Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!
A fighter jet sliced through the azure sky, leaving a trail of white contrails in its wake.
Below, a vast desert and Gobi stretched as far as the eye could see, a sea of brown sand and rock.
A cold wind swept across the landscape, kicking up dust and sand into swirling clouds.
Finally, silence descended.
Movement stirred within a crack in the Gobi. Two figures emerged from the fissure.
"I still don't understand why you had to provoke the Lion King," the short-haired woman in camouflage fatigues complained. She appeared to be in her thirties, with brown eyes, wheat-colored skin, and slightly yellowish hair. A camouflage backpack was strapped to her back, and she wore sturdy combat boots. Several firearms were slung across her body: a submachine gun, a micro sniper cannon, and two custom pistols. A curved knife and dagger were tucked into her knee, making her look armed to the teeth.
Click.
Without answering, the man in the brown trench coat stood still, pulling out a metal lighter.
A crisp sound rang out as a spark ignited, slowly burning the cigarette in Yang's mouth. He inhaled the smoke and exhaled it in a thick cloud.
"Does a fight need a reason?"
He countered calmly, and the woman holding the gun faltered.
Knowing his temper, she rolled her eyes and snatched the cigarette pack from his pocket, taking out a cigarette for herself.
"Lend me a light."
"Where's yours?"
"You're asking me? If it weren't for you, would I have lost it?"
After this exchange, the spark flared again.
The two stood in silence, puffing smoke. After a moment, the short-haired woman spoke.
"Yang, I'm starting to believe you."
"Oh?"
"You used to be at best evenly matched with the Lion King. Now, you've beaten him so badly he's coughing up blood."
The short-haired woman sat casually on a camouflage backpack, cigarette dangling from her lips. Though not a native of the Red Nation, she spoke their language fluently.
She turned her head to look at the man beside her.
He stood on the gritty ground in a brown trench coat, biting his cigarette. His messy hair covered his forehead, and stubble grew wildly across his face.
"It seems you've truly discovered a new path."
"Perhaps you've already begun to surpass your limits."
Her tone was envious. The short-haired woman knew exactly what this meant.
This was the future the Star Palace sought, the unknown path all of Earth's most powerful Martial Artists and the Pinnacle Realm Masters of every nation had been exploring.
"You still have a chance."
Yang Wudi didn't answer, but instead extended an invitation.
The short-haired woman hesitated for a moment, glancing at the numerous firearms she carried.
"Never mind."
"There's no certainty about the truth of your path, and mine has only just begun."
"Who knows what the future holds?"
Her confused tone hardened into resolve. The short-haired woman exhaled a puff of smoke, her gaze becoming bright and piercing, as if she could stare directly at the sun.
Seeing this, Yang Wudi said no more. He knew that every Pinnacle Realm Master had their own convictions.
If not, how could they have pushed their power to its absolute limit in the first place?
"By the way, I heard that Liu seems to have taken that step as well?"
As if remembering something, the short-haired woman asked again.
"Yes."
"What do you think?"
"I don't know."
Shaking his head, Yang Wudi tossed his cigarette, letting it slowly extinguish on the ground.
He took another step forward, his brown trench coat billowing in the wind, his silhouette kicking up small clouds of dust across the Gobi Desert.
"All I know is that the path I'm on..."
"...must be the right one."
"That's the gist of it."
"Councilor Li and Councilor Luo coordinated the operation with Luohe City's allies, and then Councilor Chen led the Combat Squad in the rescue and decapitation mission, successfully eradicating the Serpent Spirit Sect's stronghold."
In the top-floor conference room of the Nanjiang United Coalition Building, numerous figures sat on either side of an oval wooden table. The Councilors in attendance, seated in two rows, listened quietly to Chu Shihong's commendation summary, their gazes occasionally drifting toward the black-clad youth seated in the front row, not far from Zhang Songtai.
Though he seemed somewhat lost in thought, no one dared underestimate him.
Chu Shihong's aged voice continued to resonate through the room, while Chen Feng remained seated, his mind replaying the information Li Pinghai, Li Chengdong's elder, had revealed.
He wasn't surprised that the other party knew about the Star Palace—the commotion caused by killing the Divine Martial Alliance Leader's double had been considerable.
He was merely astonished by the content of this information.
Yang Wudi had actually gone to Niduo Country.
And he had clashed with members of the Star Palace.
"Are they enemies?"
"Or is this just the legend he wants to leave behind?"
