The sun was setting, and the sky was growing darker.

Originally, this was a time when countless office workers would be getting off work and going home. However, the lights of Zero Wing Tower remained brightly lit. Compared to the buildings around it, the tower looked much livelier, with many people coming and going from it. There was even a long queue of young men and women waiting outside the entrance to take the basic tests for joining Zero Wing.

At this time, a group of several dozen people of various origins and clad in diverse styles suddenly appeared in front of the tower and quietly studied the tall building before them with curious expressions.

“So, this is Zero Wing’s headquarters?” a young man with freckles on his face said in disdain as he looked at the line of young men and women waiting outside the building. “I really wonder what’s gotten into the commander. Why does she want us to train in Zero Wing’s headquarters all of a sudden?

“Although Zero Wing is a powerful Guild in God’s Domain, the number of peak experts it actually has isn’t a lot. These people trying to join Zero Wing are obviously newbies as well. I bet they can’t clear the Trial Tower’s third floor. Yet, the commander actually wants us to train with Zero Wing?”

None of the group objected to the youth’s derisive remarks. It was evident that they agreed with him.

As people who had chosen to join an adventurer team, the thing they disliked the most was being tied down by various restrictions. Hence, they also held players who joined Guilds in extreme contempt, considering Guild players to be basically weaklings who feared the strong but bullied the weak.

In comparison, every member of their adventurer team could become a core member of a Guild—even a Super Guild—should they choose to join one.

This was because they had honed their combat techniques through fighting powerful monsters and various outdoor PvPs without relying on any background or backer. They were completely different from the experts pampered and cultivated by Guilds.

Moreover, they were also incredibly strong in real-world combat—much stronger than the fighting champions frequently mentioned on TV. This was also why they felt that going out of their way to train with Zero Wing was a complete waste of their time.

However, the middle-aged man leading the group shot a glance at the freckled youth and said coldly, “Enough, Tiantong! This is the commander’s order! Either you go to Zero Wing or leave the team. Do you wish to leave the team?”

The freckled youth named Tiantong no longer dared complain. Although he was still unreconciled to the situation, he did not dare defy the middle-aged man.

Similarly, everyone else in the group held their tongue, nobody daring to voice any opinions.

This was because this middle-aged man wearing a black shirt was not only Crimson Mask, the Eternal Glory adventurer team’s vice commander, but also the strongest person in the adventurer team. He was so powerful that even if everyone in their adventurer team, including their commander, Ji Luorong, banded together, they would just barely be able to hold their ground against him.

On the western continent, he was also known to many as Crimson Mask the Demon!

In one instance, in order to save a companion cornered by a large Guild, he had charged into a map sealed off by an army of 10,000 all by himself. This army had over 1,000 Tier 3 experts, yet not only had this 10,000-man army gotten routed, but none of the 10,000 players had managed to leave the map alive, either.

After this battle, the nickname Crimson Mask the Demon began to spread across the continent. As a result, Eternal Glory had a much easier time operating out in the fields.

Moreover, Crimson Mask possessed an extraordinary identity even in the real world. He used to be very famous in the bodyguard industry. Many international corporations had sought to employ him. However, for some reason, he had suddenly retired as a bodyguard to become a full-time gamer, thoroughly investing his life in God’s Domain. As for his decision to join Eternal Glory, which had been a weak adventurer team back then, that had simply been an accident.

After seeing that everyone had quieted down, Crimson Mask nodded and led the group into Zero Wing Tower’s lobby.

As soon as Crimson Mask and the others entered the lobby, a beautiful woman with shoulder-length hair in sportswear approached their group. The core member’s emblem pinned on her top indicated that she was a member of Zero Wing.

When this woman appeared, Eternal Glory’s members automatically raised their guard. The expression of Crimson Mask, in particular, turned grave when he saw her. This was because the pressure and presence this woman gave off were simply too powerful. Although the woman did not exude any kind of aura, they couldn’t help feeling nervous for some reason when standing in her presence.

Faced with this feeling, ordinary people would most likely think nothing of it. However, as players who had fought in numerous life-and-death battles in God’s Domain, Eternal Glory’s members had long since honed their intuition beyond that of ordinary people. Anyone capable of making them feel nervous definitely wasn’t an ordinary person.

Eyeing the woman approaching them, Crimson Mask inwardly calculated his chances of winning should he fight her. However, after a round of careful observation, he was surprised to conclude that he had only an even chance of victory—and this was only because his physique was stronger.

Could she be Fire Dance, the commander of Zero Wing’s main force?

No matter how Crimson Mask thought about the situation, this was the only possibility he could think of. Otherwise, he couldn’t explain why this woman before him gave him such immense pressure.

“You must be Eternal Glory’s members, right?” the woman said, smiling as she scanned the group before her. “You can call me Turtledove. I’ve already heard about your situation from the Guild Leader. Since you have come to Zero Wing, you can treat Zero Wing as your home from now on. Your rooms are ready, so you can go there and rest whenever you want.”

After saying so, Turtledove led Crimson Mask and the others toward the elevator to the residential area.

“Turtledove?”

