Translator: CinderTL
"Is there a limit? I've heard Old Leader Zhang mention something about varying degrees of strength."
That day, a black business vehicle was parked at the entrance of the Dowa Snow Mountain complex, ready to depart.
Chen Feng had already showered and tidied up, once again donning his black down jacket.
Standing beside him, Zhou Wuren took the opportunity to address the question that had been on his mind.
"Everyone's limits are different; there's always some variation."
"Just like some people are born with extraordinary strength—their upper limit is naturally higher. And then there's you, Brother Chen, with your Innate Tyrant Bone. Naturally, your limit surpasses that of ordinary people."
Zhou Wuren's hand was still wrapped in bandages. After speaking a few words, he shook his head helplessly.
"But that's about all I know."
"If you really want to learn more, you can visit the Saint Sect in the future. I'll take you there."
He spoke earnestly, his tone sincere, likely guessing that Chen Feng might already be walking down this path.
As for the conflict from the battle at Xiangshan, Chen Feng had shown restraint, not delivering fatal blows to those two Grandmasters.
In the face of the Pinnacle Realm, such grievances were not irreconcilable, and Zhou Wuren was willing to step forward and guide him.
Chen Feng understood his meaning.
He nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. His feelings toward the Saint Sect were neutral.
Seeing his firmness, Zhou Wuren sighed inwardly but didn't press further. In the end, he could only turn with Chen Feng to look at the many Suro people gathered in the open space of the complex.
Fear, wariness, anger, relief... Gert was nowhere to be seen, but Shiva stood among the crowd, watching him leave with a complex expression.
"Grandmaster Chen, feel free to contact me anytime."
"I've already briefed the people over there. They'll fully cooperate with you when the time comes."
Han Chao stood nearby, seeing them off with a serious tone.
Chen Feng nodded, knowing it was thanks to them that they had managed to narrow down Demon Moon's approximate whereabouts.
However, due to the opponent's bizarre methods and adeptness at disguise, they hadn't acted immediately, waiting for him to make the final decision.
"Until we meet again."
After nodding farewell to Han Chao, he boarded the vehicle with Cao Tong and the others.
Zhou Wuren had originally planned to return to the Red Nation, but upon hearing about the Divine Martial Alliance, he volunteered to accompany Chen Feng.
Vroom! The engine roared to life, and the vehicle drove off.
In his perception, the gazes of the Suro people grew increasingly distant. Chen Feng sat by the window in the back seat, gazing at the endless snow-covered mountains.
Snowflakes drifted down, and the snow lay thick on the ground.
Fighter jets and helicopters occasionally appeared in the sky, and he even spotted the white trails left by some aircraft.
"The Secret Realm..."
Lin Hao had already safely reunited with the Black Crystal Group and was staying at the military base.
This was the news Han Chao had shared with him.
There had been another anomaly there yesterday, and even the electromagnetic signals were disrupted, making it impossible to communicate using ordinary means.
Moreover, it was said that the nearby nodes were extremely unstable, as if they could shift positions at any moment.
Chen Feng shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it further.
The business vehicle drove down the snow-covered mountain along the asphalt road.
On either side of the road, the trees were blanketed in snow, and the lakes were frozen.
Occasionally, black eagles flew overhead, and the falling snowflakes hit the window before slowly melting.
Boom!!! Suddenly, a landslide occurred on a cliff they were passing.
The road behind them was blocked, and Cao Tong and the others in the vehicle turned back curiously.
The path was now obstructed, but they had narrowly avoided it.
"Thankfully, no one was hurt."
Xu Tingxiao remarked with a sigh, patting the shoulder of the young man beside him, who was equally relieved.
The traffic wasn't heavy, as landslides were frequent on both sides of Dowa Snow Mountain, especially in recent times.
Chen Feng suspected that the abnormal energy from the Secret Realm might be the cause, but he couldn't be certain.
The group thus left the snowy mountain area and gradually headed towards a neighboring city.
Soon after they departed, several black off-road vehicles sped towards the mountain at the fork in the road.
A bear-like figure wearing a round hat and a mask was visible, and it was clear that others in the vehicle were armed with heavy firepower.
"Suojia City, one of the central cities of Suro, is located 200 kilometers from Dowa City, close to the southwest direction."
"This place has well-developed waterway transportation, and the Suro River also passes through here, so one can board a ship here to sail to other countries in the southwest of the Eastern Continent, such as Nido, Moguo, and Luoyue."
