Chapter 361: A Duel of Destiny

Watch out! Don’t break anything!

In the courtyard, over a dozen uniformed soldiers carefully maneuvered several massive spirit energy crystals, carrying them into an elegant garden house.

Unlike the military family quarters Yenir had previously lived in, the security here was clearly top-notch. The courtyards were widely spaced, and if you looked up, you could just glimpse a blue shield flashing briefly across the sky.

Once the high-quality crystals were moved into the training chamber, a dense blue mist began to spread.

After completing their task, the soldiers left the courtyard. As they tidied up, whenever they passed by a youth, they couldn’t help but steal curious glances.

Notice the two dazzling golden stars next to the silver medal on the youth’s chest. Paired with his impeccably tailored uniform, they lent him an unexpected air of authority.

He was probably the fastest-rising figure since the apocalypse in Huaguo.

“Night Committee Member.”

He raised his hand in salute.

A lieutenant colonel stepped forward from the formation, and after a proper salute, he held out a list and said respectfully:

“These supplies were jointly delivered by the Military Department and the Supplies Department—everything you need has been replenished.”

“If you require anything else, just contact Minister Chen.”

Handing over the list, the Squad Captain looked curiously at Yenir’s youthful face. Without the medals, Yenir resembled a handsome scion of a prominent family—composed and calm, nothing like the unruly image rumored.

One glance and he seemed as serene as a quiet lake.

Could a person like that really commit such horrifying acts…

“Much appreciated.”

Taking the supply list, Yenir casually scanned it and nodded in acknowledgement.

This was his new home, and it was also where the Capital promised maximum protection for his family.

The replenished supplies were meant to make up for the resources Wang Hong had seized during the previous search. However, the crucial soul fragment still remained with Lu Tianming. For everything else to boost his attributes, the Military had sourced substitutes.

“A soul fragment… it doesn’t matter.”

As Yenir silently absorbed a warm, glowing energy, he noted that roughly every three hours, his power stats inched upward.

These reallocated resources—even those not listed in the national treasury—turned out to be even better than he’d imagined.

Chances were they were personal assets of the upper echelon.

Compared to the three A-grade enhancement crystals from the treasury, these could nearly max out his attributes within a week.

They might even slightly overflow, transforming into a stronger base to push him into the next stage.

As for that soul fragment…

Ever since Lu Tianming accepted his death duel challenge eight hours ago, there was no reason to return it. With the soul fragment’s unique production site, the Military couldn’t immediately find a replacement.

After all, system resources for enhancing willpower were always scarce. Rumor had it the soul fragment was seized from the Hell’s Gate Dungeon by a peak Third-Stage Commander in the early days.

And he couldn’t be bothered to ask for it back.

Lu Tianming was dead—everything was now his.

“Yenir, are you really going to challenge Lu Tianming?”

“Isn’t three months too short?”

In his private messages, Yenir selectively replied to the flood of notifications. One message was from Zhao Long; even without speaking face-to-face, he could sense the subtle persuasion in Zhao Long’s tone.

“That’s enough, Uncle Zhao. I’ve got this under control.”

His reply was calm as his eyes flickered and he glanced toward the western sky.

Using the long-forgotten Article 131 and launching a death duel with Lu Tianming wasn’t just to silence the critics or eliminate his rival personally. More importantly, he realized that expecting the Capital’s unquestioning support—gained through his previous stellar performance—was unrealistic.

The prize was huge; those top officials might not mind, or could even back him.

But the subordinates would undoubtedly resist or even turn hostile at his rise. If he hid his strength and conceded some benefits, he might navigate this period more smoothly.

But… there wasn’t time for that.

Moreover, his foundation was too weak—he had no real backer. Perhaps Li Xuanguo barely counted, but only as a part of state-level support.

“In the end, power is the only language that matters…”

“At his peak Third-Stage, he managed to wield some influence. With disasters increasing, he might gain more—but the pace is too slow.”

“By the time the authorities realize they must spare no effort to cultivate me or clear obstacles, it might be too late…”

“So, I need to boost my strength and build my network even faster…”

Yenir murmured under his breath as he rehearsed his next moves.

Regarding Lu Tianming, he came to a realization he’d never considered before: even harsh conditions could yield advantages.

In his past life, the Capital’s leadership was overhauled repeatedly, leaving figures like Lu Tianming with little influence. Internal obstacles were almost non-existent. But now, things were different…

Like a crumbling empire in its final days.

