Translator: CinderTL
The river was wide, with bridges crisscrossing its expanse. Vehicles came and went, and the distant city seemed to rise from the riverbanks. Skyscrapers stood tall, their floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting the red hues of the setting sun. Occasionally, private helicopters could be seen landing on the rooftops of certain buildings, while the neon signs of massive corporate towers shone brightly, standing out prominently.
"Suojia City," Cao Tong and the others marveled silently, feeling as if this place was a world apart from Pula City. One was a relic of a technologically backward era, while the other was a bustling modern metropolis akin to those in the Red Nation.
"Suojia City has a unique location, with numerous business conglomerates and a mix of gangs, making it a melting pot of chaos," He Jian from the military explained briefly as the black business vehicle crossed the bridge and entered the city. Chen Feng, having just sent a message on his phone, looked out the window.
The city was alive with traffic—cars and motorcycles weaving through the streets. The central area, situated on higher ground, was dominated by skyscrapers whose neon signs flickered incessantly, vying for the attention of passersby. The ground beneath the floor-to-ceiling windows was smooth, and the figures moving about were mostly well-dressed white-collar workers in suits and trench coats, the elite of the city.
Shifting his gaze slightly downhill, beyond the skyscrapers, there were many old concrete houses. Cables crisscrossed overhead, and laundry hung out to dry was visible through the windows. The roads were potholed, and along the sides of the concrete buildings, gambling dens and mahjong parlors lined the first and second floors. Tattooed youths loitered on the streets, smoking, chatting, and even chasing and beating people in broad daylight.
It was a starkly contradictory scene, yet undeniably real. Among them, several gang members with shark tattoos rode motorcycles, passing by their vehicle while wielding clubs and clashing with another group.
"Get him!"
"How dare they mess with our turf?"
The noisy voices filtered through the car window, automatically translated by the device. Yao Wei, who had been following along, felt a sense of disorientation. He thought that if it weren't for meeting Brother Tingxiao and the others, his life might have turned out like this.
"We're almost there," He Jian said with a smile, breaking the brief silence. The vehicle soon left the concrete buildings behind and headed toward the bustling urban center.
At the base of a skyscraper named Tailuo Hotel, Chen Feng spotted several black-haired, black-eyed individuals from the Red Nation's military. They were dressed in casual outdoor gear, their waists bulging with concealed items, and their appearances exuded a rugged masculinity. Among them was an elderly figure, dressed in thick, ancient robes, with sharp, eagle-like eyes and a lean, austere face, his hands hanging loosely by his sides.
The vehicle came to a halt, and everyone got out.
"Grandmaster Chen," respectful voices rang out. Chen Feng nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to the elderly figure who stood waiting with a calm smile.
"Grandmaster Pei, thank you for your efforts."
The man was none other than Grandmaster Flying Eagle, Pei Pokong. Over the past few days, their interactions had eased the tension from their previous conflict at the Huai River, at least enough to avoid outright coldness.
"Haha, no trouble at all. Consider it a vacation," Pei Pokong replied with a smile, not daring to complain. After all, he had been in the wrong back then. Although Chen Feng hadn't held it against him, he knew better than to be ungrateful.
Following Chen Feng's introductions, Pei Pokong and Zhou Wuren exchanged polite bows, formally acknowledging each other.
The group entered the hotel, where Pei Pokong and two of his disciples were already present, handling miscellaneous tasks and helping to book rooms.
Soon, amidst the sounds of footsteps and doors closing, Pei Pokong and the military personnel discussed the latest developments.
"Demon Moon's Illusionary Art is quite troublesome. Everyone who has come into contact with her has no memory of it."
"She probably went to the Shark Gang again today. Given her personality, I suspect she has already planted an Illusion Seed in them and might leave within a day or two," Pei Pokong said, causing Zhou Wuren to frown slightly.
"Illusion Seed? That does sound tricky."
He had heard that the Illusion Sound Sect had a traitor, but he hadn't expected that person to join the Divine Martial Alliance and reach this level.
"What is an Illusion Seed?" one of the military personnel asked curiously.
"It's a technique from the Martial Arts True Skill, which can plant a suggestion in someone's consciousness, similar to hypnosis."
"Moreover, to a certain extent, it can also control others," Zhou Wuren explained. He had dealt with the Illusion Sound Sect before and had some understanding of these techniques.
If it weren't for this, he wouldn't have volunteered to come along.
Xu Tingxiao and the others felt a chill upon hearing this, as they had never encountered such a bizarre True Art related to illusions before.
"It's not as mythical as it sounds. An Illusion Seed can be broken if the person it's planted in has a strong enough will to resist."
