The moment Luocen vanished, Duoming’s face turned cold. He asked into the walkie-talkie, “What in the blazes is going on?”

“Report, Chief. Several people just bypassed the God’s Maze and launched an attack on our brothers, inflicting heavy casualties. But they are currently pinned down at the village entrance by our men, and we are in a standoff,” his subordinate reported.

“What a pack of useless dogs! We deployed so many monitoring devices outside, plus countless overt and covert sentries, yet enemies still managed to breach our defenses, and you can’t even eliminate them,” Duoming roared in fury.

“Report, Chief. Among that group, one individual’s firepower is exceptionally fierce, and he seems impervious to our bullets. They appear to be carrying numerous missiles; many of our men were inexplicably killed by him just moments ago,” the subordinate continued.

At this moment, Zhou Tengyun was deeply frustrated. Ever since obtaining intelligence on the “SN” organization, he had brought his twenty most elite special operations soldiers into Kenya to hunt down the “SN” headquarters. Their journey thus far had been relatively smooth; relying on his astonishing spiritual sense, Zhou Tengyun had evaded the outer perimeter surveillance of the “SN” organization, stealthily approaching the Valley of Death.

Once Zhou Tengyun and his special operations team entered the canyon entrance, he immediately realized they had stepped into a profoundly strange location. The area seemed boundless, filled only with endless mist in every direction. No matter which way his men walked, they always ended up back where they started. They tried repeatedly, and every attempt yielded the same result. When they pulled out their GPS navigators and compasses, they discovered these tools had completely failed in this place. The GPS couldn't lock a position, the compasses couldn't find north, and even their cell phones had lost signal.

Thus, Zhou Tengyun and his special operations team were trapped in this bizarre location, unable to leave until the following night. Later, one of the special operators accidentally triggered an unknown device, and instantly, the strange area began to change.

The thick fog surrounding Zhou Tengyun and his team gradually intensified, becoming so dense it felt like a solid wall. One operator, out of curiosity, reached out to touch the mist, only for the fog to suddenly condense into a ferocious tiger. The tiger opened its massive jaws and promptly swallowed the operator whole.

The surrounding members were greatly alarmed and immediately opened fire on the tiger. The tiger roared continuously, and under the barrage of bullets, its form gradually faded until it vanished. However, along with the tiger's disappearance, the swallowed special operator was also gone.

Everyone was shocked and no longer dared to touch the surrounding fog. But the mist continued to thicken. Suddenly, another patch of fog morphed into a vicious wolf, which leaped high and instantly brought down two operators, its razor-sharp claws severing the throats of both men. Although the wolf was quickly hit by the men's bullets and dissipated, the two operators with severed windpipes died from their wounds.

Seeing his men continuously perish, Zhou Tengyun was filled with rage, yet he had no effective countermeasure against the attacking mist. He vaguely sensed they might have entered a killing formation. He vaguely recalled Liu Hui explaining the principles of formations, but at the time, he wasn't interested in the subject, so he hadn't committed the details to memory. Consequently, he possessed no knowledge of formations and could not find a way out. Zhou Tengyun could only close his eyes, striving to sense the flow of surrounding lingqi (spiritual energy), hoping to discover a method to escape this array.

The dense fog continued to transform into various ferocious beasts to attack Zhou Tengyun’s team. Although the special operators were prepared, each beast claimed the life of at least one of his men, and their numbers dwindled constantly.

Since Zhou Tengyun had already reached the initial stage of cultivation, his sensitivity to the flow of lingqi was acute. Finally, he discerned the pattern of the surrounding energy currents. He shouted, “Everyone follow me closely! Ignore the mist around us!”

The remaining special operators clung tightly to Zhou Tengyun’s steps. He navigated based on the lingqi flow, cautiously treading the boundaries where the two energy streams met. Strangely, once they stepped onto these boundary lines, the monsters attacking them vanished instantly. Only the bewildering fog remained around them.

