70: Chapter 70 A Military Beauty Arrives! I've Accepted This Secret Realm Quest

Lin Feng returned home and collapsed onto his bed.

Exhausted.

Fucking exhausted.

From fighting his way out of the old city district, dealing with the maternal body, then the Fusion Evolution Body, and finally being shattered by that sword strike from Master—his worldview was ruined.

He stared at the ceiling, his mind in a chaotic mess.

The pet egg would hatch tomorrow.

The Void Corridor was showing signs of activity.

And that red-quality Fusion Evolution Body heart...

"I need to hurry up and get stronger..." Lin Feng muttered to himself.

Just as he was thinking this, his phone suddenly rang.

He picked it up and looked—Master.

"Hello? Master?"

"Come over here right now." Zhao Ritian's voice came from the other end of the line, still in that lazy tone.

"Right now?" Lin Feng was stunned. "Alright..."

"The person is here." Zhao Ritian interrupted him. "Hurry up."

He hung up after saying that.

Lin Feng stared at his phone, feeling a bit dazed.

But he didn't dare to delay. He rolled off the bed, threw on a jacket, and ran out.

...

Twenty minutes later.

Lin Feng stood in front of that dilapidated little building again.

The door was ajar, and a dim, yellow light spilled out from inside.

He pushed the door open and entered.

Zhao Ritian was the same as always, sitting in his wheelchair, holding a purple clay teapot and sipping tea directly from the spout.

"You're here?" He glanced at Lin Feng. "Sit down, wait a moment."

Lin Feng sat down and looked around.

There was no one else in the room.

"Master, who wants to see me?"

"Someone... I suppose it's the descendant of an old friend." Zhao Ritian said slowly. "You'll know in a moment."

Lin Feng nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Five minutes passed.

Lin Feng was getting a bit bored, so he started examining the yellowed photos on the wall.

Most of them were landscape photos, along with some group photos of people wearing old-fashioned military uniforms.

In one of them, he saw a familiar figure—Vice President Chen Jiuding.

Young Vice President Chen Jiuding, wearing a military uniform, stood among a group of people, full of spirit and vigor.

Standing next to him was Zhao Ritian, also in his younger days, with a straight posture, completely unlike the hunched figure he was now.

"Master, is this you when you were young?"

"Hmm." Zhao Ritian glanced at it. "That was decades ago."

Lin Feng wanted to ask more, but suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Click.

Click.

Click.

The sound of high heels stepping on the stone slabs was crisp and rhythmic.

Lin Feng turned his head toward the door.

The door was pushed open.

A figure walked in against the moonlight.

Lin Feng was stunned.

It was a woman.

To be precise, a young woman wearing a crisp military uniform.

The uniform was dark green, tailored to fit perfectly, outlining a slender and upright figure.

On her shoulders hung the Rank of Major, and on her chest were several medals, gleaming with a metallic luster under the light.

Her face...

Lin Feng didn't know how to describe it.

Beautiful.

Extremely beautiful.

But that kind of beauty wasn't the soft, delicate kind that made people want to protect her.

Instead, it was a sharp, piercing beauty.

Her facial features were exquisite as if carved, but the lines were distinct, carrying a heroic spirit.

Her eyebrows were long and thin, slightly arched, and her eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

Her nose was high and straight, her lips slightly pursed, revealing a touch of cold arrogance.

Her hair was coiled at the back of her head, meticulous, revealing a smooth forehead and a slender neck.

She stood at the door, her gaze sweeping across the room, finally landing on Lin Feng.

That gaze was like two blades.

Lin Feng felt as though he had been scrutinized from head to toe.

There was no malice.

But that scrutiny made one feel very uncomfortable.

It was just like... evaluating the value of an item.

"Come in." Zhao Ritian spoke up.

The female officer nodded and stepped inside.

Her high heels clicked against the concrete floor.

She walked in front of Zhao Ritian, stood at attention, and gave a standard military salute.

"Grandpa Zhao."

Her voice was cold and clear, carrying a hint of respect.

Zhao Ritian waved his hand. "Don't bother with those formalities, sit down."

The female officer sat in the chair nearby, posture upright, legs together, hands placed on her knees.

A standard soldier's sitting posture.

Lin Feng secretly sized her up.

Up close, she was even more beautiful.

