Gao Wu: From a poor man in the outer city to a martial saint of the ten directions

One hour later.

The temporary headquarters of the restricted area command is located on the outskirts of Xishan Town.

Dozens of fully armed soldiers were gathered solemnly in the open space, the atmosphere so oppressive it seemed like water could be squeezed out of them.

"Reporting to the commander! The fifth squad of the third platoon of the second company has been out of contact for forty minutes!"

"Last signal disappeared in the southwest of Zone C. Calls went unanswered. Suspected... murder!"

A messenger knelt on one knee, his voice trembling slightly.

The middle-aged man, referred to as the group leader, stood in front of the sand table. He was in his thirties, with a square face that looked as if it had been carved by a knife and axe, and his brows were etched with worry and grimness.

Upon hearing this, his eyes were fixed on area C on the sand table, and he put down the walkie-talkie he had been holding.

"Pass on my orders!"

The middle-aged regimental commander slowly raised his head, his voice resonating like a booming bell in the open space, invigorating everyone present.

"From this moment forward, cancel the segmented search! All teams, immediately converge and assemble at the outskirts of Area C. Everyone, follow me into Area C!"

"Commander, the fog in Zone C is too thick, what if..." A lieutenant next to him looked worried.

"Ordinary low-level alien beasts could never silently and instantly kill a six-person team led by a formal martial artist within forty minutes!"

The middle-aged regimental commander ripped open his top button, his eyes revealing a resolute ruthlessness.

"Furthermore, Sector C is so close to the outer defense line. If there are monsters lurking there capable of devouring entire squads, the defense line is a joke!"

"This time, we must find out exactly what's going on here! Everyone, move out!"

……

At the same time, on the outskirts of Linghai City.

A taxi slowly came to a stop beside a slightly old street.

"Master, stop here."

Wei Xiu paid the fare and got out of the car.

After the taxi drove away, Wei Xiu took out a mask and sunglasses from his pocket and put them on. He pulled down the hood of his large black hoodie, instantly covering his face and figure completely.

Following Sun Na's directions, he stepped into the alleyway called Xiushui Street.

On the surface, this is just an ordinary commercial street in the old town.

The shops lining both sides of the street sell hardware, daily necessities, and old-fashioned hairdressing services.

Several middle-aged women were sitting at the doorway picking vegetables and chatting, and everything seemed normal.

But Wei Xiu knew that beneath this unremarkable exterior, undercurrents were already surging.

Ignoring the stares around him, Wei Xiu walked into the street and into an old hotel called Antai Inn.

There was a snoring, overweight hotel owner lying at the front desk. Wei Xiu ignored him and walked straight to room 305 at the end of the corridor, gently knocking on the door.

After three long and two short knocks, the door opened a crack.

A calloused hand reached out and, after confirming the certificate between Wei Xiu's fingers, the door opened completely.

The room was filled with smoke, and a scarred man wearing a floral shirt and a thick gold chain around his neck lay on the sofa.

He sized Wei Xiu up and down, his eyes revealing shrewdness and ruthlessness.

This person is a human smuggler on this street, a middleman who specializes in finding people for various black market industries.

"A new face," Scarface said, exhaling a smoke ring in a rough voice.

"Are you here seeking wealth or thrills?"

"Drug testing." Wei Xiu said in a low voice, stating his goal directly.

Scarface raised an eyebrow, his smile deepening, and flicked off his cigarette ash.

"You've come at just the right time. We're about to prescribe a new batch of medicine, and with you, we have a full table of people."

"How much?" Wei Xiu asked bluntly.

Scarface extended a finger and waved it in the air.

"We pulled through, the 300,000 will be settled on the spot. If we hadn't..."

"As long as the person has a breath left, there will be a settlement allowance of 500,000 yuan, including medical treatment."

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Wei Xiu's eyes behind his sunglasses.

An Lei's official price is 700,000 yuan if he survives, and an additional 300,000 yuan if something goes wrong.

That scarred man takes a cut every time he flips his knife; he's even more ruthless than a vampire!

However, Wei Xiu's expression remained unchanged; he simply nodded blankly.

"Lead the way."

Seeing that Wei Xiu had no objections, Scarface readily stubbed out his cigarette and stood up.

"Stay close, don't look around!"

He led Wei Xiu out of the room, through a dark corridor, and finally to a hidden storage room, where he pulled open a heavy iron plate.

A deep underground passage was revealed, and a damp, cold wind rushed towards us.

Wei Xiu followed the scarred man downhill for about five or six minutes until the view suddenly opened up before him.

This is an extremely spacious underground space, about half the size of a football field, with the faded inscription of the Third Vault, built a century ago, still remaining on the surrounding walls.

One can still vaguely see the haste and panic that people felt when they fled from disaster.

In the center of the space were several cold metal operating tables, and in the corners were boxes of medicines and medical equipment.

Several medical staff wearing white coats and masks were talking in hushed tones, but it didn't look like a hospital at all; instead, it felt more like a slaughterhouse.

Wei Xiu had barely settled in the corner when a dozen or so burly men entered through the passage on the other side.

These people were mostly around forty years old, with large frames, cloudy and fierce eyes, clearly mercenaries or outlaws who had spent years on the edge of a knife.

Moreover, these people were all shirtless and backless, making no attempt to conceal their faces.

Instead, after looking around the empty basement, he burst into a shrill, loud laugh.

"What? Is this batch of drugs so potent that you need to bring in a student to make up the numbers?"

A bearded man was the first to notice Wei Xiu in the corner; the wide legs of his school uniform trousers and the black hood made him immediately recognize him.

The man grinned, revealing his yellow teeth, and approached, letting out a sneer.

"Kid, which high school are you from? Take my advice, go home and suckle!"

"This isn't a place for you to risk your life; coming here is suicide!"

Several people nearby joined in the commotion, their unrestrained laughter echoing through the empty underground space.

Wei Xiu stood there like a statue, his eyes half-closed through his sunglasses, ignoring the provocations and not even moving a finger.

It's pointless to waste your breath on a bunch of dying people or the lowest of the low.

Scarface didn't care at all. Once everyone was present, he clapped his hands to signal for quiet.

Then, a rugged-looking force gauge with two metal handles was pushed to the center of the field.

"Alright, enough talk! Since we're all here to risk our lives, we need to follow the rules!"

Scarface kicked the force gauge, his eyes turning sinister.

"Drug testing is extremely taxing on the body; anyone without a solid foundation of internal energy will be unable to stand up. Now, all of you, come and get tested!"

"If your Yuan Power isn't even four hundred, you might as well get lost!"

The bearded man snorted coldly and swaggered forward first, gripping the metal handle and exerting force.

"Buzz!"

The red light on the screen flashed wildly, and the number finally settled at 482.