Translator: CinderTL
"Are you staying behind?"
The convoy temporarily halted at the potholed cement square.
Chen Feng looked at Xu Tingxiao and the young man named Yao Wei in front of him, somewhat surprised.
"Yes, Senior Brother."
"This little guy is quite stubborn. He wants to finish paying his respects to his master today before he's willing to come with us."
Worried that Chen Feng might refuse, Xu Tingxiao quickly added, "I thought I'd stay and keep an eye on him. Dowa City isn't too far from here. If we set off tomorrow, we'll definitely make it in time."
As he spoke, the young man beside him lowered his head slightly, not daring to look at Chen Feng.
Chen Feng's calm expression carried a certain authority, and the hidden hint of aggression in his eyes was somewhat scorching.
"Just you alone?"
Chen Feng frowned, and Xu Tingxiao's heart skipped a beat, thinking he was unwilling.
But the next second.
"Old Zhou, could you have your disciple stay an extra day?"
Xu Tingxiao was only at the Third Level of Inner Strength. If something unexpected happened, he might not be able to handle it.
"Of course."
Zhou Wuren readily agreed, and Xu Tingxiao's worries dissipated, realizing he had overthought it.
Senior Brother might seem cold, but he had a warm heart. He just looked intimidating.
Tap tap!
Soon, the sound of military boots hitting the ground echoed, and a spare black car separated from the convoy.
"Grandmaster Chen, I'll leave two people here as well."
"It'll make it easier for Brother Xu and the others to catch up with us tomorrow."
Han Chao's voice came through the communication module, doing his best to show goodwill.
He had already confirmed that the Red General he was following hadn't made a move, so he had a vague guess.
"Alright."
Chen Feng didn't hesitate, simply patting Xu Tingxiao on the shoulder.
"Be careful."
After saying this, he glanced at the young man who was still looking down.
Finally, he ruffled the boy's head before getting into the car.
Beside him, Cao Tong grinned and quickly handed a backpack filled with tools and supplies to Xu Tingxiao, also giving him a few words of advice.
The convoy slowly drove off, with the young man and the teenager waving as they watched it leave.
"That little guy, are you planning to take him into the Flame Tiger Sect?"
Lin Hao asked on the way, no longer dwelling on the previous matter.
Chen Feng nodded, quite admiring the stubbornness of the young man named Yao Wei.
Moreover, now that he was close to breaking through to the Pinnacle Realm, he naturally understood things like bone assessment.
Yao Wei had good talent, even quite close to Xu Tingxiao's.
With proper training, achieving True Intent wouldn't be difficult.
Of course, the premise was that he had to investigate further, just in case the boy was also putting on an act.
Hum! Meanwhile, as the two conversed.
The convoy gradually picked up speed, leaving Pula City and heading north.
On both sides of the asphalt-hardened road, buildings became fewer, and fields crisscrossed in patches.
In the depths of winter, no one was working in the fields, and in the distance, a tall mountain appeared at the end of the road.
Frost and snow adorned its peak, visible from afar.
Layers of mist drifted around it, and below, a dense cluster of buildings stood in orderly rows.
Further down, the straight road stretched forward like an arrow, with occasional yellow road signs standing by the roadside, catching the eye.
"Dowa City, one of the central cities in northern Suro."
"Built near Dowa Snow Mountain, a famous snowy region in the Eastern Continent."
Someone in the convoy volunteered to explain, and Chen Feng saw several fighter jets flying toward the mountain.
"That must be the Suro military."
"It's said that the largest energy node of the Secret Realm is near Dowa Snow Mountain, and the situation there is quite tense. There are also people from the Platinum Federation," Lin Hao speculated, guessing that this might be the reason why the Dowa Sect was being uncooperative and deliberately testing the waters.
The convoy continued to move forward, and gradually, more buildings and houses appeared around them, clearly much better than those in Pula City. Most of the structures were made of concrete, with buildings gradually growing taller. Company name signs hung on the walls, and there were traffic lights at major intersections.
However, this scenery didn't last long.
As the vehicles passed through the city at the foot of the mountain and headed towards the mountainside, the houses began to revert to a more retro appearance. Black tiles and red bricks, with carved beams and pillars. Each household had small statues placed around, giving off a mysterious aura.
Frost and snow began to appear on the rooftops, and black eagles could be seen circling overhead.
"It's getting a bit cold," Lin Hao muttered from the back seat, quickly putting on the thick down jacket he had prepared.
Chen Feng didn't respond, only glancing at his phone. It had vibrated once on the road. When he opened it, the message was naturally from Grandmaster Flying Eagle.
[Grandmaster Flying Eagle: Grandmaster Chen, I've found traces of Demon Moon in Taihe City.]
[She seems to want to leave Suro, but it's not going smoothly.]
Upon seeing the message, Chen Feng's gaze sharpened.
