"I think that's a good idea," stated General Jiang, confirming the plan. "We'll follow Commander Lin's directive. For anyone else who stumbles into our path, if we have an excuse, we kill them. If we don't, we cripple them."
"Tomorrow, we'll meet with the Qin Du and Mo Du teams to see how Ying Xuan and Zhang Haoran have made their arrangements. Then, everyone goes home, rests, and sleeps," declared the Commander, concluding the meeting.
The next morning, after breakfast, everyone gathered in the conference hall of the Gaowu Hotel, meeting with the Qin Du and Mo Du teams.
Lin Zhan sat at the head of the table, his arm around Zhang Lingxiu, exuding an air of authority. Behind him stood He Dazhuang, Xiao Hanyi, Leng Shan, and Zhang Cong, like four formidable guardians.
Jiang Zheng, fanning himself with a feather fan like a loyal attendant, stood beside Lin Zhan and introduced everyone.
The members of the other two teams exchanged bewildered glances.
Ying Xuan whispered to Zhang Haoran, "What's this guy up to? He seems a bit off."
"I agree, he's not quite right. Let's go easy on him, we don't want him having an episode. He looks like he's trying to scam us," Zhang Haoran whispered back.
The conference hall wasn't that large, and even their hushed tones couldn't escape Lin Zhan's ears.
Lin Zhan grinned slyly at He Dazhuang. He Dazhuang remained impassive, but his smile sent a chill down Ying Xuan and Zhang Haoran's spines.
"Old Ying, did you bring any money? This guy looks like he's about to lose it. If we don't pay him, he won't let us leave," Zhao Haoran said, fumbling in his pockets but finding nothing.
"Alright, you two, enough already. Keep this up and I'll really scam you," Lin Zhan warned.
"Even though this is our first meeting, Ying Xuan and I have long admired you from afar. We've always wanted to see what kind of person could unite the top martial arts teams in the capital," Zhang Haoran said, his cultured words contrasting with Lin Zhan's group, who seemed intent on extorting or fighting.
"Wife, don't listen to this guy's novelistic talk. I don't like men, only you. Who would have 'admiration from afar' with this jerk?" Lin Zhan deliberately provoked Zhang Haoran.
"Damn it, I told you this guy was dimwitted, but you didn't believe me. Why are you pretending to be cultured with him? Watch this," Ying Xuan retorted, his tone still that of a gang leader.
"Alright, let's stop the nonsense. The purpose of today's meeting is to figure out how to kill more of those traitors. Frankly, we lack the excuses. Otherwise, not a single one of them would be left breathing," Ying Xuan said to Lin Zhan.
"That's easy. Just say they're too strong. If we don't go all out, we can't win. If we do go all out, we can't control ourselves. Isn't that enough?" Lin Zhan shared his experience.
"Take Zhang Haoran, for example. Aren't your grenades quite powerful? Once you throw them, you can't control them. Whoever gets zapped is just unlucky."
"Holy crap, that works too?" The two exchanged glances.
"Why wouldn't it work? We have the fighting power of Gold, but we're only Silver. Of course, we don't have that much control," Lin Zhan, ever the shrewd strategist, explained.
"Ying Xuan, Zhang Haoran, tell us something useful. How much do you know about the secret realm?" Lin Zhan cut to the chase. Sudan Novel Network.
"I actually know quite a bit. After all, it was explored by our ancestors. This secret realm tests combat power, specifically the ability to fight above one's level. The higher the combat power, the greater the reward. It's an inheritance left by the predecessors of the Imperial Dragon Clan, subordinates of Emperor Xuanyuan from our ancient era," Ying Xuan, as expected, had a royal ancestor.
"So, all 19 combat professionals from our three teams must go. We'll leave three spots for the ordinary teams' Silver-ranked members. That leaves only eight spots for the special zone contestants," Zhang Haoran calculated.
"Exactly. We won't hold back against those from the America, Fusang, and Yin San special zones. If we can kill them, we kill them. If not, we cripple them. Let the remaining four teams fight for those eight spots," Lin Zhan decided.
"Agreed," Ying Xuan and Zhang Haoran nodded in unison.
The three teams filed out.
"Sister, why must Lin Zhan and his group kill people? Can't they just defeat them?" Anya, from a family of divine physicians, found the killing difficult to stomach.
"If we don't kill them, more people in Huaxia will die. Some special zones are already cooperating with the Ten Thousand Races. Their enemy is Huaxia. What we can do is eliminate the seeds of those who have the potential to advance to Lord or King. Otherwise, who would want to take another's life? They are seeking their own destruction by cooperating with man-eating races to target Huaxia," Lin Zhan explained to his sister-in-law.
After wandering for the afternoon, everyone returned to the Gaowu Hotel for dinner. Lin Zhan and his group opened their combat belts and began organizing their weapons.
Lin Zhan casually asked, "Old Leng, Old Zhang, do you still have trump cards?"
"I'm a hunter. Have you ever seen a hunter without hunting dogs?" Leng Shan replied cryptically.
"Holy crap, Old Leng, you're going down the same path as Old Lin Black," He Dazhuang exclaimed, ever the curious one.
"What about Old Zhang?"
"Mine is simpler. Do you know why my father is called the Water Ghost? It's because he fought five Diamond-ranked Merfolk underwater and, without surfacing for air, killed them all after a day of fighting." Zhang Cong said it casually, but the others shivered. Fighting underwater for a day and outlasting the Merfolk – what kind of family was this?
"Actually, their biggest secret is that Commander Leng Feng, the King of Hunters, and General Zhang Lang, the Water Ghost, are preparing to break through to Lord rank," Jiang Zheng revealed. The Jiang family had an army commander. As generals of the Sixth Group Army, Leng Shan and Zhang Lang's advancement to Lord rank naturally had the support of the military region.
"It seems that in the next few years, more human warriors will advance to Lord rank. Greater strength breeds greater ambition. This time, with or without excuses, we must kill. Preferably, we'll anger those three special zones into outright war, giving Huaxia an excuse to destroy them," Lin Zhan saw the essence of the situation.
"My father took on the role of Lord of the Frontier to prevent Fusang incursions. Furthermore, my fourth granduncle told my father that the Myriad Races Church was created by Fusang and America. The Myriad Races Church's influence in Huaxia has been eradicated, but they won't be content. The last remnants of the Myriad Races Church were wiped out by the He family beyond the border. That's why we suspect the Myriad Races Church will still come from Fusang," He Dazhuang calmly relayed the information captured by the He family to his classmates.
"It's all related. The military also suspects someone is planning to attack the capital, which is why my father took on the role of Lord of the Capital's defense. My second granduncle also visited a few days ago and talked with my father for most of the night," Lin Zhan shared his family's situation.