137: Chapter 136 A Treasure from the Nation! Get a Good Night's Sleep

When Lin Feng exited the central tent, it was already pitch black outside.

The snow outside the tent was covered in countless deep and shallow footprints, shimmering with a silvery-white light under the moonlight.

The outline of the distant snow-capped mountains flickered in and out of view in the night, like crouching giant beasts.

The wind poured in from the valley, carrying a bone-chilling cold that made the tent canvas flap loudly.

Lin Feng wrapped his military overcoat tighter and walked toward his own tent, stepping on the accumulated snow.

Footsteps sounded from behind him.

He turned around; it was Staff Officer Zhao.

"Comrade Lin Feng, don't go back to your tent just yet."

Staff Officer Zhao walked up to him and lowered his voice, "There's a small meeting later, just for us. Mr. Chen wants to see you, along with two other comrades."

Two others?

Lin Feng was stunned for a moment. "Who else?"

Staff Officer Zhao looked left and right, his voice dropping even lower. "Your two teammates. The ones the State decided on, the people who will enter the Secret Realm with you."

He paused, "You'll know exactly who they are in a moment."

Lin Feng nodded and followed Staff Officer Zhao, bypassing the central tent and heading deeper into the camp.

The tents became denser, the lights dimmer, and the snow underfoot grew deeper.

After walking for about five minutes, Staff Officer Zhao stopped in front of a gray tent.

This tent was smaller than the others and tucked away, hidden behind several large tents; it would be impossible to spot without looking carefully.

There were no soldiers on guard at the entrance, but there were several fresh footprints on the snow around the tent—very light and shallow, as if the person had deliberately stepped softly.

Staff Officer Zhao lifted the tent flap. "Please, come in."

Lin Feng stooped and went inside.

It was very warm inside the tent, with a charcoal brazier burning brightly in the center, its red glow bathing the entire tent in a warm hue.

The tent was not large, and the floor was covered with a thick wool blanket that felt soft underfoot.

Several folding chairs were placed near the back, with two people sitting on them.

A young soldier, in his early twenties, wore a dark green military uniform with the rank of lieutenant on his shoulders.

He was very tall, more than half a head taller than Lin Feng, with broad shoulders that filled out his uniform completely.

He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes; his skin was tanned to a bronze color, and his thick lips were slightly pursed, giving him an honest and reliable air.

He sat on the chair with his back straight and his hands on his knees, like a rooted pine tree.

Seeing Lin Feng enter, he stood up and nodded at him.

The movement was small but forceful.

The other person was a young woman who looked a year or two older than Lin Feng.

She wore a white Explorer uniform, her hair tied into a neat ponytail, revealing a smooth forehead.

Her features were exquisite but sharply defined, carrying an air of heroism.

Her eyes were very bright, like two black grapes, and she was currently sizing up Lin Feng with curiosity and scrutiny in her gaze.

She also stood up and smiled at Lin Feng; the smile was faint but sincere.

"You must be Lin Feng?" Her voice was clear and bright, like water flowing in a mountain stream.

Lin Feng nodded. "It is me."

The young soldier reached out his hand. "Zhao Gang, 26 years old, level 50, from the Northwest Military Region Special Forces Brigade."

His hand was large and rough, with thick calluses on the palm, and his grip was heavy, like iron pliers.

Lin Feng took it, feeling as if his hand had been encased in iron.

Zhao Gang released his hand, looked him up and down, and nodded.

"Not bad. The General mentioned you to me and said you were a Talent."

Lin Feng smiled. "You flatter me."

The young woman also reached out her hand. "Su Xue, 24 years old, level 49, from the Kunlun Military Region Explorer troops. I heard you fought seven Iron Bone Clan members by yourself?"

Lin Feng took her hand.

Her hand was cold and thin, with distinct knuckles, but very strong.

"Just lucky."

Su Xue smiled, a wider smile this time. "Lucky? Being able to fight seven Iron Bone Clan members alone isn't just about luck."

She released his hand and sat back down. "I watched the recording of your arena match; it was very impressive. This is my first time seeing Chaos Power."

Zhao Gang sat down as well. "I watched it too. One punch for each, clean and efficient."

He looked at Lin Feng, his eyes showing a bit more approval, "With you joining, the chances of success for this trip to the Secret Realm have increased significantly."

