Chapter 45: Double Level-Three Soldier
Chen Ning hurriedly left the Liew Trading Company, flagged down a taxi, and returned straight to the Bai estate.
He and Su Luo, along with the Luo brothers, were staying in the Bai family’s guest courtyard—four rooms in all, each with its own space, so they wouldn’t disturb their hosts.
By the time Chen Ning arrived, Su Luo and the twins were already back. The three had toured the night market, eaten their fill of street food, and bought a few rare city trinkets before returning.
Su Luo looked up in surprise when she saw Chen Ning come back, his clothes still damp.
“Chen Ning, where on earth did you go? What happened to you?”
The twins chuckled.
“Don’t tell us you actually went drinking at a brothel, skipped out on the bill, and got tossed into a lake?”
“Boring,” Chen Ning muttered, too lazy to argue. He strode past them into his room.
The quarters had a private bath and hot water. After showering and changing into clean clothes, he sat cross-legged on his bed.
Tonight’s harvest had been immense—he had absorbed plenty of beast blood with the Devouring Art and his relentless training in the Mighty Tigers Art back in camp
Because of all that, the martial energy water in his spiritual lake was now full, especially after absorbing so much blood tonight. It should be enough for him to try breaking through and lighting up the third node of his black-and-white martial veins.
As he sank into meditation, Chen Ning saw that his vast spiritual lake was indeed full.
But this time is not filled with clear energy water, but crimson liquid mixed with blood.
To be honest, it kinda looks terrifying, especially that floating above the surface was a ghastly zombie head: the Crimson Tyrant, sealed now within Chen Ning’s spiritual world, a weapon he could even wield.
“This entire lake of blood… can it really help me ignite the third node?”
Just as doubt stirred in his heart, the Tyrant’s rasping voice echoed through his mind.
“Kic, if you’re worried about failing and wasting all this power, why don’t we cooperate? I can help guarantee success—but in return, I’ll take just a sip of this blood essence. I’m still badly wounded from my battle with your empire’s warriors.”
Chen Ning frowned. “Just a sip? Are you sure? Is this really just a cooperation?”
“Of course. The Crimson Tyrant never lies.”
“Bullshit. That sentence is a lie.”
“Ah—for real, no tricks this time! I promise you’ll succeed.”
“…Fine. I’ll trust you once more. But if you dare play games, I’ll erase you from my spirit entirely.”
They struck their pact, and Chen Ning began channeling energy as instructed by the Tyrant—preparing to ignite the third node.
“Crimson Tyrant—Spin!”
At his command, the grotesque head above the lake began shining madly, howling like a banshee.
The once-calm surface quivered; a scarlet dot appeared, slowly getting bigger, then widened into a vortex that roared higher and higher until the entire lake surged upward like a dragon taking flight.
The blood water spined around the spinning head, then split into two blazing streams, streaking toward the black-and-white veins.
The blood water started flowing crimson, racing upward through the two veins. The first and second nodes lit effortlessly—but the third remained stubbornly sealed.
The blood-energy surged continuously from the lake, fiercely battering the third node of the black-and-white veins, trying to break through it and light it up.
Chen Ning’s face had gone completely pale, cold sweat dripping nonstop from his forehead. His clothes were soaked through. Every time he lit up a new node, he had to endure tremendous pain, and the higher the node, the worse that agony became.
Then, in the instant before the lake drained dry—
Boom!
The twin veins shuddered, and the third nodes finally lit up.
Chen Ning felt his body undergo an instant transformation. His already powerful physique seemed to surge to an entirely new level — the increase in strength was explosive.
He was overjoyed; he had successfully lit up the third node of both veins, advancing to the strength of a Double Level-Three Soldier.
But how strong was that, exactly? Compared to a normal person with one Martial Vein?
At first, Chen Ning had no idea how to measure his strength, but through past sparring, he’d found that as a double level-two, his strength rivaled two ordinary Level-Two Soldiers working perfectly cooperated.
Now, as a Double Level-Three, he estimated he could fight evenly with a Level-Four War Officer, maybe escape from a Level-Five, but against a Level-Six, his odds would be grim.
As Chen Ning quietly marveled at his breakthrough, the Crimson Tyrant had drank its share of blood energy.
Its eyes, once dull, now glimmered faintly with a murderous crimson light.
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In the office of the Liew Trading Company, Liu Ruyan was using a secret channel to quickly obtain Chen Ning’s information.
The Liew family’s business was one of the largest in Vermilion Phoenix City, and naturally had close ties with the Empire’s military.
Since she already had a photo of Chen Ning, looking up his background was, of course, an easy task—especially since Chen Ning was merely a common soldier of the Phoenix Legion.
If he’d been an officer, she might not have managed it so easily.
Liu Ruyan had changed into a white dress and a pair of crystal high heels, giving her an air of elegance mixed with allure. She had already finished reading Chen Ning’s file — though there wasn’t much in it to begin with.
It only stated that Chen Ning came from a poor background, entered the Phoenix Legion’s Azurebird Training Camp four months ago, performed exceptionally well during training, and was now considered a reserve officer, currently undergoing elite training.
“So just a rookie from the Phoenix Legion,” she sneered. “Yet he dares make trouble in my territory and cost me hundreds of gold coins. Whether he’s a spy hired by the competitors or just a fool, he’ll pay double for what he did tonight—or I’ll make him regret being born.”
She flung the file onto her desk.
An old man in black standing nearby asked quietly, “Miss Liew, shall I find the boy and demand repayment? If he refuses, I can kill him.”
Liew Ruyan shook her head. “He’s still a reserve officer of the Phoenix Legion. We can’t risk crossing the Legion too openly.
Besides, he’s staying at the Bai residence—clearly close to Bai Yuhao. And Yuhao’s father, Bai ChongShan, commands the Army Breaker Legion here in Vermilion Phoenix City. We have to give their family a little face.”
The old man frowned. “Then what should we do?”
“Send people to follow him. Once he leaves the Bai estate, I’ll meet him myself—civil first, force later. If he agrees to pay, fine; business thrives on harmony. But if he refuses…” Her eyes glinted. “Then we’ll use harsher means. We’ll have the law and reason on our side—even Bai Yuhao will have nothing to say.”
“Yes, Miss Liew.”
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The next morning, Bai Yuhao finally had time to visit Chen Ning and the others, apologizing for not joining them the night before.
Su Luo giggled. “No need for apologies. We’ve still got one more day—why don’t you take us somewhere fun?”
Bai Yuhao laughed. “Simple enough! I’ll take you to the most famous, most thrilling spot in all of Vermilion Phoenix City—the Colosseum.”
The arena resembled the ancient Roman Colosseum, but instead of lions or tigers, the real spectacle was when gladiators fought Level-Five Hellhound zombies.
Chen Ning and the others found the idea insane. These nobles must have been bored to death if zombie duels counted as entertainment.
Still, since Yuhao insisted it was the liveliest place in town, they followed him to the TianHe Colosseum.
But as they approached the ticket gates, Chen Ning suddenly froze—his gaze landing on a stunning woman advancing toward them, every step graceful, every curve dangerous.
It was Liew Ruyan.
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