Achieving Demon Godhood from Unlocking Talents

"Don’t worry, Junior Brother Song. I’ve got this."

Lu Chao gave a slight nod. He didn’t mind.

After all, Ge Hongfeng was now teaching him, and he had to take that favor into account.

Then, he bid him farewell and strode out of the Storm Club.

...

「In the days that followed.」

Lu Chao’s days were long; he left early and returned late, focusing all his time on practicing the Roaming Dragon Step and handling Superpower Bureau affairs.

During the day, he worked with the members of Team Five, handling missions. This allowed him to grow closer to his teammates while accumulating contribution points to exchange for knowledge on new intermediate-level Superpower Potions.

At night, he would go to the Storm Club to receive Ge Hongfeng’s guidance and train hard in his Body Technique and Martial Skills.

「About a week later.」

On this day, several black Superpower Bureau jeeps were parked in a corner of the plaza in Satellite City No. 4.

This was the entrance to the underground district. A massive glass elevator, carrying nearly a hundred people, shot up from below the surface.

Even though it wasn’t the first time he’d seen it, Chen Xiao, sitting in the driver’s seat, was still amazed. "I never would’ve thought Red Maple had a residential district underground."

"’Hive District’... That’s an interesting name. Fang Xu, have you ever seen anything like this before?"

At his words, Fang Xu, in the passenger seat, gently shook his head.

Ring City didn’t have anything like it.

It was a unique design feature only found in mega-city-circles. Back in the old days, threatened by the Beast Tides and with a massive population but not enough space on the surface, they had been forced to develop underground.

Both were dressed in formal, all-black Superpower Bureau combat uniforms. They were equipped with automatic rifles, with pistols and daggers at their waists and custom communication earpieces.

Over the past month, they had gradually grown accustomed to the job and gotten to know the other members of Team Five.

As they chatted, Lu Chao, dressed in a black combat uniform in the back seat, remained silent.

Instead, he rolled down the window and glanced at the other Superpower Bureau vehicles around the plaza.

He had brought about a third of Team Five with him.

Also present were Sun Jiayuan’s Team Two and some members from the other three groups.

It wasn’t a special occasion, but the mission was unusual.

The United Committee—that is, the commissioners from Yao Capital stationed in the main city—was sending people to Satellite City No. 4 to conduct a temporary inspection of the underground Hive District.

Because of this, all four Superpower Teams had to dispatch personnel to assist.

Furthermore, looking at the streets surrounding the plaza, one could see members of the Red Maple Patrol Team setting up roadblocks to control traffic.

"By the way, where’s Gao Hu?"

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Lu Chao asked softly.

Chen Xiao paused for a moment before replying helplessly, "Vice Captain Gao personally led a team to the buffer zone. They’ve been on stakeout for three days and nights."

"The guys say they’ve barely slept, just toughing it out."

His voice was tinged with admiration and a hint of gravity.

Lu Chao fell silent. He knew exactly why.

Gao Hu had taken the other third of their team, but it was with Lu Chao’s tacit approval.

It wasn’t an act of insubordination; he was carrying out another very real mission: staking out a squad belonging to the major warlord, "Iron Sand."

Team Five’s previous captain had been killed by that same group. Now that they’d finally found a lead, they couldn’t possibly let it go.

"He’s working hard."

Lu Chao said softly.

Although he knew Gao Hu’s desperation was driven more by the desire to avenge their former captain, Zheng City, it didn’t diminish his admiration for the man.

He was a capable and daring fighter, and very experienced.

He really needed a fierce warrior like that under his command.

"What was the situation like last time you and Fang Xu went to the buffer zone?"

Lu Chao asked casually, wanting to get a better picture.

Chen Xiao thought for a moment before answering truthfully. "It’s a bit complicated out there. It’s basically a large wilderness settlement."

"Even though it’s close to the city-circle, the City Guard Army and patrol teams usually don’t get involved. Most of the time, the local scavengers and gangs run the show. There are constant firefights, and it’s even more chaotic than the Iron Ring District back in Ring City... If I were a Rebel or one of the warlords, I’d definitely hide some of my people there."

Lu Chao nodded, agreeing with his analysis.

Just as he was about to say something else...

VMMMM!!

Two levitating vehicles descended from the sky, their engines creating a powerful downdraft.

They bore the Superpower Bureau’s ringed hexagram emblem as well as Red Maple City’s red maple leaf insignia, as if to symbolize the harmony between the two factions.

