Translator: CinderTL
A clear blue sky stretched above, dotted with drifting white clouds.
Neon projections hovered between city districts, and citizens of the Federation paused on both sides of the high-rise streets.
Pairs of brown and azure eyes turned toward the embassy district in the distance. The massive alloy gates slowly creaked open, revealing yellow-skinned Red Nation soldiers in full combat gear standing guard at the sentry posts. They methodically removed the road barriers and metal spikes.
The expansive tiled plaza was now visible, with a crimson flag fluttering high atop a silver flagpole, billowing in the wind.
Military security personnel in suits and camouflage uniforms stood guard on either side, their faces grim. Behind them stood Red Generals and Flying Generals in combat suits, their cold eyes narrowed as they surveyed the scene.
An inexplicable chill emanated from the Red Nation group, their solemn wait resembling a loaded cannon.
Subconsciously holding their breath, the Federation citizens lining the streets sensed something was amiss.
"What's going on?"
"These barbaric Red Nation people are just as difficult to deal with as the news reports say."
"Are they planning to use force?"
Uneasy murmurs rippled through the crowd, as white and black citizens gathered in small groups.
Soon, someone pointed toward the corner of the asphalt road.
"Look!"
Beep! Beep!
Several public security bureau Flying Cars, their red and blue lights flashing, cleared the way with blaring sirens.
A black motorcade from the Foreign Affairs Bureau and Congress slowly approached the intersection, flanked by Modified Human and Cyborg guards on single-person aircraft.
The heavily armed transport vehicle in the center was clearly unusual, drawing curious glances from onlookers. The motorcade proceeded straight toward the Red Nation Embassy.
"They're here," a Military soldier murmured, his face tense.
Although they had been notified in advance that this was the convoy transporting Han Mingchuan for the exchange, the memory of previous encounters lingered, their vigilance etched into their very bones.
"Do you think they'll really go through with the exchange peacefully?" Wang Cheng asked suddenly, his voice low, glancing at the silver briefcase carried by a Security Personnel member beside him.
Through the fiberglass and fluorescent stripes, a mechanical eyeball stained with traces of blood could be seen within. It contained the bulk of Andrei's consciousness.
"Life or death—it's their choice," Chen Feng replied softly, his expression remarkably calm.
Regardless of the federation's motives or any hidden schemes they might have, he felt no fear.
Wang Cheng paused, sensing the unwavering confidence in Chen Feng's tone. He turned to look at him.
Despite the energy level magnetic field showing no change, remaining at its lowest, suppressed state—as if he were an ordinary person—Wang Cheng sensed something different.
Yet Wang Cheng sensed a subtle shift in Chen Feng's presence.
Could he have broken through?
The thought flashed through his mind, and he nearly voiced the question aloud.
He hesitated. Legendary-grade practitioners had already reached an extraordinary level, and each subsequent advancement required immense effort and resources.
Their mechanical augmentations and biological enhancements had already pushed to their absolute limits.
Compared to this, could the so-called Martial arts truly be so extraordinary? Could one continue to advance rapidly even after reaching its pinnacle?
Seemingly oblivious to Wang Cheng's inner turmoil, Chen Feng stood beside him, flanking Chairman Li Yun and the other officials, watching the approaching motorcade.
Using his Perception, Chen Feng had already pierced through the vehicles to identify the wanted Red Nation face: Han, the mastermind behind the Nanjiang black tide, who sought refuge in the federation through Consortium connections to evade justice.
"By the way," Wang Cheng suddenly spoke up again. "Yesterday, I sensed something unusual."
Chen Feng's gaze shifted slightly as he turned to look at him.
"I'm not entirely certain—it was just a fleeting moment."
"At first, I thought it might be the federal military trying to protect Helena's life. But then it felt more like some kind of remote surveillance targeting us."
Frowning, Wang Cheng paused before finally sharing the strange sensation he had detected the previous day.
He even launched an investigation, employing hidden modification techniques.
Unfortunately, he found nothing, and at one point, he began to doubt if it had been his imagination.
"Monitoring methods?"
Chen Feng pondered briefly, several possibilities surfacing in his mind.
He wouldn't dismiss Wang Cheng's theory outright, considering the man was a second-tier legendary-grade powerhouse.
Having already attained the Legendary Trait in his Source Consciousness, it was unlikely he would easily fall prey to mere illusions.
"Perhaps it was the federation's Sky Eye surveillance system generating some kind of magnetic field fluctuations."
"Or it could be a new type of specialized device, or even the gaze of a Sacred Being?"
Star Spirit listened, offering her own deductions, but Chen Feng dismissed them all.
Just as he was about to delve deeper into the matter, the federation's convoy arrived and parked in front of the embassy.
Buzz!
