In his room upstairs, Chen Chuan was at a desk, wiping down the Snow Monarch Blade and applying maintenance oil.

After today’s battle, he could clearly feel that the bond between man and blade had deepened. A faint, blood-red line had even appeared on the sword’s spine.

This likely meant the Mutated Organization within the blade was also undergoing a transformation, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

As he wiped the blade, he replayed the day’s battle in his mind, analyzing his weaknesses. ’Could I have done better?’

In truth, the moment Boxing Lion had let him sit so close, the outcome had been decided. At that range, he could unleash his full speed and power. In a conventional duel between Fighters, nothing was more important.

Once Boxing Lion, the team’s heavy hitter, was taken care of, the rest were easy to handle.

But if it had been a true, no-holds-barred battle to the death...

He considered it for a moment. If that biological weapon with unknown capabilities hadn’t been a factor, the outcome would likely have been the same. However, the fight would have taken longer and cost him more energy, and one or two of the grunts might have escaped. Furthermore, if the fight had dragged on long enough for the other buyer to show up, everything would have become uncertain.

His gaze shifted to the metal case leaning against the wall. The Tayana Combat Spider was inside. The device wasn’t large—it could fit in a briefcase, making it very portable.

Based on what Hu Xian had told him, he had also found three High-Energy Nutrient Tanks in the building. It seemed that activating the device required feeding it one tank each time.

These nutrient tanks were relatively hard to find and required special connections, mainly because they were expensive. No wonder Boxing Lion had been so eager to sell it; in his hands, it was almost useless. This was a "pet" only the wealthy could afford.

Just then, a firm, rhythmic knock sounded on the door. "Chen," a voice called, "are you asleep?"

Chen Chuan sheathed the Snow Monarch Blade, walked to the door, and opened it. Stepping aside, he said, "Special Envoy Feng, please come in."

Old Feng walked in, his eyes quickly scanning the room before he broke into an amused smile. ’I’m not on a mission right now, but I just can’t shake this professional habit.’

He turned to Chen Chuan and said, "Chen, I just received a telegram from our superiors. Everything regarding your case has been confirmed." He handed over the decoded message. "Congratulations."

Chen Chuan accepted it. A sense of relief washed over him as he read the contents. He looked up. "Thank you, Special Envoy Feng. I appreciate you bringing this to me personally."

Old Feng smiled. "Good news should be delivered to the person involved right away. That way, I get to share in the joy. I should also let you know that, as is customary, someone will come to hold a small certification ceremony for you."

Chen Chuan asked, "Where do I need to go?"

Old Feng replied, "Unless the telegram specifies otherwise, they’ll come directly to you. So, all you have to do is wait here."

"Right here?"

"Yes, right here."

Old Feng elaborated, "From what I know, the higher-ups’ attitude varies depending on the assessment’s content and the efficiency and method of completion. Of all the trainees who have come to the Land of Chaos for their assessment in the past—excluding those who gave up—very few managed to complete it independently. And no one has ever done it as... efficiently as you. So, having your certification ceremony here holds a special significance."

’There’s no need to mention these things before the test, but it doesn’t matter afterward. Besides, any trainee who earns this certification has definitely caught the attention of the higher-ups. I might as well do him a small favor. Even setting that aside, having read his file, I genuinely admire the kid,’ Old Feng thought.

Chen Chuan said, "I wonder how long I’ll have to wait."

"It shouldn’t be too long. A few days at most," Old Feng said, then his expression turned mock-serious. "But you’ll have to pay for your own lodging. The assessment committee doesn’t cover that."

Chen Chuan couldn’t help but smile.

Old Feng said, "It’s getting late. We can talk more tomorrow. But this is the Land of Chaos. Even though your assessment is over, you still need to be careful."

Chen Chuan nodded.

After seeing Old Feng out, he considered calling Cheng Zitong. They had agreed that once he passed the assessment, he would dial a specific number without letting the call go through.

But then he reconsidered. ’I only just arrived yesterday. If I make the call today, Cheng Zitong might get the wrong idea. Since it’ll only be a few days until I get the certificate, I might as well wait and tell him everything at once after I have it in hand.’

He finished oiling his blade, washed up, and went to bed.

The inn was quiet, but the streets of this town bordering the Land of Chaos were buzzing with activity tonight. Telegrams flew back and forth without pause.

The word was that Boxing Lion, while transporting his goods, had met with a buyer from out of town. He’d tried to double-cross the buyer, only to have his entire crew eliminated by an expert at the buyer’s side. Apparently, the buyer was such a major figure that even Mr. Blue Sparrow didn’t dare to linger, leaving as soon as he showed up.

Because Mr. Blue Sparrow kept his lips sealed about the incident afterward, some factions in the Land of Chaos who normally wouldn’t have cared suddenly took great interest. They ordered their informants in town to figure out what exactly had happened and who this mysterious buyer was, but for the time being, no useful clues emerged.

「Three days later.」

A special train pulled into the station. Once it came to a halt, a group of people in black greatcoats disembarked. Every one of them had a sharp, piercing gaze. As they stepped onto the platform, all the armed security guards stationed around the station snapped to attention and saluted.