Chapter 81: Are My Family Still Alive?
The next destination was Green Square Star, the main planet of the Green Square Star Cluster, and the largest among them all.
Wang Jie traveled towards Green Square Star, encountering a variety of transport methods along the way. Remarkably, he didn’t have to spend a single coin. The status of Puppet Masters in this place was even higher than he had imagined. Along his journey, he also witnessed the diverse lifestyles of different species.
The Ninth Star Chain was dominated by the Eight-Prison Berserk Clan, and under its rule thrived countless other species, including the Nine-Eyed Mantis. Each species had its own unique customs, and many of them possessed intelligence comparable to humans. At one point, Wang Jie passed by a city where there were no humans, only all manner of bizarre creatures.
The architecture varied greatly, with houses of different sizes and designs, making him curious about how these beings coexisted. Even the sky above was filled with nests built by soaring avian creatures, some residing above the clouds, others in the midst of fierce winds. It was an eye-opening experience.
It took him over ten days to travel from the previous planet to Green Square Star.
Compared to the previous world, Green Square Star was far more bustling. To his surprise, he even saw a futuristic city, its dazzling neon lights filling the air with an overwhelming sense of technology. This made him wary—who knew if these technological wonders had ways to detect his identity?
His mission’s final destination lay within Green Square Star—Green Mountain City.
Built along a towering mountain range that stretched into the starry sky, even the clouds failed to reach the mountain’s waist. The entire city was surrounded by peaks, and the only means of entry and exit were through tunnels carved into the rock. At each entrance, a Cosmic Giant Beast stood guard. Wang Jie observed them closely—though they didn’t seem particularly powerful compared to the Nine-Eyed Mantis, their sheer size was monstrous. Each of these beasts dwarfed the Golden Hill Base back on Blue Star, their heads lost amidst the clouds above.
Keeping a low profile, Wang Jie used his Puppet Master status to enter Green Mountain City. Just as before, his identity granted him unquestioned access. The creatures he passed by all showed him respect, some even bowing in greeting.
The more reverence he received, the more uneasy he felt.
He didn’t want to draw attention.
Thus, he quickly sought out a lodging establishment that resembled an inn and settled in.
But it was already too late—he had been noticed.
Two members of the Berserk Clan were watching him from outside the inn.
The Eight-Prison Berserk Clan was a towering race, standing five meters tall with eight muscular arms, crimson eyes, and thick tails dragging behind them. They were impossible to miss. This clan primarily resided within the Third Defensive Line, making it rare to encounter them here. Their status was exceedingly high.
It was normal for the other creatures in Green Mountain City to show an interest in him, but being targeted by these two Berserk Clan members made him uneasy. However, leaving now was not an option. If they decided to act, they could mobilize the entire city against him.
So he stayed.
The inn had rooms of varying sizes, and he chose the largest one. The currency used for the payment came from the iron box he had acquired—coins from the Ninth Star Chain.
A short while later, a knock came at his door.
Wang Jie glanced outside, controlling his puppet to open it.
As expected—it was the Berserk Clan members.
“Your Excellency, do you hail from Little Circle Lake?” one of them asked.
Without hesitation, Wang Jie replied, “No.”
The two exchanged glances, a hint of confusion flashing across their crimson eyes. “You are not from Little Circle Lake?”
Wang Jie’s voice turned deeper. “No.”
If there was more to his Puppet Master identity, Yan Fu Yu would have warned him. He was in an unfamiliar place, and it was best not to assume anything.
The two members of the Berserk Clan eventually left.
Watching them disappear into the distance, Wang Jie suppressed his unease and focused on resting.
His mission was set in Green Mountain City, and he already knew the location. However, with two Berserk Clan members having approached him so soon, he didn’t dare act rashly.
Over the following days, he secretly observed the mission site from a distance. Fortunately, the Berserk Clan members did not return to question him again.
Then, one day, he noticed another Puppet Master arriving at the inn. This new arrival’s puppet was particularly unique—a beast standing on four legs.
The moment Wang Jie laid eyes on the newcomer, he was stunned.
It was him!
