Chapter 226 - Incredibly Tough

“Old Qin!”

“Look, Old Qin is back!”

“Old Du! Old Du is back too!”

The people from the Second Squad, First Platoon in the Third Company Second Battalion were the first to jump off their beds and rushed over to Qin Fen, who had just entered the living quarters.

Other people were also cheering and jumping off their beds together, creating a human tide that rushed toward the two.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Fen and Du Peng were already buried by their enthusiastic comrades without even having a chance to resist.

“Old Qin!” The one hundred and ninety-two centimeters tall Deng Biao hammered Qin Fen’s chest with his fist, “I only haven’t seen you for a little while and you’ve already gotten stronger.”

“Old Du…” Deng Biao’s other arm clasped Du Peng tightly with even more puzzlement in his eyes, “I haven’t seen you for only a few days and there seems to be a huge change in your aura! It seems that the returns of the outstation training this time were not little.”

“Old Qin, Old Du, you still don’t know right?” Jin Kui’s figure was still as fat as before. Even the tough army life still couldn’t help him slim down, “American recruits…”

Deng Biao interrupted Jin Kui’s words with a long sigh, “Old Jin, the two of them just got back. They haven’t even had a chance to rest. Let them rest their bodies first and then talk about this matter.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Qin Fen patted Jin Kui’s shoulder, “You’re talking about James and Thomas, right?”

The lively crowd was stunned. Deng Biao finally asked, “You already know?”

“Yeah.” Qin Fen pointed to Du Peng, who was next to him, “He crushed the bones in Thomas’s whole body, his whole body.”

“His whole body?!?”

An exclamation of shock filled the room at once, almost blowing off the roof of the living quarters.

Deng Biao pointed at Du Peng with a finger, looked at Qin Fen and asked, “Old Qin…his whole body meaning…that would mean every single bone of his skeleton…”

“Almost.” Qin Fen slowly nodded, “Excluding the few bones that would immediately kill him once broken, every other bone in Thomas’s body was crushed.”

Another loud gasp was heard in the living quarters. Everyone started evaluating Du Peng from head to toe dozens of times.

Thomas was so powerful. Although the others did not battle him themselves, they had seen the strength that the monster had.

Du Peng was uncomfortable with everyone evaluating him like that and simply fired a shot at Qin Fen saying, “You had also beaten James to the point where he was kneeling on the ground and was completely overwhelmed.”

“What?”

Everyone’s attention was switched back to Qin Fen in a split second. Deng Biao then enthusiastically clasped his arm around Qin Fen’s neck, “Old Qin, James’s strength is extraordinary…”

“He and James faced thirty-seven or eight punches, pushing James three or five hundred steps backward.” Du Peng returned within the surrounding of the comrades. His emotions were slightly better than before, “In the face of Qin Fen, James’s strength is equivalent to a little chick.”

“Old Qin…” Deng Biao dragged his voice, “Talk about it! How exactly did the both of you fight the American recruits? Tell us about it!”

The crowd surrounded Qin Fen and Du Peng and pushed them towards a window closest to them.

Surrounded by people, Qin Fen explained a little. However, he once again felt an obvious change in Du Peng’s emotions as he was talking about his fight.

Qin Fen sighed in his heart. Du Zhanpeng had influenced and changed him way too much. No matter how Du Peng’s performance was, or how much more active he was than before, there would be an immediate change in him once anything related to Du Zhanpeng was mentioned.

After the matter was explained, most of the people were still immersed in the recollection of Qin Fen’s story.

Du Peng and Qin Fen then finally escaped from the encirclement and returned to their respective beds. They had missed their mattress after not staying in the military camp for quite some time.

Zhang Xiangyang walked slowly from the crowd toward his bed under the gaze of Qin Fen. He pushed the flat-glass spectacles on his nose, “Hey, it’s been a while.”

“Yeah, it’s been awhile.”

Qin Fen sat on the bed, using his arms to support his weight with the bed, and let out a long sigh. The amount of things that had happened throughout his days of training outstation was indeed too much. They were even more stimulating and insightful than the total ten plus years he had lived previously.