"But the key is, Demon Moon follows the path of Martial Divinity and has likely integrated the Divine Power Crystal of the Crows of the Dead. I suspect her Illusion Seed isn't that simple," Pei Pokong interjected, and Zhou Wuren nodded in agreement.
The military personnel felt somewhat at a loss, as they were not in the Red Nation and lacked the Sky Eye, making it difficult to track her.
"Should we wait for her to come to us?" Pei Pokong suggested, looking at Chen Feng.
"After all, she came here to take a ship out of Suro and avoid the chaos."
"Since she's had contact with the Shark Gang, she should reappear."
At this, everyone fell into thought.
"That's not a good idea," Zhou Wuren shook his head.
"Grandmaster Pei, the people of the Divine Martial Alliance are very cunning. If Demon Moon dares to let you track her, it means she's confident."
"I suspect the Shark Gang might just be a decoy, and she actually has another escape route."
Chen Feng also nodded in agreement.
Although he had never met Demon Moon, based on her previous actions, she seemed quite cautious.
If she really intended to use the Shark Gang to leave Suro, she shouldn't have left so many traces.
After much discussion, the group finally reached a decision.
"If the Shark Gang is the obvious pawn, then we'll test them tomorrow."
"The river transport in Suojia City has been suspended for the past two days, so we'll keep a separate watch. If she wants to leave, she'll definitely appear near the checkpoints."
Finally, Chen Feng looked at He Jian.
"Deputy He, I'm afraid this will trouble you."
He knew that with just their small group, searching for her would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and the results would be unsatisfactory.
"No problem, I've already notified the Red Nation embassy, asking them to intervene and have the local Toran Sect cooperate in the search and increase the security level," He Jian replied promptly.
Chen Feng expressed his thanks, and the group divided their tasks clearly, with most heading to the river transport checkpoints to contribute, while a few stayed behind.
"Speak," someone said.
Only Pei Pokong remained in the room, and Chen Feng could tell he had something to say.
"I think I saw Yang Wudi yesterday," he said, his tone startling, with a hint of worry on his face.
Chen Feng was surprised but quickly understood what he meant.
"Are you worried that Yang Wudi is with the Divine Martial Alliance?"
"Although the possibility is slim, I'm still concerned about the 'what if.'"
Pei Pokong explained, as Yang Wudi's sudden appearance had inevitably made him overthink.
"I see."
Chen Feng nodded, eventually watching him leave.
Sitting alone in the room, he stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the city outside. Shadows sprawled beneath the towering buildings, and the concrete structures rose and fell in waves.
"Yang Wudi."
He had lost count of how many times he had heard this name.
The only Pinnacle Realm expert in the southern Martial Arts World, his strength unknown, at least at the fifth tier.
"Probably not."
The thought flashed through his mind, and with a strong intuition, he quickly dismissed Pei Pokong's speculation.
If Yang Wudi were truly with the Divine Martial Alliance, why wouldn't he have acted during the Xiangshan incident? As for his appearance in Suro... Could it be? A startling guess suddenly rose in Chen Feng's mind.
---
Bang!!
At the same moment, beneath a concrete building in Suojia City.
A figure was sent flying, crashing into a trash can. Upon closer look, more than a dozen bodies were already sprawled haphazardly in the alley.
Groans filled the air, some with broken arms, others with broken legs.
A semi-mechanical arm lay shattered into pieces like scattered parts, while drops of blood pooled and flowed toward the feet of one figure.
"The Shark Gang, huh."
His tone was calm, dressed in a brown trench coat with his hands tucked in his pockets.
Messy black hair covered most of his forehead, a high nose bridge, and a face full of stubble. A lit cigarette dangled from his mouth.
Behind him was a little girl, about seven or eight years old, clutching the hem of his coat tightly, her face pale, her brown eyes wide as she stared at the groaning gang members.
These usually vicious people now seemed so fragile.
Yet, she felt no sympathy, only looking up at the man in the brown trench coat with hopeful eyes.
"It will end."
"Let's go."
---
Chen Feng withdrew his gaze, suppressing his speculation about Yang Wudi's appearance.
As for the notion that Transcendence required leaving a legend, he couldn't be sure, and he hadn't even fully grasped the Pinnacle Realm yet.
Buzz!
Just then, his phone suddenly vibrated.
An unfamiliar number, seemingly a satellite call.
Somewhat surprised, he pondered for a moment before answering.
"Hey, Feng, are you okay?"
A familiar voice—it was Lin Hao.
"What?" Chen Feng was puzzled, not understanding the situation.
"Phew, it seems you're fine."
Lin Hao on the other end of the line clearly breathed a sigh of relief, with the sound of wind and snow and a buzzing roar in the background.
It was noisy and chaotic.
Chen Feng frowned and asked, soon hearing Lin Hao shout, "Something's happened at Dowa Snow Mountain!"
