Chapter 177: Qin Feng! Be Serious!

Crushing a few noisy mosquitoes meant nothing to Qin Feng now, barely even a distraction, and he quickly forgot about them. His attention returned entirely to exploring the system's ultimate function and integrating and expanding his own forces.

The ocean of knowledge from 【Super Technology】 seemed endless; each deeper dive revealed new realms that stirred the soul. He no longer satisfied himself with merely "activating" technologies, but began attempting deeper deductions and fusions, trying to find a development path best suited to Earth's current civilizational foundation and capable of delivering the fastest qualitative transformation.

【Wealth Prediction】 acted like an ever-alert radar, continuously scanning the globe for "value fluctuations" and "singularity points." Following its guidance, Qin Feng quietly seized opportunities still unnoticed by the world, or pre-emptively laid traps to crush potential threats in their cradle.

Under his will, the 【Wind Rises Future Fund】 functioned like an efficient sower, pouring vast sums of capital into fields simultaneously flagged by 【Super Technology】 and 【Wealth Prediction】 as "high-potential." Though no returns were visible in the short term, Qin Feng could feel the entire civilization's technological tree being quietly, unnaturally accelerated.

Meanwhile, within the 【Candle Dragon】 Base, brutal training continued. The recruits, hammered by Qin Feng's inhuman regimen, had gradually shed their former sharpness, becoming inward and dangerous—like polished black iron, waiting only to be drawn and drink blood.

Everything seemed to be advancing steadily and swiftly along the path Qin Feng had preset.

Until this day, an unexpected visitor shattered the tranquility of 【Yunding Mansion】.

The visitor was a man in his fifties, dressed in a dark gray Zhongshan suit, his hair meticulously combed. His face was refined, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, his steps steady, radiating an aura of long-standing authority and silent dominance. He had made no appointment, used no conventional channels, yet appeared directly at the gate of 【Yunding Mansion】, where the security system vanished before him like smoke.

Gao Yuan received the alert immediately, went on high alert, and personally rushed to the gate—only to be halted by a single glance from two attendants behind the man, who appeared ordinary but whose aura was as deep and silent as an abyss; he could not even approach!

"I am of the Long family. I am here for Qin Feng." The middle-aged man spoke calmly, yet with undeniable authority.

Gao Yuan's heart shook violently. Long? That surname, combined with the man's aura and methods, instantly linked him to a legendary organization said to guard the nation's deepest secrets. He dared not delay and immediately reported to Qin Feng.

In his study, Qin Feng heard the name "Long," his eyebrows slightly lifted, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, then calm returned.

What must come, will come.

With the commotion he had caused—the revelation of 【Candle Dragon】, the announcement of the 【Guardian Covenant】, and the massive, reckless funding of 【Wind Rises Future Fund】 into sensitive sectors—it would have been strange if certain circles had not taken notice.

He simply hadn't expected them to come from this level—and so directly.

"Show him to the parlor," Qin Feng said calmly, straightened his collar, and walked out with composure.

In the parlor, the middle-aged man calling himself Long stood with his hands behind his back, admiring an abstract painting on the wall. Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned.

Their gazes met in midair.

No sparks flew, yet invisible force fields collided and probed.

Qin Feng sensed the man's Spiritual Force was extraordinarily condensed and immense, far surpassing anyone he had ever encountered—even… not quite human. And his own 35-point Spiritual Attribute felt a faint pressure against the man's bottomless aura.

"Long Xiansheng, your visit is an honor. My apologies for the delay," Qin Feng smiled faintly, gesturing to a seat, his demeanor neither subservient nor arrogant.

Long Xiansheng studied Qin Feng deeply, then sat in the main sofa. The two attendants stood like statues at the door, sealing off the inside from the outside.

"Qin Feng, Mr. Qin," Long Xiansheng spoke, his voice low and magnetic. "Young and accomplished, your methods are beyond mortal reach. 【Fengqi Group】, 【Guardians】, 【Candle Dragon】… truly, the younger generation is formidable."

He named Qin Feng's overt and covert identities in one breath, his tone calm, yet revealing total insight.

Qin Feng sat across from him. Su Wenqian silently served tea, then bowed and withdrew.

"Long Xiansheng flatters me. Just small-time dealings, barely making ends meet," Qin Feng lifted his teacup, speaking lightly, as if the man were praising his business acumen.

Long Xiansheng's brow twitched almost imperceptibly at Qin Feng's nonchalance.