Lin Feng sat down opposite them. "We don't know what the situation inside the Secret Realm is like yet, so we can't be careless."

Zhao Gang nodded. "That's right. We can't be careless."

He paused. "I've entered many Dungeons, but this is my first time in an Immortal Cave Secret Realm. I heard there are ancient Formations everywhere inside; one wrong step and you're dead."

Su Xue chimed in. "I haven't entered one either. But I've heard from older Explorers that the things inside an Immortal Cave Secret Realm can't be compared to those in a Dungeon. Cultivation Technique, Medicinal Pill, Magic Treasure—they are all high-value, genuine treasures."

She looked at Lin Feng, "Have you entered a similar Secret Realm before?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment. "I entered one in the desert. It was called the Desert Golden Sea, but that was a Dungeon, not an Immortal Cave Secret Realm."

He didn't mention the artifact spirit or the Possession that happened in that Secret Realm.

Those things were too terrifying to talk about, and there was no need.

Just as Zhao Gang was about to say something, the tent flap was lifted.

Mr. Chen walked in, carrying a black metal box. The box was not large, square, and had dark silver patterns on its surface.

He was wearing a gray cotton-padded overcoat, his hair was a bit messy from the wind, and his glasses were fogged up.

He sat down beside the charcoal brazier, placed the box on his knees, and took off his glasses to wipe them.

"Are you all here?" He put his glasses back on and swept his gaze over the three of them.

"We are here," the three of them answered in unison.

Mr. Chen nodded. "Then let's begin."

He opened the box, and inside were several items neatly arranged.

Three blue cards, three palm-sized metal discs, three fist-sized transparent beads, and three white porcelain bottles.

He took the items out one by one and laid them on the blanket in front of him.

"First, let's talk about the situation in the Secret Realm."

He pushed up his glasses. "According to the latest detection data, the internal space of the Secret Realm is much larger than we estimated. It's at least over a hundred square kilometers, and the structure is extremely complex."

"Preliminary judgment suggests there may be building complexes, herb gardens, Spiritual Vein, Scripture Pavilion, Alchemy rooms... and possibly even the place where an ancient mighty figure passed away."

Zhao Gang and Su Xue exchanged glances, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

Lin Feng was stunned too.

Over a hundred square kilometers? That's bigger than Donghai City.

Mr. Chen continued. "But big also means dangerous. A large space means more Restriction. More Restriction means more guardian beasts."

"According to energy reflection calculations, there are at least a dozen strong energy sources inside the Secret Realm. Each one could correspond to a guardian beast or a deadly Restriction."

He paused, looking at the three of them. "Therefore, after entering, your primary task is to stay alive. Only by staying alive will you have the chance to find good things."

The three of them nodded simultaneously.

Mr. Chen took the three blue cards out of the box and handed one to each person.

"This is a Secret Realm Positioning Talisman. Before entering the Secret Realm, drip a drop of blood on it, and the card will bind to your life aura. After entering the Secret Realm, your positions will be displayed on the card in real-time. If you get separated inside, you can use the cards to find each other."

Lin Feng took the card and turned it over to look at it.

The back of the card was printed with a map, but the map was empty; there was nothing on it.

Mr. Chen saw his confusion and explained. "There's nothing on it for now. Once you enter the Secret Realm, the card will automatically record the route you've traveled and generate a map. This way, you won't get lost."

Lin Feng put the card away.

Mr. Chen took the three palm-sized metal discs out of the box and handed one to each person.

The discs were very thin, like small mirrors, with smooth, mirror-like surfaces and densely packed runes engraved on the back.

"This is a Communicator. Ordinary communication methods won't work inside the Secret Realm. But these will. As long as you are in the same space, you can talk to each other. The effective range is about ten kilometers."

Lin Feng took the disc; it felt cold and heavy in his hand, like holding a piece of iron.

He turned it over to look at the runes on the back; those runes were very complex, like some kind of ancient script, and he didn't recognize any of them.

Mr. Chen then took out the three transparent beads and handed one to each person.

The beads were the size of a fist, with a ball of light blue light slowly flowing inside.

"This is a Protection Bead. When you encounter mortal danger, crush it, and it will generate a shield that absorbs one million points of damage. It lasts for ten seconds."

