Chapter 48: Acting Willfully, Unrequited Longing Beyond One's Depth (Part Two)

"Could such a thing really happen?"

Hearing this, a flash of murderous intent erupted in Wei Cheng's eyes.

"Ten years ago, we suppressed the Pioneer Group and forced them underground, subduing various overseas forces in the wake. Now they are showing signs of resurfacing once more. Their research must have made a new breakthrough."

"However, Donghua is never short of capable people. The Four Heavenly Kings, the Great Sages of various sects, and wandering masters like Brother Fang—even without me and Mr. Zhao, why should we fear these overseas scoundrels?"

"I heard that a new master who has achieved sanctification in the flesh has recently appeared domestically. He is a young man under thirty. Old Wei, you went to meet him in person; what was your impression?"

The elderly man dressed in a Tang suit looked at Wei Cheng and asked.

"He is a heavenly demon incarnate, yet possesses a heart yearning to seek the Dao. His spirit is extraordinary, his physical form blessed by nature. For him to emerge so abruptly at this juncture, he is surely a child of destiny."

Wei Cheng said in a deep voice.

"Hahaha, the heroes of Donghua are endless! If given the chance, I would certainly like to meet him."

Hearing Wei Cheng give such an evaluation, the Tang suit-clad elder burst into hearty laughter.

What kind of figure was Wei Cheng? To win his praise was already to be among the phoenixes among men, let alone hearing him utter the phrase "a child of destiny."

Did one not realize what kind of figures throughout human history deserved to be called children of destiny?

Though they had never met, the elder already felt a certain understanding of that young man.

On the other side, upon hearing Wei Cheng's words, the man in the crisp Zhongshan suit—who had remained completely silent from the beginning—seemed to sense something. The vital energy within his body leaked out, sharp and overwhelmingly oppressive.

It was as if he could not see, speak, or hear, yet he perceived all things in the world purely through intuition.

Swish, swish, swish!

He swept a single finger across the stone tea table, and the hard stone surface parted beneath his finger as though it were tofu.

Soon, he carved a single character into the tabletop.

*Benevolence.*

At that very moment, the phone at Wei Cheng's waist rang.

"Old Minister, I truly apologize for disturbing you at this late hour..."

Zhao Ping employed his familiar opening.

Listening to Zhao Ping's concise report, Wei Cheng's expression shifted several times before he finally shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Very well, I am aware of this matter. I will make arrangements shortly."

Wei Cheng spoke briefly, hung up the phone, and then discussed the matter with the other two men.

Hearing that five super soldiers had infiltrated the country, the two men furrowed their brows slightly; but upon learning that Yi Beitou had sensed their presence, proactively sought them out, and slain all five, looks of astonishment appeared on their faces.

To possess such strength did not sound like someone who had merely entered the state of sanctification. Clearly, Wei Cheng's earlier words had not been exaggerated in the slightest.

"Now, this man has set off alone, preparing to cross the border and head to Nanyang. What are your thoughts on this, gentlemen?"

Wei Cheng asked.

"Youthful indeed, full of fiery vigor, possessing the true demeanor of a martial artist."

Hearing this, the Tang suit elder was slightly startled before he too burst into a chuckle.

On the other side, the man in the Zhongshan suit moved his finger once more. On the stone table, the character for "Great" was added right before the character for *Benevolence*.

"It's just that with this move of his, the perils he faces will likely be immense," the elder observed.

In their eyes, regional geopolitics and the like were secondary; the primary concern was the danger awaiting him beyond the borders.

Certain areas in Nanyang were exceptionally chaotic, and what kind of weapons or how many super soldiers remained hidden within the Pioneer Group's major strongholds was still unknown.

Most importantly, local forces existed in Nanyang, including masters who had achieved sanctification in the flesh—forces not to be underestimated.

"His will is like diamond, and his spirit is extraordinary. He will likely manage to track down the Pioneer Group's hidden stronghold. That is for the best, anyway. Is our vast nation of Donghua a place where anyone can come and go as they please without paying any price?"

