Chapter 171: The God Squad!

Chapter 171: The God Squad!

The heavy steel doors of the Phoenix Underground Military Barracks and Training Center sealed shut behind us, cutting off the northern cool summer heat.

Bill Woo, Danzo Kyusho, Inu Kyusho, and Hinata Kyusho stood in a crisp line beside me, flanked by ten senior Kyusho-Jitsu instructors. Spread across the polished floor stood a formidable detachment of one hundred and fifty troops. They were well-built young men and women in their mid-twenties, their heads closely buzzed and their eyes fixed forward with chilling discipline.

Every single soldier wore camouflage military attire, standing at absolute attention. Resting securely against their chests were fully assembled M107 .50 Caliber Long Range Anti-Materiel Sniper Rifles.

The commanding officer of the detachment stepped forward, executing a flawless, deep bow toward me. "Leader! All personnel are present and accounted for!"

I shifted into my ruthless leader persona, narrowing my eyes as I slowly swept a cold, critical glance across their ranks. I let my expression mimic a man who saw nothing but flawed recruits needing severe refinement.

In reality, these elite fighters had been secretly training morning, noon, and night to elevate their sharpshooting skills to a legendary Master level by the exact moment I received my university degree.

Beside me, Hinata paid absolutely no attention to my intimidating aura. Her slender fingers wrapped tightly around my bicep, her soft body leaning heavily into my side. She looked far more like a doting, affectionate wife than a disciplined student who had taken a brutal, unfair beating during our private sparring match the previous night.

I cleared my throat, addressing the silent gathering. "Men, I have personally reviewed every single hour of your recorded training footage, and I am highly pleased with the sheer dedication you have poured into your craft. Now that you have survived the first four months of living with your weapons, it is time to introduce the next phase of your evolution. Every sniper on earth shares one fatal weakness!"

The grueling regimen they had endured forced them to keep those massive sniper rifles attached to their bodies at all times. They ate, slept, bathed, and even used the latrines without ever letting go of the cold steel. Naturally, they utilized heavy waterproof bags for the more awkward hygienic tasks, but the psychological goal was achieved. The heavy rifles were now an undeniable part of their physical identities.

These troops could run a grueling marathon while carrying thirty-five pounds of dead weight without their heart rates spiking. In fact, given the high concentration of athletic women filling out the ranks due to the scarce availability of dependable male recruits, I bet half of them could go through an intense romantic encounter without dropping their weapons.

My bright blue eyes locked onto a sharp-eyed female sniper in the front row. "You there. Hand me your weapon."

Without a single microsecond of hesitation, she unsnapped her harness and handed the massive rifle over to me. I balanced the weight effortlessly, pointing the cold barrel toward the rest of the formation. "Look at your ranks. Out of this entire detachment of one hundred and fifty, who is currently the most vulnerable person in this room?"

Instantly, every single eye in the barracks locked directly onto the weaponless woman. Her cheeks flushed slightly, a sheepish smile pulling at the corner of her lips under the sudden scrutiny.

I smiled back, extending my arms to return the rifle to her grasp. The exact moment her fingers wrapped back around the familiar grip, an intense wave of absolute confidence rushed back into her posture.

"Your weakness is your total reliance on that machine," I declared, my voice booming off the concrete walls. "While you should never allow yourselves to be separated from your firepower, chaotic things happen in the field. To remedy this, the masters of the Kyusho-Jitsu school will be taking over your close-quarters instruction. You will master their lethal style of martial arts. Furthermore, if any of you show exceptional promise by the time your ten-year military contracts expire, those deemed proficient will be formally adopted into the Kyusho family line. A chosen few will even marry directly into their side branches."

This golden, enticing bait was a strategic move Head Kyusho and I had hammered out behind closed doors. These troops would push themselves past their physical breaking points if they knew a path to nobility awaited them. With the traditional clan facing a severe population decline, marrying ten of these elite women to a single male Kyusho heir would secure a massive, lethal generation to hoist the family back to its rightful peak within the Japanese Empire.

"With this dual discipline, you will not only deliver absolute death from a distance, but you will become apex predators at point-blank range," I continued, watching their eyes light up with ambition. "Enemies who think they have successfully forced you into tight, suffocating corners will completely underestimate your lethal capabilities, and they will die for that mistake. Starting today, you will alternate night and day operations across all four seasons. You have until my university graduation to secure your first three million in base pay. Every year after that, your salary jumps to one million annually until your ten years are served. Are you in it to win it?"

