170: Chapter 169 Over a Hundred National Representatives Blocking the Door? I Don't Care About Any of Them!

Lin Feng was just about to take Zhao Gang and Su Xue further into the depths of the Dao Field when the ground beneath them suddenly shook.

It wasn't an earthquake; it was the air itself vibrating.

A powerful repulsive force surged from all directions, like an invisible giant hand gripping his internal organs and yanking them outward.

"What the hell? What's going on?" Zhao Gang's expression changed, and he instinctively drew his long blade.

Su Xue also gripped her twin blades, her eyes alert.

Lin Feng, however, remained very calm.

He knew the Secret Realm was kicking people out.

He had taken the core of the Dao Field, collected the Taotie's corpse, emptied the Treasure Pavilion, and even fused the Artifact spirit into a little gold man.

If the Secret Realm didn't kick him out now, was it supposed to keep him for the New Year?

"Don't panic, it's a repulsive force. The Secret Realm is about to send us out." He grabbed the two by their shoulders to steady them.

As soon as he finished speaking, everything went black.

It wasn't that the sky had turned dark; it was that space itself had distorted.

The feeling of the world spinning lasted only an instant before the scene before them was violently pulled back like an invisible hand—the desert, the ruins, and the distant snow-capped mountains all vanished.

In their place was a blinding white light.

The three were spat out of the pale blue light curtain simultaneously, stumbling as their feet hit the ground, nearly failing to keep their balance.

Cold wind rushed at their faces, carrying the characteristic crispness and chill of the snow mountains, instantly clearing their nasal passages of the smell of blood and char they had grown accustomed to in the Secret Realm.

Above was a deep blue sky, below was pure white snow, and in the distance were continuous snow-capped peaks shimmering with golden light under the sun.

They had arrived at the entrance of the Immortal Cave.

Lin Feng steadied himself and instinctively looked around.

Then he froze for a moment.

Outside the cave entrance, there were people everywhere.

They were packed densely, covering the ground and filling the entire valley.

Unlike before they entered the Secret Realm, these people were no longer wearing Explorer uniforms but had changed into their respective countries' formal military attire. Dark green, deep blue, khaki, and black; they bore various ranks on their shoulders, ranging from Major to Lieutenant General.

General-level officers hadn't come, as this was just a Secret Realm exploration mission, not a national war. However, there were enough general officers present that their epaulettes sparkled in the sunlight like a sea of metal.

National flags snapped in the cold wind: the American Stars and Stripes, the Russian White-Blue-Red tricolor, the Japanese Hinomaru, the South Korean Taegeukgi, the European Union's blue flag with gold stars, as well as flags from India, Pakistan, Canada, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Dozens of flags, large and small, painted the entire valley in a multitude of colors.

Those officers stood before their respective national flags, their gazes fixed collectively on the cave entrance.

Some were smoking, some were drinking water, and some were conversing in low voices.

When they saw Lin Feng and the other two emerge, they all stopped what they were doing at once.

Those gazes hit them like spotlights, all focused on them.

Some were scrutinizing, some curious, some expectant, some anxious, and a few carried clear hostility.

Lin Feng scanned the crowd and saw the General at the very front.

General Chen was dressed in a crisp military uniform with the rank of Lieutenant General on his shoulders. Though his hair was gray, his back was as straight as a pine tree rooted in the snow. Behind him stood Staff Officer Zhao and several guards, along with a few people in black Mao suits with serious expressions and sharp gazes—likely from the National Security department.

Seeing Lin Feng and the others emerge safely, an imperceptible flash of relief crossed the General's stern face. However, he didn't immediately step forward to greet them; since representatives from various countries were still present, as the highest person in charge of the Huaxia side, he couldn't appear too eager.

"Let's go, head over there first." Lin Feng patted Zhao Gang's shoulder and nodded to Su Xue.

The three walked across the snow toward the General.

The snow reached their ankles, crunching loudly under their feet, sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet valley.

The officers' gazes followed them as they moved. A few people wanted to step forward to question them but hesitated upon seeing Lin Feng's expressionless face.

"Halt!"

