Money in the Account, Breaking Through to Martial King on the Spot!

1:30 p.m.

The light reconnaissance aircraft landed steadily on the airstrip of Fortress No. 7.

This was more than an hour earlier than the scheduled 3:00 p.m.

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The cabin door lowered, and combat staff officer Song Qing stood at the exit with a stern face.

She held a clipboard, ready to verify the attendance of the newly assigned personnel.

A figure in black combat fatigues stepped out of the cabin.

Li Zhengyang carried the Dragon-Gallbladder Golden Spear on his shoulder as he walked down the ramp, dark-red blood still dripping from its tip.

Song Qing instinctively covered her nose and mouth, then peered into the cabin.

There was no one else behind him?

"Where are they?" Song Qing stepped forward, her brows tightly drawn. "The two men with recommendation letters from the Military Region Logistics Department, Wang Dewen and Wang Ming. They boarded the aircraft with you. Where did they go?"

Li Zhengyang stopped and freed one hand to rummage through his pocket.

He pulled out a crumpled slip of paper and handed it to her.

Song Qing accepted it and unfolded it.

There was a single line of writing on it:

"Wang Dewen and Wang Ming ignored warnings and entered the territory of a Fifth-Rank Abyssal Giant Lizard without authorization. They unfortunately died. This is hereby reported."

Li Zhengyang's name was signed beneath it.

Song Qing's breathing stopped for a second.

"You call this a death report?" Song Qing shook the slip of paper until it rustled. "Two people, carrying official recommendation letters from the Military Region Logistics Department, were entrusted to you. They went out for less than two hours, and both died? You didn't even bring back so much as a severed limb?"

Li Zhengyang reached out and dusted the dirt from his clothes.

"The giant lizard chewed them to bits and swallowed them. I couldn't bring them back. There are bloodstains at the scene. You can collect DNA for verification."

"Li Zhengyang!" Song Qing raised her voice. "Do you think this is some kind of joke? Those were two human lives. If the higher-ups investigate, can you bear the responsibility?"

"They were courting death themselves. I did my best but couldn't save them. I already gave you the report." Li Zhengyang hoisted his spear back onto his shoulder. "I'm going to the logistics office to turn in my mission. Move aside."

Li Zhengyang walked around Song Qing and strode toward the interior of the fortress.

Song Qing clenched the crumpled slip of paper, so furious her lungs felt ready to explode.

She immediately turned and hurried toward the command center.

Second floor of the command center, the commander-in-chief's office.

Han Tieshan was studying a deployment map of the Northern Wasteland War Zone.

The highest commander of Fortress No. 7, a Ninth-Rank Martial King Realm powerhouse, had a short stubble beard and an old knife scar running across half his chin.

Song Qing pushed open the door and slapped the handwritten slip onto the desk.

"Sir, something happened. The newly transferred Li Zhengyang got the two assessment personnel sent by the Military Region Logistics Department killed. This is the report he gave me."

Han Tieshan glanced over the slip, picked it up, and examined it for two seconds.

"Go. Bring in the pilot who took them out."

Two minutes later.

The pilot stood before the desk, pale-faced, his legs pressed together and his posture ramrod straight.

"Greetings, sir!"

"Tell me what happened. What occurred after you landed?" Han Tieshan lit a cigarette.

The pilot swallowed.

"Reporting! Sergeant Major Li told me to circle in the air for half an hour. When I landed to pick them up half an hour later, the two people carrying recommendation letters had already disappeared. The scene was a complete mess."

"Go on."

"The ground was covered in blood and chunks of flesh, along with shattered bone fragments. And..." The pilot's voice trembled slightly. "That Fifth-Rank Abyssal Giant Lizard was dead."

Han Tieshan's hand holding the cigarette froze.

Song Qing suddenly turned her head and stared hard at the pilot.

"What did you say?" Song Qing suspected she had misheard. "The Abyssal Giant Lizard was dead? That was a peak Fifth-Rank Magic Beast!"

