Chapter 393: Qin Feng (10,000)

Lu Xingchen nearly tripped over his own feet.

Just moments ago, everyone's gaze was fixed on him, but less than five seconds later, his divine-fire-descending posture had been stolen as the center of attention—and what infuriated him most was that his ability peak was clearly far higher than Kiki's~

So Lu Xingchen came up with an idea: he ignited fire beneath his feet and walked as if treading upon lotus flames.

But this drew little attention; instead, it sparked the dry grass on the park ground, prompting several panicked security guards to rush over and spray fire extinguishers frantically.

Watching thick white smoke engulf and obscure him, Lu Xingchen felt like he wanted to die.

Fire Brother shut down, silently heading to the rest area and sinking into a corner, silently reassuring himself: he was here to fulfill a world-saving mission; he must not lose his composure over such trivial matters.

"Mechanical ability user?"

At the recruitment station, Kiki's words silenced everyone for several seconds. Countless incredulous gazes turned toward her; from the convoy camp, Lin Qingyu, Lei Zhen, and others leapt to their feet in shock.

"Did I hear wrong?" Lin Qingyu slowly lifted his sunglasses: "Did that woman just say she's… a mechanical ability user?"

"You didn't hear wrong. That's exactly what she said." Luo Heng closed his mobile terminal, his expression grim.

"Damn… " Han Tiege, clad in powered armor, scratched his head: "What's going on? Isn't this a 【Civilization Creation】-level ability? Why are there so many?"

The others stared in disbelief; only Jiang Yun remained calm, even smiling faintly.

Whoa!

The square filled with tens of thousands instantly erupted.

"Is this real?!"

"A mechanical ability user? Another one?!"

"Like Qin Feng?"

"My god…"

The recruitment officer nervously rubbed his ears and stared at Kiki: "You said… what kind of ability do you have?"

"Mechanical ability." Kiki repeated.

"I… I'm sorry, but could you please demonstrate it?" The officer, unusually, made this request—but it wasn't his own; it came from Li Jian's voice in his earpiece.

"Sure."

At these words, those lining up instinctively stepped back, faces filled with fear—none here had ever seen a mechanical ability user.

Kiki cleared her throat, then raised a finger.

Hum!

A holographic screen suddenly appeared above her palm. Countless materials flew out, auto-forging and reshaping at astonishing speed—within seconds, a Vulcan Gatling gun materialized before the eyes of tens of thousands, faster than origami folding.

"Here, take it."

Kiki used telekinesis to snatch the expensive Gatling gun and casually tossed it into the crowd toward a wounded veteran, who caught it in stunned silence—it was brand new, still warm.

Not only the onlookers, but even convoy leaders like Lin Qingyu stiffened, their expressions changing.

Han Tiege, of the Full Metal Chaos, watched Kiki casually forge a Gatling gun and hand it to a stranger—his mind went blank. He muttered:

"I fucking swear, with this ability, what's the point of my arms business anymore…"

On the podium, Li Jian stared in disbelief. His earlier enthusiasm vanished instantly; he turned around—Qin Feng's face had turned grim.

"Where did this guy come from? Seems real… mechanical ability?" Li Jian's tone had shifted.

"Don't panic yet. This girl being a true mechanical ability user isn't necessarily bad for us." Qin Feng finally spoke over the comm: "Keep her calm."

"Qin Captain, can you gauge her level?" Wen Dong's voice chimed in.

"Can't tell. Our intel never recorded any mechanical ability users besides Lin Xian. But this is fine—it'll draw more people."

Li Jian frowned, then nodded in agreement: "True. Mechanical ability is productivity. This woman will be extremely useful."

"Let her pass. Treat her with top-tier hospitality!" Qin Feng ordered.

The recruitment officer received the order; the team immediately bowed respectfully and ushered Kiki inside.

The crowd erupted in chaos; online in Shuguang City, the news exploded. Witnessing this ability to conjure objects from thin air had shattered countless survivors' worldviews—creating a Vulcan Gatling gun in seconds? With such speed, arming an entire army would be effortless.

For survivors who hoarded bullets, scavenged everywhere, and patched together weapons from the apocalypse's ruins, it felt like a god had descended.

