Ultragene Warlord

Chapter 219: Exceeds Expectations

“Damask-lotus leaf and jadedrop flower!” Zhang Lie cried out, finding two more main ingredients for Potion #4 among the herbs that Zhou Ying had acquired.

Zhou Ying had even managed to obtain two auxiliary herbs for Potion #4, leaving only two main ingredients that had to be found.
In truth, Zhang Lie hadn't expected that he would be able to acquire most of the extremely hard-to-find ingredients of Potion #4 within a single day, and the unparalleled success invigorated him.

When Zhou Ying saw Zhang Lie's excited expression, she realized the value of the herbs she had found, and a smile appeared on her face.

“Good, very good! Zhou Ying, you're very lucky today—keep it up!” Zhang Lie ran off, continuing his search for the remaining herbs.

There were only two more ingredients he needed for Potion #4, which he focused his attention on.
It took him over an hour to go through the shelves he had breezed through the first time around, but unfortunately, he found neither of the two remaining herbs.

At the same time, the members of Team Zenith, having finished their respective searches, gathered together by the entrance to the treasury.

Yan Long and Su Feng, however, seemed to have vanished.

Rather than search for them, the hunters decided to focus on cataloging their spoils.
Except for herbs, the most valuable things the hunters had found were manuals and techniques, these being the two types of treasures most prevalent in this treasury.

Because of Zhang Lie's warning, the hunters had all picked out techniques that were special in some manner or another, and they had earned a veritable windfall.

“Captain, what was going on just now? Why did you search through our pouches?” Yang Ze asked curiously, and the other hunters perked up as well.

“No, it's nothing.
We've had an amazing haul today, and for your excellent performance in the Void Cup, I'll make you each a bottle of Potion #2!” Zhang Lie smiled, distracting everyone with the mention of an amazing prize.

This wasn't the first time they had heard about Potion #2, but it was the first time he had ever mentioned more than its name.

“P-Potion #2!”

“Shh!” Zhang Lie shushed Yang Ze immediately.
Even Potion #1 was a close-kept secret to the world at large, let alone Potion #2.
The members of Team Zenith weren't stupid; they shot furtive glances at the robots nearby and held their questions for later.

As they waited for the two commanders to return, the hunters began to chat—about the techniques they had found, as well as what Yang Ze had experienced on Mars.

“Yang Ze, did you break off all relations with the Yang clan?” Zhang Lie suddenly asked a serious question that everyone had been evading, causing the atmosphere to become tense for a moment.

Yang Ze frowned, then smiled brightly.
“In the end, he only got close to me to try to get me to divulge the recipe for Potion #1.
Why not sever ties completely?”

“What? Was he really so shameless? If nothing else, you're still his son— but he still worked together with others against you?!”

“Your father's dumb and blind—you're better off without him!”

The other hunters were immediately aggrieved on his behalf.
In order to dispel the serious atmosphere that had descended, they even began to joke about each other, breaking Yang Ze free of his solitude as they did so.
To him, these fellow hunters with whom he shared no blood relations were his true family.

Zhang Lie smiled in relief.
“In that case, once the Void Cup's over, you should renounce your Martian citizenship and return to Earth.”

“Yes, Captain!” Yang Ze nodded, obeying Zhang Lie without question.

Only then could footsteps be heard from afar as the two commanders returned.

“Well? Have you all obtained the treasures of your choice?” Yan Long asked.

“Of course—we've been waiting for so long! How about you, Commanders? Did you find anything good?” Zhang Lie called back.

No other hunter would have been so daring as to tease the two commanders, and Yan Long retorted, “It's all for the sake of your precious herbs, isn't it? We searched the entire area carefully just for them!”

“We did find quite a few, so you'd better take your research seriously, you hear?” Su Feng opened his pouch and poured out the herbs he had found.

Hidden dragon root! To his surprise, Zhang Lie found yet another ingredient for Potion #4.

“Of course!” he agreed in excitement, reaching out for Su Feng and Yan Long's pouches.

“Don't disappoint us!” Yan Long warned, handing over his as well.

“Of course not, Commanders.” Zhang Lie peeked into Yan Long's pouch, only to find that most were rare herbs for Potions #1 and #2, with only a rare few for Potion #3.
Zhang Lie was a little disappointed, but that disappointment rapidly faded away.
After all, he had already managed to find seven of the eight major ingredients for Potion #4, a feat outside of his wildest imagination.