Armipotent

Chapter 1924: Team Reds 2.0 (1)

Tang Shaoyang thought of joining the team, he considered it, but he decided not to, and it was for a good reason. He would not have the freedom he liked, and the way Aelka led the team, he might not fit in. Aelka had not shown it, but he could see Aelka asking for his skills or maybe asking to share his status screen. Aelka would want to know what he could do and assign the roles, something normal to do.

He did not mind his method, but he was not willing to share his status screen, even if it was just showing his stats and general information such as level, talent, class, and others. Aelka did not ask him the details before because it was just a temporary team, but he was eighty percent confident that Aelka would ask once he joined the team. It might become a requirement to join the team.

Tang Shaoyang could understand the reason, but that didn’t mean he would show them. He would do the same if he were in Aelka’s position.

Another problem would be his freedom. He wanted freedom where he could return to Earth freely. Joining Aelka’s team would hinder him from doing so. It was Aelka who made the decision to take a contract or a mission. This should not be a problem if the war against The Dominion was enough to promote him to Obsidian Rank, but it would be a problem if this war was not enough.

Rokic and Aelka were surprised that Tang Shaoyang rejected their invitation. Rokic thought Tang Shaoyang would join them for sure because Tang Shaoyang was a newbie mercenary despite his high rank. Joining their team would pave his way to the Herald and even Archon Rank, at least. Joining their team would smooth the way because they had a Gold Rank in their team, especially after sharing an experience in a battle.

Aelka thought the same, but his surprise quickly turned into displeasure. He thought Tang Shaoyang declined his invitation because of his rank, a Demi-God Rank. He thought Tang Shaoyang just didn’t want to be his team member officially and received an order from a lower-ranked player like him. That was his assumption for the refusal.

Aella had an understanding look on her face, expecting that Tang Shaoyang would leave the team. Johan and Arkum felt it was a pity that Tang Shaoyang did not join. They had a change of mind after finding out Tang Shaoyang’s actual rank was a God Rank. However, they had a similar expectation as Aella because there was no reason for a God Rank to work under someone weaker.

”Why? Is it because of me?” Aelka was direct as always, even though he was facing a God Rank.

”Not really. I plan to create a team before we even team up,” Tang Shaoyang said with his excuse.

”You will have a higher-ranked mission available to you by joining my team than if you create a team yourself. It will be easier for you to rank up,” Aelka explained.

”I think I will reach at least Red Rank by the end of my contract with the Raven Monarchy. We don’t really care... Ah, I haven’t told you that I have friends who will join the mercenary guild today. I will meet them tomorrow.”

Tang Shaoyang could notice the slight hostility from Aelka, and he did not expect this from Aelka. That was why he lied to Aelka, so whatever caused Aelka to be upset at him disappeared. If he said he had a plan before meeting them, there was no reason for Aelka to be upset anymore. Not that he cared, but it would leave a bad aftertaste if they parted with bad blood.

Aelka could no longer do anything when he heard that. They finished the meal quietly, except for Aella. She was quite noisy, asking about his friends and what his team name would be. She even joked that she might join Tang Shaoyang’s team.

Tang Shaoyang left the establishment with Aella, ”I can help you create your team. Meet me at the Mercenary Guild tomorrow morning.” She did not wait for him to answer and went back to the inn.

[What are you going to do with her? Are you going to let her wait all day in the Mercenary Guild? You don’t have friends to create the team.] Zara asked him in a teasing tone. She thought her man might be interested in the girl since he did not want to upset her brother.

[Bringing the Demi-God Ranks with you to this floor would harm them more than help them. They would not be able to fight the floor bosses from the lower floor.] The Hurakan Commander IV, Nikolas, reminded Tang Shaoyang that he would be ruining his people if he planned to bring the Demi-God Ranks from his empire to this floor.

Tang Shaoyang smiled, ”I have an idea, and it will definitely attract unwanted attention, but let’s do that. Who knows, I might skip several ranks.”

He looked at a deserted alley before going out of the tower and went straight home. The two days had been boring and not productive for him. Of course, he returned just to meet his daughter, even though that was the main reason. He had another reason: to make a journal with Origin. The Smart AI would write the journal for him about all the floors he had explored. The journal was for Zhang Mengyao so they could be prepared for what was ahead of them.

