The Triangle, comprising only three contiguous territories: Taizhou in Southeast Asia, the state of Myanmar, and the state of Laos, forms a geographical tripartite zone.

Because most of this region consists of rugged mountains soaring above a thousand meters, characterized by a hot climate, abundant rainfall, and fertile soil perfectly suited for poppy cultivation, compounded by dense jungle, treacherous roads, and fiercely independent local customs, each of the three states harbors its own agenda. None wished to expend excessive strength crushing the Golden Triangle, thereby diminishing their influence within the Federation.

Furthermore, certain elements within these three states maintain deep ties with the Golden Triangle, entangled by significant overlapping interests.

They were fully aware that this area constituted one of the Federation’s primary production bases, yet they refrained from dispatching troops for a full-scale siege and eradication.

After all, given the current technological prowess of the Federation, even considering the Golden Triangle’s rugged terrain and dense jungles, they could easily deploy vast numbers of [Jungle Rangers]—small, highly mobile armored units standing just over two meters tall, perfectly suited for jungle and mountain warfare—to sweep through the region.

Through the deliberate laxity of the three states, the warlords of the Golden Triangle had not only amassed numerous martial arts masters but had also spent fortunes acquiring a significant number of [Jungle Rangers] through various channels to equip their private armies.

Should the Federation decide to intervene, it would require considerable effort.

However, the Federation currently lacked the capacity to focus heavily on this area, as far more critical matters demanded their attention.

The Golden Triangle: this was a sanctuary, a paradise where criminals could evade government capture.

It was also a hellscape; escaping here did not guarantee true safety, for this was a den of wolves. If you were a wolf and earned the acknowledgment of the surrounding packs, you might survive.

But should they discover you were merely a sheep cloaked in wolf’s hide, they would unhesitatingly pounce and savagely tear apart the wolf-disguised sheep.

Therefore, very few criminals dared flee here, because most criminals were simply weaklings. Arriving here often meant being brutally killed by others.

Qin Fen had these files memorized to perfection.

At this moment, dressed head-to-toe in camouflage fatigues, he stood on a street in the province of Luang Namtha, in Laos, observing the flow of passersby.

In Luang Namtha, people dressed like him were ubiquitous: camouflage fatigues, a pistol tucked into the waistband—this was the standard attire for anyone who had just fled into Luang Namtha from outside.

The only reason he drew extra glances from the locals was the presence beside him of Lin Ling, also clad in camouflage. A man fleeing into Luang Namtha accompanied by a stunning beauty was not a common sight, and for two people so young, it was even rarer.

Their hands were not clasped. Anyone experienced could discern that both were maintaining a state of slight, tense readiness. A mere rustle of wind, and they could instantly transition into combat.

Having entered Luang Namtha three days ago, Qin Fen and Lin Ling had remained hidden in their small inn. This was their first day venturing out.

In truth, they had been eager to start their mission quickly, but operating under the mindset of fugitives, immediately approaching an organization to pledge allegiance upon arriving in a new, unfamiliar place was clearly unnatural.

For those who had just escaped pursuit, maintaining a hyper-vigilant, startled state—hiding and assessing the situation—was the correct approach.

After three days cooped up, the pair finally stepped onto the street and exhaled deeply.

This established a plausible cover for any future investigation; the elapsed three days would appear completely normal.

For another three days, they wandered the streets, occasionally lowering their voices to ask locals simple questions.

On the morning of the seventh day since entering Luang Namtha, someone knocked on their door.

The knocker was the proprietor of the small inn. His expression was decidedly sour.

Of course, a landlord would rarely be cheerful dealing with guests who were behind on their rent and appeared to possess no means of repayment.

“Can you grant me a few more days’ grace?” Qin Fen asked cautiously.

“No! I’ll lose more money this way,” the stout innkeeper, whose face was rough and dark-skinned, shook his head resolutely. “You must settle what you owe me now! If you truly have no capacity to pay…”

The innkeeper’s lecherous eyes raked greedily over Lin Ling’s graceful figure.

Some things needed no verbal articulation; a mere look sufficed.

Before the innkeeper could finish his appraisal, someone blocked his view. A thick, powerful hand clamped hard around his throat, lifting him bodily off the ground by a single hand.

“Look again, and I’ll kill you.”

Having experienced battlefields where life and death were determined in an instant, Qin Fen’s eyes held not a trace of pity. His cold gaze and voice resembled those of a wounded beast.

“Hng… Hng…”

The innkeeper’s face flushed purple with strain, his legs kicking uselessly in the air, his head nodding frantically.

Qin Fen tossed him onto the floor with profound contempt. Watching the man cough violently, he spoke again, his voice hard, “I dared to kill Federation police and soldiers; what’s one more to me?”

The innkeeper, sprawled on the floor, rubbed his neck incessantly. He had seen plenty of ruthless desperados before, men he usually dared to shout down and order around.

But today…

For some reason, when the innkeeper met Qin Fen’s eyes, an overwhelming fear seized him, robbing him of the courage to meet that gaze.

