Perhaps because they both knew their parting was near, the intimacy between Chen Kefa and Du Qionghua was more passionate and reluctant than ever before.
Their lovemaking was full of yearning, as if they wanted to merge into each other's very bones.
Even after they were done, the air still held the warmth and fluttering excitement of the moment.
Du Qionghua's beautiful face showed a trace of fatigue. She curled up lazily, her body utterly weak.
She watched as her husband rose and, with his back to her, began briskly buttoning his shirt.
"Kefa, you... aren't you really going to say goodbye to Xiao Yan?"
Chen Kefa paused slightly as he buttoned his shirt. He didn't turn around, and his voice was low but firm.
"No. I'm afraid if I see that kid... I really won't be able to leave."
Du Qionghua said nothing more.
She simply watched in silence as he dressed and meticulously straightened his combat uniform.
Every movement seemed so solemn, as if he were deliberately dragging things out...
Before long, Chen Kefa was ready.
He walked to the bed, bent down, and pressed a deep kiss to his wife's smooth forehead, full of love and promises.
"I'm leaving?" he asked softly, as if confirming it—or saying goodbye.
The tears Du Qionghua had held back for so long finally slipped from the corners of her eyes.
She hurriedly turned slightly away, unwilling to let him see her like this, and even more afraid she would lose control and beg him to stay.
She hadn't wanted their parting to be so sorrowful, but now that it was upon them, her emotions surged like a bursting flood.
Chen Kefa gazed at his wife's slightly trembling shoulders, his Adam's apple bobbing.
In the end, he said nothing more. He turned resolutely and strode out of the room.
The door closed softly, yet the sound seemed especially jarring.
The Jiang City Martial Artist Association's rooftop helipad.
The cold wind howled, tugging at Chen Kefa's clothes.
He hadn't expected the Association's transport to be a two-seat helicopter with no extra protective measures.
He'd initially been somewhat uneasy, but after learning that the pilot was also an experienced professional martial artist, he felt much more at ease.
The pilot was a tall, burly man from the North Territory.
His blond hair stood out under the powerful floodlights, and his blue eyes were like Siberian glaciers.
Since the spiritual energy resurgence, the North Territory's vast lands, sparse population, and harsh living conditions had meant that its tribes had always emphasized unity and following the strong.
So when the East Continent Alliance was established, the North Territory had naturally chosen to join, becoming an important part of the Alliance.
However, when this archetypal North Territory strongman saw Chen Kefa approaching, he greeted him with a hearty smile.
"Oh! You must be Chen Kefa! I'm Druck. We'll be partners on this trip!"
Chen Kefa blinked as he studied the man's deep-set Western features and listened to his thick Yuzhou accent.
For a moment, he felt dazed.
Am I really not dreaming???
Seeing Chen Kefa's bewildered expression, Druck grinned and explained without waiting to be asked.
"What's wrong, brother? You look like my accent's got you all confused!"
Chen Kefa nodded awkwardly.
Druck didn't mind and said cheerfully,
"Hey, no problem! I know it's a bit strange to hear Yuzhou speech coming from a face like mine."
"I studied at Yuzhou Martial University. It's the best martial university in all of Yu Province—there's nothing else like it!"
"I spent several years there. Everyone around me talked like that, and after listening for so long, I just couldn't shake the accent."
He paused, then added considerately,
"If it really bothers you, I can try to speak standard Mandarin! It might feel a little awkward, though."
Hearing that, Chen Kefa felt relieved and quickly replied, "I'd appreciate that, brother Druck."
He was still more accustomed to a more standard way of speaking.
"Sure! No problem!"
Druck agreed readily and, just as promised, tried to tone down his strong regional accent. A little still slipped through now and then, but it was much easier to understand.
The helicopter climbed rapidly, and Jiang City below grew smaller and smaller.
It was Chen Kefa's first time looking down on the city from this angle.
The lights of countless homes were like stars scattered across the land, outlining the city's shape.
In the distance, the river shimmered faintly beneath the moonlight, peaceful and beautiful.
Once they were on a steady course, Druck, who was naturally outgoing, started chatting about all sorts of things.
They were close in age and had similar experiences, so they quickly became familiar with each other.
Chen Kefa gradually opened up, then asked the question he cared about most.
"Druck, what's the situation at the front... exactly?"
At the mention of business, Druck's expression turned serious. "It's not looking good. The earliest, largest, and most dangerous rift to appear on the East Continent is called the Zero Rift."
"The energy fluctuations there are terrifying. Anyone below the Grandmaster level who gets close is in mortal danger. It's an absolute forbidden zone."
He continued, "Besides the Zero Rift, there are many other rifts, large and small."
"Those in the Wilderness Zone are manageable. The military can use nearby abandoned towns to build fortifications and establish Forward Bases."
"But the most troublesome ones are the rifts that open right inside cities!" Druck's tone grew heavy. "In those cases, they can basically only abandon the entire city and evacuate everyone."
"An entire city, just... gone."
Chen Kefa nodded gravely.
After spending so long in the rear, he'd almost forgotten how dire the human race's overall situation was.
"So where are we headed this time...?"
"We're headed to Black Wind Valley!" Druck replied. "It was named after the first Grandmaster to discover it."
"It's not too far from the Zero Rift. The pressure is greater than at other rifts, but it's also a good place to temper yourself and earn military merit."
After flying for several more hours, the Wilderness Zone outside the window was already far from any sign of human habitation.
The massive beam of the searchlight cut through the darkness like a sword, sweeping over the rocky, shrub-covered ground below.
Wherever the light fell, it revealed the shadowy forms of numerous ferocious beasts. Startled by the helicopter's roar, they let out restless howls.
Chen Kefa's sharp eyes made out the scene clearly.
Most of the ferocious beasts gathered below were Tier Three or lower, corresponding to amateur-level human martial artists.
The beasts bared their teeth at the helicopter as it flew low overhead. Some agitated Spine Hyenas even rose onto their hind legs and tried to leap at it, but it was too high.
Chen Kefa instinctively gave a quiet snort. The powerful blood-and-qi pressure of a fifth-stage professional martial artist spread downward in an invisible ripple.
The effect was immediate!
The low-tier beasts, restless just moments before, fell silent as if doused with a bucket of ice water.
The Spine Hyenas tucked their tails between their legs. Earth Scale Pythons quickly retreated into their hiding places, and even the Thunder Horn Sheep ran faster.
Only a particularly massive Rock Armor Bear in the distance lifted its head and let out an unwilling roar toward the helicopter, but it didn't dare approach.
Beside him, Druck suddenly cried out, "What are you doing?! Pull it back!"
Chen Kefa froze, confused. "What's wrong? I was just scaring off those low-tier beasts."
Druck scanned the night sky nervously, speaking at top speed. "You're new here, so you don't know! Up ahead is the Thunder Cloud Eagle's territory!"
"That's a King Rank ferocious beast—a Grandmaster-level one! Sometimes it turns a blind eye when we pass through."
"But if you deliberately release your blood-and-qi pressure, it's no different from provoking it! You'll draw it here!"
Chen Kefa's heart tightened. He immediately reined in his aura completely, breaking out in a cold sweat.
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