The crimson concrete anti-shelling walls of the Shengjing Military Command, regardless of wind, frost, snow, or rain, always formed the tightest defense, safeguarding the most elite Yang Clan commanders of East Asia within. Facing this structure, which he once believed was familiar, Tai Fen suddenly realized he never truly understood this fortress that resembled a war bastion.

He had always thought the high and mighty Serpent King would be the greatest shield, offering unconditional support, capable of sheltering his loved ones from any storm. Yet, reality proved he did not understand the Serpent King's cold-blooded nature.

Unfamiliar. The people inside this fortress were strangers, and the fortress itself was equally alien.

The guard standing at the door glanced at the Lieutenant Colonel insignia on Qin Fen’s shoulder, then at the young men beside him, momentarily stunned. His body jolted, and his eyes flashed with disbelief. A Lieutenant Colonel in his early twenties was not the youngest legend of the Command; but with the death of the former legend, Colonel Zuo Lin, and the retirement of another legend, Colonel Xing Wuyi, the legendary soldiers of the East Asia Military Region had completely changed faces.

Qin Fen! The champion of multiple events in the Recruit Competition! Rumored to be a top-tier martial arts master who defeated both Pei Chengjun and Jizhen Haotian in a single day! “Y-y-y-y-you... you... you... hello… h-h-h-how do you do… h-h-h-hello…”

The guard was so excited he forgot to salute, his body quickly shifting aside to gesture for the visitors to enter.

Qin Fen nodded slightly in return. This was the first time he had entered the Command without rendering a military salute. Although the military insignia still rested on his shoulder, his heart was long gone from the Command. If he hadn't promised the Serpent King that day in exchange for Morade, he would never have set foot here again.

Whenever he thought of the Serpent King, Qin Fen felt a persistent thorn in his side. That order regarding Instructor Gun King—it was clearly something he could have resisted—yet the Serpent King had let it pass. This thorn had not vanished with time; it had only hidden itself. Seeing the fortress of the Military Command again, the thorn in his heart quickly resurfaced.

Half a year was enough time for many people to forget many things. Few in the Command had actually seen Qin Fen, and they now looked at him and his group with strange eyes, wondering who these young people were. The aura and bearing in their movements did not seem commensurate with the small military ranks they wore. That sharp spirit, though concealed within their bodies, was still distinctly perceptible.

Passing through familiar yet strange streets and buildings, Qin Fen walked down the echoing corridors, reaching out to push open the heavily built door, which was already ajar.

Without shouting "Report" or rendering any standard military salute, Qin Fen stood quietly at the threshold, looking at the Serpent King, whose body was half obscured by the office desk.

It wasn't a lack of courtesy; it was that when facing someone he did not wish to confront, Qin Fen found it impossible to afford any politeness. To restrain the impulse to throw a punch and demand answers from the Serpent King was already his greatest act of self-control.

Stepping into the room, Qin Fen turned to face a corner of the room, bowing slightly and nodding. That was Shadow &m;! "Shadow," who had protected Qin Fen and the others in Tianbei City. That debt of kindness was not forgotten in the slightest.

A sigh, heavy with helplessness and melancholy.

In the corner of the room, the usually silent 'Shadow' let out a breath, then immediately settled back into deep stillness.

Qin Fen turned back to the Serpent King: "General Du, I have come to honor the promise made that day."

Du Hen looked Qin Fen up and down, as well as Xue Tian and the others beside him, nodding slightly. A hint of loneliness surfaced around his cold brow for the first time, as if lamenting the word, 'a pity.'

In just half a year, Du Hen was surprised that the martial progress of Qin Fen and his group had not slowed; on the contrary, they were advancing at an even faster pace. If they met Zuo Dongting again, the outcome would no longer be a foregone conclusion! "Very good." Du Hen flicked a badge resting near him. The metal badge, about five centimeters in diameter, spun rapidly in the air before dropping into Qin Fen’s palm: "The order for you to take command of the Saturn Military Region has been issued. This is your identification mark for taking control of Saturn."

Qin Fen looked at the badge in his hand. The obverse bore the Federation's emblem, and the reverse carried the Serpent King’s serpent crest. East Asia no longer had Zuo Dongting; the Serpent King's power had instantly swelled immeasurably. Almost the entire East Asia Military Region was now under his control. While other military regions possessed considerable strength, they mostly featured factions similar to Zuo Dongting and the Serpent King, none of which commanded an entire region as Du Hen did. His voice carried significantly more weight now.