No one knew that, amid the throng, Lin Xian and Shizhi crouched on the ground, prying open soil packs with small tools—the Gatling gun had been manufactured by Lin Xian using a fabrication sequence. He now possessed remote absorption and the Black Star Forge, capable of releasing fabricated objects; for Kiki, with whom he shared perfect synergy, this was child's play.

Mo Nika stood calmly among the crowd, pressing her earpiece, relaying the intercepted conversation to her teammates.

"They mentioned your name. Clearly, Qin Feng deliberately named this group 'Infinite Alliance.'" Mo Nika said.

Lin Xian frowned slightly: "Li Jian calls him captain. It seems Qin Feng is truly in control."

This was surprising—a nobody who suddenly appeared, even with an Angel-level ability, yet all resources were backed by the Federation. And yet Li Jian, son of Wen Hui, obeyed his orders? Unbelievable.

"Mo Nika, keep watching Qin Feng."

Lin Xian's scan had covered a wide area, but Qin Feng was far above on the platform—his Mechanical Heart couldn't reach him. So he continued controlling the drill, releasing more spider robots.

Soon, a vast underground network rapidly formed under the spiders' scans—but the robots were too small, only covering partial zones.

Lin Xian planned to use them to locate accessible entry/exit points, then infiltrate after the recruitment event ended—perhaps even find the Crimson World's research base directly.

"No problem." Mo Nika smiled faintly: "It seems this Infinite Recruitment Fair is just the Wen family's way of recruiting backup troops for themselves and the Federation. Truly devious."

"The backup troops won't agree," Qian Dele said from atop a building beside the square, amused: "I think part of the Federation wants to flee. The Wen family is leading it—trying to escape like a cicada shedding its shell. Otherwise, how could they possibly lure these people here to die for the Federation?"

"Correct," Zhou Jin's voice came through: "This move proves the Federation's high command senses danger—they're stirring."

"What's the plan now?" Jiang Yun asked from the camp.

"We can't let the Wen family win. Fire Brother, Kiki—you two challenge Qin Feng directly. Let me see what level his mechanical ability reaches, then decide how to handle them." Lin Xian said.

"Captain Lin, Qin Feng is an Angel-level ability user, and with Federation covert support, he won't be easy to take down," Jiang Yun said gravely.

"We don't need to take him down. Xing Zhan belongs to Lin Qingyu. Kiki and Fire Brother are mine. Only Wu Bin remains. If no one else challenges, three of his Four Heavenly Kings are faking it." Lin Xian crouched, digging soil with his fingers, smiling: "His recruitment plan will collapse for sure. When they're in chaos, we follow Li Jian to track the Wen family and the Crimson World—maybe even recover the Silver Star. What do you think, Captain Zhou?"

"Great plan. I like it." Zhou Jin was blunt—he immediately replied: "I've had Li Su obtain the original underground strategic layout of Star City. Shuguang City may have altered it, but the core structure won't be wrong—it'll help us."

"Good." Lin Xian nodded, then spoke over the comm: "Fire Brother, Kiki—heard that? Your mission: hold top four."

"Brother Lin, rest assured. This is child's play for me." Looking at his number-one rank, Lu Xingchen declared with grandeur.

"Just this? Hmm… no problem," Kiki said.

"Should've let us join the fun too," Qian Dele's relaxed voice came: "Ning Jing, Mo Nika, Jiang Yun—send more. When they see that many, Qin Feng will burn red."

Jiang Yun smiled: "No. Too many recognize me in Shuguang City. Besides, exposing too many of us isn't wise. As long as we lock the Four Heavenly Kings' positions, the whole setup collapses—all these recruits are new, they won't stay."

"Mm."

Lin Xian, still crouching and digging soil, said with a mysterious grin: "That's exactly my plan."

"Hey, buddy, what are you sneaking around doing?" A bystander watched Lin Xian and Shizhi crouching and digging suspiciously, and couldn't help asking.

"There's something good underneath." Lin Xian said.

The man's eyes lit up with greed; he immediately bent down.

Boom!

Lin Xian punched him straight in the face—his vision went black, and he collapsed unconscious.

"Just watch the show. Meddling like this? That punch teaches you Rule One of the Apocalypse: don't meddle in others' business." Lin Xian muttered under his breath.

Beside him, Shizhi watched his fluid motion, cheeks puffing as she barely held back laughter.

Lu Xingchen and Kiki's registration elevated the atmosphere to its peak. More convoy leaders turned their attention—this recruitment fair was hotter than expected.

