In the early hours before dawn, in the distant wilderness outside Cliff City...

The night was deep, with no moonlight and strong winds. Between hills that should have been deserted, a temporary barbed-wire fence and barricade had been erected, and a “No Entry” sign had been hung up. A newly built watchtower could be seen vaguely, and cold searchlights swept across the grass and trees.

The area, guarded as if it were a military zone, contained no base. It was completely empty and overgrown with wild grass, and vehicles from all over had haphazardly parked in the open field.

In the center floated a fissure, barely visible. Like a rift tearing through the void, the winding crack hovered in midair, seemingly facing any onlooker no matter the angle from which it was viewed.

From within the rift, a faint light glimmered. Other rifts overlapped, the phenomena gradually intensifying. In a few hours, the passage would probably officially open. Because of this, tensions were gradually rising among the crowd in the not-so-spacious camp. If it weren’t for the Security Bureau personnel supervising, two groups would already have come to blows.

People naturally grouped up wherever they went. In just over a day, word that a rift was about to open had spread, and Chosen Ones seeking blessings or fortune had converged.

Every intersection of a rift was a grand event for independent Chosen Ones and a chance to advance; few would let it pass by easily. Some had even come from beyond Haizhou, hurrying across dust and wind, just for a taste of opportunity.

For the Security Bureau, the location of this rift was somewhat of a headache. If it were moved just a few dozen kilometers to the east, west, south, or north, there would be a clear division of jurisdiction. But as it stood, it was right on the border between two provinces, caught between Cliff City, Tide City, and Forge City, belonging to none of them and yet connected to all.

On top of that, it was only a temporary convergence with a limited lifespan, and not worth significant investment. Due to the situation with the subterranean caverns in Spring City, manpower was already stretched thin. Under mutual deflection of responsibility, only three or four people had been sent to oversee it, and jurisdiction remained vague. Everyone simply passed the buck around; as long as nothing erupted into a fight in plain sight, it was fine.

Inside... it was every Chosen One for themselves.

As time passed, the crowd swelled. Occupying the advantageous positions first at the forefront near the rift was the convoy from Tide City. From an RV, Kong Qingyan’s gaze swept over the crowd.

There was a middle-aged man who looked homeless, with his hair disheveled like a tramp and a blanket wrapped around him; a burly man with unremarkable features and bronzed skin; as well as a strikingly beautiful woman whose charm drew many glances.

Finally, Kong Qingyan looked at an off-road vehicle splattered with mud. In the driver’s seat, an elderly woman with white hair rested her elbow on the window, casually observing the chaos. Noticing Kong Qingyan’s gaze, she removed her felt hat and nodded in acknowledgment.

Kong Qingyan withdrew her gaze.

“There are too many people here whose intentions are unclear,” she said to Lou Feng beside her. “Be careful once we go in. Follow Mr. Silan’s commands in all you do. Understood?”

“Understood.” Lou Feng nodded and looked at the bearded man beside him. “We’ll be relying on you, Mr. Silan.”

“Haha, all good.” The middle-aged man, who looked as though he had been weathered by years of sun and wind, placed a hand over his chest in a courteous salute. “Rest assured, Mr. Lou. The Homecoming Knights will be at your service. We guarantee nothing will go wrong.”

Behind him were more than a dozen heavily armed figures, their expressions solemn as they stood with their hands behind their backs. The exposed skin on their bodies was covered in scars.

Since this rift barred Chosen Ones above the Metamorphosis Realm, Kong Qingyan could only wait outside. To ensure Lou Feng’s safety and guarantee a successful excavation, she had hired the Homecoming Knights from the Central Lands’ Red Alliance as escorts.

These wandering knights, loyal to the Red King, operated as a cohesive unit with unified matrix coordination and superior resonance. Even against a much larger force of enemies or monsters, they were unshakable; they were a genuine war machine.

Lou Feng smiled and was about to speak, but his expression suddenly stiffened, and a hint of pallor appeared. He turned around and asked, “What’s that sound?”

The Homecoming Knights exchanged glances, while Silan listened intently. Aside from the clamor of the crowd, there was nothing unusual. If anything, there was a faint but gradually approaching... vroom-vroom? Wait, vroom-vroom?

Lou Feng’s heart skipped a beat.

Vroom-vroom-vroom!

At the outermost checkpoint, a small, battered scooter tore across the muddy road. Black smoke trailed behind it as it revved the engine all the way in.

The young rider at the front flipped up his helmet visor, looking around curiously. “Should be here, right?”

The face of the driver made Lou Feng’s blood boil. His heart, which had been dangling in anxiety, finally sank.

It was Ji Jue!

It wasn’t just Lou Feng who noticed this unusual latecomer, whose style was completely different from everyone else. People had arrived in off-road vehicles or luxury RVs. Some had even come by airship; at worst, they had small vans, which were sturdy and practical at the very least.