The air vibrated as the public security bureau's Flying Cars slowed to a halt.
White Peacekeepers armed with firearms fanned out, standing guard.
Federation Modified Humans responsible for escorting and protecting the convoy, their faces grim, dispersed to either side, revealing the armored transport vehicles in the center.
Click!
The vehicle doors opened, and members of parliament emerged to shake hands with Li Yun and his delegation, formally handing over custody.
White and Black Security Personnel flanked the parliamentarians, wearing sunglasses and maintaining an unusually vigilant posture.
Chen Feng could feel numerous gazes, each carrying complex emotions—a mixture of wariness, hostility, respect, and fear—directed at him.
"They're all terrified of you," Star Spirit remarked in his mind, her voice tinged with amusement as she keenly sensed the source of those gazes.
Without responding, Chen Feng merely lifted his gaze indifferently, ignoring the fearful stares and focusing on the center of the motorcade.
Click!
A crisp sound echoed as footsteps landed.
The black door of the armored transport vehicle slowly swung open, revealing a middle-aged man in a black suit, his hands cuffed, being escorted out by two burly Caucasian security personnel.
His dark hair, clearly unwashed for days, hung in disarray, partially obscuring his forehead. His pale complexion had lost its usual rosiness, and he kept his head bowed throughout the entire process.
One glance was all it took for Chen Feng to recognize this former high-ranking executive of Red Wave Energy—the very man they had traveled thousands of miles to the federation to apprehend.
Thud!
Thud-thud!
Footsteps reverberated as Han Mingchuan was escorted into the embassy.
Military soldiers and Red Guards stood on either side, their icy gazes fixed on him as he approached.
The setting sun cast long, stark shadows of the figures, their layered silhouettes stretching like a judgment looming over the man's heart.
"The prisoner is here, Representative Li."
A white Councilor from the Old Covenant Faction approached, whispering a reminder to take Andrei's mechanical eyeball, which contained his sealed consciousness.
Chairman Li Yun didn't immediately agree. He waved his hand, and elite Red Guard soldiers quickly stepped forward to take the shackles, intending to verify Han Mingchuan's identity and physical condition.
The white members of parliament were displeased, but the cold glares from Chen Feng and Wang Cheng made them wary. They lowered their heads and said no more.
The atmosphere grew heavy, and the embassy fell into an unnatural silence.
All eyes converged on the Red Guard soldiers as they took control of Han Mingchuan and began verifying his identity.
"Heh heh."
A heavy, strained laugh suddenly broke the silence.
Han Mingchuan, his hair disheveled, lifted his head under the frowning gaze of a Red General and looked at the delegation.
Li Yun and the Red City's top officials.
Wang Cheng and the Military personnel.
Yellow-skinned faces filled his bloodshot eyes. In any other foreign land, this sight would have brought relief, but now it only tightened his muscles.
"I didn't expect you'd actually come."
His voice was strained, and the blood vessels in his eyes bulged.
Han Mingchuan's gaze finally locked onto Chen Feng, his eyes fixed in a deathly stare.
"This guy..."
Chairman Li Yun and the others frowned, while some high-ranking military officers showed their displeasure.
Just as they were about to issue orders, Chen Feng gently raised his hand, stopping everyone.
"I've imagined many scenarios, even the worst possible outcomes," Chen Feng said. "But I never thought you would be the one coming for me."
Han Mingchuan's voice was dark and strained, as if something were lodged in his throat. Veins bulged on his pale face as he glared at Chen Feng, his expression twisted with hatred. Memories of the past flooded his mind.
Back in Nanjiang, Chen Feng had been nothing more than a Pinnacle Realm Master. Han Mingchuan, as a core executive at Red Wave Energy, could have decided his life or death with a single word. He had multiple opportunities to eliminate Chen Feng, but he had chosen to spare him due to various considerations.
Now, that single decision had led to this reversal of fortunes.
Why? Han Mingchuan roared inwardly, his eyes burning with resentment and bitterness as he stared at Chen Feng.
If not for Chen Feng's interference, he could have retained his Flying General-level foundation, fled to another small nation, and avoided this desperate situation.
How could Chen Feng, relying solely on martial arts, have surpassed the Legendary Technology that the entire Han Family and Red Wave Energy had craved in vain?
咚咚!
His heart pounded violently, his pale face twisted into a grotesque mask.
The federation delegation watched the scene, their expressions shifting. Many secretly wondered what Chen Feng had done to provoke such fury.
Tap, tap!
Under the intense gazes, Chen Feng waved his hand, dismissing all security personnel.
He strode alone to Han Mingchuan, meeting his bloodshot, hate-filled eyes.
"You seem deeply resentful?" Chen Feng said calmly.
The embassy floor suddenly cracked and shattered.