Qin Feng coldly scanned the rest area, now filled with more experts—especially Kiki, his gaze sharpening.

Intense challenges continued, but mostly only those near the bottom competed for the top 16. Lu Xingchen, Kiki, Wu Bin, and Xing Zhan—firmly holding the Four Heavenly Kings' positions—faced no challengers. Only those with near-equal strength dared attempt to dethrone them.

Time flew. Over ten thousand had passed recruitment. Qin Feng's convoy had grown terrifyingly large—everyone here was at least Diamond-level, dozens at Rampage-level, and the A-Rest Zone for Destruction-level was now full, with people occasionally being eliminated, leaving in frustration.

No surprise—Qin Feng's offers were irresistible. Combined with his Angel-level mechanical ability and the allure of the Silver Star, many from major convoys wanted to defect. Hidden masters—powerful, resource-rich, never on the Evolution Light rankings—began appearing one after another.

Soon, the lowest peak among the top 16 exceeded 3, 00. These individuals, uncertain of each other's limits and ability development scale, sat calmly—none wished to initiate challenges, except those at the very bottom.

On the holographic screen, the top four were: Lu Xingchen at 5, 00, Xing Zhan at 5, 00, Chen Sixuan (Kiki) at 4, 00, and Wu Bin, the Morphic Ability user, also at 4, 00. Fifth place had only 4, 00—powerful, but the man clearly had no intention of challenging Kiki or Wu Bin.

On the podium, Li Jian, seeing no one dared challenge the Four Heavenly Kings, frowned. He spoke over the comm: "Qin Captain, the few we observed above 4, 00 are still watching. If we let them slip, it'd be a waste."

"Have that Xu guy step up. Get the momentum of merging convoys going." Qin Feng said.

Li Jian nodded, then scanned the convoy camp. Xu Yufei immediately sensed his gaze, hesitation flickering across his face.

"Xu Captain, aren't you going?" Lei Zhen goaded him: "The Four Heavenly Kings can merge their entire teams. Isn't this a great investment you said?"

"None of your business," Xu Yufei replied coldly. "You've sent plenty of your own. Mind your people."

Lei Zhen laughed carelessly: "I don't care. Come or go, leave if you want. We're all just fighting for survival. As long as you work hard while in my team, I won't hold grudges."

Xu Yufei stood, turned to Lin Qingyu: "Lin Captain, your Xing Zhan holds one of the Four Heavenly Kings' spots. Qin Feng clearly wants me to displace him. I'm warning you—I have no desire to feud with you."

Lin Qingyu smiled: "Xu Captain, you're too polite. I placed Xing Zhan here simply because I dislike this Federation-backed recruitment fair. But Xing Zhan has a foul mouth and hits too hard—if you challenge him, prepare well. Don't let anyone get hurt."

Xu Yufei said nothing more, stood, and walked toward the center of the square.

"That guy thinks he's clever—he's going to get played," Han Tiege of Full Metal Chaos said.

"I think so too…" Luo Heng said.

"I despise his fence-sitting attitude. How the hell did he lead such a big team?" Lei Zhen sneered.

Jiang Yun watched Xu Yufei without mockery: "In the apocalypse, you're not your own master. Ten thousand lives rest on his shoulders—it's not easy. Qin Feng promised such benefits; many convoys want to join but can't. Xu Captain's decision is understandable."

Lin Qingyu nodded: "I agree."

He turned to Jiang Yun: "Jiang Captain, I wonder—does your Lin Captain know about this 【Infinite Alliance】 recruitment fair? What's his stance?"

"Lin Captain? He's…" Jiang Yun's gaze drifted to the roaring crowd, his tone heavy with implication.

"Fully supportive."

At this, Lin Qingyu and the others were puzzled.

"Looks like our Twelve Zodiac Lords and Four Heavenly Kings have emerged. Time's running short. If no other experts step forward, our Qin Captain will personally test the Four Heavenly Kings—and the Infinite Alliance will be officially formed!" Li Jian, on the podium, saw Xu Yufei move and began stoking the crowd.

As expected, moments after his words ended, the recruitment station erupted in uproar.

"5, 00! That's Xu Yufei, ranked sixth on the Evolution Light list! Why is he here?!"

