135: Chapter 134's program completed, departing for Kunlun.
Early the next morning, Lin Feng was woken up by his phone ringing.
He reached for his phone and saw the General's number; the screen displayed the time—6:30 AM.
"Lin Feng, the documents have been approved."
The General's voice came through the receiver, carrying a hint of irrepressible excitement.
Lin Feng instantly sobered up and sat up. "Approved?"
"Approved. The title of National Hero is officially granted. The documents were signed last night, and the procedures were completed early this morning."
The General paused. "Also, the quota for the Secret Realm has been decided. You will represent the Chinese military and enter the Kunlun Ruins."
Lin Feng gripped his phone tighter. "When do we leave?"
"Today."
"Today?"
"Yes," the General said. "News from the Secret Realm indicates that spatial fluctuations are becoming more frequent. It's estimated it will open in a day or two. Representatives from various countries have already arrived, so we must hurry."
He paused. "Pack your things. A car will come to pick you up at eight. Go straight to the airport and fly to Kunlun."
Lin Feng glanced at the clock on the wall: 6:32 AM. "Okay."
"One more thing." The General's voice lowered slightly. "The Shadow Organization also helped."
Lin Feng was stunned. "Shadow Organization?"
"Yes. Your quota was recommended by the military, but the Shadow Organization pushed for it behind the scenes as well," the General said. "They submitted the video of your tournament match and some other Materials to the highest authorities."
"Otherwise, the procedures wouldn't have gone through so quickly."
Lin Feng fell silent. Shadow Seven's cold, clear face appeared in his mind. "I understand."
"Alright, don't think too much about it," the General said. "Hurry up and pack, don't be late."
"Okay."
The call ended.
Lin Feng sat on the edge of the bed, holding the phone, dazed for a while.
The Shadow Organization had helped him.
From saving him at the gates of the Zhou Family to pushing for his quota now.
He didn't know why Shadow Seven would do this, but he knew he would remember this favor.
He stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open.
The morning sun streamed in, warm and cozy.
On the lawn in the courtyard, dew glistened in the morning light.
A few birds were chirping in the parasol tree.
He took a deep breath and turned to start packing.
Actually, there wasn't much to pack.
He arrived with one backpack, and he would leave with one backpack.
The wanxiang ring contained all his belongings—the dragon slaying sword, the complete compendium of elixirs, the longevity immortal furnace, the breathing soil, the Evergreen Tree, various medicinal Materials and Spirit Stones, and those Materials collected from the high-speed rail monster.
He zipped up the backpack and placed it on the bed.
He took out the dragon slaying sword from the wanxiang ring and hung it at his waist.
The blade was jet black, with golden patterns glowing faintly in the morning light.
He looked down and reached out to touch the hilt. "Little Black, we're setting off today."
The dragon slaying sword trembled slightly, emitting a low hum.
He pinned the s-rank explorer badge to the inside of his chest and tucked the Shadow Organization's badge into the wanxiang ring.
After thinking for a moment, he took the hat out of his backpack and put it on.
It was a black hat, with the brim covering half his face.
The inside of the brim was embroidered with that golden emblem—a hand holding a sword, with the characters "Long Yuan" engraved on the blade.
He looked in the mirror.
Sixteen years old, black jacket, dragon slaying sword, black hat.
He looked like a young swordsman wandering the Jianghu.
He smiled and turned to go out.
The hallway was brightly lit.
Lieutenant Liu Yang was already waiting at the door, carrying an insulated bag.
"Comrade Lin Feng, breakfast. The General asked me to bring it for you, saying you can eat on the road."
Lin Feng took the insulated bag and opened it—two meat buns, a carton of milk, an egg, and a box of sliced fruit.
The buns were still warm, steaming.
"Thank you."
Lieutenant Liu Yang saluted. "Comrade Lin Feng, have a safe trip."
Lin Feng nodded and headed downstairs.
Outside the small building, a black military off-road vehicle was parked.
A young soldier in his early twenties, wearing a crisp military uniform, stood by the car. Seeing Lin Feng, he saluted.
"Comrade Lin Feng, I am the driver, Wang Hao. The General asked me to take you to the airport."
Lin Feng nodded, opened the back door, and got in.
The car started and drove out of the military region.
The street scene outside the window shifted from tree-lined avenues to bustling streets.
The Capital in the morning was already lively.
Commuters, students, elderly people exercising, and delivery riders on electric scooters.
The sun shone on them, casting long shadows.
Lin Feng leaned back in his seat, opened the insulated bag, and took a bite of a bun.
It was pork and scallion filling, thin skin and plenty of filling, still hot.
He ate very slowly, bite by bite, chewing carefully.
The car drove onto the highway, and the scenery outside changed from high-rise buildings to factories, and from factories to fields.
The wheat was already heading, green and lush, swaying in the morning breeze.
