This One's in the Bag

Morning.

Nan Feng suddenly opened his eyes and sprang to his feet.

He glanced at the Tactical Watch on his wrist. It showed 6:10 a.m.

"Is Sakura Kojiro still not awake?"

Nan Feng had not yet received any notification that he had been challenged.

That was fine too. It gave him time to prepare.

After hastily eating something, Nan Feng pushed open the door of the Wooden Cabin.

Outside the Wooden Cabin was a dense forest, sunlight filtering through the branches and leaves and casting mottled patches across the ground.

The ferocious beasts that had rampaged all night had vanished without a trace.

Standing at the entrance of the Wooden Cabin, Nan Feng began practicing his shooting.

He wanted to use this precious bit of time to improve his accuracy a little more.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Nan Feng specifically hunted the Ironclaw Rats around the Wooden Cabin. They were small, making them ideal for shooting practice, and they could also drop Ironclaw Rat Claws as materials. On top of that, he could level up.

Three birds with one stone—why not?

Of course, in order to deal with a challenge that could arrive at any moment, Nan Feng kept his Mana Points above 80% at all times and did not dare spend too much.

He practiced for more than two hours straight. Just as Nan Feng was beginning to grow impatient, he finally received a system notification.

Ding! Sakura Kojiro, a Chosen One from Primordial World Zone 132, has initiated a cross-region challenge against you. Please prepare yourself!

Announcement: Primordial World Zone 132 has initiated a cross-region challenge against Primordial World Zone 527. The challenge will begin in ten minutes. Chosen Ones from both sides, please prepare yourselves!

There were two system notifications. One was a zone-wide announcement, while the other was addressed to Nan Feng personally.

Nan Feng opened his panel, where a countdown and a detailed explanation of the cross-region challenge had appeared.

Cross-Region Challenge: Once the countdown ends, the Chosen Ones from both sides will be randomly teleported to an uninhabited area of the Primordial World and duel within a radius of 100 meters. During this time, both Chosen Ones will receive the Unbending Will buff. The first Chosen One whose Health Points fall to 1 will be deemed defeated.

Unbending Will: During the challenge, you will not die. Your Health Points can drop no lower than 1.

Nan Feng raised an eyebrow at this.

So no one would die in this challenge. It was just that the defeated side's zone would lose 10% of its resources.

That put Nan Feng's mind at ease.

There were still more than nine minutes before the challenge began. Nan Feng returned to the Wooden Cabin to recover his Mana Points, then entered the Cross-Regional Chat Channel.

(132 Zone) Sakura Kojiro: "Has that Nan Feng guy chickened out? He hasn't dared make a peep since last night."

(132 Zone) Fuyudo Yuta: "Hahaha, he must be scared stupid by now. Who knows where he's hiding and trembling?"

(132 Zone) Magota Daiki: "He dared insult the warriors of our Great Sakura Empire. This is the price he'll pay. We'll gladly take Zone 527's resources."

The moment he entered the Cross-Regional Chat Channel, Nan Feng saw the Chosen Ones from Zone 132 furiously typing away, brimming with superiority.

All three Chosen Ones were above Level 5. Zone 132's overall strength was considerably greater than Zone 527's.

(527 Zone) Su Ziran: "Heh heh, three idiots."

(527 Zone) Xiao Luo: "+1 to the guy above."

Nan Feng froze. "Huh? They're both Level 5 too?"

He checked the level rankings and found that Su Ziran and Xiao Luo had indeed both reached Level 5.

They had probably gotten up early that morning to kill monsters and level up.

At that moment, the two of them were trading insults with Zone 132's Chosen Ones in the Cross-Regional Chat Channel.

But they were clearly outmatched in verbal combat, and their insults barely fazed the other side.

(132 Zone) Magota Daiki: "Heh heh, Nan Feng from your Zone 527 turned himself into a turtle hiding in its shell, so he sent you two pieces of trash to stick your necks out for him? Wasn't he pretty arrogant yesterday?"

(132 Zone) Fuyudo Yuta: "People from Dragon Country are all cowards like this. What trash. They can't compare to the warriors of our Great Sakura Empire at all."

(132 Zone) Sakura Kojiro: "Challenging a turtle hiding in its shell is an insult to my Katana."

(68 Zone) Cheng Mo: "What the hell are you yapping about? Throwing insults at everyone, are you? If you keep talking like that, I'll use the Cross-Region Challenge Token in my hand on your Zone 132."

(17 Zone) Xiao Angran: "Too bad our war zone's challenge token has already been used. Otherwise, I'd challenge Zone 132 too."

(113 Zone) Ye Piaoling: "Our war zone's challenge token hasn't been used yet. Then I'll challenge Zone 132 as well."

(381 Zone) Lin Tianqi: "Heh heh, these little Sakura fools really think they're something. Don't they see how many Dragon Country war zones there are here?"