Damn, the Iron Fortress has over ten thousand people—do they all plan to join the Infinite Alliance?

Of course they will. The Four Heavenly Kings can directly merge their teams, and with his strength, he definitely can.

Wow, this is getting interesting. Now the Mechanical Adept Chen Sixuan and Wu Bin, ranked third and fourth, are in a tight spot—both have 4, 00 points; they'll have to fight it out!

This just got serious…

At that moment, with Xu Yufei's entry, the rankings shifted instantly. Wu Bin, sitting in the resting area with a dark expression, cast a sidelong glance at Kiki nearby, then slowly stood up.

Meanwhile, Kiki, who had been ready to challenge Qin Feng, frowned as the situation changed.

"Why the hell did this guy show up now? No choice—I'm sure Wu Bin's coming for me." Kiki whispered into her comm: "Lin Xian, should I finish this quickly?"

Lin Xian was deep in thought when Jiang Yun's voice reached him.

"Kiki, don't worry. Xu Yufei is here to challenge Xing Zhan. Qin Feng knows he's from the Dawn Watchers Alliance and wants to use Xu Yufei to eliminate him." "He's clever," Lin Xian remarked.

"If Xing Zhan loses, he won't keep challenging Kiki and the others. The plan stays the same."

"Alright then." Kiki exhaled in relief.

At that moment, Xu Yufei, clad in full military gear, did not enter the resting area. Instead, he leapt onto the stage and stared at the rankings: "I'm Xu Yufei from the Iron Fortress convoy. Many here probably know me. I represent all 12, 62 brothers and sisters of our convoy to join this Infinite Alliance recruitment. Our goal is to unite with Captain Qin and secure a safer future. I won't sit here waiting for rankings—I'm stepping forward now to declare: I claim one of the Four Heavenly King spots. If I can't take it, this means nothing to me or my convoy. I know some of you on the current rankings don't truly want to join—but this convoy alliance is serious. So…"

He turned to Xing Zhan, armored and seated in the resting area, and said: "Brother Xing, forgive me."

Whoa!

As soon as he spoke, tens of thousands of onlookers erupted in shock. No one expected Xu Yufei to openly challenge Xing Zhan—his words sounded like outright support for Qin Feng.

Many now understood: Xing Zhan never intended to join Qin Feng.

Hearing this, Wu Bin, who had already risen, frowned slightly and sat back down.

Xing Zhan was a man in his early forties, with sharp eyes. He stood up immediately, shook his shoulders, and laughed loudly: "Commander Xu, don't say that. Why can't I be here because I admire Captain Qin's Mechanical Adept abilities?"

He grinned, feigning indifference, but since Xu Yufei had spoken, he sighed: "Fine, fine. If Commander Xu wants to spar, I'll have to give it my best. I've never fought someone this strong. Let's agree—point only, no serious injury."

With that, his smile vanished instantly. He exploded upward from the spot, the metal floor of the resting area denting beneath his feet—his strength was immense.

The crowd erupted. The real show was about to begin. These two, each with peak power exceeding five thousand, were among the fastest-evolved humans in this dark transformation. Their combat power far surpassed others—they already possessed the strength to face B- and A-class anomalies alone. One of them equaled the firepower of an armed airship. To see them clash directly was beyond thrilling.

Seeing Xing Zhan ascend, Xu Yufei took him seriously. Suddenly, thick black mist engulfed his body, transforming him into a grotesque humanoid monster wrapped in blue-scaled armor and bony spines, radiating overwhelming pressure.

"Come." The transformed Xu Yufei's voice had deepened, becoming gravelly and thick with killing intent.

Among the crowd, Lin Xian watched with quiet amazement. Though it was only a B-class ability, this demonic form differed from Shi Di's beast transformation—it resembled a fully evolved grotesque proliferation and limb mimicry, far more advanced than the insectoid claw-wielders he'd faced before. If not for his clearly human face, he'd look no different from a grotesque itself!

"Human abilities seem to be converging with some grotesques," Lin Xian murmured. "It must be the effect of the Dark Invasion…"

On the stage, Xing Zhan cracked his neck, metal joints grinding with dull metallic sounds. He grinned, revealing stark white teeth: "Commander Xu, your demonic form looks too much like a grotesque. If I accidentally hurt you, that'd be embarrassing!"

