Translator: Cinder Translations
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That night, Chen Feng did not return to his apartment.
"Don't run around. The situation is a bit off right now—even the United Coalition Building has been bombed."
"Hurry to the martial arts school and stay there for two nights. Your Third Elder is there, just in case."
His master Li Tong's voice, echoed in his mind as Chen Feng sat in Lin Hao's car, holding his phone. A security team escorted them straight to the martial arts school in Jinhua District.
Though their intelligence network wasn't as well-connected as the noble families with ties in the Coalition, they still received the news early and called him immediately.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Chen Feng decided to stay at the martial arts school for two nights.
Firstly, it was his master's recommendation.
His Third Elder had returned, and having him there provided some reassurance.
Secondly, he was the direct disciple and senior brother of the Flame Tiger School.
The martial arts school represented the sect, and some employees and disciples were still there.
Since he had benefitted from the sect, he should take responsibility and help his Third Elder guard it.
The car sped through the streets.
Unlike the usual bustling cityscape, the night was eerily silent.
The Utopian terrorist attack had been terrifying. Even though the military had taken control of the situation, most people were still scared out of their wits.
Few people were in sight, and only dim streetlights flickered.
Household doors were tightly shut, and many shops had closed entirely.
The roads were almost empty, with only a handful of vehicles.
The only sounds came from security patrols conducted jointly by the Safety Bureau and the military.
"It looks like there were riots here too," Lin Hao observed as the blue sedan stopped at a crossroads near the martial arts school.
He glanced at the scene on both sides of the street.
Many shop windows were shattered, particularly those that bought gold, jewelry, and jade. The destruction was severe.
Broken pillars, exposed ceiling wires, dust, and debris littered the ground.
Flyers and scraps of paper were scattered across the street, fluttering against the car window with the wind.
"Beep! Beep!"
A warning siren blared as Lin Hao's security convoy was stopped.
Looking ahead, several armored vehicles had blocked the road.
Red and blue lights flashed as military personnel in camouflage uniforms held their weapons and set up a checkpoint.
"Where are you headed?" a military officer asked with a frown.
"We're from Tian Hao Security Company, escorting our client to the martial arts school," Lin Hao responded, rolling down his window.
The military officer remained vigilant.
Just as it seemed there would be a prolonged exchange, a young officer in camouflage uniform and a steel helmet approached.
"Old Lu, let them through."
"Captain?"
"That's my friend. There's no way he's with Utopia."
The young officer spoke casually. Though Chen Feng had already sensed his presence, he still pretended to be surprised.
"Li Chengdong?" Lin Hao was taken aback, not expecting to run into him here.
"Coach, Boss Lin."
Li Chengdong smiled, motioning for his men to step aside before exchanging a few words.
"Although we've repelled Utopia for now, some remnants are still hiding in the city."
"Today's attack on the Coalition Building was too big. The entire city is under lockdown, so stay cautious."
Chen Feng and Lin Hao nodded, learning from him that the military had stationed forces in the city to assist the Safety Bureau in maintaining order.
With that, their vehicle was allowed to pass through the checkpoint and soon arrived at the entrance of the martial arts school, a few hundred meters ahead.
From the outside, the school was brightly lit, and shadows of people moved within.
Disciples lurked in the dark, watching the security convoy with cautious eyes.
Clank!
The car stopped, and Chen Feng stepped out.
"It's Senior Brother!"
Someone recognized Chen Feng immediately and rushed to report his arrival.
Chen Feng withdrew his gaze and looked at Lin Hao.
"Want to come in?"
"I'll pass. I'm a light sleeper and prefer staying at home."
Lin Hao smiled and declined. Chen Feng didn't insist.
He knew Lin Hao's personality—he wouldn't risk his life recklessly.
If he was leaving, it meant he had confidence in his safety.
"See you tomorrow."
"Alright."
Waving goodbye, Chen Feng carried his metal case and watched as Lin Hao's convoy disappeared into the night.
The street was eerily silent, and footsteps approached from behind.
Cao Tong, accompanied by two disciples, came out to greet him, scanning the surroundings cautiously.
Chen Feng could sense that some nearby apartment residents were peeking out their windows, observing him in secret.
"How's the martial arts school?"
Chen Feng asked as he walked inside with Cao Tong and the others.
"It's fine. Those Utopia members knew better than to attack us."
"But the Third Elder lost his patience and killed two modified humans this afternoon."
Cao Tong kept his words brief. Calls of "Senior Brother" echoed around them.
Many students had stayed at the school temporarily, some even bringing their families for refuge.
The first and second floors were packed with mats and bedding, barely enough to accommodate everyone for a night or two.
Chen Feng nodded, understanding their situation.