After they looked at each other for a few seconds, Zhang Xiangyang clapped his hands together and said after widening his eyes, “Right! I suddenly remembered, Dragon Hall!”

Qin Fen smiled and watched as Zhang Xiangyang went on with his performance. Not only did his strength grow during his time outstation, but his perspectives had also grown from the experiences he had.

It was impossible for people with characteristics like Zhang Xiangyang to be a normal soldier, it wouldn’t make any sense.

“Dragon Hall has developed well these days.” Zhang Xiangyang took out a calculator from under his pillow, his fingers dancing as he pressed the keys. It seemed as if he was not pressing on the keys on a calculator but rather like he was a piano master who was playing a melodious piece.

“Okay!” Zhang Xiangyang handed the calculator to Qin Fen, “This is the remaining savings we have these days after removing the management fees that are required by all communities set by the government, as well as other fees like resource fees.”

Ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand…

Qin Fen stared at the value on the calculator with shock in his eyes.

There were six digits before the decimal point on the calculator! And the number at the beginning of the six-digit number was actually seven! Seventy thousand!

Qin Fen took in a hard breath of cold air. He had gambled and robbed during his near death battles outstation, and if he were to exclude the cost of the Jungle Ranger, he would have earned around two to three million.

In this place that was not exactly deathly — it would not really encounter actual danger — they actually managed to quietly earn seventy thousand?

“Shocking, right?” Zhang Xiangyang interlaced his fingers together, “There is actually no need to be shocked. During the sect-annihilation battle, you had already single-handedly turned a group of people over, bringing us a huge amount of weapons, as well as a broken first-generation machine armor. I saved some of those stuff and sold the rest. Moreover, during the day you continuously challenged so many sects and won all those plaques, they had redeemed them by paying us money. This had also brought us a large income.”

Qin Fen sighed continuously as he listened. It seemed that this military weapon business was indeed profitable. Not only could it make big money in reality, the virtual items on the military web alone was enough to support the families of ordinary people.

“Also…” Zhang Xiangyang pointed to the computer that was currently shut down, “The footage from the day of challenging sects and the sect-annihilation battles was passed on to the forum. In the following days, it managed to attract a large number of viewers. Many people then started joining the Dragon Hall. As a result, the headcount at our Dragon Hall has already surpassed the preset limit. If you wish to expand, you could either start a war to snatch other people’s territory or apply for an upgrade for the Dragon Hall at the system. Of course, that would require you to fight. If you still have the strength of a four-star, your opponent would definitely not be just that. In order to upgrade the level of a community, the system would pick your new opponent according to your star-class during your first ever application. Of course, the shorter the time, the smaller the increase in ranking of your opponent.”

“So if I were to apply for the upgrade now…?”

Zhang Xiangyang grinned, “It’ll probably be estimated to be five-star?”

“Understood.” Qin Fen grabbed his helmet and immediately put it on his head.

Zhang Xiangyang put his arms behind his head and used it as a pillow. He said to himself, “You’re forthright.”

Four minutes later, Qin Fen opened his eyes and took off his helmet.

Zhang Xiangyang had a look of disbelief, “So fast?”

“Well! You can already continue to develop it…”

Before Qin Fen finished talking, Zhang Xiangyang had already reached to switch on the desktop computer and quickly signed in to the forum.

“Thirty-Six Hours Comeback”

“Money-sucking Vampire, One Brutal Attack”

“Burst! Burst! Burst! The Resurrection of the Head of the Dragon Hall”

The sharp red-colored video title had been pinned at the top of the forum.

In the Sky Battle Net, there were tons of people who could fight for more than thirty-six hours. However, there were not many people who could fight in a way that was refreshing, fierce, and immediately trigger the boiling passion in those who watched the fight.

Just in terms of popularity, besides those extreme experts in Sky Battle Net, Qin Fen’s popularity was almost unbeatable.

Even after staying low and disappearing for a while, he was immediately worshiped soon after he reappeared.

“Handsome!” Zhang Xiangyang clapped his hands and took off the helmet, “That video earlier would be the best advertisement for recruiting disciples thanks to the network!”

