Ultragenic Warlord

Chapter 491: Resurgence of Danger

"When there aren't any live mutated-grade lifeforms available on the market, hunters can choose to post requests in the guild hall in hopes that someone will pick it up.

"When the Yeluo need specialized herbs and plants, they can also do the same. In addition, there are always quests for capturing or killing superior-grade lifeforms, possibly with mercenary assistance.

"After all, in the second realm, superior-grade lifeforms are large enough that they can provide superior gene fragments for ten to twenty hunters. If they pool their resources and post such a quest, they can make the reward large enough to attract the attention of the stronger members of the alien races.

"In other words, they'll form ten- to twenty-member parties, then add in another ten to twenty Yeluo or rock spirits to form a thirty-member strong raiding team.

"There are quite a few hunters and members of the alien race that now have the strength to take on a superior-grade lifeform, especially after our war against Xuechi. In fact, most of the rock spirits are comparable in strength to a superior-grade lifeform."

Zhou Liao's eyes widened. "Impressive, impressive indeed. Despite the fact that it's only been a few months since its founding, there are so many things in Renhuang that are simply beyond all my expectations. I suspect that half these human reinforcements aren't going to want to go back to Qi!"

Zhang Lie replied, "While there are more humans coming into the city, I'm hoping to establish diplomatic relationships with other human cities. After all, the herbs and plants that the wood spirits are cultivating and the Yeluo potions are something that no other city possesses."

For the moment, Renhuang would need all that the wood spirits and Yeluo could supply, but as time passed and the alien races' production chain became more and more mature, Renhuang would have rare and precious goods that could be exported.

"You're going to take over the other human cities too? You—" Zhou Liao thought he understood Zhang Lie's ambitions in the second realm.

Zhang Lie pointed at the next building ahead. "The next building is an auction hall. All sorts of strange and unusual trinkets go up for auction there, along with the rare few superior-grade lifeforms that the Yeluo or rock spirits have captured alive."

Further ahead, beyond the auction hall, Zhou Liao noticed another building about the same size as the guild. "What's that?"

"We're planning on selling live genetic lifeforms officially now that there are so many more hunters in Renhuang. We'll need to make sure that there's enough supply to meet demand, and we'd like more oversight regarding transactions involving live lifeforms as well."

Zhou Liao gaped. He felt that, if Renhuang were to keep developing at this pace, the rate of growth of hunters in Renhuang would far outstrip those in other cities.

Renhuang's hunters would be known for their strength, which Zhou Liao expected to be on par with that of a sura king, whereas those hunters from other human cities would remain as weak as they currently were.

Zhou Liao's envy soared. If not for the fact that he was the troop leader of the special forces of Qi, he would long since have settled down in Renhuang. There were simply too many benefits to being a hunter here!

"Where do you intend on acquiring these lifeforms that you'll be selling?"

Zhang Lie replied, "We'll set up our own hunting parties. Once the war against the sura kings is over, Renhuang's combat forces will be given the choice of being city guards or hunters. Of course, if they don't want to fight any longer, we won't force them to do so."

Ever since the crag eagles had devoured the golden rocs' flesh, they too had advanced uniformly to the level of superior-grade lifeforms, and Zhang Lie intended to take full advantage of them. After all, they had impressive scouting and hunting abilities in their own right.

Zhou Liao glanced at him speechlessly. "You've even planned out the lives of your veteran soldiers?"

"I have a team of excellent subordinates to do all the detailed planning for me, after all." Zhang Lie pointed at yet another building in the distance. "That's part of another goal we're working towards—a science academy."

"A science academy?!"

Although there were private laboratories in each human city, none had ever tried to construct an academy of sciences.

There were only a rare few scientists who were able to advance to the second realm, and it was prohibitively difficult to reconstruct scientific equipment. As a result, there were scant few experiments that could be conducted, and even fewer results published.

"Indeed, I intend on constructing a science academy right here in Renhuang. The first rector of the academy will be the Yeluo chieftain himself!"

Zhou Liao seemed even more shocked than before. "Do you have enough talent and scientific equipment?"

"There's nothing to worry about in terms of talent. The Yeluo are particularly gifted at chemistry and medicine, and we've already thought up a solution to the equipment."

After speaking with Zhang Lie, Zhou Liao really was tempted to contact Xiao Zhengyang to quit his job and move to Renhuang instead.

The hunters' forums continued buzzing with activity as word of Zhang Lie's victory over the seven sura kings continued to spread.

"What's going on in the second realm? It feels like there are more and more shocking stories with every passing day!"

"Well, Zhang Lie's been making waves ever since he entered the second realm, after all."

"What's going on with Zhang Lie and Renhuang now?"

"The empire of stars just declared war on Renhuang, and they're advancing toward Renhuang now. Apparently, the monarch of stars' forces includes three million sura—and those are just the elites!"

The gathering of the sura forces had caused such a commotion that it couldn't be hidden; everyone around the empire of stars learned of what was happening immediately.

"I told you, the sura aren't just going to give up so easily. After Zhang Lie killed two sura kings, seven more popped out; now that Renhuang has gotten rid of the seven sura kings and their forces, the empire of stars is finally mobilizing!"

Someone else countered, "Well, if the seven sura kings combined aren't able to deal with Zhang Lie, would a sura empire really do so much better?

"The empire of stars is led by the monarch of stars, and the monarchs are on a different level entirely than the sura kings. The empire of stars is the strongest of the sura empires, and it's a whole different level of strength entirely. A sura monarch has strength comparable to that of a hundred sura kings!"

"What? That's ridiculous!"