Translator: CinderTL
Cloud Forest.
Beneath the azure sky, the verdant forest stretched endlessly, a sea of emerald green.
The Inverted Pyramid hovering above had returned to its tranquil state. From the temporary steel encampment, one could see numerous aircraft approaching the perimeter.
Then, tiny figures like ants began leaping from an exit at the base of the Inverted Pyramid, to be picked up by waiting aircraft and Flying Cars.
Some were grievously wounded, their faces etched with grief. Others were covered in blood, yet their expressions were flushed with excitement, as if they had discovered some precious resource or treasure.
"This Secret Realm anomaly might have a significant impact on our current modification technology."
"Indeed. I heard the project team at the Red Capital Institute of Technology has already made a breakthrough on a key step, and our newly discovered extraction technique has solved their final hurdle."
Inside the steel encampment, murmurs of discussion filled the air.
This was a temporary war room, filled with high-ranking military officers in camouflage uniforms, Red General combat suits, and senior councilors in suits and overcoats.
Yet, even in this setting, one figure sat in the sole head seat, dressed in a black wool overcoat and leaning back against a black leather chair.
The middle-aged man's face was stern and square, his deep gaze calm and unwavering, radiating an aura of profound authority.
"Congratulations, Deputy Chairman Luo."
Someone suddenly spoke, and the others, who had been murmuring among themselves, snapped back to attention.
"Ah, look at me, so slow to react. Deputy Chairman Luo is surely in line for a promotion."
"Indeed. Discovering this new technology, Deputy Chairman Luo's contribution is undeniable."
"His name will likely be etched in future history textbooks."
Amidst the slightly exaggerated congratulations and flattery, Luo Wantao remained largely expressionless. He simply raised a hand, instantly silencing the room.
"The excavation of the Inverted Pyramid relic is of paramount importance. Our previous achievements are merely preliminary."
"Let's return to the matter at hand, everyone."
His words fell like a stone, leaving the room momentarily stunned. Then came nods of admiration and respectful replies.
Finally, the meeting adjourned.
Figures dispersed, leaving only the imposing middle-aged man in the war room.
Buzz!
Suddenly, a holographic screen flickered to life, displaying the image of an elderly man.
"Master."
"Mm."
"Wu Zong reports a new development. It's highly probable that it's related to that person. What do you think?"
"I already suspected as much," Luo Wantao said calmly, his face betraying no emotion.
The old man fell silent, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Given the old master's temperament, if he knew, why would he let it slide?
"The two Royal Family members have struck a deal. My conflict with Li Yun ends here."
"Until my reassignment, no further incidents or errors are to occur."
Hearing this, the old man understood.
Ah, so that was it.
The young man was Li Yun's man, and he possessed the strength of a Pinnacle Realm Master and the influence of a Councilor.
Striking now would be difficult to conceal from all parties and might even cause complications, displeasing the Royal Family member.
"Then, what do you suggest?"
"Once the Cloud Dream Forest matter concludes and the reassignment order arrives, have Wu Zong take him down."
Luo Wantao's tone was calm, but the old man detected a chilling undercurrent.
Nodding in agreement, he still had a lingering doubt.
"Wu Zong is only a Fifth-Tier peak. If he goes alone..."
"The Flying General position was part of the deal as well," Luo Wantao added.
The old man's confusion vanished.
The communication then ended.
The stern middle-aged figure sat alone in the empty command room, his gaze growing increasingly profound and icy.
"Xiao Hui..."
He thought he saw the ghost of his only son.
Beep!
The call ended. Chen Feng sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, putting down his phone.
New advanced technology had been discovered within the Inverted Pyramid of Cloud Dream Forest, and its impact was significant.
As the overall commander, Luo Wantao naturally deserved the primary credit.
"The highest position in Central City?"
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Chen Feng recognized the warning in Lin Hao's words.
This usually signified the highest authority in a region, much like Chairman Li Yun of the Provincial Federation.
In other words, the conflict between Luo Wantao and Chairman Li Yun was likely to culminate in this, most likely the result of a higher-level power struggle.
So...
"You absolutely must not leave Cloud Dream Forest."
His gaze turned cold. Chen Feng would never forget the irreconcilable hatred between them.
Luo Hui's death was already sealed. The probing attack during the Martial Hall's opening ceremony had been the beginning of Chen Feng's suspicions.
The Tier 5 Mech Warrior who had attacked him then had shown no mercy. If Chen Feng hadn't been strong enough, being crippled would have been the best possible outcome.
Although Chen Feng had ultimately defeated the enemy, the incident had clearly deepened their suspicions.
Once the Cloud Dream Forest matter concluded, they would undoubtedly seek revenge.
The thought flickered through his mind for several seconds. As the ripples in his mental lake gradually subsided, Chen Feng regained his composure.
Suppressing the matter for now, he left the courtyard and walked out of the mountain gate.
A black car awaited him. He had one final test remaining for his martial arts research collaboration.
Boom!
On the track of the military camp's Training Ground, a white vapor suddenly exploded.
Everyone gasped in shock, their vision momentarily blanked.
Only the grass flew wildly, swept by a raging wind.
Radiant Star Academy Experimenters frantically checked the display screens before them, which showed a faint afterimage captured by advanced scanners.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, an afterimage materialized at the track's finish line.
A terrifying shockwave roared past, lifting the bangs of the two Experimenters nearby, revealing their wide, startled eyes.
Beep!
[160m/s]
A string of data flashed on the finish line's display monitor. The black-robed youth with a short haircut finally stopped.
