Translator: CinderTL
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[Cao Tong: ???]
Under the night sky, seeing the message on the screen, Chen Feng was silent for a moment.
Soon, perhaps feeling he had overreacted, the three question marks were quickly retracted.
Shortly after, his phone vibrated again, and Cao Tong's message came through.
[Cao Tong: Where are you?]
[Find a safe place to stay. I'll come over right away.]
Seeing the message, Chen Feng didn't waste time.
He sent a location, glanced around his surroundings, and found a secluded corner to wait quietly.
Fortunately, it was late at night, and there were few people wandering around.
In just over ten minutes, a black SUV sped toward him.
Buzz!
The car screeched to a halt.
With a loud bang, the door opened, and the burly Cao Tong, as imposing as a small mountain, stepped out.
"Chen Feng?"
The man called out from a distance.
Confirming his identity, Chen Feng quickly emerged from the corner.
"Coach Cao."
"Are you alright?" Cao Tong asked, glancing at the snake-like corpse on the ground.
Its head was caved in, clearly the result of repeated blows, beaten to death.
"I'm fine."
"That's good."
Letting out a sigh of relief, Cao Tong scanned the surroundings, quickly noticing something odd.
"Wait, this snake man... did you kill it?"
His tiger-like eyes widened as he looked at Chen Feng.
He was well aware of the strength of such creatures; even the weakest required a professional-grade fighter to handle.
But clearly, Chen Feng, who had just mastered tiger form, shouldn't be at that level.
Chen Feng remained silent for a moment.
"It was me."
As his words fell, Cao Tong's eyes widened in astonishment.
For several seconds, he stared at Chen Feng up and down.
He could tell Chen Feng wasn't lying, but that only made it harder to understand how he had managed it.
"Coach Cao, what exactly is this thing?"
Noting Cao Tong's shock, Chen Feng quickly changed the topic, unwilling to linger on the possibility of attracting the snake man's companions.
"This thing..."
Recovering from his thoughts, Cao Tong frowned deeply.
After giving Chen Feng a meaningful look, he explained:
"You need to know, not everyone in this world is willing to endure the sweat and effort of martial arts training."
"There are always those who seek an easier way to gain power."
"Are you talking about cyborgs?" Chen Feng asked curiously.
In this highly advanced world, body modifications were not uncommon.
For instance, the wanted robber from the gold shop had undergone such enhancements.
But...
Looking at the snake-like corpse on the ground, Chen Feng couldn't spot any mechanical features.
"It's not a cyborg."
Shaking his head, Cao Tong's expression turned faintly disdainful.
"This is someone who worships so-called evil gods, offering sacrifices to willingly undergo mutations..."
"Evil gods? Mutations?"
Raising an eyebrow, Chen Feng caught onto a series of keywords.
This was information absent from his inherited memories, things he had never encountered.
In a daze, it felt as if a door had been opened before him, revealing a mysterious world gradually unfolding.
"That's all I can tell you for now."
"There are things you'll learn as your strength grows."
Cao Tong stopped there, offering only a brief warning.
Though slightly disappointed, Chen Feng wisely refrained from pressing further.
"Coach, what about this scene..."
"Report it to the Safety Bureau."
Shaking his head, Cao Tong quickly pulled out his phone.
"Those lunatics who worship evil gods are mortal enemies of the Safety Bureau."
"It's best to let them handle this."
With that, he swiftly sent a message, seemingly contacting a friend at the Bureau.
Chen Feng sighed in relief.
It was clear Cao Tong was covering for him, ensuring he wouldn't have to worry about retaliation from the snake man's allies.
---
Meanwhile, in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Nanjiang City...
"Number 19 is dead?"
The space was filled with the stench of rust and gasoline, with oil barrels scattered haphazardly.
In the dimly lit area, several black-robed figures stood together.
"Yes, the Serpent God revealed it."
The one speaking wore a hood, their voice vaguely feminine.
"Two minutes before you arrived, it returned to the Serpent God's embrace."
"Who did it?" a hulking black-robed figure asked, voice heavy with anger.
"Unknown."
Shaking her head slightly, the hooded woman spoke flatly.
"Nanjiang City is a major metropolis with several martial arts sects. All of them have some level of strength."
"Moreover, the cyborgs backing the Safety Bureau and the United Earth Coalition may have noticed traces of us..."
Hearing this, the atmosphere grew tense.
Although the large man knew this reasoning, his frustration remained.
"I'll get to the bottom of this!"
"Suit yourself."
The hooded woman replied indifferently.
"But think carefully."
"Compared to the mission Lord Messenger assigned, which is more important?"
Her words caused the large man to stiffen.
After a moment of hesitation, he let out a cold snort and dropped the subject.
Soon, the black-robed figures stood together in a circle.
A dark energy began emanating from them, and within the abandoned warehouse, a hazy serpent-like apparition gradually emerged.
Below it, a pool of deep red, almost black blood began to spread.
---
Back in the city, a Safety Bureau vehicle departed with the snake man's corpse.
Seated in Cao Tong's SUV, Chen Feng watched the scene unfold without stepping out.
Finally, as the task was wrapped up, Cao Tong re-entered the car.
"It's done. Don't worry."
"Where do you live? I'll take you home."
"Just ahead, a couple of minutes' walk. I can make it myself."
Chen Feng opened the door, stepped out, and expressed his thanks through the car window.
"It's nothing," Cao Tong chuckled.
"But you, you've really surprised me today."
"Train hard. I'm looking forward to the day we're fellow disciples!"
The words stunned Chen Feng.
He could sense Cao Tong's genuine appreciation, likely sparked by his potential.
"Thank you, Coach Cao."
"Coach? Forget it. Call me Brother Cao from now on!"
Laughing, Cao Tong drove off, leaving Chen Feng standing under the red glow of the tail lights as they faded into the distance.
Turning toward home, Chen Feng entered, dropped his bag, and headed to the bathroom.
The hot shower soothed his muscles and calmed his mind.
Reflecting on the night's events, he felt an urgency building within him.
"Ultimately… it all comes down to strength."
With determination gleaming in his eyes, he hurried into his bedroom, ready to dive into his dreams.
(End of the Chapter)
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Translated 4 Series, 1.5K+ Chapters and 1.78M+ Words.