His communicator vibrated again as another message came in. This time, it was from Wang Wenhai:

"Ah Yi, you saw the notice, right? You just got back to Red River and this happens. If you decide to go, be careful. A Secondary Rift is no joke. But if you don’t want to go, don’t force yourself. You’re still a student, after all."

Xu Wuyi looked at the message, then glanced at his parents watching TV in the living room.

He was silent for a few seconds, then began to reply:

"Teacher Wang, I’m on my way."

He hit send.

Xu Wuyi stood up and walked toward his room. He needed to change into a training uniform suitable for combat and grab his necessary gear—mainly, the Meteor Iron Long Spear.

As he pushed open his bedroom door, he glanced back at the living room.

His parents were still watching TV. His mother was amused by a joke on the show, and his father laughed along with her.

Xu Wuyi gently closed the door.

He decided not to tell his parents about this.

’A Secondary Rift is dangerous, but with my current strength, I should be fine as long as I’m careful. Telling them would only make them worry.’

He quickly changed into a black, high-strength training uniform and checked his personal gear: two emergency Life Potions, a box of Energy Bars, his communicator, and his school ID card.

In an emergency, it could prove his Martial Artist Level and clearance.

Once he was ready, Xu Wuyi opened the door.

"Dad, Mom, I’m heading out for a bit. Something came up at school that I need to handle." He tried to keep his voice casual.

"This late?" Mrs. Xu turned her head. "What is it? Is it urgent?"

"Yeah, it’s a bit urgent, but it should be resolved quickly." Xu Wuyi put on his shoes. "Don’t wait up for me. You two should get some sleep."

"Be safe," Father Xu cautioned.

"I know."

Xu Wuyi walked out of the apartment and gently pulled the door shut behind him.

The motion-activated light in the hallway flickered on, illuminating his back as he descended the stairs.

The night was deep, and the residential complex was quiet. Only a few scattered windows still had their lights on.

Xu Wuyi walked out of the building’s entrance and glanced up at the fourth-floor window of his home.

The living room light was still on, and he could see the flickering glow of the TV screen through the curtains.

He took a deep breath, turned, and walked toward the complex exit.

His steps were firm, and his figure quickly melted into the night.

...

The Red River City Martial Arts Hall was located in the city center. It was a twelve-story, off-white building, brightly lit from within.

When Xu Wuyi arrived, a line had already formed at the main entrance.

Most were middle-aged men and women dressed in various Martial Arts Uniforms. They had calm auras, and the weakest among them were at the Advanced Martial Artist level, with no shortage of Martial Master Level experts present.

Some carried weapons, while others were empty-handed, but all of them wore serious expressions.

Xu Wuyi got in at the end of the line. A rugged-faced, middle-aged man with a buzz cut in front of him glanced back, his eyes lingering for a moment on Xu Wuyi’s youthful face before shifting to the long, wrapped spear on his back.

"First time?" the middle-aged man asked.

"Yeah," Xu Wuyi nodded.

"Which dojo are you from?"

"Star Martial University. I’m home for the break. I came as soon as I got the notice."

A flash of surprise crossed the man’s eyes, and his tone softened slightly. "A student, huh... A Secondary Rift isn’t easy. Stick close to the team later and don’t try to be a hero."

"Understood. Thank you, senior."

The line moved quickly. At the entrance, two staff members in Martial Arts Hall uniforms were verifying identities with handheld scanners.

When it was Xu Wuyi’s turn, he held his wrist-mounted communicator up to the scanner.

"BEEP—"

Information popped up on the screen:

[Name: Xu Wuyi]

[Age: 19]

[Life Energy Level: 31.9] 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

[Affiliation: Star Martial University, Martial Arts Academy (Student)]

[Certification: Federally-Registered Martial Artist (Temporary Combat Zone Access Granted)]

The staff member looked up at him, a hint of disbelief in his eyes, but he quickly continued, "Martial Artist Xu Wuyi, please report to the command room on the third floor. Someone will assign you your mission."

"Understood."

Xu Wuyi strode into the main hall. The space was large, but it felt crowded at the moment.

Many people were standing in front of large electronic screens, examining combat zone maps and personnel assignments while speaking in low voices.

The air was thick with tension.

He followed the signs to the third floor and pushed open the door to the command room.

The room was massive. The front wall was a single, giant electronic map displaying the mountainous terrain at the border of Red River City and Silver Harbor City.

A red dot blinked on the map, labeled "Rift Coordinates."

Seven or eight people were gathered around a control console. One of them turned around.

"Xu Wuyi?" The man sounded surprised.

Xu Wuyi recognized him too—the Vice Minister of the Red River City Martial Arts Hall, a man named Chen. They had met once last year when Xu Wuyi had become the top scorer in the college entrance exams.

"Minister Chen."

"It really is you." Vice Minister Chen walked over quickly, looking him up and down. "I saw the name on the list and wondered if it was someone else with the same name... I never expected it to actually be you. It’s only been a year and a half, and you’re already an official Martial Artist?"

"I had some fortunate encounters at school," Xu Wuyi said, keeping it brief.

Vice Minister Chen didn’t press for details; time was short.

He pointed to the map. "Here’s the situation: the rift appeared in the Black Rock Mountain area, about forty-five kilometers from the Red River City District and fifty kilometers from the Silver Harbor City District."

"We’ve confirmed it’s a Secondary Rift. The fluctuations are still intensifying, and we expect it to fully form within two hours."

"The first wave of Martial Artists—thirty-seven of them—has already been deployed. They’re led by Vice Minister Li of the Silver Harbor City Martial Arts Hall and consist of official Martial Artists and Advanced Martial Artists stationed in the two cities. The second wave will be our people from Red River, who are assembling now."

Vice Minister Chen pulled up a personnel roster.

"You’re an official Martial Artist, so regulations require you to lead a team. How many people can you handle?"

Xu Wuyi thought for a moment. "Ten or fewer. I don’t have enough experience for more."

"Done." Vice Minister Chen tapped rapidly on a tablet. "I’ll assign you eight people, all Advanced Martial Artists. Five of them have rift combat experience."

"Your mission is to help secure the valley entrance on the northeast side of the rift and prevent any creatures from the Otherworld from breaking through. Any questions?"

"None."

"Good. Here’s the team roster and communication channel codes. Go to warehouse number three on the first floor to pick up standard-issue gear. Then head to the assembly point in the back courtyard. Your team will be waiting for you there. You move out in fifteen minutes."

"Understood."

Xu Wuyi took the tablet and left the command room.

On his way downstairs, he ran into two familiar figures at a bend in the staircase.

"Teacher Wang? Teacher Zhou?"

Wang Wenhai and Zhou Yun were hurrying up the stairs, both dressed in dark gray combat suits with weapons at their waists.

Wang Wenhai carried a Thick-Backed Saber on his back, while Zhou Yun had a pair of shortswords.

"Ah Yi!" Wang Wenhai stopped in his tracks when he saw him. "You really came."

Zhou Yun’s gaze fell on Xu Wuyi, her eyes as sharp as ever. She simply nodded; with a combat zone active, there was no time for pleasantries.

She turned to Wang Wenhai. "Let’s go. Minister Chen is waiting for us."

Wang Wenhai patted Xu Wuyi’s shoulder. "Stay safe."

"I will."