Her skin was fair, her features exquisite, but her gaze was sharp, and her whole person exuded an aura of 'do not approach'.

"Lin Feng." Zhao Ritian spoke. "This is Chen Ruoxi, Vice President Chen Jiuding's granddaughter."

Vice President Chen Jiuding's granddaughter?!

Lin Feng was stunned and hurriedly nodded. "Hello."

Chen Ruoxi glanced at him and nodded slightly as a response.

Her attitude couldn't be called cold, but it definitely couldn't be called enthusiastic either.

"Ruoxi works for the military." Zhao Ritian continued. "She's looking for you this time because there's something on her side that she wants to ask for your help with."

Lin Feng looked at Chen Ruoxi.

Chen Ruoxi spoke up.

Her voice was still just as cold and clear, but her speaking speed was slow, and her articulation was crisp.

"Mr. Lin, our military recently discovered a strange Secret Realm in the Western Grand Canyon."

"A Secret Realm?" Lin Feng became interested.

"Yes." Chen Ruoxi nodded. "A month ago, when our geological survey team was working in that area, they detected strong energy fluctuations."

"After investigation, we discovered a space entrance hidden in the belly of the mountain."

"Preliminary judgment is that it is an unrecorded Secret Realm."

Lin Feng blinked. "And then?"

"We sent people in to investigate." Chen Ruoxi paused. "Of the first five people who went in, only one returned."

Lin Feng frowned.

"After that person came out, they were mentally disturbed and kept talking nonsense. The medical department diagnosed it as having suffered a severe Mental Energy shock."

"Later, we sent two more batches of people, and the results were the same—either they didn't come out, or they came out crazy."

She looked at Lin Feng, her eyes even sharper.

"So far, we have lost twelve elite Explorers."

Lin Feng gasped.

Twelve elite Explorers...

This Secret Realm was truly sinister.

"Then why are you looking for me..." Lin Feng asked tentatively.

"Because you meet the entry requirements." Chen Ruoxi said directly.

"What requirements?"

"First, your Rank must not exceed Rank 30." Chen Ruoxi held up a finger. "We later analyzed the data of the survivors and found a pattern—everyone who came out alive was below Rank 30. No one who went in above Rank 30 came out."

Lin Feng felt a stir in his heart.

There was such a thing?

"Second." Chen Ruoxi held up a second finger. "You need at least two elements with over 60% affinity."

She stared at Lin Feng.

"According to Grandpa Zhao, your Light Element Affinity is over 99%, and your Earth Element Affinity has reached 96%."

"And you can also use other elemental skills."

"You perfectly meet the requirements."

Lin Feng looked at Zhao Ritian.

The old man was holding his teapot, looking calm, as if saying "That's right, that's what I said."

"So..." Lin Feng scratched his head. "You want me to go in and take a look?"

"Yes." Chen Ruoxi nodded. "We need someone to go in and investigate the situation clearly."

"If possible, bring back whatever is inside—whether it's treasure or intelligence."

Lin Feng fell silent.

This mission sounded very dangerous.

Twelve elite Explorers, some dead, some crazy.

Could he make it out alive if he went in?

"Of course, this is not a mandatory mission." Chen Ruoxi seemed to see his hesitation. "You can choose to refuse."

"But if you agree, the military will provide corresponding rewards."

Lin Feng asked, "What rewards?"

"Five million points." Chen Ruoxi said. "In addition, you can choose one golden piece of equipment or Materials from the military treasury."

Five million points, plus a golden piece of equipment.

This reward was not low.

But Lin Feng wasn't short on money right now.

He cared more about golden Materials for the tower soul to devour...

"May I ask, what is likely inside?"

Chen Ruoxi shook her head. "We don't know. After our people went in, very little information was transmitted back. We can only judge from the energy fluctuations that there is a powerful energy source inside, which could be treasure or some kind of creature."

She paused and added.

"But according to the fragmented words of those survivors before they went crazy, there... seem to be 'eyes' inside."

"Eyes?" Lin Feng was stunned.

"Yes." Chen Ruoxi nodded. "They kept repeating words like 'eyes', 'watching us', 'so many eyes'."

The image of the thousands of eyes of the Fusion Evolution Body appeared in Lin Feng's mind.

He couldn't help but shiver.

"So, this Secret Realm may be related to spirit attacks." Chen Ruoxi said. "Since you were able to withstand the Soul attack of the Fusion Evolution Body, it shows that you have a certain degree of spirit resistance."

