Lâm Minh faced Commander Trinh, the full weight of her authority pressing down on him.
Her personal guards were positioned discreetly around the study.
They were a formidable sight, their auras sharp and disciplined, radiating a level of power that pushed the very peak of Qi Refining.
A few even seemed to touch upon something beyond that, a raw, somewhat unstable power that hinted at experimental enhancements or rare, natural awakenings rather than structured cultivation.
These were clearly the elite of Trinh's forces, humanity's strongest conventional warriors augmented to their absolute limit.
Yet, Lâm Minh stood his ground, his own newly consolidated Foundation Establishment aura a subtle but firm counter-pressure.
He was no longer a mere Qi Refining operative to be casually dismissed or intimidated.
"My comrades were captured and being tortured by Breaker, Commander," Lâm Minh stated, his voice calm and steady, meeting her gaze without flinching.
"They were targeted because of their association with me, and by extension, with the operation you tasked me with. Leaving them to die was not an option. It would have compromised any future operations in that sector, as no one would trust an operative who abandons his team."
Trinh's expression remained unyielding, but her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Your 'team' was a civilian crew you recruited for unsanctioned side activities, Minh. Your primary directive was intelligence gathering, not vigilante justice. Your actions at the parking garage were reckless, unsanctioned, and could have had catastrophic consequences."
"With respect, Commander," Lâm Minh countered, "inaction would also have had catastrophic consequences – for Cường and Tuấn, and for the morale of anyone I might need to work with in the future. Furthermore, the intelligence gained from disabling Breaker and seizing his records is substantial, far more than passive observation would have yielded in months." He gestured subtly.
"And the disruption to the Skulls' Crimson Dream distribution, however temporary, provides a window of opportunity."
"The disruption also sent a clear message to the Skulls' supplier – our primary target," Trinh retorted, her voice sharp.
"It tells them we are closing in, that their network is vulnerable. They will adapt, become more cautious, perhaps even change their methods entirely. You may have made our ultimate objective significantly harder."
"Or," Lâm Minh proposed, "it may force them to make a mistake. To reveal themselves in their haste to re-establish control or retaliate. Chaos can be a tool, Commander, if wielded correctly."
A tense silence filled the room.
Yan, standing silently in the corner, watched the exchange with an unreadable expression.
Commander Trinh walked slowly around her desk, her eyes never leaving Lâm Minh.
"Your… breakthrough," she said, her voice softening almost imperceptibly as she acknowledged his new cultivation level.
"Foundation Establishment. Achieved under extreme duress, I presume. Impressive. Very impressive, for someone of your age and background, operating without official resources or sanctioned cultivation techniques."
Lâm Minh remained silent.
He knew this was a critical point.
The very fact he had reached Foundation Establishment, a realm previously thought unattainable for humans through structured means, made him an anomaly of immense value and potential threat.
"The methods by which you achieved this… accelerated development," Trinh continued, her gaze probing, "are of considerable interest to my department. The speed of your advancement, the very possibility of reaching such a realm for a human, is… unprecedented."
"I am resourceful, Commander," Lâm Minh said simply.
"And highly motivated."
"Indeed." Trinh stopped in front of him.
"Your actions were a clear breach of protocol. Insubordination. By rights, I should have you detained, debriefed, and your… unique talents placed under strict military control until we fully understand them."
Lâm Minh's newly enhanced Qi Sense picked up the slight tensing of her guards, their peak Qi Refining auras sharpening.
He didn't move, but his own Foundation Establishment Qi began to circulate a little faster, his Body Tempering Aura flaring subtly, a silent declaration of his newfound power.
"However," Trinh continued, a ghost of a smile – cold and calculating – touching her lips, "you also achieved results. You crippled a major gang. You rescued your associates. You acquired valuable intelligence. And you demonstrated a level of power and initiative that is… exceptionally rare, potentially revolutionary."
She paused.
"The situation with the Maka Legion operative and the Crimson Dream epidemic has escalated. We need assets who can operate effectively in the shadows, who can think on their feet, and who are not afraid to take… calculated risks. You, Lâm Minh, despite your recklessness, have proven to be such an asset. Perhaps even a template for a new kind of soldier."
Relief, carefully masked, washed over Lâm Minh.
It seemed he wasn't going to be imprisoned.
At least, not yet.
"Therefore," Trinh said, her tone hardening again, "I am prepared to overlook your recent… indiscretions. On certain conditions."
"What conditions, Commander?" Lâm Minh asked.
"Firstly, from this point forward, you operate under my direct command structure, through Yan. No more unsanctioned operations. Your crew – Hạnh, Cường, and Tuấn – if they wish to continue working with you, will also be considered auxiliary assets of my department, subject to our rules and discretion. They will receive support, resources, and compensation, but they will also answer to us."