A thunderous roar shook the entire underground structure. """""Hurrah!"""""

"You will become the most feared entity on the modern battlefield, and your detachment shall be known across the underworld as... [The God Squad]!" I announced, a dark grin spreading across my face. "You will deliver swift, unyielding death to anyone who dares threaten our network. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Keep up the pressure. Whether your ultimate path leads you to the Kyusho estate or deep into the Fire Birds underworld, your futures are blindingly bright. Live, learn, and absorb everything to ensure you survive the violent trials ahead. I expect to see all one hundred and fifty of you standing and breathing at the end of this decade. Dismissed!"

The cavernous room shook once more as their voices merged into a singular wave of sound. """""Hurrah!"""""

They might look like a standard black-ops unit to the untrained eye, but this highly specialized force possessed enough synchronized lethality to systematically assassinate the legendary Masters of the Li family without breaking a sweat. I fully intended to completely wipe out the male traditionalists, leaving them with absolutely nothing but their singular, aging Grandmaster.

As for the women of the Li clan? If my upcoming investigations proved they had even a single hand in my father's assassination or the contract hit placed on May Lee, they would be stripped of their status and turned into nothing more than elite birthing options to cultivate stronger bloodlines. The innocent ones would be systematically married off to loyal nobles across the globe.

My ultimate goal in this current reincarnation was to forcefully spread the influence of the Li name to every single corner of the map. By fracturing their centralized power, no isolated faction would ever possess the strength to control, manipulate, or breed me against my will when I finally returned to claim the throne.

I looked down at the beautiful woman who had inadvertently inspired this massive, chaotic expansion. Hinata's grim tales regarding the Black Dragon past me had given my daily life a grand, sweeping purpose. If I was going to rule, I had to start thinking about the future legacy of the Yellow Emperors.

The quiet hum of our private jet's engines provided a soothing backdrop as we crossed the clouds back toward Star City. Hinata sat directly across from me on the plush leather couch, her chin resting in her hand as she tracked the shifting patterns of the sky.

I found my mind wandering, daydreaming about the sheer scale of the chessboard I was building until her soft voice broke my trance. "Sensei, are you alright? Do you have any regrets about the terms we just set?"

I shook my head slowly, reaching across the small gap to lightly trace the edge of her knee. "No, quite the opposite. I was just sitting here thinking that this entire trip felt far more like a romantic honeymoon, but now the fantasy is over."

Her vibrant red eyes glinted with a sudden, intense spike of pure joy at my casual words, but the declaration that slipped past her lips caught me completely off guard. "I distinctly remember telling you that you could do absolutely anything you desired with my body, didn't I? If you want to officially join the mile-high club right now, simply press me down into these cushions and take what is yours. I do not care in the slightest if the flight attendant watches us. I am entirely here to serve as your guilty pleasure."

She delivered the scandalous proposition with a completely straight, deadpan expression. Off to the side of the cabin, the young flight attendant's face flushed a deep, burning crimson as she frantically lowered her gaze, pretending to be utterly consumed by the spreadsheets on her electronic device.

I locked eyes with Hinata, reading the daring, unyielding challenge swirling within her gaze. She was still incredibly sore from our brutal training session, yet her devotion outweighed her physical discomfort. A primal spark ignited in my chest. A wild encounter aboard a speeding aircraft was something I had always wanted to cross off my bucket list.

I offered a slow, deliberate nod, my fingers reaching up to slowly unbutton my crisp dress shirt. Across from me, Hinata's lips curved into a sultry smile as her hands dropped to the elegant silk sash of her outfit, loosening the fabric in one fluid motion.

The poor cabin attendant was forced to endure every single breathless sound as we aggressively joined the mile high club. By the time the encounter concluded, a faint wave of guilt washed over me regarding the absolute, chaotic mess of twisted blankets and discarded clothing we left in our wake.

As I applied a fresh layer of my personal ownership markings across Hinata's flawless, sweat-glistened skin, I caught a fleeting glimpse of the attendant's longing gaze from the corner of my eye. For a split second, it felt as though she desperately wished to be pulled directly into our private storm, but I quickly dismissed the thought. Hinata's fiery passion was more than enough to fully consume my senses.

Monday morning arrived entirely too quickly, bringing a crisp, early chill to the air as our wheels touched down. We made a direct line for the massive filming studio complex situated in the northwestern district of Star City. The dashboard clock read exactly 5:30 AM when Mei smoothly guided our luxury sedan through the security gates, bringing us to a halt outside the towering structure of Studio 13 for the inaugural cuts of our feature film.

