The mere cold snort from Gu Xechen felt like an awl violently piercing the ears of the six burly men. A sharp pain shot through their skulls, stars flashed before their eyes, and they stumbled back onto the bench, unable to move a muscle for a long moment. With that single, contemptuous sound, Gu Xechen’s immense psychic power materialized as invisible spikes that jabbed into the four men’s brains. They were mere elite soldiers; how could they withstand such petty torment from Gu Xechen?

The elevator ascended rapidly to the twelfth floor of the Integrated Experimental Building—the floor housing Yulice’s laboratory.

The elevator doors slid open, and Gu Xechen stepped out.

Two massive hands, thick as a bear’s forearms, clamped down hard on Gu Xechen’s shoulders. A hulking man, his face covered in thick black hair, seized Gu Xechen and growled in a low voice, "Hey, kid, what are you doing here?"

Down the corridor leading to Yulice’s lab, about twenty powerfully built men, all clad in grey suits and radiating palpable killing intent, stood pressed against the walls. Each had a weapon strapped to his waist, and the man currently gripping Gu Xechen brazenly carried a high-speed explosive burst rifle slung across his back, its safety mechanism clearly disengaged.

"I work here."

Gu Xechen beamed a cheerful smile. Given his position as the Director of the Special Operations Bureau, claiming to be "staff at this Ability User Cultivation 'School'" was, in fact, perfectly accurate.

The brute impatiently slapped his hand against Gu Xechen’s throat, aggressively shoving him backward while tightening his grip: "Get lost! Whatever you are, this area is under martial law!" Gu Xechen easily shook his neck, neutralizing the force of the shove. He asked with feigned surprise, "Martial law? Excuse me, did I mishear? All units under the Special Operations Bureau are independent of the military command. No one can declare this place under martial law except the Director of the Special Operations Bureau." The brute paused, staring in bewilderment at the hand that had been so effortlessly flung away. Suddenly, he delivered a vicious kick toward Gu Xechen's groin. "I said it’s under military control, so it’s under military control!" the man roared. His leg cut the air with a sharp whistle; a solid connection from this kick would typically result in instant death, even for soldiers trained to a high standard.

A spark of genuine anger flickered within Gu Xechen. He twisted his body, slipping past the large man. As he passed behind the brute, he delivered an incredibly malicious 'Phoenix Eye Fist' directly into the man's softest rib area.

The brute’s mouth snapped open wide. His eyes bulged as he could only gasp in sharp, wheezing breaths. Gu Xechen smiled, patted the man’s shoulder, and laughed loud enough for everyone in the hallway to hear, "Thank you, I understand. I won’t wander around." The brute clutched his ribs, feeling Gu Xechen’s punch vibrating deep inside him, making his heart, liver, and lungs feel twisted into a knot. The man’s vision darkened as he staggered toward the elevator. The doors slowly closed, and the elevator began its ascent once more.

Gu Xechen turned back to the stunned men in grey suits and smiled sweetly, "He just needed to run downstairs for a bento box, really!" Simultaneously, all the remaining brutes drew their weapons, black muzzles aimed squarely at Gu Xechen's head.

One man violently slammed his rifle butt toward Gu Xechen’s skull, shouting low, "Bastard... you dare play games? I hereby declare you a traitor... execute on the spot!" Gu Xechen’s internal fury intensified. This was his territory; how dare someone declare him a traitor here? How dare someone decree his immediate execution on this spot?

A circle of faint blue-white cold light rapidly radiated outward from beneath Gu Xechen’s feet. The ambient temperature plummeted instantly. The twenty-plus brutes froze mid-motion, instantly encased as human-shaped blocks of ice.

Kicking the man who had declared his execution, Gu Xechen sent him flying dozens of meters, crashing straight through the glass window at the end of the corridor and plunging downward. As for what would happen when those frozen to the marrow fell from the twelfth floor, Gu Xechen had no inclination to consider it.

He pulled out his credentials and sharply swiped them across the scanner mounted by the laboratory door, then walked into Yulice’s lab.

