Chapter 110: Arrival in Harrison

As Ye Chong and the two others boarded the ship, all eyes aboard immediately fixed on them. These men were clearly no strangers to hardship; their faces were set with fierce expressions or darkened with gloom, yet without exception, their gazes were sharp and intimidating.

Ye Chong and his companions remained unfazed. Fortunately, their appearance was respectable enough. Ye Chong’s face was impassive, constantly alert, exuding an aura of danger. Old Pang’s unremarkable looks belied a seasoned sharpness etched across his face. Kasang’s towering, iron-like physique was intimidating, and from time to time, he would grin broadly, revealing rows of white teeth.

The three casually found a corner and sat quietly.

“Didn’t expect so many people. We’ll have to be careful all the way,” Old Pang muttered to the others.

Kasang nodded earnestly, while Ye Chong scanned the crowd thoughtfully.

Fortunately, these people all recognized each other as formidable and kept their aggression in check. The atmosphere within the spaceship was heavy and oppressive, as if the air itself was about to solidify.

Old Pang kept vigilantly observing the surroundings and admired Ye Chong’s unchanging calm expression. Kasang, like a big child, sat on the floor boredly tapping his fingers, eventually dozing off with his mouth agape, drool dripping onto the deck.

The journey passed without incident; throughout the flight, no one dared speak loudly.

Finally, they arrived—surely a thought shared by all.

Everyone disembarked in orderly silence. Ye Chong walked calmly toward the hatch, Old Pang quickly pulling Kasang along behind him. The poor Kasang was still half-asleep, reluctantly dragged forward.

Stepping out of the hatch, a refreshing sense of vitality washed over them. The air seemed renewed, though the all-metal aesthetic of the landing zone was somewhat wearisome to the eye.

Beyond the flight zone, the lush greenery stunned nearly everyone. Shaded trees lining the road exuded the unique fragrance of wood. Such natural beauty was rare on most human-inhabited planets, where metallic styles dominated life entirely.

They were greeted by a local official, whose demeanor was pleasantly different from the one they had encountered on Red Huang star; his smiling face radiated friendliness, yet Ye Chong detected a fleeting sharpness in his narrowed eyes.

“Welcome to Harrison Star! This is the Holt District, your new residence. I imagine you’ve heard something about the area, so I won’t repeat it,” the official said. “I emphasize this to all masters of the Arcane: for your own safety, please restrain yourselves. Your accommodations have been arranged, but if you’re dissatisfied, you may leave at any time. However, from today, you cannot leave Harrison Star for three months. After that, you may apply for relocation through the Arcane Masters’ Guild. All your contributions are recorded on your ID cards. Remember, if you lose your ID card, it will not be reissued. Identification is by card, not by person—please keep it safe.” His final words carried a weighty implication.

Ye Chong exchanged a solemn glance with Old Pang, realizing that if one’s strength was sufficient, seizing another’s ID card could be tempting. As expected, murmurs of excitement stirred among the crowd, many showing eager anticipation.

Such tension was bound to cause chaos.

The official said no more and led them toward their lodgings. The group’s large procession drew attention; countless eyes swept over them along the street, lingering on Ye Chong for extended moments within a short hundred-meter walk.

Reaching their destination, a collective sigh of relief rippled through the group, followed by light laughter. The oppressive atmosphere relaxed noticeably, and the distance between them seemed to shrink.

“This is your temporary residence, provided free of charge. You may leave at any time. I expect many of you will depart soon. The local currency is not accepted outside, so if you don’t want to subsist on organic cold rations daily, you’ll need to find other means,” the official smiled and then departed.

Ye Chong began inspecting the quarters. The brick-and-stone construction had a vintage charm that felt fresh compared to the usual metallic style. What was most comforting, however, was the ubiquitous greenery—natural foliage that soothed the spirit.

The three chose a room together, as safety in numbers was prudent. Though Ye Chong felt confident alone, the trio’s collective security was undeniable; even Mu wholeheartedly agreed.

“Yezi, time’s up. Shang insists on coming up. According to fairness, his stay will be longer this time! Take care,” Mu joked unusually.

“Shang’s coming here?” Ye Chong’s brow furrowed. Who knew what trouble that one might cause?

Before Mu could answer, Shang arrived, his tone full of grievance: “Yezi, do you hate me that much? Remember, I gave you your first taste of manly impulse! That scene, you’ll never forget, right? That kick was powerful! Yezi, are you okay? Honestly, you two are a perfect match…”

Ye Chong rolled his eyes, feeling faint. Old Pang, witnessing this rare human expression from Ye Chong, was surprised.

The room was decorated in the same vintage style. Wooden chairs made Kasang hesitant to sit, knowing such furniture would be exorbitantly priced outside. After some thought, Kasang sat on the floor instead; it would be a pity to damage the chair, he thought earnestly.

At the center stood an organic nutrient dispenser. Although the taste was bland, its energy supply was reliable, ensuring a basic living standard for all.

Currently penniless, the three struggled to swallow the organic rations when a knock came at the door.

They immediately stood alert. Sharing a glance, Ye Chong melted into the shadows of the room, Kasang stood firm behind Old Pang, who paused then approached the door.

Among them, Old Pang was the most experienced in dealing with outsiders, so Ye Chong naturally left the interaction to him.

Old Pang opened the door and returned moments later, astonished, holding a stack of paper leaflets.

Ye Chong emerged from the shadows and examined the papers. He had never seen paper leaflets before—no wonder they had been replaced by electronic chips; the information content was minimal.

“Want to say goodbye to organic rations? Want to move out of these simple free lodgings? Want a steady income? Interested parties please contact…”

“Life is priceless! Our association solemnly promises absolute safety for all members…”

“Storms are rising, empires to be forged! A different life begins today! Burn with passion!...”

The three exchanged bewildered looks. What kind of place was this?

In Ye Chong’s mind, only Shang was ecstatic, shouting wildly: “Haha, I like this! Yezi, let’s try one—sounds fun! Finally, some excitement in this dull life! I love this place!”

Ye Chong ignored the crazed armored figure and cautiously discussed with Old Pang.

“What do you think?” Ye Chong asked.

Old Pang’s expression mixed amusement and disbelief. “Ignore these—probably just small fry. The real heavyweights are yet to come.” Having seen much of the world, he was not fooled. His prediction was nearly spot on.

Soon enough, another visitor arrived.

This time, the atmosphere was different: more imposing, led by a man clearly no ordinary individual, speaking with measured authority and mixing persuasion with pressure.

Ye Chong remained silent, letting Old Pang handle the conversation.

Old Pang, a seasoned veteran, nodded and murmured ambiguous agreements, never revealing his true intentions but leaving himself enough wiggle room. Crucially, without Ye Chong’s approval, he dared not commit; everything was tentative.

To Old Pang, this cold young man was inscrutable. Years of experience warned him of the danger radiating from Ye Chong—a perilous aura. He was not yet reckless enough to decide on Ye Chong’s behalf, especially in unfamiliar surroundings. Making a decision now would be a gamble, and he was not mad enough.

For now, observing was the wisest stance.

As they walked down the bustling street, determined to acquaint themselves with this strange environment first, none objected.

Ye Chong led the way, Old Pang on his left, Kasang’s imposing figure to his right.

Ahead, a group of burly men dressed uniformly approached, laughing boisterously toward them.