Great Xia, Julu Pass.

It was already December weather, getting colder day by day.

Because the core component of the Heaven and Earth Array, the River Map and Luo Book, was taken to the Star Sea by Lin Jingxuan.

Fortunately, Great Xia has now successfully advanced to become a Civilization Level 6 super technology power.

On both sides of the flat, wide streets, orange-red street pillars have been erected in advance.

A faint warm current is emanating from the pillars, keeping the surrounding temperature at a suitable level.

These street pillars are filled with special Earth Vein Stone Marrow.

They can emit extremely high temperatures and also serve as decorative enhancements to the city’s appearance, full of a sense of technology.

On this morning.

Shen Zheqi habitually walked into a small shop by the street, exhaling a breath of white air and rubbing his hands.

"Boss, the Earth Vein Stone Marrow street pillar at the door is broken, why isn’t it keeping warm?"

"I’ve already reported it to the Celestial Net, but the repair intelligent mechanism hasn’t arrived yet."

The shop owner looked up at the visitor while busily making breakfast.

Yes, it’s the breakfast in the breakfast shop.

Even after reaching Civilization Level 6, some cultural traditions still persist.

In this regard, whether it’s Han Zhan, Lin Jingxuan, or the Celestial Net AI Bob, no one opposed.

The owner of this breakfast shop is named Chen Yuanshan, a Spirit Contract Master who awakened in the talent of cooking, and is also a student of Eater Fan Chaohui.

After returning from studying under Fan Chaohui, he opened a breakfast shop at Julu Pass, and business has been exceptionally good.

Shen Zheqi is a regular here.

Seeing him come in, the breakfast shop owner had already brought over a freshly fried dough stick and a bowl of tofu pudding.

Taking advantage of the current lull in business, the two began to chat again.

"Xiao Shen, no action plans recently?"

Shen Zheqi, biting half a dough stick, was slightly startled.

He was used to the boss’s familiarly inquisitive tone, put down the dough stick, and shook his head.

"No, the war just ceased, Great Xia has reclaimed a lot of lost territory, and now the focus is on construction."

Construction naturally doesn’t require personnel like them.

Under the control of the Celestial Net AI, the current city construction is all handled by Bob.

The boss turned and used a net to scoop up a dough stick from the oil pan, placing it on Shen Zheqi’s plate, then said:

"So why did I hear Legion Commander Ye leading Combat Spirit Contract Masters to guard the east?"

Shen Zheqi’s movement of biting the dough stick paused slightly.

"Uncle Yuan Shan, your information is truly well-informed." Shen Zheqi said with a helpless smile.

"Oh! What’s so well-informed about that? Such a big deployment movement, with so many people coming to my breakfast shop for breakfast every day, how wouldn’t I know?"

Breakfast shop owner Chen Yuanshan paused, then shifted the subject.

"Why wasn’t Commander Lin appointing you?"

"If I remember correctly, you’re from the Fourth War Zone, Legion Commander Ye is from the Third War Zone, he’s supposed to be your senior brother."

"Aren’t you... what do you call it... losing authority?"

Hearing the last inappropriate term, Shen Zheqi couldn’t help but cover his forehead with his hand.

"Uncle Yuan Shan, I’ve told you not to watch so many officialdom dramas. We are all Great Xia Corps Commanders, it doesn’t matter who goes."

After saying this, Shen Zheqi thought for a moment, tore the second dough stick into small pieces, soaked them in tofu pudding, and then said to Chen Yuanshan:

"Don’t get me the two buns today."

"Why?" Chen Yuanshan asked. "Not feeling well today?"

"I’ve been eating them for several days, want to change the taste." Shen Zheqi didn’t elaborate.

Chen Yuanshan was particularly chatty today, continued to instill his elder generation’s thoughts to Shen Zheqi:

"Xiao Shen, you’re thirty-five this year, right?"

"I’ll be thirty-six after the New Year," Shen Zheqi replied.

"How’s the relationship with your Contracted Spirit wife? Have you thought about having a child?"

"You’re not young anymore, it’s about time to have a child."

"Or better yet, have a few more, spread the branches and leaves, much more lively."

"Now that the war is not tense, many are idling at home. According to Celestial Net’s statistics, the pregnancy rate of women in Great Xia in the past two months has reached an unprecedented new high."

Just as Chen Yuanshan was about to say more, a new batch of patrons entered the breakfast shop, and he quickly went to serve them.

Shen Zheqi breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, he could eat breakfast in peace.

However, he didn’t mind the chatter of Chen Yuanshan; judging by age, Chen Yuanshan was probably about the same age as his father.

If his parents had not died on the battlefield.

So Chen Yuanshan’s nagging didn’t bother Shen Zheqi much, at most it was somewhat awkward and difficult to answer.

Unintentional words, but they caught his attention.

Thinking of the question Chen Yuanshan asked at the beginning, Shen Zheqi’s chewing of the dough stick unconsciously slowed down significantly.

"Losing authority... is it?"

He shook his head with a bitter smile in his heart.

Senior brother Lin Jingxuan’s arrangements and deployments were all after careful consideration, especially regarding personnel deployment.

Although Ye Qiu is the Third Legion commander, his senior brother, that’s not the main reason Second Senior Brother chose him.

The most important reason is that Ye Qiu has now recovered to the Tier Eight Realm and merged with the Original Dao Soldiers’ White Jade Emperor’s Seal.

The White Jade Emperor’s Seal can create a large number of Slaughter Shadows, perfect for dealing with the possible appearance of the Crimson Bug Sea.

And what about himself?

As a Tier Eight Spirit Contract Master, Shen Zheqi’s awakening talent is the SSS Level All-Forbidden, with a contracted spirit of a string of Buddha Beads.

The greatest effect of All-Forbidden is the immunity against curse, evil spirits, poisons, and other hazards.

Judging by its effects, it is indeed a very powerful SSS Level talent.

When teacher Li Shutong found Shen Zheqi, he was still a naive youth who had just completed his talent awakening.

Li Shutong immediately entrusted him with important responsibilities, creating the Fourth War Zone, specializing in site exploration and cleanup.

Looking back now, the teacher must have started planning from that time, preparing for a possible retreat to North County in the future.

Thus, Shen Zheqi’s Fourth War Zone was also the strongest in terms of Combat Spirit Contract Master personnel after the catastrophic event in Great Xia.

During the long period after Great Xia retreated to North County, Shen Zheqi and his Fourth War Zone warriors were constantly on the move, playing the role of firemen.

Very tiring, but fulfilling and satisfying.

When did such days begin to change?

Probably from the moment when junior Han Zhan caused a sensation in Titan City.

After that, as if by magic, one by one, he solved the problems that plagued Great Xia.

Unconsciously, Shen Zheqi gradually became idle.

And after the large-scale battles with the Imperial and Can Shang Company, Shen Zheqi’s idleness reached its peak.

Every day, he clocked in to eat breakfast on time, even the breakfast shop owner Chen Yuanshan advised him to "stay home and make more babies..."

"Sigh." Shen Zheqi let out a long sigh.

Dipping the dough stick in tofu pudding wasn’t as delicious anymore.