Start with push-ups to gain experience

Jinhai Road, Jiangdong New District.

A massive LED curtain wall cascades down from the top of the department store like a waterfall.

The screen kept changing images, playing an advertisement for a high-end perfume.

The entire street was illuminated with a dazzling array of colors, even the road surface itself seemed to shimmer with a mesmerizing hue.

In a back alley not far from the bustling intersection, there was an inconspicuous silver-gray Jinbei minivan parked.

The car windows were covered with dark black privacy film, making it stand out from the sleek supercars and luxury sedans around it.

There are six people in the car at this moment.

"It's almost 11:30, when is that legendary 'president' finally arriving?"

The man speaking was sitting in the passenger seat.

He looked to be in his early thirties, with a robust build, a shaved head, wearing a tight black vest, and a thick gold chain around his neck.

His arms were as thick as old tree roots, with clearly defined muscles, and a ferocious tiger descending the mountain was tattooed on them.

At that moment, he rested his large, fan-like hands on the windowsill and shook his leg somewhat irritably.

"What's the rush, Fat Tiger?"

In the back corner, a young man wearing a baseball cap responded lazily.

He was almost slumped in his seat, toying with a butterfly knife in his hand. The silver blade danced between his fingers like a butterfly, so fast that only a blur could be seen.

"Didn't the professor say that the president is dealing with an urgent matter? Now that we've joined, we have to follow the rules."

"I understand the rules."

The burly man called Fat Tiger curled his lip and turned to look at the middle-aged man who was resting with his eyes closed in the driver's seat:

“Professor, I’m not complaining. But it’s the middle of the night, we just landed and haven’t even had a hot meal yet, and we’ve been dragged here to wait…”

"Isn't this treating us like animals?"

In the driver's seat, the professor slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the people in the car through the rearview mirror, and smiled gently:
"There's nothing we can do about it. It happened suddenly, and the chairman notified me of an emergency operation. Since you were all here, we'll just treat it as a practical assessment before you start working."

"Practical assessment?"

Fat Tiger grinned and shook his enormous head:

"Fine, as long as the organization's benefits are good enough, I'd even rob a bank right now."

"All you care about is money..."

A girl sitting in the middle muttered something under her breath.

She looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, clutching a slightly worn backpack tightly in her arms, like a high school girl who had just finished school.

However, upon closer inspection, one can see that the air around her body appears to be strangely distorted.

The bottle of mineral water on her lap seemed to float in mid-air as if it had lost its gravity, rising and falling slightly with her breathing.

"Xiaoya, stop playing around, save your energy."

Sitting next to the girl was a middle-aged man in an old jacket, with graying temples and a freshly lit cigarette in his hand.

He looked like a taxi driver who had just finished his night shift.

But his ears would twitch strangely every now and then, as if they were radars, capturing every sound around him.

"Uncle Chen, it's so stuffy in this car."

The girl stuck out her tongue, and the bottle of water fell back into her palm with a "plop".

The professor gripped the steering wheel with both hands, his gaze lingering briefly in the rearview mirror.

Looking at the diverse expressions on the faces in the car, a hint of emotion flashed in his eyes.

These were seeds that he personally traveled to other provinces and went through great lengths to find for the Illuminati.

Some are descendants entrusted by deceased friends, while others are old friends who have known each other for many years. Each of them has a clean background and possesses special abilities that should not be underestimated.

Once they are successfully integrated into the Illuminati, and after systematic training and practical experience, they will inevitably become the organization's most solid backbone and core members.

The professor looked up and gazed ahead, his eyes piercing through the dark car window tint and landing on the brightly lit skyscrapers.

It's no wonder that Fat Tiger harbored some resentment.

Just half an hour ago, they arrived in Dongdu, having just come from the airport, and checked into a five-star hotel in Jiangdong District.

However, before the room key could even be used and before the clothes in the suitcase could be hung in the closet, the president issued an urgent order.

There were no further explanations, nor were they given any time to catch their breath.

These newlyweds, who hadn't even had a chance to enjoy the luxury hotel experience, were crammed into this smoke-filled van.

The rushed itinerary, coupled with curiosity and doubt about the "chairman" whom they had never met, filled the cramped train carriage with a restless atmosphere.

They are sitting here now, waiting for the next instructions.

Almost twenty minutes have passed, and there has been no new information from the president.

"Professor, is the target of this operation... really the Bloodthorn Mercenary Group?"

Listening intently to the sounds outside, Old Chen suddenly stubbed out his cigarette and asked:
"If it's those bastards, our numbers probably won't be enough, will they?"

In the driver's seat, the professor snapped out of his reverie, adjusted his glasses, and spoke calmly:

"Don't worry, this operation doesn't require you to engage in direct combat. The chairman said that you only need to be responsible for cleaning up the perimeter and providing support, and assist in rescuing the hostages."

