The Warrior at the Peak of the Pyramid!

In the meeting room.

Lin Ye looked at Secretary Xu and asked, "What's the combination for the case?"

"Combination 757."

He opened the case and saw a dark red circular medal lying flat in an exquisite package.

The edges of the medal had anti-slip frosted texture, its appearance quite eye-catching.

This was his own Honor Medal.

"Colonel Lin, 'Ember NO.757' is your exclusive medal." Xu Qi said with a smile, then carefully picked up the medal and pinned it to Lin Ye's chest.

"'Ember NO.757' is my Honor Medal." Lin Ye reached out and touched the dark red medal.

Smooth and cold, like a woman's skin.

"The button is on the back of the medal." Xue Zhan reminded him.

"Mm, I know."

Lin Ye nodded slightly, then looked at Xue Zhan and asked, "Does this serial number mean I'm the 757th Battle Commander to join the Great Xia military?"

"Right!" Xue Zhan didn't hesitate, nodding directly.

"Then does that mean the Great Xia military has 757 Battle Commanders?" Lin Ye pressed on.

But.

When he asked that, Xue Zhan's face slowly darkened. "Counting you and the predecessors who gave their lives, the Great Xia military has indeed had 757 Battle Commanders in total!"

Lin Ye nodded slightly, lowering his head to study the dark red medal carefully.

It was both a symbol of honor and more like a sense of belonging for a martial artist.

In this perilous, chaotic world, only by resorting to this most extreme method could weaker martial artists have a single chance to overcome the strong.

"But before you, many Battle Commanders' medals were buried underground with their sacrifices every month.

Now, across the entire Great Xia military, the surviving Battle Commanders number no more than five hundred, and that count is still plummeting..."

As he spoke, Xue Zhan's voice gradually faded.

"I know."

Lin Ye pressed firmly on the medal, but what surfaced in his mind were wave after wave of Beast Tides.

As the mutation rate of monsters accelerated, more and more powerful monsters formed herds, constantly assaulting human bases.

At times like this, to defend their homes, only these martial artists and soldiers stepped forward, unafraid of death, facing the monsters head-on.

And as the backbone of humanity, Battle Commanders often shouldered even more danger...

"Why doesn't the military recruit more Battle Commanders?" A question suddenly popped into Lin Ye's mind.

Xue Zhan: "This..."

Hearing Lin Ye's question, Xue Zhan exchanged a glance with Xu Qi, and both let out a helpless sigh.

"Because the Limit Mercenary Group and the Thunder and Lightning Mercenary Group recruit Battle Commanders worldwide. They offer high pay and better conditions, so most strong fighters lean toward those two factions. Most Battle Commanders aren't willing to join the military like you...

"In this age of calamity, many martial artists prioritize self-preservation..."

Lin Ye: "..."

For a moment, Lin Ye didn't know what to say.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he spoke up. "What if the state stepped in by force to compete with the Limit and Thunder and Lightning Mercenary Groups for elite martial artists?"

"We can't compete. The Masters of the Limit Mercenary Group and the Thunder and Lightning Mercenary Group are martial artists standing at the pyramid's peak.

In their presence, the state has essentially lost all meaning.

Even our Great Xia's top martial artist, Jia Yi, is no match for Hong or the Thunder God.

In this era, without strength, you have no deterrent power at all."

Listening to Xue Zhan's words, Lin Ye's expression grew darker.

He recalled a saying from a certain predecessor: "Dignity lies only at the sword's edge!"

"If Great Xia had a super-strong martial artist on par with Hong and the Thunder God, it wouldn't have come to this..." Beside him, Xu Qi's fair face was also etched with helplessness.

The meeting room fell into silence.

Xue Zhan seemed to recall certain events, and a trace of worry crept onto his face.

Not only was Great Xia's top combat power, Jia Yi, no match, but even the strongest martial artists of other major nations were no match for Hong and the Thunder God in a single exchange.

The gap between those two and the rest was simply too vast.

"What about using nuclear bombs?" Lin Ye asked.

"That's even more impossible. Nuclear bombs can't harm martial artists of that level." Xue Zhan shook his head helplessly.

As a high-ranking officer in the Shan City military, he had been exposed to certain secrets.

He understood the two peak existences at the top of the martial artist pyramid far better than Lin Ye.

Only then could one truly grasp their terror.

The ability to suppress all five great powers single-handedly was something only Thunder God and Hong could achieve.

Such a vast gap made later generations feel like mere specks of dust before them.

