301: Chapter 302 Settling the score: This restricted area now belongs to the Lin family.

Dozens of "Firmament"-class fighter jets streaked across the sky, leaving behind trails of white exhaust, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived above the altar ruins.

These war machines, representing the pinnacle of Federation technology, formed a standard combat formation in the air. The weapon bays beneath their wings opened fully, revealing Law missiles that shimmered with a dangerous light.

An Aura of grim slaughter descended from the sky.

"Listen up, you people down there!"

A cold, authoritative voice, amplified by loudspeakers, came from the lead fighter jet.

"This is the Seventh Flight Wing of the Federation's Eastern Theater Command! You have trespassed into a top-level military restricted zone!"

"Drop your weapons immediately, stand by where you are, and submit to our inspection!"

"Repeat! Drop your weapons immediately..."

Zhang Wei's Face turned green.

What kind of nonsense is this?

Brother Qi just finished working his butt off to eliminate the big BOSS threatening the world, not even having time to take a sip of water, and now the Federation's "regular army" comes out to reap the rewards?

And they want them to drop their weapons?

"Brother Qi, these people..." Zhang Wei was about to curse, but Lin Qi stopped him with a single look.

Lin Qi looked up at the circling fighter jets in the sky, his Face expressionless.

He knew this wasn't the fault of the soldiers on the front lines.

They were just following orders.

From the military's perspective, an unprecedented energy storm had erupted in the D-3 Region, and after sending scouts to investigate, they had found three people of unknown identity standing there.

Whoever came, their first reaction would be to surround the place.

"Chen Shu." Lin Qi called out faintly to the air.

"Boss, I'm here."

Chen Shu's unchanging electronic voice abruptly sounded in the earpieces of Lin Qi, Instructor Su Qing, and Zhang Wei simultaneously.

It was unknown what method Lin Qi had used to establish such clear communication with Chen Shu, who was far away in Tianhai City, within this area of chaotic Law.

"Transmit the real-time footage here, along with the combat recording of us just eliminating the "Abyssal Aggregate", encrypted to two people."

"One, Longya Academy, Zhao Shouzhen."

"The other, the Federation Military Department, General Luo Zhenbang."

"Tell them, I have solved the problem."

"Tell their people to get the hell out of my territory."

Lin Qi's tone was very calm. But the content of his words was extremely overbearing.

My territory. Get out.

Zhang Wei's blood boiled as he listened. Awesome! That's fucking awesome! This is Brother Qi's style!

"Understood, Boss." Chen Shu replied without any hesitation and immediately began to execute the order.

Up in the sky, the captain of the Seventh Flight Wing sat in the cockpit, staring intently at the three tiny figures below.

Especially the young man in the middle carrying a backpack.

Radar showed that the source of the energy fluctuation that had just made the entire D-3 Region tremble had finally vanished from his person.

Who exactly is this guy?

Just as he was preparing to issue another warning, a rapid, high-priority encrypted communication request suddenly sounded in the cockpit.

He was stunned for a moment, then quickly connected.

The communication screen flickered, and the Face of the one-armed General Luo Zhenbang, filled with authority, appeared on the screen.

"Lo... General Luo?!" The captain was so startled he nearly jumped out of his seat.

He never dreamed that he would receive a personal communication from the Federation's supreme commander!

"Listen, kid." General Luo Zhenbang's voice was hoarse and powerful.

"You and your men, now, immediately, right now, turn around and return to base."

"If you stay in the air for one more second, you can drag yourselves back to the military tribunal!"

"What?" The captain was bewildered. "But... but those three people down there..."

"They are not the enemy." General Luo Zhenbang's tone was unquestionable. "They are the... heroes who resolved this crisis."

"Withdraw. That is an order."

The communication was cut off decisively.

The captain looked at the extinguished screen, his mind still a complete blur. Heroes? Just those three down there? They solved the D-3 Region crisis that even the military was helpless against?

This... although he had ten thousand questions, military orders were like mountains.

"All units! All units take note!" He took a deep breath and issued the order over the communication channel.

"Mission canceled! Turn around immediately, return at full speed!"

