Zhai Yanko's Plea

The next morning.

A guest arrived at a villa in Bright Moon Residential Area, one that had only received its new resident yesterday.

At the staircase in the villa's living room, a young man around 1.75 meters tall came downstairs. He wore a blue training uniform, and a thin layer of sweat still covered his forehead.

Looking downstairs, Luo Feng was slightly surprised before smiling.

"Uncle Jiang, what brings you here?"

Jiang Nian smiled somewhat awkwardly. Seeing that Luo Feng had just come out of training, he praised him, "Not bad. You're still as diligent in your training as ever."

Luo Feng nodded slightly, poured Jiang Nian a cup of tea, and asked, "You must have something to discuss if you came today, right?"

"It's nothing much." Jiang Nian gave a strained explanation before adding, "When you moved here yesterday, I mentioned one of your neighbors. You remember, right?"

Luo Feng thought back briefly, then smiled. "Don't worry. Once I'm settled in, I'll go over and get acquainted."

Wherever there were people, there were circles. There was healthy competition within the martial arts school, and Jiang Nian had recommended him in the first place. Luo Feng did not mind doing a small favor—competing with a genius who had just become a warrior and winning some honor for the small circle he belonged to.

Jiang Nian's expression stiffened as he cursed Ning Hua, that old fox, inwardly.

He could only shamelessly persuade him. "I'm not trying to rush you. I mean, you just signed a contract with the martial arts school. You'll have to wait until after the Warrior Practical Combat Assessment before logging into Limitless Home to buy Secret Manuals. For now, you should focus on training. There's no rush to compete." After saying that, he gave an embarrassed smile.

Luo Feng: ???

Hadn't Jiang Nian said yesterday that the other party's strength was 2,300 kg, while Luo Feng's tested strength was 3,100 kg? With an 800 kg gap between them, Luo Feng should have been able to win easily.

Why had things changed today?

"Did something happen?"

Jiang Nian nodded with difficulty. "That kid hid his strength. His strength is probably close to 3,000 kg. It definitely isn't 2,300 kg."

Luo Feng frowned slightly. Even so, he still held the advantage. They had both only recently become warriors, and he did not think he would lose.

"Yesterday at Thunderclap Martial Arts School, he easily defeated a genius warrior. His Gale Sword Master was highly proficient. You might not know this, but Gale Sword Master is a top-tier Sword Art Secret Manual, far stronger than Basic Sword Art. You haven't trained in any Secret Manuals yet, so you'd be at a huge disadvantage in battle."

Director Dongfang had not told anyone that Ning Ze had learned Force Generation. When Jiang Nian came to Luo Feng, he did not even mention that Ning Ze's Movement Technique had reached the Micro-level. Naturally, he would not mention those rumored Force Generation techniques either. Otherwise, it would be a newcomer fighting an Advanced Warrior—how could Luo Feng possibly win? That would be setting him up!

Jiang Nian had agonized over it for a long time last night before deciding on this explanation. Most importantly, he could not damage his image in Luo Feng's eyes.

Luo Feng fell silent for a moment, then smiled openly. "I really can't beat him right now. Once I've trained for a while, I'll ask him for guidance if I get the chance."

He had not intended to fight Ning Ze in the first place, so there was nothing to it if he admitted defeat now.

Luo Feng surrendered very directly because he knew that his physical talent was not particularly good.

Ever since he was young, he had fainted several times. Every time he woke up from one of those fainting spells, his physical fitness would improve.

He now knew the reason. It was because his Mental Master talent had been awakening.

Even after fainting so many times, he had possessed only around 750 kg of strength before his college entrance exams. It had taken him a year of training to become a warrior, putting him roughly on the same timeline as Ning Ze.

But in terms of physical talent... during his college entrance exams, he had fainted again from nervousness, and his strength had increased once more, reaching the Quasi-Warrior level with 1,100 kg of strength.

When he was in the detention center, he absorbed Cosmic Energy for the first time. At that time, even at most, he only reached 1,800 kg. His strength had increased by only around 700 kg, making his talent quite ordinary. It could not compare to genius warriors who gained 2,000 kg of strength on their first attempt.

It was only because he fainted once more afterward and his Mental Power fully awakened that his physical fitness rose to 3,100 kg, barely allowing him to compare with those genius warriors.

Luo Feng could not help thinking, As a warrior, I haven't trained in any Secret Manuals yet, so there's a high chance I'd lose. But if I use a Mental Master's methods, Mental Masters are said to be invincible among those at the same level! I would definitely be able to win.

Jiang Nian wanted to say something but stopped himself. He felt that even if Luo Feng learned a Secret Manual, he still would not be able to defeat Ning Ze.

When their strength was equal, combat experience played the decisive role. One was a child from the slums with no one to guide him, while the other had grown up under the tutelage of a Warlord-level warrior.

Not to mention... the gap in Secret Manuals. Ning Ze trained in a top-tier Secret Manual. Luo Feng would only have a chance of winning if he chose a Secret Manual of the same tier.

But Jiang Nian would not advise Luo Feng to choose such a Secret Manual, because it was too difficult.