In these seemingly peaceful times, internal enemies were often the hardest to deal with.

“For the first two months: rapidly boost my power to mid-level, secure that unique skill and equipment I remember, and perfect my fundamentals!”

“Then, in the second month, enter a counter-dungeon and crush the core forces of neighboring hostile nations to pave the way for future raids—and cement higher prestige in the Military…”

“With a sweeping victory, directly take down Lu Tianming, clear the obstacles… and secure a seat on the Standing Committee!”

“Next, using the terror of my killing prowess, fast-track the plan and ascend to Fourth Stage…”

“Aerospace Carrier, Transcendent Project, Battle Zone relocation, Iron Defense, Plunder Missions…”

Clenching his fists, Yenir mentally mapped out his plan like a meticulously timed schedule, every task laid out with precision.

While ordinary people might take decades or even centuries to achieve such plans, he advanced day by day at a hundredfold pace. Every decision was optimal, each step intricately connected.

Meanwhile, at the Military base where he had briefly replied, Zhao Long read Yenir’s message in a daze.

To be honest, he truly wished he could dissuade Yenir from this death duel.

When Lu Tianming was forced into the duel challenge, every senior official in the Capital—from committee members to delegates—was profoundly shaken.

They assumed the matter between Lu Tianming and Yenir was over; after all, their statuses and strengths were worlds apart. No matter how unwilling, Yenir couldn’t match Lu Tianming.

But no one expected Yenir’s solution would be to boldly initiate a death duel!

How terrifying!

This extreme death duel rule had only emerged after the apocalypse. Before Yenir, hardly anyone dared such measures. But since his arrival, death duels became almost routine—if he disliked someone, it meant a fight to the death.

His ruthless style instilled deep fear in many.

Especially since most committee members still couldn’t fathom how the upper echelon approved Yenir’s death duel.

Ever since the apocalypse, the authorities had long prized martial might and the strong. In that brutal climate, internal conflicts were common.

To win over the masses and select the first batch of Standing Committee members amid rank contests, death duels had been the fairest—and last—resort in early Huaguo.

But now, who would take them seriously…

Yet, inexplicably, after Yenir’s conversation with the upper echelons, Li Xuanguo and others seemed to tacitly allow this to happen!

It left everyone wondering what Yenir had said—or what price he had offered that the authorities couldn’t refuse!

Consequently, news that Yenir would initiate a death duel in three months exploded throughout all Safe Zones in the Huaxia Battle Zone!

Even remote private factions had faintly caught wind of it.

Suppressing his jumbled thoughts,

Zhao Long sighed, his expression troubled as he sent another message.

“Alright, Yenir.”

“I know your mind is made up, but I want to remind you: Lu Tianming’s strength isn’t something to take lightly.”

“You probably already know that he and his forefathers are of Military origin, boasting impressive foundations. He didn’t just wait around for his level—he fought his way up.”

“Compared to the Third-Stage Advanced talent you encountered, his power ranks among the mightiest in the Military. Years ago, there were even rumors he could challenge the Four Commanders!”

“Be careful! In the end, you must prioritize your own safety!”

After sending his message, even Zhao Long felt he was being a bit nagging.

But there was nothing he could do—it wasn’t that he didn’t believe in Yenir, but the situation was simply too unbelievable.

In three months, expecting Yenir to face Lu Tianming with Third-Stage Beginner strength was a virtually hopeless matchup. Even if he reached Third-Stage Mid-level, the gap would remain immense.

No matter how strong his potential or how unbeatable he was considered at his level, it simply wasn’t enough.

Those who had witnessed his arena performance knew that despite his extraordinary talent, the chasm between mid-level and advanced was insurmountable. Not to mention, Lu Tianming was among the elite of their stage…

He wasn’t exactly that kind of weak advanced—perhaps there was still some hope of victory…

Watching Zhao Long and others share his anxious look, Yenir simply closed his private messages without explanation.

He knew that theoretically, slaying Lu Tianming solely by his own strength in three months was impossible. After all, whether it was his trump card, attributes, or equipment, Lu Tianming wasn’t inferior—if anything, he was stronger.

From top to bottom, even his staunchest believers weren’t confident.

Even Li Xuanguo, upon seeing the ‘price’ he offered, did nothing to stop him—partly because he believed Yenir could never kill Lu Tianming, making the death duel inconsequential.

But…

Raising his right hand, Yenir calmly reached for the sun, slowly mimicking a grasp, as he whispered:

“I was born a miracle.”

“Humans, invincible…!”