Zhou Tengyun felt a surge of relief, knowing his gamble on the direction was correct and that the hope of escape was finally at hand. At this point, only five of the original twenty elite special operators remained. A pang of sadness struck him; these elite warriors had not died on a true battlefield but in this inexplicable valley. Simultaneously, his resolve to eradicate the “SN” organization solidified.

The remaining six men cautiously followed the intersection of the lingqi flows. They noticed the surrounding mist thinning. Suddenly, the fog dissipated entirely, and Zhou Tengyun and his men found themselves standing inside the canyon. Several lights shone in the distance, and a few men in black, holding guns, stared at them in astonishment before quickly reacting, raising their weapons to shoot at Zhou Tengyun’s group.

However, Zhou Tengyun reacted even faster. He swiftly raised his rifle and fired first. The few armed men opposite barely had time to lift their weapons before Zhou Tengyun blew their heads apart. As the sound of gunfire erupted, a sharp whistle immediately echoed through the canyon. In under thirty seconds, seventy or eighty armed men in black burst out of the surrounding structures, and two heavy machine guns mounted on the village’s front parapet began firing upon Zhou Tengyun’s group.

Fortunately, Zhou Tengyun and the remaining special operators were veterans hardened in battles; sensing the grave danger, they quickly dove behind a large nearby boulder.

The black-clad men continued firing while rapidly advancing towards the boulder. Under the cover of the heavy machine guns, the mercenaries advanced without restraint, encircling the rock, intending to capture Zhou Tengyun and his men alive.

Zhou Tengyun knew the situation was critical. If these men managed to surround them and toss a few grenades, his entire contingent would be wiped out. He fumbled in his pocket and retrieved two yellow talismans. He affixed one to his chest and the other to his back, then ejected the rounds from his rifle, loading the specialized ammunition Liu Hui had prepared for him—the Blazing Fire Rounds.

Amidst the roar of the heavy machine guns, the black-clad figures grinned menacingly as they drew closer to the boulder. Zhou Tengyun gave the order, and his five remaining special operators began throwing grenades outwards to cover his maneuver.

Seizing the instant the grenades momentarily stalled the mercenaries, Zhou Tengyun suddenly stood up, aimed his rifle at the still-thundering heavy machine guns in the distance, and unleashed two specialized rounds. In that same split second, a burst of bullets from the machine guns struck Zhou Tengyun’s chest. However, a yellow light flashed over him, enveloping him, rendering the bullets completely harmless. These yellow talismans were protective charms Liu Hui had specifically prepared for him before he left for Africa. But the sheer volume of incoming fire was overwhelming; the yellow talisman rapidly turned white, then ignited, dissolving into blue smoke and vanishing.

At that moment, two massive explosions erupted from behind the mercenaries. It turned out Zhou Tengyun’s two specialized shots had struck the two heavy machine guns. The Blazing Fire Array contained within the rounds activated, causing the machine guns to explode violently. The immense force of the blast tore the two weapons into pieces.

The mercenaries paused, glanced back briefly, and their forward momentum slowed. Zhou Tengyun took advantage of this rare opportunity, quickly retreating behind the boulder. He slapped another yellow talisman onto his chest, stood up again, and capitalized on the mercenaries’ hesitation by firing several Blazing Fire Rounds in rapid succession. The rounds detonated fiercely among the enemy ranks, blasting the mercenaries to shreds. The remaining few were instantly struck with terror and scattered in panic. At this moment, Zhou Tengyun’s comrades saw their chance; they rose up and opened fire indiscriminately, mowing down every last mercenary who had attempted to flee.

In the blink of an eye, the tide of battle had turned. The mercenaries sent to surround Zhou Tengyun were routed by his ferocious display. Sensing the favorable shift, Zhou Tengyun gave no quarter, making a signal. The special operators immediately moved forward to secure advantageous positions while simultaneously assessing their surroundings.