"They’re here."

Lu Chao and the others grew serious and stopped their conversation.

All around the plaza, members of the Superpower Bureau and the patrol teams emerged, their gazes fixed on the levitating vehicles as they landed in the center of the square.

PSSHH! CLANK!

As the vehicle’s hatch hissed open, a dozen or so figures emerged.

Most were elite operatives from headquarters, clad in Superpower Bureau combat uniforms. There were also several powerful experts from the City Lord’s Mansion’s patrol team.

And in the center of the group...

...three commissioners from Yao Capital, dressed in black suits, strode forward, flanked by two high-ranking officials from the patrol team.

The scene drew curious glances from onlookers on the street. Even office workers in the surrounding high-rises paused to peer curiously through their windows.

"All units, stay alert."

The voice of the mission commander, Li Xiyuan, leader of Group Three, crackled through their earpieces.

He was also on-site and was the first to approach and shake hands with the commissioners.

At his command, Lu Chao and the others put on grim expressions and scanned their surroundings.

Soon, another transmission came through the earpieces—it was Li Xiyuan giving orders.

"Team One, Team Two..."

He had apparently finished speaking with the three commissioners from Yao Capital and was now ordering some of the surrounding teams to accompany them into the lower district to provide full security.

As the orders were given, many of the Superpower captains looked on with anticipation, hoping to be chosen.

The contribution points for a close protection detail were significantly higher than for just standing by on standby.

Furthermore, getting close to the commissioners was a chance to make an impression. They might even get to handle any sudden incidents in the underground district and earn more accolades.

"Group Three’s Team Two, Team Four, Team Five..."

Li Xiyuan, dressed in his black combat uniform, listed off the names in a low voice, his gaze briefly flicking toward Lu Chao’s group.

His voice firmed. He looked away and calmly ordered, "Professional and Elite Level members from the teams I just named will proceed into the Hive District."

"All other teams, remain on standby. Keep comms open and be ready for support."

With that, he quickly led his people to escort the delegation of commissioners into the massive glass elevator, which began its descent underground.

Witnessing this, Chen Xiao, who was leaning against a black jeep at the side of the plaza, cursed under his breath, clenching his fist in frustration.

"Damn it."

The other members of Team Five looked similarly disgruntled.

"Not a single person from our Group Four was called."

"What can you do? Leader Li is the acting commander for this mission."

"I’m used to it by now."

As several voices grumbled nearby, Lu Chao’s expression remained neutral.

He had expected this outcome.

’Everyone has their biases. It’s only natural to want to give the best opportunities to your own people.’

’These team leaders might seem cooperative on the surface, but they’re all competing with each other.’

’Besides...’

"Brother Lu."

Sun Jiayuan, who also hadn’t been called, approached with a helpless smile.

The two had grown much closer recently, and the way they addressed each other had naturally shifted.

"It’s a shame we aren’t from East Port. Otherwise, we might have been chosen to go with them."

He said regretfully. Lu Chao glanced around.

The other teams that had been chosen were from different groups, but without exception, their captains all came from the same place as Leader Li.

The East Port city-circle.

He then looked at the remaining teams.

All the remaining captains were from small or medium-sized city-circles like themselves.

"I heard Xu Wei completed a mission with Jiang Hua’s group a couple of days ago. She earned a lot of contribution points, exchanged them for several high-grade resources, and boosted her Life Energy by a good amount."

"Sigh... you know, sometimes I’m actually a little envious of her."

Sun Jiayuan’s tone was complex. He seemed hesitant, as if he were also considering trying to break into those cliques.

It was obvious to anyone with eyes that the Superpower Bureau was full of cliques. Only by sticking with the top talents from Yao Capital or East Port could you get access to high-contribution missions.

Lu Chao just smiled, offering no comment.

With the help of his [Resilient Body] and [Flow State] talents, he wasn’t in any hurry.

The two continued to chat. Sun Jiayuan did most of the talking, his tone melancholy, as if he were still mulling over what had just happened.

Lu Chao listened in silence. The other team members were scattered around in twos and threes, some on alert, others on standby.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes.

Lu Chao suddenly sensed a prying gaze.

He glanced toward a street corner beyond the plaza. Outside a plate-glass window, there were only pedestrians coming and going. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

And yet...

Greed, bloodlust, contempt...

A jumble of indistinct emotions reflected in his mind. His eyes grew cold as he sensed a wave of intense malice.

’Killing intent? Aimed at me?’

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