One could only choose one's own path as a warrior.

After chatting for a while, Jiang Nian left Luo Feng's home.

Returning to the Training Room, Luo Feng looked in the direction of Ning Ze's home and murmured, "I thought there would be a battle, but I lost before it even began."

"My strength as a warrior can't compare to yours right now, but I'll catch up to you. After my Mental Master abilities awakened, my cultivation speed became much faster."

"Train!"

One evening.

Outside Yangzhou City, in the Wilderness Area, five bedraggled warriors arrived at the foot of the city walls. Their shadows stretched long across the yellow earth, carrying a faint sense of desolation.

"Damn it, we almost didn't make it back." Zuo Xingyuan cursed loudly, fear still lingering in his eyes.

Ma Yu also looked utterly exhausted. He said in a low voice, "There's a War God-level expert hunting a Lord-class monster in the city center. It's normal for the monsters to riot."

Yang Chao's face was somewhat pale. As the gunner of the warrior squad, the more monsters there were, the more Mental Power he had to expend.

"That's the danger of cities ranked near the top. You might run into a War God-level expert at any time. Being able to come back alive is already fortunate."

Xu Liang looked utterly miserable as he said, nearly in tears, "I even threw away my materials just to escape. That War God-level expert was ruthless. He started fighting as soon as he sent the signal. We almost couldn't get away."

Ma Yu said solemnly, "It's already good enough that he sent us a signal to warn us. Do you think Lord-class monsters are that easy to hunt?"

"Damn it, I'm definitely going to become a War God-level expert!" Zuo Xingyuan was deeply frustrated. They had originally planned to hunt one more monster before returning. They had even picked a target and started the hunt, only for the monster riot to nearly prevent them from coming back.

The team fell silent for a while.

Only Zuo Xingyuan could say such a thing. He was younger, the strongest among them, and had the best talent. Perhaps there was the slightest, tiniest possibility that he could cultivate to the War God level.

"I wonder how Ning Ze's training has been going? That kid has pretty good talent. He has a good chance of becoming a War God in the future."

"His comprehension is indeed good, but his physical talent... it isn't bad, but it isn't particularly exceptional either. Let's wait two years and see. It's still too early to say."

"True."

"Enough. We're back, so let's stop talking about discouraging things. This time, we'll rest for a few days before heading out to City No. 096. It's relatively safe there, so we won't rest too long."

"Come on, let's go wash up at the Supply Base first. What rotten luck."

"I'm not going. I need to go home first."

Bright Moon Residential Area.

Ning Ze had just finished training and was about to go downstairs for dinner when he noticed a text message on the phone sitting on the table.

"Leaving for the Wilderness Area the afternoon after tomorrow? Gather at the usual place."

"I've been cultivating Gene Energy with all my strength these past few days. My strength is now 3,085 kg. In another two days, it should reach 3,285 kg. With Force Generation, I should be close to 6,600 kg. That wouldn't be considered weak even among Advanced Warriors."

Ning Ze's eyes were full of delight. "This time, I won't hold everyone back. Once I get used to the pace of hunting, I'll be able to hunt Beast Warlord-class monsters alongside them!"

"And..."

"In the wilderness, the rate at which my proficiency grows should increase, right?"

Yangzhou District's city center.

A scenic Luxury Villa District.

This was not a martial arts school residential area, but a Rich Residential Area.

Those who could live here were either wealthy or powerful.

Today, however, discordant voices rang out from one of the lavishly decorated villas.

"Drink, drink, drink!"

"Can drinking solve anything?"

"Drink one more drop and get the hell out! I, Zhai Bifan, don't have a son like you!"

At the villa entrance, a middle-aged man in formal attire with slicked-back hair pointed ahead and roared in fury.

Where he pointed, Zhai Yanko sat half-reclined on the sofa, his cheeks flushed and eyes unfocused with drunkenness. The coffee table was covered in liquor bottles.

A richly dressed middle-aged woman stood helplessly beside him. Looking at her drunken son and then at her husband who had just returned home, her heart ached terribly.

Zhai Yanko continued drinking by himself. Ever since returning from that defeat, he had completely fallen into despair.

He had gone to take revenge full of hope, only to become a laughingstock instead.

Once he realized the gap between them, he understood that he might never surpass Ning Ze on the Martial Path for the rest of his life.

The more Zhai Bifan looked at him, the angrier he became. He rushed over and slapped him!

Smack!

With a crisp sound, Zhai Yanko weakly collapsed onto the sofa. The beer bottle in his hand fell to the floor and shattered with a crack.

"Why are you hitting our son?"

Mother Zhai, who had already been heartbroken over him, exploded at once. Like a mother hen protecting her chick, she stood in front of Zhai Yanko. Her face twisted as she screamed shrilly, "Our son was wronged outside, and you come home only to hit him! If you want to hit someone, hit me too!"

Zhai Bifan found himself in an awkward position, and his expression darkened.

He was a ruthless man. How could he have held his ground amid the scheming and deception of the business world without being crafty himself?