Lin Feng felt a stir in his heart.

That's right.

Just now in the old city district, the Fusion Evolution Body's Soul attack made him dizzy for three seconds.

But later Master came, and he was fine.

Moreover, his Mental Energy was 899 points, much higher than mages of the same Rank.

Plus the protection of the golden tower soul...

Maybe he really could withstand it.

"I have one more question." Lin Feng said.

"Ask."

"Why look for me? The military should also have people who meet the criteria, right?"

Chen Ruoxi was silent for a few seconds.

Then, she spoke slowly.

"Because there are too few people who meet these two conditions."

"There are fewer than ten people in the entire Donghai City war zone who are below Rank 30 and have over 60% affinity for two elements simultaneously."

"Among these ten people, even fewer are willing to risk entering such an unknown Secret Realm."

She looked at Lin Feng, a flicker of complexity in her eyes.

"Also, Grandpa Zhao recommended you."

"He said that although you are young, your strength and mentality are far beyond your peers."

Lin Feng looked at Zhao Ritian.

The old man was still in that lazy state, but the corners of his mouth were slightly raised, looking quite pleased.

"So, are you willing to go?" Chen Ruoxi asked.

Lin Feng didn't answer immediately.

He calculated in his heart.

There was definitely danger.

But there was also great opportunity.

Such unknown Secret Realms often hid good things.

And he urgently needed to get stronger now to prepare for going to the Void Corridor.

Master had said he would take him when he was above Rank 30.

He was Rank 26 now; if he could level up a few times and get some treasures by going in...

"I'll go."

Lin Feng nodded.

A flash of surprise crossed Chen Ruoxi's eyes.

She didn't expect Lin Feng to agree so readily.

"Are you sure?" She confirmed. "It's very dangerous inside, our people..."

"I'm sure." Lin Feng interrupted her. "I happen to need to get stronger, and I can't miss an opportunity like this."

Chen Ruoxi stared at him for three seconds.

That look was as if she was re-evaluating him.

Then, she nodded.

"Good."

She stood up.

"Then let's go now."

"Now?" Lin Feng was stunned. "So urgent?"

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

"It's already been delayed for a month," Chen Ruoxi said. "The energy fluctuations in the Secret Realm are growing stronger. If we don't enter now, we might miss the optimal window."

Lin Feng looked at Zhao Ritian.

The old man waved his hand. "Go on, go on. Don't embarrass me."

Lin Feng stood up.

"Master, then I'm leaving."

"Mm." Zhao Ritian nodded, then remembered something. "Right, take that pet egg with you; it might come in handy."

Lin Feng nodded.

He followed Chen Ruoxi out of the small building.

Outside, a military off-road vehicle was parked. It was camouflage-colored with a heavy body, and its four wheels were taller than a person.

A soldier stood by the car, and seeing the two come out, he immediately opened the rear door.

Chen Ruoxi got in the car, and Lin Feng followed her inside.

The vehicle started and drove into the night.

...

It was very quiet inside the car.

Chen Ruoxi sat next to Lin Feng, looking straight ahead without saying a word.

Lin Feng stole a glance at her.

Her profile was even more beautiful.

The lines were distinct, and her skin was fair, faintly glowing in the dim cabin.

Her military uniform was crisp, and the medals on her chest occasionally swayed, reflecting fragments of light.

She sat perfectly straight with her hands folded on her knees, a standard military sitting posture.

From head to toe, she exuded a cold arrogance that warned others to stay away.

Lin Feng watched for a moment then withdrew his gaze.

This woman's presence was too strong.

He felt a bit uneasy.

"Um..." Lin Feng spoke up, trying to find a topic.

"Hmm?" Chen Ruoxi turned to look at him.

"Young Miss Chen..."

"Call me Major Chen," Chen Ruoxi interrupted him.

Lin Feng: "..."

Fine then, Major Chen.

"Major Chen, how did you discover that Secret Realm?"

Chen Ruoxi was silent for a few seconds, seemingly considering whether to answer.

Then, she spoke.

"A month ago, a small earthquake occurred in the Western Grand Canyon."

"Our geological survey team went to the scene to investigate and found a mountain collapse at the epicenter, revealing a cave."

"The survey team went inside to check and found a spatial entrance deep within the cave."