The distant mountains loomed in the thin mist.
Outside the window, the fields had turned into barren mountains.
The bare slopes were covered in gravel, with a few crooked trees stubbornly standing in the crevices of the rocks.
The barren mountains had turned into snowy mountains.
In the distance, white peaks glistened with golden light in the sun.
The snow on the summits never melted, looking like white hats.
On the hillsides, clouds Entangle, like white ribbons.
The driver, Wang Hao, glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "Comrade Lin Feng, we are almost there. Ahead is the military airport."
The car drove onto a side road, flanked by tall pine trees that blocked out the sky.
Snow hung on the pine branches, falling with a rustle as the wind blew.
At the end of the road was an iron gate, with a guard post on either side, where soldiers with loaded guns stood.
Wang Hao slowed down, rolled down the window, and handed a document to the soldier.
The soldier took it, looked at it, then glanced at Lin Feng in the back seat, nodded, and returned the document.
The iron gate slowly opened.
The car drove in.
Inside was a small airport with several military transport planes parked.
Grey fuselages, huge engines, and missiles hanging under the wings.
Ground crew in thick cotton-padded clothes were busy beside the planes.
The car stopped in front of a transport plane.
Wang Hao turned off the engine, got out, and opened the back door. "Comrade Lin Feng, we've arrived. The General is waiting for you on the plane."
Lin Feng got out and looked up at the plane.
The cabin door was open, and the lights were on inside.
He carried his backpack and walked up the boarding stairs.
Inside the cabin, the General sat by the window with a cup of tea in front of him, steaming.
Seeing Lin Feng, he stood up.
"You're here? Sit."
Lin Feng sat opposite him.
The General pushed the teacup aside, took a document bag from beside his seat, and handed it to Lin Feng.
"These are your documents and files. The National Hero certificate, the entry permit for the Secret Realm, and some other things. Keep them safe."
Lin Feng opened the document bag.
Inside was a red-covered certificate with "National Hero" written in gold leaf, with an official seal stamped below.
There was also a blue card that said "Kunlun Ruins Secret Realm · Entry Permit," with a serial number on the back.
There were also a few photos, which were topographical maps of the Kunlun Mountains, marking the location of the camp and the entrance to the Secret Realm.
He put the things away and looked up. "General, what about the others?"
"The others have already arrived. You are the last one," the General paused. "Representatives from various countries have also arrived. The United States, Russia, Japan, South Korea, India, Pakistan, the European Alliance... adding up to hundreds of people, all crowded into that camp."
He looked at Lin Feng with a serious expression. "Once you go in, don't trust anyone."
Lin Feng nodded. "I understand."
The General took a thermos from under his seat and handed it to Lin Feng. "Take this. It's useful for altitude sickness."
Lin Feng took it; the cup was heavy. It wasn't water inside, but some kind of dark brown liquid that smelled medicinal.
"What is this?"
"Saffron. I added a few medicinal herbs, prepared by the Military General Hospital, specifically for dealing with altitude sickness," the General looked at him. "This is your first time on a plateau, at an altitude of five thousand meters. It's no joke."
Lin Feng stuffed the thermos into his backpack. "Thank you, General."
The General waved his hand. "Don't thank me. Coming back alive is the greatest thanks you can give me."
He stood up, walked to the boarding stairs, and looked out the window.
Outside was the runway, and at the end of the runway were rolling snowy mountains.
The sun shone on the snowy mountains, blindingly white.
He watched for a while, then turned around.
"Go. The plane is waiting."
Lin Feng stood up and picked up his backpack.
Walking to the boarding stairs, he looked back at the General.
The General stood there in his military uniform, the golden star of the Lieutenant General on his shoulder shining in the light.
He didn't speak, just nodded.
Lin Feng also nodded, turned, and walked down the boarding stairs.
The transport plane's engines had already started, emitting a low roar.
He quickly walked up the boarding stairs. Inside the cabin sat a young soldier wearing a flight suit and sunglasses.
"Comrade Lin Feng? Please sit down and fasten your seatbelt. We are taking off immediately."
Lin Feng sat by the window and fastened his seatbelt.
Outside the porthole, the General was still standing there, his figure becoming smaller and smaller.
The plane began to taxi, and the lights on both sides of the runway flashed past quickly.
Then, the fuselage shook, and it left the ground.
The scenery outside the window became smaller and smaller.
The airport, pine forests, roads, and villages all turned into tiny dots.
The snowy mountains glistened with golden light in the sun, and the clouds rolled beneath his feet like a white ocean.
Lin Feng leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
His mind was filled with the General's words—"Once you go in, don't trust anyone."
He opened his eyes and looked out the window.
Above the clouds, the sky was as blue as if it had been washed, without a single cloud.
The sun hung in the sky, big and round, its rays blinding.
