CHAPTER 116: CHAPTER 116 - A CD_1

Qin Guanglu left after learning the truth. Wang Zhan hadn’t hidden it from him merely because his hair had turned white.

And, just as Wang Zhan expected, though heartbroken, Qin Guanglu’s mental fortitude had been forged to the resilience of iron through endless death and war.

He uttered only a single sentence—a whisper, a cry of pain, a roar of utter exhaustion.

"Humankind shall never be enslaved..."

This was the fate of humanity and the destiny of the Federation’s countless cities, large and small, that guarded the frontlines. Then, he departed.

In gratitude for Wang Zhan’s contributions to the Giant City, the higher-ups had decided to reward his Chu State Military Martial Academy Team. The reward consisted of ten thousand points and a set of standard-issue equipment crafted from the remains of an upper-class Soldier-level beast.

But Wang Zhan refused. He isn’t the hero; he’s just a student. The true heroes are Qin Guanglu’s deceased son, Qin Yuan, or the countless parents in the Federation who have lost their children.

Ultimately, he accepted Qin Guanglu’s invitation to stay and recuperate in the Giant City for a week.

Yao Yao had other mission commitments. So, on her second day in the Giant City, she bid farewell to Wang Zhan. She couldn’t allow herself to indulge in her time with him, lest she stagnate. She would only end up trailing behind him again, perhaps even unable to catch a glimpse of his shadow.

"Bro, you’re incredible! Crippled like this, and you still made it out of the Death Forest. You’re a total badass!"

Atop a building of long corridors, bathed in the bright moonlight, a dark-faced, lively, and curious boy of about ten gazed at Wang Zhan with worshipful eyes.

Even in a wheelchair, Wang Zhan—so deeply respected by the boy’s father and uncles—was his true hero.

Wang Zhan retorted with a laughing curse.

"You little rascal, where did you pick up such foul language? And just so you know, I wasn’t bald back in the Death Forest. Let me tell you, back then, I could take on ten upper-class Soldier-level beasts at once!"

"Yeah, I know you’re super strong, Bro! Bro, why don’t you be my idol? My Teacher said people need to admire something to get stronger!"

Wang Zhan paused. It’s true, people need to admire something to grow faster. So, what does he admire?

His mother, Yang Cui? Truthfully, while Wang Zhan didn’t exactly ’admire’ her in that way, she had always been his role model. Moreover, Li Chengyuan had kept his promise that nothing unexpected would happen to his mother. He had indeed done so. The consequence was that Wang Zhan could only video call his mother like a paralyzed invalid, resting his head on Yao Yao’s pillow.

His sister, Wang Qi? No, no, no. She’s his sister, the one who always had his back during his childhood mischief, his staunchest supporter who doted on him endlessly.

Wang Yidao? Utter nonsense. He’s never even met the man.

Li Chengyuan? Hmm, just average.

Old Duan? Too crude. Better for him to just remain his mentor...

「It was Wang Zhan’s third day staying in the Giant City.」

「Inside the Death Forest.」

"Faster, all of you, faster! Song Dongming, didn’t you eat breakfast? Huang Pufeng, are you dawdling because you need to be breastfed? Chen Mengshu, what in the world are you doing? I told you to attack its head, not give it a manicure! Didn’t you hear me?"

With Mingyue’s arrival, the Chu State Military Martial Academy Team seemed even more frenzied than when Chen Mengshu had been fighting. And given how venomous Mingyue’s tongue was, nearly everyone was miserable but could only endure it.

In truth, Song Dongming, now a level 1 Warrior, was already exerting all his strength. Huang Pufeng, terrified, desperately dodged the horn of the upper-class Soldier-level beast before him. Chen Mengshu felt even more wronged; she had clearly aimed for the beast’s head, but who knew it would suddenly turn, causing her full-powered strike to land on its body, completely failing to budge it.

They were just three fledgling level 1 Warriors. In the Martial Arts Academy, they were, at best, considered somewhat seasoned rookies. How could they possibly be qualified for such dangerous tasks? Not unless they were like Wang Zhan—that money-grubbing, reckless fighter who would risk his life for kills and loot.

Naturally, they didn’t dare retort. They just kept attacking the upper-class Soldier-level beast, terrified that a careless blow might leave it with only its last breath—and then Mingyue, who was supposedly ’teaming up’ with them, would land a similar blow on *them*.

Just then, Sun Kelan and the two others on lookout duty simultaneously received a notification on their personal terminals.

"Wang Zhan, leader of the Chu State Military Martial Academy Team, took command in a perilous situation. Facing death and suffering grievous wounds, he ultimately completed the mission with excellence, making a significant contribution to the Federation. As such, the team is hereby awarded 10,000 ranking points!"

The three of them stared, wide-eyed and mouths agape. Dumbfounded, they watched as the Chu State Military Martial Academy Team’s previously stagnant score suddenly skyrocketed. It eventually surpassed the second-ranked Yanjing Military Martial Academy by threefold, leaving them completely in the dust.

"What do you think you’re doing? Did I assign you to lookout duty so you could space out, play cards, and throw a party?"

Mingyue, her expression icy, strode over, her gaze sharp as she fixed it on the three.