"Anything else to say?" Qin Fen pocketed the badge, adopting an entirely businesslike demeanor. The emotional connection between them had been completely wiped clean by the refusal to save Instructor Gun King.

Du Hen stared at Qin Fen expressionlessly. No one could tell whether the Serpent King of East Asia was pleased or displeased at this moment. He spoke lightly, "Have you heard the saying, 'A general outside the command need not follow the sovereign's orders'? Although the Saturn Military Command was relocated from Earth, as time passes, there might emerge situations where they do not fully comply with management. Whatever you decide to do once you arrive there, do not hold back for any reason."

Qin Fen nodded. "Anything else?"

Du Hen's gaze swept past Qin Fen, settling on Du Man. His dark eyes shone with a piercing cold light. Du family descendants now numbered many, and among the various tests conducted on those at the Xiantian level, there were some promising seedlings. If he could keep Du Peng as a vessel, then when the new generation reached eighteen, this vessel...

Killing intent instantly permeated the Serpent King's office. Du Hen's eyes suddenly became brighter, a faint flicker of vigilance crossing his pupils. The killing intent radiating from these young people was so dense it seemed capable of murder. It appeared that if he wanted to retrieve Du Peng in the future, it would require considerable effort.

"Your ship can depart at any time," Du Hen waved his hand. "Go to Xichang Quanzhou; depart for Saturn from there."

"General Du," Qin Fen turned toward the door, leaving behind a cold warning: "Some things you can think about, but it’s best not to act on them. The cost is truly immense."

Du Hen watched Qin Fen’s departing back, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk. Beneath his calm facade lay a pair of desolate eyes. No one knew if he regretted not intervening to save the Gun King that day, or if he harbored other thoughts.

"Fen-fen… f-f-f-f-f-f..."

In the corridor, Old Man Zhao Hu looked much haggard compared to his spirited appearance six months ago. Signs of aging were now visible on his face, and his expression held a great deal of complexity as he looked at Qin Fen.

Once, Old Man Zhao Hu and Qin Fen shared a bond that transcended age difference, but now he felt a growing distance between them.

[1! Ilz In the corridor, the crisp sound of tightly pressed legs striking the ground echoed. Qin Fen executed the sharpest and most standard military salute. He knew Old Man Zhao Hu was different from the Serpent King, Du Hen.

A salute, a meaningful glance—Old Man Zhao Hu smiled. Qin Fen’s eyes were clear, devoid of resentment. This was still the same Qin Fen, a man of few words, whose inner conviction moved people more deeply than the flowery speeches of many others.

"General, take care," Qin Fen lowered his hand and bowed deeply. "If you're unhappy, don't do it anymore. Fishing isn't bad either."

Old Man Zhao Hu repeatedly nodded, murmuring, "I know, I know. I will consider it."

Qin Fen straightened up, brushing past Old Man Zhao Hu, and said softly, "Whenever I have time, I will come back to see you."

"Mmm-hmm," Old Man Zhao Hu smiled happily, a faint mist appearing in his eyes. The haggard look vanished almost instantly, and his slightly aged appearance seemed to regain some youth.

Qin Fen pushed open the door and left the corridor. He knew that although Old Man Zhao Hu was a Lieutenant General, given the Serpent King’s dominance in the East Asia Military Region, Zhao Hu couldn't do what he truly wished. Even if he wanted to block Zuo Dongting's order, he couldn't.

Perhaps... Qin Fen looked up at the sun. Perhaps Old Man Zhao Hu had once argued vehemently with the Serpent King for Instructor Gun King? But Old Man Zhao Hu was still just Old Man Zhao Hu; he couldn't change the high-level military struggles.

Beep… B-b-b-b-b-b-b... Beep Beep… B-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b... Qin Fen heard a call coming from his action phone and felt curious. Song Jia’s ringtone was always a cheerful song; this basic notification sound clearly indicated a call from a stranger.

Who could it be? Qin Fen felt a touch of doubt. Very few people knew his phone number; it shouldn't be known by others, and those who did know him shouldn't have this ringtone. Was it another scammer? No matter how much the times developed or how technology changed, human nature remained largely the same. Some ancient professions still existed: sex workers, thieves, or scammers... SMS scams, phone scams—even in this high-tech era, they were rampant, and their methods were constantly evolving.