(68 Zone) Cheng Mo: "You have to keep shearing the same sheep. Everyone, let's go together and shear Zone 132 bald first!"

Because of Fuyudo Yuta's remark, many Dragon Country Chosen Ones who had been lurking emerged one after another.

Zone 132 had provoked the anger of every Dragon Country war zone.

Chosen Ones from other countries chose to watch from the sidelines and did not join in.

This was a matter between Dragon Country and Sakura Country. The other countries naturally hoped the two sides would fight as fiercely as possible.

Sensing that things seemed to be slipping out of control, District 132 panicked and hurriedly apologized.

(District 132) Sakura Kojiro: "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend Dragon Country. My previous remarks were only directed at Nan Feng of Dragon Country."

But in reality, Sakura Kojiro had already insulted every single person from Dragon Country.

Seeing this, Nan Feng let out a cold chuckle.

(District 527) Nan Feng: "My remarks yesterday weren't directed at you either. I was talking about your entire Sakura Country—all of you are trash."

(District 132) Sakura Kojiro: "Baka! Nan Feng, you've finally shown yourself! In five minutes, you'll be dead!"

(District 527) Nan Feng: "Idiot, you can't die in a cross-regional challenge. Is your education level so low that you can't read the prompt? No way, no way—don't tell me everyone in Sakura Country is illiterate? How pathetic."

Nan Feng was an expert at indiscriminate trash talk.

He had no favorable impression of Sakura Country. He cursed them however he pleased.

Sakura Kojiro was so furious that his mouth twisted crooked.

(District 132) Sakura Kojiro: "Hmph, keep being arrogant for now. Once the challenge begins, I'll beat you until you kneel and beg for mercy!"

(District 527) Nan Feng: "A son wants to hit his father? What kind of twisted world is this? Is that how you Sakura People talk to your dads? Sigh, my fault, my fault. I didn't teach you properly when you were little, too busy screwing your mother."

(District 132) Sakura Kojiro: "Baka! I'm going to kill you!"

(District 68) Cheng Mo: "Hahaha, suspected national essence leak!"

(District 17) Xiao Angran: "This is intangible cultural heritage."

(District 381) Lin Tianqi: "Coach, I want to learn how to insult people too."

Nan Feng had remained silent before this, so the Chosen Ones from Dragon Country's other war zones had looked down on him somewhat.

They had thought Nan Feng was afraid, that he had chickened out and was going to hide like a turtle.

But now, it seemed Nan Feng had not backed down. He had not disgraced Dragon Country.

(District 39) Sakura One-Sword: "Hmph, foolish Dragon Country people. You won't be arrogant for much longer. @Sakura Kojiro, beat him hard later."

(District 132) Sakura Kojiro: "Hai, oniisan!"

Someone from District 39 had appeared.

"Are these two brothers? Then why is he called Sakura One-Sword instead of Sakura Big-Jiro?" Nan Feng was somewhat surprised. "This Sakura One-Sword is actually from District 39. His strength must be far more terrifying..."

The higher a war zone ranked, the stronger its people generally were.

This Sakura One-Sword might already have reached Level 7, perhaps even Level 8.

He had not expected Sakura Country to have so many experts.

"Fortunately, Dragon Country isn't bad either. That big bro Xiao Angran is from District 17, so he must be much stronger than Sakura One-Sword."

One minute remained.

Nan Feng began loosening up, preparing to face this battle in his best condition.

At that moment, Sakura Kojiro @'d Nan Feng again in the Cross-Regional Chat Channel.

(District 132) Sakura Kojiro: "@Nan Feng, the challenge is about to begin. How about we add a little wager? If you lose, you call me Dad three times in this chat channel. If I lose, I'll call you Dad three times too. What do you say? Dare to bet?"

Nan Feng sneered. Did Sakura Kojiro really think he had this in the bag?

(District 527) Nan Feng: "A son delivered right to my door? No reason to turn him away. I'll take the bet."

(District 132) Sakura Kojiro: "Hehe, don't go back on your word when the time comes."

(District 527) Nan Feng: "You think I'm like you Sakura People—too scared to own up to what I do?"

(District 132) Sakura Kojiro: "Baka!"

Ten seconds remained on the countdown.

Neither of them spoke again.

Inside the Wooden Cabin, a silver-white Teleportation Array slowly lit up beneath Nan Feng's feet.

Seeing it, Nan Feng quickly ate a serving of Fragrant Roasted Meat and drank a cup of Clean Fresh Water.

Buff up before a fight!

3...

2...

1...

Nan Feng's figure gradually faded, then vanished from the Wooden Cabin.

In an uninhabited region of the Primordial World, Nan Feng and Sakura Kojiro were teleported over at the same time.

"Heh, isn't this a guaranteed win?"

Nan Feng grinned as he looked at Sakura Kojiro fifty meters away.

At this distance, even Sakura Big-Jiro would have to kneel!