Deng Biao walked up to Qin Fen with a bunch of people. His rough face came close to Qin Fen, “Old Qin, don’t just focus on your own strength upgrade. If you have the time, come help a brother out! Let’s exchange for a bit, give us a few pointers.”

Qin Fen did not have the chance to decline the offer. He and Du Peng, who was lying on the bed, were already lifted out of the room by several people.

The lively scene continued until night. Only after the appearance of Lin Jiaxuan was Qin Fen released from battle.

“Old Qin, that beauty is here again, hurry over.” Deng Biao pushed Qin Fen’s back and said playfully to the others, “It seems that Old Qin not only has to give us pointers for our fighting techniques but also on how to get girls.”

All the others burst into laughter. Lin Jiaxuan threw a fierce glance at Deng Biao. If it wasn’t for the Jade Girl Heart Sutra, she would rather be killed than appear here.

Every time she thought about the night Qin Fen was dredged his true energy through her by the sea and triggered the fluctuation of her young heart, Lin Jiaxuan was even more enraged.

As she saw Qin Fen’s unhurried pace, Lin Jiaxuan once again pouted her cherry lips that were desired by most men who had seen her.

“Something the matter?”

Hearing Qin Fen’s reluctant voice, Lin Jiaxuan’s twitched her brows. Her irritated look had a special kind of cuteness.

“I can’t look for you if there’s nothing?”

Qin Fen was surprised, but replied honestly, “I am very busy, don’t look for me if there’s nothing.”

Lin Jiaxuan felt that her nose was about to burst in anger. Although not every single guy who saw her would turn into a hormonal male dog, they would at least show some mannerism. It was the first time she had ever received something like “I’m very busy, don’t look for me if there’s nothing.”

If they were not situated in a military camp, Lin Jiaxuan would actually suspect that she had bumped into a celebrity snob.

“There is indeed something.” Lin Jiaxuan quickly said as she was also afraid that Qing Fen would just turn around and leave. “There are two things, the first was to congratulate you for defeating James, reclaiming the name of our military camp.

“Oh.” Qin Fen half-heartedly nodded his head. In comparison to the intricate Golden Triangle, as well as the fish-scale gorilla called upon by Wu Lianda, James was indeed child’s play.

This kind of child’s play really could not lift his excitement.

Lin Jiaxuan stared at Qin Fen blankly, waiting for a modest reply that most people would usually give.

Only after a few seconds when Qin Fen showed no signs of giving a further response did she realize that the “Oh” was his only response to her wish.

Lin Jiaxuan gave a deadly stare to Qin Fen. She hurried her way here to congratulate him, only to get a simple “Oh” in return.

Anger rose furiously in her chest. Her towering breasts moved up and down in accordance with her breath under her fitting uniform.

The dramatic change of this sexy figure had also caused Qin Fen’s eyes to brighten unconsciously.

He had tasted the greatest pleasure between men and women with Song Jia not too long ago. Based on the instincts of a man, his glance swept toward the pair of towering bouncy breasts that would make men want to grab and squeeze.

Being a beautiful woman, Lin Jiaxuan had often been sneakily stared by men. As she had had many experiences like this, her instincts in this matter had also sharpened.

As she felt Qin Fen’s gaze, Lin Jiaxuan once again thought about both times she was looked at and touched by Qin Fen during practice. The anger in her heart rocketed once again.

“You!” Lin Jiaxuan wanted to slap Qin Fen. She wasn’t sure when, but Qin Fen’s steel-like hands had already grabbed her firmly by the wrist. The tyrannical power caused an extreme pain that made her feel as if her wrist was about to snap.

“Ah?”

Qin Fen was surprised. He let out a slight smile as he looked at his hand that was grabbing her wrist. As he had been in fight mode throughout his days at the Golden Triangle, his body almost seemed to be constantly operating on reflex.

He released his grip. Lin Jiaxuan immediately retracted her sore right hand and looked at Qin Fen with an enraged look, “You…”

“It is my bad staring at your breasts. I shall apologize to you. But I can’t allow you to slap me in the face because of this.”