*** ***

The following morning, Tang Shaoyang entered the tower with a fresh mind and body. Yesterday was the most productive day in the last four days. Elin and Li Shuang were pregnant, but the doctor said they were safe to do it because they were healthy. Ava had been fasting for too long after Tang Xiulan’s birth, and she was longing for him. It was a productive night as they wrestled all night.

Tang Shaoyang returned to the twenty-second floor with a smile. He returned to the same deserted alley. Three shadows immediately emerged not long after he appeared.

Rokian, Artras, and Argon stayed in the city for him, doing their job to keep him updated. The war was imminent because General Ravenbarch had a long discussion with the three potential successors. Even though the Sorcerer Monarchy was in grave danger with the Dominion’s army right in front of their gate, the three successors were still fighting to get the empty throne their father left behind.

After listening to the reports, Tang Shaoyang could guess that they might fight The Dominion soon. It could be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. It meant it would delay his progress further from reaching the next floor. Aside from that, nothing important happened in the city or to the mercenary.

[How are you going to create the team by yourself?] Zara asked again, still curious about what Tang Shaoyang planned for leaving so early. It meant Tang Shaoyang took Aella’s help to create the team.

”What do you mean by myself? I have you guys,” Tang Shaoyang summoned the Lysvand Family.

Hurakan Legion Commander II - Gianni Lysvand, Hurakan Legion Commander IV - Nikolas Lysvand, and Hurakan Legion Commander VI - Mathias Lysvand.

The three commanders were in their Lysvand Family’s black armor, and they had similar types of weapons as well. The three Lysvands exchanged looks before sharing the same excitement as they finally came out for a job. Staying in the Spirit World was quite boring for the three commanders.

”Let’s make it a team of six,” Tang Shaoyang proceeded to summon two more spirits.

Valiant Soldier - Ruben and The Forsaken Infernal Knight - Jovrick. Ruben was also part of the Hurakan Legion. He had another human spirit, Arkanos, but he chose Jovrick over him, even though Jovrick looked more like a demon with his dark aura than a human. The reason was simple: Jovrick would cause less trouble and listen to his order better than Arkanos, who was slightly a rebel like Doombringer.

[Why not Avyn and I? I can retract my wings, and that would make me look like a human!] Zara protested. Avyn shared similar sentiments and questioned Tang Shaoyang’s decision.

”Nope! Certainly not you two. You two will cause trouble for me by doing nothing, so no!”

The nobles from this floor would try to kill him to get Zara and Avyn. They certainly could not take them from him, but that would make him the enemy of this noble if he killed them. That would reset his progress that he had built so far, and the tower would issue a new quest. That would make him stay on this floor longer than necessary.

[You are also creating trouble by calling them. It means you have to register them under the Mercenary Guild, and they would record them in their database. Having five new God Ranks join the Mercenary Guild will make you suspicious.] Zara pointed out.

”That’s true, but it might help me to quicken my ranking up if the Mercenary Guild’s higher-ups noticed me. They would know for sure that we are players, and they might want to keep us in their guild. It’s been decided, you will stay away from this.”

Tang Shaoyang walked out with five heavy-armored people from the deserted valley. As Zara said, they immediately became the center of attention, ”Lead me to the Mercenary Guild, Artras!”

*** ***

Aella was waiting at the Mercenary Guild’s front door, munching on the apple. She had been waiting for Tang Shaoyang here for half an hour, and of course, it was her fault. She said she would help him, but she did not tell him the specific time to meet. That was the reason why she came much earlier than anyone else.

Aella was about to complain because she had been waiting for half an hour until she overheard the people who walked past her, entering the guild. She quickly realized that these people had been talking about the same thing, about a man with weird clothing and five intimidating knights.

The man with weird clothing might be familiar to her, but not the five knights. She was about to stop someone to ask for more details until she heard a commotion on the main street. She turned toward the noise and found the man with the weird clothing and the five knights.

Her sharp intuition was not wrong about Tang Shaoyang, as the man with the weird clothing. The shock came from the five knights as those five knights looked even stronger than Tang Shaoyang, meaning the five knights might be a God Rank as well, like Tang Shaoyang.

”He is for sure a player, and he is our chance to escape from this damned place,” She muttered under her breath.