He squinted, looking at that blue expanse, thinking about the Kunlun Mountains he was about to reach.
The ancestor of all mountains, the source of dragon veins.
The ruins of ancient powerful beings, the Immortal Cave and Secret Realm.
And those representatives from various countries who were eyeing it covetously.
He clenched his fists, then relaxed.
He felt no fear, only anticipation.
The plane continued to fly west.
The scenery outside changed from plains to plateaus, from green to yellow, from yellow to white.
The rolling snowy mountains, like a giant Dragon, wound across the earth.
The snow on the summits never melted, and there were glaciers on the hillsides, shimmering with a deep blue light.
The pilot's voice came over the broadcast. "Comrade Lin Feng, we are about to reach our destination. Please be prepared."
Lin Feng looked down through the porthole.
Between the snowy mountains, there was a flat valley.
In the valley, dozens of tents were set up, large and small, of various colors.
Around the tents were various vehicles—military trucks, off-road vehicles, armored vehicles, and several helicopters and drones.
Around the tent area, barbed wire and caution tape were strung up, and soldiers were patrolling.
At the end of the valley was a steep cliff.
On the cliff, there was a huge cave, the entrance sealed by a layer of light blue light screen.
The light screen flickered slightly in the sun, like ripples on the water.
That was the entrance to the Secret Realm.
The plane began to descend.
The scenery outside became larger, and the tents, vehicles, and soldiers became clear.
The plane landed on a flat piece of ground at the edge of the valley, kicking up a cloud of snow dust.
The pilot looked back at him. "Comrade Lin Feng, we have arrived. Please disembark."
Lin Feng unbuckled his seatbelt, picked up his backpack, and walked to the cabin door.
The cold wind hit his face like a knife.
The air was thin, and every breath made his chest feel tight.
He took a deep breath and walked down the boarding stairs.
The snow under his feet crunched as he stepped on it.
The sun shone on the snow, reflecting a blinding white light.
He squinted and looked around.
Not far away, a middle-aged man in a military uniform walked towards him.
He was in his early forties, with a square face, tanned skin, and frost on his eyebrows.
"Comrade Lin Feng? I am from the Staff Department of the Kunlun Military Region, surnamed Zhao. The General asked me to come and pick you up."
Lin Feng nodded. "Staff Officer Zhao."
Staff Officer Zhao looked him up and down, his gaze lingering for a moment on the dragon slaying sword at his waist before moving away.
"Follow me. First, go to the camp to rest, and there will be a meeting tonight. Representatives from all countries will attend to introduce the situation of the Secret Realm and the rules for entry."
Lin Feng followed behind him, stepping on the snow, and walked towards the tent area.
Passing those tents, he saw the flags of various countries.
The stars and stripes of the United States, the white, blue, and red tricolor of Russia, the Rising Sun flag of Japan, the Taegeukgi of South Korea, the tricolor of India, the crescent flag of Pakistan, the blue flag with golden stars of the European Alliance.
One by one, they snapped in the cold wind.
At the entrances to the tents, people were coming and going.
There were white people, black people, and Asian people, wearing various clothes—military uniforms, Explorer uniforms, and casual clothes.
Some were chatting, some were checking equipment, and some were smoking.
Seeing Lin Feng walk by, some looked up, then looked down and continued with their own business.
Staff Officer Zhao led him to a grey tent and lifted the curtain. "This is your tent. Inside are sleeping bags, military coats, and altitude medicine. Rest first, there is a meeting at seven tonight, and I will come to pick you up then."
Lin Feng bent down and crawled in.
The tent was not big, but it was very tidy.
There was a moisture-proof mat on the ground, with sleeping bags and a military coat on top.
In the corner was a small table with a thermos and several paper cups.
He put down his backpack, sat on the moisture-proof mat, and exhaled a long breath.
From the East Sea to The Capital, from The Capital to Kunlun.
In two days, he had traveled thousands of kilometers.
He lay down, looking at the top of the tent.
The tent was camouflage-colored, and the sunlight shone through the fabric, casting mottled light and shadow on it.
He closed his eyes, his mind filled with that cave, that light blue light screen, and those flags of various countries.
Seven o'clock in the evening, meeting.
He sat up, took the thermos from his backpack, and took a sip.
The dark brown liquid was very bitter, but it had a sweet aftertaste after swallowing.
His chest felt warm, and his breathing was much smoother.
He stood up, draped the military coat over his shoulders, lifted the curtain, and went out.
The sunset hung on the top of the snowy mountain, dyeing the entire valley golden.
Tents, vehicles, and flags were all plated with a layer of golden light.
The distant snowy mountains looked like golden palaces, solemn and majestic.
Staff Officer Zhao was already waiting at the door.
"Let's go. The meeting is in the central large tent. Representatives from all countries have arrived."
Lin Feng followed behind him, stepping on the snow, and walked towards the center of the camp.