Translator: CinderTL
The question hung in the air, instantly silencing the aircraft.
The tail flames beneath the thrusters gradually retracted as the aircraft approached the Flame Tiger Martial Arts Hall. The slightly plump middle-aged Red General locked eyes with the other man and countered his question with another.
"Old Sun, before you ask me, ask yourself first. Do you even believe this hypothesis yourself?"
His voice was calm, but the thin Red General carrying a briefcase faltered slightly.
He then turned his gaze to the three characters "Flame Tiger Martial Arts Hall" outside the aircraft. He saw curious faces peering out from within, some standing by the windows, others frowning in confusion at the entrance, their eyes wary.
After a moment of thought, he realized his earlier question had been absurd.
Sixth-Tier modification resources were incredibly precious and rare, a true strategic asset of the Red Nation. The materials required came from special Secret Realms or could only be successfully refined at a significant cost.
Even within the Red Guard and the Military, access to these resources was strictly controlled. Only those who had made extraordinary contributions or were personally recommended by someone of high rank were eligible to receive them and truly join the ranks of the Flying Generals.
What about the civilian sector?
Aside from a couple of Sixth-Tier Modified Humans and Cyborgs who emerged in the early years due to special policies, there hasn't been any news of civilian Sixth-Tier Modified Humans or Modified Humans in at least the past few decades.
"The cyborg from yesterday—we extracted residual blood from the scene and analyzed its genes. We've confirmed it's an unregistered Biological Cyborg, and it's highly likely not of Red Nation descent."
"Preliminary analysis suggests the cyborg may have fused multiple high-concentration Primordial Creature Blood Essences. Its combat strength likely reaches the peak Sixth-Tier level, and its recovery abilities are top-tier. It may even have acquired an ability from a Legendary Quality Primordial Creature Blood Essence."
"Otherwise, there's no way it could have forced General Zhao Chi to retreat while he was caught off guard, let alone kill Old Tang."
The slightly plump middle-aged Red General spoke again, his tone dripping with sarcasm at the absurdity of the question.
How could an illegal Blue Demon cyborg group possibly possess such power?
As for Pinnacle Realm Masters?
Even Liu Duanyun, currently considered the strongest, couldn't meet all the criteria mentioned above.
Suddenly,
The slender Red General carrying the suitcase didn't argue further. His eyes flickered for a moment before he watched the cabin door open.
A Flying Car arrived just in time, as if perfectly timed.
A group of figures quickly disembarked. Chu Shihong, wearing a gray woolen overcoat, was escorted by several security personnel as he approached the cabin door.
"Alright, let's go. Complaining won't help."
"We finally got away from Yun Port. Don't let your prejudices ruin your mood."
The slightly overweight middle-aged Red General patted the other man's shoulder and led his two Golden Generals out of the cabin.
Seeing this, the slender man carrying the suitcase remained silent for a moment before stepping out with his three subordinates.
"Red General Yu, Red General Sun."
"Welcome to Nanjiang! It's an honor to have you here to oversee our work!"
Chu Shihong chuckled, his graying hair neatly combed. His aged face, though wrinkled, still retained a healthy flush.
"The pleasure is ours, Councilor Chu."
After shaking hands, the slightly overweight middle-aged man, Red General Yu, smiled. "We're simply here under orders to conduct a routine inquiry. It was rather sudden, so we apologize for any inconvenience."
"Not at all, not at all."
Chu Shihong waved his hand repeatedly, then turned to the slender Red General who had emerged a step later.
"If you two don't mind Nanjiang's remoteness, after you finish your official business, please come to my United Coalition Building for a visit. It would be my honor to play host, Old Chu."
"Haha, of course I have no problem with that."
Red General Yu smiled and nodded, then glanced at the slender man beside him, Red General Sun. Though his expression remained neutral, Sun didn't refuse.
Red General Yu knew that the man before him was highly valued by Speaker Li, and offending him would bring little benefit.
With the formalities concluded, the group quickly followed Chu Shihong into the Martial Hall.
"This way, please."
"Councilor Chen has been waiting for you in the reception room."
Chu Shihong chuckled, trying to lighten the atmosphere, but only Cao Tong and one disciple led the way.
Red General Yu's expression remained unchanged, while the slender Red General Sun raised an eyebrow, finding the gesture somewhat presumptuous. In the end, however, he suppressed his reaction.
Finally, under Cao Tong's nervous guidance, the group ascended to the second floor and saw the reception room with its doors wide open.
The scent of tea leaves hung in the air, mingling with the fragrance of the red-carved wooden chairs and tea table.
A young man with a short haircut sat cross-legged on a cushion, his gaze rising to meet theirs. His deep, calm eyes concealed a flicker of crimson flame, radiating an intense sense of aggression.
