Chapter 23: Hong

Jiangnan Base City, on the rooftop of the Extreme Headquarters, President Zhou Zhengyong holds a phone, continuously saying: "Lord King Inspector, a super genius has appeared in Jiangnan Base City, who grew from a martial practitioner to a primary War God in less than four months. We have already verified his strength."

In the sky over the Pacific, aboard a King Level Intelligent Fighter, a slender man sitting cross‑legged suddenly opens his eyes, a sharp light flashing.

The slender man says: "Good, transmit his data to me; I will report to the Hall Master immediately."

A few seconds later, the slender man receives the data and exclaims in surprise: "Xiao Yu?"

After looking carefully for a few seconds, he says to the fighter's control console: "Dial the Hall Master's contact."

——

Jiangnan Base City, Extreme Headquarters, 26th‑floor President's office.

"Xiao Yu, follow me; the Hall Master wishes to see you," President Zhou Zhengyong says.

"Hall Master?" Xiao Yu wonders, could it be Hong who wants to see him.

"Hmm, the Hall Master should arrive in about half an hour to our Jiangnan Base City," President Zhou Zhengyong says cheerfully: "The Hall Master usually stays in Hong Ning Base City, and only comes to Jiangnan Base City once a year at most."

Xiao Yu hurriedly follows President Zhou Zhengyong to the plaza in front of the Extreme Headquarters building; it is already packed with people, and the guard soldiers are several times more than usual.

"Xiao Yu, over here," a warrior nearly 1.9 meters tall in the front row calls out.

"Uncle, you've returned to the Base City!" Xiao Yu replies.

Uncle Xiao Guohua rarely comes back to Jiangnan Base City, and he did not expect him to return this time.

At the front of the crowd stands a slender man with a double‑curved beard, looking about forty. His face shows he was handsome in his youth; now he keeps his eyes half‑closed, twirling a Buddhist rosary with one hand.

"Lord Inspector," President Zhou Zhengyong steps forward and says softly.

The slender man slightly opens his eyes, looks at Zhou Zhengyong, then turns to Xiao Yu behind him; as he stares, Xiao Yu feels as if he has detached from heaven and earth, as if a separate space has formed containing only the slender man and Xiao Yu, and the slender man is like a 'Divine Spirit' within that space, the intangible pressure makes Xiao Yu hold his breath.

"Xiao Yu, stand by my side," the slender man says.

"Yes, Lord Inspector," Xiao Yu replies.

Xiao Yu steps to the slender man's side, takes a half step back, and stands firm; President Zhou Zhengyong stands beside Xiao Yu.

A blood‑red triangular fighter, sleek in design, looks like a ferocious flying beast ready to strike. At this moment the blood‑red triangular fighter slowly descends from the sky, while all the war generals and War God warriors below in Jiangnan Base City remain silent.

No one dares to speak.

The fighter lands, "Whoa!" the hatch opens.

A man and a woman step out of the hatch together, their bodies seeming to glide over an invisible step in the air, landing directly on the grass. This sight makes all the trainees widen their eyes.

The instant Xiao Yu sees the two, he understands their identities: Hong's personal guards Iceberg and Yao Rao, both planetary‑level beings, far stronger than an ordinary Inspector.

The two guards stand on the grass, each on opposite sides awaiting the Hall Master. Over two hundred pairs of eyes in Jiangnan Base City stare at the hatch… everyone is awaiting the legendary world's number one strongest, indisputably the world's number one! Finally, a silhouette emerges from the hatch, as if a long spear ready to pierce the heavens.

He steps out, simultaneously scanning everyone with his gaze.

Xiao Yu only feels a roar in his head, the surrounding heaven and earth completely warp; the noon sun vanishes from view, and everyone in the plaza horrified discovers that the sky has instantly turned from noon to night, with no trace of light, only darkness.

In this blackened world, the most dazzling point at its center is the black‑haired man!

He is the Divine Spirit!

He is Hong!

Possessing the Light Domain, Hong is immensely powerful, can be described as a planetary‑level invincible existence.

He is also the very reason that, even with two imperial‑level monsters in the ocean, he still managed to sign a pact with human strongmen.

Xiao Yu strained great effort to break free from the illusion Hong cast.

"Hmm!" a slightly gentle voice sounds.

As soon as the words finish, everyone on the plaza, previously plunged into darkness, sees the endless night vanish and the noon sun reappear! Yet even so, everyone feels a mental pressure, as if ants facing an elephant.

"Hall Master, this is the genius War God Xiao Yu," says the leading King Inspector among the crowd.

"Ah! Xiao Yu has become a War God! How could this be?" many of the warriors who know Xiao Yu are utterly puzzled.

"What, this kid became a War God in four months, that's amazing!" Xiao Guohua exclaims joyfully.

With a genius emerging from the Xiao family, Uncle Xiao Guohua feels a weight lift from his heart, and a fire reignites within him; previously, because the Xiao family had only one War God, he hesitated to venture into the ancient civilization ruins.

"Xiao Yu actually became a War God, and he kept it hidden from me," Xiao Dingguo mutters to himself.