Qin Fen looked at the unfamiliar phone number and chose to answer. A beam of light projected into the space before him.

"Hello there, how are you?"

Qin Fen froze the moment he saw the projection. His muscles instantly stiffened, and his eyes stared fixedly at the woman in the projection.

The Head of the Martial Arts Division of the Holy Martial Hall! Asura, Feng Hua Danyun! Qin Fen looked at Feng Hua Danyun in the projection. She was a bit plumper than before, but her beauty remained striking. Her long, flowing hair had been cut into a neat, crisp short style. Those bright eyes were as heart-stirring as ever, and even her bust circumference seemed fuller.

Watching Feng Hua Danyun, the woman with whom he had shared one night, Qin Fen noticed Xue Tian’s slightly altered heartbeat behind him and knew how his phone number had ended up in Feng Hua Danyun's hands.

"Oh?" Qin Fen’s eyes suddenly lit up as he spotted a cradle in a corner near Feng Hua Danyun. A small square cloth covered the body of an infant, whose bright eyes, mirroring Feng Hua Danyun’s, gazed curiously at the world, peering at Qin Fen through the projection, small hands waving intermittently.

"Hello..." Qin Fen didn't know how to respond to Feng Hua Danyun, the lovely, deceptively petite woman who had once drugged him and 'assaulted' him.

"I'm doing great!" Feng Hua Danyun turned and gently picked up the infant from the cradle. "Long time no see. I’m looking for you this time because I need your help with something. See my baby? He’s so handsome! I wanted to name him once, but then I realized you are his father, and since I don't have custody, you should have the right to name him, right?"

"I... mine...?" Qin Fen felt as if struck by lightning, standing frozen, staring at the child in Feng Hua Danyun's arms on the screen. His bright eyes resembled Feng Hua Danyun’s, and his high nose bridge could have been like hers or his own. However, his bright forehead was strikingly similar to his own.

Feng Hua Danyun kissed her son lovingly and nodded lightly. "Where are you?" Qin Fen blurted out instinctively.

Feng Hua Danyun looked at Qin Fen, a smile on her face, and gently shook her head. "I know what you're thinking. Some scummy men knock women up, and their first reaction is to shirk responsibility, running as far away as possible, or trying to persuade the woman to abort the child. There’s also that kind of foolish man whose first reaction is to take responsibility. You want to be that foolish man, don't you? I told you, I am me, you are you. Some things are better not to force upon each other. When I feel like it, I’ll sneakily come find you for a one-night fling, so don’t refuse me then. Hurry up and think, what should we name our baby?"

Qin Fen stood there dumbfounded. Before heading to Saturn, he never expected to run into something like this. He looked at the little baby in Feng Hua Danyun’s arms; the tiny hands were flailing in the air, the small legs kicking constantly, and the pair of bright eyes full of curiosity.

Life! A brand new life! Dad, I’m a dad! Qin Fen stood there woodenly, watching his first child, gazing intently at every movement of the little baby, gradually forgetting where he was. His entire focus had converged on this infant, failing to notice the massive vortex beginning to form in the surrounding air, the grass bowing gently, the leaves of the large trees rustling in the breeze, and the iron-blooded spirit of the military Command, accumulated over countless years, seemingly being drawn up from the earth, from the cracks in the bricks, from every piece of weaponry.

Xue Tian watched Qin Fen, who had unconsciously entered the state of Heaven-Man Unity, and shook his head repeatedly. "No way? Entering Heaven-Man Unity in this situation? You enter Heaven-Man Unity just from having a baby? Should I go have one too, then? Hey Old Qin, couldn't you run a bit slower? You put so much pressure on me; it’s so hard chasing you!"

"What is this?" Du Hen’s rhythmic finger tapping on the desk suddenly faltered. He rushed to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at Qin Fen. "Heaven-Man Unity? Heaven-Man Unity inside the Military Command? Is this also his destiny? He’s about to suck clean the iron-blooded essence of the military souls accumulated over generations. All these years I've been in the Command, wishing moment by moment I could enter Heaven-Man Unity and absorb the military soul essence, yet..."