It was already below minus ten degrees Celsius in 318 City at the end of December. Snow fell heavily in the city of millions, blanketing it in white, appearing like a scene adorned with silver from afar.
The city was bustling with activity.
Most of the inhabitants of 318 City were martial artists. The majority of ordinary people ran shops, handling logistics and food supplies for the Zhenxi Army.
Many martial artists were involved in trade and speculation, making hotels, restaurants, and other entertainment and business establishments the largest sectors in 318 City.
Even a small, open restaurant would be filled with martial artists.
Consequently, there were more foreign martial artists than Dragon Country martial artists in 318 City.
In the heavy snowfall, enjoying hot pot and a few drinks was exceptionally fitting and comforting.
The previously noisy and crowded hot pot restaurant suddenly fell silent.
"!!!"
"Ah!"
The foreign martial artists who had just spoken disrespectfully to the Zhenxi Army were impaled through the body by a wooden chopstick and pinned to the ground. Moments later, they let out screams of immense pain.
The entire hot pot restaurant was silent, save for the bubbling of the hot pot.
No one spoke.
Whether it was the shop owner, the waiters, the Dragon Country martial artists, ordinary people, or the foreign martial artists, everyone fell silent.
Then, they all looked towards the young man who had used the chopstick to injure someone.
In 318 City, it was common for foreign martial artists to cause trouble after drinking. However, with Prince Gong in a coma, these foreign martial artists, relying on their numbers, had gradually become more arrogant over the years.
Therefore, when they mocked the Zhenxi Army after drinking, even the Dragon Country martial artists dared not retaliate. Once they did, the nature of the incident would escalate beyond drunken ramblings.
There had been instances before where people acted impulsively, but the foreign martial artists banded together and, under the guise of "self-defense," beat people to death. Afterward, they would use the excuse of excessive self-defense to justify their actions. However, once imprisoned, they would be extradited to their home countries to serve their sentences. Soon after, they would post bail in their own countries and reappear in 318 City, leading to a situation where no one dared to act anymore.
Prince Gong had been in a coma for twenty years, and the Zhenxi Army, with only thirty thousand soldiers, could barely maintain general order in 318 City. If the constables of the Six Doors intervened in such matters, it would immediately escalate into a diplomatic issue, making things even more troublesome.
The young man was dressed in luxurious attire, with a handsome appearance and a slender build. His eyes were like stars, bright and profound. He sat at a table, his expression indifferent, and spoke in a cold voice:
"What did you just say? I don't think I heard clearly. Could you repeat it?"
"Swish!"
Immediately, dozens of foreign martial artists stood up and surrounded Chen Jiuyang.
The other Dragon Country people had various expressions. Some were secretly making phone calls, notifying the constables of the Six Doors and the soldiers of the Zhenxi Army.
The dozens of foreign martial artists surrounding Chen Jiuyang, led by one who spoke broken Dragon Country language, said, "Dragon Country people, we say the Zhenxi Army of 318 City are a bunch of useless cowards!"
"Bang—"
"Pfft—"
The leader of the foreign martial artists' heads exploded, and blood gushed from his headless neck. Everyone's expression instantly changed drastically.
Just moments ago, it was merely an injury, but now it was murder!
The situation had changed! The matter had escalated severely!
In their eyes, the young man remained seated, his eyes icy cold, yet he spoke slowly and deliberately: "Those who insult my Dragon Country soldiers."
"Die."
"If you dare to speak ill of my Dragon Country soldiers again, try it?"
His calm tone, laced with overbearing words, caused the expressions of this group of foreign martial artists to change drastically. Then, their expressions twisted into ferocious smiles, revealing sinister grins. "This Dragon Country person injured and killed our people first. We can defend ourselves. Kill this Dragon Country person!"
The other Dragon Country people's eyes seemed to spew fire, their fists clenched, yet they feared repeating past mistakes and implicating more innocent people in this affair.
"Self-defense? Kill me?"
Chen Jiuyang chuckled lightly, a hint of surprise in his eyes, then the corners of his mouth curled into a chilling arc:
"You foreign martial artists are truly too arrogant and reckless in 318 City, courting death."
"You want to kill me? I'll give you a chance. Try to make a move."
"Clang!"
These foreign martial artists immediately drew their cold weapons and then simultaneously slashed towards Chen Jiuyang.
"Clang!"
Then, everyone witnessed a scene that filled them with astonishment.
The blades of these foreign martial artists, at a distance of fifty centimeters from the young man's body, could not advance an inch further in the empty space.
"Qi Barrier?"
"Grandmaster?"
The faces of these foreign martial artists turned pale with shock. They had encountered a tough opponent.
Chen Jiuyang said faintly, "You're mistaken, it's not a Qi Barrier."
"...It's just pure aura."
"Boom!" A trace of bloodlust and killing intent leaked out.
"Plop! Plop!"
Then, a horrifying scene unfolded.
Dozens of these foreign martial artists, one by one, fell to their knees before Chen Jiuyang. All of them had blood flowing from their seven orifices, dying with their eyes wide open, their hands still in the posture of swinging their blades.
Such a bizarre and uncanny scene caused the entire hot pot restaurant to fall into a deathly silence.
Then, the pupils of everyone's eyes contracted sharply. This young man's martial arts strength was extremely high, unfathomably deep.
Although these dozens of foreign martial artists did not have high martial arts cultivation, their ability to die so silently and in such a tragic manner was enough to demonstrate that this young man possessed extraordinary means.
Chen Jiuyang's eyes were cold: "A bunch of pigs and dogs, how dare you insult my Dragon Country soldiers?"
"Your deaths are not to be regretted."
"Good! Well killed!" A Dragon Country martial artist applauded.
"These sons of bitches, these foreign mongrels, should have been killed long ago. Young man, you did a beautiful job!"
"...Beautiful, yes, but young man, you should leave quickly. The martial artists you killed are from one of the largest foreign trade companies in 318 City. If you don't leave soon, when their people arrive, it will be a big problem," said an old man with white hair, his body covered in the aura of military service and scars.
"Old sir, thank you for your kind intentions." The young man remained seated at the table, unmoving, and picked up his wine cup, taking a sip with a relaxed expression:
"Trouble is the one thing I fear the least."
"Alas, you are so young and your martial arts are already so extraordinary. Wouldn't it be better to remain and serve your country?" the old man said with a hint of disappointment, as if he wished the youth had not wasted his potential.
"Yes, little brother, these foreign bastards bullied Prince Gong when he was injured and are very arrogant in 318 City. You've provoked them, and there will be no good outcome. You should find a place to hide quickly."
Someone else immediately spoke up, kindly advising him.
"Da da da!"
Fierce footsteps echoed, and dozens more foreign martial artists rushed to the scene. Seeing the tragic state of the martial artists on the ground, their eyes turned red, and their expressions became ferocious. The foreign martial artist leading them, dressed in a suit, spoke fluent Dragon Country language:
"In 318 City, where can you run to?"
"Young Dragon Country man, even if I gave you a chance to run, you wouldn't be able to escape."
The young man slowly put down his wine cup, his gaze as cold as ice, and said faintly:
"This is 318 City, it is within Dragon Country's territory. Why should I run?"
"Have you eaten too much cow dung, and are you a bit confused about your identity?"
As his words fell, the temperature in the scene abruptly dropped. Both sides revealed cold glints, and killing intent brewed, on the verge of erupting!