Buzz!
In an instant, the scanning instruments within the Augmentation Module registered a surge in data. The bio-magnetic field displayed on the blue screen had already surpassed the Fifth-Tier level.
His pupils contracting, Red General Sun, a lean man, stopped in his tracks, his expression quickly freezing.
"Peak Fifth-Tier..."
His heart pounding, the data on the scanning screen reached an impossibly high level, making it hard for him to accept. He hadn't expected this newly risen Pinnacle Realm Master to have already reached this level.
Could this truly be the limit of human potential?
Red General Yu, standing beside him, was only slightly better off, his emotions still churning. Just days ago, when he'd heard about the martial arts research data from Radiant Star Academy, he'd thought it was exaggerated.
But now...
The young man he'd once had to bail out of trouble at the Black Crystal Group hotel in Yun Port had, without him even realizing it, become his equal, perhaps even slightly stronger.
"Gentlemen, please."
A calm voice broke through the tension as the young man gestured toward the entrance.
Forcing himself to snap out of his daze, Red General Sun finally accepted reality. He sighed inwardly, pushing aside his lingering doubts.
Red General Yu shook his head, ultimately suppressing his complex emotions and stepping forward.
"This is Red General Sun, and this is Red General Yu," Chu Shihong said, acting as an intermediary. "We're here today for a routine inquiry, to fulfill official duties."
Chen Feng nodded, extending a gesture of goodwill toward Red General Yu. He rose and shook hands with the Red General.
"Three days apart, one should look at a man with new eyes."
"Councilor Chen, I must admit my vision was narrow back then. I made a fool of myself."
Sensing Chen Feng's goodwill, Red General Yu's expression softened, and he offered a self-deprecating remark.
He remembered how he had once warned Chen Feng that his martial arts path was blocked, nearing its end. He had suggested joining the Red Guard to undergo Modified Human augmentation, which might give him a chance to reach the Fifth-Rank Red General level.
Chen Feng had simply smiled and shaken his head, acknowledging Red General Yu's words.
They quickly moved past the topic with a few polite exchanges.
Then, Chen Feng turned to Red General Sun, who had a solemn expression and began to state their purpose.
"We are all deeply saddened by the sudden death of Councilor Luo."
"This incident has had a major impact, and the higher authorities have ordered a thorough investigation. We apologize for our intrusion, Councilor Chen."
Chen Feng's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm.
"Red General Sun, please state your request. I will cooperate fully."
"Very well. Please forgive us for this, Councilor Chen."
Nodding, Red General Sun opened his briefcase. Inside was a sophisticated device. With a light touch, a blue holographic projection emerged, forming a circular shield that enveloped Chen Feng within a half-meter radius.
Simultaneously, various data points appeared as three-dimensional holographic projections on a handheld screen, visible to everyone present.
"This is an advanced lie detector. It can detect any abnormal biological fluctuations."
"Councilor Chen, are you ready?"
Red General Sun explained, and Chen Feng nodded slightly. Using his Perception, he confirmed that everything was as described, with no tricks or manipulations.
"Councilor Chen, during our investigation into the assassination of Councilor Luo, we discovered that he had secretly dispatched people to investigate the assassination attempt on his only son, Councilor Luo Hui."
"Among those suspected were five individuals, including yourself."
"To this end, he sent a Fifth-Tier Black Market Modified Human, Shen Lei, to provoke and test you, creating a personal grudge."
His tone stern, Red General Sun stood before the floating holographic screen and asked in a deep voice.
The advanced lie detector was fully activated, its electromagnetic blue light enveloping Chen Feng, recording all fluctuations and the current scene within the chamber.
"Now, I have a question."
"Did you harbor resentment towards him for this, and did you participate in yesterday's assassination attempt in Yun Port?"
As the words fell, most people in the Meditation Chamber instinctively held their breath.
Even Chu Shihong, his expression grave, felt his fingers twitch slightly.
Though he considered the possibility extremely unlikely, he couldn't shake the fear of a worst-case scenario.
"I was indeed displeased by his previous attempts to test me," Chen Feng replied calmly, meeting Red General Sun's gaze. "However, I wouldn't stoop to colluding with Utopia."
His voice steady, Chen Feng met Red General Sun's gaze directly. He had indeed not joined forces with Utopia.
Because the weaklings hadn't even touched Luo Wantao's collar, they had ultimately relied on themselves to kill him.
Unsure of his sincerity, Red General Sun frowned slightly, finding his answer somewhat evasive.
After a moment's thought, however, he decided not to dwell on it.
He posed several more crucial questions, but Chen Feng easily deflected them all.
