This glint, however, made Lin Hao's heart tighten. Although he still acted as if nothing was wrong, he inwardly thought, Interesting. My estimation of Wang Zhan has risen a bit.

Then, Wang Zhan said softly, his voice seemingly calm, but with a hint of imposing presence already visible in his eyes, "Is that so? If I remember correctly, when I first landed, someone told me that on the Star War Battlefield, it's best not to easily trust anyone—not even your own kin."

Just as the atmosphere was about to freeze, and the two students from the Federal Martial Arts Academy—fellow members of the Human Race—were on the verge of a confrontation, suddenly, Lin Hao burst into laughter and said nonchalantly, "That doesn't include me. But, Student Wang Zhan, you truly are impressive, HA HA HA HA..."

He made no further attempts to probe or linger, simply turning and leaving decisively, without a trace of hesitation. Only Wang Zhan's persistently sharp gaze, fixed on his retreating figure, made Lin Hao feel a bit like he had needles on his back.

Only after Lin Hao had completely vanished from his sight did Wang Zhan finally break into a smile. "Interesting!" he mused.

And perhaps, in that moment, Lin Hao, too, thought: ...Interesting!

Perhaps their minds were in sync, or perhaps it was a mutual understanding. At this moment, these two members of the Human Race, both from the Federation, developed a slight curiosity and a sense of gravity towards each other. But for Wang Zhan, Lin Hao's sudden probing was even more interesting. If Wang Zhan had truly been just a greenhorn, he probably would have agreed to Lin Hao's proposal. But he wasn't.

So, which faction was truly backing Lin Hao? Or, to put it another way, since Wang Zhan's arrival on the Star War Battlefield, from where did all these pervasive strange happenings and inconsistencies truly originate?

Overthinking was pointless, and after finding no answers for a while, Wang Zhan temporarily abandoned this line of inquiry. Instead, he focused on refining his plan. After all, he had come to the Star War Battlefield with only one objective. It wasn't to uncover the truth of the Star War Battlefield, nor to understand the entity behind Lin Hao. Instead, it was to complete the mission assigned by Wei Daoming. Moreover, it had to be completed quickly and beyond expectations. Only by doing so could he maintain his value and advantages before those powerful factions.

"It's about time," Wang Zhan said to himself. "Let's set off."

Two more days passed. Once preparations were nearly complete, Wang Zhan, armed with his rudimentary understanding of the Star War Battlefield and the map obtained from the shopkeeper, decisively left the city. He stepped into the borderlands of the beasts, a world where jungles were omnipresent.

「At the same time.」

During this period, the enigmatic Lin Hao indeed kept his promise. He neither inquired about Wang Zhan nor asked for any details about the mission. Instead, as always, he was responsive to requests, quietly offering Wang Zhan whatever support was within his power from behind the scenes. Much like a... partner and friend behind a successful man.

This kid... it seems he's really prepared. Truly, heroes emerge from the young, Lin Hao thought. However, while watching Wang Zhan depart, this was indeed what Lin Hao was thinking. But after Wang Zhan left, a piece of news from the city struck like a sudden thunderstorm, shattering his previous musings.

"The little shop's owner died of kidney failure this morning due to incessant, incomplete, and unstoppable urination. He was utterly exhausted at the time of death..."

And so, Lin Hao, his expression grave, rushed to the small shop without delay. There, just as one might expect, he saw the cunning middle-aged man, now covered with a white sheet, dead from dehydration, his body limp and pallid.

"What a miserable death..."

"What's going on? Could it be that those beasts have finally started to target us?"

"How could that be? Don't forget we have a pact. Even if they were to strike, they'd show some restraint. But these outsiders... they act without such scruples..."

Immediately, panic spread among the people. Beyond this corpse lay the truth that truly terrified these "Old Humans": The Human Race, the Federal Human Race from the outside world, the "New Human Race"... Was it them?

But no one dared to believe the Human Race would employ such means. If they truly possessed such abilities, why would they have suffered constant defeats, forced back to their very doorstep?

Lin Hao looked at the corpse before him, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, having now truly gained some knowledge of Wang Zhan's capabilities. Then, with a grave expression, he instructed those around him, his tone solemn, "Perform an autopsy. In one hour, we must give our residents a reasonable explanation. Anyone attempting to sow discord and obstruct the friendship between our peoples will be considered an enemy of my Federation!"

"Yes!"

With that said, Lin Hao turned and departed. He reckoned it wouldn't take long for these words to spread through the city via word of mouth, thoroughly clearing the Human Race of any suspicion. After all, compared to the seemingly kind Human Race, who supposedly lacked such means, the means of the Beast Clan appeared far more sinister.

Truly capable... I misjudged him, Lin Hao thought. One wonders how Wang Zhan would react if he knew what Lin Hao was thinking at that moment.

RUSTLE, RUSTLE, RUSTLE...

