CHAPTER 538: CHAPTER 104: IMPERIAL CITY "OFFICIAL SECOND GENERATION

"It’s a large Dark Beast. Judging by the sound of its footsteps, it must weigh no less than 700 jin," among the ranks of the Imperial Soldiers led by Yue Jinghua, there were experts skilled in hunting who immediately deduced that a large Dark Beast must have passed through the hills ahead.

In Canglong Continent, carnivorous Dark Beasts weighing over 700 jin are classified as large Fierce Beasts.

Although Black Bear Ridge has always been frequented by Dark Beasts, due to constant hunting over the years, large Fierce Beasts, let alone those weighing over 500 jin, are hardly seen in this area.

This day, Yue Jinghua had them fish and catch crabs, which for these specially trained soldiers was utterly boring. The chance encounter with a large Fierce Beast now invigorated the spirits of the soldiers present.

Unexpectedly, they were fortunate to encounter one today. The Imperial Soldiers were eager, drawing their weapons and summoning their Protective Xuan Qi, preparing to confront the enemy.

Although they had secretly agreed before departing not to support Yue Jinghua with all their strength, aiming for Captain Jin Nuo’s victory, facing the Fierce Beast made everyone forget their initial pact.

"Hold, no one is to act. Retreat a li into the bushes, and let’s quietly observe the changes," said Yue Jinghua with a grave expression.

The soldiers may not have felt it, but she was certain that the hills in front were not just home to a simple large Fierce Beast. She sensed an unusual fluctuation of spiritual power.

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Soldiers nearly cursed out loud. Fortune had fallen into their lap, and yet this rich mercenary was actually shooing it away.

Seeing some disobeying the order and still advancing, Yue Jinghua sternly said: "Whoever dares to disobey will be dealt with by military law."

Somehow, hearing her cold chastisement, commanding yet not angry, the soldiers felt their minds buzz and involuntarily moved both their steps and figures backwards.

When people realized this, they were already hiding behind the bushes. Although they felt uneasy, recalling Yue Jinghua’s serious demeanor earlier, no one dared to defy her again.

In front, a cloud of dust arose, and they saw a mound-like gray-brown Dark Beast charging from over the hills.

With two tusks like curved swords, limbs like small plows, and seemingly equipped with an indefatigable motor, it charged directly towards them like a creature part pig and part elephant.

The trees on the hills were snapped in half by its charge, and even the obstructive rocks were flung away by its long and tough trunk.

"Captain, that’s the Forest Elephant Pig. A Sixth Rank Dark Beast, also known as the destroyer of forests. Its earth-shattering roar can flatten a small house," seeing the Elephant Pig, the group of Imperial Soldiers couldn’t help but sweat coldly.

A Forest Elephant Pig, the size of a small hill, had they rashly charged at it earlier, they might now be crushed into pulp.

The Forest Elephant Pig, known for its thick skin and extraordinary strength, could scatter a charging formation of over a hundred men in an instant, turning it into disarray.

Following the appearance of the Forest Elephant Pig, closely behind it was a small hunting party made up of over a dozen Dark Beasts.

However, the team was not led by Jin Nuo, but by several young men and women dressed in fine clothing, riding various Dark Beasts as mounts.

"The Elephant Pig is up ahead," from mid-air also came shouts, Yue Jinghua looked up to see flying towards them a Jade Red-crowned Crane, its feathers white as frost and snow, with a patch of red on its crown.

On the back of the Red-crowned Crane, a young noble dressed in white robes and a jade belt was seated.

As for the identities of these young men and women, Yue Jinghua recognized them somewhat by the family crests engraved on both the Dark Beasts they rode and the accessories they carried.

It seemed that the real "Yue Jinghua" had some interactions with these youngsters, but for the moment, she couldn’t recall where she had seen these young men and women.

"Such bad luck, finally encountered a Forest Elephant Pig only to have it stolen by these ’official second generation’ folks," not only Yue Jinghua recognized the identities of these young men and women, but also the Imperial Soldiers behind her recognized them.

Since Luo and others could form the ill-reputed "Second Generation Soldiers", then in Wohua Imperial City, a gathering place of noble families, naturally there could also be figures like the "official second generation".

Some say that if you stand at the gates of Wohua Imperial City and randomly throw a brick, you could hit one or two officials of the Imperial City.

This also indirectly describes the abundance of officials in Wohua Imperial City.

Those who can be called "official second generation" are mostly the children of key personnel of the Empire or the hereditary heirs of earlships or higher ranks, without exception.

In this group, led by Long Jiuzun, the grandson of the National Guardian General Long Ao, the core members include Long Rui, the general’s granddaughter, Ji Yun, the son of the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Ji Jie, Cheng Ying, the daughter of the Imperial Alchemist Cheng Longfeng, and Qing Zizhu, the son of President Qingfeng of the Yanyue Chamber of Commerce.

Although these few are called the second generation of officials, frankly speaking, they represent the foremost powers of Wohua Imperial City, and also represent the connection of power among officials, commerce, and medicine.

They also represent the new territory of the Empire "Long Jiuzun?" Yue Jinghua suddenly remembered, she knew this person; Old Kuru had only one demand when he taught her the skills, that if she ever came to Wohua Imperial City, she had to personally defeat Long Jiuzun.

"Which one among these people is Long Jiuzun?" Yue Jinghua’s gaze first landed on the young man in white clothes riding the Red-crowned Crane.

"Among this group, there are no core members of the official second generation, but one of them is the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s son Ji Yun’s attendant student, the young man in white riding the Red-crowned Crane," the Imperial Soldiers frowned unhappily.

The core members of the official second generation would not appear in such a remote and desolate place, but those ancillary powers surrounding them or the lackeys doing their errands are notoriously overbearing, causing trouble and flaunting the name "official second generation" both in the Imperial City and the nearby towns.

And the most fatal aspect is, members of the "official second generation" all share one characteristic—they are extremely protective of each other.

Yet, these lower level soldiers with no backing or background can’t do anything about them.

It seems they could only fervently watch this rare Forest Elephant Pig.

With this realization, the Imperial Soldiers were like deflated balls, losing their vigor one by one.

If earlier they were not particularly interested in helping Yue Jinghua with the hunting, now they could only watch with envy as the rare Forest Elephant Pig fell into the hands of the "official second generation" lackeys.

"Something seems off," after the appearance of the Forest Elephant Pig, Yue Jinghua vaguely felt something was amiss, but couldn’t pinpoint what it was for the moment.

"Oh oh, look at the Forest Elephant Pig’s back!" Gold Eater Worm sharply noticed something.