“You… you…”

The innkeeper managed two sputtering “you’s” before whispering plaintively, “But you still owe me money…”

“I will pay,” Qin Fen replied, impatience coloring his tone. “I’m short on funds right now, and I haven’t found a way to earn any yet.”

“You’re so tough…” the innkeeper ventured tentatively, “You could try fighting in the ring. Go fight at [Bloody Frenzy]. If you win, there’s a prize purse, and you might even catch the eye of a General who could recruit you…”

General? Qin Fen knew that was the title used within the Golden Triangle for anyone holding significant military authority. For instance, Wang Hao was called General Wang here because he commanded over a thousand men.

As for [Bloody Frenzy], it was the most famous location for underground fighting rings in Luang Namtha.

Of course, in Luang Namtha, there was no underground fighting ring.

The [Bloody Frenzy] here operated completely in the open, featuring elaborate arenas and high-class spectator seating.

It was unlike other places in the Federation where death matches required finding a desolate spot and setting up a crude stage.

Here, everything was formalized and systematized.

Yet, this very formality was a violation of Federation law.

“[Bloody Frenzy]?” Qin Fen, though intimately familiar with the details, feigned ignorance. He had made a show of being financially destitute these past few days precisely to prompt the innkeeper to mention these avenues.

“[Bloody Frenzy], in the parlance of the outside world, is a fight to the death,” the innkeeper regained a little composure. “Once you step into the ring, if you are unlucky after defeat, you might die. If you’re lucky, you’ll be crippled. They won’t be intimidated just because you boast about killing Federation police or soldiers. If you’re a coward, perhaps you shouldn’t go.”

After delivering those last two provocative words, Qin Fen immediately sensed the innkeeper’s heartbeat accelerate. The disdainful smirk that had previously flashed across his face returned. Such a simple goading tactic?

The innkeeper maintained a facade of challenge, but the corners of his eyes and mouth couldn't conceal a smile. Seeing Qin Fen’s expression, he knew his guest had taken the bait and would certainly participate in [Bloody Frenzy]. In that case, regardless of whether the guest lived or died, the landlord would secure a referral fee.

If the guest died, it would be even better!

The innkeeper began to fantasize: when only the female guest remained, she would surely be timid and helpless, making it easy to get his hands on that woman with the perfect figure and looks, to play with her however he pleased.

The thought of sexually abusing such a desirable woman caused a distinct physical change below the innkeeper’s belt.

Suddenly, Qin Fen lunged forward, grabbing the innkeeper by the collar and hoisting him high once more.

This abrupt action startled the innkeeper. He feared his fantasy had been discovered, and the area that had just begun to react immediately went limp from fright.

“Take me to [Bloody Frenzy]. I will earn the money to pay you back.”

Qin Fen’s icy voice simultaneously terrified the innkeeper and offered a strange sense of relief. Terror stemmed from the cold that permeated his very bones; relief came from the realization that his fantasy had gone unnoticed.

Believing he had remained undetected, he slipped back into his daydream. However, this time, there was no subsequent hardening; the recent shock seemed to have caused a temporary affliction.

“Good… good…”

His feet touching the ground again, the innkeeper nodded repeatedly, his eyes burning with murderous rage. He had begun to genuinely hate this young man for causing his arousal to fail temporarily, wondering if this issue would persist.

If that were the case… the innkeeper started calculating whether he might have to rely on pharmaceuticals in the future.

The prospect of this potential future misery fueled his intense hatred for Qin Fen, making him itch to tear him apart. He abandoned any further attempt at goading and simply led the pair out of the inn, ushering them into his dilapidated car as they sped down the jarring roads.

[Bloody Frenzy] was not far from the inn—about a half-hour’s drive. This proximity was precisely why Qin Fen had chosen this lodging; it offered the most convenient access to this environment.

Arriving at what the innkeeper called [Bloody Frenzy], Qin Fen, despite his thorough study of the materials, was still startled by the sheer size of the structure.

The building’s height was unremarkable, only about fifteen stories.

But its footprint reminded Qin Fen of a structure from long, long ago in Shengjing.

The [Nest]!

The sheer ground coverage of this building was scarcely smaller than the now-historic [Bird’s Nest].

The exterior of the building offered no hint of opulence or grandeur. On the contrary! True to its name, the building’s surface was smeared everywhere with bloodstains.

“Heh heh, this blood on the building is from the boxers who died fighting,” the innkeeper once again adopted his provocative expression. “If you’re afraid of death, you can still back out now.”

Qin Fen ignored the babble and kicked the man hard in the backside, sending him tumbling through the entrance of [Bloody Frenzy].

Qin Fen did not enter immediately. He stood at the doorway, drawing a deep breath, closing his eyes to absorb the surrounding atmosphere.

Even separated by thick walls, someone with exceptional martial senses could easily detect the pervasive aura of blood and killing intent emanating from within the massive structure.

Slowly opening his eyes, Qin Fen stepped across the threshold of [Bloody Frenzy].

In that instant, he knew he had crossed the boundary between life and death.

Here, there was no sparring.

Here, there was only survival.

In the fight, anyone could die.

But if he feared this place, what spirit would he have left to confront Song Wendong’s aggressive stance?