Without further delay, he made his way upstairs.
"You're here?"
A somewhat aged voice spoke. A thin old man in a gray robe sensed the movement and stepped out of a quiet room on the second floor.
"Third Elder."
Chen Feng approached, sensing the elder's stable aura—he was unharmed.
"Mm."
"Get some rest soon. With me here, nothing will happen."
The Third Elder spoke calmly, clearly someone who had experienced many major events.
Hearing this, Chen Feng nodded, exchanged a few more words, and then went to his private room with peace of mind.
Inside, a separate mat and quilt were laid out. Cao Tong chuckled and said, "Things seemed off this afternoon, so I figured a lot of people would be staying over tonight. I took some people to a nearby mall and brought back a bunch of supplies."
He was now a true disciple, at the first stage of inner strength, capable of competing with some Bronze-grade cyborgs that hadn't activated their combat mode.
But despite his casual tone, it was clear he had taken some risks.
"Did you pay for it?"
"I did. The store owner even begged us to take him in. He's staying here tonight, down on the first floor."
Chen Feng nodded, gradually realizing the role of martial halls and security in times of chaos.
After giving a few instructions, he watched Cao Tong leave.
Click!
The door of the private room closed.
Chen Feng set down a metal box, walked to the window, and looked outside.
Military armored vehicles were still on guard, and occasionally, security agency hovercars streaked across the sky.
Most households had turned off their lights early—everything was completely different from before.
For some reason, emotions welled up inside Chen Feng.
Riots, loss of control, death...
If he hadn't stepped in today, Wang Hanwen and the others would have died in a bloody scene.
And how many ordinary people like them had met the same fate, especially in a riot engulfing the entire city?
For a moment, his thoughts were complicated.
He drew the curtains and placed the metal box on the tea table.
He recalled Lin Hao's last warning at the club.
After this battle, the relations of Red Nation with the outside world might undergo major changes.
Although Nanjiang was just an ordinary city, it was located in Feng Province, near the Great Ocean and the borders of smaller eastern continent nations.
It was best to prepare early.
Hoo...
He exhaled, and his strong willpower resurfaced.
Regaining his composure, he pushed aside distracting thoughts.
Chen Feng opened the metal box on the table.
Click! A fist-sized block of silver steel was revealed.
Its entire body was silver, streaked with deep gray.
He reached out and pressed his hand against it.
No matter how great the upheaval in Red Nation, no matter what the situation...
Ultimately, everything came down to strength.
Buzz!
His mind sharpened, and his Steel Bones talent quickly activated.
[Metal Essence +1!]
[Metal Essence +1!]
[Metal Essence +1!]
The system prompts appeared repeatedly until a minute later when cracks formed on the silver steel's surface.
Crack!
Silver-gray fragments scattered. Chen Feng focused on the system panel.
[Steel Bones LV2: 77/100]
"Not bad."
As expected, the improvement was within his estimates. After all, this was only a small piece—not as rich in energy as a fully transformed cyborg.
His gaze shifted downward to the Azure Armor section.
[Azure Armor LV3: 16/100]
The Bronze-grade cyborgs and their gang were too weak. Their fear had little effect on his LV3 Azure Armor.
As for the surrounding civilians, the range limitation resulted in a similar situation.
He didn't dwell on it further.
After cleaning up the debris, Chen Feng washed up briefly, then lay down on the mat and slowly closed his eyes.
The night grew darker, the streets silent, with barely any noise.
Lights in the martial hall gradually dimmed as some students slept, while others took turns keeping watch to prevent any mishaps.
Confirming that nothing was overlooked, Chen Feng retracted his senses and let his consciousness sink.
The night passed without incident.
In his dreams, he swept through various places.
There was still some distance to cover before reaching the Extreme Martial Hall, and along the way, he hurriedly collected three Limit-Breaking Light Orbs.
Opening his eyes, Chen Feng saw the wooden ceiling of the quiet room.
A strip-shaped light tube hung on the wooden board. Chen Feng, dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt, lifted the blanket and got up smoothly.
Tap!
His foot touched the ground, producing a crisp echo.
The floor of the quiet room in the martial hall was paved with wooden planks, feeling somewhat firm and cool underfoot.
He then walked to the window.
With a swish, he pulled open the curtains, letting in a cool breeze from outside the screen window.
His enhanced physique, due to Inner Strength and Strengthening Techniques, made him indifferent to the slight chill.
Looking outside the martial hall, the noise from the street was quite faint.
It was already 7:05 AM.
Scraps of paper still fluttered on the ground, and most shops remained closed.
The noodle shop across the street was one of the few open establishments, with empty tables occupying most of the view.
As for the asphalt road, there were vehicles, but not many.
