Volume One, Chapter 80: Invasion of Foreign Enemies (Triple Chapter)

After being exposed, Lin Ning showed no hesitation and immediately picked a dish to eat. Although Jiang Chen had ordered quite a few dishes, there were hardly any he actually liked, and ordering food wasn’t his real purpose—it was just a way to get closer to Lin Ning.

Before coming, he had already learned about Lin Ning and Lin Mo’s relationship: they were siblings, but Lin Mo was extremely rebellious and often skipped school. This meant Lin Ning had to constantly look after him at school, and the money for their schooling came from Lin Ning’s part-time jobs.

In other words, Lin Ning would still have to go home and cook for Lin Mo later.

“Eat more, look at you—so thin you’re practically skin and bones.” Jiang Chen pushed several boxes of dishes closer to her.

However, Lin Ning was unmoved and kept eating only from the plate in front of her.

Jiang Chen sighed. “Don’t eat what I’ve already tasted. Take the rest home with you. Isn’t your brother still growing? Bring it back for him.”

Lin Ning paused her chopsticks. “What do you mean by that?”

Jiang Chen replied, “What do you mean, 'what do I mean'? What did I do?”

Lin Ning put down her chopsticks, full of doubt. “I… Even though I’m already an adult, you can’t have any improper intentions toward me. I’m not planning to date anyone right now.”

Jiang Chen raised five fingers. “Stop. Hold it right there. I like girls with a fuller figure, which you clearly aren’t. Besides, I’m not that kind of person—you’re overthinking it. I just can’t finish the food, that’s all.”

Hearing this, Lin Ning finally relaxed. After a brief silence, she asked, “Can I really take all this home?”

Jiang Chen nodded. “Of course. Take whatever you like, or leave it—it’s up to you. I have to get back to class.”

Now that he’d met Lin Ning, it was time for Jiang Chen to approach Lin Mo. Both siblings were intelligent, but a Chosen One was on another level—peerless intelligence was something entirely different.

Jiang Chen had never experienced youthful campus life. His memories were of missions on the border, working in foreign lands. School life felt leisurely to him; aside from studying, everything else was quite good.

When the bell rang for the last class, Lin Mo grabbed his bag and dashed out. Jiang Chen quietly tailed him. Lin Mo stopped at a cake shop, lingered for a long time, then fished some money out of his pocket. After counting it, he didn’t go in.

Jiang Chen watched in silence for a moment before stepping into the cake shop.

Back home, Lin Mo eyed the boxes of food on the table with suspicion. “Why did you buy so much?”

Lin Ning smiled as she filled his bowl. “You’re growing, right? So I bought a bit more. Eat up before it gets cold.”

Lin Mo shook his head. “I’m not eating. I’m not hungry.”

With that, he went straight to his room and slammed the door.

“Lin Mo, come eat. Don’t waste food!” Lin Ning was angry but helpless. This wasn’t the first time Lin Mo acted like this, and he never listened when she tried to talk to him.

Lin Ning crouched by the door, quietly wiping away tears.

Jiang Chen stood not far away, puzzled by Lin Mo’s attitude. His sister was clearly good to him.

Jiang Chen wasn’t an only child; he had a younger sister, too. Having a sibling close in age was both a joy and hard to describe. They could share much, but as the older one, there were times he had to be the more understanding. Lin Ning was the same. She wasn’t much older than her brother, yet she looked after him in every way.

Jiang Chen left Lin Ning’s home and returned to his own rented place.

There was no need to rush things. Though he’d gotten close, Lin Mo hadn’t warmed up to him yet. Fortunately, he’d already gained Lin Ning’s trust, which was something.

Since he’d left home, Jiang Chen had handed all his affairs over to Li Jing Beast to handle; now, he was in full mission mode, even blocking out some outside information.

In fact, he’d noticed since his arrival that people from Institute 509 were secretly protecting Lin Ning and Lin Mo. But the ones assigned weren’t strong, suggesting the higher-ups hadn’t realized that top-tier threats might target them.

Now, it felt like the calm before a storm. As long as news hadn’t spread to other countries, Lin Mo was safe. But once it did, his peaceful life would be shattered.