A white officer in a deep blue uniform blocked their path. He had blond hair and blue eyes, with the rank of Colonel on his shoulders and a US Army badge pinned to his chest. Behind him were several other officers also in American-style uniforms, their expressions quite unpleasant.

"I am Colonel Johnson of the US Army." He looked Lin Feng up and down, his gaze lingering for a moment on the dragon slaying sword at Lin Feng's waist before moving to Lin Feng's excessively young face. "Where are our people? Our three Explorers entered the Secret Realm with you earlier. Why haven't they come out?"

Lin Feng stopped and looked at him without saying a word.

Seeing that he didn't answer, the Colonel's tone became more urgent. "I'm asking you a question! Where are our Explorers? Major Anderson, Captain Williams, and our most outstanding young officer!"

Lin Feng still didn't speak.

He was just thinking about how to answer this question.

The Colonel's face grew even redder. "You! I am asking you in my capacity as a US Army Colonel! You must answer me! Our Explorers—when are they coming out!"

Lin Feng looked at him, remaining silent for several seconds.

Then he smiled.

The smile was faint and light.

He spoke, his voice not loud, but in the quiet valley, everyone heard him clearly.

"Your people? Sorry, they might be retiring in there permanently."

The Colonel was stunned. "What do you mean?"

Lin Feng shrugged. "They've stayed inside forever."

After saying that, he ignored the Colonel, bypassed him, and continued toward the General.

The Colonel stood rooted to the spot, his mouth agape, his expression shifting from anger to shock, and then from shock to disbelief.

Zhao Gang and Su Xue followed behind him, the two of them exchanging a glance, both seeing a hint of helplessness in the other's eyes.

This Lin Feng was simply too blunt.

But they were used to it.

During their days in the Secret Realm, they had fully experienced Lin Feng's personality—polite to his own, but wouldn't give an inch to outsiders. A refined gentleman? Non-existent. To outsiders, he was a cold-blooded, heartless monster.

"You! Stop right there!" The Colonel finally snapped out of it and caught up to Lin Feng in a few strides. "What did you say? Died inside? Who killed them? Who was it?"

Lin Feng stopped and glanced back at him.

That glance was very calm.

But for some reason, the Colonel felt a chill down his spine and instinctively took half a step back.

"There are monsters, Restrictions, and all sorts of dangers in the Secret Realm. Is it so strange that they died?" Lin Feng said indifferently. "Since you dared to send people in, you should have been mentally prepared. Do you expect me to write a report for you?"

The Colonel was left speechless, his face flushing red, but for a moment he couldn't find the words to rebut.

Several other American officers crowded around, their expressions grim as they shouted questions all at once.

"What exactly happened inside!"

"You had a responsibility to protect them!"

"We need an explanation!"

Lin Feng was getting a headache from their noise, his brow furrowing as he prepared to speak—

"Colonel Johnson."

A deep, resonant voice came from the side.

It was the General.

He walked over with steady strides, his military boots leaving a trail of deep footprints in the snow. His voice was calm, but every word carried an unquestionable authority. "This is the Huaxia military's mission debriefing time. If you have any questions, you can raise them through diplomatic channels. Now, please move aside."

Colonel Johnson looked at the General, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something, but he ultimately swallowed his words. The officers behind him also quieted down, reluctantly clearing a path.

The General walked up to Lin Feng and looked him over.

Lin Feng's clothes had several tears stained with blood, and there were a few shallow scars on his face, but his spirit was high and his eyes were bright. Zhao Gang and Su Xue stood behind him; though they were also in a disheveled state, their breathing was steady, showing they were clearly unharmed.

The General looked at them, remaining silent for several seconds.

Then he smiled.

That smile wasn't polite or formal; it was heartfelt and warm.

"It's good to have you back." His voice was slightly raspy, as if he were suppressing some emotion. "It's good to have you back."

Lin Feng nodded. "General, we've returned."

Zhao Gang and Su Xue also stood at attention and saluted. "General!"

The General waved his hand, signaling them to dispense with the formalities. "Let's go, back to the camp first. This isn't the place to talk."

He turned and led the three toward the Huaxia camp.