"Where is Taihe City?" he asked.
Lin Hao was momentarily stunned, and everyone turned to look at the driver. He was a Red Nation official stationed here and was quite familiar with Suro, so he quickly replied.
"It's in the southernmost part of Suro, near the Niduo Kingdom."
"But it's very chaotic there, and the border security is tight."
After a detailed explanation, it became clear that Suro was quite large, though not as vast as the Red Nation, it was still considered expansive.
Lin Hao caught the underlying meaning and looked at Chen Feng.
"What's going on?"
"It's about the Divine Martial Alliance," Chen Feng said briefly, as he had previously asked Lin Hao to investigate this matter before finally handing it over to Grandmaster Flying Eagle.
"Are you going there?"
Chen Feng remained silent for a moment. He wanted to go and deal with Demon Moon, but the Martial Arts Exchange was scheduled for tomorrow, and there was no way he could make it there and back in time.
"Grandmaster Chen, if you need anything, feel free to tell Captain Han," the driver offered proactively.
Chen Feng thought for a moment and then nodded. His cooperation with the military had always included this intention, but he hadn't brought it up before due to the lack of leads.
Immediately, he bypassed the public communication module and privately messaged Han Chao.
[Han Chao: No problem, Grandmaster Chen. You can focus on preparing for the competition here.]
[I'll notify the team and send a fourth-tier Cyborg and a special operations squad to assist Grandmaster Flying Eagle in tracking this person and try to bring her in.]
The response was straightforward and prompt, and Chen Feng's brows relaxed.
Just then, the convoy gradually slowed down and arrived at a flat area on the mountainside. A thin layer of frost and snow covered the ground, and a grand building stood there. It somewhat resembled the large temple style of the Red Nation, with a yellow and white exterior. The plaque hanging above the gate was inscribed with Suro script, which was difficult for ordinary people to understand.
The gray stone brick ground in front of the gate had been cleared, and several cars were parked nearby. Perhaps due to prior notice, there were already many people waiting in the parking area.
Click! The convoy came to a stop, and the car doors opened.
Chen Feng and the others stepped out of the vehicles one by one. A cold wind blew, stinging their noses, and the frost and snow beneath their feet quickly chilled their shoes. The distant peak of the snow-capped mountain was now clearly visible. The roofs of the buildings were covered in a foot of snow, and armed Suro soldiers with martial arts foundations were stationed around, maintaining vigilance.
"Captain Han Chao, thank you for your hard work. Please, this way."
"Are these the grandmasters from your esteemed nation?"
One by one, the Suro language was translated into the syllables of the Red Nation. Chen Feng glanced briefly and saw that most of the greeters were Suro people, dressed in respectable overcoats or fur-lined jackets, their complexions ruddy and their breaths steady.
However, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.
The waiting crowd had varied expressions—some were smiling, others were indifferent; some extended their hands, while others remained reserved.
But soon, when they saw the pale-faced Walong step out of the car, many of their expressions changed. They hurriedly sent people to assist him, quickly inquiring.
"It was a cyborg," Walong said in a gloomy tone, his voice filled with certainty. "The people of the Red Nation are too cunning. They hid a fifth-tier cyborg in Pula City and used a force field to suppress me."
"If it weren't for that, I should have already tested that person's strength. As he spoke, he glanced at Chen Feng, his eyes shadowy, feeling a tightness in his chest. The previous experience had been utterly humiliating.
Chen Feng ignored this and instead looked toward the woman who had emerged through the crowd.
She was dressed in a black martial arts uniform adorned with Mandala patterns, draped with a white jacket.
Her skin was a yellowish-black, yet it appeared refined. Her eyes were bright, and she smiled generously.
"Grandmaster Chen, we meet again," Shiva said with a respectful smile, extending her hand.
Chen Feng frowned. He had initially thought that her earlier apology in the Red Nation was merely a facade, and that she was actually in cahoots with Walong and the others.
"Haha, it seems someone has upset Grandmaster Chen," Shiva said, not at all bothered by his refusal to shake her hand. Instead, she smiled calmly, casting a somewhat gloating glance toward Walong in the distance.
This only deepened Chen Feng's confusion, but given the situation, he couldn't press further.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, his senses sharpened.
A faint trace of malice appeared.
His gaze passed through the crowd, landing on a figure standing in the corridor of the building, leaning against a beam.
The man appeared to be in his late thirties, wearing a black cloak and a round cap on his head.
A pseudo-pinnacle realm master? Chen Feng raised an eyebrow slightly, faintly sensing the fluctuations in the other's aura.
Their eyes met, and the man gave a indifferent glance before turning and leaving.