Zhao Gang was stunned. "One million points?"

Mr. Chen nodded. "One million points. Ten seconds. Enough time for you to react."

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Zhao Gang carefully put the bead into his pocket.

Mr. Chen finally took out those three white porcelain bottles and handed one to each person.

"These are Restoration Pills, specially made by the Military Region General Hospital. After taking one, it instantly restores thirty percent of your health points and mana. Each person only has three, so use them sparingly."

Lin Feng pulled out the cork and poured one out.

The Medicinal Pill was pale gold, round and smooth, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance; just smelling it made him feel much more spirited.

He put the Medicinal Pill back into the bottle and stored it in the wanxiang ring.

Mr. Chen closed the box and placed it by his feet.

He took off his glasses, wiped the lenses, put them back on, looked at the three of them, and remained silent for a few seconds.

"I've given everything to you. But I must remind you, these things are only for saving your lives. The real danger is not the Restrictions or the guardian beasts in the Secret Realm."

He looked at the three of them, his gaze becoming more serious. "It's the people inside."

Zhao Gang and Su Xue both fell silent.

Mr. Chen stood up. "Go back and get some good rest. Tomorrow morning, we gather at the Secret Realm entrance."

He paused and looked at Lin Feng, "Lin Feng, you stay for a moment."

Zhao Gang and Su Xue stood up, saluted Mr. Chen, turned, and walked out of the tent.

Only Lin Feng and Mr. Chen remained in the tent.

The charcoal in the brazier was burning brightly, occasionally making a "crackling" sound.

Mr. Chen looked at Lin Feng and remained silent for a few seconds.

"The General mentioned you to me," he began. "He said you are the most talented young man he has ever seen. Taking on seven members of the Iron Bone Clan alone in the arena match—that was a beautiful fight."

Lin Feng didn't say anything.

Mr. Chen continued. "But inside the Secret Realm, it's not an arena match. Arena matches have rules, referees, and the protection of the universe will. The Secret Realm has none of that."

"Inside, anything can happen. Killing for treasure, backstabbing, even ganging up on someone. Those people are capable of anything."

He paused and looked at Lin Feng. "So, I want you to promise me one thing."

Lin Feng looked at him. "What is it?"

Mr. Chen stared into his eyes. "Come back alive. No matter what is inside, no matter what you encounter, come back alive."

Lin Feng was silent for three seconds. "I promise you."

Mr. Chen nodded and stood up. "Good. Then get some rest early."

He picked up the box, walked to the tent entrance, and then looked back. "Lin Feng, the General said you are a Talent. He said you will go very far in the future. But no matter how far you go, you have to stay alive first."

He lifted the door curtain and walked out.

The tent became quiet.

Lin Feng sat on the chair, watching the flames dancing in the charcoal brazier.

The red light of the charcoal fire reflected on his face, flickering between light and shadow.

He sat for about ten minutes, then stood up, lifted the curtain, and walked out.

It was very cold outside.

The wind poured in from the valley, blowing against his face like a knife.

On the snow, the moonlight stretched his shadow very long.

He stepped through the snow and walked toward his own tent.

After a few steps, he stopped and looked back.

Deep in the camp, that small grey tent was still lit.

The light shone through the canvas, casting a dim yellow glow on the snow.

He watched for a while, then turned and continued walking.

Returning to the tent, Lin Feng tied the door curtain shut and sat on the moisture-proof mat.

He took out those three items from the wanxiang ring—the Positioning Talisman, the Communicator, and the Protection Bead—and laid them out in front of him.

The Positioning Talisman was blue, and the back of the card was completely blank.

He flipped the card over, made a small cut on his fingertip with his nail, and squeezed out a drop of blood.

The blood fell on the card and was instantly absorbed.

A faint blue light flickered on the surface of the card, and then the light dimmed again.

On the back of the card, a tiny red dot appeared.

That was his position.

He looked at it for a few seconds and then stored the card in the wanxiang ring.

The Communicator was palm-sized, its surface as smooth as a mirror.

He pressed a button on the side, and the disc lit up, emitting a soft blue light.

A "hissing" static sound came from inside, like a radio that hadn't been tuned to the right channel.

He pressed it again, and the disc went dark.

