"A Dual-Awakener? I've never even heard of such a thing!"
"An SSS-rank with dual powers? Why would someone that monstrous come to a place like Jiangbei?"
"Holy shit... could it be...?"
The room fell into a stunned silence. The officers traded wide-eyed looks, their minds racing. An individual of that caliber shouldn't just be a soldier—they should be at the absolute pinnacle of the military hierarchy.
A Yao sighed, a hint of pity in her eyes at their naivety. "Is it really that shocking? I'm a Dual-Awakener too."
The last shred of Liu Zihao's arrogance evaporated. His face went pale. This girl is one, too? He realized then just how catastrophic his misjudgment had been. He hadn't just been wrong; he'd been playing with fire.
Zhao Huan, already reeling from one revelation after another, managed to find his voice. "You mean... there's another Dual-Awakener headed for Jiangbei?"
"Not just one," A Yao said, making no effort to hide the truth. "There are three more coming, excluding myself."
The silence that followed was heavy. Zhao Huan felt numb. Liu Zihao and Wang Yan exchanged a look of pure bewilderment. The word "unprecedented" didn't even begin to cover it.
They hadn't even known Dual-Awakeners existed five minutes ago, and now they were being told four were descending upon their district at once. What had Jiangbei done to deserve such a sudden influx of power?
The answer was obvious: Chen Xiao. The Mad Ghost Butcher.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the room. As the saying goes, the one who tied the knot must be the one to undo it. Chen Xiao had brought the district to its knees, but with his backing, Jiangbei wouldn't just survive—it might actually rise from the ashes. Overtaking Chen Xiao's own "Jiangbei Triad" was out of the question, of course, given that these powerhouses were all his subordinates.
Chen Xiao offered a faint, cryptic smile. "Alright, that's enough talk. Come on, A Yao. I'm taking you all out to relax."
A Yao blinked, momentarily distracted. "Relax? How?"
"We're taking a trip to Cangzhou," Chen Xiao replied.
Zhao Huan's eyes immediately sharpened. "Xiao Ge, are you heading there for the Cangzhou Grand Event—the Ultimate Path Tournament?"
Chen Xiao nodded. He knew the military had received an invitation as well.
Wang Yan stepped forward eagerly. "Xiao Ge, our district has a heavy armored transport ready. We can make it to Cangzhou in thirty-six hours. Why don't you travel with us?"
Chen Xiao shook his head. "No need. I have my own arrangements."
He was planning a more private excursion with the girls—specifically Huang Yiyi. Her SSS-level talent was a variable he needed to secure personally.
Seeing Chen Xiao preparing to leave, Zhao Huan's composure broke. He stepped forward, hesitating awkwardly. "Um... Xiao Ge? Now that Officer A Yao is officially registered with the Jiangbei Military District, would it be possible for her to... accompany our delegation?"
Chen Xiao raised an eyebrow, his gaze cool. "Accompany you to do what?"
Zhao Huan took a deep breath, knowing he had to lay his cards on the table.
"The Ultimate Path Tournament isn't just a show. It's the largest gathering in the Sanjiang Basin since the world ended. All six military districts will be there. The rumors are already spreading that Jiangbei has grown weak... and I'm terrified we've become a target."
A Yao frowned. "Targeted? We're all part of the Huaxia Military. Why would our own kind target us?"
Zhao Huan let out a bitter laugh. "It's a grim reality, Officer. Ever since the collapse, Central Command has been stretched too thin to protect the smaller districts. We've been left to fend for ourselves. Command recently issued a directive: underperforming districts will be forcibly merged into stronger ones to 'consolidate resources.' If that happens, the Jiangbei Military District ceases to exist. We'll be nothing more than a footnote."
A Yao's expression softened as she realized the stakes. "So, if you show weakness at this tournament, the other Sanjiang districts will swallow you whole?"
Liu Zihao, though stripped of his rank, spoke up with the weary voice of a veteran. "Exactly. To be honest, we had already given up hope. Competing would only expose how depleted our ranks are, but staying home is a public admission of defeat. Either way, we were finished."
Zhao Huan looked at A Yao with desperation. "But everything has changed now! You're a Dual-Awakener. Even if the others haven't arrived yet, you are the strongest fighter we've had in years."
Wang Yan added, "Officer A Yao, this tournament is life or death for us. Please... fight for Jiangbei. I grew up here. I don't want to see our home turned into some secondary outpost for another city!"
"Please, Officer A Yao! Save the district!" other officers chimed in, their voices thick with emotion.
Zhao Huan stepped forward, his voice solemn. "I have no riches to offer you. But I give you my word: if we survive this crisis, I will resign immediately. The position of First Executive Officer will be yours."
A Yao hesitated. She didn't care about the title, but she had promised Chen Xiao she'd take a vacation. She looked toward him, waiting for his lead.
"A Yao, come with me," Chen Xiao said calmly.
His tone was flat, brookling no argument. Zhao Huan and the others froze, not daring to object. They knew Chen Xiao held all the cards; he could grant them salvation or let them rot with a single word.
A Yao followed him out, confused, until Chen Xiao turned back and looked at the officers.
"I will bring A Yao to Cangzhou myself," he said, ruffling her hair. "We'll meet your delegation outside the city gates in one week."
He paused, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at the familiar military fatigues. "I've lived in Jiangbei for a long time. I have no intention of watching this district fall."
It was the truth. In his past life, the stability provided by men like Zhao Huan had allowed him to survive. Back then, Jiangbei had been a titan of the region. Zhao Huan was a capable leader; he had simply been eclipsed by the anomaly of Chen Xiao's rebirth and the rise of the Triad.
Chen Xiao had built his base here for a reason. He wanted to fix the regrets of his previous life, and that included keeping Jiangbei intact.
Zhao Huan's face lit up with a spark of genuine hope. "Xiao Ge, do you mean... you'll be there too?"
Chen Xiao nodded. "Not only will I be there, but I will enter the tournament as a representative of the Jiangbei Military District—not the Triad."
By doing this, he could keep an eye on Liu Ruyan and help her from the shadows without revealing his identity. If he entered as the "Mad Ghost Butcher," the competition would be over before it started, and any victory Liu Ruyan achieved would be dismissed as his doing. She deserved better than that.
The officers didn't fully grasp his motives, but they understood the result: they were going to the tournament with the most dangerous man in the basin on their roster.
"Let's be clear," Chen Xiao added, his voice turning cold again. "I am not your attack dog. I will not be fighting your battles for you."
They nodded frantically. They didn't need him to clear the field—just having him and A Yao there was enough to terrify any district thinking of a hostile takeover.
After saying his goodbyes, Chen Xiao led A Yao away, heading back toward the heart of the Jiangbei Triad.