Lin Jiaxuan heard Qin Fen’s indifference in mentioning her breasts, as well as the calm and steadiness in his sentence that followed. She was so angry that her hands and legs started to tremble.

“What’s the second thing?” Qin Fen looked up at the sky. He had an expression that was somewhat annoyed, “Please hurry, I wish to rest early today.”

Lin Jiaxuan took in a few deep breaths and tried to suppress the anger in her chest, “The cultivation arts you gave me previously was incomplete. I heard that you were back. Can you give me the full set now?”

“Ah?” Qin Fen raised his hand to scratch the back of his head, “Sorry, I had forgotten about this.”

“What!?”

“I forgot, sorry. Wait till I have the time to sort it out for you. That’s all.”

Qin Fen dropped those words, turned his back and walked quickly toward the living quarters. During his days at the Golden Triangle, he never got to sleep calmly and peacefully due to the fear of what he would sleep-talk in his dreams. He finally got an easy opportunity today — he would not miss it for anything.

“Hold on, you…”

Lin Jiaxuan’s had not finished shouting what she wanted to say, yet Qin Fen had already waved his hand at her while walking toward the living quarters.

“You…” Lin Jiaxuan stared at him with tears that were almost going to fall out of her eyes: “You… if I still don’t reach five-star, my father will really be in danger…”

The door of the living quarters had closed, blocking Lin Jiaxuan’s last words. The wind was blowing against the hair on her beautiful face.

Under the moonlight, Lin Jiaxuan let out a sigh of sorrow, turned and walked away, lonely, from Qin Fen’s living quarters.

One moonlit night, in a villa in Shenyang…

“Okay, okay okay. My son, I know. Don’t worry, I would definitely help you snatch this spot. That’s right, as long as you perform well during the tournament, I’m sure Song Jia will definitely notice you when you attend the Song family’s banquet later.”

The extremely old mobile phone was gently buckled onto the landline telephone frame.

The woman twisted her waist while she left the room. Her high heels stomped onto the ground, making a squeaky sound that had a sense of urgency.

“Third brother… Third brother…”

The sharpness of the woman’s voice was like the sound of porcelain rubbing against each other. This, along with her continuous knocking on the door, broke the initial tranquility in the villa.

“What’s up?”

A bald middle-aged man in his fifties who had a military uniform draped on his shoulders pushed open the sound insulated door of the study room.

“Third brother, it is me!”

There was a flirtatious rhythm to the piercing voice of the woman whose eyes showed a faint pampered temperament.

“Cao Rong, what is with you so late at night? Don’t you know that everyone else is sleeping?”

The middle-aged man twitched his not-so-thick brows. He gave a slightly unpleasant look toward his rough-looking, high cheekbones sister who was in a red vulgar nightgown.

A glimpse of unsatisfactory anger flashed across Cao Rong’s eyes. She touched her flushed cheeks and annoying said in her heart, “If it isn’t anything related to Tao Tao, I would not even be willing to see this nasty face of yours!”

“Brother, it’s actually nothing too serious.” Cao Rong squinted her eyes that were already not too big, “Tao Tao has been wanting to fight in the Recruit Tournament right? His military camp was only given three spots and had all been occupied. You are his uncle, and also the higher ups in the military region…”

“No, there is no such thing as snatching another person’s spot.”

Cao Bo coldly spat out that sentence and reached for the door but it had already been blocked by Cao Rong’s hand.

“Brother…you’re just afraid that contestant has people backing him up, right? I’ve already checked.” Cao Rong smiled with joy, “That guy is a complete civilian. He has no influential power backing him up. His name is Qin Fen, Australia recruits camp…”

“Qin Fen? Australia recruits camp?” Cao Bo looked coldly at Cao Rong, “Then you should just give up. Squad Leader Hao’s disciples had deliberately sent in reports that had Qin Fen’s name written on it.”

“Squad Leader Hao?” Cao Rong’s nostrils twitched, “What can those little nobodies do? ”

“What did you say?” Cao Bo’s face sank, “How did father teach us? As a human, we need to practice gratitude. The duties of Squad Leader Hao and the others are indeed small, but don’t forget! They had done good for our family that year! Don’t even think about this thing…”

Boom!

