Chapter 124: Unsettling Revelations in the City

With practiced ease, he handed over his ID Card. Once inside the city, Yenir gave a peculiar look at the patrolling soldiers.

Military helicopters periodically took off, seemingly bound for another military base in the east, as control measures — rarely seen in the city — began to be enforced.

“It’s one thing if Xiao Hai didn’t send anyone to investigate the corpse tide, but what’s with this martial law stance now?”

Perplexed, Yenir shook his head. He planned to confront Xiao Hai once he had secured his Spiritual Energy Fruit.

The recent uprising of the corpse tide was fresh in everyone’s mind, and if it could be prevented, he was determined not to repeat past mistakes.

Yet he had no idea that the strict security in the Safe Zone was all thanks to him.

……..

“Was that Yenir just now?!”

At the city’s defense post, several soldiers in charge of monitoring information exchanged quick glances as they watched Yenir enter the Inner City, instinctively preparing to send a report.

They had received orders: as soon as Yenir returned, report immediately—but do not alert him prematurely.

After confirming it was indeed Yenir, the soldiers hurriedly relayed the information up the chain. They weren’t sure why their superiors valued it so highly—there was an undercurrent of caution—but as mere foot soldiers, they followed every directive.

The message swiftly made its way to Xiao Hai in the conference room.

He felt extremely uneasy.

While bickering with officials from the Zhenjiang Security Zone, he struggled to suppress the shock building in his heart.

Xiao Hai anxiously scanned the message that had been relayed just moments earlier.

“Yenir is back?!”

Captain Huang also brought crucial intelligence, claiming that Yenir’s strength had long since surged to Second-Stage.

The onslaught of two consecutive messages made him feel as though ants were crawling all over him, leaving him utterly restless.

It was unbelievable. If it weren’t for Captain Huang’s claim of having concrete evidence, Xiao Hai wouldn’t dare to accept the fact. What a joke—to jump from zero to Second-Stage in about a week, even with cheats, is impossible, right?!

Not to mention, even if Third-Stage operatives were involved, pooling their experience wouldn’t achieve such a feat.

Unless Yenir’s mysterious backers had poured in an enormous amount of Spirit Crystal to boost his rank at all costs! But…

Is that even possible?

And why would they do that?

Listening to Honggang and the other two’s mocking jibes, Xiao Hai grew increasingly irritable. Finally, unable to hold back his impulse any longer, he stood up abruptly and forced a weak smile.

“Everyone, I’m stepping out for a moment.”

“Hurry back!”

“Xiao Li! Please attend to the three distinguished guests and serve another round of tea!”

No sooner had the words fallen than Xiao Hai, unable to sit still for even a moment, dashed outside to check the data in Captain Huang’s hands.

The news was too staggering—he had to see it with his own eyes!

Watching Xiao Hai’s hasty ‘escape’, the Zhenjiang Commander let out a dissatisfied snort, assuming he was merely stalling for time.

Heh, so they plan to delay giving us an explanation, is that it..?

Do they really think we’re pushovers?

…………..

In a small room outside the conference room, Xiao Hai received the documents from Captain Huang with a grave expression, and couldn’t help but ask:

“Are you sure it was Yenir? You really saw him come out that day?!”

Seeing Xiao Hai’s lingering disbelief, Captain Huang let out a bitter laugh, clearly aware that the news was too incredible to accept.

“Commander Xiao, the ID number and name match up. I even went out of my way to confirm with the staff who received Yenir that day.”

“Not only that—Yenir took on missions across all departments! One of them even involved hunting down the mutated bear from the Zoo!”

“This means that Yenir did indeed encounter that group from Zhenjiang that day and even snatched a corpse tiger from them!”

“The time, place, target—even the record left by a Third-Stage operative—all match perfectly!”

Stunned, Xiao Hai hurriedly flipped through the records, nearly certain of their veracity.

“He took on four missions?”

“Why would he accept four missions?!”

Typically, tasks for ascending to Second-Stage involve missions related solely to one’s own attributes. Only a prodigy from a dominant force craving that extra edge might take on additional missions. Still, the risk-to-reward ratio was skewed, offering just a single attribute point for an advancement task unrelated to one’s specialty.

Below 20 attribute points, a single Spiritual Energy Fruit would suffice. Under normal circumstances, who willingly increases their risk?

“Commander Xiao, take a look. The four missions Yenir accepted were all completed within just two days.”

As Xiao Hai continued sifting through the report, Captain Huang kept adding details.

“Rustle”

The papers rustled as they were turned.

Being a veteran Third-Stage operative, Xiao Hai was shocked by some of the report’s information but soon began to discern a pattern.

“Windcarved Feather Wings from the Agility Type— that’s something you could just buy with money.”

“A Constitution Type advancement task can even be completed in a team.”

“As for the Willpower Type… it demands surviving a basic paranormal event. It seems his mysterious backers have intelligence on such scenarios?”

..

He muttered under his breath.

At first, he found it hard to believe, but as he read on, Xiao Hai began to form his own theories.

If Yenir’s mysterious backers were strong enough, they might indeed help him achieve such a leap.

Yet, after pondering over the details, Xiao Hai couldn’t fathom why they’d do this—or why such a powerful force was involved. From his deductions, their might clearly outclassed Tianfeng. No ordinary medium or small faction could pull off something like this.

Lost in thought, Xiao Hai finally spoke in a low voice:

“Seal the report! Make sure it’s kept safe!”

“Until we know their true intentions, the information must not leak! We can’t afford any unnecessary trouble!”

To Xiao Hai, with such a mysterious and powerful adversary, it was likely the work of a massive faction or even a covert operation under the Military Department.

Could it be related to an internal struggle within the Central Authority?

Knowing that the Fire Seed Plan was tied to appointing the next of the Four Commanders, he felt this move all but turned Yenir into a ‘fire seed’—a candidate operating beyond the military’s grasp.

Could that really be the case?

An SS-level talent abandoned by the military yet cultivated outside—if this plan succeeds, it would certainly slap some factions in the face.

They might even use Yenir as a pretext to attack the entire Fire Seed Plan.

Dissent already simmered within the military. Many believed the Fire Seed Plan demanded too heavy an investment, depleting resources meant for ordinary people and draining years of stockpiles. Without a few dominant factions within the Central Authority forcefully pushing it, the plan might never have launched.

Imagine—a genius nurtured outside, eclipsing even the talents of the Fire Seed Plan, would be a slap in the face, bringing shame upon the entire Military Department!

But that all hinged on Yenir making it to Third-Stage—and excelling while there!

Given that no one from the Willpower Type had ever ascended to Third-Stage, he wasn’t sure if his hypothesis was correct.

Rubbing his chin as countless possibilities flashed through his mind, Xiao Hai sighed.

It was too complicated—being merely an entry-level Third-Stage, he resolved not to get involved. Who knew just how deep the waters ran behind it all!