh. “That can’t be helped. However, the premise of cooperation is that no other human beings will be hurt, otherwise you will be gravely punished.”

Han Fei suddenly glanced at Tang Ge. “How strong are you right now?”

Spiritual energy trembled on Tang Ge’s hand. “I’m a peak intermediate Hanging Fisher.”

Han Fei thought for a moment and realized that it made sense. It had been fifteen months since they last met. Considering that Tang Ge had a level-7 spiritual heritage, he must’ve been purposefully slowing down even though he had become an intermediate Hanging Fisher.

Tang Ge, on the other hand, looked at Han Fei. “Not bad. You’re already at the peak of the junior level, right? It’s the right thing to do. You have to suppress yourself and cultivate to the maximum in each level. That’s far better than fast breakthroughs.”

Han Fei smiled. “Enough. I already knew that. By the way, does the Scattered Stars First Unit often have missions?”

Tang Ge nodded. “Frequently, but usually not for the same people. The Scattered Stars First Unit is not as small as you might think. Many people take part in operations in the middle of regular pioneering and other groups. Sometimes, people from the Scattered Stars First Unit are split in multiple treasure troves. Of course, you can choose not to go to the regular treasure troves, but it’s compulsory to go to the special ones.”

Han Fei chuckled. “So, I’m obligated to go to this treasure trove now?”

Tang Ge nodded. “That’s right. Senior Liang Tian must’ve included you in the mission after examining your capabilities, which means you’ve distinguished yourself in the test of the 36 towns.”

Han Fei remembered the blood-freezing test where he received nothing but negative reviews. How could he have possibly distinguished himself?

Smiling, Han Fei shook his head. “Then where do you live? Have you been a.s.signed to different jobs too? Like senior scouts, pioneers, fishers, etc…”

Tang Ge nodded. “I’m with the pioneers.”

Han Fei hummed a response and remembered that Jiang Qin was a pioneer too. Was it a coincidence?

Han Fei asked, “Do you know Jiang Qin?”

Tang Ge smiled. “Of course. If you hadn’t mentioned her, I could never have imagined that the port manager in the Heavenly Water Village would turn into the leader of pioneers on this land.”

“Does she remember you?”

Tang Ge nodded, “Yes, but she has never talked to me alone.”

Han Fei scratched his head and had a feeling that something was off…