"It really was dead." The pilot wiped cold sweat from his forehead. "Its neck had been pierced through with a huge hole, and its spine was completely shattered. Its head had been cut open, and its Beast Core was gone. Sergeant Major Li came back alone carrying his spear. I didn't dare ask any questions."

The office fell so quiet that only the ventilation fan could be heard spinning.

Han Tieshan crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray without saying a word.

"Sir, this involves the Military Region Logistics Department..." Song Qing reminded him.

"Bullshit! What Logistics Department? Old Xiao is taking bribes over there and stuffing people in to gild their resumes. Do they really think the Northern Frontier is their own backyard?" Han Tieshan snorted coldly. "They were eaten by Magic Beasts. That was their fate. Pass down the order: no one is allowed to make trouble for Li Zhengyang over this."

At the same time.

The fortress logistics exchange.

The hall was deserted. Old Ma at the counter was idly fiddling with a calculator.

The door was pushed open. A dense, blood-soaked baleful aura surged directly inside.

Old Ma jolted in fright and looked up to see a young man in tattered combat fatigues walking over.

Li Zhengyang approached the counter and removed his Space Ring.

Clatter!

A huge pile of Fourth-Rank Rift Scorpion venom stingers, severed limbs, and intact shells, still dripping green bodily fluid, crashed onto the counter and formed a small mountain.

Old Ma stood up, coughing violently from the pungent stench.

"You... took on an entire scorpion nest by yourself?" Old Ma picked up a venom stinger for inspection and sucked in a sharp breath. "Every one of them was killed with a single blow. Top-quality goods. Thirty-six of them—I'll bundle the price for you."

Li Zhengyang said nothing.

He took a black Beast Core covered in slime from his pocket.

The moment it appeared, the temperature around the counter seemed to drop several degrees, while the air filled with violent spiritual energy fluctuations.

Bang.

The Beast Core slammed onto the countertop.

Old Ma staggered back two steps, his back striking the shelf behind him.

"A... a Fifth-Rank Abyssal Giant Lizard Beast Core!" Old Ma's eyes widened as he stared at Li Zhengyang. "You killed it by yourself?"

"Cut the crap. Count the money." Li Zhengyang tapped the counter.

Old Ma's hands trembled as he grabbed the calculator and frantically punched the keys.

"Fourth-Rank Rift Scorpion materials, bundled price: 1.2 million. This Fifth-Rank giant lizard Beast Core is premium-grade, and the market is short on them. I'll take it for 800,000. That makes exactly 2 million."

"Add the one million for the Zone A extermination mission I just completed. Transfer it to my account."

Three minutes later, the personal communication terminal on Li Zhengyang's wrist vibrated.

Three million had been deposited.

Added to the four million he had previously saved, his account balance reached seven million.

Li Zhengyang walked to a lounge chair in the corner of the exchange and sat down, closing his eyes.

He silently recited in his heart.

"System, recharge everything."

[Recharge successful!]

[Recharge amount: 7000000]

[Blood-Qi Value gained: +70000]

[Current Blood-Qi Value: 162628]

[Blood-Qi Value has exceeded the breakthrough threshold]

[Realm breakthrough: Fifth-Rank Martial Sect → First-Rank Martial King!]

Boom!

The meridians within Li Zhengyang's body were instantly forced open by a vast surge of Blood Qi.

Seventy thousand points of Blood-Qi Value surged madly through his limbs and bones, smashing straight through the heavy barrier blocking the entrance to the Martial King Realm.

The Blood Qi vortex in his dantian expanded wildly. The previously gaseous energy compressed at a furious rate, gradually transforming into liquid, blood-colored True Essence.

His muscle fibers reassembled, and fine crackling sounds rang out from his bones.

The critical point had been breached!

First-Rank Martial King!

Li Zhengyang remained seated, yet the air within half a meter of his body twisted violently.

Old Ma hid behind the counter, his legs weak, not daring to show his head at all.

Li Zhengyang opened his eyes and felt the power inside him multiply explosively.

The burst of power brought by liquid Blood Qi was on an entirely different level from the Martial Sect Realm.

He stood and glanced at the clock on the wall.

2:50 p.m.

There were still ten minutes until the meeting at the command center.