Kyoto Base City, Changshan City, Limit Family Residential Complex.
After receiving news that Shen Mu was coming back, his mother, Chen Wen, and Shen Gang, who was on leave, waited outside the Limit Martial Hall.
Quite a few friends and relatives in the complex had learned the news, but no crowd gathered around them. Clearly, they had considered that Shen Mu's family was reuniting and that interrupting them would be impolite.
"It's three o'clock. A-Mu should be back soon," Chen Wen said expectantly.
Shen Gang nodded seriously, then suddenly noticed a small black dot at the edge of the sky.
The next instant, the black dot turned into a deep-blue streak of light. In only a few seconds, it appeared above the complex and landed on the martial hall's rooftop.
Whoosh!
The cabin door opened, and Shen Mu, dressed in a black combat uniform, flew out with a metal case in his right hand.
"Our son is back!"
Chen Wen hurriedly pulled Shen Gang toward Shen Mu.
"Dad, Mom!"
Shen Mu smiled, then noticed many people nearby looking over with admiration in their eyes.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go home first," Shen Mu said to his parents.
Chen Wen and Shen Gang naturally had no objections, and the family of three returned home.
Villa No. 018, Shen Mu's home.
In the first-floor living room, under Shen Mu's telekinetic control, the black metal case settled onto the coffee table.
Click!
The case opened, revealing two test tubes filled with thick golden liquid.
"Dad, Mom, this is Dragon Blood. The instructions explain exactly how to use it."
Seeing Shen Mu casually take out two portions of Dragon Blood, Chen Wen and Shen Gang were both stunned.
"This... is the legendary Dragon Blood that costs 160 billion per dose?" Chen Wen could not help asking.
Shen Mu nodded. "That's right, but with my status, I can buy it at half price—80 billion per dose."
Then Shen Mu looked at Shen Gang. "With your strength, Dad, after using this Dragon Blood, you'll easily gain the physical fitness of a peak beginner war god."
Based on Shen Gang's physical condition, this Dragon Blood could raise his strength to at least 120,000 kilograms, close to the standard of an intermediate war god.
Hearing that he could become a war god, Shen Gang's usually stern expression immediately cracked, undisguised excitement appearing on his face.
"Dad, Mom, go use the Dragon Blood and break through first. Don't worry about anything else."
On the night Shen Mu returned home, the four major figures of Kyoto Base City came together to visit him: the two people in charge of the base city's civilian affairs and military, along with the inspectors of the two major martial halls.
Shen Mu had long known Inspector Liu Minghao of the Limit Martial Hall, while the military representative of the base city was also Shen Gang's direct superior.
Aside from Liu Minghao, who was relatively natural around Shen Mu, the other three were all extremely restrained.
After chatting for half an hour, Liu Minghao was the first to rise. "Inspector Shen has just returned home, so I won't disturb you any longer."
The Thunder Martial Hall's inspector also stood and formally took his leave. He showed only the basic respect due to a Councilor-level powerhouse, with no other intentions.
"Brother Liu, Inspector Wang, take care," Shen Mu replied politely.
After watching the two leave, Shen Mu smiled at the two base city officials. "Do you two have any other instructions?"
The two immediately said they would not dare, before the military official finally spoke. "Chief Jia Yi wishes to pay Councilor Shen a visit. What do you think?"
"No problem. Tomorrow morning, then," Shen Mu nodded.
Having received Shen Mu's reply, the two finally relaxed. Their task was complete, and they hurriedly bade Shen Mu farewell respectfully.
"Mm. Other than meeting Jia Yi, everything else can be turned down."
Shen Mu had his own reason for agreeing to meet Jia Yi: transferring his father, Shen Gang, back inside the base city should not be difficult.
The next moment, Shen Mu vanished from where he stood and appeared in the second-floor training hall.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Golden throwing knives became streams of light dancing around Shen Mu, outlining and evolving the fifteenth diagram of the "Celestial Atlas."
According to the requirements, only by completing the outline of the fifteenth diagram within sixteen seconds could one be considered to have mastered it.
Far away on the Australia Continent, in the waters near Mist Island.
Beneath the surface, the ferocious East Sea Azure Dragon was also cultivating the fifteenth diagram of the "Celestial Atlas." With two bodies cultivating at once, the efficiency was far more than a simple one plus one equals two.
Early the next morning, Shen Mu's greatly strengthened parents headed to the martial hall at dawn to test their abilities, leaving Shen Mu alone at home without even breakfast.
Before long, Shen Mu's communication watch rang, and Jia Yi's contact information appeared on the screen.
"Hello, Councilor Jia."
"Councilor Shen, I've arrived outside the Limit Family Residential Complex."
"I'll be right there."
After hanging up, Shen Mu headed straight for the entrance of the complex.
At the entrance stood a lean, capable-looking middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit to the left of the gate. His bearing was like an immovable mountain peak.
Beside Jia Yi stood two middle-aged war god-level martial artists wearing shoulder insignia with a single golden flower. Their expressions were stern and meticulous.
"Councilor Jia, I haven't eaten yet. How about we talk over a meal?" Shen Mu walked up and shook Jia Yi's hand.
Jia Yi naturally had no objection. "No problem. Since I'm in Changshan City, I'll follow Councilor Shen's arrangements."
A moment later, inside a private dining room at a restaurant.
Shen Mu ate while speaking with Jia Yi.
Once their small talk was nearly over, Jia Yi finally said, "Councilor Shen, would you be interested in joining the military and serving the country?"
Shen Mu did not beat around the bush. "Defending the country is only right. The most important defensive base of Kyoto Base City should be the War Base in the Luan River Region, correct?"
"That's right. It is the main defensive fortification against Oceanic Beasts. Councilor Shen's father is the deputy captain of the war general brigade directly under the Luan River War Base."
Shen Mu nodded slightly. "How about this? I'm not very interested in matters outside cultivation, so I'll serve as the Garrison Commander of the Luan River War Base. As for my father, transfer him back to Changshan City to assist with its defense."
The Garrison Commander was a special position. Whenever a beast tide erupted, he would become the highest-ranking person at the War Base. Normally, he held little actual authority and naturally did not need to deal with miscellaneous affairs.
Trading one high-level war general for a Planet-Level powerhouse beyond the war god level was an extraordinarily good deal. Jia Yi naturally agreed without hesitation.
By the time Shen Mu returned home, half an hour had passed.
In the living room, Shen Gang sat on the sofa with a dejected expression while Chen Wen comforted him.
"You're already so old, yet you're still throwing a childish tantrum. What's wrong with staying at home?"
"What does this make me? A deserter! I can't accept it! What will the brothers under me think of me? What will the brothers who died think of me?"
Just then, Shen Mu slowly walked into the house carrying a suitcase.
The moment Shen Gang saw Shen Mu return, his anger flared.
"You little brat, you actually transferred your father away from the War Base! Don't think I won't whip you just because you're a powerhouse beyond the war god level now!"
Shen Gang had devoted more than half his life to that base on the front line of humanity's war against monsters. Being suddenly transferred away was naturally something he could not accept right away.
Shen Mu calmly opened the suitcase. Inside was a neatly stored special ceremonial uniform, with a pair of shoulder insignia on top, bearing three golden flowers.
"Comrade, former deputy captain of the Luanhe Base war general brigade, please mind your status!"
Shen Gang's eyes widened in disbelief. Then, with a stifled expression, he stood at attention and saluted. According to military regulations, one had to stand and salute when a superior officer or commander arrived indoors.
Behind Shen Gang, Chen Wen struggled to hold back her laughter at her husband's predicament and secretly gave Shen Mu a thumbs-up.
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