Xu Yufei removed his gold-rimmed glasses. Beneath the lenses, his pupils glowed with eerie purple light. He whispered: "Just a light spar. Let's all walk away unharmed."

"Heh!" Xing Zhan glanced at Li Jian and Qin Feng nearby, eyes flickering, then charged forward. His combat boots dented steel plates as he launched a straight punch toward Xu Yufei's face—only for the opponent to twist backward with inhuman flexibility to avoid it.

Xu Yufei's body contorted violently. His skin turned into flowing dark-purple gelatin, limbs elongated, spine arched like a hunting leopard, nails extending into half-meter-long bone blades slashing toward Xing Zhan's throat. Yet Xing Zhan didn't dodge—he let the blades scrape across his armor, sparking violently.

"Good power!"

He laughed, right arm muscles bulging, glowing red energy patterns igniting beneath his skin. The absorbed kinetic energy coalesced into a hammer-like elbow strike, sending Xu Yufei reeling three steps back.

Xu Yufei knew ordinary attacks couldn't harm Xing Zhan's Energy Absorption Adept. He emitted a low-frequency hiss, then three bone spikes erupted from his throat, launching like missiles. His entire body vanished into black mist, reappearing behind Xing Zhan. Bone blades, carrying shockwaves, stabbed toward his back—but Xing Zhan spun as if he'd seen it coming, delivering a whip-like kick that sent rusted railings flying off the stage.

"Your demonic form's all show!" He spat blood. Energy patterns now spread to his neck, fully absorbing Xu Yufei's shockwave. Then he leapt skyward like a falling meteor, right fist gathering all the energy from every prior strike. With a thunderous boom, a purple shockwave erupted from its center, compressing air into a sonic cloud—aimed to blast Xu Yufei clean off the stage.

But Xu Yufei's demonic body was unnaturally hard. Suddenly, crimson mist radiated from his entire form. He stepped forward as if nailing his foot to the stage, then curled one hand forward. Thick blue scales and bone spines formed a razor-sharp conical shape—like a knight's lance. The crimson mist surged forward, not only blocking the shockwave but piercing straight through the sonic cloud!

Xing Zhan's eyes narrowed. He reacted instantly, gripping the incoming conical lance with both hands, staggering backward. His steel combat boots sparked as they scraped the stage. In the next instant, Xu Yufei halted his assault. His demonic form receded. Xing Zhan looked down at his suspended right foot, then exhaled slowly.

"Tch. No wonder you're Commander Xu. You're good." Xing Zhan wiped his face casually, then leapt off the stage. His armor crashed into the ground, leaving a deep crater. He waved without turning back: "Next time, I'll buy you a drink!"

"Please apologize to Captain Lin on my behalf," Xu Yufei said, his gaze drifting toward the convoy camp.

He didn't want to offend the Dawn Watchers Alliance or other convoys—but he wanted to join Qin Feng, and someone had asked him to act this way.

In truth, even accounting for his maximum coefficient, Xu Yufei's real combat power far exceeded Xing Zhan's. Of course, in a life-or-death duel, ability index meant nothing. But Xing Zhan was merely sent by Lin Qingyu to stir things up—he wouldn't risk his life.

"Alright, the troublemakers are gone."

Li Jian watched the fleeting battle, visibly satisfied. He loved underground adept duels. Though his strength couldn't match Xu Yufei or Xing Zhan, he considered himself a top-tier fighter—and in equal-level combat, he was certain he'd outmatch grotesques.

He'd never truly fought grotesques, but through countless sparring matches with humans, he'd reached this conclusion.

After all, grotesques weren't smart.

On Qin Feng's side, seeing Xing Zhan leave, his expression remained unmoved. The Twelve Heavenly Kings contest had lasted half the day. The hour was late—it was time for him to make his move.

Qin Feng floated effortlessly, his posture serene, gliding to the center of the square. He summoned the sixteen adept Qiangzhe from the resting area.

At once, Lu Xingchen, Kiki, Xu Yufei, Wu Bin, and twelve others stepped forward, descending onto the stage, gathering before Qin Feng.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for recognizing the Infinite Alliance—and me, Qin Feng. I've seen your strength. But I must remind you: what I need isn't cold ability indices, nor dazzling victories on this stage. I need the foolish courage to light torches at the edge of the abyss. The solitary resolve to draw swords against S-class threats even when death is certain. The delusion of shouldering your comrades' lives and walking forward."

