Rain's fingers tightened around the papers as his eyes scanned the list. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the name that stood out like a red flag—Lin Feng. The description beside it sent a chill down his spine.
"Martial artist... High potential... Dangerously skilled."
Rain's thoughts raced, his expression still neutral in front of Nara and Elsa.
'Of all the names, why this one? Lin Feng?'
His mind instantly recalled countless Chinese novels he'd devoured in his past life.
'Oh, fantastic. The protagonist trope. The guy who beats everyone, gets all the girls, and stumbles onto ridiculous power-ups every other chapter.'
He quickly folded the papers, stuffing them into his robe. "I'll look into these. You'll have your answers soon."
Nara eyed him suspiciously, sensing his sudden tension but said nothing.
Rain glanced at her, offering a faint nod before walking out of the room.
'Lin Feng… This guy has to be dealt with. I can't have another cultivator running around, especially not one who probably follows the 'heaven-defying-opportunity-magnet' trope. Just my luck.'
- Day 40 Passed -
Rain found himself seated in a dimly lit room inside the AHS headquarters, surrounded by core members.
He had been here before, but this time, the leader—Kephela—was finally present.
The moment she entered, Rain froze.
She looked far too young.
Blonde hair that shimmered like gold, red eyes that sparkled with an intensity no mage her age should possess.
Rain stared, dumbfounded.
'Is she in mid-teens? No way. A Grand Mage? With seven magic circles?'
Kephela greeted him with a soft smile, her eyes locking onto his in a way that made his skin crawl. "Gandolf, it's an honor to finally meet you in person."
Her voice carried a strange familiarity, a warmth that shouldn't be there, as if she had known him for years.
But that wasn't possible. Definitely not possible.
'I'm pretty sure I've never seen her before, unless… No, scratch that. I would've remembered a mage this young. What's with the longing in her eyes?'
Rain gave her a curt nod, pretending to brush it off. "Likewise," he said, keeping his voice steady.
'Is she going to start crying or something? Why is she looking at me like that?'
Across from him sat Hans, another new face, a tall man with a strong build.
He leaned back in his chair, looking nonchalant.
The core members of the AHS were all gathered now, ready to discuss their plans.
Kephela took the lead, her voice firm and controlled as she outlined the AHS's next move. "We've gathered information on the summoned heroes, and based on their strengths, it's clear that we need to either recruit or eliminate certain individuals."
Rain sat quietly, listening, but his mind wandered back to Lin Feng.
'Recruit? Eliminate? Yeah, I know which category he falls into.'
His eyes narrowed as Kephela continued, detailing potential assassination targets and conversion candidates.
Lin Feng wasn't mentioned once.
Rain frowned. 'Wait. Where's the mention of Lin Feng? Surely, they've got his name on their radar. Unless…'
He couldn't help himself. "You've mentioned several heroes," Rain interrupted, his tone calm but sharp, "but what about Lin Feng? From what I've gathered, his potential is… concerning. Why isn't he on the list?"
The room fell silent. Kephela's expression didn't falter, but Rain noticed the slight pause in her speech.
She regained her composure quickly, her red eyes locking onto his. "Lin Feng is… off-limits."
Rain raised an eyebrow, feeling the tension in the air shift.
'Off-limits? *Tsk* That doesn't sound suspicious at all.'
He leaned forward. "Off-limits? Why? A hero like that, someone with a martial background, could become a serious threat if left unchecked. I'd think he would be a priority for elimination."
Kephela's eyes flickered, but her calm remained intact. "Lin Feng is… unique. Acting in his territory could bring unforeseen consequences. We must approach him with caution, and for now, the directive is to avoid any interaction with him."
Rain's thoughts raced again, sarcastic as always.
'Yeah, avoid him. That's a great plan. Because nothing bad ever happens when you ignore the overpowered martial artist in every story, right?'
His mind flashed back to every protagonist named Lin Feng, each one defying the odds, finding ridiculous treasures, and slaughtering enemies leagues above their level.
'How long until this Lin Feng guy starts wrecking everything?'
"But isn't that precisely why we should eliminate him now, before he grows stronger?" Rain pressed, his voice challenging.
'Seriously, I've read enough novels to know that leaving this guy alone is like handing him the key to world domination.'
Kephela's gaze softened slightly, and Rain caught the faintest hint of something hidden behind her words.
"Trust me, Gandolf. Lin Feng is not to be touched. I've ensured the safety of our organization, and acting against him could destabilize more than just our plans. He's a… special case."
Rain bit back his frustration, feeling the weight of her words but not quite understanding why she was so insistent.
'What's so special about him? Am I supposed to just sit here and wait for him to cultivate to godhood? Yeah, great plan. '
He straightened up, sighing internally.
'I don't like this. Not one bit.'
Kephela moved on to other topics, but Rain's mind kept returning to Lin Feng.
'Off-limits, huh? Guess who's not following that rule? Me. '
His eyes glanced around the room, sizing up the core members.
None of them seemed to share his concern about Lin Feng.
It was as if they were deliberately turning a blind eye.
Kephela finally wrapped up the meeting, her voice smooth as ever. "We move in two days. The first hero to be targeted is a low-tier individual in the northern region. Focus on him for now. We'll deal with others as the situation develops."
Rain stood, his thoughts still locked on Lin Feng.
'Two days. That's plenty of time for me to figure out what's really going on with this guy.'
As the core members began to disperse, Kephela approached him, her eyes lingering on him again with that same strange warmth. "I'll see you again soon, Gandolf."
Rain felt a chill run down his spine as she said it, but he forced a smile, nodding in return.
'This woman is way too familiar with me for it to be normal. I swear I haven't met her, right?'
He watched her leave the room, the lingering feeling of unease growing stronger.
Once she was gone, Rain's mind raced. 'Lin Feng… What is Kephela hiding?'
He turned, about to leave, but something caught his eye on the table where the documents were spread out. He hesitated, picking up the papers, and began flipping through them again.
His eyes stopped on a line—his breath hitched.
There, buried deep in the file, was a single note attached to Lin Feng's profile.
The words were simple, but they made his blood run cold.
Lin Feng: One of the chosen.
Rain's grip tightened on the paper, his pulse quickening. 'Chosen? What the hell does that mean?'
The revelation hit him like a thunderbolt.