Finally, the lie detector showed normal readings.
The enveloping blue light projection retracted and vanished, and everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.
"Councilor Chen, the questioning was conducted under orders," Red General Sun said sincerely, closing the device and snapping the briefcase shut. He didn't want to offend a Pinnacle Realm Master of his own rank. "The other four individuals investigated by Councilor Luo also underwent the same questioning. Please forgive any inconvenience."
Chen Feng nodded to indicate he understood, while Red General Yu chuckled beside him.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Councilor Chen," Red General Yu said. "Next time you're in Yun Port, be sure to contact Old Yu so we can properly express our gratitude."
His tone became warm, especially after confirming Chen Feng was unharmed.
Sensing his friendly intentions, Chen Feng smiled and accepted.
The group didn't rush to leave but instead took the opportunity to chat for a while.
Martial arts had seemingly found a new path forward thanks to the New Martial Arts.
Considering Chen Feng's terrifying talent, both Red Generals believed he might one day reach the level of a Flying General, becoming the next Liu Duanyun.
Adding Chu Shihong's skillful diplomacy, the atmosphere relaxed considerably, and everyone wore smiles.
"Regarding Councilor Luo's matter, while I wouldn't stoop to kicking a man when he's down, I still find it rather strange," Chen Feng said, seizing the opportunity to voice his doubts. "Someone of his rank should have uploaded his consciousness, right?"
The Red Guard and the Military had made such a huge fuss, complete with an obituary, clearly declaring his death irreversible.
Yet Chen Feng knew Central City was researching genetic cloning, capable of downloading a copied consciousness and implanting it into a clone.
He worried Luo hadn't truly died, and the whole thing was just a smokescreen.
"Ah, this matter is rather complicated," Red General Yu said, not surprised by the question. He had heard similar inquiries several times in recent days.
He sighed and exchanged a glance with Chu Shihong.
"Councilor Chu, as the Federation's representative, you should be more familiar with this."
"Why don't you explain it to Councilor Chen?"
As he spoke, Chen Feng turned to Chu Shihong.
"In truth, there's no great secret here, only a taboo in our Red Nation."
Chu Shihong didn't refuse, taking up the thread of the conversation with a reminiscent look in his eyes.
"After the Radiant Light Revolution, we did indeed develop highly advanced cloning technology, and we even laid the groundwork for replicating ordinary people's consciousness."
"However, a severe cloning accident occurred at the time, with devastating consequences. It even resulted in the death of a member of the Royal Family. Consequently, since then, the existence of any clones has been strictly forbidden, except for a select few."
"As for consciousness uploading..."
He looked at Chen Feng, his tone veiled. "Not everyone wants to enter the Deep Sea."
"For example, this old man once had a special opportunity, but ultimately chose to give it up."
As soon as he spoke, Chen Feng noticed a brief flicker of emotion in both Red Generals' eyes.
Instantly, he understood something and didn't press further.
After their casual conversation ended, Chen Feng saw them off at the Martial Hall.
As the final wave receded, he watched them depart one by one.
He recalled something Lin Hao had once told him:
The trap of choice between uploading one's consciousness and freedom is often only a step away.
It was only later that he learned the true reason why the heads of major corporations could command Cyborgs without fear of betrayal: they controlled the keys to open and destroy their respective Virtual Deep Seas.
In other words, the Federation's high-ranking officials operated on the same principle.
"The higher one's position, the less they can tolerate the loss of freedom."
"Or is this true only for a minority?"
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Chen Feng realized who truly controlled the powerful blade of the Cyborg system.
Or perhaps, it wasn't just one person.
It was the group of individuals most revered in the Red Nation.
Chen Feng shook his head, deciding not to delve further into the matter.
Since Luo Wantao had his own pride and made his own choices, leaving no backup plan for resurrection, his death was indeed real.
This karmic debt could now be considered completely settled.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Chen Feng narrowed his eyes.
He sensed something amiss.
If Luo Wantao had sent someone to investigate him and left traces that the Red Guard had discovered, had the investigator uncovered the truth?
Doubt arose, and he recalled the earlier questioning by the two Red Generals.
They had mentioned that Luo Wantao only suspected him, not confirmed it.
Moreover, they hadn't asked him directly whether he had truly participated in the murder of Councilor Luo Hui.
Did this mean the investigator hadn't discovered the truth, which was why the Red Guard hadn't pressed further?
Or had the investigator confirmed the situation but deliberately kept it secret?
As the thought took root, faces flashed through Chen Feng's mind, each hypothesis being repeatedly rejected.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (MF) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c456. [+3.8k]
🔑Early Access at $5.
✍Translated (6) Series, (3.6K+) Chapters, (5.1M+) Words.