"The entrance had Formation remnants, likely a Seal left from the ancient era."

"But the Seal had already loosened, which is why energy was leaking out."

Lin Feng listened intently.

An ancient Seal?

Wouldn't that mean there are ancient ruins inside?

"And then?"

"And then we sent people in." Chen Ruoxi's voice was calm, but Lin Feng could hear a trace of suppressed emotion.

"In the first group of five, four didn't come out, and one came out insane."

"The second group of six was completely wiped out."

"In the third group of four, three didn't come out, and one came out insane as well."

She paused.

"Twelve people—three insane, nine dead."

Lin Feng fell silent.

Nine lives.

Just gone like that.

"So, this mission is very dangerous." Chen Ruoxi looked at him. "It's not too late for you to regret it now."

Lin Feng shook his head.

"I don't regret it."

Chen Ruoxi looked at him, a flash of... complexity in her eyes?

"Why?"

"Because I want to become strong," Lin Feng said. "My parents went missing in the Void Corridor, and I'm going there to find them. Before that, I must become strong enough."

Chen Ruoxi was silent.

After a few seconds, she spoke softly.

"Your parents... Lin Zhan and Su Wan?"

Lin Feng was stunned. "You know them?"

"I've heard of them." Chen Ruoxi nodded. "Six years ago, the youngest A-Rank Explorer couple in Donghai City went missing in the Void Corridor. That incident caused quite a sensation in both the military and the Explorer Association."

A surge of complex emotions welled up in Lin Feng's heart.

So his parents were that famous?

"You are very brave," Chen Ruoxi said.

Lin Feng didn't respond.

The vehicle continued to drive.

Outside the window, the city lights became fewer and fewer, replaced by dark fields and occasionally passing villages.

Twenty minutes later, the vehicle drove into a military airfield.

The airfield wasn't large, but it was heavily guarded.

Wire fences surrounded it, with a sentry post every few dozen meters.

Searchlights swept back and forth, illuminating the tarmac as if it were broad daylight.

The vehicle stopped in front of a military transport plane.

The plane was massive and entirely grey, with several huge engines hanging under the wings.

The hatch was already open, and lights were on inside.

Chen Ruoxi got out of the car, and Lin Feng followed.

The two boarded the plane.

The cabin was very spacious, with rows of seats on both sides and several large crates stacked in the middle.

Several soldiers were checking equipment; seeing Chen Ruoxi, they immediately saluted.

"Major Chen!"

Chen Ruoxi nodded and signaled for them to continue.

She led Lin Feng to the front row and sat down.

"Takeoff requires half an hour of preparation," she said. "Rest for a bit."

Lin Feng nodded and leaned back against the seat.

Through the porthole, he could see the night sky outside.

Stars dotted the sky.

The plane's engines began to roar.

Half an hour later, the plane slowly taxied, then accelerated and soared into the night sky.

...

After the plane was flying steadily, Chen Ruoxi took a document from her bag and handed it to Lin Feng.

"This is all the information regarding that Secret Realm. Take a look."

Lin Feng took it and opened it.

The document was thick, about twenty-some pages.

The first page was an overview.

[Secret Realm Codename: Eye of the Abyss]

[Location: Deep within the Western Grand Canyon, North Latitude XX, East Longitude XX]

[Discovery Date: March 17, 2049]

[Entrance Type: Spatial Rift (Suspected Ancient Seal)]

[Energy Rank: A-Rank (Fluctuation Range: B+ to S-)]

[Danger Rank: Unknown (Recommended: S-Rank)]

[Entry Restrictions: Rank ≤ 30, and at least two element affinities > 60%]

[Mission Objective: Investigate internal structure, bring back valuable intelligence or items]

[Remarks: Three groups of Explorers have entered; casualty rate is 100%, and survivors all suffered spirit derangement]

Lin Feng's scalp tingled as he read.

100% casualty rate?

Those three who went insane... they count as survivors?

He continued to flip through.

Behind that was detailed data analysis.

Energy fluctuation curves, Formation structural diagrams of the entrance, medical reports of the first group of survivors...

There were also several blurry photographs.

The photos were taken from the entrance; one could see a patch of darkness inside, but within the darkness, there were faint... points of light?

Those points of light were densely packed, like countless eyes.

Lin Feng remembered what Chen Ruoxi had said—"It seems like there are 'eyes' inside."