"Not only Suro people live here, so don't be surprised if you see people from other countries on the road."
Along the way, the military personnel accompanying them in the business vehicle took the initiative to act as guides for Chen Feng and the others, providing information.
"The person from the Divine Martial Alliance has recently been spotted in Suojia City, but she is deeply hidden and proficient in Martial Art Illusion, skilled in disguise and erasing traces."
"So far, we have only found out that she had contact with the Shark Gang in Suojia City in the past two days."
"It is currently confirmed that she is in Suojia City and probably hasn't managed to leave yet."
The military man, named He Jian, was Han Chao's subordinate, around thirty years old, dressed in casual clothes and wearing square glasses, appearing somewhat scholarly.
Chen Feng nodded slightly upon hearing this and then inquired about the Shark Gang.
"The situation in Suro is quite special, with various factions each dominating a region."
"Suojia City is mainly controlled by the Toran Sect, which is different from the Dowa Sect and is more influenced by local business groups."
"Most of the gangs here have the backing of local large corporations and are relatively legalized. The Shark Gang is one of the three largest gangs in the area, alongside the Hurricane and Wild Wolf gangs."
"Their main businesses on the surface are security, transportation, and construction, but in reality, they also engage in usury, casinos, etc. The members are complex, mostly locals from Suro who have been injected with Gene Enhancement Serums, either fully or partially transformed. Of course, there are also some martial arts enforcers."
He Jian from the military provided detailed information, which piqued Xu Tingxiao's curiosity.
"Brother He, are there any True Intent Realm experts among them?"
"There might be."
He Jian flipped through the materials and answered, "These gangs are supported by local business groups, so they can access some secret medicines and martial arts resources more easily than elsewhere."
"But there probably aren't any Grandmasters, and as for Titanium-grade Cyborgs, there likely aren't any either. They mainly rely on injecting enhancement serums, but the potency is limited, reaching at most the Grandmaster Level."
Everyone was surprised upon hearing this, but after some thought, they understood.
Some corporations might not even have Titanium-grade Cyborgs, so technologies of the fourth tier and above would definitely not be handed over to gangs.
"But 'injecting enhancement serums can reach the Grandmaster Level?'" The young Yao Wei, who had been following along, couldn't help but ask, feeling that his understanding had been challenged.
The Grandmaster Level, that is, Inner Strength and True Intent.
His master had practiced martial arts for so long and had only barely reached this level. In other words, wouldn't he be inferior to some people who had injected enhancement serums?
Similarly, Cao Tong and Xu Tingxiao were also curious. Although they were aware of enhancement serums in the Red Nation, they had never heard of them reaching such a level.
"It is possible, but at a great cost."
He Jian adjusted his glasses and didn't hold back.
"Gene Enhancement Serums are actually derived from biological modification technology. However, due to the limitations of immature technology and the lack of special abilities, their strength is limited."
"Theoretically, one could reach the third tier through twenty injections, but not everyone can endure so many enhancements. Even if successful, it would cause significant damage to the body, reducing lifespan by at least a decade."
"Our country enjoys a stable environment with better alternatives, and local councils have special controls in place. Therefore, few people obsessively pursue this path, usually stopping after three to five injections."
Xu Tingxiao and the others nodded in understanding.
Suro's environment was different, often plagued by internal strife and crises, with limited modification capabilities.
Additionally, local factions had lax controls in this area, so naturally, some would take risks for power without martial talent.
Zhou Wuren shook his head, refraining from judgment.
Everyone had their own reasons for seeking strength.
"Is there a Sky Eye here?" Chen Feng asked, looking out the window at the wide river flowing by.
"No."
He Jian replied, seemingly guessing his thoughts.
"However, Grandmaster Chen, this is not our Red Nation. Please consider your actions carefully."
Knowing he was worried about causing trouble, Chen Feng nodded, understanding.
He was only here to find Demon Moon.
As long as everyone cooperated, there wouldn't be too much commotion.
Vroom! The business car accelerated away.
The wide asphalt road stretched on, with the broad river gradually curving around.
The temperature was warmer than at Dowa Snow Mountain, and buildings began to appear on both sides, made of bricks, cement, with glass windows and sealed ceilings.
Occasionally, old-fashioned flat-headed cars could be seen, adding a touch of modernity.