Lâm Minh nodded.
This was acceptable.
It offered his crew a degree of protection and legitimacy they hadn't possessed before.
"Secondly," Trinh continued, "you will share the complete details of your… cultivation methods. Not the source of your initial knowledge, if you are unwilling, but the techniques, the insights, the experiences that allowed such rapid advancement to a realm we previously only theorized humans might reach. This information is vital to our efforts to empower our own operatives, to give humanity a fighting chance beyond conventional warfare and unreliable 'Awakenings'."
This was the bigger price.
Sharing the System's adapted Madakaros cultivation manual, even if he omitted the System itself, was a significant risk.
It could expose the unique nature of his abilities.
But he also understood Trinh's desperation.
Humanity needed every advantage it could get, and he was currently the only known human to have reliably breached the Foundation Establishment barrier through a systematic method.
"My methods are… unconventional, Commander," Lâm Minh said carefully.
"And potentially dangerous if not properly understood or adapted. But I am willing to share what I can, under the condition that it is used responsibly and for the benefit of ASEAN's defense."
Trinh's eyes glinted. "A reasonable condition. We are not interested in creating more unstable variables. We are interested in reproducible results."
"And thirdly," Trinh said, her voice dropping, "your next assignment. With Breaker removed, there is a power vacuum. The Skulls are in disarray. Their supplier – the cloaked figure, our suspected Maka Legion agent or proxy – will need to re-establish control, find a new puppet, or perhaps even take a more direct hand. We need to exploit this. You, Lâm Minh, with your newfound Foundation Establishment strength and your proven ability to operate in that environment, will be our spearhead."
"What is the objective?"
"Identify and locate the supplier. If possible, capture them. If capture is not feasible… eliminate them." Trinh's voice was ice-cold.
"This individual represents an existential threat. Their removal is paramount. You will be provided with all necessary support – intelligence, equipment, backup if requested and feasible. But the primary infiltration and engagement will fall to you. You have seen them. You have felt their power. You are best positioned to track them."
Lâm Minh felt a shiver despite his Foundation Establishment resilience.
Hunt and eliminate a suspected Maka Legion operative.
This was a death sentence dressed up as an assignment.
But it was also the only way to truly address the root of the Crimson Dream threat and the alien infiltration.
"That is a high-risk assignment, Commander," Lâm Minh stated, not out of fear, but as a statement of fact.
"The rewards, should you succeed, will be commensurate," Trinh replied.
"And the consequences of failure… are unthinkable for us all." She paused. "Do we have an understanding, Lâm Minh?"
Lâm Minh looked at her, then at Yan, who gave a subtle, almost imperceptible nod.
This was a dangerous bargain, but it was also a path to greater power, resources, and the opportunity to make a real difference.
He was being given a leash, but also a longer spear.
"We have an understanding, Commander," Lâm Minh said.
"Good." Trinh seemed to relax fractionally.
"Yan will provide you with a full briefing on your new operational parameters, resources, and secure communication protocols. He will also facilitate the… knowledge transfer regarding your cultivation techniques. Your crew will be contacted and integrated. For now, get some rest. You look like you've been through hell."
"Something like that, Commander," Lâm Minh replied dryly.
He was dismissed.
Yan escorted him out of the study.
"You played a dangerous game, Minh," Yan said quietly as they walked.
"But you played it well. Trinh respects strength and results, even if she dislikes insubordination. Your breakthrough to Foundation Establishment was… revolutionary. It has changed many of her calculations."
"It felt necessary," Lâm Minh said.
"Your new assignment is perilous beyond measure," Yan continued, his voice grave.
"The entity you sighted… its power is not something to be trifled with. Even with your Foundation Establishment cultivation, the disparity is immense."
"I am aware of that, Yan. But someone has to face it."
Yan stopped before a guest room. "Rest here for tonight. We will begin your debriefing and the knowledge transfer tomorrow. Hạnh and her crew will be brought in and briefed on their new status. They will be… compensated for their recent ordeal and their loyalty."
Lâm Minh nodded.
He entered the surprisingly comfortable room.
He was exhausted, physically and mentally, but also strangely invigorated. He had faced down a powerful gang, achieved a major cultivation breakthrough that could change humanity's future, and survived a high-stakes confrontation with a ruthless intelligence commander.
He had new orders, a new level of backing, and an enemy that was far more terrifying than he could have imagined.
The war for Earth, and his personal war, had just entered a new, far more dangerous phase.
But for the first time, he felt he wasn't just a pawn; he was becoming a key player, perhaps even a kingmaker, on a very dangerous board.