A rhythmic chant echoed intermittently from the deserted beach. Twenty-two young men, clad in heavy lead suits, sprinted across the sand. Judging by the depth of the depressions under their feet, they were clearly carrying hundreds of pounds, a weight disproportionate to their actual bodies, which weighed only around 140 to 150 pounds.

“Lin Feng, do you think the Detachment Commander reached four hundred meters today?” Yu Xiao gasped, visible plumes of white vapor escaping his lips, as he gazed curiously toward the unseen ocean.

Leading the pack, Feng’s breathing was labored, sweat already beading on his forehead. He also turned to look at the sea, shrouded in mist, silently marveling. In just two months of training in the ocean, the Detachment Commander had managed to push the depth from three hundred meters to four hundred. It was almost unbelievable.

“Old Yu, the Detachment Commander doesn't need your worrying,” Wu Hui chuckled, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Yesterday, you even used the most advanced electronic locking equipment, only to be thoroughly beaten by the Commander’s antique WWII-era gun. Could you possibly be any more humiliating?”

Yu Xiao’s otherwise handsome face flushed crimson. “Old Wu, instead of asking if I’m embarrassing myself, you should worry about yourself. Yesterday, you were the star attraction at the Municipal Bureau, hung from the main building by the Commander’s tripwire trap for thirty-five minutes. I hear quite a few people took souvenir photos.”

Lin Feng shook his head breathlessly, but his face was alight with satisfaction. The time the Detachment Commander had been in charge wasn't excessively long, nor was it short. In two months, he had not only subdued all the hotheads but also, with his bizarre training methods and the gut-wrenching meals, propelled every police officer in the Special Security Detachment to the level of Six-Star Meteor.

This result shocked the entire police department.

However, this wasn't the most astonishing thing to the Tianbei City Police Bureau.

What truly stunned everyone was the Special Security Detachment’s actual combat capability. The Tianbei City Police Bureau already had quite a few Six-Star Meteor martial artists, including many seasoned veterans with vast practical combat experience, those who felt nearly invincible among the Six-Stars.

Yet, no one expected that these hot-headed police officers, having only recently improved their strength, would defeat a veteran Six-Star martial artist in just three punches and two kicks during a sparring session.

This incident immediately drew the attention of other Six-Star martial artists, and even the defeated practitioner felt unconvinced, demanding a rematch.

Soon, within a week, the Six-Stars of the Tianbei City Police Bureau had to reluctantly accept a harsh reality: these "newbies," who had only recently advanced, possessed astonishing combat power. In their control over zhenqi, they actually surpassed the veteran Six-Star martial artists.

Simultaneously, what was even harder to accept was the stamina and strength of these individuals. They seemed incapable of getting tired. Not only was their zhenqi burst concentration terrifying, but their sheer physical power was also incredibly troublesome for others to deal with.

Recalling those days, the curve at the corner of Lin Feng’s lips, organized by 16 Novel Mobile Site wap.16.C, grew more pronounced. Being able to spar fiercely with a top-tier Six-Star martial artist using only the Arhat Fist Fitness Routine was an incredible feeling.

Wu Hui smiled, his eyes half-closed, enjoying the sea breeze. The fatigue in his body had long been replaced by elation.

In the past, although the Special Security Detachment was a notorious, feared group within the Tianbei City Police Bureau, everyone knew that the respect they received wasn't truly for the members themselves, but for the power behind them, which afforded them some courtesy.

Now, while the Special Security Detachment was still a troublesome group that even ghosts and gods dreaded, people saw them with something else in their eyes: astonishment and recognition—astonishment at the rapid improvement in strength, and recognition of the grueling training undertaken to achieve it.

Only those within the Tianbei City Police Bureau knew how harsh the training for the Special Security Detachment was. The members trained almost from the moment they opened their eyes.

If there was nothing to do at the station, they were collectively thrown into the martial arts hall to train their fists while wearing lead suits. The Arhat Fist was practiced from the start of the shift until noon when they were finally allowed a break for lunch.

In the afternoon, it was either Hung Kuen or the Twenty-Four Form Simplified Tai Chi Chuan, followed by meditation to cultivate zhenqi.

Even at night, they all had to log into the Sky Combat Network to fight alongside the Dragon Hall. These days, the Dragon Hall, which controlled five streets, was locked in fierce battle with the Tianyi Sect, which controlled ten neighboring streets.

However, the owner of the Dragon Hall, Qin Fen, had never once entered the Sky Combat Network, a fact that puzzled Lin Feng and the others.

“Oh? Detachment Commander, how deep today?” Yu Xiao grinned, looking toward the figure in the sea mist. “Four hundred meters?”

Everyone followed Yu Xiao’s gaze. Qin Fen’s silhouette was still clear through the thin fog. Though they couldn't see his features, they could feel that this was the Deputy Detachment Commander, Qin Fen, from the sheer powerful aura cleaving through the mist.

“Zero-five.”

Qin Fen walked forward slowly. The zhenqi vibrating from his skin pushed the surrounding mist away. In two months, the level of his zhenqi vibration was already incomparable to what it was before. The essence of Wang Ying’s fist techniques and his study of momentum had also been completely absorbed.

Stepping out of the fog, the others saw Qin Fen’s physique again, a body that could be called art—lean, with flowing, non-bulky muscle lines. Just by looking at his exterior, one could sense that he was even stronger than two months prior.

“Time to eat,” Qin Fen said, taking the clothes handed to him by Yu. “Breakfast.”

In the mist, the twenty-two men let out a cheer, their momentum seemingly strong enough to blow the thick fog away.

Qin Fen turned to look back at the ocean, a fresh wave of emotion washing over him. Two months had passed. His days were simpler than when he was in the army—his cultivation, supervising these subordinates, and occasionally dealing with martial artists challenging him, hoping to become Song Wendong’s grandson-in-law. Usually, the hotheads would excitedly call the hospital to prepare an ambulance to take the challenger, severely injured by a single punch, to the emergency room.

Waves rolled in with the sea breeze, washing over Qin Fen’s ankles, sending a shock of cold water through his body. He sighed, shaking his head. After two months of hard training, his zhenqi continued to improve, and his control had advanced further. He had even grasped a significant amount of the Master’s dissection diagrams, yet he still couldn't break through to the Ten-Star level, reaching the innate state of Blood Transformation and Rebirth.

Ten-Star was a formidable barrier. Some people remained stuck at the Nine-Star level for their entire lives.

Qin Fen let out a sigh toward the sky. The visible warm air dissipated the winter fog, but it couldn't dispel the knot of frustration in his heart. Hades, the son of Gold Star, White Tiger, Halley’s, must have already entered the innate state of Blood Transformation and Rebirth.

Ten-Star? Eleven? Little King Hades would not be a mere Ten or Eleven Star. Brooks, the 'World Opener,' and Caesar, the 'Great Emperor,' both possessed the ability to challenge higher tiers. It was impossible for the Little Pluto Hades not to have such capability.

“Detachment Commander,” Yu Xiao started the car, “are we going to see Ruoruo’s place first today?”

Qin Fen nodded slightly. In the two months since arriving in Tianbei City, he had visited Ruoruo’s home over thirty times, but he had never managed to meet the Snake Head’s two younger sisters. They always seemed incredibly busy, and every visit resulted in finding an empty house.

The members of the Special Security Detachment were accustomed to trying their luck at Chen Ruoruo’s residence.

Empty again.

Qin Fen stared at the tightly locked iron gate and shook his head helplessly. This result was not unexpected. Fortunately, he knew from the neighbors that the two sisters lived here; otherwise, he might have truly believed they had moved out.

“Since they aren’t here,” someone whispered nearby, “shall we go eat first?”

“We will see them eventually,” Qin Fen murmured toward the iron gate. “The final exams should be approaching. Even if we can’t see them now, we should be able to when the holiday starts.”

The twenty-two magnetic-levitation bikes zipped into the air. After a quick breakfast, they arrived early at the Tianbei City Police Bureau to start the new day’s work—or rather, practice.

However, today someone had arrived earlier than Qin Fen and his crew.

On the top floor of the main building of the Tianbei City Police Bureau, Police Chief Han Jing stood by the window, his eyes filled with both admiration and confusion as he stared at Qin Fen and the twenty-two bare heads behind him.

“Could it be that he really wasn't sent by higher-ups to investigate things?” Han Jing propped his chin with one hand. “I should not let my guard down. He managed to subdue the Special Security Detachment, which no heat could tame. The capability of such a person cannot be underestimated.” Han Jing raised a hand to rub his temples. The Special Security Detachment had effectively become Qin Fen’s private army now—his personal cadre, officially subordinate to the Federal Government’s police force, but inwardly, they belonged only to him.

In two months, these men had completely accepted Qin Fen as their leader. Although he was the youngest among them, this did not hinder the establishment of his absolute authority.

Normally, the Special Security Detachment rarely had any administrative work, but they held meetings intermittently.

Two months ago, Lin Feng and the others would always find excuses to skip these meetings. Since Qin Fen became Deputy Detachment Commander, attendance at all meetings became mandatory, or the training load would double, leaving them too exhausted even to cry.

Qin Fen’s prestige was often demonstrated during these meetings.

The official commander of the Special Security Detachment was another Deputy Chief who rarely appeared in their office, showing up only for meetings.

During every meeting, the official commander would always ask, “Does anyone have any further opinions on this matter?”

The eyes of the twenty-two hotheads would simultaneously turn toward Qin Fen.

If Qin Fen agreed, then the twenty-two officers would immediately nod and reply, “No.”

If Qin Fen hesitated slightly, or was lost in thought about martial arts, the official commander would instantly interject, “I think this matter deserves further careful consideration.”

“Sigh,” Han Jing shook his head and returned to his seat. “By winning over these troublemakers, Qin Fen has gained a huge hidden force out of thin air. He might not realize it yet, but when he learns to deploy this force, the results will be astonishing.”

“Detachment Commander, what are you doing…?”

In the Special Security Detachment’s room, Lin Feng’s exclamation of surprise immediately drew everyone’s attention. Qin Fen, who usually never touched the Sky Combat Network helmet, was holding the one Yu Xiao had spent money to repair today.

“What else?” Qin Fen glanced at the door to the training room, which no one had ever dared to enter. “Nothing to do. Going in for some practice.”

Going in for practice? The twenty-two stared at Qin Fen with strange expressions. In the past, they had begged and pleaded for him to enter the network, and the Commander always replied with one word: “No.”

What happened today? Was it because the sea water was too cold, chilling him? Did he have a fever? Had his brain overheated?

“It’s time,” Qin Fen sighed, lying down on the sand, and placed the helmet firmly over his head.

He hadn't avoided the Sky Combat Network before because he hadn't fully digested the immense combat experience and lessons he had accumulated.

His rapid advancement in strength lately was inseparable from his previous fights. Every day he spent settling and absorbing knowledge. After absorbing that experience, rushing back into the Sky Combat Network for more fighting would not have helped his improvement much; in fact, it would have been a waste of time.

As the Master said, practicing martial arts is like eating. If someone is already full but forces themselves to eat more, the result is indigestion and inability to digest anything.

Martial practice is the same. Qin Fen had acquired too much knowledge recently: the essence of the Great Brahma Demon Subduing Three Forms, Wang Ying’s Flower Merging and Immortal Ascent, the core techniques from Caesar and Yang Lie’s boxing styles, and the martial scriptures from the Sacred Martial Hall. Integrating all these with his own Martial Emperor Dragon Fist and other techniques required a great deal of time.

Today, in the sea, Qin Fen finally managed to integrate it all. But true mastery required combat—truly unifying these skills through real-world application.

In real fights, fists and kicks are never without consequence, and one naturally holds back, unable to exert full power. Qin Fen chose the Sky Combat Network, where death wasn't real but everything else mirrored reality completely.

He would fight fiercely for a day. If the integrated martial way truly became one, perhaps he could reach the Ten-Star level and attain the innate state of Blood Transformation and Rebirth.

Beep. Beep. The helmet connected. Qin Fen’s vision went black.

Beep. Beep. Wu Hui’s personal phone rang. “Hello? This is Hui. What? Chen Ruoruo appeared? She’s home? Alright, watch her secretly. We’ll head over immediately after our Detachment Commander is done.”

The hothead police officers exchanged sly smiles. The Detachment Commander had been looking for Chen Ruoruo for days without success. They had pooled money to hire someone to stake out her house, ensuring they would get the news the moment she returned.

“Finally found her,” Yu Xiao exhaled a long breath. “I wonder what relationship the Detachment Commander has with that Chen Ruoruo; he’s been so persistent. Thirty-nine searches in two months.”

“That’s true,” Lin Yiqiang added, standing by. “We forgot to ask. We’ll ask him as soon as the Commander logs out.”

Wu Hui walked back to his desk and pulled a Sky Combat Network helmet out of a storage box. Ever since he learned Qin Fen could fight for thirty hours straight, he had secretly kept a helmet capable of connecting to the battle net hidden in his desk drawer, hoping to witness the Detachment Commander’s domineering grace in the network.

“Damn it, Wu Hui, you’re too cunning, hiding this thing!” Yu Xiao loudly denounced him while pulling an identical helmet from under his own desk.

In this era, Wu Hui wasn't the only one in the Special Security Detachment harboring the idea of admiring the Detachment Commander’s prowess.

Yu Xiao and more than a dozen others grinned wickedly, pulling out the helmets they had secretly procured from under their desks, harboring the same thought.

The 'Money Vampire,' the Dragon Hall master, refusing to enter the Sky Combat Network for thirty-six hours? That was a joke.

Although they didn't know why Qin Fen wasn’t entering the net, they never believed he would stay out forever. To be the first to witness the Commander’s magnificent style, almost every single person had secretly acquired a helmet, hoping to show off when others couldn't watch.

However, there were too many people harboring this very thought. Out of twenty-two people, twenty-one had prepared a helmet.

Lin Feng looked at his comrades with deep grievance, then leaped onto Wu Hui like an octopus, clinging to him. “Hui Zi, aren't we good brothers?”

“Any day but today,” Hui replied, holding his chin high, his stance clearly indicating his loyalty.

“Inhumane!”

Lin Feng’s eyes held the melancholy of a thousand-year-old vengeful spirit; anyone seeing it would almost feel compelled to surrender their will.

“Fine, for the sake of the Detachment Commander, I can be inhumane just this once,”

Wu Hui simply closed his eyes, his determined expression suggesting that even if a mountain of gold appeared before him now, it couldn't change his mind.

“I have tickets to the Flying Heart Girls’ concert!” Lin Feng’s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Wu Hui with immense pain. “How about it? In a few days, the Federation’s number one popular group, the Flying Heart Girls, are coming to Tianbei City for an anti-terrorism concert. I know everyone is trying to get tickets, but you guys didn't get the best seats. I have one.”

“What? The Flying Heart Girls?”

Wu Hui’s eyes widened with greedy yearning. Tickets for those two idols were incredibly hard to obtain. Whenever they held a concert, influential people from all over the Federation would try to secure tickets.

“Well?” Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, his expression suggestive. “I know you’re a massive fan of theirs. For the sake of brotherhood, I can bear to part with it.”

Wu Hui’s eyes flickered with inner struggle, his hands gripping the helmet trembling slightly. A look of decisive resolution flashed across his pupils. “Brother, I still can’t resist the Detachment Commander’s majesty. This time, you don’t have to bear the pain of giving it up.”

“Damn it.”

Lin Feng gave him the middle finger. Wu Hui watched as his helmet began to emit a faint beep, beep sound.