At that point, joining the nation was his only option.

But based on the current situation, Lin Mo didn’t seem inclined toward that, which vexed Jiang Chen. He wanted to intercept him first.

Ultimately, though, Lin Mo needed to be recruited to Institute 509. That way, he’d have shelter and safety. If Jiang Chen had to take him elsewhere, that would mean making Lin Mo go overseas—a last resort, and not what he wanted. He needed Lin Mo as his key piece.

The next morning, Jiang Chen waited two bus stops from Lin Ning’s home.

Once on the bus, he saw Lin Mo and Lin Ning already there, sitting apart.

Jiang Chen didn’t hesitate—he sat right next to Lin Ning.

He casually handed her a sandwich. “Here, for you. Eat.”

Lin Ning flushed bright red. “No… thank you… I’ve already eaten.”

From behind, Lin Mo said coldly, “What did you eat? You left the house without breakfast.”

Oh? Such unexpected support?

“Go ahead, your brother says you didn’t eat.” Jiang Chen played along.

“Alright…” Lin Ning took small bites, nibbling shyly.

After a while, Jiang Chen handed another sandwich to Lin Mo behind him. “You too. Don’t waste it. Otherwise, I’ll have to beat you.”

Lin Mo froze, unsure whether to be angry or what—his composure was unnervingly steady.

“Th… thank you,” Lin Mo said cautiously.

“You’re welcome. Take your time. There’s only so much,” Jiang Chen replied, gazing ahead as the siblings sat dazed.

Jiang Chen had expected Lin Mo to lash out when he threatened to beat him, but it seemed his rebelliousness wasn’t as legendary as rumored.

Lin Mo shot his sister a look, as if to say: “He just transferred. You’re already close? Are you two hiding something from me?”

But Lin Ning just shook her head. Apart from yesterday’s meal, she and Jiang Chen had no other contact. After all, it had only been a day; even if there were feelings, how deep could they be? At most, she was grateful.

After getting off the bus, Jiang Chen returned to his seat, pulled out an English book, and started memorizing vocabulary.

The morning passed quickly. During that time, Lin Ning and Lin Mo kept observing Jiang Chen, but he spent the entire morning either studying or quietly snacking—nothing out of the ordinary.

At lunch, Lin Mo approached Jiang Chen’s desk. “Let’s eat together.”

It was a statement, not a request. This was exactly what Jiang Chen had hoped for—he’d been worried about not being able to get close to the siblings, who remained wary of him, especially after his overly enthusiastic behavior yesterday. But giving them breakfast on the bus seemed to have broken down that barrier. Now, Lin Mo probably wanted to make friends.

“Sure, I’m hungry too.” Jiang Chen grabbed his uniform and stood up. The girls nearby, seeing Jiang Chen’s casual move, immediately started whispering.

“Jiang Chen is so handsome—he’s just like the guy of my dreams.”

“I saw him driving his own car yesterday. Isn’t that what they call tall, rich, and handsome?”

“The other classes don’t know yet. If they did, girls would be crowding the doorway to see him.”

Qingcheng High School was exceptionally luxurious. Its architecture followed Western collegiate style, earning it the nickname “Qingcheng Magic Castle.” The student body was a mix of rich and poor, but everyone was low-key, distinguishing themselves only with their shoes or undershirts. Most of the time, they all wore uniforms, which preserved the dignity of less privileged students.

Lin Mo carried two bowls of rice and two plates of food, handing one set to Jiang Chen, who accepted it in silence.

The cafeteria food was fragrant and tasted good to him.

Jiang Chen glanced at Lin Mo and asked quietly, “You seem to have issues with your sister?”

Lin Mo nodded, then shook his head. “I don’t have any issues with her. It’s her who has an issue with me.”

Jiang Chen was confused—Lin Mo seemed like the rebellious one, but now he was the complainant?

“Could you tell me? Of course, if you’d rather not, that’s fine. Pretend I didn’t ask.”

Lin Mo gave a bitter smile. “It’s nothing. I can say—other students know, too. It’s not a secret.”

Jiang Chen bought two drinks, forgetting his food as he listened.