The interior of the building resembled a colossal aircraft hangar, filled to the brim with towering light rigs, massive green screens, and bustling crew members. The moment our boots hit the concrete floor, a petite, energetic woman with short, greying hair marched directly toward our group with a massive clipboard in hand.

"Hello again, Kate! And a very warm welcome to you, Mr. Tang," she greeted us, her sharp eyes twinkling with genuine excitement. "I am Director Sue Ling. It is going to be an absolute pleasure working with two such exceptionally talented, lovely youngsters! Follow me, please, the rest of our primary cast is currently assembling in the green room."

We fell into step behind the director, who stood even shorter than Mei and Kim, navigating through a maze of thick power cables and bustling set designers.

The exact moment we crossed the threshold of the main lounge, my jaw nearly hit the floor. Standing right next to Sam Sun was the spitting, living image of the goddess Hestia from my past life's favorite fantasy anime series. The legendary character had literally come to life right before my eyes, manifesting as a five-foot-three, incredibly busty loli-type powerhouse.

A sudden, sharp pang of pure jealousy pierced my chest as I glared at Sam Sun. His wife, Ling Ling, was an absolute, breathtaking masterpiece of a woman. Unbeknown to me at this moment, her beauty was a product of my soul making me want her, but I won't find out about the reason for a couple years.

Mei Xia, who could read my internal thoughts like an open book after all our time together, delivered a sharp, discreet elbow directly into my ribs to snap me out of my trance.

I coughed slightly, shifting my gaze across the room to spot Ana calmly sipping from a steaming mug of coffee, while Logan stood nearby, chatting with a group of producers. Scattered around the lounge were roughly twenty secondary actors, all running through their lines for the minor roles of parents, drivers, teachers, and corporate office-workers.

Logan spotted my entrance and immediately marched over, a massive grin on his face as he playfully punched my shoulder. "Hey man! I owe you a massive one for those comprehensive study guides you hooked me up with for my advanced Math and English classes. I absolutely crushed my finals thanks to those secret cheat sheets."

"You're an incredibly smart guy, Logan," I replied, offering a genuine smile as I clapped his back. "You would have aced those exams with or without my notes. Tell me, is there any fresh gossip regarding the underworld competition over who gets to claim the Azure state territory?"

His humorous expression instantly vanished, replaced by a calculating, serious look as he leaned in closer to whisper. "Lan Chow hasn't shown her face in public ever since you brutally broke her nose during that confrontation, but the word on the street is that she wants to officially challenge you to a fair, sanctioned duel. She's claiming that if you beat her in a proper match, she'll pack up her things and retreat back to the Snow Temple permanently. Personally? I think you should just bypass the theater and eliminate her entirely. The real issue is the faction from the Forest Temple; they are aggressively trying to build serious political momentum by executing high-profile enforcement jobs for the local nobles. They are the true wild cards you need to watch out for."

"Another duel?" I sighed, running a hand through my hair in pure exasperation. "Absolutely not. Every single time I agree to one of those martial arts challenges, I somehow end up accidentally winning another woman into my inner circle. Avoiding that specific cliché is definitely my best course of action right now. But tell me, why isn't your own Sea Temple making a massive play for that specific territory?"

"Sigh, because only Masters possess the authority to establish and lead a brand-new Temple," Logan explained, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "I personally have absolutely zero interest or skill required to run a weak, newly formed faction from scratch. But you need to understand, the Forest Temple is significantly worse than the Snow Temple ever was, especially for the everyday residents living in the Azure State. The Mountain Temple faction was incredibly tame compared to those ruthless guys."

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully as Logan spoke. I would definitely have to get Lucy involved to keep a close eye on their movements.

A sudden thought crossed my mind, making me wonder if I shouldn't have brutally broken Lan Chow's nose during our previous confrontation. Then again, I had been completely hammered at the time, so she really only had the alcohol to blame.

Before I could dwell on it further, Ling Ling stepped forward, gently pulling a reluctant Sam Sun along to intercept our group. She tilted her head in a perfectly executed, clueless manner. She looked exactly like an innocent young girl instead of a highly trained, lethal super-spy.

"Hello, Mr. Tang," she greeted me, her voice dripping with sweet charm. "Sam has told me so much about you. I was honestly so surprised to find out that your personal maid originally came from my homeland. Look at that, Sam, there are actually quite a few women from the China Empire living here."