This was the same Puppet Master who had thrown them off the spaceship when Yan Fu Yu launched his assault on the Fourth Defensive Line.
Though Wang Jie had not clearly seen the person’s face back then, he had always been adept at Qi Observation. While he hadn’t memorized the individual’s appearance, he had definitely seen their Qi—and this person’s Qi was identical. It was highly distinctive, resembling flames flickering all across his body.
A Puppet Master’s constructs could conceal their presence, but their Qi could not be hidden—not from someone like Wang Jie.
At least, within these distant star chains, he had yet to meet anyone capable of masking their Qi.
Even Frost Radiance Sect was no exception.
Why was this person here?
Had Yan Fu Yu not said that the Berserk Clan could detect the presence of the Frost Radiance Sect? That was why they had been sent on this mission in the first place. This claim seemed credible—Mu Ran had confirmed it as well.
So how could this person be here undetected?
This person had only appeared at the very end of their previous mission, never before.
And now, he had emerged here.
Could it be… that he was the one truly meant to complete this mission?
Wang Jie’s expression darkened.
Yan Fu Yu had ordered him to kill all the others who had entered the Fourth Defensive Line, leaving only himself to complete the task. But in truth, he was merely a scapegoat—the one truly capable of finishing this mission was this Puppet Master.
This individual’s cultivation and strength far surpassed Wang Jie’s own. If he also possessed the ability to evade detection by the Berserk Clan, then he was the perfect candidate for the task.
At the very least, he had reached the Star-Breaking Realm.
Perhaps… even the Full Star Realm.
As these realizations flooded his mind, he saw through everything instantly.
In fact, he had found it odd even before setting out—would mere temptation be enough to make those people willingly throw their lives away?
Those individuals had been destined to die, and Wang Jie had understood that.
But what about himself?
Yan Fu Yu had offered him an irresistible reward, but had never considered the possibility that, if captured, Wang Jie might betray them.
He had placed no restrictions upon himself—how could that be reasonable?
Now, everything made sense. From the very beginning, he had never considered himself among the living.
The moment this mission began, he and the others were as good as dead.
Did Jin Chu know? Did Jun Hua know?
Wang Jie stepped into the inn and took a moment to rest.
If he had no attachments, he could have avoided this mission altogether. But Blue Star was in the Silver Radiance Empire—he had to return. The mission’s constraints did not need to come from Yan Fu Yu; he had shackled himself long ago.
Yet now, that man was here. How could he still complete the mission?
And if he failed—how would he return?
The method Yan Fu Yu provided for returning was clearly a dead end. Perhaps leaving behind the identity of a Puppet Master in the mines was meant to ensure that, should anyone miraculously survive and reach this place, they would be discovered and silenced—before falling into the hands of the Berserk Clan.
Everything had been calculated to perfection.
But the mission site was real; otherwise, he wouldn’t have encountered that man. Was it an oversight on Yan Fu Yu’s part? Or had he never expected anyone to truly make it this far?
As he pondered this, a knock sounded at the door.
Wang Jie opened it. Standing outside was a Puppet Master, concealed within a humanoid puppet. But it wasn’t him.
“I am Jiang Cai from Puppeteer Tower. My lord requests your presence.”
Wang Jie frowned. “Why should I go?”
Jiang Cai merely repeated, “My lord requests your presence at Puppeteer Tower.”
No explanation.
Wang Jie agreed, knowing refusal would only lead to trouble.
The same summons had also reached that man. As Wang Jie waited outside the inn, he saw the other being escorted by Jiang Cai as well. Together, they made their way to Puppeteer Tower.
Wang Jie had no knowledge of what Puppeteer Tower truly was. He glanced at the man beside him.
His features were obscured, but his aura was unmistakably unique.
“Brother, may I ask your honored name?” Wang Jie inquired.
A deep voice answered, “Bei Feng.”
“Good name.”
Bei Feng cast a brief glance at Wang Jie.
He, too, could not see Wang Jie’s true face. And even if he could, it would mean nothing. The cannon fodder who had perished along the way had never warranted a second glance from him.