Finally, a bridge appeared.
The Suro River coiled around here like a lurking Giant Python.
In the center of the land, a water city came into view.
---
"Have the routes out of Suro been arranged?"
In a city casino, a woman in a coat, wearing a black veil and sunglasses, appeared and sat across from a Suro man.
Around him, seven or eight men sat or stood, some playing with guns, others with tattoos, all looking fierce.
Yet, the woman in the black veil remained calm, as did her jacket-clad subordinate standing behind her.
"Of course, it's arranged, but..."
Glancing at the two, the middle-aged Suro man in a suit suddenly smiled.
"We need more money."
"Oh?"
"Hehe, the recent sea routes have been turbulent. Taihe City just had a disturbance, and the checkpoints are very strict."
After a moment of silence, the veiled woman coldly asked.
"Name your price."
"Hehe, this much."
The middle-aged man smiled, holding up five fingers, while his gang members either gripped their guns warily or indifferently sized up the two.
"Deal."
Unexpectedly, the other party nodded in agreement.
Everyone was slightly taken aback, and then they saw the woman speak again.
"The price is not an issue, but I need to confirm the route."
"Hehe, aren't you heading to Niduo? Naturally, you'll leave with the group's merchant ship."
"Early morning the day after tomorrow, I've already made the arrangements."
The middle-aged man said with a smile, while the woman across from him frowned.
"The day after tomorrow?"
"That's the earliest possible. There's been a lot of unrest recently, and the higher-ups have ordered a halt to operations for several days."
"Of course, you can choose another option, but I can only tell you that only the group's merchant ship is the safest, and you won't encounter any inspections."
"Even if we run into unrest midway, most factions will let us pass without causing trouble."
After a moment of hesitation, the woman in black veil, for the sake of prudence, finally agreed.
"Alright, pay up."
The middle-aged man urged, and the person behind the woman in black veil placed the suitcase on the table and opened it.
Bundles of cash, a full one million Suro currency.
"Good, straightforward."
The man nodded with a smile, then looked the two up and down.
Without paying attention, she just instructed to keep the agreement, and then left with her subordinates.
"Boss, these two are suspicious, why didn't you squeeze more out of them?"
A subordinate quickly asked, and the man's smile faded as he cursed, "Idiot."
"Daring to come to us like this to discuss matters, do you think they're ordinary people?"
After cursing a couple of times, he put away the cash, intending to store it in the safe.
Then, as if remembering something, he quickly asked another question.
"Has the woman we caught yesterday confessed yet?"
"Not yet, she's too tight-lipped." A subordinate shook his head.
"Worthless, doesn't she have a daughter?"
"Hurry up, I don't believe she won't talk!"
"Yes!"
A subordinate quickly nodded, waving for several people to leave.
Looking sideways, the crowd by the window was congested, and the honking of car horns was incessant.
A forest of high-rises lined the roadside, and a tram slowly passed by. Someone accidentally stepped into a puddle of water and cursed.
"Master Protector, do you really trust the Shark Gang?"
The woman in black veil with sunglasses blended into the crowd with her subordinates. Near the trash bin, a homeless man was dozing off, and some nearby thugs were casting scrutinizing glances.
"I've heard they're ruthless and never let go of their prey. And we can't leave until the day after tomorrow, could he be deceiving us?"
"I've already planted the Illusion Seed, he will arrange everything."
Her tone was cold, cutting him off.
The woman in black veil walked forward without looking back, blending into the crowd with her companion.
"It's just not the right time to kill now."
"Otherwise... it wouldn't be so troublesome."
Tap, tap.
The sound of footsteps mixed with the surrounding noise, yet the people passing by brushed past her without any impression.
Including the sound of her voice, it was completely unnoticed.
Finally, a black crow flew over from the sky and perched on an old utility pole.
Its dark pupils reflected everything in the city, the hustle and bustle all captured within.
The elderly figure who had managed to follow paused his steps near the casino, looking at the tide of people, his brow slightly furrowed.
As if sensing something, he looked up along the utility pole by the road.
The black crow pecked at its feathers, then cawed and flew away.
"He really knows how to hide."
Pei Pokong's eyes flashed with a sharp light, realizing he had missed his chance once again.
Buzz! Buzz!
At that very moment, his phone vibrated.
He took it out and opened it, a smile spreading across his face as he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Finally, it's here."
(End of the Chapter)
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