Qin Fen sat before the steak that was his alone. A silent sigh of relief escaped him. Thankfully, he had dined with Song Jia once before.

Although he had used chopsticks that time, he had looked up the basic methods for eating steak online once he returned home.

Steak? Not bad!

Qin Fen smiled faintly. Cutting steak wasn't that different from spreading jam on bread.

The Long Xiang Ban Ruo Gong flowed slowly within him. Qin Fen did not cut along the grain of the beef; instead, he went against the natural direction, pressing the knife down.

Xue Tian watched this display and let out a long, helpless sigh to the heavens. He had never seen anyone cultivate with such earnest focus. No wonder the kid's strength was considerable.

Among the younger generation present, everyone possessed a degree of perception. As Xue Tian sighed, Ge Bing also noticed Qin Fen’s oddity.

After a brief observation, Ge Bing curled his lip in unconcealed disdain. Was cutting steak this way a challenge? Did what happened in the restroom just now make him think he was qualified to issue a challenge?

Radam and the others followed Ge Bing’s lead. Seeing him not accept the implied challenge but instead cut his steak in the usual manner, they all swiftly followed suit, continuing to cut their steaks normally.

Failure... and yet more failure... Qin Fen realized that the control of force needed when slicing beef was indeed different from spreading jam on bread.

This was...? Qin Fen frowned, looking at the beef fibers that had been violently severed into several pieces by his misplaced strength. He sank back into deep contemplation regarding force control. There was a strange similarity to engaging different opponents. Throughout the meal, Qin Fen cut slower and slower, each stroke delivering a distinct feeling and tactile input.

Ge Bing’s initial faint smile gradually morphed into an expression of deep thought. This wasn't provocation; this was someone completely immersed in their own world.

By the time Qin Fen finished slicing his plate of beef, the communal meal was already drawing to a close. Qin Fen looked at the plate of shredded beef before him and shook his head weakly. This session of cultivation hadn't met the required standard.

Having eaten jam bread all morning, even a hearty eater like Qin Fen couldn't manage the meticulously (though poorly) cut beef.

He gave the steak a wry smile. Qin Fen was forcibly pulled out of the room by Lin Liqiang. Song Jia and Inzaro Ta also followed them out.

Xue Tian picked up Qin Fen’s knife and examined the pieces of beef, his eyes instantly lighting up. There was improvement compared to the way he handled spreading jam that morning!

Once Xue Tian left the room, Ge Bing finally approached the plate of beef. He lifted a strip with his knife, a faint smile deepening the lines around his brow.

“Young Master Ge, his force control is quite strong. Why are you still smiling?” one of the men next to Radam asked.

“If the force control were poor, how dull things would be,” Ge Bing said, casually tossing aside the dinner knife. “Lin Liqiang’s insight remains as sharp as ever. He left the family, and now it seems it wasn't because he grew weary of the succession struggle, as the outside world claims. Finding such a capable helper—he must be planning to recruit him as a subordinate, perhaps scouting talent outside the family? Lin Liqiang truly cannot be underestimated. Perhaps he is the real opponent I must contend with for Song Jia.”

“Young Master Ge’s analysis is as incisive as always,” Radam was the first to offer praise, much to the irritation of those nearby who also wished to compliment him.

Stepping into the elevator, Qin Fen looked at his friends beside him: “Where to next?”

“Where to?” Song Jia laughed. “You go back to your hotel. Qiangzi and I are going shopping.”

“Hm?” Qin Fen was momentarily stunned.

Lin Liqiang chimed in beside Song Jia, “That’s right, that’s right. Old Qin, your mind is entirely consumed with enhancing your strength and cultivation right now. Dragging you along to play with us wouldn't be what friends should do. You need to find a quiet place to slowly refine yourself.”

“Mission. Danger. Strength.” Inzaro Ta’s brief three words made Qin Fen instantly grasp the thoughts of his friends.

Executing missions always carried danger. Only formidable strength could provide sufficient security.

“Very well then. You all have fun,” Qin Fen didn’t argue. His mind was wholly preoccupied with force control. Accompanying his friends for leisure would be a form of disrespect to them.

“Qin Fen,” Song Jia said, reaching the lobby door, lightly clenching her fist and waving it once: “Good luck!”

Facing the impending mission, Qin Fen recalled the previous time when Zha Jade’s power surged drastically after using a bio-beast, making him impossible to kill. A surge of fighting spirit instantly ignited within him.

Having witnessed the power displayed through Zeng Yicheng’s precise control of force, Qin Fen became increasingly certain: if his control precision had been just a little sharper that day, he might have captured or even killed Zha Jade.

He bought a batch of the cheapest, plain white T-shirts from the street vendor. Back at the hotel, he hung a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on his door and returned to the center of his room to sit in meditation. Soon, he was fully immersed in the world of force control. The Long Xiang Ban Ruo Gong began its slow circulation once more.

