The Four Styles of a Single Palm—fingertips, knuckles, palm surface, and back of the hand—each delivered successive bursts of power upon striking the opponent, the force continually escalating wave upon wave, a technique the Monkey affectionately dubbed the Iron Monkey's Fourfold Strength!

Even before the palm made contact, its pressure preceded it, sending surges of potent Zhenqi flowing through the very bones, snapping Qin Fen's mental state instantly into its most peak condition; the sound, like that of surging tides, was all too familiar to him.

Frenzied Tidal Surge! The Monkey was utilizing an attack method akin to the Frenzied Tidal Surge!

In a flash, Qin Fen's eyes narrowed to mere slits. The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill spun at turbine-like speeds, a fierce rush of air erupting from every pore in his body at once. The palm he pressed down with, born from a shoulder twitch, struck with the force of thunder, while the sound of surging tides crashing echoed wetly within his sinews and bones.

His mental state hitting its apex, the power of the Frenzied Tidal Surge unleashed with an unprecedented degree of focus.

Bang-bang-bang...

The instant they clashed, the Monkey’s face contorted with pain; what obscure technique was this brat using? This should be the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, yet why did he feel the protective force of the Golden Bell Shield faintly emanating from the palm? Was it an illusion?

The final layer of the Iron Monkey's Fourfold Strength had yet to be unleashed, but Qin Fen’s seventh wave of the Frenzied Tidal Surge had already struck. The Monkey’s face flushed crimson, and without hesitation, he pushed the Great Sage Skill directly up to the six-star Meteor level.

CRACK!

The ground shuddered, and Qin Fen was sent tumbling backward through the air for over ten meters, barely managing to plant his feet before retreating several more steps, the marble slabs beneath his feet shattering with every impact.

Hoo... hoo...

The turbocharged Frenzied Tidal Surge was Qin Fen’s ultimate trump card. Since the Monkey had disregarded their agreement to use a five-star Meteor level attack, Qin Fen naturally held back no mercy.

He gasped huge, ragged breaths. Challenging a four-star against a five-star Meteor level, if he couldn't finish it quickly, he would be the one to fall. For the Monkey to use a six-star Meteor level meant the outcome was decided in that single instant; merely surviving the onslaught, either capturing him alive or killing him, without being utterly crushed, was already the extent of his capability.

The Zhenqi in his arms dissipated, and Qin Fen’s limbs trembled uncontrollably. Challenging two levels above his own was indeed inhuman. If his body weren't strong enough, if the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill hadn't provided decent protective power, fractured arm bones would have been considered a minor injury from that last strike.

The Monkey, along with the veteran soldiers, were utterly astonished. Just where had this monster of a new recruit crawled out from? The burst of power just now—any other master newly entering the Meteor level might genuinely have capsized their boat and lost to this four-star rookie.

The Monkey raised a hand to wipe the cold sweat from his brow. Of everyone present, he was the most unnerved. Had he relied purely on his five-star strength and dragged the fight out, he might have endured longer, waiting for the younger man’s Zhenqi to deplete before easily winning.

But winning through such drawn-out attrition would feel hollow.

A five-star Meteor master fighting a four-star warrior, only to resort to stalling tactics? The Monkey couldn't afford that disgrace. Furthermore, he wanted to test how strong Qin Fen truly was. The six-star Iron Monkey’s Fourfold Strength had only managed to push the opponent back. To truly kill him would likely take a few more seconds—was this not a freak of nature?

“Ouch! Monkey, making a fool of yourself?”

From the elevator bay, Phoenix’s teasing voice rang out.

“That was six-star Meteor level just now, right?” Butcher stood beside Phoenix, his tone posing a question, though everyone present could sense the schadenfreude dripping from it.

Seeing Phoenix, the Monkey instinctively shrank his neck and shifted his focus to Butcher. “Listen, you guy who only knows how to kill. Bro admits I underestimated this rookie. If you’re so tough, you try taking him down with four-star strength!”

“If it’s a brawl, I’m confident I can beat Instructor Butcher,” Qin Fen said, lightly flexing his fingers. “If it’s a fight to the death, discounting the use of a firearm, I’m still a little short.”

“What?” Iron Hand, the Monkey, and the other veterans simultaneously raised their voices, staring at Butcher with expressions of pure disbelief. “He’s your student?”

Butcher shook his head. “He’s not entirely my student.”

A flash of realization sparked in Iron Hand’s mind, and he blurted out, “Gun King!”

“Not entirely,” Butcher replied, shaking his head.

“Could it be…” The Monkey’s eyes darted around incessantly as he asked, “That deadbeat Old Hao…”

“Still not all of it,” Phoenix chimed in with a slight smile.

“Wait… are you guys teaming up on him?” Iron Hand couldn't quite believe the words coming out of his own mouth. These arrogant individuals, each with egos reaching the skies, if even one of them agreed to teach a new recruit, that recruit’s background must be extraordinary. But this whole group together? Just how high-ranking was this kid? Was he the son of the Federal President?

No, wait! The Federal President’s surname wasn't Qin! Could he be an illegitimate son?