Sun Kelan abruptly felt a chill and snapped to attention. A hint of excitement on his face, he reported loudly,

"Reporting to Mentor! We have news of our team captain! Requesting Mentor to bring Wang Zhan back to the team!"

Hearing this, Song Dongming and his two companions, who were still besieging the upper-class Soldier-level beast, nearly lost focus. Mingyue barked at them sharply,

"Losing focus on the battlefield is a cardinal sin for warriors! Do you want your captain to collect your corpses from my hands?"

After reassigning everyone’s tasks, Mingyue quietly moved to the side, continuing to observe and protect the group. Only then did her beautiful eyes narrow in thought as she deeply recalled everything about Wang Zhan from his file.

The Federation’s third-ranked genius... once rejected offers from the ’Big Four.’ It was thought he’d fade into obscurity after joining Chu State Military Martial Academy, yet in just his freshman year, his strength advanced rapidly, and his reputation soared...

「At the same time.」

A set of messages, encrypted by the Military Department and delivered with utmost dispatch by its couriers, swiftly reached Ao City and was placed into the hands of Yun Tianyi and Edward.

The message’s contents were simple: a single, crude optical disc. Its data could be easily wiped if an incorrect password was entered even once.

Yet, after viewing the disc’s contents, Yun Tianyi and Edward could no longer remain calm. It was as if they were witnessing a brilliant new Star of the Federation slowly ascending.

It was the final scene: Wang Zhan, with a single slash of his blade, killing Yuan Shisan, an expert of the Martial General Realm from the Original Organization.

The Fatal One Slash, inherited from Wang Yidao and now displayed by Wang Zhan, manifested as a dazzling yet devastating beam of deadly light. It persisted until Yuan Shisan was completely bisected.

"This... How is this possible? Yuan Shisan is already a Martial General! That kid is only at the cultivation of a level 2 Warrior. How could such a miracle happen?"

Edward, Dean of the Royal Martial Arts Academy and one of the Federation’s four great leaders, simply couldn’t comprehend it, despite his vast experience in countless wars. He reacted like any ordinary old man.

Yun Tianyi, his expression grave with Solemnity, stared intently at Wang Zhan on the screen. After a long silence, he whispered,

"Wang Zhan is also a Martial General. Though I don’t know how he achieved it, that doesn’t change the fact he could directly kill Yuan Shisan. Don’t forget his extraordinary Talent. At the same realm, unless the level disparity is too great, no one can be his match."

Edward’s azure eyes narrowed sharply. Martial General?

As the two were still processing this news from the Military Department, a prominent face suddenly appeared on the screen, his expression stern.

"Long time no see, Yun Tianyi, Edward!"

"Li Chengyuan?..."

Half an hour later, Yun Tianyi and Edward emerged from the secret room, their expressions grave and their steps heavy, clearly indicating they had discussed matters of great import.

They exchanged a look, then Yun Tianyi said gravely,

"Since the Military Department has made its decision, we shall await further news. For now, summon Liu Zhenfeng and Lv Zhenglong. Those two rascals are Wang Zhan’s direct deans; they need to be involved."

"Agreed!"

「Half a day later.」

A meticulously planned video was released onto the Federation’s public network.

The footage was from the same secret recording Yun Tianyi and the others had received from the Military Department. This time, however, no measures were taken to keep it confidential; it was simply prepared and released to the public.

In the video, Wang Zhan stood with his blade drawn, his features obscured. The Liyun Blade in his hand emanated a palpable, sharp chill and a formidable aura.

Opposite him was a figure in black, apparently preparing to flee. But then, an intense light flared, nearly engulfing the entire screen. A trench, roughly a meter deep and half a meter wide, suddenly appeared on the ground, which was littered with leaves, weeds, and branches.

The man in black, who should have been beyond the attack’s range, at the very limit of the blade’s reach and poised to escape, froze abruptly in place.

The accompanying caption was brief and powerful:

"A young prodigy of the Federation, accepting a Military Order in a time of crisis. Ambushed en route, he fought desperately, slaying the dark hand behind the scenes with a single slash in the Death Forest. This is a miracle for our entire Federation!"

Then, with a sickening CRACK, the body split in two. Everyone watching the video fell into a stunned, absolute silence. You could have heard a pin drop.

As Yun Tianyi and the others had been instructed not to restrict the audience, Federation’s people of all ages witnessed the awe-inspiring might of the Federation’s peak combat power on their screens for the first time. The brilliant blade, the piercing killing intent, and the frenetic visuals firmly cemented the image of the blade-wielding expert on a divine pedestal in their minds.

Meanwhile, those powerful figures of unfathomable strength perceived the dazzling brilliance concealed within that single slash. If any of them were in the expert’s place, they could likely replicate the destructive scene. However, none were confident they could kill the black-clothed man from a hundred meters away with such a single, clean cut—a cut so perfect it seemed as if time itself had paused for those few seconds.

This proved one thing unequivocally: the swordsman’s control over his power was far superior to their own! Consequently, the release of this meticulously edited video sent the entire Federation into an uproar.

Everyone was desperate to know: Who exactly was he?