Inside the spacious laboratory, more than a dozen researchers in white coats were busy. Maria, accompanied by several researchers from Hadwar Defense Corporation, followed Yulice closely, constantly scribbling notes onto an electronic slate. A handsome man in the uniform of a Lieutenant General stood with his arms crossed, leaning casually against the console of a massive super-brain. He watched the busy Yulice with a gentle smile, the look in his eyes filled with tender affection, much like a husband observing his wife.

Four soldiers in field camouflage stood shoulder-to-shoulder near the Lieutenant General, their feet spread apart, hands clasped behind their backs, resembling four small mountains that gave an illusion of unshakeable solidity.

Hearing the automatic door open, the four soldiers turned with surprise. They glanced at Gu Xechen, dressed in plain clothes, and simultaneously barked, "Who are you? Get out!" Without allowing Gu Xechen to speak, one soldier launched himself forward, delivering a fierce kick aimed directly at Gu Xechen’s head.

The wind generated by the kick was sharp; this soldier possessed at least the strength of a high-tier Uranus Realm expert.

The man in the Lieutenant General’s uniform glanced coldly in their direction, sweeping Gu Xechen with a look reserved for the dead, then turned back, his gaze instantly softening into that familiar tender affection.

With a light sigh, Gu Xechen snatched the incoming soldier’s ankle. An irresistible, immense power erupted from his arm. He violently snatched up the soldier and slammed him down hard onto a nearby testing bench. With a deafening crash, the alloy-constructed bench was smashed to splinters, along with several electronic instruments flashing various colored lights atop it. The Uranus Realm fighter, struck with such force, coughed up gouts of hot blood from all seven orifices, passing out instantly without even a groan.

Gently dusting off his hands, Gu Xechen sneered coldly, "What nonsense is this? Arrogant braggarts—you actually dare to act presumptuously in front of me?"

The man in the Lieutenant General’s uniform snapped his head around in horror. He looked at his subordinate writhing on the floor, then straightened his posture with a grave expression.

"I am Lieutenant General Alexander of the United Federation. Who are you?"

Gu Xechen let out a cold laugh. He delivered a heavy kick, sending the severely injured soldier flying far across the room, and stated coldly, "Who am I? I am Gu Xechen, Director of the Federal Special Operations Bureau. This is my territory. Which blind idiot dared to declare my ground under martial law? Who gave you that authority?"

Alexander’s gaze sharpened. He shot Gu Xechen a severe look, then turned back, smiling sweetly at Yulice, "My dear, I’ll handle this little situation and be right over."

Yulice raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking at the confrontation with a strange expression.

Maria, however, gasped out loud, "Boss, be careful!"

Gu Xechen merely smiled, watching Alexander, who was half a head taller than him, slowly advance.

Alexander intentionally or unintentionally released a powerful aura of suppression. Relying on his superior height, he approached with the oppressive momentum of Mount Tai bearing down. He leaned close to Gu Xechen’s ear, lowering his voice so only Gu Xechen could hear, and snarled quietly, "Kid, I don’t care what kind of bullshit Special Operations Director you are. If you don’t want trouble, be smart and scram! If my subordinates suffer any harm, I want a hundredfold compensation from you."

Gu Xechen sighed. After just one brief exchange, he understood that Alexander was not someone capable of reasonable negotiation. Young and successful, Alexander’s arrogance had reached an absolutely boundless degree.

Nodding firmly, Gu Xechen reached out and patted Alexander’s arm. He then stretched up onto his toes, looking over Alexander’s shoulder to wave at Yulice and Maria before turning to leave.

Gu Xechen felt no guilt toward Alexander whatsoever; he would use every means necessary to deal with the man.

Especially when the faint trace of psychic energy he left behind in the lab registered what Alexander said immediately after he departed—that was when he inwardly sealed the man's doom.

Alexander lifted his communicator and ordered his subordinates to bring heavy military ordnance to eliminate Gu Xechen!

Such blatant arrogance and tyranny.

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