Zero Rift, Thunder Cloud Eagle!

Zero Rift, Thunder Cloud Eagle! Perhaps because they knew parting was imminent, the intimacy between Chen Kefa and Du Qionghua carried an unprecedented fervor and reluctance.

It was like a weeping, pleading song, as if they wished to merge into each other's very bones and blood.

After the storm of passion, the air remained thick with lingering warmth and a sense of agitation.

Du Qionghua's beautiful face bore a trace of exhaustion; she curled up lazily, her body devoid of strength.

She watched as her husband had already risen, his back turned to her as he neatly fastened the buttons of his shirt.

"Kefa, are you... really not going to say goodbye to Xiao Yan?"

Chen Kefa's movements paused slightly. He did not turn back, his voice low yet firm:

"No. I'm afraid that if I see that kid... I truly won't be able to leave."

Hearing this, Du Qionghua said nothing more.

She simply watched in silence as he dressed, meticulously smoothing out his combat uniform.

Every movement seemed so solemn, as if he were deliberately stalling for time...

Before long, Chen Kefa was ready.

He walked to the bedside, leaned down, and pressed a deep kiss to his wife's smooth forehead, a gesture filled with endless attachment and promises.

"I'm leaving?" he asked softly, as if confirming, or perhaps saying goodbye.

The tears Du Qionghua had been holding back for so long finally escaped, sliding from the corners of her eyes.

She hurriedly turned her body slightly, unwilling to let him see her in such a state, and even more afraid that she might lose control and beg him to stay.

She had not wanted to make their parting so sorrowful, but now that the moment had arrived, her emotions were like a mountain torrent, impossible to contain.

Chen Kefa took a long look at his wife's trembling shoulders, his Adam's apple bobbing.

In the end, he said nothing more, turned resolutely, and strode out of the room.

The sound of the door closing was soft, yet it felt exceptionally jarring.

On the rooftop of the Jiang City Martial Artist Association, at the dedicated helipad.

The cold wind was biting, whipping at the hem of Chen Kefa's clothes.

He had not expected the transport arranged by the Association to be a two-seater helicopter with no extra protective measures.

He had been apprehensive at first, but upon 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 golden hair was quite conspicuous under the floodlights, and his bright blue eyes were like Siberian glaciers.

Since the resurgence of spiritual energy, the North Territory's vast, sparsely populated land and harsh living environment had led their tribes to emphasize unity and reliance on the strong since ancient times.

Therefore, after the East Continent Alliance was established, the North Territory naturally chose to join, becoming an important part of the Alliance.

However, when this typical North Territory brute saw Chen Kefa approaching, he flashed a hearty grin.

"Oh! You must be Chen Kefa! My name is Druck, we're partners for this trip!"

Chen Kefa blinked, looking at the man's deep-set Western features while listening to his authentic Yuzhou accent.

For a moment, he felt quite dazed.

Am I really not dreaming???

Seeing the look of astonishment on his face, Druck grinned and took the initiative to explain:

"What's wrong, brother? Looking at that expression, my accent must've got you all confused, eh?"

Chen Kefa nodded, feeling a bit awkward.

Druck didn't mind, saying cheerfully:

"Hey, no worries! I know, it's a bit weird to have this face and speak Yuzhou dialect."

"I went to school at Yuzhou Martial University—that's the one and only top-tier martial university in the whole of Yu Province!"

"I spent several years there, and everyone around me talked like that; I just got stuck in the habit."

He paused, then added quite considerately:

"If you really can't get used to it, I'll try my best to speak standard Mandarin for you! It might just sound a bit awkward."

Hearing this, Chen Kefa felt relieved and quickly said, "I'd appreciate that, Brother Druck."

He was still more accustomed to a more standard way of communicating.

"You got it! No problem!"

Druck agreed readily and indeed made an effort to rein in his heavy dialect. Although a hint of it slipped out occasionally, it was much smoother.

The helicopter climbed rapidly, and Jiang City beneath them shrank continuously in his field of vision.

It was the first time Chen Kefa had overlooked the city from such a perspective.

The lights of ten thousand homes were like stars scattered across the earth, outlining the city's veins.

In the distance, the river shimmered with a faint silver glow under the moonlight, tranquil and beautiful.

Once the flight path stabilized, Druck, a man who made friends easily, began chatting about everything under the sun.

The two were of similar age and shared comparable experiences, so they quickly grew familiar with each other.

Chen Kefa gradually opened up as well, asking the question he cared about most:

"Druck, the situation on the front lines... what is it actually like?"

Mentioning official business, Druck's expression turned serious: "The situation is not optimistic. On the East Continent, the one that appeared earliest, the largest and most dangerous, is known as the Zero Rift."

"The energy fluctuations in that place are terrifying. Unless one is a Grandmaster-level powerhouse, approaching it is life-threatening. It is an absolute forbidden zone."

He continued his explanation: "Aside from the Zero Rift, there are many other rifts, both large and small."

"For those located in the wilderness, the situation is manageable. The military can rely on nearby abandoned towns to build fortifications and establish forward bases."

"But the most troublesome ones are those that open directly inside cities!" Druck's tone grew heavy. "When that happens, we basically have no choice but to abandon the entire city and evacuate completely."

"A whole city, just gone like that..."

Chen Kefa nodded with a grave expression.

Having stayed in the rear for so long, he had almost forgotten how dire the overall survival environment for humanity truly was.

"Then where are we going this time...?"

"We are heading to the 'Black Wind Valley'!" Druck replied. "It was named after the first Grandmaster who discovered it."

"It isn't too far from the Zero Rift. While the pressure there is greater compared to other rifts, it is also a prime location for honing one's skills and earning military merit."

After flying for several more hours, the area outside the window had long since become a desolate wilderness devoid of human presence.

The massive beams of the searchlights cut through the darkness like sharp blades, sweeping over the jagged, shrub-covered ground below.

Wherever the light touched, it immediately illuminated the shadowy figures of many ferocious beasts, which were disturbed by the roar of the helicopter and let out bursts of restless hissing.

Chen Kefa's gaze was sharp, and he saw them clearly.

Most of the beasts gathered below were below the third rank, corresponding to the amateur levels of human martial artists.

These beasts bared their fangs at the helicopter flying at low altitude; some irritable Spine Hyenas even stood on their hind legs, attempting to snap at it, but they lacked the height.

Chen Kefa habitually let out a soft hum, and the robust, surging blood-energy pressure belonging to a professional fifth-rank martial artist spread downward like an invisible ripple.

The effect was immediate!

The group of low-rank beasts that had been restless just a moment ago seemed as if they had been doused with a basin of ice water; their whimpering stopped abruptly.

The Spine Hyenas tucked their tails between their legs, the Earth Scale Pythons quickly retreated into their hiding spots, and even the herd of Thunder Horn Sheep ran faster.

Only a Rock Armor Bear in the distance, with an exceptionally massive build and a body covered in rock-like armor, raised its head and let out a roar of defiance toward the helicopter, though it dared not truly approach.

Druck, sitting beside him, suddenly exclaimed in shock: "What are you doing! Quickly pull it back!"

Chen Kefa was stunned and asked in confusion: "What's wrong? I was just intimidating these low-rank beasts."

Druck nervously scanned the night sky, speaking rapidly: "You're new here and don't understand! We are entering the territory of the 'Thunder Cloud Eagle'!"

"That is a King-level beast (Grandmaster level)! If we just pass through, it might sometimes turn a blind eye."

"But you actively released your blood-energy; that's no different from a provocation! It will draw it right to us!"

Chen Kefa felt a chill in his heart and immediately retracted his aura completely, breaking out in a cold sweat.

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