The Hero Hall funeral home in Jiangnan Base City.
More than ten thousand people had gathered there that day, all members of Jiangnan Base City's upper class. They included senior figures from powerful families and financial groups, high-ranking government and military officials, and, most importantly, large numbers of warriors. Among those warriors were even War God-level experts!
"National Television is here too." Looking at the news van, Luo Yuan couldn't help thinking that War God-level warriors really commanded considerable respect.
Luo Yuan and the others stood by the street, waiting in line behind the crowd like the many other warriors. Certain important figures were allowed to pay their respects first.
Luo Yuan sensed the powerful auras of the War God-level experts passing by. Some had piercing gazes, while others looked calm.
Beep!
Suddenly, a pitch-black, saucer-shaped fighter aircraft flew in from the distance. The troops guarding the area around the Hero Hall funeral home made no attempt to stop it. The War God-level experts who had already gone inside to pay their respects, the mayor of Jiangnan Base City, and the senior government and military officials all came out to greet it.
"Looks like someone big has arrived." Luo Yuan watched closely. Every warrior, along with everyone from the television station, stared at it. No one dared make a sound.
Silence fell.
The saucer-shaped fighter slowly landed, and its hatch opened.
A lean man with a hooked nose, dressed entirely in black, descended the aircraft's steps. His expression was grim, and tears faintly glistened in his eyes. Simply standing there, he made the area for dozens of meters around him seem to sink into darkness. Within that space, he was a god.
"Councilor Zhu," one of the War God-level experts greeting him said.
The hook-nosed man gave a soft sigh without saying anything. He nodded to the War God-level experts, the mayor of Jiangnan Base City, the senior officials from Kyoto City, and the military commanders welcoming him, then walked straight toward the funeral home.
Luo Yuan was inwardly startled. This was Zhu Xi, one of the five Inspectors, with Planetary-level strength. He looked so ordinary that no one would have imagined he was such a terrifying existence. Now that was truly keeping a low profile.
Funeral music echoed throughout the Hero Hall funeral home as senior government officials, military commanders, War God-level warriors, and the others paid their respects one after another. National Television carefully recorded everything, while its reporter described the proceedings before the camera. Soon, it was Luo Yuan and the others' turn.
Before long, Luo Yuan and the others finished paying their respects and left the venue.
The atmosphere outside was noticeably more relaxed, unlike the oppressive mood within.
After leaving, the seven members of the Fire Hammer Squad found a nearby restaurant with a somewhat classical style and quite elegant decor.
They chatted as they ate.
"Captain, what mission are we taking next?" Chen Gu asked.
"Old Chen, Wei Tie, and his brother have pretty much gotten used to their current strength. I think we should head into the Wilderness Zone in the next couple of days." Gao Feng looked at the others, and they nodded.
"Haha." Chen Gu laughed. "We can't go back to those little county towns this time. Our squad is much stronger than before."
"Let's go to a major urban area."
"How about we get bold for once and try our luck in City 003?" Gao Feng took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.
"City 003?"
Everyone at the table was startled. Luo Yuan frowned too. He felt these companions of his were getting a little carried away.
City 003 was arguably one of the most terrifying areas in the entire Eurasian Region. It bordered the ocean, so large numbers of ocean monsters inhabited its waterways. It had almost the densest concentration of buildings in all of Asia, which also brought its monster population to a staggering level. There were many Lord-level monsters there, and even monsters beyond Lord Level had made it their territory!
Large numbers of elite warriors went there. Even warriors from other Base Cities in Huaxia Country made special trips to it!
It was practically a major battleground where human warriors and monsters fought to the death!
Before the Great Nirvana Period, it had been the economic center of all Huaxia Country-the former Magic City!
"Isn't that a bit extreme? Take too big a stride and you'll tear your balls," Wei Tie couldn't help saying.
Gao Feng looked at them and chuckled. "Scared?"
"What's there to be scared of? Just being able to say we've ventured into City 003 would earn us some respect." Chen Gu's eyes shone. "We're going. Of course we're going! Besides, City 003 is huge, more than ten times bigger than other cities. We'll work our way in slowly from the outskirts. What's there to fear?"
"Luo Yuan, Luo Feng, what do you two think?" Gao Feng and the others turned to them. The two brothers' presence was what gave them the confidence to be so bold this time.
"We can go have a look around, but we can't go too deep." Luo Yuan drank a cup of tea and spoke slowly.
"Sure, we can go in, but we'll have to start slowly from the suburbs." Luo Feng nodded.
The other members of the Fire Hammer Squad smiled at their answers.
Being able to operate in City 003 was a mark of strength.
"All right. Everyone get ready and rest up. We'll set out first thing the morning after tomorrow and head for City 003," Gao Feng said with a smile.
"Great! City 003 it is!"
Luo Feng and the others felt their blood stirring with excitement.
After parting with the other members of the Fire Hammer Squad, Luo Yuan went alone to County 0231 beside the military region.
The Nine-Tailed White Fox had settled in the ruins of a hotel more than twenty stories tall, along with its nine Advanced Beast General subordinates and several affiliated groups from branches of the Illusion Fox clan. After tidying the place up, they had gone back into hibernation. This was how they cultivated, using dreams to improve their Mental Power.
Luo Yuan lay directly on the Nine-Tailed White Fox's soft belly. Its snowy fur enveloped him, warm and comfortable. He also used his Mental Power to collect the spiritual attribute bubbles dropped by these Illusion Foxes. He would spend his days at the base this way too, and soon fell asleep.
On the third day, Luo Yuan checked his attribute panel and discovered that his Mental Power had also broken through to the beginner War God level. Delighted, he got ready and met up with the other six members of the Fire Hammer Squad before heading to the Southeast Military Region's Supply Base.
"This Supply Base is much bigger than the one in the Northern Military Region, too." After collecting their keys, Luo Yuan and the others marveled as they walked through the Supply Base. Its number of residences far exceeded that of the Northern Military Region's base, and wherever they looked, they could see large numbers of warriors.
City 003 lay near the ocean. Countless ocean monsters had carved their way into the continent, and had long threatened the inland regions along the Huangpu River. Compared with land monsters, ocean monsters actually posed a more terrifying threat to humanity. The ocean covered far more area than the land, and it belonged entirely to the monsters. One could imagine how many monsters lived within it.
As the seven members of the Fire Hammer Squad walked through the Southeast Military Region, they even saw War God-level warriors preparing to venture into City 003. In the Northern Military Region, it was rare to see even one War God-level expert, but here they had seen several as soon as they arrived.
A short while later, all seven members of the Fire Hammer Squad left the Supply Base, fully armed.
People along the way were discussing Luo Feng's exploits as the "Madman," prompting Gao Feng and the others to tease him a little. Luo Yuan, meanwhile, continued to keep a low profile. His Mental Power swept discreetly over those War God-level warriors, penetrating their Combat Suits and skin to examine their internal organs, muscles, and bones. He discovered that their physical attributes were all very powerful.
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