"I will immediately call the Southern Region and have Yue Ming mobilize our covert forces in Nanyang to lend him a helping hand."

Wei Cheng said with a smile.

"'Southern Heavenly King' Yue Ming?"

The Tang suit elder remarked.

***

In a command room within the Southern Region.

A tall, heavily built man sat in a chair, his broad frame resembling a giant bear, as though he might crush the chair beneath him at any moment.

His features were as sharp as if carved by a knife, his brows thick and bushy. Light seemed to gleam within his eyes, his gaze exceptionally resolute, as if capable of overcoming all obstacles.

At the moment, his brows were slightly furrowed.

Yunhai Province fell under the jurisdiction of the Southern Region, and he had quickly learned of the events that had transpired there. What he had not expected, however, was that the young man named Yi Beitou would immediately set out for Nanyang to carry out a retaliatory strike.

Without any planning, refusing to listen to any advice, he was acting entirely on his own stubborn impulse.

Such behavior could only be called reckless.

What he expected even less was that the higher-ups actually wanted him to mobilize their covert forces in Nanyang, sparing no expense to assist the other party's operation.

Having a military background and accustomed to acting with thorough deliberation, he did not care for this style of action.

Killing five super soldiers single-handedly certainly demonstrated some strength, but cross-border operations involved far too many unknown variables; it was by no means a simple matter.

Taptaptap.

At that moment, the door to the command room was pushed open, and an officer hurried inside.

"Yi Beitou's whereabouts have been traced. He just left Chuncheng not long ago and made no effort to conceal his route."

The officer reported.

"Mobilize anti-air assets to transport me there. I want to see this man in the shortest time possible."

Yue Ming rose from his seat.

For the Pioneer Group to dare so blatantly dispatch super soldiers to infiltrate the country was to treat the Southern Region as if it were nothing at all. He had no objection to counterattacking; in fact, had his own status not risked triggering an international dispute, he would have loved to go to Nanyang himself.

Yet he could not rest easy with reckless behavior like Yi Beitou's—let alone when it required him to mobilize their covert assets in Nanyang.

Those were loyal soldiers every last one of them. Once exposed and the operation failed, they would inevitably face ruthless retaliation. While Yi Beitou might manage to escape relying on his own strength, his soldiers possessed no such capability.

As the saying went: an incompetent general exhausts three armies. He had to be responsible for the soldiers under his command.

Therefore, he had to gauge Yi Beitou's "capacity."

Shortly after.

Deep in the mountains of Yunhai Province, Yi Beitou's figure rapidly wove through the forest. Suddenly, he halted his steps and looked up at the sky.

Humm-humm-humm!

The roar of an engine echoed through the air as a helicopter came screaming over from a distance. Pinpointing his position, it hovered twenty or thirty meters directly above him.

The cabin door slid open, and a towering figure appeared at the threshold. Carrying no equipment whatsoever, he leaped directly down from a height of twenty meters.

Boom!

The man's heavy body crashed into the jungle. The terrifying impact caused the soft earth to explode and cave in, snapping surrounding trees under the force of the shockwave as a blast of wind swept outward.

"By the looks of it, you've come to stop me?"

Yi Beitou showed not the slightest surprise at the spectacle. Gazing at the man before him, he spoke in a calm tone.

"The higher-ups ordered me to mobilize our covert forces in Nanyang to assist your operation. I need to verify whether you possess the qualifications to make my soldiers risk their lives alongside you. If you don't, I'll be taking you back with me."

Yue Ming stepped out of the crater, his voice like rumbling thunder. Every word struck the ground with solid weight, carrying an irresistible majesty.

"You really do enjoy indulging in wishful thinking. When did I ever say I needed your help? And when did I ever say I would accept it?"

Yet, upon hearing this, Yi Beitou could not help but laugh aloud.