The air warped and twisted, neon signs and electrical arcs flickering violently across the surrounding streets.
The federation delegation's faces paled, while Han Mingchuan's pupils constricted as the world around him instantly transformed.
His deepest fears surged to the surface, a black mist engulfing the sky vault.
The bustling metropolis of Nanjiang City was under blockade, as tens of thousands of mutated creatures poured from spatial rifts like locusts.
Buildings collapsed, and crowds wailed in despair.
A silver-haired elder lay dying in a pool of blood, while middle-aged men and women were buried alive under rubble.
Screaming children and bewildered teenagers were swallowed by the black tide, their lives reduced to blood-soaked specters.
"Compared to them, what are you?"
"Can you repay their lives?"
Chen Feng's cold voice echoed, the Black Tide Disaster in Nanjiang was too heavy, claiming countless lives.
The source of this tragedy was already clear.
Crack!
Immediately, fissures spread across the stone tiles, the terror striking directly at the heart.
Han Mingchuan's face paled, flushed crimson, then turned purplish-blue, his breathing becoming ragged and labored.
Bulging veins snaked across his body, cold sweat instantly soaking his clothes as he faced the deepest interrogation of his soul.
The onlookers watched in stunned silence, many Federation powerhouses growing increasingly wary, curious about the methods Chen Feng had employed.
Thud!
Finally, the sound of someone collapsing to their knees echoed.
Chen Feng had already turned and walked away, leaving Han Mingchuan kneeling in place, drenched in cold sweat and gasping for air like someone who had nearly drowned.
"Huff! Huff! Huff..."
His desperate breaths came in greedy gulps, his body trembling with the shock of survival.
His hair hung disheveled, cold sweat dripping continuously, leaving bean-sized marks on the shattered stone tiles.
As partial sensation returned to his body, his pupils contracted and dilated repeatedly, his body shaking violently for several seconds.
Finally, he slowly raised his head.
The young man's retreating figure grew smaller in the distance, moving at a measured pace.
Feeling the blood still flowing through his veins, Han Mingchuan suddenly felt a flicker of relief.
I... I might not be dead?
Thud!
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the Red General who had verified his identity earlier strode forward.
"Your fate will be decided by the million citizens of Nanjiang," the general declared, his voice cold and devoid of emotion, like a splash of icy water on Han Mingchuan's face.
Han Mingchuan's eyes flickered with fear and resignation. His shoulders slumped, and he lowered his head slightly.
All remaining hope vanished, leaving him feeling as if the blood in his veins had turned to ice.
"The federation didn't try anything?" Wang Cheng frowned, watching Han Mingchuan being escorted away and locked in a secret chamber within the embassy. He found the situation unsettling.
He had expected the federation to intervene again, haunted by the shadows of their previous two attempts.
But now...
"For Andrei?"
His frown deepened as he observed Chairman Li Yun making excuses to prevent the white Councilor from taking the silver briefcase.
This criminal wouldn't be let off easily either.
But was the federation truly willing to continue fighting for a second-tier legendary, hoping to secure his combat power?
"Perhaps," Chen Feng murmured, his gaze distant. He was equally surprised by the turn of events.
He had already prepared for a confrontation, even stationing Wu Yunhai nearby to watch for hidden forces.
Yet as he watched the foreign affairs bureau convoy depart, his eyes swept over the wary gazes of the federation's powerful figures, who kept their distance from him.
He knew the federation likely had no more hidden tricks up their sleeve.
"The exchange has already been completed, so let's not worry about it," Wang Cheng said, suppressing his suspicions.
"If they dare to make another move, they won't find it so easy to succeed," Chen Feng replied, nodding in agreement.
Since everything had gone smoothly and one of the negotiation points had been fulfilled, that was naturally the best outcome.
As for what might happen next...
Buzz!
Suddenly, his wristband vibrated, alerting him to an incoming communication.
Star Spirit immediately connected the call and issued a warning.
"An unknown number," she said, sensing something amiss and frowning slightly.
After a moment's hesitation, Chen Feng signaled her to accept the transmission.
Whoosh!
Instantly, a light screen materialized before them.
The screen displayed a vast, azure ocean stretching to the horizon, with white seagulls soaring across the clear blue sky.
A massive, white-gray ferry cruised across the water, leaving a trail of foamy waves and ripples in its wake.
"Hmm?" Star Spirit murmured, puzzled. Then, the image automatically zoomed in.
The white-gray ferry grew larger, revealing its decks and cabins crowded with figures.
Yet, despite the bustling scene, the camera abruptly zoomed out, finally focusing on a specific spot on the deck.
Three figures leaned against the railing, seemingly engaged in conversation.
The sea breeze swept past them in gusts, carrying an invisible sense of menace.
(End of the Chapter)
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