Qin Feng looked calmly at them all: "In three days, the Infinite·Silver Star will depart from Dawn City, embarking on a journey to chase the dawn. During this time, the Infinite Alliance will continue online and on-site recruitment. My goal: five hundred thousand people!"

The crowd erupted.

"What the hell, five hundred thousand?!"

"That's insane!"

"With this many destruction-class adepts, recruiting half a million might actually be possible."

"That'd make it the largest survivor alliance outside Phoenix Association and Dawn City."

"..."

The crowd buzzed. Lin Xian's expression was unreadable.

"Leaving Dawn City in three days? Looks like the Federation's Phoenix Escapement Plan…" Jiang Yun's voice came first.

"I care about this timing," Lin Xian said. "Commander Zhou, could the Vanguard Plan be tied to this?"

"Very likely," Zhou Jin said grimly. "Recruiting five hundred thousand so openly—and leaving Dawn City—this is clearly the Federation's move. The Wen family, as the Crimson World's proxy here, must know something."

Lin Xian exhaled slowly, then looked toward Qin Feng, who was still speaking passionately on the square. He spoke:

"Three days… Does Dawn City have no evacuation plan at all?"

"At least we have a timeline," Xiang Ningjing stepped forward from the crowd to Lin Xian's side. "Phoenix Association and we can prepare."

"There are six million people here!" Lin Xian frowned. "The city gates are still controlled. We only know the Star Abyss is changing—what comes next? No one knows."

He turned to Zhou Jin immediately:

"Shouldn't Phoenix Association take action sooner?"

"We already are," Zhou Jin said calmly. "But that's not our mission to focus on."

Lin Xian fell silent, then looked toward the square.

Qin Feng stood before the newly recruited ranks. At least eight thousand people had already joined the Infinite·Silver Star Alliance—including the Twelve Star Lords and the Four Heavenly Kings. All stared with burning eyes at the heavily armed train and the Eternal-Class nuclear-powered locomotive Silver Star. Tens of thousands more on the periphery watched with envy.

Qin Feng's gaze swept over the Twelve Star Lords and Four Heavenly Kings, finally settling on Kiki, arms crossed, looking as if she'd never obey anyone. He smiled faintly.

"Miss Chen, do you have any questions?"

"Didn't you say," Kiki said innocently, "that if we passed the tests and duels, you'd personally interview us?"

At once, the sixteen at the front turned their eyes to Qin Feng.

They all cared deeply about this. Qin Feng might be third on the Evolution Light rankings—a Mechanical Adept—but few had seen him in action. Everyone here was a leader in their own right. To become their superior, he'd need to prove real strength and authority—or no one would follow.

This was the true crux of today's recruitment: Could Qin Feng, the organizer, truly command such powerful adepts?

Qin Feng smiled lightly, looking at the crowd:

"Correct, comrades. To deepen your trust and understanding of me, you may all challenge me now."

"All of us? What do you mean?" one of the Twelve Star Lords asked.

Beside him, Li Jian grinned smugly. Qin Feng stepped forward, eyes blazing, voice like thunder:

"I mean… everyone…"

The crowd fell utterly silent. A collective gasp swept the square. The live broadcast on Dawn City's internal network exploded.

At the convoy camp, Lin Qingyu and others listened, their expressions grim.

"I have to admit—he knows how to manipulate minds," Lin Qingyu crossed her arms. "He's really pulled off a grand act here."

Luo Heng, a scout by training, chuckled bitterly: "We all know no one will attack him simultaneously. He's just trying to intimidate. If two tough guys step up, he'll crush them with his Angel-class power—and his status as a post-apocalypse leader is cemented."

"That bastard's actually smart!" Lei Zhen cursed.

"What if a whole crowd rushes him? He's screwed," Han Tiege said blankly.

"Who knows…" Jiang Yun beside him wore a strange smile.

Silence. Then the crowd erupted.

Qin Feng gazed down at the crowd with supreme arrogance, radiating dominion over heaven and earth.

"Well? Who among you wants to spar with me?"

He now called them "comrades," though moments ago he'd said "everyone." Now he asked who would step forward. His rhetoric was flawless—masterfully precise.

But as Qin Feng loomed above them like a distant peak, Lu Xingchen, ranked first, stepped forward immediately.

