Chapter Sixty-One: Mission Objective—Kill!

Pu Chuan was momentarily stunned at the sight of the unfamiliar young man before him. His bulky frame abruptly ducked under the table. The two well-trained security guards beside him immediately drew their pistols, firing round after round at the young man!

Bang! Bang!

The dark barrels spat flames, bullets whirling through the air, tearing it apart. Firearms have always been epoch-making inventions. Those bullets, like messengers of death, rushed toward the young man at a speed beyond human perception.

But—just then—

A phoenix's cry sounded.

The phoenix motif on the youth's cloak seemed to come alive. A fiery phoenix burst forth, its blazing wings shielding the young man's body. The bullets melted and fell before they could reach him.

Then, as if possessing intelligence, the fiery phoenix circled in the air, its dazzling, flaming form radiating intense heat. With a brilliant flash, it struck the two white security guards with fierce force!

In an instant, the two guards turned to ash. The terrifying heat left them no chance to even scream.

Pu Chuan watched, trembling even more violently, hiding under the table and shouting, "Security! Security!"

"Dear Supreme Leader," the young man smiled, "there's no need to call."

"Your security staff will not answer you."

"Otherwise, how do you think a stranger like me entered the White Palace and appeared in your office?"

The young man's features were striking, carrying a noble air—elegant and refined. His smile was gentle and cultured, fitting the image of an aristocratic youth from the West. Outside, he would have drawn countless admiring glances from young women. But in Pu Chuan’s eyes now, his smile was like that of a demon from hell.

Pu Chuan swallowed hard, forcing himself to calm down. After thinking for a moment, he crawled out from under the table.

"Very clever," the young man smiled. "The Brotherhood chose you as Supreme Leader precisely because of that intelligence."

"The Brotherhood…" Pu Chuan was taken aback. "You…"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Du Phoenix Pearlborough, President of the Phoenix Society of the World Salvation League. You may call me Phoenix," Phoenix smiled. "I can answer your earlier question."

"Lin Fan is probably an Awakened."

"An Awakened?" Pu Chuan frowned.

---

"For reasons unknown—perhaps truly connected to the divine descent spoken of by Great Xia—Awakened have begun to appear," Phoenix said with a smile. "Lin Fan was lucky."

"But the Phoenix Society has long mastered certain gene modification techniques. Our society is the greatest beneficiary of this upheaval."

"Rest assured, Pu Chuan, the Salvation League has chosen to help you. Three of the Phoenix Society's Four Champions are likely already retrieving Lin Fan's head…" the young man smiled.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated.

Phoenix picked up the phone and glanced at it absentmindedly—then froze.

When he looked up again, his voice trembled, "Ah… it's nothing… um…"

He didn’t know what to say!

The three Awakened, each as powerful as himself, were dead?!

Pu Chuan looked on expectantly, "Have those three already returned with Lin Fan's head?"

The young man’s expression grew increasingly strange.

"Well…" Phoenix paused, his voice dry, "Take my advice—don’t provoke Great Xia any further. Farewell!"

With those words, Phoenix dared not linger and quickly departed.

Pu Chuan watched the suddenly departing youth, blinking in confusion.

…

Meanwhile, on the other side.

The coast of Jiaodong, Great Xia—Temporary Command Center.

Lin Fan, just returned, took a sip of water. Beside him, Chen Yan held a folder, his gaze complicated. "The identities of those three remain unknown, but we’ve tracked their movements. They chased that girl and broke into the police station…"

"No need to say," Lin Fan wiped his short blade, expressionless. "I know who they are."

"Hmm?" Chen Yan was surprised.

"Phoenix Society," Lin Fan replied flatly.

Seeing Chen Yan and Elder Jin puzzled, Lin Fan explained in a low voice.

Phoenix Society—perhaps an obscure name.

But the organization to which it belonged was well known.

The World Salvation League.

An organization that believes in survival of the fittest, advocating rule by the few.

How it emerged is unclear.

But like an invisible hand, it has shaped and influenced the world, even steering history itself.

Of course, throughout this process, they’ve remained well hidden.

Yet, when the gods descended, the Salvation League revealed itself, seizing tremendous power.

---

It was this organization that connected the nations, becoming a latent threat to Great Xia.

Among them, the Phoenix Society, masters of gene mutation technology, gained formidable strength with the rise of Awakened—able even to mass-produce them.

"Truthfully, if that were all, we’d have no real conflict," Lin Fan frowned. "But after the gods descended, they had no intention of protecting their people. Instead, they abandoned them and exploited the chaos for their so-called survival of the fittest."

"When their own survival was threatened, they set their sights on Great Xia."

"They once joined forces with the gods to bombard our borders, threatening to enter our territory for refuge!"

"Great Xia, acting in goodwill, allowed them in."

"But, in secret, they colluded with the gods and stabbed us in the back."

"That time, Great Xia lost six provinces!"

"In those provinces, our people were wiped out!"

Lin Fan’s voice burned with bitter hatred.

The invasion of Blue Star by the gods—one cannot speak of morality or evil, for they are of another race.

Lin Fan resented the gods, but he hated even more those human traitors!

During the divine descent, the Phoenix Society—fellow humans—threatened Great Xia.

Great Xia let them enter, only for them to conspire with the gods for their own gain, harming their own kind!

National hatred, racial enmity—it matters not.

Lin Fan’s hatred for them surpassed even his hatred for the gods.

"The girl I brought back this time is named Sparrow Crimson—a fifth-rank fire Awakened," Lin Fan spoke rapidly. "Assign her to the Second Godslayer Army. Elder Jin, you’re responsible for recruiting other Awakened!"

"If necessary, mobilize the military!"

Elder Jin was taken aback. "Is that really necessary?"

"It is!" Lin Fan was resolute. "Individuals suddenly wielding powers beyond the ordinary—who knows what might happen? If things go wrong, society could descend into chaos."

"If those Awakened are willing to serve, we can offer them terms."

"But if they refuse, execute them on the spot!"

"We need powerful Awakened, but not a horde of rampaging madmen."

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. We must be ruthless now!"

Elder Jin understood, nodding immediately. "Understood! I’ll arrange for stationed troops throughout the region to prepare."

Then, Elder Jin suddenly frowned. "And you…"

"Me?" Lin Fan’s smile was fierce. "Report to the National Chair—I will lead the First Godslayer Squad for a mission to the Free Nation!"

"A cross-border operation!"

"The objective—kill!"