Pedestrians were also significantly fewer than usual—at least half as many—most of them walking briskly with a sense of vigilance.
Silently observing the scene, Chen Feng finally took out his phone.
Searching for news related to yesterday's riots, he found the online discussions in chaos. Many videos and images from the scene had already spread widely, indicating that the Safety Bureau had not yet managed to suppress them.
Meanwhile, an official announcement had quietly become the top headline of Nanjiang's morning news.
[Yesterday, the Utopia Organization launched a premeditated, citywide terrorist attack.]
[Three council members were killed in the attack. A total of eleven locations, including the United Coalition Building, were affected by medium-scale riots, resulting in 37 deaths and multiple serious injuries.]
[Currently, the military has taken over security in parts of the city and, together with the Safety Bureau, has successfully repelled the Utopia attack. In total, 98 Utopia members were killed, and 17 were arrested.]
Scrolling further, a wanted notice appeared.
[According to investigations, the masterminds behind this terrorist attack consisted of seven individuals. Four have been arrested or killed, while three remain at large. The fugitives include:
Utopia's Nanjiang Branch Leader, Wei Tie Keng, a 49-year-old Platinum Federation national. Jin Wei, a Utopia War General, classified as a Gold-Level Cyborg, 32 years old.]
The wanted notice provided detailed information, including photos and bounty amounts.
"Jin Wei."
Chen Feng's gaze sharpened as he looked at the wanted photo of the man.
Tall and burly, over two meters in height.
His upper body was entirely golden, as if sculpted from pure gold.
With long hair draped over his shoulders and an indifferent expression, he looked down as if he were a lion awakening from slumber.
"Gold-Level Cyborg"
With a strength exceeding 30 tons, an advanced full-body weapons system, and firepower comparable to tank artillery, he was practically a walking missile launcher.
He had already surpassed the so-called Master level. If he fought at full capacity, only Grandmasters in the martial arts world could possibly stand against him.
At that moment, Chen Feng completely understood why Utopia had dared to make such a massive move yesterday.
If the military had not intervened, things could have turned out much worse.
That thought flashed through his mind as he looked at his own status panel.
His gaze shifted downward to check the progress of his two martial skills.
[Crimson Tiger Force: Steel Fire (42%) +]
[Bronze Statue Technique: Bronze Bones (31%) +]
After a brief consideration, Chen Feng decided to allocate more points to Crimson Tiger Force.
Bronze Statue Technique had medicinal assistance, so using Limit-Breaking Points on it would be inefficient.
However, Crimson Tiger Force relied solely on himself.
"Upgrade!"
In an instant, all three Limit-Breaking Points were consumed.
[Crimson Tiger Force: Steel Fire (53%)]
"Still quite a bit to go."
A surge of force quietly emerged from his body, resembling flames that wrapped around his palm.
With a single thought, he withdrew all of it, returning it to his body.
Only then did Chen Feng leave the room to wash up and eat breakfast.
He had expected the martial hall to be somewhat chaotic, given that many students had stayed overnight.
But surprisingly, the entire hall—both upstairs and downstairs—was spotless and orderly.
All mats and bedding had been put away, and early in the morning, the sounds of martial arts training already echoed through the halls.
"Last night, I instructed everyone to clean up their own space."
"They were all quite cooperative."
Cao Tong, who had also risen early, had breakfast with Chen Feng.
Hearing this, Chen Feng felt reassured and then asked about the arrangements for the other martial halls in the sect.
"Senior Brother Zhao and Senior Sister Wu have gone down the mountain. They are now stationed at different branch halls."
"For safety reasons, the martial hall has decided to suspend core classes and other training sessions for the time being, in case of emergency. Most students agree with this decision, as many prefer not to go outside for now."
Nodding lightly, Chen Feng understood.
Even at the club, he had just received a notice from Lin Hao.
Operations would be postponed until the situation calmed down.
After all, most students and members were unwilling to risk going out, let alone coming for training.
However—
"We'll stick to the usual schedule," Chen Feng told Cao Tong.
After breakfast and a short digestion break, he quickly headed to the private training room.
Seeing this, Cao Tong chuckled and shook his head.
As expected of the personal disciple of the Grandmaster.
Even in times like these, he could still remain focused on his martial arts practice.
Throughout the entire martial hall, he was probably the only one like this.
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Author's Note:
This marks the end of Volume One.
Lately, I've been experiencing some writer's block, and I feel like my writing hasn't been great. The pacing might have been a bit rushed, and many areas could have been handled better.
But no matter what, I will reflect, improve, and keep pushing forward!
Also, a huge thank you to everyone for your support and patience along the way! Thank you!!!
(End of the Chapter)
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