"Small-time dealings?" he repeated, his tone sharpening. "You collapsed 【Tianhai Group】 overnight, erased 【Black Wolf】 Mercenaries from existence, obliterated 【Deepsea Technology】, established a forward base on the 【Public Sea】, and deployed unknown technology to annihilate extraterrestrial contamination sources—this is small-time?"

Qin Feng blew on the steam of his tea, sipped slowly, then said: "Oh, you mean those things? They provoked me. I'm not a patient man. I just stretched my limbs a little."

"Stretched your limbs?" Long Xiansheng was nearly speechless with anger, his tone growing stern. "Qin Feng! Do you know the international impact of your actions? The level of attention you've drawn? The technologies you control, the armed forces you command—they exceed the scope of any individual!"

Qin Feng set down his teacup, leaned forward slightly, his face still wearing that inscrutable smile: "So? Long Xiansheng, are you here today as a representative… to deliver an ultimatum? Or to take me in for dissection and study?"

His gaze locked onto Long Xiansheng's, showing no fear—only a hint of… provocation?

Long Xiansheng met his stare. The air in the parlor seemed to freeze. The two attendants at the door tensed slightly.

After a long silence, Long Xiansheng suddenly smiled—but the smile held no warmth. "Dissection and study? Too crude. Too wasteful. You, as a 'variable,' are both crisis and opportunity."

He leaned forward too, lowering his voice with unshakable authority: "I am here to offer you a choice—and an order."

"Cease your uncontrolled 'small-time dealings.'"

"Hand over the sources of your technologies beyond this era and command authority over 【Candle Dragon】."

"Submit to state supervision and reorganization."

"With your abilities, you could make true contributions to this nation, to this civilization, on a larger, more regulated stage."

The mask fell.

Recruitment. Or rather, assimilation.

Qin Feng listened without surprise, as if hearing a joke, and chuckled softly.

"Heh… hahaha…"

He laughed until his shoulders shook, as if Long Xiansheng had told the greatest joke in the world.

Long Xiansheng's face darkened. "Qin Feng! Be serious! This is not a joke!"

Qin Feng stopped laughing, raised his head. The laziness and cynicism vanished from his eyes, replaced by a cold, regal indifference as deep as the stars.

"Long Xiansheng," his voice was quiet, yet carried an eerie, soul-piercing weight. "I believe you misunderstand several things."

"First, I am not your subordinate. I do not accept your 'orders.'"

"Second, what I do, what I don't do, how I do it—depends solely on my own will. No one can 'supervise' me."

"Third," he paused, his gaze sweeping over Long Xiansheng and his attendants, a cold smile curling his lips, "your so-called 'larger stage'… in my view, may be… too small."

As his words ended, a Spiritual Pressure far more immense, far deeper, as if containing the laws of cosmic birth and death, erupted from Qin Feng with a thunderous wave!

It was not an attack. Only a declaration.

A declaration that the two sides did not exist on the same level.

Long Xiansheng's face changed instantly. Behind him, the two attendants groaned and involuntarily stepped back half a pace, their eyes filled with horror!

This Spiritual Force… had surpassed the limits of their understanding of "humanity."

Qin Feng slowly stood, looking down at Long Xiansheng's shifting expression, his tone returning to its earlier calm—but now carrying finality.

"Long Xiansheng, please leave."

"Tell those behind you."

"I have no interest in power struggles or overturning order. My goal lies beyond the stars, above dimensions."

"As long as you do not provoke me, we may coexist in peace."

"Otherwise…"

He did not finish. But the silent threat carried more weight than any words.

Long Xiansheng stared at Qin Feng as if trying to see through him from within. Long moments passed. Then he drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the storm within.

He knew that today's goal could not be achieved. This young man was more inscrutable than he had imagined, and more… dangerous.

He stood up and gazed deeply at Qin Feng.

"I will deliver your words."

"I hope you don't… burn yourself with fire."

With that, he did not linger, turned, and left with his attendants in large strides.

Qin Feng watched their retreating backs, his eyes deep and dark.

He knew this was only the beginning.

As he drew closer to the system's ultimate limit, as the power he revealed grew ever more beyond reason, such "encounters" and "probes" would only increase.

But he feared nothing.

The path of Shenhou, the path to the peak, was destined to be solitary, destined to shatter all Locks.

He turned and walked toward the study.

More mysteries awaited him to uncover.

As for those "disciplines" and "offers of surrender" from the old era?

He let out a light laugh.

Merely… a breeze brushing over a mountain ridge.