"The Platinum Federation launched an attack, directly bombing to destroy the energy node, preventing us from activating it."
"Several sixth-tier cyborgs appeared, holding off the Royal City Flying General. The situation is terrible—several corporate security teams were nearly wiped out, and the energy node here was affected and completely destroyed!"
"Damn it, this trip was a waste. Those damn Platinum Federation bastards!"
Lin Hao's voice was filled with frustration, and Chen Feng faintly heard Meng Anran scolding someone nearby.
"How are you holding up?"
While the Secret Realm was important, it paled in comparison to the safety of his friend.
"I'm fine!"
"The military is here. The Royal City Flying General is fierce, and Old Yuan and Big Sister's people are right beside me. Don't worry!"
The howling of the wind and snow continued, and Chen Feng's mood grew inexplicably heavier.
Even sixth-tier Cyborgs had been deployed. The struggle for the Secret Realm was far more brutal than he had imagined.
"Where are you now?"
Lin Hao shouted again.
"Suojia City."
"Damn, seems like you got lucky."
"What do you mean?"
"Not just the depths of the Secret Realm's snowy mountains, but the Dowa Sect on the mountainside was also attacked!"
"Those sneaky bastards from Utopia. I heard that Onit showed up too, killing a lot of people. In the end, it was the Mountain Ancestor who appeared and forced them to retreat."
Chen Feng frowned slightly upon hearing this. He hadn't expected the situation to deteriorate so rapidly after he left, with so many changes occurring.
"Alright, alright, as long as you're fine!"
"I'll see if I can leave here with the Black Crystal Group later. Ugh, what a waste! This sucks."
Amidst the cursing, Lin Hao hung up the satellite phone.
The biting cold wind continued to blow, and even the thick fur coat he wore couldn't fully shield him from the freezing temperature.
A snowflake landed on the phone, and as he tilted his head to look, he could see dust and smoke billowing from the depths of the snowy mountains.
A massive peak had been blown apart, triggering continuous avalanches. The white torrent swallowed everything in its path.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The muffled explosions echoed like thunder, reverberating endlessly.
The gale roared like a dragon, mixing dust and snow together. In the distance, towering flames could be seen, along with the blurred silhouettes of aircraft and fighter jets clashing, accompanied by occasional explosions.
As for the surroundings...
"This is brutal."
Lin Hao put down the satellite phone, his heart trembling.
Around the tent, makeshift medical camps had been hastily set up.
The sky seemed darker than usual, with aircraft constantly taking off and landing nearby. The once-flat ground was now pockmarked with craters, and charred wreckage was scattered everywhere, with small fires still burning.
Stretchers moved in and out of the tents. Some people had lost half their bodies and were unconscious, others were wailing with severed limbs, and some were coughing up blood and internal organs.
White, red, and blood-stained camouflage colors... "What are you standing around for? Start saving people!"
Meng Anran, her face fierce and wrapped in a fur coat, barked orders. Most of the panicked and dazed members of the Black Crystal Group snapped back to reality and hurried to assist in rescuing the nearby wounded.
Boom! Boom! Boom! More muffled explosions sounded, this time from deep within the snowy mountains.
Looking closely, it seemed like a figure shot up like a rocket, breaking through the wind and snow, chasing after someone.
The fighter jets trying to intercept him were shot down and destroyed one by one. The incoming energy beams were deflected by the magnetic field shield he unleashed.
Boom!!! The figure crashed into the snowy mountain, shaking the peak.
But soon, he shook his head, flames erupting from his body to melt the snow, and then he shot back into the sky with a murderous intent, heading straight for the Cyborgs and aircraft of the Platinum Federation.
In addition, a group of military Cyborgs and Cyborg warriors followed, with aircraft assisting in the pursuit of the enemy.
Yet, despite all this, Lin Hao knew that this Secret Realm Node was completely lost.
If they can't have it, they'll destroy it—the Platinum Federation's style remains consistent as ever.
"Something's wrong!!"
Suddenly, an excited shout rang out from one of the command tents.
Meng Anran and Lin Hao were both startled. Peering through the gaps in the tent, they vaguely saw a virtual screen on the device monitoring the Secret Realm Nodes flickering with numbers.
One of the targeting circles, locked onto an Energy Node, was moving continuously, with Suro's city map displayed beneath it.
Finally, a winding river appeared.
The speed of the targeting circle slowed, as if it was about to lock onto a specific location.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (MF) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c362. [+5.6k Words]
🔑Early Access at $5.
✍Translated (6) Series, (3K+) Chapters, (4.2M+) Words.
💥Flat 30% Discount on All Tiers Available Till 26th July, Use Code 3KCHAPTERS to Avail.
🎁NEW SERIES UPLOADED: Checkout [Demonic Cultivation: Starting as a Horse Bandit]