Deeper within the valley, another wave of black-clad figures emerged. As this group rushed towards the village entrance, Zhou Tengyun tossed a few Blazing Fire Rounds into their mass, eliminating over twenty of them. The remaining mercenaries regained their composure, positioning themselves at a distance to face Zhou Tengyun’s group in a renewed standoff.

“How is it? Any signal here?” Zhou Tengyun asked anxiously.

“Commander, still no signal here. We remain unable to contact base command,” one of the special operators replied.

Zhou Tengyun was deeply troubled. If they couldn't reach the base, they wouldn't receive any reinforcements. He was unwilling to return to that strange place at the canyon entrance; he had managed to escape once, but he couldn't guarantee a second success, leaving him no choice but to fight the mercenaries here. However, based on the current situation, the enemy seemed inexhaustible, and this was their home ground. Even with his protective talismans and specialized rounds, those resources were finite. Unless something extraordinary happened, they were likely doomed before the night was over.

After receiving the report from his men, Duoming erupted in anger. This was the headquarters of the “SN” organization; it had never been breached before. Anyone who dared to attack this place would be ruthlessly exterminated by him.

Duoming strode onto the battlefield where the two sides were locked in a stalemate. He scrutinized Zhou Tengyun’s position, then stripped off his outer garment, revealing only a white undershirt. Empty-handed, he prepared to charge out.

“Chief, no! That person opposite has extremely heavy firepower; they seem to have brought many missiles,” one subordinate cautioned.

Duoming sneered, “Even missiles can’t touch me, because I am a god. You all just watch the show; I’ll eliminate them all shortly.”

His subordinates immediately fell silent, fully aware of their leader’s might. In their eyes, their Chief was the god he claimed to be; no one could defeat him.

Zhou Tengyun, consumed by anxiety, watched a dark figure leap up from the opposing ranks. This silhouette sprinted towards them at full tilt. The special operators near Zhou Tengyun immediately opened fire, but the figure moved with incredible speed, appearing to possess an uncanny understanding of bullet trajectories, easily evading every projectile. As he evaded the gunfire, he accelerated, quickly closing the distance to under one hundred meters from Zhou Tengyun’s position.

Zhou Tengyun was stunned. The speed of this figure was almost comparable to the top runner he had encountered among the U.S. Navy SEALs in Afghanistan; the special operators’ bullets posed no threat to him.

Zhou Tengyun calculated rapidly in his mind, then suddenly fired. The Blazing Fire Round, however, was once again dodged by the dark figure. Unexpectedly, the round struck a nearby rock, causing a violent explosion that destabilized the stone. A large slab crashed down, landing precisely in the figure’s path—a trajectory he could not avoid regardless of his movements. Zhou Tengyun had realized he couldn't hit the figure directly and had shifted his target, hoping to bring down the cliff face and use the debris to eliminate him.

Seeing no escape, the dark figure abruptly stopped moving. He channeled his qi, and his entire musculature knotted beneath his skin. He raised both arms and, with a burst of strength, actually caught the massive boulder, stopping its descent. With a twist of his hands, the rock tumbled harmlessly behind him, and he continued his charge toward Zhou Tengyun. It was clear the enormous stone had caused him no injury whatsoever.

Zhou Tengyun was truly astonished this time. That boulder must have weighed at least two thousand catties, and falling from above, it carried immense kinetic energy. He knew he couldn't have caught it, yet this figure handled it with apparent ease.

“You must break out quickly! This place is extremely dangerous; even I cannot deal with that man,” Zhou Tengyun shouted, preparing to order the special operators to scatter and escape.

“No, Commander, you must go! We will hold him off here and buy you time,” the remaining special operators urged while continuing to fire. They were acutely aware of Zhou Tengyun’s strength, and seeing that even he couldn’t handle this opponent, they had resolved to fight to the death, wishing only for Zhou Tengyun to escape so he could avenge them.