He also stored the Communicator in the wanxiang ring.

The Protection Bead was the size of a fist, and the pale blue light cluster inside flowed slowly, as if it were alive.

He held it in his palm; the bead was very cold, but as he held it, it gradually became warm.

He looked at it for a long time before storing it in the wanxiang ring.

Finally, he took out the bottle of Restoration Pills.

He poured one out and placed it in his palm.

The Medicinal Pill was pale gold, round and smooth, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

He looked at it for a few seconds, put the Medicinal Pill back into the bottle, and stowed it away.

With everything packed, Lin Feng lay down, his hands behind his head, looking at the top of the tent.

The tent was camouflage-colored, and the moonlight shone through the canvas, casting mottled shadows on it.

He closed his eyes, thinking about what Mr. Chen had just said.

"Inside the Secret Realm, anything can happen. Killing for treasure, backstabbing, even ganging up on someone. Those people are capable of anything."

He remembered the looks in the eyes of those people at the Hundred-Nation Conference.

The faint, ambiguous curve of the Americans' lips, the rhythm of the Russians' fingers tapping on the table, the sharp glint hidden behind the Japanese delegates' glasses, the way the Koreans re-evaluated him after their smiles faded, the Indians' narrowed eyes as they stroked their beards.

All of them were sizing him up.

Like sizing up a commodity, like sizing up an opponent, like sizing up prey.

He opened his eyes and looked at the top of the tent.

The moonlight was faint, and the shadows were shallow.

He sat up, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes.

He began to circulate the Solar Saint Body Tempering Method.

The mana inside his body flowed slowly.

Golden light elements gathered from all directions, merging into his body.

Every cell was breathing, absorbing that warm energy.

A faint golden glow flowed over the surface of his skin, and the temperature inside the tent seemed to rise slightly.

The charcoal in the brazier had already burned to ash, and the red firelight gradually faded.

Outside the tent, the wind was still blowing, the snow was still falling, and the distant snow-capped mountains shimmered with silver light under the moon.

Time passed minute by minute.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Feng opened his eyes.

Outside the tent, the sky was already beginning to turn white.

He glanced at the attribute panel—his Physique had increased by 1 point, rising from 194 to 195.

He nodded with satisfaction and stood up to stretch his muscles and bones.

His joints made a crackling sound.

He walked to the tent entrance and lifted the curtain.

The Kunlun Mountains in the early morning were incredibly beautiful.

The distant snow-capped mountains were dyed golden by the morning sun, like golden palaces.

The sky was as blue as if it had been washed, without a single cloud.

The air was biting cold, but one breath made him feel completely awake.

The camp was already bustling; representatives from various countries were active outside their tents, some running, some doing exercises, and some checking their equipment.

The Mess Unit had already started making breakfast, and smoke rose from behind the tents, dispersing in the morning breeze.

Zhao Gang emerged from the adjacent tent, saw Lin Feng, and nodded to him.

"Morning."

"Morning," Lin Feng replied.

Su Xue also came out of her tent, holding a thermos, and handed it over when she saw Lin Feng.

"Have some hot water to warm your stomach."

Lin Feng took it and had a sip.

The water was very hot, but after swallowing it, his whole body felt warm.

He handed the cup back to Su Xue. "Thanks."

Su Xue smiled. "No need to be so polite; we're all on the same side."

Zhao Gang stretched his muscles, his joints crackling. "We're going in today."

He looked at the distant cave, where the pale blue light curtain at the entrance shimmered slightly in the morning light. "I wonder what's really inside."

Su Xue also looked at the cave entrance. "No matter what's there, we have to go in."

She paused. "The country has entrusted us with such an important task; we can't let them down."

Lin Feng looked at the cave entrance and didn't speak.

He thought of his Master, the General, Mr. Chen, the Iron Bone Clan warriors who had fallen in the arena, the barren land of Yanjiao, that broken bridge, and Su Xiaoxiao saying her grandfather was going to take her to eat candied haws.

He withdrew his gaze. "Let's go, time for breakfast."

The three of them walked toward the Mess Unit.

Behind them on the snow, they left a trail of deep and shallow footprints.

The sunlight shone on the footprints, shimmering with fine golden light.

The pale blue light curtain of the distant cave swayed gently in the morning light, as if summoning someone.