"Captain Qin, I am Lu Xingchen. Today, I wish to test your strength."

"Excellent!" Seeing Lu Xingchen step up, Qin Feng beamed. For him, defeating the top-ranked opponent was the fastest way to intimidate everyone—saving him effort.

But before he could plan how to swiftly subdue this Fire Adept, the purple-haired girl stepped forward again.

"And me!"

"Huh?" Qin Feng's expression changed. Before he could react, the purple-haired girl cheerfully turned and pointed at several people in the crowd.

"You, you, and you—oh, that guy with the last name Zhang, and you too. Didn't you all say you wanted to fight Captain Qin? Come on, let's all go together."

Her words ignited the crowd. Even Xu Yufei beside her stared in shock. He'd wanted to challenge Qin Feng himself—he had some confidence—but he never expected this girl to break all norms and rally a mob.

What the hell was she doing? A mob attack?

Li Jian and Qin Feng's faces darkened instantly. Seeing Kiki's chaotic energy, they sensed something wrong. Qin Feng had already been wary of this Mechanical Adept girl—now it seemed she was another Xing Zhan.

Li Jian, seeing the stirred crowd, felt utterly lost. He didn't even understand the trap Qin Feng had just walked into.

Yet at this moment, Qin Feng's face showed no panic; he simply floated into the air, raised his hands, and the high platform rose again as if controlled by his mechanical ability, smiling with grandeur.

"Then good—let's start with the first one, Lu Xingchen. From now on, you are my Azure Dragon Heavenly King. Today, anyone can challenge me—I welcome them all!"

With that, he pointed at Lu Xingchen: "Heavenly King Lu, please!"

"No way…" Kiki watched Qin Feng casually invite Lu Xingchen to a 1v1 battle, stunned by his sheer audacity. She clicked her tongue over the comms channel: "This guy's got no shame—he changes his tune the moment he sees a crowd, pretending to be magnanimous like some great hero."

In the square, the crowd, now even more fervent and adoring due to Qin Feng's maneuver, erupted in cheers and taunts. Lin Xian, his expression icy, spoke to Kiki.

"This guy's no fool—he controls the scene perfectly. He's seen big stages before. Looks like we've got no choice but to face him head-on and test his mettle."

Lin Xian had seen through it too: Biaomianshangjieshousuoyourentiaozhan ， Qishizhiyaoqinfengyileitingzhishijielianjibaiqianliangsanming ， Jushijiuquanbeitazhangkongle ， Shenzhidoubuyongliangsangeren —— Huogechushoujingtiandongdi ， Ruguoqinfengnengzhanshenghuoge ， Houmianderenshuiyebuhuizaiduoshuoshenme ， Bijingdajiashizucheduitaonan ， Bushiweilezhaowulinmengzhu ， Shilifangmiangezidouhenqingchu 。

"Lin Brother, this man is arrogant. Let me knock him down and restore the honor of our Infinite!"

At that moment, Lu Xingchen's voice came through the comm. He gazed at Qin Feng, floating proudly atop the platform, his battle spirit fully ignited.

"Go on. Fire is the origin of creation. For him to call you 'Heavenly King' is an insult. Show him your true power—let the whole city witness your form as the God of Fire," Lin Xian said solemnly.

"Naturally!"

Hearing this, Lu Xingchen's pupils dilated, his entire face brightening. He let out a fierce smile, his eyes igniting with crimson flames, then shot skyward in a burst of fire. Above, a colossal fire tornado descended from the heavens, illuminating several city blocks like a falling star.

Amid the roaring crimson flames, Lu Xingchen hovered in midair, slowly rising—like a God of Fire descending. He extended a hand toward Qin Feng, a battle-ready smile on his face.

"Captain Qin, please!"

Lin Xian and Kiki stared, speechless. He hadn't even moved yet, and already he summoned such a massive phenomenon—this entrance was pure Fire Brother.

"Do you think Lu Xingchen can beat Qin Feng?" Ningjing stood beside Lin Xian, her face uneasy. "He's a Destruction-class with 9000+ power, but Qin Feng is a genuine Angel-class. The gap is still significant."

"Don't worry." Lin Xian's expression turned cold. As Qin Feng neared the platform, his mechanical scan finally completed and slowly retracted.

"Our Fire Brother isn't just a 9000-power guy…"

(End of Chapter)