89: Piano music and murderous intent, the calm before the storm

Europe, deep in the Alps.

Inside the ancient castle, standing on a ten-thousand-year-old glacier, the atmosphere was as oppressive as congealed mercury.

Before the massive floor-to-ceiling window, the mysterious figure known as the "Duke" silently watched the final battle report transmitted on the holographic screen. The screen showed the "Bulwark" mech squad's overwhelming dominance, Lin Tian's Dimensional Slash that tore through heaven and earth, and his final, bone-chilling declaration.

Three S-rank agents: two dead, one severely wounded and fled. The joint mercenary army, assembled at great cost, was completely annihilated.

It was a thorough and utterly humiliating defeat.

The four Shadow Guards inside the castle were like four silent statues, their breathing frequency reduced to a minimum, fearing to provoke their master's unfathomable wrath.

However, the Duke did not get angry.

He merely slowly raised the red wine glass in his hand and, facing Lin Tian's young and indifferent face on the screen, gave a distant toast.

"Interesting..."

His voice was not loud, but it carried the cold and pleasurable smile of a hunter who had finally found prey worthy of his personal attention.

"I originally thought it was just a slightly stronger ant, but I didn't expect it to be a young Dragon that had just bared its fangs. It seems that for that last authority chip and the most crucial 'key,' I need to make a trip to Huaxia myself."

He put down his wine glass, turned, and his eyes, hidden in the shadows, seemed to pierce through endless space, precisely locking onto a certain coordinate on the distant Eastern continent.

"Give the order, the odin, prepare to set sail."

...Meanwhile, on the African continent, at the headquarters of Pangu Biotech Group.

The smoke of war had not completely dissipated, but order was being rebuilt with astonishing efficiency.

Under the absolute military deterrence of the "Bulwark" mech squad, all surrounding forces with ulterior motives were as silent as cicadas in winter. And under Su Mucheng's efficient command and the Long family's vast resource support, the city's repair work was proceeding in an orderly manner.

Everything seemed to declare the new king's absolute dominance.

And this new king himself was currently enjoying a rare moment of post-war leisure.

On the top floor of the headquarters building, in the open-air hot spring overlooking the entire city, mist swirled like a fairyland.

Lin Tian lay back, eyes half-closed, lazily leaning against the pool wall carved from a single piece of warm jade, allowing the spring water, rich in minerals and trace Mental Energy, to soak his perfect body, which had been intensely strengthened during his seclusion.

Behind him, Su Mucheng wore a cool, silky silk bathrobe. The fabric, dampened by the steam, clung tightly to her breathtaking curves, outlining suggestive arcs. This business empress, who was decisive and unyielding in front of outsiders, was now like the most docile maid, respectfully kneeling on a soft cushion by the pool, her soft, boneless jade hands gently massaging Lin Tian's shoulders with just the right amount of force.

Each time her fingertips brushed over his well-defined back muscles, imbued with explosive power, it would cause a barely perceptible shiver. It was a complex emotion, a mixture of awe, adoration, and a hint of unspeakable shyness.

"Master," her voice was soft, with the dampness of steam, "the group's reconstruction plan has been launched, and we expect to restore 80% of our production capacity within a month. Compensation for battle losses has also been disbursed according to the highest standards. Additionally, Young Master Long Ao and the other injured have stabilized their conditions in life support pods."

She meticulously reported on various post-war matters, as if only through this method could she slightly alleviate the overly ambiguous and heart-pounding atmosphere between them.

Lin Tian hummed, not opening his eyes, simply enjoying this rare tranquility and service.

After Su Mucheng finished her report and saw that Lin Tian had no other instructions, she fell silent. In the hot spring, only the gurgling of water remained, and the faint, ambiguous aura between them, constantly fermenting in the steam.

After a long while, Lin Tian slowly opened his eyes, his deep gaze appearing even more mysterious under the hazy steam.

"Go, fetch my zither."

"Yes."

Su Mu-cheng, as if granted a great pardon, quickly stood up and respectfully withdrew. Soon, she returned to the poolside, holding the ancient and elegant phoenix perch zither.

Lin Tian waved his hand, and the ancient zither, defying gravity, floated steadily on the water surface before him, not a single drop touching it.

He extended his slender fingers and casually plucked a string.

Ding—

A clear and resonant zither sound rang out, like a Phoenix crying out to the Nine Heavens, or a clear spring flowing over stones. The sound waves did not spread through the air but directly acted on one's Mental Energy. Su Mu-cheng felt a warm and peaceful energy instantly cleanse her Soul. The tension and fatigue from the war that had accumulated over days were greatly relieved at this moment.

Lin Tian became interested and began to play casually. He hadn't learned any specific techniques, but simply infused his Mental Energy into the strings as he wished. The zither music was melodious, sometimes like high mountains and flowing water, sometimes like clashing weapons and charging horses, drawing everyone present into the Concept he constructed.

However, as he played, Lin Tian keenly noticed a hint of abnormality.

He discovered that as the zither music diffused, the special S-rank genetic power within Su Mucheng was unconsciously activated, beginning to operate and refine itself at a speed several times faster than usual. Although the effect was subtle, it was definitely there!

He lightly pressed a finger on the string, and the zither music abruptly stopped.

'This zither... is not just a Mental Energy amplification weapon.' Lin Tian mused inwardly. 'Its sound waves seem to resonate with specific genetic sequences, producing an amplifying effect similar to a 'catalyst.'

He glanced at Su Mucheng beside him, who showed a hint of confusion and lingering desire due to the interruption of the zither music, and a thought flashed through his mind.

'If I use it on Elizabeth in the future, what wonderful changes will her SSS-rank [Energy Absorption] gene produce? Perhaps... this seemingly ordinary A-rank weapon could have unexpectedly marvelous uses in certain specific situations.'

In this peaceful yet slightly ambiguous atmosphere, time slowly passed.

Suddenly—

Buzz— Buzz— Buzz—!

Piercing alarm bells, signifying the highest level of threat, blared across the entire city without warning! Blood-red warning lights pulsed frantically in every corner, like the heartbeat of doomsday!

Lin Tian slowly raised his head, his eyes, which had just held a hint of laziness, instantly becoming cold and sharp.

An emergency communication request was forcibly connected.

On the holographic projection, Grandpa Long Zhanye's usually steady-as-a-mountain face was now filled with unprecedented solemnity.

"Lin Tian!" His voice was urgent and powerful, "Highest emergency alert! The Duke's personal aerospace carrier, codenamed the odin, has forcibly breached Huaxia's multi-layered airspace defense and entered the near-Earth atmosphere! Its target... is your current location!"

As soon as his voice fell.

The sky darkened.

Not because of dark clouds, nor because of an eclipse.

But because a colossal metallic shadow, vast as a mountain range, slowly descended from above the clouds, bringing with it a suffocating sense of oppression, once again enveloping the entire city, which had just been reborn from the fires of war, in its shadow—a symbol of absolute power and supreme killing intent.

The main event had arrived.