In the jungle, fallen leaves lay everywhere. A large, booted foot took a light step, entering the utterly silent jungle that seemed cut off from the rest of the world.

Is this... the Star War Battlefield? Wang Zhan's brow furrowed slightly as he vigilantly and gravely observed the changes in his surroundings. If he hadn't arrived with a mission, he might have even suspected that these jungles—where leaves constantly fell yet not even the shadow of a small animal could be seen—were some kind of artificial scenery created by humans. Too quiet…

However, as soon as Wang Zhan recalled the map's description of this area, his nerves would immediately tense, and he wouldn't dare to relax in the slightest.

[Silent Zone: One hundred li beyond every human settlement lies a buffer zone dividing their territory from that of the Beast Clan. Within it, spanning several tens of li in a circular band claimed by the Federation, dwell numerous dangerous creatures such as grid snakes, silent insects, and sleep herbs. These creatures favor quiet, are noiseless, excel at ambushing and devouring prey, and possess potent toxins...]

Considering this information, Wang Zhan gained some understanding. This silent zone was so quiet that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it almost certainly harbored some kind of peril capable of subduing any and all intruders. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that the human cities marked on the map had a relatively stable territory, protecting their inhabitants from beast incursions—similar to how the Federation used sulfur to repel snakes.

But for Wang Zhan, whether it was grid snakes, silent insects, sleep herbs, or any other unknown entities, they all represented countless risks and crises he had never encountered before. Yet, at this very moment, his intuition seemed to be failing him, either going haywire or simply unable to discern these unknown dangers. So, although his mind was taut with tension, he couldn't find a clear path forward and could only forge ahead blindly.

Finally, after six hours, Wang Zhan completely emerged from the silent zone, having encountered no resistance along the way.

What's going on? Wang Zhan was utterly baffled. Could it be that these dangerous creatures have an even sharper intuition than I do? Did they sense the hidden danger I carry and thus dare not show themselves?

Just as Wang Zhan's mind began to ease slightly, a sudden gust of wind swept past him.

"HAH!"

Wang Zhan instantly twisted his body and threw a direct punch, his Essence Energy fluctuating violently. But before he could clearly see what creature he had felled with his punch, a fierce and abrupt surge within his body instantly alerted Wang Zhan to a change as tumultuous as a raging storm.

Then, with a BOOM, the realm he had been painstakingly suppressing once again underwent a new transformation.

Host: Wang Zhan

Domain: 1

Limit: 3

Strength: 6,001

Agility: 6,001

Physique: 6,001

Charm: 500

Wisdom: 300

Mental Power: 43,200

Wang Zhan's expression changed instantly. He had actually broken through! With no forewarning, no reminder, just from that single, simple punch. It had directly propelled him from the Level 3 Martial Master realm to Level 4 Martial Master. All his basic attributes had surpassed 6,001 points, but what truly captured Wang Zhan's attention was the final item:

'Mental Energy: 43,200.'

Anyone else would likely have felt immense excitement and elation. After all, they would have effortlessly crossed a significant threshold. But Wang Zhan was definitely not among them. He didn't want to break through. He had been suppressing it, unwilling to break through!

But alas, plans could never keep up with changes. And so, during this unexpected arrival, his Essence Energy had naturally chosen to break through on its own, bringing with it another rapid advancement in his mental energy.

Beneath the clear, bright sky, Wang Zhan finally saw clearly what lay at his feet: a wild wolf. It was a wild wolf whose body had completely deformed and collapsed, leaving only its head intact—likely an upper-class Soldier-level beast. Logically, such beasts always traveled in packs. Since Wang Zhan had killed one, he was now destined to face the wolf pack's relentless pursuit or counterattacks.

Only, Wang Zhan no longer cared. He quietly closed his eyes, calming his breath and the turmoil within his heart, sensing everything he could perceive around him. The power emanating from within himself, the surging of his bloodline, the moisture and tranquility in the air. And likewise, it came from the Spiritual Energy, so dense it felt almost viscous, making even breathing somewhat difficult for Wang Zhan.

If this place were compared to Earth, then Earth was but a small pond, while this place was a vast, boundless ocean. Here, everything was azure, tranquil, and serene—a boundless, rootless, infinite sky.

Suddenly, Wang Zhan abruptly opened his eyes. A flash of electricity shot through them, like clear thunder from the heavens or lightning striking the earth. In that instant, he understood the truest reality of this place and the fundamental reason for his breakthrough. It wasn't due to his accumulated reserves, nor because of the pressure from that insignificant soldier-level beast. It was because…

"The density of Spiritual Energy here… there's a problem with it!" Wang Zhan exclaimed, a sudden realization dawning on him. Compared to the Federation, this place was paradise, while the Federation was hell by contrast.

"No wonder the beasts here are born so powerful," Wang Zhan murmured. "With such uniquely advantageous conditions, even a pig could become exceptional…"

Just then, a sudden sharp sound pierced the air.

"AWOOO..."

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