“Hahaha… None of you are leaving here today! Go obediently to your deaths!” a world-shaking laugh rang out. In that instant, the dark figure arrived at Zhou Tengyun’s hiding spot. He channeled a small amount of power, and with a single punch, shattered the protective boulder into fragments. Zhou Tengyun and his special operators were instantly exposed before the figure.

Zhou Tengyun could finally clearly see the attacker’s attire: a white undershirt, bare fists, and an aura of fierce capability emanating from him—it was Duoming, the leader of the “SN” organization.

The special operators immediately opened fire upon seeing Duoming. Duoming snorted disdainfully, dodged the bullets with a step, and extended a single finger, aiming for the throat of one of the operators. Zhou Tengyun roared in fury, dropping into a low stance, and drove a heavy punch toward Duoming’s chest, trying to force him to defend himself.

Duoming sneered, ignoring Zhou Tengyun’s punch. His finger darted out with lightning speed, touching the throat of the targeted operator. The man instantly clutched his throat and collapsed, struggling weakly, emitting strange "whoo-whoo" sounds—his windpipe had evidently been crushed by Duoming’s single touch; he was beyond saving.

At the same time, Zhou Tengyun’s punch landed squarely on Duoming’s chest. A loud bang echoed, and a torrent of supreme, fierce energy scattered outward. Duoming staggered back two steps, his face flushing momentarily, but he quickly recovered, appearing completely unharmed. Zhou Tengyun, however, felt as if his fist had struck a mountain peak; he couldn't inflict the slightest damage. The rebounding force actually sent him stumbling back four steps (deng deng deng deng), leaving a deep footprint in the ground with each stride. After taking four steps back, Zhou Tengyun finally stabilized himself, looking at Duoming with a pale face.

“Hahaha… Not bad. You do possess some skill, actually managing to momentarily stun me. But if this is all you have, then this day next year will be your death anniversary! Oh, wait, you’ll die here, and no one will ever know, so no one will come to offer sacrifices for you!” Duoming roared with laughter.

Having exchanged a blow, Zhou Tengyun realized Duoming’s strength far surpassed his own; victory was impossible. Zhou Tengyun was currently at the peak of the initial cultivation stage, on the verge of breaking into the Foundation Establishment period, yet he had been defeated by a mortal incapable of cultivation.

“Your power is immense, sir; I admit defeat,” Zhou Tengyun stated helplessly.

“Hahaha… In that case, start talking. Which faction do you belong to, and why are you causing trouble here?” Duoming laughed heartily.

Zhou Tengyun had used greasepaint before entering the area, making him look like a Black man. Duoming couldn't immediately identify him and thus began his interrogation.

“Better to be shattered jade than intact tile. It’s impossible for you to know my origins. Even knowing I can’t win, I still have to fight,” Zhou Tengyun said, drawing a handgun from his back and aiming it at Duoming.

Duoming’s figure flickered repeatedly, and Zhou Tengyun’s vision immediately lost track of him; he couldn't lock onto a target.

“Hahaha… I know you possess a very mystical bullet, one that can deliver the power of a missile. While I don’t fear such a bullet, I won't give you the chance either. I won’t be fooled,” Duoming cackled madly.

Zhou Tengyun wearily lowered his handgun, and Duoming’s figure instantly materialized before him. Duoming raised one finger and blew lightly upon it. Only then did Zhou Tengyun notice that all his subordinates had already had their throats struck by Duoming’s finger; they lay motionless on the ground, clearly deceased.

“I’ve changed my mind now. I don’t care about your background; I have enemies everywhere, so one more or one less makes no difference. You might as well surrender. Your skills are impressive; I think I’ll take you as a subordinate to serve me. Look around—you aren't escaping today,” Duoming declared, laughing triumphantly. He was ferocious and invincible, and with victory secured, he had begun attempting to recruit his defeated foe.