I offered a polite, knowing smile, instantly playing along with her little performance. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Mei actively trying to hide her face behind my broad shoulder, desperately pretending she didn't recognize the dangerous woman standing right in front of us.

"Yes, she is," I replied smoothly, switching effortlessly into her native tongue as I address her. -My maid, Mei Xia, also took the time to thoroughly teach me your native language. Tell me, how proficient is your husband at speaking it?-

A flash of genuine surprise flickered through her blue eyes at my flawless accent, but she recovered instantly, matching my fluid cadence. -Sadly, he doesn't speak it at all, though he might know a few basic words, fufu. Fortunately, I have plenty of time ahead of me to teach him properly.-

I nodded politely, keeping my tone perfectly conversational. -Congratulations on your upcoming child with Sam. I am absolutely certain it will be a beautiful baby.-

Sam, entirely locked out of the foreign exchange, frowned unhappily as he looked between us. "Ling Ling, you really should speak in English when you're around my co-workers, otherwise people might think you're saying something highly inappropriate."

She playfully swatted his arm, pouting coquettishly like a perfectly docile, traditional wife. "Husband, your friend was just trying to make me feel welcome by using my native language. He is honestly much nicer than you mentioned, dear!"

Sam’s frown deepened, his gaze hardening as he directed a sharp look toward me. "Ling Ling, Mr. Tang has a notorious history of sleeping with married women and causing them to get messy divorces."

"Husband, don't spread nasty rumors like that," she chided softly, offering a staged gasp. "It is incredibly rude to say such things to our guest."

I decided to throw the lovable asshole a bone, letting out a sharp chuckle as I stepped into the conversation. "Oh, he is actually telling you the absolute truth. I indeed stole two wives right out from under my cousin, Scott. It turned into a really nasty affair when they finally discovered that all four of the children were actually mine, ha-ha!"

She faked a look of pure shock, though I knew for a fact she had already thoroughly studied my entire personal history long before today, specifically because Mei was stationed by my side.

However, now that I was observing this legendary Ling Ling in person from a mere arm's length away, my Advanced Medicine skill began screaming at me. Her body lacked the subtle physical markers, shifts in posture, and hormonal radiating energy of an expectant mother, but that of a maiden. She wasn't showing a single genuine sign of pregnancy.

A calculating theory formed in my mind. She was almost certainly lying about the child, likely planning to fake a tragic miscarriage somewhere down the line. Perhaps Sam was completely shooting blanks, and she was simply desperate to show the Eurasian and China Government that she was actively trying to secure an heir.

Ling Ling, being the razor-sharp spy she was, instantly noticed the clinical, diagnosing weight behind my gaze as I assessed her like a doctor analyzing a patient. Her eyes darted briefly toward Mei, who merely offered a sheepish, helpless shrug in return.

Sensing the danger of exposure, Ling Ling turned back to Sam, pressing a delicate hand against her stomach. "Husband, my morning sickness is suddenly kicking in. I need to step away for a bit."

I watched her walk away, confirming my suspicions. When my own wives experienced morning sickness, they never gave me a calm, polite warning; they simply sprinted for the nearest restroom or frantically grabbed a bucket. But frankly, I didn't care about whatever deep cover game she was playing, and it certainly wasn't my problem.

Ana walked over to our group a moment later, flanked by a thoroughly miffed-looking Kate. Ana offered me a sweet, radiant smile as she stepped into my personal space. "Rick, it is officially time for you and me to film our very first opening shot for the movie. Let's go get changed into our costumes and head to the makeup station. Come with me, I know the exact way to our designated trailer."

Kate, whose scheduling required her to report to an entirely different set for her individual shots, glared daggers at Ana. "You had better keep things strictly professional, Ana, or you and I will completely stop being fake friends in public! Humph!"

Ana, fully aware that she could never actually have me due to her own career ambitions, thoroughly enjoyed messing with Kate’s territorial nature. "If I actually had the opportunity to be completely unprofessional with Rick, I would gladly end our fake public relationship this very second, ufufu. Just go do your job, Kate, and let us focus on doing ours."

I offered an amused shake of my head as Ana took my arm, leading the way across the bustling studio lot while Mei followed a few paces behind us toward the main set.

It really was a shame that I hadn't met Ana back before she became completely self-centered and obsessed with her individual stardom. But alas, her massive ego meant she would never willingly bend her pride to meld into my existing harem.