No food, no drink, no sleep.

It wasn't until Xue Tian called to remind him that it was time to gather downstairs that Qin Fen ended this brief period of seclusion.

“Ouch, Old Qin. Your aura seems different again compared to before your last retreat.”

Qin Fen smiled faintly at Xue Tian’s assessment. If this short retreat yielded no improvement, he’d be a total waste.

Looking at Xue Tian, Qin Fen’s eyes couldn't help but brighten. This person, who never seemed diligent, displayed such control over his movements when walking; he had clearly made significant progress too.

Qin Fen softly shook his head. He wasn't the only one improving; Xue Tian was also advancing, and his rate of progress was remarkably swift.

The iron door, over a foot thick, guarding the meeting room, slowly slid open to the sides. A rapidly spinning optical disc shot out, emitting a sound that sliced through the air.

Both Qin Fen and Xue Tian’s eyes lit up. At that speed and with that force, even a wooden beam as thick as an infant’s arm would be cleaved instantly. A normal optical disc had become a deadly projectile.

Snap.

Qin Fen raised his hand, pinching the incoming disc between his thumb and forefinger, holding it steady at his fingertip.

“Put it in the player,”

The Butcher, who had launched the disc, gave Qin Fen a direct command.

The disc was inserted into the player. As the machine whirred up to high speed, the room lights dimmed. The footage began to play smoothly.

It was a small-scale battle within a localized area. The defending side consisted of just over twenty men, nearly all professional bodyguards dressed in black suits. Judging by their coordinated movements, they appeared to have previous military service and training.

The attacking side numbered only ten individuals. Their attire varied, but one thing was identical: a crimson armband. Each bore a scarlet, curved saber!

The image froze at this moment. The Butcher’s voice sounded: “The Sabers. The tenth most powerful terrorist organization within the Federation. They belong to a different sect than Zha Jade we dealt with previously.”

The frozen frame resumed playback. As soon as the Sabers organization members began moving, Qin Fen knew the twenty-plus professional bodyguards armed with T75 9mm handguns were in deep trouble.

Soon, the scene on the screen confirmed Qin Fen’s suspicion. The Sabers organization had clearly planned this engagement in advance. Their military techniques were quite standardized, and their weapon coordination far surpassed what the bodyguards could muster. A synchronized burst from four STG556 assault rifles pinned the bodyguards down, preventing them from raising their heads. A T93 sniper rifle, accurate to three arc minutes at 800 meters, swiftly eliminated any bodyguard foolish enough to peek out to return fire.

Two members of the Saber organization were rapidly deploying a mortar! An 82mm PP8 mortar!

The moment Qin Fen saw this artillery piece, almost a genuine antique, being set up, he knew the bodyguards hiding behind the luxury cars were truly finished!

Mortars are often called the King of War.

The 82mm PP8 mortar, if judged purely by its year of inception, was a standard relic. But its destructive power against the human body remained formidable!

This antique, with a maximum range of 6400 meters and a minimum range of 170 meters, let out a roaring snarl, as if proclaiming it wasn't ready for retirement. It smashed violently into a sedan.

A massive fireball erupted, sending shards of the vehicle flying everywhere. The bodyguards sheltering behind the car were instantly blown into fragments, limbs and body parts scattering through the air.

Done for! Qin Fen let out a long breath. The speed of these bodyguards was far too slow to evade the sniper positioned far away, nor could they execute the highly deceptive evasive maneuvers required. They only had two options:

Be killed instantly by the artillery while hiding behind the car for cover, or abandon the vehicle—their only cover—and attempt a gambling retreat, only to be executed by the sniper.

The battle’s conclusion unfolded exactly as Qin Fen had predicted. From the start of the attack to the end of the fight, less than a minute elapsed. All twenty-plus professional bodyguards, who possessed a baseline level of military discipline, were annihilated. The Saber organization members swiftly collected their weapons and departed the scene.

The footage stopped completely at this point. The room’s dim lights flickered back on. Butcher’s voice was heard again: “These twenty bodyguards all have records of at least two years of service in the military. They possess the most basic military skills of a soldier. Tasked with escorting the Feixin Girls’ Band, they were engaged. They were all wiped out in under a minute from the commencement of combat.”

“Meticulous preparation, precise coordination, sudden strike, hardened military technique. The outcome was predictable,” Iron Hand stroked the stubble on his chin. “It seems these rookies sent by the Saber faction intend for this concert to be their graduation exam, huh? Judging by this result, they’ve failed. They were actually tricked by the bodyguard convoy into attacking first.”

Old Soldier Monkey’s face was twisted in mockery. “Kill all these types—the bonus they receive probably won’t even match what Zha Jade was worth.”

Iron Hand enthusiastically gave him a thumbs-up. “Probably so. Rookies sent out to perform a terrorist attack and take an exam—how much are they worth? I doubt their names even make it onto the Federation’s wanted list.”