Hua Zhong Base City.
Zheng Family Villa.
The courtyard, with its simple, unadorned jujube tree, seemed out of place amidst the surrounding high-tech buildings. At this moment, an elder, over sixty years old, sat by a stone table beneath the jujube tree, while across from him sat Zheng Guorui, the current head of the Zheng family.
The chessboard on the stone table had reached its final moments.
"Checkmate."
The elder, with a smile, said, "Guorui, you've lost."
Zheng Guorui shook his head, "After learning for so long, I still can't beat Lao Yu."
"You, it's not that you can't beat me, it's that you're too distracted."
The elder immediately hit the nail on the head.
Zheng Guorui sighed, "There's nothing I can do. There are too many things to manage. I can't be as leisurely as Lao Yu. Recently, a materials company emerged in the Base City and actually secured a ten-billion-dollar order from the HR Alliance. It's said to have a Mid-Level God of War behind it."
The elder lightly gasped, "A Mid-Level God of War? Which one?"
"Unclear."
"We're investigating, but it shouldn't be from Hua Zhong Base City. I know all the Gods of War, and none of them have had dealings with this materials company. Lao Yu, could you keep an eye out for me in the War God Palace?"
"Alright."
After finishing the chess game.
Zheng Guorui instructed the butler to call the captain of the Fire Fox Squad. He looked at Zhou Ji and said, "Regarding your brother's matter, do not go looking for trouble with the Raging Wind Squad again. If you insist on seeking justice for your brother, it's best to do so in a personal capacity, without involving my Zheng family."
Zhou Ji frowned slightly.
Zheng Guorui reminded him, "A member who left the Raging Wind Squad is acquainted with a Mid-Level God of War. You should watch yourself."
In recent months, he knew that Zhou Ji had been secretly investigating the Raging Wind Squad using the Zheng family's influence. Originally, he hadn't paid attention, but now it was different. If trouble arose, it would inevitably involve the Zheng family.
Zhou Ji's expression changed slightly, "I understand."
Leaving the Zheng family.
He punched the car door, gritting his teeth: "Damn it, this Raging Wind Squad got lucky, but just wait, I'll find an opportunity sooner or later."
...
HR Alliance Mall, third-floor private room.
Shen Ping and the members of the Raging Wind Squad gathered again. Having shared life-and-death experiences in the Wilderness Area, their relationship was very good. Even if a member left, if they encountered trouble, other members would spare no effort to help.
Captain Qin Shan said with a smile, "Lao Shen has made a name for himself in the past few years since he left. Being able to have such a large cooperation with the Underground Alliance, his future development is promising. In the future, we might even need your protection."
Mu Yang couldn't help but tease, "Captain, I'm already under Shen Ge's protection now. If it weren't for Shen Ge's guidance, my blade technique wouldn't have broken through so easily."
Shen Ping waved his hand, "Mu Yang, you shouldn't keep talking about it. If you don't work hard yourself, what's the use of just guidance? However, this time, the company's cooperation with the Underground Alliance also has some luck involved. Depending on the situation in the future, if we can continue to cooperate, I'll definitely need your help."
The captain understood Shen Ping's meaning, smiled, and raised the wine bottle in his hand, "Come, drink."
After three rounds of drinks.
Shen Ping leaned closer to Qin Shan's ear and whispered, "Captain, did anything troublesome happen after that Fire Fox Squad incident? If so, I'll try to find a solution."
Qin Shan quickly said, "Lao Shen, no, don't. For you to be acquainted with a God of War, that's your good fortune. It's not worth owing a favor for this matter. As for the Fire Fox Squad, we can just keep avoiding them. I don't believe Zhou Ji can do anything to our squad."
"You should focus on running your company well. Besides Mu Yang, the potential of the rest of our squad has reached its limit. Whether we can improve in the future still depends on you."
Shen Ping nodded and continued to drink with the team members.
It wasn't until late at night.
That the few of them left the mall.
After the New Year.
In early March of 2051, Shen Ping, who had been home for over half a year, set off for the Wilderness Area again. After such a long period of fermentation, the news of his cooperation with the HR Alliance Mall had spread throughout the Base City. Upon arriving at the military supply base, many officers, both familiar and unfamiliar, greeted him warmly.
Huang, an officer from the Thunder Martial Hall, jokingly said, "Lao Shen, your company is making so much money. Why aren't you enjoying your leisure in the Base City? Why did you run off to the Wilderness Area again?"
Shen Ping laughed, "I'm a martial artist. I can't sit still after being home for a while. If I stayed any longer, I'm afraid my body would get moldy. This place is good; entering the Wilderness Area feels like entering my own home."
Huang was speechless.
After a brief chat.
Shen Ping walked towards his assigned lodging. In the evening, he would depart for a more distant county. His purpose in coming to the Wilderness Area this time, besides hunting Advanced Warlord-level monsters, was also to seize the opportunity to reveal some of his strength.
Two days later.
He hurried to a county town.
In most cases, county towns far from the military supply base tend to have more Warlord-level monsters, especially in urban areas, where one often encounters Warlord-level monsters hunting alone.
He wasn't afraid of Warlords surrounded by Beast Soldiers. He charged directly at his targets.
Swoosh, swoosh.
Like a wolf entering a flock of sheep, he cut through Beast Soldiers and even Warlords with ease. After mastering his blade technique, even without using the Ninefold Thunder Blade, killing Warlord-level monsters with pure blade technique was effortless.
In just three to five days.
Shen Ping had hunted over a dozen Warlord-level monsters, including two Mid-Level Warlords. He then rested in the county town for a few days before returning to the military supply base to sell the monster materials to Officer Huang.
Upon seeing the Mid-Level Warlord-level materials.
Officer Huang was astonished, "Lao Shen, this, did you kill this?"
Shen Ping grinned, "Who else could have killed it if not me? My physical fitness broke through to Mid-Level Warlord at the beginning of spring. With the Ninefold Thunder Blade, I barely managed to kill one Mid-Level Warlord. Once I get more proficient, hunting will be much easier."
Officer Huang suddenly understood, looking at Shen Ping with envy, "Last time, Mu Yang from the Raging Wind Squad said your Ninefold Thunder Blade broke through to the third level. I didn't expect it to be true. Your combat power should have reached Advanced Warlord now, right?"
"Yes."
Shen Ping smiled, humbly saying, "Although my combat power is that of an Advanced Warlord, I still can't hunt Advanced Warlords. After a while, when I get used to the increased strength of my body, I'll go for a Mid-Level Warlord assessment."
"Enough talking, let's quickly calculate. After resting for a night, I'll go practice more while I'm still warmed up."
After the transaction.
Watching Shen Ping's departing back.
Officer Huang couldn't help but sigh, "This Shen Ping has truly seen a withered tree come back to life. Not only is he acquainted with a God of War, but his own blade technique has also continuously broken through. It's said to be because of his marriage. Could there really be such a thing as a prosperous marriage?!"
After a while.
The news of Shen Ping's combat power reaching Advanced Warlord spread, and many martial artists were envious and jealous. Among them, more than half actually believed the saying about a prosperous marriage. Of course, rational martial artists mostly speculated it was due to the Mid-Level God of War behind Shen Ping.
[You have single-handedly hunted a Mid-Level Warlord. Your family's reputation in the Hua Zhong Base City is gradually growing, taking a small step towards prosperity.]
[Reward: One essence of vegetation, Ninefold Thunder Blade Seventh Level, and Perfected Blade Technique Realm.]