His eyes flickered slightly, and he became increasingly convinced that Yang Wudi might have truly discovered a path to Transcendence.
Moreover, Yang Wudi's approach had given him a certain inspiration.
Besides teaching martial arts and spreading his teachings, couldn't leaving behind a sufficiently renowned reputation also be considered a form of legend?
Thoughts raced through his mind until finally, Chu Shihong smiled and said, "Councilor Chen, do you have anything to add?"
All eyes turned to him. He hadn't been paying attention during the earlier discussions and didn't want to bother recalling the details of the speeches.
"I've only contributed to the City Council and Nanjiang. It's nothing worth mentioning," he replied.
"Representative Chu has summarized it perfectly," Chu Shihong said with an even broader smile.
Soon, under Chu Shihong's guidance, the commendation ceremony reached its conclusion. A secretary took photos to document the event for future promotional materials.
The meeting didn't disperse then. Instead, Chu Shihong emphasized matters related to the High-Wall Project.
"I know you all have varying opinions on the construction of the new city," he said. "But regardless of what you may have guessed or learned, I urge you not to speak carelessly about it. This is not only an opportunity for Nanjiang but also for each of you. Therefore, I hope you will proceed with caution."
His words caused many people's eyes to flicker, their suspicions confirmed.
Finally, the meeting concluded, and the attendees began to leave.
"Councilor Chen, please stay behind," Chu Shihong said.
Chu Shihong smiled again and spoke. The others paused, glanced at Chen Feng, and then left.
Faint whispers of envy arose. Chen Feng nodded and stood, glancing at the empty seat beside him.
Lin Hao hadn't come today, which surprised him. But seeing that other councilors were also absent, he didn't dwell on it. He followed Chu Shihong into the adjacent meeting room.
A subtle fragrance of tea filled the air as the secretary respectfully placed a tea set before them and then withdrew, closing the solid wooden door behind him.
"Speaker Li already knows about the Martial Hall opening," Chu Shihong said, sipping his tea. He didn't doubt Chen Feng's ability to uncover the Modified Human's background. "He said you needn't worry about the consequences. He's already sent someone to warn the Yun Port Black Market."
"Also, about that person..." Chu Shihong's tone turned serious. "This is indeed a significant problem. The royal family member from Radiant Light City spoke on his behalf at the last general assembly."
Chen Feng fell silent, deep in thought.
So that's why Speaker Li, though the highest authority in Yun Port, let Luo Wantao temporarily command the Inverted Pyramid incident.
It seemed there were indeed hidden complexities at play.
Having grasped the situation, Chen Feng quickly dismissed further speculation. He knew the outcome was already predetermined, and all threats awaited only their moment.
In contrast...
"How's the situation at Luohe?"
"Still under investigation."
Chu Shihong set down his teacup, frowning. "Peng Gang hasn't returned yet. I've sent Qin Xiao to reinforce him."
"But it's not going smoothly. We haven't found any trace of other forces."
Their eyes met, and Chen Feng saw Chu Shihong's thoughts.
Today's commendation ceremony was essentially a smokescreen, designed to lull the hidden forces into a false sense of security.
But Chen Feng knew that Chu Shihong and the others secretly doubted his findings. After all, it was just his word against the void—no one else had seen the Black Bat.
In fact, if Chen Feng hadn't insisted on continuing the investigation, the Combat Squad would have already abandoned the search and returned to Nanjiang.
"I saw it with my own eyes," Chen Feng emphasized.
Chu Shihong fell silent for a moment, then nodded. He knew Chen Feng's character; he wouldn't exaggerate anything lightly. Moreover, Pinnacle Realm Masters often possessed a certain spiritual sensitivity, so there might indeed be a hidden danger lurking.
"I'll keep an eye on this," Chu Shihong promised.
With that, Chen Feng ended their conversation and left.
As he descended in the elevator, Zhao Jushan carried the Advanced Life Elixir in a briefcase.
His center of gravity slowly settled. During the descent, Chen Feng used Stone Statue No. 1's shared vision to glance at the Greenfield Forest, which showed no trace or clue.
He had no leads. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, anyone would have thought it was a hallucination.
But...
He amplified his senses, observing the passersby outside.
Couples holding hands, families with children and elderly relatives, a middle-aged man who was both a father and a son.
A scene of peace and tranquility. He hoped his earlier discovery was just a figment of his imagination.
Ding-dong!