Behind them, the representatives from various countries were still gathered around the cave entrance, their eyes fixed on the pale blue light curtain, waiting for their Explorers to emerge.

Some were smoking, some drinking water, some looking down at their watches, and some pacing back and forth.

Minutes and seconds ticked by.

The light curtain continued to swirl slowly, without any movement.

"Why haven't they come out yet?" a South Korean officer frowned.

"Could it be..." the Japanese officer beside him started to say, then hesitated.

"Impossible!" a Filipino officer interrupted. "We sent three people, all elites among elites. It's impossible for them all to have died inside!"

"Then why haven't they come out yet?" an Indonesian officer countered.

The Filipino officer was speechless.

After another half hour of waiting, there was still no movement from the light curtain.

Finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer and went to the Huaxia camp, demanding that Lin Feng come out and give an explanation.

"Where are our Explorers? Why did only your people come out?"

"What exactly happened inside?"

"We need an explanation!"

Lin Feng was in the tent reporting the situation in the Secret Realm to the General. Hearing the commotion outside, he frowned.

He pulled back the tent flap and looked at the people gathered at the entrance.

Military officers and representatives from various countries all had their eyes fixed on him.

His gaze swept over them, then he retracted it and turned back into the tent.

"There's nothing to explain. In the Secret Realm, everyone relies on their own ability; life and death are determined by fate."

His voice carried from the tent; it wasn't loud, but in the quiet valley, everyone heard him clearly.

"Their skills were inferior to others, and they died. It's quite normal."

Hearing those words, their expressions turned even uglier.

"Inferior skills? You're saying it's because their own strength was insufficient?" a Japanese officer questioned. His Chinese was very stiff, but still understandable.

Lin Feng pulled back the flap and looked at him. "Otherwise? Did I kill them?"

His voice was very flat, as if he were commenting on the weather being nice today.

The Japanese officer was stunned. He wanted to see guilt or evasion in Lin Feng's eyes, but he saw nothing.

In Lin Feng's eyes, there was only calmness.

Like a pool of deep water, the bottom couldn't be seen.

"You!" The Japanese officer was so angry he couldn't speak.

The other officers nearby also exploded, shouting accusations in a jumble of various languages that hummed like a boiling pot.

The General frowned and was about to speak when Lin Feng spoke first.

"Enough."

Everyone stopped at once and looked at him.

Lin Feng stood at the tent entrance, looking at them. His expression was indifferent, as if he were looking at a group of people who had nothing to do with him.

"If you want to continue waiting here, be my guest. We have business and are leaving now."

Having said that, he turned and went back into the tent.

The people looked at each other.

"He... what kind of attitude is that!" a South Korean officer said through gritted teeth.

"Too arrogant! A mere Huaxia Explorer dares to speak to us like that!" a Filipino officer said, clenching his fists.

"He must give us an explanation!" a Vietnamese officer echoed.

But no one dared to step forward.

Because they all knew how terrifying Lin Feng's strength was.

Those words just now might have been questioning, but everyone felt uncertain in their hearts—these smaller nations knew the strength of the Explorers from the major powers who were missing. If even they had perished inside, it meant this young man before them...

They didn't dare think further.

The General looked at Lin Feng and smiled. "Kid, you've got a temper."

Lin Feng sat back in his chair and took a sip from his teacup. "It's not a temper; I just can't be bothered to waste words with them."

He paused and looked at the General. "The harvest this time is too great; we need to get back to the East Sea quickly. I'll tell you the details on the way."

The General nodded, stood up, and patted his shoulder. "Good. Get ready; we leave in an hour."

Lin Feng set down his teacup and walked out of the tent.

The sunlight hit the snow, reflecting a blinding white light.

He squinted his eyes, looking at the people in the distance still waiting bitterly at the cave entrance.

Some of these people were still waiting for companions whose remains no longer existed; some didn't yet know that their Explorers would remain in that desert forever, turned to bone, to ash, and becoming a part of time.

And some of those Explorers had died at his hands.

He felt no guilt, nor any pity.

Those people were all thieves who had come to steal the ancestors' things.

When a thief is caught, they must die.

That was the rule.