Toward outsiders, he was cold-blooded and cruel, manipulating matters from the shadows.

But his wife had been with him since the days of the Great Nirvana. She was the woman who had been willing to risk her life for him during their escape. They had depended on each other for survival; how deep were their feelings?

How could he possibly bring himself to hit his wife?

At that moment, Zhai Yanko seemed to have been sobered up by the slap. He said hoarsely, "Mom, move aside!"

Mother Zhai turned back and looked at him, her face full of difficulty. But under that determined gaze, she still stepped away.

Zhai Yanko raised his head, gritted his teeth, and rasped, "Dad, I want to marry Shu Yi!"

Zhai Bifan sneered and said with disappointment, "For a woman? You really are my fine son! What promise you have!"

Mother Zhai immediately began making a fuss upon hearing that. She cried anxiously, "It's only a girl. If our son wants to marry her, then let him marry her."

"Dad! This is my only chance to beat him!" Zhai Yanko's voice was still hoarse. His eyes were filled with hatred, mixed with a trace of pleading.

"That Ning Ze?" Zhai Bifan was greatly angered, then let out a heavy sigh. "You've truly disappointed me."

"I thought having an opponent would make you strive harder and broaden your horizons. I never expected that you wouldn't even be able to get over a single hurdle."

"What did I teach you before? He's a warrior who goes to the Wilderness Area, and his family only has a Beginner Warlord. Back then, spending a little money nearly left him stranded in the Wilderness Area. With a few minor tricks, we could severely damage his family's business."

"Now that he's gone to the Wilderness Area, even if you want him dead, it would be nothing more than a trivial matter. You can control even his fate, yet you've become so depressed over him."

"Dad, it's not the same!" Zhai Yanko's gaze was stubborn at first, then became despondent. He had once believed that he would eventually defeat Ning Ze and personally wash away his past humiliation. By now, he had given up.

After a brief pause, he said hatefully, "That's not enough! Even if I make him die, I want him to die in agony! Shu Yi must marry me!"

Mother Zhai hurriedly pleaded as well. "Our son has listened to you ever since he was little. He suffered so much, and you told me not to interfere, so I listened to you! Now he became a warrior at nineteen—what exactly is he lacking? You made him suffer so many grievances. This time, help him vent his anger!"

Zhai Bifan's face was gloomy, his eyes filled with contemplation. Glancing at Zhai Yanko, he knew that Ning Ze had become his son's inner demon!

He said in a deep voice, "I investigated the Shu Family long ago. Although our family is larger than theirs and we both have businesses involving Combat Suits, the Shu Family's business is not small either. They won't be easy to force."

"For the time being, follow me and watch how I handle things. You can't slack off in warrior cultivation, and you need to learn how to manage the company as well. If you learn well enough, why would I need to act?"

Zhai Yanko was instantly delighted upon hearing this. He sprang to his feet and said, "Dad, don't worry. I'll definitely study hard!"

"Hmph!"

"Clean up this mess of yours. If this happens again, I won't care even if you die outside!"

Zhai Bifan turned and headed upstairs. His eyes were filled with sinister intent. He had always prepared for the worst. It was time for some of the pieces he had planted long ago to be set in motion.

Two days later, at ten o'clock at night, it was time for the Warfire Squad to depart for the Wilderness Area.

On the third floor of the HR Alliance Mall, Zuo Xingyuan and the others had their heads down as they ate and drank in a restaurant.

"Why isn't that kid here yet? Could he have been injured during that match?" Xu Liang spoke with his mouth full. They had all heard about Ning Ze's earlier battle at Thunderclap Martial Arts School.

"That kid said he was taking the last bus. I bet he went wandering around somewhere on the way," Xu Liang said.

"Oh, he's here." Zuo Xingyuan lowered his head to check his watch and shouted, "Why didn't you come an hour later, brat? Then it would've been exactly time to leave."

Ning Ze smiled awkwardly. "I got off the bus and made a trip to Jiangnan University."

"I told you, he went to see his girlfriend." Xu Liang turned and asked, "You haven't exactly been idle, kid. You went on a date and even beat a genius from Thunderclap Martial Arts School. How has your cultivation been lately?"

Ning Ze had not forgotten what these uncles had done last time, especially Xu Liang. He had already watched the video Xu Liang sent to his father.

If his strength had not improved so much, his old man would have nearly beaten him to death by now.

Ning Ze calmly swept his gaze over the group and replied, "Training has gone fairly smoothly this past half month. My Movement Technique has become more proficient, Gale Sword Master is decent too, and my strength has increased a little."

"Sounds good. If you could defeat a genius warrior from Thunderclap Martial Arts School, you definitely haven't relaxed in your cultivation." Zuo Xingyuan said bluntly.

"Enough. We ordered a whole table of dishes, so eat more. Once we reach the Wilderness Area, we'll be chewing biscuits."

"Okay!"

Ning Ze sat down beside Yang Chao as well, rolled up his sleeves, and started eating and drinking. After filling himself up tonight, he would only be able to eat compressed biscuits for the next half month.