"Repeat! Return at full speed!"

In the channel, a chorus of confirmation sounds came from the pilots, suppressing their shock.

Dozens of "Firmament"-class fighter jets traced a neat arc in the sky, without the slightest hesitation, and quickly departed in the direction they had come.

It took no more than a minute. The sky, which had been tense just moments ago, returned to calm.

Zhang Wei watched this scene, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground.

"Th... they just left?" He rubbed his eyes, unable to believe it.

They were so aggressive just a moment ago, looking like they were going to execute them on the spot. And yet, one sentence from Brother Qi made them tuck their tails and roll away?

Is Brother Qi's Face really that big now? Even the Federation's ace flight wing has to leave at his word?

"It's not my Face." Lin Qi saw through his thoughts. "It's the smart people behind them who made the right choice."

He knew that General Luo Zhenbang and Zhao Shouzhen would inevitably understand what had happened after seeing the footage he sent.

Talking about "rules" with an existence that could casually "format" the "Abyssal Aggregate"? That's something only a fool would do.

The best way to handle it is to pretend they saw nothing. Then, send someone with enough weight and intelligence to "talk" to him.

Sure enough. Not long after the fighter jets left, a small, unarmed military shuttle flew in from the horizon and slowly landed on a relatively flat patch of ground not far away.

The cabin door opened. A gaunt old man wearing casual clothes, with graying hair, looking like a retired cadre, walked out.

It was none other than the Vice Dean of Longya Academy, Rank 5 Expert, Zhao Shouzhen.

He came alone.

He looked at Lin Qi not far away, and in those cloudy yet deep eyes, a complex light flashed. There was shock, appreciation, and a trace of... relief.

He trotted all the way over with a kind smile on his Face.

"Student Lin Qi, I have long admired your name. I am Zhao Shouzhen from Longya Academy." He took the initiative to extend his hand.

"This time, it is truly thanks to you. On behalf of the Federation and Longya Academy, I express my most sincere gratitude."

His posture was extremely low. He didn't have the airs of a Rank 5 Expert or a Vice Dean of an academy at all.

However, Lin Qi did not reach out. He just looked at Zhao Shouzhen and asked faintly.

"Are you here to negotiate terms with me?"

The smile on Zhao Shouzhen's Face froze.

"No, no, no, how could that be." He waved his hand quickly. "I am here to... to express my gratitude."

"Then that is unnecessary." Lin Qi's reply was crisp and decisive.

"I killed it not for the Federation, nor for you."

"It was purely because it blocked my path and wanted to harm my people."

"Now that the matter is resolved, it is time to settle the score."

Lin Qi's gaze swept over Zhao Shouzhen, swept over the shuttle behind him, and finally, looked toward the direction of the Federation capital.

"My people were forced to enter this dangerous place due to your stupid decisions, and their mental state has suffered great trauma."

"I, being pointed at by the missiles of the fighter jets you sent, have also been severely affected in my mood."

"How do you intend to compensate for these two scores?"

Zhao Shouzhen: "..." He was stunned.

He had thought of countless opening lines for meeting Lin Qi. He had thought of various reactions Lin Qi might have. Vigilant, arrogant, or indifferent.

But he never expected that the moment the other party opened his mouth, it would be... asking for compensation?

This line of thinking is too unique, isn't it?!

"Um... Student Lin Qi," Zhao Shouzhen's brain couldn't quite keep up. "What kind of... compensation do you want?"

Lin Qi looked at him as if looking at a bumpkin who had never seen the world.

"It's very simple."

"First, Sword Saint Ye Qingtian, I am taking him with me. I have saved his life, but from now on, he will follow me."

"Second, the curse on Instructor Su Qing, which your Longya Academy has studied for so many years without results, I will take care of that too. But as a price, the favor she owes the academy is wiped clean."

"Third..." Lin Qi paused and held up three fingers.

"For this incident, all spoils belong to me. Including this D-3 Region, from today on, it belongs to Lin."

"From now on, this is my private laboratory. Without my permission, not even a fly from the Federation will be allowed to fly in."

"Do you understand what I have said?"