"I did not mean that."

Old Chen waved his hand, his shrewd eyes narrowing slightly:
"I'm just curious. We've known each other for so many years and know each other inside and out. What kind of young person could make you so devoted to working for them?"

This was a question that everyone else in the car was also concerned about.

On the way here, the professor had told me about the president's deeds and that he was a young man in his early twenties.

But it still feels like a fantasy, somewhat exaggerated.

Upon hearing this, the professor chuckled softly.
"Age is not important, ability is."

He paused, his tone involuntarily carrying a hint of admiration:

"Since he can lead us to create a great cause, the chairman's strength is beyond doubt. Since his debut, he has never been defeated and has defeated countless enemies with his bare hands."

"Even S-class ability users have lost their lives at his hands. His power is completely beyond the realm of worldly understanding."

"That pure sense of oppression is not only physical, but also a crushing on a spiritual level."

After saying that, the professor turned to look at Old Chen and added meaningfully:

"In short, you'll understand when you meet him in person."

"So young, yet so amazing..."

Xiaoya listened intently, blinking her big eyes with curiosity:
"Uncle Ye, when I see him later, should I call him brother or chairman?"

The professor looked at his old friend's daughter, his gaze softening, and explained with a smile:
"Your father and the chairman's father were colleagues back then, and the two families have a deep connection. In a way, you can be considered family friends."

"In formal settings, you can call him Chairman; in private, you can call him Brother."

"Oh, I know."

Xiaoya nodded obediently.

Just then, a soft exhalation came from the shadows of the last row.

There sat a pale-faced man, holding a slender black violin case in his arms.

He hadn't spoken until now, when he finally raised his head, revealing a pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes.

Even in the dimly lit carriage, those pupils gleamed with a chilling, eerie light.

"This operation is just right, as it provides an opportunity to find out whether our president is truly living up to his reputation."

The man stroked the rough texture of the violin case, his fingertips lightly tracing the clasp, his voice cold and hard:
“Professor, you are a senior figure in the world of supernatural beings. We came here with you because we respect you. But now we are being asked to work for a young man we've never met, and in the future, we will be entrusting our lives to him…”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the people in the car like a blade, finally settling on the professor:

"Even if he's an S-class powerhouse who's been hyped up to the heavens, we still need to see for ourselves how capable he really is before we can have a real idea of ​​his strength."

Upon hearing these words, the air in the carriage seemed to freeze for a moment.

Fat Tiger stopped shaking his leg, and the man in the baseball cap who was twirling the knife in his hand also paused.

Clearly, this was the question in the minds of all of them.

For this group of extraordinary individuals with special abilities, the rule of the strong is ingrained in their very being. Whoever has the biggest fist has the right to give orders.

The professor looked at the provocative man through the rearview mirror, but instead of getting angry, he revealed a faint smile.

"Hawkeye, your abilities are indeed remarkable. Your marksmanship is top-notch in the industry, truly masterful."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, gazing out the window at the night sky dyed red by neon lights:

"But there are some heights that your current perspective cannot reach."

"When you meet the president later, I hope you can toned down that arrogance. Otherwise..."

Before he could finish speaking, a cell phone rang abruptly, breaking the tense atmosphere in the car.

The professor's eyes sharpened, and he immediately picked up the phone on the center console and pressed the answer button:
"President, we have arrived at the location you mentioned."

There were no extra pleasantries on the other end of the phone, only a calm and concise voice:

"I'll be there soon."

"Yes."

After hanging up the phone, the professor glanced back at everyone and said in a deep voice:

"Get ready, the operation is about to begin."

The people who had been waiting in the car perked up, and their previously lazy expressions became more relaxed.

finally coming?

The commercial street was still brightly lit and bustling with activity even as midnight approached.

The sounds of horns and the laughter of pedestrians blend together to create a noisy urban nocturne.

Faintly, an advertising slogan from the LED screen drifted into the car:
"Violet, I've encountered your fatal allure..."

Amidst the noisy background sounds, Old Chen, who had been listening intently, suddenly sat up straight.

His expression changed slightly, his eyes fixed on the alleyway entrance, and he said in a low voice:
"coming!"

Just seconds after he finished speaking, a black Range Rover emerged from the shadows of the street corner like a ghost in the night.

Without making a screeching sound, it simply stopped precisely in front of the van using steady inertia.

Bang.

The car door opens.

Feet clad in dark sneakers, stepping on the ground.

Immediately afterwards, a figure wearing a black hooded sweatshirt came down.

The van immediately drew the attention of all five pairs of eyes.

Eagle Eyes narrowed his eyes, his pupils slightly contracting, trying to discern the other person's background.