"These points of light..." he asked, pointing at the photo.

"I don't know." Chen Ruoxi shook her head. "It could be some kind of creature, or it could be energy bodies left over from the Formation."

"Those survivors said that after entering, they felt like they were being stared at by something. Eyes were everywhere, watching them from the darkness."

Lin Feng frowned.

This sensation... why does it feel a bit like the Fusion Evolution Body's Gaze of Ten Thousand Eyes?

Could there be similar monsters inside?

He continued to flip through.

The next few pages were the conjecture section.

[Conjecture 1: spirit-attack type creatures may exist inside the Secret Realm; it is recommended that entrants possess high spirit resistance]

[Conjecture 2: The internal space may have illusionary properties; entrants will see hallucinations]

[Conjecture 3: The energy source deep inside might be an ancient treasure, or it could be the lair of some powerful creature]

[Conjecture 4: The Formation Seal was meant to suppress something; now that the Seal has loosened, that thing might be coming out]

Lin Feng finished reading and closed the document.

"How is it?" Chen Ruoxi asked.

"It's quite interesting," Lin Feng said.

Chen Ruoxi arched an eyebrow.

"Interesting?"

"Exactly." Lin Feng smiled. "The more dangerous a place is, the more likely it is to hold good things."

Chen Ruoxi stared at him for a few seconds.

"Your mindset is actually quite good."

"Otherwise?" Lin Feng shrugged. "Since I have to go in anyway, why overthink it?"

Chen Ruoxi said no more.

...

An hour later.

The plane began to descend.

Through the porthole, he could see a continuous mountain range below.

The mountains were steep and crisscrossed with ravines, looking like winding giant serpents under the moonlight.

The plane landed at a temporary base.

The base was built in a valley, surrounded by steep cliffs with only a single path leading out.

There were several rows of prefabs, some military tents, and a few armored vehicles and helicopters.

The area was brightly lit, with soldiers patrolling and security being tight.

After the plane stopped, Chen Ruoxi led Lin Feng off the aircraft.

The night breeze blew over, carrying the freshness of the mountain forest and a hint of a chill.

"This way." Chen Ruoxi walked in front.

Lin Feng followed her through the camp to a prefab building.

The door opened to a small room.

A bed, a table, and a chair—simple but clean.

"You'll stay here tonight," Chen Ruoxi said. "Get some rest; we set out early tomorrow morning."

Lin Feng nodded.

Chen Ruoxi took another document from her bag and placed it on the table.

"This is the latest reconnaissance data on the Secret Realm; take another look. Some of it consists of conjectures from the technical department and may not be entirely accurate, but it's worth referencing."

Lin Feng picked up the document.

"Thanks."

"No need." Chen Ruoxi walked to the door and looked back at him.

That gaze still carried a sense of scrutiny.

But there seemed to be a hint of... expectation?

"Lin Feng."

"Hmm?"

"Come back alive."

With that, she pushed the door and left.

Lin Feng looked at the closed door, stunned for a few seconds.

Then he smiled.

"Come back alive... of course."

He sat on the bed, opened the document, and began to read carefully.

Outside, moonlight spilled over the camp, and all was silent.

The distant mountains loomed indistinctly in the night.

And that unknown Secret Realm was waiting for him.

...

Early the next morning, Lin Feng was awakened by the chirping of birds outside the tent.

He opened his eyes and saw through the window that the sky outside was already bright, with a few white clouds drifting across the pale blue horizon.

He got up, washed, and got dressed.

Pushing the door open, the fresh mountain breeze brushed against his face, carrying the scent of vegetation and a hint of a chill.

The camp was already bustling.

Soldiers were running in Formation, the cooking squad was preparing breakfast, and several technicians were gathered around an instrument, discussing something.

Lin Feng took a deep breath and walked toward the mess hall.

It was called a mess hall, but it was actually just a large tent with several folding tables and plastic chairs inside.

He walked in and got a serving of breakfast—steamed buns, congee, pickles, and eggs.

He had just taken a few bites in the corner when the tent flap lifted and a figure walked in.

Chen Ruoxi.

She was still in that same crisp military uniform, her hair meticulously tied back in a bun, and although her face showed a hint of fatigue, her eyes remained sharp.

She carried her tray over to Lin Feng, sitting down across from him.