“This time, you’re right.”

Butcher’s expression held no pride, his tone utterly flat, yet the information was explosive.

Iron Hand stared blankly for a long moment before finally letting out a dry chuckle. “No wonder, no wonder this kid is so different from the regular rookies. It turns out this is your masterpiece.”

Xue Tian then sidled up to Qin Fen, radiating a familiarity that felt instantly ingrained, throwing an arm around his shoulders in an intimate gesture. “Brother, if you have time, teach me how to assemble a gun. Yours are put together way better than mine. And that sneaky way you fight? I absolutely love it! After the mission, I’ll buy you drinks and take you girl-hunting—teach me the essence of being sneaky, okay?”

Looking at Xue Tian, Qin Fen was reminded of Lin Liqiang. Though they looked different, both possessed an inherent, optimistic vigor in their spirits.

“Deal,” Qin Fen agreed, nodding.

“You know the mission, right?” Butcher walked over and asked softly.

“I do,” Qin Fen replied curtly. “Apprehend terrorists.”

Butcher’s eyebrows shot up, a flicker of unmistakable displeasure in his eyes. “Not apprehend. This mission, boiled down, has only two words: Kill.”

Kill? Qin Fen paused, Butcher’s instruction vastly differing from the initial mission summary.

“Terrorists are lunatics; they don't blink when they kill. They don't care if the people they kill are innocent civilians. These scum who only spread terror and steal lives—what’s the point of capturing them? To send them to court for a fair trial?” Butcher said with clear disdain. “Killing one more terrorist indirectly saves many more lives. Capturing them wastes energy, not to mention the risk of failure. Give them the slightest opportunity, and they’ll detonate the bombs strapped to them, and the casualties won't just be you, but other civilians too.”

No matter how prosperous a metropolis, there would always be dark, decaying corners. Han City’s Seoul was no exception.

Due to a complex tapestry of social issues, ten years prior, a vast area resembling ruins had emerged on the fringes of the densely populated, bustling metropolis of Seoul.

Rows of dilapidated housing stood packed tightly together; commercial buildings burned down and abandoned; architecture was ancient, walls mottled with decay; even the cinema lacked a single intact pane of glass, yet waves of heavy metal rock music and raucous noise spilled out from within. Dozens of well-worn heavy motorcycles were parked haphazardly before the cinema’s entrance, their locks left completely undone.

This was a world where even the law barely reached. It was a haven for biker gangs, a paradise for drug users and dealers, and a breeding ground for crime.

Society advances, and new conflicts continuously spawn, but the rule of law could no longer balance the entire society. Almost every state tacitly maintained these zones, providing an outlet for those needing to vent, preventing larger social conflicts and riots.

Private investigators were frequent visitors here. Undercover police officers occasionally came to gather necessary intelligence. Such a chaotic environment could only be described as a veritable den of thieves.

Iron Hand and the others roared their heavy motorcycles into this zone of chaos, driving north until they stopped near a rectangular, six-story building.

“Synchronize watches,” Iron Hand stated crisply, raising his wrist. “According to plan, Xue Tian and Qin Fen go in first. You two haven't shaken off that rookie aura yet. It’s something we can exploit; if they notice you, they’ll think you aren't a priority, and their guard will drop…”

After the watch check, the Monkey and the others swiftly moved toward the shadows of the building.

Butcher gave Qin Fen a look that meant ‘go for it,’ a hint of cruel amusement playing on his lips, before he too quickly moved to his designated position.

Qin Fen tugged at his modified HK45C, exchanged a glance with Xue Tian, and cautiously moved toward the building's steps.

The corridor was layered with dust, thick with the smell of stale urine and excrement. The shards of several broken bottles on the floor were also coated in grime. The heavily damaged main door creaked open and shut in the evening breeze, sighing with decay.

In the dusty hallway, scattered fresh footprints were visible.

Qin Fen frowned slightly. Judging by the gait indicated by these prints, every person here was a trained fighter, truly fitting the ethos of universal martial arts training. It seemed the terrorists understood the importance of practicing combat arts.

The smile on Xue Tian’s lips seemed unwavering as he cautiously scanned their surroundings, constantly vigilant for any sudden danger.

Fifth Floor, Main Hall.

A broken long table was pierced straight through from top to bottom by a long steel saber, impaling a man onto it.

A killing blow through the heart! Precise swordsmanship!

The man pinned to the table was long dead; the resentment lingering in his pupils had not faded with his demise.

“This is so boring. If this is all the entertainment available, I should have stayed in a big hotel in the city center.” A tall, blond, blue-eyed terrorist said impatiently, gnawing on a piece of greasy roasted meat from a chicken leg.

“Why postpone the concert? Honestly! Making us wait a few more days,” said a lean Arab man, continuously playing an ancient game on a handheld console.

This place had once been a furniture showroom. Dilapidated Simmons beds were lined up nearby, where a man and a woman were engaged in the most primal form of intercourse, the man relentlessly driving forward while the woman let out ecstatic moans.

Three other burly Arabs were diligently cleaning the rifles and explosives spread across a nearby table.