Fat Tiger pressed his face against the car window, muttering something under his breath:
"He doesn't look that strong, but he looks like a fresh-faced young graduate..."

Old Chen, sitting next to him, twitched his ears a few times and exclaimed in a low voice:

"Such a strong heartbeat...like a drumbeat, and extremely steady."

A few meters away.

The man pulled up his hood, put his hands in his pockets, and walked slowly toward the van.

He walked very slowly, as if he were just an ordinary passerby who happened to be passing by, and even the sound of his footsteps was drowned out by the surrounding noise.

But the moment Fat Tiger saw the man's face through the car window tint, his throat felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, and all his words were forced back down.

Not only him, but everyone else in the carriage felt an indescribable heat and unease.

It was a shiver that stemmed from a biological instinct.

It was as if the creature approaching them was not a person, but an ancient ferocious beast, its vitality at its peak, patrolling its territory.

That seemingly ordinary body clearly contained some kind of terrifying energy that could erupt at any moment.

It's like a sun rising slowly in the night.

Even through the car window, you could feel the suffocating heat radiation.

Even the temperature of the surrounding air suddenly rose at that moment.

The man walked to the car, stopped, and slightly raised his head.

Beneath the hood, a pair of deep, calm, yet exceptionally bright eyes were revealed.

He simply stood there quietly, without making any unnecessary movements, yet he exuded an air of impeccable perfection.

Just by looking at his posture, you can tell he's a top expert.

When his gaze casually swept across the car window, it gave the five people inside a single, unsettling feeling.

He felt completely exposed and had no secrets left to him.

Fat Tiger's palms instantly broke out in a layer of cold sweat.

He'd been in the underworld for so many years and had seen his share of ruthless people.

But I've never seen anything like this before... just by standing there, you can't even muster the thought of resisting.

The car door was pulled open with a "whoosh".

The professor jumped out of the car first, quickly went to greet him, and acted as respectfully as an old butler:
"President, you've arrived."

Then, he turned and waved to the few people still standing there in the car, who were in a daze.

"Get down, everyone."

Five new members filed out.

The arrogance and skepticism I felt in the car just now have quietly dissipated, replaced by restraint and surprise.

"President, these are the five newcomers I mentioned to you before."

The professor pointed to the most muscular man with the buzz cut and introduced him:

"He is Gian, a body enhancer. Due to some special reasons, his strength has been greatly improved not long ago, reaching the A-level level."

"He is very strong and has thick skin. He once killed an adult black bear with his bare hands. He is good at frontal assaults."

Fang Cheng's gaze fell on Fatty Tiger.

Fat Tiger felt as if he had been swept by two searchlights. He instinctively straightened his back, not even daring to breathe loudly, and obediently lowered his head and barked:
"Hello, President."

The professor then pointed to the young man wearing a baseball cap:
"This is Fei Ying, a speed enhancer, with a strength rating of B+."

"He is very agile, skilled in surprise attacks and infiltration, has excellent knife skills, and is very experienced in combat."

The young man who had been playing with the butterfly knife had already put it away, taken off his hat, and bowed slightly to Fang Cheng in respect.

The professor then introduced several other new members:

"This is Old Chen, who has awakened super hearing. His ears are more sensitive than the most sophisticated radar, and his detection range can cover a kilometer. He is an intelligence talent we desperately need."

"This is Xiaoya, the child of my old friend. She has awakened the ability to manipulate telekinesis. Although she is young, she has an extremely high talent for mental power and deserves our organization's special attention and training."

Old Chen rubbed his hands together and smiled somewhat awkwardly.

Xiaoya, carrying her backpack, shyly hid behind the professor, peeking out to peek at the young "brother".

Finally, the professor pointed to the silent man carrying the black violin case:
"This is Hawkeye, a dual-elemental enhancer of both body and mind. His strength is rated B+, and he has great potential."

"He used to be a professional shooting athlete with eyesight far exceeding that of ordinary people. His marksmanship was not only perfect, but he could even control the trajectory of bullets to achieve a hit even when they were turning."

Upon hearing the professor's introduction, Hawkeye did not bow his head like the others, but instead straightened his chest and looked directly at Fang Cheng.

But the initial doubt that lingered deep in his eyes has now been replaced by intense apprehension.

Fang Cheng nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the five people one by one.

These new members are indeed promising talents.

Although there is still some roguishness and nonchalance in his eyes, with a little polishing, he will become the sharpest fangs of the Illuminati.

The reason he had the professor bring over the newcomers who had just arrived in Dongdu was not only because he genuinely needed manpower, but more importantly, to establish his authority.

For these extraordinary individuals who live on the edge, simply bribing them with money can only earn them superficial loyalty.

Only by demonstrating overwhelming strength and methods can we truly win their hearts and ensure they will never dare to compromise when carrying out orders in the future. (End of Chapter)