While following after Turtledove, Crimson Mask and the others revealed confused expressions. This was especially true for Crimson Mask. Before going to Zero Wing’s headquarters, he had looked into the peak experts under Zero Wing’s command. However, there was no one named Turtledove on the list.

Even Tier 4 experts don’t give off such powerful mental pressure. Could she be one of the trump cards Zero Wing is secretly cultivating? Tiantong was also inwardly surprised when he looked at Turtledove.

Tiantong had met many experts, but this was the first time he had come across someone capable of giving such powerful pressure in the real world. Moreover, this was merely a pressure Turtledove was radiating subconsciously. Only those who had experienced countless harsh battles and training would develop such a temperament and aura. This was something even Crimson Mask had yet to accomplish even now.

Crimson Mask was incredibly strong. He could defeat even master martial artists in a few moves. Despite his strength, Tiantong had never felt such pressure coming from the middle-aged man.

As the group was waiting to enter the spacious elevator, two men walked out of it.

These two men were clad in sportswear similar to Turtledove’s. They also wore the emblem for Zero Wing’s core members on their tops. The instant these two young men appeared, Crimson Mask and the others broke out in a cold sweat.

This was because, in their eyes, the two men that just exited the elevator were no different from beasts. Even someone with dull senses would feel a chill crawl down their spine when bathed in the violent auras and oppressive feeling the two men exuded. Moreover, the two were incredibly fit as well. In fact, they were even superior to Crimson Mask.

However, the presence of these two young men did not cause any of the Zero Wing members nearby any trouble. Instead, these Zero Wing members acted as if they did not see these two people, with some of them even chatting and laughing among themselves.

What’s wrong with these people? Tiantong was flabbergasted when he saw the behavior of the Zero Wing members around him. Can they not sense this oppressive feeling at all?

Right now, Tiantong felt as if a lion was baring its fangs and claws at him, as if death itself was staring at him.

If an ordinary person were subjected to such a feeling for long periods, they might even go crazy. Yet, Zero Wing’s members seemed oblivious to this oppressive feeling.

Looking at the two departing men, Crimson Mask couldn’t help asking Turtledove, “Miss Turtledove, may I know who those two people are?”

The instant those two young men exited the elevator, Crimson Mask had the feeling that he was doomed. This was because both of those young men were evidently stronger than him. If the two of them attacked him together, he wouldn’t even have a chance to retaliate.

“They’re Shadow Sword and Flying Shadow,” Turtledove answered calmly. “Because they have been improving quite slowly recently, Big Sis Fire has been scolding them a lot. Currently, the two of them must train with Master Lei Bao for two hours every day. Otherwise, they will be prohibited from entering God’s Domain.”

Slow improvement? Turtledove’s words rendered Tiantong speechless.

She must be boasting!

Yes! Turtledove is definitely boasting!

After all, who could possibly find two guys who are both stronger than Crimson Mask to be lacking?

However, when Tiantong and the others finished settling into their rooms and visited Zero Wing’s training room, they discovered that Zero Wing’s headquarters was basically a den of monsters.

This was because they witnessed Shadow Sword and Flying Shadow getting beaten up and yelled at by a sultry beauty dressed in a red T-shirt and shorts. The two young men were utterly incapable of fighting back at all. From an outsider’s perspective, it looked as if an adult was beating up two children.

…

While Eternal Glory’s members were training in Zero Wing’s headquarters, Shi Feng’s group arrived back in Yuantian City’s Upper Zone.

Muxin promptly bade farewell to Shi Feng and returned to the Boulder Corporation’s mansion. She intended to report the matter of the War of Worlds to the Guild and begin preparations for it as soon as possible.

As for Ji Luorong, she arrived at Shi Feng’s residential unit.

To her surprise, there were actually two big sisters sharing the residential unit. Neither of these two big sisters was inferior to her older sister in appearance. This was especially true for Gentle Snow. She was basically a goddess who had descended to the mortal world.

Moreover, these two big sisters were incredibly strong and knowledgeable in combat as well. When the two of them saw Ji Luorong going through her daily training, not only were they able to point out her flaws in the blink of an eye, but their advice was also easy to understand.

…

Yuantian City’s Upper Zone, in a restaurant a short distance away from Shi Feng’s residential unit…

Yi Kui stood respectfully beside a burly young man and reported carefully, “Mr. Wang, according to my investigation, Black Flame and that little girl are living in that residential area. However, they are currently remaining in their house, so it isn’t suitable to take action now. I’m afraid I’ll have to waste some of your time.”

“No need for that much trouble.” Chuckling, the youth named Wang Xuanming said nonchalantly, “That’s merely an ordinary residential area. Besides, it’s just teaching a neutralizing grandmaster a lesson. I can just sneak in at midnight. I guarantee that none of the surveillance systems in place will notice me.”

“Then, I’ll have to trouble you with that, Mr. Wang.”

Yi Kui did not doubt Wang Xuanming’s claim. Those surveillance systems might be able to stop him, but they definitely couldn’t stop someone like Wang Xuanming.

Of course, it would be a different story if Shi Feng were living in a mansion. Unfortunately, Shi Feng was only living in an ordinary residential area, and the level of security in such a place wasn’t particularly amazing.