Cao Bo suddenly exerted force with his arm, slamming the door shut. The strong force pushed Cao Rong a few steps back before she could regain stability.

In the study, General Cao Bo hung his uniform on the bookshelf. He let out a heavy sigh as he looked toward the direction of the door. This younger sister of his was the youngest in the family with no abilities whatsoever. Just because she was cared dearly by their old lady, she always had to create some sort of mess for others to clean up. Even his brother-in-law could not stand her and would rather go live with some other woman and be called disloyal.

“Mother…” Cao Rong leaned next to an old woman who was sitting in a rocking chair, “Third brother’s arms are arched outwards. He would rather help outsiders than help his own nephew.”

The old woman had silver hair and had the look of the extremely rich. Her rough hands gently patted Cao Rong’s head, showing her a loving look.

“My daughter, what’s wrong? Tell me slowly…”

“Mother, Tao Tao wants to fight in the Recruit Tournament in order to gain pride for our family as well as for East Asia.” Cao Rong squatted next to the old woman with an angry look, “At first, the military region had already confirmed Tao Tao’s spot in competing. But Squad Leader Hao gave them a call and suggested someone else. Just to avoid trouble, brother had removed Tao Tao for him. Does he have reason, does he have a family?”

“What?” The old woman widened her eyes, yet there was not much light that came from it. She was already in her final years of life, “Go and get that unfilial son here.”

“Mother… it’s useless.” Cao Rong took advantage of the old woman’s care, “Don’t you know how third brother is? He only knows how to tell lies. He would definitely not admit to anything.”

The old woman was silent for a few seconds and then nodded, “True. Go! Bring me the phone. I will use this old face of mine to reclaim the spot Tao Tao had. Even if he didn’t have it from the start, I will still get it for him!”

“Mother… third brother said that Squad Leader Hao is graceful to our family…”

“This…” The old lady lifted her crutch and stopped mid-air. There was some hesitation written on her face, “This is indeed true… Squad Leader Hao was of great grace to our family’s old man. If it wasn’t for those little fellas who acted without the care of life and death that year, our old man’s bones would probably not even get the chance to be buried at the cemetery…”

“That’s right.” Cao Rong sighed, “Ai! Forget it then. Just take it that our Tao Tao has bad luck to simply let a child with no background to gain an advantage at the cost of Tao Tao. Our poor Tao Tao. If he could get a good ranking, he would probably gain recognition by Song Wendong. Then, our family… Ai! Let’s just forget it. This is life…”

“What? At the cost of our family?” The old woman’s loose facial muscles twitched a few times, “How can this be? Little Hao and the others are being too blind! They think that just because they did us a little favor, they could just ruin our Tao Tao’s future? As well as the development of our household? It seems that they really do not think about me at all. With this, don’t blame me for disregarding their small little deed from that year! Bring me the phone!”

“Mother…but third brother…”

“Bring it! I haven’t died yet!”

“Yes, Mother…”

Cao Rong wiped away the two lines of tears on her monkey cheeks. As she turned to get the phone, she let out a joyful smile. She immediately dialed the number on the phone and brought it to the old woman.

“It’s me, old lady Diao…”

The old woman spoke very simply. She continuously made several phone calls and finally put the phone back in Cao Rong’s hand, “It’s done. You could go back without worry. Tell Tao Tao that there will soon be good news.”

“Yes, mother.”

Cao Rong put the phone back in place and walked out of the room with a smile on her face. She said smugly while shaking her shriveled buttocks and humming a song, “Fighting with me? Hmph! Needless to say that you don’t have a background of any sort, so what if you did? Don’t tell me your relative could be a Qilin? A Black Tortoise? A Red Bird? Or a Green Dragon? Hmph! If Squad Leader Hao were to continue to intervene this time…”

Cao Rong sneered. A glimpse of cold light flashed across her shriveled triangular eyes, “If so, don’t blame me for hiring an assassin to kill off that young man Qin Fen.”