Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!!
That day, at noon.
A black sedan entered the city, where towering skyscrapers stood shoulder to shoulder.
Holographic projections transformed into virtual waves that surged and crashed, while Flying Cars pierced through the illusions, soaring upward with trails of flame and showers of blue light.
"It's changing so rapidly," Zhao Jushan, in the passenger seat, remarked with a sigh. He felt Nanjiang City had grown immensely, and each time he returned from the mountains, it felt like entering a completely new city.
Chen Feng remained silent, leaning back against the leather seat in the rear. He watched the city blocks and passersby through the window.
The increasingly advanced city featured self-driving Flying Cars already in operation, hovering and taking off.
Some young men and women stood out, deliberately replacing their limbs with modified mechanical arms. The intricate carvings on these arms emitted a rainbow glow, drawing considerable attention.
"Have they fully opened up civilian modification technology already?" Chen Feng recalled some proposals from the recent Federation meeting.
The arrival of Mega Corporations and super-large conglomerates had injected tremendous vitality into the city. However, the high-tech products resulting from their investments also needed to be released into the market to generate profits.
Compared to matters like the Secret Realm Migration and the conflict with the Platinum Federation, this proposal had seemed utterly unremarkable at the time, barely registering on Chen Feng's radar.
But now, looking back...
It was clear that this proposal had begun to influence every aspect of Nanjiang.
For the mostly ordinary people living here, this was a monumental event.
His gaze wavered, and a sigh escaped Chen Feng's heart.
As his power and status grew, he found himself drifting further and further away from certain things.
"So... it's not just Nanjiang that feels foreign."
"Is it also me?"
A strange sense of realization washed over him. He could feel the people around him growing increasingly respectful.
Few could still treat him as an equal. Even his Master, Li Tong, deliberately lowered his position, never contradicting any of Chen Feng's ideas.
The strongest of the Flame Tiger Sect, the unparalleled Martial Artist, the Nanjiang City Council's Martial Arts representative...
His ever-rising status had left him isolated and silent. He didn't know when it had started, but his heart had gradually closed off, growing cold and indifferent.
Buzz!
Lost in thought, the black car passed through the city streets, nearing the Martial Hall.
"Stop here," Chen Feng suddenly said.
Zhao Jushan and the driver froze, and the black motorcade following behind also came to a halt.
"I'll take a walk," Chen Feng said without explanation, opening the car door and stepping out alone.
He found himself in a gray plaza bustling with young men and women wearing bright smiles. Children chased kites across the square, and the sweet aroma of milk tea drifted on the breeze.
Click!
The car door closed.
Chen Feng, clad in a black trench coat, melted into the crowd, his expression impassive. No familiar faces here knew his identity. He suddenly wished for a moment of peace, even if it was fleeting.
"Senior Brother... he..."
In the black motorcade, disciples watched Chen Feng walk into the street. One of them opened his mouth, his face etched with confusion.
This sudden change had caught everyone off guard. The original plan had been to visit the Central Martial Hall and retrieve Senior Sister Chen Yun. But now...
Each disciple shared the same bewilderment until finally, they could only watch his figure disappear completely into the crowd.
"Perhaps he's just exhausted," Zhao Jushan said suddenly, his gaze complex.
It was only then that he remembered how little peace Junior Brother Chen had known since the Southern Martial Arts Conference and his escape from Yun Port.
He was the protector of the Flame Tiger Sect, bearing the weight of his sect's honor and survival as its last hope.
He was the one who ended the conflicts in the Southern Martial World, the strongest fist in Red Country Martial Arts to achieve fame on Earth.
He was also the one the Military had repeatedly sought to collaborate with, the cornerstone of Nanjiang City's safety.
Each title he earned came at the cost of blood and sweat.
Unnoticed, everyone had come to take his strength for granted, forgetting that he was flesh and blood, with his own emotions and desires.
The ever-growing expectations weighed on him like a mountain, capable of crushing any spine and body. Yet he remained unfazed, never uttering a word of fatigue.
"..."
The crowd fell silent, some disciples even ashamed.
The black motorcade stood motionless for a long time, watched by passersby.
Finally, with a whoosh, several crimson maple leaf-shaped aircraft pierced the holographic projection and soared toward the bustling city center.
The motorcade members barely snapped out of their daze, realizing the aircraft were heading toward the skyscrapers of major corporations and Mega Corporations.
"So, what about us?"
"Let's go to the Martial Hall," Zhao Jushan said, clenching his fist.
If they were stronger, perhaps Junior Brother Chen would have an easier time.
"What about Senior Sister Chen Yun?"
"Senior Sister Lin has already gone."
Whoosh!
The distant aircraft vanished into a speck of light in the sky as passersby stopped to watch it disappear.
Near the square, various shops lined the streets: clothing stores, supermarkets, hot pot restaurants, and snack stalls.
The passersby wore a mix of casual clothes, athletic gear, and business suits, some carrying briefcases.
"General Manager Liu, rest assured, I've already sent you the product template. Please review it at your convenience."
"Mom, I want ice cream."
"Xu Fei, hurry up! The gym is almost out of space."
The cacophony of voices filled Chen Feng's ears as he walked silently, brushing shoulders with countless figures.
The aroma of fried chicken cutlets drifted from a shop, while holographic advertisements flickered in mid-air.
Ignoring them, he continued his aimless stroll.
Perhaps because he was alone and unseen, Chen Feng felt a rare sense of ease.
The explosive Cosmic Flame within him had inexplicably calmed down, and his body, accustomed to intense combat, began to relax its tension.