Suddenly, the elevator chimed, reaching the first floor.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, a black car was parked by the roadside.
Several members of the Black Crystal Group were also nearby, seemingly waiting for him.
"Grandmaster Chen," Zhao Meng said, still in her black combat suit, the black crystal emblem on her left chest conspicuous.
The Black Crystal Group branch manager, also a Councilor, was waiting beside her, addressing him respectfully.
Chen Feng nodded slightly and glanced around.
Zhao Jushan and the others, receiving his signal, dispersed to either side.
"Any news?" he asked calmly, knowing Zhao Meng wouldn't be waiting here idly.
Otherwise, she should have already escorted the branch manager out of Yun Port.
"It's confirmed: Zhong Yan is no longer in Yun Port," Zhao Meng said, meeting Chen Feng's gaze.
"We don't know her exact location. She prepared some countermeasures for her departure, and our people couldn't follow her."
"Please be careful," she warned. Chen Feng understood her meaning.
"Are you suggesting she might have come to Nanjiang?"
"We can't be certain, but we haven't found any other motive for her departure. Also, there's been internal discord at Skyway Shipping recently, primarily related to the Nanjiang branch."
Zhao Meng sounded somewhat exasperated. Chen Feng knew she suspected Zhong Yan might be coming to Nanjiang to seek revenge and eliminate obstacles, paving the way for Skyway Shipping's smooth establishment of its Nanjiang branch.
Pondering this, he made a mental note.
The parked black car started again, slowly merging into the flow of traffic.
Watching the passing vehicles outside, Chen Feng's gaze remained calm, his thoughts racing.
Would she really dare come to Nanjiang?
---
Buzz!!
In the desolate outskirts of Nanjiang City, a deserted wasteland.
Flames erupted from the tail of a spacecraft, sending waves of air rippling through the tall grass, scattering pebbles into the corners.
Hiss! Click!
The aircraft's hatch opened, revealing a tall woman in red.
Her black boots clicked crisply on the ground. Her face, framed by long, curly hair, was exquisitely delicate, with a black mole beneath her crimson lips adding a touch of allure.
Yet, her expression was cold.
"Where is he?"
Her voice was cool as she surveyed the dozen or so men in suits waiting before her.
The Modification System automatically scanned them. Based on their energy and magnetic field signatures, they were at most peak Fourth-Tier level.
Like the desolate surroundings, they seemed like weeds—a sight that both dirtied her eyes and earned her disdain.
"Miss Zhong, our boss has been waiting for you for some time," the lead man said with a polite smile, neither servile nor arrogant.
He then spread his palm, and a special communicator in his hand projected a holographic screen that hovered before them.
"You're late," a young man in a black and purple suit said from the screen. Zhong Yan crossed her arms, frowning as she stared back.
"I was being watched."
"If I hadn't taken a detour to shake them off, do you think I would have wasted so much time?"
The young man on the screen frowned at this but didn't press further.
He then began outlining the plan, detailing the arrangements.
"Understood."
After listening, Zhong Yan lowered her arms, tilted her chin slightly, and nodded. The silver metal patterns behind her ears flickered, and her eyes held a hint of disdain.
The fallen son of a former director of Jadeite Biotech—she had the means to crush him like an ant.
But...
"Are you sure he and the Blue Demon Team won't show up?"
"Of course."
Xu Heng smirked, fully aware of his cousin's so-called pride.
"Are you afraid of him?"
Zhong Yan sneered, remembering the final image of the aircraft crashing that day. She also knew how devastating a Fifth-Tier White Giant could be.
"It's not fear."
Xu Heng's expression stiffened, his smile fading.
"It's about concentrating our forces on what we need to do. Besides, aren't you just as wary of him?"
If not, why would she have joined forces with him? Wouldn't it have been easier to simply eliminate him at the Flame Tiger Martial Arts Hall?
Xu Heng sneered inwardly as their gazes met through the virtual screen.
With a cold snort, Zhong Yan suppressed her anger and hatred.
It was all Yang Wudi's fault!
If not for him, she should have crippled him before he surpassed Grandmaster Chen. Why had she let things spiral out of control?
Thinking of this, she stepped forward, brushing past the figure on the virtual screen, and headed toward the newly constructed factory nearby.
She could still salvage the situation.
Once this matter was resolved, she could regain her footing on the board and even forge ties with Red Wave Energy.
Then, she might finally be able to eliminate him completely!
(End of the Chapter)
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