Seeing that Lin Ye still didn't understand, Xu Qi recounted an old incident: "You don't know yet—America used a nuclear bomb on that High-tier Lord Monster in Nevada and still couldn't kill it."

"Instead, it triggered another mutation, evolving into the flying 'Blood Demon Sky Wolf,' causing millions of casualties."

"In the end... it was Thunder God who stepped in, severely wounding it and driving it away."

"A High-tier Lord Monster mutating and evolving again—doesn't that make it equivalent to a human martial artist surpassing the War God level?" Lin Ye dared not imagine such a scene.

"Hong and Thunder God call such monsters 'King-level Monsters'—the kings among monsters. If one of them roars a summons, monsters will flock like clouds."

Lin Ye's expression shifted slightly: "..."

If a single Lord Monster was already this terrifying, a King-level Monster that had ascended even higher was unthinkable.

A monster of that caliber was a catastrophic disaster for any nation.

But the more he thought about it, the more chilling it became. Lin Ye realized that even such a fearsome monster, surpassing a Lord, had been severely wounded by Thunder God and forced to flee in disgrace.

From this, one could see just how terrifying Thunder God was!

Not to mention Hong, whose strength surpassed even Thunder God's.

These two were truly like two towering mountains over the world's martial artists, impossible for anyone to even glimpse the summit.

"Alright, enough of that. Take another look in the box—the cultivation manual and the martial artist badge are both inside!"

Lin Ye carefully removed the Honor Medal and placed it back in the silver box, then took out the "High-tier War General Level" martial artist badge beside it and fastened it to his right arm.

The upgrade of his martial artist rank badge instantly elevated Lin Ye's entire presence.

Coupled with his already striking features, it drew Xu Qi's gaze.

Glancing at the badge on his right arm, Lin Ye nodded in satisfaction, then turned his attention to the alloy box.

Beneath the silver box, two books and two discs sat quietly atop the Combat Suit.

A familiar feeling washed over him, and the corners of Lin Ye's mouth lifted slightly.

"These are the middle and lower volumes of the Nine Splendor Art, and they're tied to the saber techniques and movement arts, right?" Lin Ye said with a smile as he picked up the two books.

They were identical to the one Xu Qi had given him before, except these were the middle and lower volumes.

"These two discs contain demonstrations by the founder. If you run into parts you're unfamiliar with, watch them more often and ponder them repeatedly," Xue Zhan reminded.

"Thank you, Hall Master Xue!" Lin Ye smiled.

After carefully storing the manuals, he took the long, narrow Saber Case and drew out the Battle Saber.

Hum!!

The four-foot-long saber weighed about 150 kg, exquisitely crafted, with a blade that reflected a sharp, fierce light.

Lin Ye was thoroughly pleased.

Produced by the Great Xia military, it was a premium Battle Saber—weighted perfectly for the hand, fast in slashing, and devastating in killing power.

Walking to an open space in the meeting room, Lin Ye held the saber, gathering his momentum, and naturally began to practice.

Horizontal cuts, upward flicks, downward chops, consecutive slashes... These basic saber techniques, combined with Lin Ye's extremely fluid footwork, produced a saber art that was seamless and natural, as if born of instinct.

Gradually, Lin Ye accelerated. His figure shifted rapidly, and flashes of saber light and afterimages appeared frequently.

With such sweeping, unrestrained movements, it gave an illusion of unstoppable force.

Sharp, swift, fierce!

The strange thought that involuntarily arose in his mind made Xue Zhan, a seasoned High-tier War General, feel quite unsettled.

"If this place weren't limiting Lin Ye's techniques and speed, it would probably be even more terrifying!"

Lin Ye's Perfect-level movement and speed amplified his saber's momentum, creating a thunderous force like a gale whipping through grass.

Whoosh!!

A silver blade-light burst forth as a silver lightning bolt descended from above, aimed at a Lucky Bamboo in the corner.

Yet, just a moment before the blade touched the bamboo leaves, the saber came to an abrupt halt.

Whoosh!!

The pressure carried by the long saber bore down on the bamboo leaves, causing them to sway erratically.

The practice ended, and Lin Ye sheathed the Battle Saber with satisfaction.

"Not bad—way better than my old broken blade!"

With this set of High-tier War General-level Combat Suit and Battle Saber, he would have much more confidence when entering the wilderness again.

His efficiency in acquiring Attribute Points would also improve.

"Since you've checked out all these benefits, let's talk about some daily tasks outside the treaty," Xu Qi said with a grin, looking at Lin Ye like a sly little fox.

Lin Ye raised an eyebrow slightly. "What daily tasks?"

"..."