West Asia. Two generals from Africa stared silently at the raw recruits beside them. Not only the air combat rookies had arrived today; even the new members of the Mechanized Armor units were present, eager to witness Qin Fen's battle.

However, no one had expected Qin Fen to win, and to win so cleanly—so decisively that it instilled a bitter sense of despair in the hearts of his other opponents just watching.

In the quiet arena, the rookies from Africa and West Asia exchanged silent glances. Qin Fen's maneuvers were inscrutable. His hand speed wasn't astonishing, yet somehow, it gave one the feeling of utter impotence against him.

Concede? The West Asian and African commanders shook their heads inwardly. Qin Fen had single-handedly swept the American rookie air combat team today. If they bowed down to him now, the slight momentum gained from his previous two losses would vanish entirely. Instead, their morale would erupt like a volcano, reaching unprecedented heights, consequently boosting the fighting spirit of the entire Asian rookie contingent.

The Rookie Games comprised more than just these events. Electronic countermeasures, battleship command simulations, and other contests existed—realms Qin Fen had not yet touched. To announce surrender now would inevitably crush the morale of the rookies participating in those events.

To fight? The lips of the West Asian and African generals curved into bitter smiles. How could they possibly contend? If Qin Fen could solidly sweep the American team with one hand, he could naturally sweep the West Asian and African teams, whose strength was comparable to America's. Losing one match was minor, but being wiped out by one person using only one arm—and that person being an opponent engaging the General level—the blow to morale would be devastating, affecting every competing team from their respective continents.

“What? Are the West Asian and African military regions afraid to fight?” Weil’s eyes lifted slightly. “If you’re scared, why don’t both air combat teams engage Qin Fen together for a spar? Surely you haven't lost the courage for two teams to fight him at once?”

The two West Asian and African Major Generals exchanged another look. Two air combat teams meant ten aircraft. The exponential increase in combat power when combining air fleets wasn't a simple one plus one equals two equation. Could both teams together succeed? Doubt clouded the faces of the West Asian and African commanders. It was genuinely hard to say. If they still lost to Qin Fen, the humiliation would be far greater than that suffered by the American air combat team. Refuse to fight? If both allied forces dared not face Qin Fen, news of this refusal would spread, and the resulting blow to morale would likely be just as severe.

To fight? Or not to fight? The West Asian and African generals glared fiercely at Weil. This American general was utterly malicious.

“Cough… cough…”

Major General Landry of Africa coughed deeply twice. His skin, darker than coal, now carried a faint blush. “Rookie Qin Fen from East Asia,” Landry coughed again. “The fundamental purpose of the Rookie Games is to foster the capabilities of new recruits from the various continental military regions through competition. If you engage a single team, whether West Asian or African, they might struggle to gain the opportunity for advancement. If possible, how about our African and West Asian air combat teams form a joint squad to spar with you?”

Landry stared intensely at Qin Fen, a flicker of undetectable worry crossing his eyes at lightning speed.

The West Asian general remained expressionless, his heart taut with tension, silently pleading to the deities of his faith, hoping Qin Fen would refuse this challenge, which appeared unbalanced due to the superior numbers on the opposing side.

“Kid,” Old Man Zhao whispered close to Qin Fen’s ear, “Don’t push yourself too hard. If you can’t manage it, just skip it.”

Landry and the West Asian general watched Zhao Hu Zi’s low murmur, momentarily on the verge of embracing the whiskered man they usually found so irritating, just to express their surging excitement.

“Me…” Qin Fen shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever I say, so it shall be.”

Landry suddenly felt his vision darken slightly. Qin Fen’s performance over the past few days had conclusively proven one thing to everyone: he never boasted. If he said he could, he was almost certainly confident.

“In that case…” Zhao Hu Zi’s face changed, and he smiled genially at Landry. “Very well. You set the time. Notify us once it’s decided.”

Weil blew an exaggerated whistle, a triumphant grin playing on his lips as he sauntered off the field. Today, even if they lost, they had found two scapegoats; at least they wouldn’t be laughed at alone.

Landry frowned, glaring darkly at Weil’s retreating back. “Weil, you won’t let me rest easy, and I won’t let you rest easy. You can taste the consequences of this air combat team’s defeat first. Guards! Go spread the news of the American air combat team’s loss throughout the rookie barracks. Make sure to emphasize the key details.”

The rookies had lost. The American rookie air combat team, under the watchful support of General Weil, had been completely annihilated by Qin Fen, who was fighting with one arm injured, utilizing a small air squadron formation.

The news sprouted wings and spread rapidly through the entire Rookie Games barracks! Every rookie who heard it was astonished.

The rookies were amazed that Qin Fen, having been ambushed and injured, suffering a setback in the sniper competition, seemed completely unaffected by the loss and injury, defeating the American air combat team with a single hand.

The American rookies, who usually walked through the barracks with their heads held high, suddenly became ghosts in the camp. Nearly all of them chose to keep their doors shut. A small air combat squadron, with General Weil present as support, defeated by an injured soldier! This news stabbed the pride and dignity of the American rookies like a knife.