Lin Mo pointed to his head. “I’ve had a brain condition since childhood. I can only learn simple things. If I go too deep into a subject, I get headaches, nosebleeds, then faint. That’s why my sister never lets me overthink.”

Jiang Chen had already read Lin Mo’s file—his grades were excellent.

“Then why, if you can’t think deeply, are your grades so good? Is there another reason?” Jiang Chen asked, pretending ignorance. He knew Lin Mo was a Chosen One, but hearing the truth from Lin Mo himself was more valuable.

“Because the questions are all too easy for me. High school material, even college-level, is nothing—I only need a glance to grasp the principles.”

As Lin Mo finished, Jiang Chen’s mind reeled in envy.

That brain couldn’t be his, could it?

He recalled his own struggles with English—endlessly repeating “abandon” from the moment he picked up a dictionary. Now, his English was solid and he could communicate well. Yet, English and physics were always hurdles in his youth.

Luckily, he was a soldier—he didn’t need to study much, just learn assassination skills. If it came to it, he could always hire a translator.

“With your intelligence, why not work as a tutor? Or do something else?” Jiang Chen asked.

Lin Mo shook his head with a wry smile. “I’ve tried. But even as a tutor, once I finished the basic subjects with the student, she’d ask about the next ones. I always wanted to stop but just couldn’t help thinking more deeply. Then I’d faint. So, no one dares hire me as a tutor.”

Jiang Chen wanted to connect all this to mental overexertion, but as a Chosen One, Lin Mo wasn’t an ordinary person. Hard to say if overuse was really the cause.

This needed to be solved. Otherwise, once Lin Mo joined Institute 509 or worked for Jiang Chen, not being able to think deeply would be a huge handicap.

Suddenly, an idea came to Jiang Chen, but before he could speak, Lin Mo continued, “I have a question for you—can you answer honestly?”

Jiang Chen nodded. “Go ahead. Tell me what it is first, and I’ll decide.”

Lin Mo leaned in and whispered, “Do you have feelings for my sister? Otherwise, you wouldn’t…”

Interested in me? I’m a straight man!

Jiang Chen’s face darkened. “I might be a bit of a flirt, but I’m not that indiscriminate. I just think you two could be friends, that’s all. Don’t overthink it.”

As for the future, who knew? It would depend on how things developed. He couldn’t promise anything now.

Jiang Chen felt his image was falling apart—all of a sudden, he’d become something he never thought he was. He wasn’t the type to fall for everyone, but sometimes he just couldn’t help himself.

Little brother, could you be a bit more reserved? You’re making it hard for your big brother to save face, Jiang Chen thought, lowering his gaze.

After chatting a while, they returned to class. That afternoon, as Jiang Chen pondered how to cure Lin Mo’s ailment, he realized the problem was tricky. Not being able to think deeply severely limited Lin Mo’s abilities as a Chosen One. No wonder he’d remained hidden all these years—his own condition had kept him under the radar.

The lessons fascinated Jiang Chen. He’d never attended high school before; most students in the senior class were equally absorbed, though their minds wandered.

“This won’t do. I have to go out for a bit,” Jiang Chen muttered. The literature teacher’s voice was pleasant, but he couldn’t listen forever.

“Teacher, can I use the restroom?” Jiang Chen raised his hand.

The teacher glanced his way, then nodded. “Be quick.”

Jiang Chen slipped out, found a secluded corner, and lit a cigarette. “Chosen Ones, honestly, why can’t all the good things fall to me and save me from all this trouble?”

“Hey, student, why are you smoking here?” A woman’s voice came from nearby—a teacher, around thirty, glasses perched on her nose, her mature beauty obvious.

Jiang Chen replied coolly, “I wanted to, so I did.”

The teacher tilted her head, adjusting her glasses. “So, you’re not even sorry for being caught? Who’s your homeroom teacher? I’ll go find him right now.”

Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. “I can’t say. But if you want to punish me, go ahead. I’ll accept it.”

The teacher, Chu Xia, saw his admission and didn’t press further. She believed that recognizing one’s mistakes was the mark of a good student.

“Where are your family? Don’t they care that you smoke?” Chu Xia asked, gazing at the handsome, spirited high school boy.