"Huh? My junior actually became a War God strongman!" Xiao Ling, standing beside Xiao Dingguo, is also bewildered.

"You are Xiao Yu," Hong steps forward, as if by Instant Teleport, arriving beside Xiao Yu.

The many war generals and War Gods are puzzled; they all know that his strength supposedly already reached General level, becoming a General in four months; though a genius, it shouldn't have caught the attention of the top strongest Hong.

"Yes, Grand Hall Master," Xiao Yu replies respectfully.

The black‑haired man grins, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned.

Then the black‑haired man Hong turns and leaves, entering the Jiangnan Base City Grand Hall.

"Xiao Yu," a slightly hoarse voice calls.

The surroundings fall silent.

Xiao Yu turns his head; it is the King Inspector, who looks at Xiao Yu and says, "Let's go, follow me to see the Grand Hall Master."

"Yes," Xiao Yu nods.

Led by the King Inspector, Xiao Yu arrives at the door of a tea room on the top floor of the Grand Hall.

"The Hall Master is inside, go in," the King Inspector says.

"Yes."

In the quiet tea room, Xiao Yu steps inside.

"Sit," the voice is still a bit cold, but the black‑haired man Hong's gaze toward Xiao Yu is full of interest.

Xiao Yu sits properly.

"Xiao Yu, you rose from a Warrior level to a War God level in less than half a year; your progress is astonishing, you could be called a super talent of my Extreme Martial Arts Hall," Grand Hall Master Hong says, "Moreover, I heard you practice Lei Shen's Nine‑Layer Thunder Blade and have already reached the fourth layer; your comprehension is unparalleled."

"Hall Master, I consider it luck that I chose a highly compatible manual; otherwise I wouldn't have cultivated so quickly," Xiao Yu says modestly.

He couldn't possibly claim that everything was thanks to a system cheat.

"For super talents with astonishing potential, my Extreme Martial Arts Hall also provides corresponding treatment; this is the formal contract the Extreme Martial Arts Hall has prepared for you," Hong said with a smile.

On the table, there was indeed a contract, consisting of three sheets.

Xiao Yu took it over and examined it carefully.

This is the Extreme Martial Arts Hall's official recruitment contract; it includes authority and benefits!

1. Annual activity budget: 5 billion Huaxia Currency.

2. SS‑grade combat uniform, full weapon set, any complete secret manual set, and a Black God set from the ancient civilization ruins.

Without any hesitation, Xiao Yu signed the contract directly.

"Globally, Black God sets have always been scarce; only by entering the ancient civilization ruins can a successful person obtain a Black God set! And each person has only one chance to enter, so even I cannot obtain an extra Black God set. This makes Black God sets extremely rare worldwide." Hong said: "Xiao Yu, my Extreme Martial Arts Hall has rules… those who directly receive the Black God set reward must, when the time comes, go to the ancient civilization ruins and obtain another Black God set to supply my Extreme Martial Arts Hall."

"Thank you for your generous favor, Hall Master," Xiao Yu said with a smile.

Xiao Yu hadn't expected that, having just become a Primary War God, Hong would already give him a Black God set, even though he would still need to obtain another Black God set later to supply the Extreme Martial Arts Hall.

Perhaps this is Hong's protection of him, hoping he can grow quickly.

On this Earth, perhaps only Hong and Lei Shen currently have some understanding of the universe, constantly care about Earth's future, and have been working toward it.

"Which secret manual do you choose?" Hong asked curiously.

"Nine‑layer Thunder Blade, Hall Master," Xiao Yu replied.

"The Black God set, combat uniform, weapons, and secret manual will be delivered by staff later." Hong said with a smile. "These rewards are usually granted only to those who meet certain standards in the Elite Training Camp, but since you are already a Primary War God and your output is 3.5 times normal, we skip the assessment and give them to you directly."

"Thank you, Hall Master." What else could Xiao Yu say besides thanks?

"Additionally, as a War God of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, there are generally two paths: one is to go to Hongning Base City, join the Special Operations Unit, or later apply to become a Training Camp instructor, among other options."

"Two, be dispatched to other Base Cities to hold key positions." the black‑haired man Hong Jingjing said, looking at Xiao Yu. "Your choice."

After a moment's thought, Xiao Yu said, "Hall Master, I still want to frequently go to Huang Ye Qu to slay monsters; I don't wish to stay in a Base City or an academy."

"Fine, then you may choose to be dispatched and hold a post within a Base City," Hong said with a smile.

Xiao Yu's idea aligns perfectly with his intention.

"Then I choose dispatch; finally, I will be in Jiangnan Base City," Xiao Yu answered.

"Alright, Jiangnan Base City currently lacks a Deputy Inspector," Hong nodded. "When you become an Advanced War God, you can be promoted to Chief Inspector, that is, Inspector."

The Inspector is a highly authoritative position within the Extreme Martial Arts Hall, possessing supervisory and investigative powers; one could say it is the top leader of a Base City's Extreme Martial Arts Hall, while the Deputy Inspector is the second‑in‑command. Both positions may exist simultaneously or singly, and both report directly to Hong.

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(End of chapter)