"That's Gert, my senior brother, and currently the strongest in our Mandala Style," Shiva explained generously, noticing Chen Feng's gaze. "He and Walong are known as the Suro Twin Stars of our martial arts world. Both have been personally summoned by the Mountain Ancestor and are among the most likely to break through to the pinnacle realm." She actively offered some details, carefully observing Chen Feng's expression, hoping to glean some insight."
Unfortunately, he remained calm and instead asked, "Mountain Ancestor?""
"The only pinnacle realm master in Suro, who resides in our Dowa Snow Mountain," Shiva said proudly. Chen Feng nodded in understanding.
The martial arts sects of Suro held an extremely high status locally, and with the entire nation's support, it was only natural that they would produce a pinnacle realm master.
Without further questions, he followed Han Chao and the others into the snow mountain building, with Shiva by his side the whole time, trying to engage him in conversation.
"Grandmaster Chen, I heard you've recently made another move?"
"Have you met Yang Wudi? That pinnacle realm master from your Red Nation?"
"Grandmaster Chen, the martial arts exchange is tomorrow. What do you think of Walong? How many moves would it take to defeat him?"
It seemed like casual conversation, but it also felt like probing. Shiva seemed to suspect that his strength might not be what it appeared.
Chen Feng responded with simple nods throughout, until finally, he was led to the guest area in the rear hall. There were over a dozen empty rooms here, but all were shared by two people.
Bang! The door closed, instantly cutting off the noise from outside.
Shiva stomped her foot and had no choice but to leave. Meanwhile, Lin Hao, who was also in the room, laughed heartily.
"You're quite something, aren't you?"
"That Shiva is the daughter of the Dowa Sect leader. You didn't see it, but countless men in Suro were practically drooling over her."
As he set down his backpack, he teased with a smile, suggesting that Chen Feng should have gone with the flow.
Chen Feng glanced at him, then looked around at the room's decor.
Two beds were pressed against the walls, covered with plush blankets, and the red quilts were thick.
A redwood table stood in the room, and the ceiling was adorned with intricate wooden carvings.
After sensing no eavesdropping devices, he relaxed slightly and turned his gaze to the snowy mountain scenery outside the window.
At the same time, his perception quietly expanded, gradually enveloping everything around him.
---
"Walong, are you sure it was a cyborg who did it?"
In another part of the building, within a quiet room.
Walong and the senior officer from earlier were present, along with the gray-robed Grandmaster who had been at the cement square.
"I'm certain, it had to be a Fifth-Tier Cyborg!"
Walong's face was still pale, and his tone was filled with resentment.
Kneeling in public was a humiliation he would never forget.
Seeing his agitation, the middle-aged man who had asked the question shook his head, then turned to the senior officer named Putney.
"What do you think?"
"No traces of a cyborg were found. I think there are only two possibilities."
With a serious expression, he spoke earnestly: "Either the cyborg from the Red Nation used some advanced cloaking device, or there was never a cyborg involved at all."
He didn't shy away from Walong's presence, and the latter snorted coldly, immediately retorting.
"If it wasn't a Fifth-Tier Cyborg, who could have humiliated me like that?"
"I know what you're implying—the Essence of the Pinnacle Realm? But have you seen how young that guy is?"
"Not even twenty-four years old, and already at the Pinnacle Realm? Do you believe that?"
At these words, the middle-aged man who had asked the question fell into thought.
He had an ordinary appearance, with a crew cut.
But his eyebrows were extremely faint, almost nonexistent, and his wide-collared fur jacket gave him a somewhat gloomy air.
"Breaking through to the Pinnacle Realm isn't easy. In all of Suro, we only have one Mountain Ancestor, and the Red Nation has just a handful."
"I think Walong's guess is probably correct."
The gray-robed Grandmaster chimed in, and Walong's expression eased slightly.
"Besides, the equipment and instruments provided by the Platinum Federation aren't necessarily reliable. They're just using us."
"The level of technology we've received over the years has been relatively low, so it's normal that we couldn't detect any traces."
He speculated further, and Putney, the senior officer, frowned but didn't argue back.
"Alright, let's proceed with this assumption for now."
"The outcome of tomorrow's exchange is significant. The Mountain Ancestor is paying close attention to this matter and hopes we can perform at our best."
"When the time comes, follow the plan exactly, and make sure nothing goes wrong."
The middle-aged man reminded them again, and Walong remained silent for a moment.
Seeing his reluctance, the gray-robed Grandmaster sighed.
"Walong, Gert has already taken that half step."
"The Red Nation only sent two people this time, which surely means they're hiding something. But as long as we can help him test their hidden cards, we will undoubtedly win this battle."
As the words fell, Walong's expression darkened, and he eventually turned and left the quiet room.
The sound of clenched fists cracking came with the wind. The three people inside the room exchanged glances, ultimately shaking their heads in resignation.
Both are Suro Twin Stars.
Yet, there is still a gap between them.
(End of the Chapter)
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