The puppet concealed their visages, and though the strong could sense the cultivation of the person inside, they could not pierce through the puppet’s exterior—unless they possessed a special ability.
He was not Bei Feng. His true name was Xia Bei Yi, a Direct Disciple of Frost Radiance Sect. Yet from the moment of his birth, he had never set foot in the sect—for fear that the Berserk Clan might catch his scent.
He was one of Frost Radiance Sect’s hidden weapons against the Ninth Star Chain.
Taking advantage of Yan Fu Yu’s assault on the Fourth Defensive Line, he had entered with the cannon fodder of Lock Force Cultivators, using them as cover to accomplish his task. Once his mission was complete, he would return to his sect and receive vast rewards and contributions.
He had thought it would be simple.
But now, he was being taken to Puppeteer Tower. His mind raced with possible escape strategies, and he had no desire to entertain Wang Jie.
However, Wang Jie was not about to let him off so easily.
“Brother Bei Feng, you seem like a bold and forthright man. Could it be that you hail from Little Circle Lake?”
“No.”
“Then where are you from?”
“That does not concern you.”
“Do you still have family?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Why does that matter to you?”
“Brother Bei Feng, there’s no need to be so distant. Puppet Masters are kin to one another—there’s no telling when we might meet our end. If you were to perish unexpectedly, I could at least bring your belongings to your family as a remembrance.”
Jiang Cai turned back and nodded approvingly. “Well said.”
Xia Bei Yi: …
The entire journey, Wang Jie chattered incessantly, irritating Xia Bei Yi to no end. Though his cultivation was profound, and he had never lacked resources or talent, he had little real-world experience.
And he had no idea how to deal with someone like Wang Jie.
With just a few words, Wang Jie had already gleaned his temperament.
When they finally arrived at Puppeteer Tower, Xia Bei Yi exhaled in relief. The man beside him had been incessant—he had half a mind to crush him with a single palm.
“Brother Bei Feng,” Wang Jie said just as they entered, “why haven’t you asked for my name?”
Xia Bei Yi gritted his teeth. “Brother, may I ask your honored name?”
“I’ll tell you next time.”
Then he strode inside, leaving Xia Bei Yi seething.
That bastard.
Puppeteer Tower had been established by operatives from the Seventh Star Chain, stationed within the Ninth Star Chain. It served as a hub for Puppet Masters of the Seventh Star Chain, akin to an embassy.
Not just Wang Jie and Bei Feng had been summoned—every Puppet Master in Green Mountain City had been gathered there.
Though Green Mountain City was vast, Wang Jie had only occupied a small corner of it.
Now, over a hundred Puppet Masters were assembled.
All eyes turned to the puppet seated in the highest position. Though it was not large, it was undoubtedly the focus of the room.
This was Jiang You Sheng, the Tower Master of Puppeteer Tower.
“The reason for this sudden gathering,” Jiang You Sheng announced, “is due to the Eighth Star Chain’s attack on the Fourth Defensive Line of the Ninth Star Chain. A group of Eighth Star Chain operatives has infiltrated, and their favored method is to disguise themselves as Puppet Masters. Thus, the Berserk Clan has asked us to verify the Puppet Masters of Green Mountain City and uncover any infiltrators.”
Wang Jie’s heart sank.
This was bad.
He was not a true Puppet Master. It would be all too easy for them to expose him.
His expression darkened.
Yan Fu Yu must have foreseen this—yet had said nothing.
Someone spoke up. “How will we identify them? If the Eighth Star Chain came prepared, they would have studied the ways of Puppet Masters as well.”
Jiang You Sheng smiled. “The infiltrators are all Ten Seal Cultivators, mere juniors. Even if they possess some knowledge of puppetry, how much could they truly grasp? We will use Weapon Dao to discern them.”
“As you all know, every Puppet Master must excel in Weapon Dao, for we must maintain our own puppets.”
“As long as each of you can demonstrate your unique mastery of Weapon Dao, I will personally verify your identities.”
“As for those above the Ten Seal Realm, you are exempt. However, for the time being, I must ask that you remain within Puppeteer Tower—rest assured, you will be well taken care of.”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation