The rain fell in a steady drizzle, the sky having once more gathered its dark clouds, the fine mist threatening to swell into a downpour. The waves pounded the beach again and again, as if determined to wash the crimson-stained sand completely clean.

This beach, never before touched by human development, was now utterly deserted. Not a single person remained standing, whether they were warriors from the Golden Triangle or the young martial artists who had descended from the heavens—all lay sprawled across the sand in disarray.

Here, besides the sound of the rain, only the relentless crash of the surf could be heard, as if all life had been extinguished. Only the shallow rise and fall of a few chests gave any indication that some were not truly dead.

Qin Fen lay flat on his back on the sand, the heavy rain washing the blood from his soiled face. His body, still recovering, had been thrown into another life-or-death battle, and every cell within him groaned in agony.

He turned his head to look at Xue Tian, who was also staring at the sky not far away. This young warrior, who had single-handedly slain seventy-two martial artists, now turned his gaze toward Qin Fen.

Their eyes met, and a knowing smile touched the corners of both their lips. Satisfying!

Exhilarating! Although this fight had been brutal—Xue Tian likely had less than a fifth of his bones intact—and Qin Fen’s body, already grievously wounded by the White Tiger, had suffered fresh injuries on top of old ones, a surge of heroic satisfaction welled up in his heart.

“This is what life should be!” Solomon uttered a phrase filled with dashing bravado, and suddenly burst into a loud peal of laughter: “Hahahaha…” This cascade of laughter lent the usually aloof, handsome man an indescribable air of carefree abandon. Yet, Solomon’s injuries were only slightly less severe than Xue Tian’s.

The Golden Triangle warriors, driven by a suicidal resolve in the end, had managed to heavily wound all the young martial artists, benefiting from both superior numbers and strength. The remaining fighters from the Golden Triangle comprised almost no eight-star experts; they were entirely the most elite core of nine-star and ten-star powerhouses.

Qin Fen was somewhat surprised by this outcome. The excessive laughter strained Solomon’s internal injuries, forcing him to cut his mirth short with a fit of coughing.

“Qin Fen!” Caesar looked up at the pearl-like raindrops incessantly falling from the sky. “After you and I recover, shall we march openly into the Golden Triangle together?” Yang Lie struggled mightily, lifting his fractured right arm from the fierce combat, and shouted with great spirit, “Count me in!” “Me!” “And me!” Cheers rose from different locations, each shout confirming another survivor.

Though grievously wounded in this battle, everyone had gained an immense harvest of experience, facing the elite forces dispatched by the Golden Triangle offering far more insight than any peaceful sparring could. As the voices rose and fell, a shadow of gravity settled over Qin Fen’s brow—the cheers conspicuously lacked Du Peng’s voice.

“Qin Fen, Du Peng is fine.” Chen Feiyu propped himself up with one hand, rising from the pile of corpses. His face, covered in blood and sand, turned to Qin Fen.

“He was heavily wounded and passed out, but he didn't die.” Qin Fen let out a breath of relief. Du Peng was arguably the weakest among them, yet in the fight, he had been maniacally fierce, not even attempting to dodge a punch aimed at his chest.

His Seven-Star Immortal Thunder force struck directly toward the opponent’s throat, blowing the man’s head apart, while he himself suffered several broken ribs in his reckless style. “Heh heh… heh heh… ha ha ha ha…” Xue Tian laughed several times, followed by another coughing spell, his eyes alight with extreme happiness as he muttered to himself, “The price of being a hero is a bit steep, but it feels incredibly good.

A hero, a hero… That’s right! This time has solidified my dream.

A person must have a dream, and my dream is to become a hero.” Qin Fen closed his eyes, feeling the cool sensation of the rain washing over his body, and quietly asked himself, “Was this luck? All the enemies annihilated, and yet nobody among us died.

Compared to that rescue mission on the deserted island, we were incredibly fortunate this time.” A series of ambulance sirens wailed overhead, immediately followed by a continuous clamor of voices amidst the gathered crowd. Qin Fen was hastily lifted onto a stretcher.

He turned his head to look at the beach, where most of the bodies were mutilated, their limbs severed. Xue Tian, carrying no less than twenty knives concealed on his person, had displayed a fighting capability that was astonishingly beyond expectation.

This lazy genius, usually preoccupied with sleeping and chasing girls, revealed his full potential for the first time in the beach battle, taking on a hundred men single-handedly. “If it were me…” Qin Fen sighed softly and smiled, “I could probably manage something close to that level.

To do better than him… that would likely be too difficult. Indeed~ In this world, apart from Little Hades, there are still peers as evenly matched as I am.” With the arrival of the ambulances, J's police cars and armed police units also converged on the seaside.

Some began clearing the scene for evidence collection and investigation, while others, carrying loaded weapons, formed a tight perimeter around the ambulances to guard against further attacks. The roar of massive helicopter rotors echoed from the sky, causing the guarding armed police to look up.

Several armed helicopters, marked with clear insignia, circled overhead; they appeared to be specialized military aircraft. The armed police, J officers, and the medical staff watched the descending military helicopters with confusion.

Federal law clearly stipulated that, barring extraordinary circumstances, the regular army was not to interfere in local affairs, and even a direct call from the mayor or provincial governor held no authority over these genuine soldiers. Their presence here today was baffling to everyone present.

The crowd watched the soldiers approach with bewilderment. “Hello, please transfer all the injured to our care.” The colonel leading the group presented official documents, as the other soldiers began taking the wounded from the J officers’ hands.

“Kid, well done.” Two veterans carrying Qin Fen’s stretcher gazed at him with eyes full of approval. “We truly didn’t expect this.

We thought you were all pampered softies, but now we see you are true soldiers.” Bruce merely smiled at the veterans’ praise. The fight had been intensely satisfying, and the desperate counterattack power unleashed by the enemy was a rare and invaluable experience.

Once inside the military aircraft, Qin Fen’s slightly taut nerves finally relaxed completely. With that relaxation, the exhaustion instantly surged into every cell, and he was asleep within moments.

In the few armed military helicopters, the young martial artists’ snores rose and fell in succession—the sheer ferocity of the battle could easily be gauged by the fact that not a single one of them could stand up unaided. The leading colonel repeatedly nodded in admiration, watching Qin Fen.

“A handful of youngsters managed to take down such a large group of Golden Triangle thugs. Truly admirable.

However, I wonder what the higher-ups will make of this? They must be furious, surely?

To have been infiltrated by so many people, almost succeeding in an assassination…” “Snake King! Give me one army, and I will flatten the Golden Triangle!” In the main administrative building of the Shengjing Military Command compound, Zhao Huzi sat in the Snake King’s office, his face contorted with fury.

His index and middle fingers tapped rapidly and rhythmically on the desk. This whole affair had been too sudden; he only received the news after Qin Fen had already been attacked.

“An army? You think you can flatten the Golden Triangle?” The Snake King showed no outward emotion, leisurely sipping the clear tea in his hand.

“Let’s forget that you can’t, but even if you could, where would I find an army for you? This isn’t some local uprising by anti-federation elements where we can arbitrarily deploy troops to quell rebellion.” Zhao Huzi’s anger had not subsided.

He clenched his fist and slammed it heavily onto the sofa’s armrest, instantly bending the metal into a crescent shape. “Over a hundred Golden Triangle thugs, all targeting Qin Fen simultaneously—this is clearly a retaliatory strike!

How many people in the entire Federation know that Qin Fen single-handedly threw the Golden Triangle into chaos with a few shots? Very few!

This time, someone obviously leaked the information!” “Indeed…” The Snake King raised eyelids that seemed slightly aged. “Someone wants Qin Fen dead.

So, what should we do?” Zhao Huzi pursed his lips. A general who had clawed his way up from the bottom, a strong killing aura emanated from him.

“Retaliate. Kill them!” “And then?” The Snake King spread both hands lightly.

“And then? The other potential internal enemies will go into hiding, forcing us into the tedious work of searching them out.” “……” Zhao Huzi fell silent for a few seconds, then looked up at the Snake King.

“Then what is your plan?” “First, dispatch men to protect Qin Fen and the others, ensure their protection is 100% secure.” Du Hen watched his son, Du Yu, leave the room, nodding with satisfaction. Having someone beside him who understood immediately what needed to be done was indeed a blessing.

“Next, begin investigating this matter.” Du Hen smiled. “Of course, this investigation must not yield results—it’s just for show.

In truth, even if we really investigated, we might not find anything. In fact, we don't need to investigate; both you and I can guess who is responsible.

The only missing element is evidence…” Zhao Huzi nodded repeatedly. Few people knew Qin Fen’s complete file; Li Mingzheng was one of them, and Qin Fen had just killed the sole heir Li Mingzheng had been grooming.

The situation was obvious. “Don’t rush,” Du Hen advised with a smile.

“This great purge must be thorough and absolute, leaving no loose ends behind. As for the young ones’ enemies and sweethearts, let them handle it.

I think you can see that none of the youngsters, Qin Fen included, like to suffer losses. Li Mingzheng played such a sinister trick on them, and the Golden Triangle launched such a brazen attack.

Once they recover and their strength has increased from this ordeal, what do you think they will do?” Zhao Huzi was stunned for a moment, then his rather stern face broke into a hearty laugh. These youngsters didn't yet know Li Mingzheng was the one stabbing them in the back, but they certainly knew that the party that directly drew swords—the Golden Triangle—would not be let off lightly.

As for Li Mingzheng? Zhao Huzi sighed softly.

That would depend on Qin Fen’s own deductive abilities. The Snake King wanted to sweep up the highest echelon in one go and did not want to alert them by making premature moves.

Zhao Huzi couldn't afford to divulge too much intelligence to Qin Fen either. Du Hen tapped the desk a few times.

Zhao Huzi suddenly realized there was an extra person in the room. This person was of medium height, slightly bowing his head, long hair obscuring his face so that his appearance could not be discerned.

If one didn't consciously try to look, one wouldn't even sense his presence in the room. Zhao Huzi, though accustomed to life and death, was startled.

He himself had trained at the Saint Martial Hall, yet he couldn't detect anyone else in the room besides the Snake King? Regardless of how powerful he was, this sheer ability to remain concealed was breathtaking.

Who was this person… A simple, single term flashed quickly through Zhao Huzi’s mind. 【Shadow】!

Rumor had it that this was Du Hen, the Snake King’s intermediate personal bodyguard—the Snake King, whose hands were stained with blood, had far more enemies than Qin Fen. If he hadn't possessed sufficient strength and this mysterious personal guard, he would likely have been killed countless times already.

Zhao Huzi had often heard these rumors but dismissed them as baseless speculation, never imagining the Snake King truly possessed such a personal guard. Du Hen picked up a newspaper from the desk and casually read, “Go to Tianbei.

Protect a person named Qin Fen.” Shadow did not leave immediately. Standing motionless, he asked in a flat tone, “Ultimate protection?” “Correct,” Du Hen replied without looking up.

“Until he leaves the hospital, protect him as you would protect me. Anyone who approaches him with malicious intent is to be dealt with directly.

Return when he has fully recovered.” “Understood.” Shadow departed, just as silently as he had appeared, his exit method equally commanding Zhao Huzi's admiration. “Interesting,” Zhao Huzi murmured, gazing out at the sky.

“It seems Qin Fen is temporarily safe. But I wonder how they will handle the challengers brought in by Song Wushen, given that he and his friends are all injured?” The rain continued its steady fall, and gusts of damp air seeped through the window cracks into the room.

The white curtains swayed gently in the breeze. Qin Fen lay half-reclined, his gradually lengthening dark hair shifting slightly in the cool air that drifted into the room.

He quietly observed the bodyguard standing by his bedside. Her skin, the color of ivory, was delicate and smooth, her perfect features devoid of any expression.

Her waterfall-like black hair was tied high in a ponytail, and her white athletic suit lent her an air of youthful vigor. Lin Ling was utterly still, capable of remaining silent for an entire day, her back always ramrod straight as she sat motionless on the chair, like a puppet.

The days in Tianbei City had been anything but quiet since the hospital riot ten days ago and the seaside battle. Following the severe blow to the Golden Triangle, Zhao Huzi had immediately dispatched bodyguards.

Even veteran special forces soldiers had few who could surpass Lin Ling in sniping proficiency. The most crucial aspect of this close protection detail was neutralizing sniper threats.

Though young, Lin Ling’s aptitude for sniping subtly surpassed even Qin Fen’s, making her the ideal bodyguard. Over several consecutive days, the chastened Golden Triangle had indeed sent several teams to assassinate Qin Fen; however, before a sniper could even set up his counter-sniper equipment, let alone lock his target, Lin Ling had already fired first, taking the enemy down.

Masters of martial arts found it even harder to approach the hospital. The Snake King had temporarily lent his personal guard, 【Shadow】, to Qin Fen.

Many in the military district knew of the existence of 【Shadow】, but no one had seen his true appearance. Many couldn’t even detect his presence beside the Snake King.

Qin Fen looked out the window with curiosity. What exactly was 【Shadow】?

He could sense his presence but had never actually seen him. The only concrete proof of the existence of 《Shadow》 were the three Golden Triangle martial artists lying paralyzed—evidence that this 《Shadow》 was real.

“Old Qin, did the police beauty you promised to introduce me to come today?” The door to the ward hadn't even been pushed open yet, but Qin Fen recognized the overly loud voice: Xue Tian, the most heavily injured, had arrived again. In the last beach battle, Xue Tian had single-handedly slain seventy-two martial artists ranked eight-star and above—a record that commanded the awe of all the young warriors.

The door opened, and Xue Tian, wrapped in bandages from head to toe like a breathing mummy, was wheeled into the room by a young, beautiful nurse. Seeing this nurse always made Qin Fen want to laugh.

When Xue Tian first woke up, he was being cared for by a male nurse, prompting him to immediately demand a female nurse for personal care, which the hospital director sternly refused. But no one expected the gravely injured Xue Tian to immediately declare a hunger strike in protest.

His justification was perfectly solid: as a hero who had slain Golden Triangle thugs, maintained social stability, and protected the people's property, he had the right to demand personal care from a beautiful nurse. After all, in all movies, TV shows, and comics, heroes were always accompanied by beautiful women.

The first time Qin Fen heard this declaration, it reminded him of Xue Tian's earlier proclamation about becoming a hero, making Qin Fen deeply suspect whether the motive behind this 'Furious Slasher' wanting to be a hero was simply the prospect of beautiful company. “Xue Tian, I swear I’ll beat you at something today.” Outside the ward door, Kai Tian Brooks was also wheeled in by a nurse in a wheelchair, carrying two short wooden practice knives.

Xue Tian’s savage blade work during the beach battle had left a profound impression on everyone. Now that they were all heavily injured and unable to engage in real combat sparring, they resorted to finding every means possible to practice against each other.

Brooks had been engaged in a wooden-knife duel with Xue Tian for two consecutive days. Since both could only use one arm and were forbidden from using any internal energy, they sparred fiercely based purely on technique.

“Qin Fen…” “Qin Fen…” “Qin Fen…” Call after call. Qin Fen’s very spacious ward had become somewhat crowded by a group of young men in wheelchairs.

All the young martial artists had gained significant insights from the recent life-and-death struggle. After several instances of Qin Fen’s selfless discussions, they all recognized the importance of exchange.

While their injuries prevented intense training, they gathered in Qin Fen’s room to exchange notes. During heated debates, a single reminder from Qin Fen often sparked different avenues of inspiration for each of them.

They all knew that everyone in that room was inherently proud and opinionated. Without Qin Fen present, they would more likely have locked themselves away to study their own breakthroughs or sought out elders for verification, following the elders’ established paths.

But now, a single suggestion from Qin Fen helped them open the direction toward their own unique paths of advancement. It could be said that while no one among them was willing to defer to another in terms of skill, they all respected Qin Fen.

This respect wasn't based on his martial power, but on his magnanimity—the completely selfless spirit he showed during discussions—and his strange personal charisma. Being around Qin Fen gave everyone the same feeling: exhilaration!

And they all agreed on one point: only Qin Fen could gather them all together and allow everyone to state their views without reservation.