“Yang Lie, Brook Zeus! The honor of us Americans rests on you two!”

In the largest conference room, nearly all the American rookies were gathered. All eyes were fixed on the three figures seen as the greatest hope in the American martial arts events. This was America's final defensive line for honor, the firmest foundation for establishing American dominance.

In the silent conference room, numerous American rookies stared fixedly at the three individuals sitting at one end of the long table!

Yang Lie quietly met the gaze of those fiery eyes. All three understood what those eyes were conveying. The American rookie corps could not afford another loss! The American rookie corps truly could not afford to lose again!

“We have understood everyone’s thoughts,” Brooks slowly adjusted the cap covering his face. “None of the three of us will lose. The American rookie world truly cannot afford to lose. Yang Lie, Zeus, how you fight your matches is your business, but my final opponent must be one of you two. Even if it means death, you must fight your way into the final!”

“Kaitian,” Zeus lifted his chin, looking at Brook across the table. “Worry about yourself! Caesar is in your bracket too. Don't let me face anyone else in the finals; I don’t want you to disappoint me.”

“I…” Yang Lie slowly stood up, rising with everyone else, his eyes radiating a blazing fighting spirit never seen before. “I will definitely defend the last honor of the American rookies! I will definitely win! Absolutely!”

Since the start of the Rookie Games, the American rookies, who had never been forced into a corner, finally experienced true desperation. After sinking into dejection, they erupted with a fighting spirit that took everyone by surprise.

Qin Fen returned to his room alone and collapsed onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Today had been truly exhausting; the air combat had been unexpectedly successful.

He raised his left hand and rotated it gently, a relaxed smile slowly spreading across his brow. Some things were truly hard to articulate. When both hands were fully functional, all his maneuvers relied on both. He could never truly grasp what the 'useless Captain' meant by "shading the sky with one hand." Only when temporarily restricted to one hand, forced by the American air combat team, did he touch upon the lessons the Captain had taught him.

“Unbelievable, truly unbelievable,” Qin Fen stretched and yawned. The earlier sniping duel with the European Lieutenant Colonel had consumed immense spiritual energy, and the recent combat where he grasped the concept of fighting with one hand had brought even more fatigue.

Tired. This was the first time since the Rookie Games began that Qin Fen felt this exhausted.

Mental fatigue naturally reduced the control over subtle precision. Qin Fen refrained from using True Qi oscillation for healing, choosing instead to completely relax his body and spirit. Rest was also the best form of treatment.

A dozen veteran soldiers from East Asia silently materialized around Qin Fen’s vicinity. Ever since the previous night’s ambush, Zhao Hu Zi had taken Qin Fen’s security with extreme seriousness. This was currently his most precious asset. Anyone who dared attempt another sneak attack would be utterly annihilated.

“Hmm! The surroundings are indeed quiet. No issues whatsoever,” Zhao Hu Zi leaned against the wall separating his room from Qin Fen’s, slowly opening his eyes. “Little fellow,” Zhao Hu Zi said toward the wall he was leaning against. “I, the old man, am here as your guard, so you better perform well.”

The telephone on the bedside table rang insistently. Zhao Hu Zi snatched the receiver. “What’s the update? Which fool has grown tired of living and hired someone from the Blood List to kill Qin Fen? What? The Blood List has unique protocols, making it hard to trace? Find them! Find a way to trace them. This hidden viper that dares to strike Qin Fen today could strike anyone tomorrow!”

In an endless, dark void, unbound by the heavens above or the earth below, Qin Fen floated weightlessly in a dreamscape both familiar and utterly alien. “Is Martial Air Technique also this feeling?”

Qin Fen turned his head left and right. The towering, robust silhouette appeared in his memory once more. “Martial Air Technique? Heh heh…” In the dim light of the darkness, the Master emerged with a benevolent smile. “Young man, you cannot yet comprehend the Martial Air Technique, but your performance has greatly surprised me.” “?” Qin Fen felt a surge of curiosity. Could the Master, with his vast perspective on martial arts, also be surprised by him? “Indeed, surprised,” the Master nodded with a gentle smile. “Your development truly surprises me. Remember the simultaneous oscillation of your True Qi? Truly remarkable.”

Ps: Today, my wife has her required accounting qualification re-education. I accompanied her to Bo Shi No. 11 Middle School. Going home immediately was impossible. So, I took the bus and found a coffee shop—a luxury for writing! Ugh, that sofa left my back aching and my legs cramping. Am I lacking something? Tomorrow, Gao Lou has decided not to bring his notebook; he’ll just have to find an internet café. Hopefully, he can find a non-smoking one. When Gao Lou was very young, during a business trip, he stayed in a ¥25-a-night motel. The person sharing the room with him smoked two packs of cigarettes that night, stubbing the butts out on the small table by the headboard. Ever since then, Gao Lou developed chronic pharyngitis and is extremely sensitive to smoke. He really hopes to find a non-smoking internet café.