He crossed the square and walked down the street.
The feeling of being undisturbed gradually cleared his mind, his thoughts drifting freely.
Thud!
His footsteps halted abruptly.
He glanced at a floor-to-ceiling glass window on the right side of the street.
It was a small boxing club, where the thudding sounds of punching bags echoed from within.
Most of the occupants were teenage boys in loose white Martial Arts Uniforms, either practicing stances or sparring.
He shouldn't have paid much attention.
But...
"Wang Zhou, let's go."
"Coming, Sister."
In response to the call, a slender boy of eleven or twelve, wearing a white Training Hall uniform, rushed to the door, clutching a shoulder bag.
Waiting for him was a short-haired woman in a white shirt and jeans, wearing contact lenses. She looked to be in her late twenties, carried a small bag, and had a few freckles.
After a brief exchange, the woman ruffled the boy's hair, bid farewell to the coach, and left.
"What happened to your face?"
Once they were alone, the woman asked with concern.
"Ah, I lost the match. My skills weren't good enough."
Wang Zhou replied, a hint of resentment in his voice. "Dai Qiang is taller than me. I was at a disadvantage."
"It's okay, I'll definitely win next time."
As they spoke, the two walked toward the street, Chen Feng watching silently.
He neither avoided them nor stepped forward, simply brushing past them like any other passerby.
"By the way, Sis, I'm almost done with the boxing course at the Hao Feng Boxing Club. I want to go to the Flame Tiger Martial Arts Hall next semester. That's where you really learn martial arts, don't you think?"
The boy's words went unanswered.
Looking up in confusion, he saw his cousin, Wang Hanwen, stop abruptly, as if rooted to the spot. Her eyes were fixed on the black-clad figure who had just passed them, a dazed expression on her face.
"Sis, what's wrong?" the boy asked, puzzled.
Still, she didn't reply.
Instead, her expression shifted, as if she had just snapped back to reality. She couldn't help but call out in a trembling voice, "Chen... Chen Feng?"
Thud!
Chen Feng's footsteps faltered, his gaze flickering for a moment.
Turning around, he saw Wang Hanwen's face alight with surprise and excitement, while her nephew, Wang Zhou, eyed him warily.
"Old classmate," Chen Feng replied softly, surprised by this chance encounter with his former classmate.
Despite some changes—the thick lenses were gone—she was still instantly recognizable.
"It's really... really you."
Wang Hanwen's eyes were filled with excitement. Clutching her small bag, she quickly explained, "I... I thought I might have mistaken you for someone else."
"Are you heading to the Martial Hall?"
Seeing her clumsy attempt to start a conversation, Chen Feng nodded.
Wang Hanwen opened her mouth, but found herself at a loss for words.
At that crucial moment, Wang Zhou, standing beside her, spoke up with a puzzled expression. "Sis, who is this?"
"Oh, this is my classmate. Come on, call him 'Brother Chen.'"
Regaining her composure, Wang Hanwen quickly introduced Chen Feng. "Classmate Chen, this is my cousin, Wang Zhou."
"By the way, he's also really into martial arts."
She added this specifically, and the young man obediently followed suit.
"Hello," Chen Feng nodded, offering the boy a slight smile.
After a few polite exchanges, he turned to leave.
"Classmate Chen."
"C-could I treat you to a meal?" Wang Hanwen hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
Both Chen Feng and Wang Zhou were taken aback by her request.
"You saved me twice."
"And the office supplies for the Hao Feng Boxing Club before—you must have introduced me to them too. They helped me through a tough time."
"So I'd like to treat you to a meal to properly thank you!"
She spoke sincerely, hoping to make up for her biggest regret and express her gratitude.
Her eyes were clear and genuine, leaving Chen Feng silent. The young man named Wang Zhou sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere and remained silent as well.
Pedestrians hurried past on both sides of the street, and a Flying Car zipped through the air overhead.
At the same moment, several aircraft in Central City were slowly descending toward Red Wave Energy's temporary headquarters.
The Sword and Shield emblem stood out prominently, as did the crimson maple leaf.
The hum of air currents stirred a gentle breeze as elite executives in tailored suits and formidable Security Personnel waited patiently on the ground.
"Lu Meng has also come to Nanjiang. He's not someone to be trifled with."
"Flying General Zhao, should we ask Grandmaster Chen to come over now?"
Han Chao, dressed in casual attire, spoke gravely from inside the aircraft, watching the reflection of the waiting crowd on the blue light screen.
Though he appeared friendly and welcoming, the latest intelligence indicated that a Sixth-Tier Modified Human from Red Wave Energy had already arrived in Nanjiang, and there were serious underlying issues.
He hoped he was overthinking things, painting these Mega Corporations in too dark a light. But he also didn't want to be caught off guard if something unexpected happened.
"Let's wait a bit longer."
Han Chao shook his head.
Flying General Zhao, clad in a white Flying General Combat Suit with red markings, was followed by several Red Generals, all wearing solemn expressions.
"Grandmaster Chen's favor is a precious resource. We can't use it up too quickly."
"Besides, we can't trouble him with everything, can we?"
Han Chao pondered for a moment before nodding.
Several aircraft landed nearby, and plainclothes Safety Bureau personnel blended into the crowd.
For a moment, an atmosphere of peace and tranquility seemed to settle over the area.
The building's floor-to-ceiling windows continued to reflect the sunlight, but in the top-floor office, someone's eyes flickered, a coldness spreading across their face.
(End of the Chapter)
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