Jiang Chen scratched his head. “I’m on my own. No family.”

Wife didn’t count, at least not now—he could be flexible about family when it came to girls.

Chu Xia felt a surge of sympathy. She’d been a teacher for years, but her heart remained pure, always wanting to help lost students find their way, never letting them fall into delinquency.

“So you went astray because of that?” she pressed.

Jiang Chen scratched his head. “It’s just a cigarette, not really a bad thing. I haven’t done anything wrong, right?”

Chu Xia rapped him on the head. “Don’t argue. Come to my office at noon tomorrow. If you don’t, I’ll tell your homeroom teacher about your smoking.”

Jiang Chen didn’t want his identity exposed, so he could only nod.

After a while, he was released—but didn’t go back to class. Instead, he left the school.

At the main gate, Jiang Chen stubbed out his cigarette. “Come on out. However many of you there are, show yourselves—I’d rather not have to hunt you down.”

Soon, rustling came from a corner. Five nearly two-meter-tall foreigners appeared, short clubs in hand.

There weren’t many of them, but the force of their presence made it clear: these men had slipped in through some gap in security. The truly powerful ones must have been intercepted outside.

“Which country are you assassins from?” Jiang Chen exhaled softly.

“Devil.”

Devil? Interesting.

Jiang Chen stared at their leader. “Devil? Not bad. But you only sent a handful. Is it because your best can’t get past the border?”

“Step aside. We never kill innocents. Move, and you’ll live,” one of them, whose English was good, said.

Jiang Chen’s lips curled. “Fine, enough talk. Come at me.”

The five assassins attacked in unison. They were all at the Vajra level, but to Jiang Chen, dispatching them was no more trouble than killing chickens.

As blood mist exploded, the five assassins were shredded before they could even react.

Jiang Chen nonchalantly snapped his fingers. The pools of blood on the ground vanished, as if wiped away by an invisible hand, leaving no trace at the school gate.

“So, someone’s already set their sights here. I’ll have to speed things up,” he murmured.

Though only two days had passed, there was no time to lose. Where there were assassins, more would follow. The border wouldn’t fall, nor would any real experts get through. But these small fry were a nuisance.

...

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Qingcheng, Li Changsheng stood, sword in hand, surrounded by blood and broken bodies.

“Li Changsheng, we’re claiming that person. You’re alone, while there are three of us at your level. If we fight together, do you not fear Qingcheng’s destruction?” The floating man wore a white mask; six wings sprouted from his back.

“Six-Winged Angel Semyir, why not stay in your own country? Bringing a bunch of trash here—are you all hoping to die by my blade?” Li Changsheng flicked his sword, sending a wave of sword energy streaking toward Semyir.

Semyir casually blocked it and the energy faded.

“I’ll give you two days. If you don’t hand the person over, I won’t mind burying the whole of Qingcheng with you. After all, you don’t care about ordinary lives—just as I don’t care about ants,” Semyir sneered, her once beautiful face now twisted with contempt.

Li Changsheng sheathed his sword across his back. “First, I will never trade the lives of our people. Second, you have no right to negotiate with me on Daxia’s land—you are unworthy. And finally, if you think you can defeat me, try and see how much of your strength is left on Daxia soil.”

His unstoppable presence surged. Li Changsheng’s entire demeanor changed.

Semyir was unfazed and replied indifferently, “I admit, I can’t use my full strength here. But you should know, many covet that child—not just our nation. Aren’t you afraid of us uniting to destroy you? Daxia doesn’t have many top combatants to spare.”

Many countries knew of Daxia’s current predicament. Li Changsheng was well aware of the situation, but when it came to choices that could alter the fate of the nation, he would never retreat, even at the cost of his own life. That was his duty as a Daxia man.

“No more talk. You set the time and place, and I’ll be there. If I can’t kill you, so be it. Just don’t back out when the time comes!” Li Changsheng stood firm.

Behind him lay Qingcheng, and countless families depended on him. He would not regret, nor retreat, a single step.

He paid no mind to these insignificant pests sneaking across the border.

With my sword, there is peace under heaven.

...