And here was Ji Jue, riding a battered pink scooter that looked like it ferried passengers at a train station, slogging through hills and rivers, covered in mud. And still, he didn’t seem to mind the sore backside! On top of that, he had big and small bags strapped to his hands and back.

At this rate, if he suddenly set down a kettle and started selling instant noodles, no one would be surprised. Some even seemed to have a delayed realization about the potential of such a business.

Right! Since we don’t know exactly when the rift will open, so many Chosen Ones are just standing around. There’s gotta be a demand for food, right? Everyone here is rich, being Chosen Ones, so why not set up a little stall? At least you don’t come all this way for nothing.

Some Chosen Ones even pulled out their wallets, planning to ask Ji Jue what he was selling, while others were already scheming about bringing a little cart next time.

The person behind Ji Jue took off their helmet before leaning forward, revealing a delicate yet youthful face. His eyes looked around with curiosity as he said, “Wow, so many people. Besides the meetings my family had when I was little, I’ve never seen so many Chosen Ones gathered in one place.”

It was An Ran, a member of Team North Mount of Cliff City’s Security Bureau. In Team North Mount, he was basically the only one interested in rifts. Mr. Zhang was too old now, his ambition long gone. He spent his days in the Security Bureau mostly preserving his health and using his fists to teach those who disrespected the law in the Second Operations Division.

As for Miss Tong Hua, even though she seemed a bit eccentric, she was still the fourth young lady of the Tong family. In Cliff City, the Tong family was practically as important as half the heaven itself. A single move from them could shake the entire place. Ever since she was born, not even a golden spoon had been worthy of being held in her mouth.

Her older brother, Tong Shan, was the head of the First Operations Division of the Cliff City Security Bureau, responsible for the protection of all important personnel. Even if she wanted resources, she would have hordes of people competing to be her bodyguards with how wealthy she was. There was no need for her to come here and compete with others for a slice of the pie.

Besides, Wen Wen was also at ease with Ji Jue and An Ran forming a team to enter the instance together.

Although An Ran had never made a mistake at work and could always complete any mission flawlessly, his upbringing had left him somewhat lacking common sense. His knowledge of everyday life was sparse, and he disliked studying. He was very different from Ji Jue, who aside from not having proper fighting skills, had grown up in the mud, seen and experienced plenty, and was full of clever, unconventional ideas.

The two complemented each other quite well.

An Ran, though a Chosen One of the White Deer Path, had no strange quirks. He was quiet and obedient, well-behaved like a plastic flower.

Along the way, Ji Jue sometimes forgot how strong this androgynous younger-brother figure was. Though only thirteen or fourteen, An Ran had reached the Metamorphosis Realm, and was a powerhouse capable of taking on several opponents at once.

Now, after scanning the surroundings, An Ran tugged lightly at Ji Jue’s sleeve, signaling, “Mr. Ji, someone is watching us. Seems like they’re planning something bad.”

Following the boy’s gaze, Ji Jue spotted Young Master Lou in the crowd, who looked impressive and imposing, standing out like a crane among chickens. Their eyes met briefly, and Lou Feng’s face turned ashen as he turned around.

Ji Jue scratched his head awkwardly. “Ah... maybe he has a grudge against me. Sorry for dragging you into this, An.”

An Ran nodded. “It’s okay, don’t be afraid. Mr. Ji, I’ll protect you!”

Ah, such thoughtful, heartwarming care and reassurance almost made Ji Jue tear up a little. “Thanks a lot, then.”

But as he leaned forward slightly on the scooter, he immediately felt countless eyes from all directions on him. They were watchful, cold, or even filled with malice. He froze.

Why are so many people glaring at me with such hostility? Have I done something utterly unforgivable? No, wait, I literally just left the newbie village today! I haven’t even completed a single mission, so how could my faction reputation already be on the verge of collapse? Are the survival environment out here and the relationships between Chosen Ones really this harsh?

“Be careful, An,” Ji Jue whispered. “Looks like a lot of people have their eyes on us.”

On the back seat, the boy clutching the big and small bags responded, “Ah... maybe they have a grudge against me. The guy up front, I think I poked his eyes out before...

“That one over there seems like a colleague from Gracefield District. He laughed at me for being effeminate, got beaten by Ms. Wen, and had to be hospitalized for half a year, and then I accidentally stabbed him. And the one in the back, I think I killed his brother. He ran really fast, I couldn’t catch him... what a pity. Once we get into the rift, we’ll see if there’s a chance... It’s okay, don’t worry!”

The boy had a serious look, once again pledging, “Mr. Ji, I’ll protect you!”

Ji Jue’s face twitched. He tried to say something but stopped halfway several times. The words were exactly the same as before, so why didn’t he feel a shred of emotion this time?

So you’re better than me at making enemies, huh?

He wanted to turn back, clasp his hands in respect, and ask An Ran who exactly he really was.

But then, remembering what Wen Wen had told him about the An family’s background, he thought, It’s fine. This is still no big deal, really...