No sound broke the silence. Even though they had anticipated this, the Experimenters present were still numb with shock.
One hundred sixty meters per second.
Roughly half the speed of sound, far faster than a car.
And this was achieved by a flesh-and-blood body that had never undergone any modifications, relying solely on the power of the Physical Body.
"Is that enough?" Chen Feng asked calmly. Without activating his Azure Armor Talent, speed wasn't his forte.
Moreover, his spirit was still recovering from injury, and his strength hadn't fully returned.
Of course, while this burst of speed seemed impressive, it placed a considerable strain on his body. Sustaining it for long periods was difficult, making it suitable only for short bursts of pursuit or evasion.
"Y-you can stop now, Grandmaster Chen," the middle-aged Experimenter in the lead stammered, his voice trembling. The youth called Fang Wen barely managed to regain his composure and nodded, his expression filled with awe.
Overwhelming power, lightning-fast speed, and a physical body at least comparable to Radiant Alloy.
To put it bluntly, this young Pinnacle Realm Master had achieved a level beyond human comprehension. In the old era, he would have been called a "Little Superman" without exaggeration.
The same thought must have occurred to countless others, as Fang Mocuan and the senior officers from the military camp approached.
"Grandmaster Chen, thank you for your hard work!" Fang Mocuan exclaimed, his voice filled with exaggerated praise. "You've demonstrated a standard of martial arts that approaches the limits of the human body. This is a groundbreaking achievement that will likely become a model for future martial arts research."
No one felt he was being overly flattering, because a Pinnacle Realm Master like Chen Feng was a rare and precious treasure, even in the vast Red Nation. Including Chen Feng, there were only four known individuals in the entire nation who had reached this level.
Across the entire Earth, the number would likely not exceed fifteen. He was truly at the pinnacle of human potential, a figure of global significance.
"Dean Fang is too kind," Chen Feng replied with a smile. After several days of interaction, he and Fang Mocuan had become somewhat familiar, and the honorific "Grandmaster" had quietly dropped from their conversations.
"I wasn't exaggerating."
"Someone like you is incredibly rare on Earth. This test is also highly significant for our Red Nation."
The collaborative test concluded successfully, leaving both sides satisfied.
Fang Mocuan, his smile unwavering, continued, "Furthermore, we'll be joining experts from several other top academies in an international exchange. The primary focus will be research into human potential."
"With the data from this test, we'll have much more confidence."
As his words fell, Chen Feng's surprise dissipated, finally dispelling all his doubts.
No wonder Radiant Star Academy had approached him so suddenly. Besides the government's emphasis on the New Martial Dao, this connection played a crucial role.
The two sides chatted for a while longer.
Fang Mocuan cheerfully announced that they would expedite the establishment of martial arts courses at the academy and strengthen Radiant Star Academy's collaboration with the Flame Tiger Sect.
General Zhang, standing nearby, chimed in, his interest piqued. "Grandmaster Chen, would it be possible to invite members of your sect to serve as martial arts instructors at our military camp, teaching combat techniques on a regular basis?"
"Of course. And if you were to come personally, that would be even better."
General Zhang's tone was warm, and Chen Feng pondered for a moment.
Martial arts heavily relied on innate talent and aptitude. Progress was slow for ordinary people, requiring immense investment of time and effort, far less efficient than Gene Enhancement Serum.
As a result, most soldiers in the military camp studied combat techniques summarized by the Military, supplemented by gene potions to enhance their Physical Bodies.
Only a select few elites pursued the path of modification and Modified Human combat, with very few truly dedicated to the path of martial arts.
"Certainly," Chen Feng replied, not refusing. He could sense General Zhang's genuine desire to befriend him.
He didn't reject such goodwill.
The Military had always been a powerful force in the Red Nation, and he still remembered the favor he had done by accepting their invitation to Suro. Deepening this connection would only benefit him, potentially proving useful in the future.
As for teaching combat techniques, he would decide later, possibly not even appearing in person. After all, most soldiers were ordinary people, and a True Intent level Sect Leader could already impart many practical combat skills.
With that, the two men exchanged brief pleasantries as they left the Training Ground.
Fang Mocuan accompanied them, and during their conversation, he mentioned a name that surprised Chen Feng.
"Seriously," Fang Mocuan said, "sometimes it's hard to believe, Grandmaster Chen, that you're actually Chen Yun's younger brother."
"Oh?"
Chen Feng raised an eyebrow, not surprised that Fang Mocuan knew about his relationship with Chen Yun. After all, she had studied at Radiant Star Academy, a fact that was publicly available.
But...
"Dean Fang, do you know my sister?"
"Of course. Chen Yun was an outstanding metallurgist. I even saw her twice during her time at our academy. If it weren't for the higher authorities repeatedly requesting her transfer, I wouldn't have wanted to let such a talent leave Shining Star."
Dean Fang nodded, sighing as he reminisced. This was something he hadn't mentioned before, only bringing it up now that their collaboration had concluded. Chen Feng couldn't help but look at him with newfound respect. He understood that Fang Mocuan had avoided involving Chen Yun, fearing it would turn their partnership into a favor owed. This approach suited Chen Feng perfectly.
"Dean Fang, do you know what research my sister is working on?" Chen Feng asked, setting aside his grief to focus on the matter at hand. After all, it was a project that could reshape the Red Nation's technological landscape, potentially even raising the ceiling for modification technology and altering the current technological paradigm.
(End of the Chapter)
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