Armed soldiers spilled out of the entryway as if floodgates had opened, only to leave the group stunned. They all turned toward Ning Shan in unison, only to see him shrug. Of course, he had no idea why they would seek to arrest him, seeing as this was the first time he ever set foot in this place, yet he also knew he was the most likely culprit. After all, he was the one different from the rest. Still, he remained calm and waited for the opportune moment, knowing it would come sooner or later.

  "Put your hands in the air!" one of them barked.

  The man was dressed in all black while a full-faced helmet covered his head, masking all his features. His voice was a deep baritone, deeply contrasting with his slim frame. Nevertheless, Ning Shan could feel power ooze from the man's body, reminiscent of the giant creature in the ruins that had gifted him an orange crystal.

  One Foundation Building, and the rest in the Qi Refining realm...

  Ning remained calm, knowing he could take them, even with his limited strength. His only worry was the mechanical voice he had heard a few moments prior. The facility itself gave him a strange feeling. He could feel something's gaze on him as if trying to peer through him and uncover all his secrets.

  “Put your fucking hands where I can see them!” the man barked again, prompting Ning Shan to frown slightly.

  He felt the urge to put the man in his place but barely resisted. If not for the countless projectile weapons he could see pointed at him and all the others that remained hidden, Ning Shan would have shown him a piece of his mind. He reluctantly raised his hands as all the others did and simply waited.

  “Identity yourselves!” the man yelled again.

  Slowly, all of Ning Shan's companions spoke their names and their Hunter Accreditation Codes, only for the man to gesture to his subordinates to uncover their faces. As the masks fell, Ning Shan could see their true features for the first time. While the two men were just as he had expected them to be, Sera was another story.

  While her features couldn't be called beautiful by any means, she also wasn't ugly. However, what truly caught Ning Shan's eyes was the pale blue scales that sporadically covered her skin. They rose from beneath her shirt while covering her neck and part of her cheeks, only to end below her hairline, leaving her face bare.

  Her eyes were also bizarre. They were deep red but reptilian in nature. Her hair was deep blue but somehow reflected the light as it was projected onto it. All in all, she seemed like a different breed of human. Despite her striking features, their two companions offered nary a look, almost as if they were used to seeing such things.

  “A mutant, eh?” the man clad in black said as he looked upon Sera, only for her gaze to lower slightly. Ning Shan could also hear the sneer in his voice before he scoffed and turned toward Ning Shan.

  “What about this one?” one of the guards said as he pointed toward Ning Shan. “Unlike the others, he’s got no respirator.”

  The group remained silent, and Ning Shan only watched to see how things would play out. However, his inactive state was soon challenged.

  "Well, well... What do we have here?" the leader said, his voice laced with such disdain that Ning Shan almost thought it could be tangible.

  He slowly walked toward him, the muzzle of his rifle always pointed toward Ning Shan's chest, and his finger was ready to fire. Ning Shan couldn't help but frown as he saw the glint in the man's eyes through the dark visor once he was close enough. He could swear the man was only waiting for an excuse to use his weapon.

  “What do you have to say for yourself?” the man added as he stopped two steps before Ning Shan.

  "No one told me those things were required, and it's not like I need one anyway," Ning replied, his voice calm and steady as if the threat to his life was nonexistent.

  Unfortunately, this only prompted the man into action. He raised the butt of his rifle and struck the side of Ning Shan's head, prompting it to swivel. While he had clearly seen the blow, almost as if it was in slow-motion, and could have easily avoided it, he chose not to. The man obviously enjoyed using his position of power to toy with his prey, something Ning Shan had seen countless times back in his own world. While he could efficiently deal with the man, doing so would only aggravate his current situation. He much preferred to play along and wait for the payback to come.

  A small gasp escaped Sera's mouth as the strike sounded in the room. Judging by the volume, she couldn't help but grimace, imagining the pain he must have felt, yet Ning Shan's expression showed quite the contrary. He tried his best to mask the pity in his eyes, but it still showed through. The man couldn't help but pick up on the signs as he watched Ning Shan swivel his head back after the blow, with no open wound nor blood on his skin. In fact, there seemed to be absolutely no traces of the blow.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Seeing this, the man frowned further and cocked back his arms, readying himself for another blow, only to hear Ning Shan sigh audibly. Rage at being looked down upon sprouted in the man's heart, yet this was his misunderstanding. Ning Shan sighed because he knew he would have to deal with this man, and the aftermath would be a hassle.

  Just as the rifle accelerated toward Ning Shan for a second time, a strong sense of blood-lust sprung forth into the air, taking the man off-guard. Dread sprouted in his heart, prompting his movement to abruptly stop, only for sweat to pour down his back. He looked toward Ning Shan in fright, only to see his calm gaze look back at him as if he only looked at an already dead man. If not for his legs, which had already been paralyzed by fear, the man would have turned around and escaped, leaving all his subordinates behind.

  “Corporal! What’s taking so long?!”

  Another bark was heard near the entrance as a man emerged past the threshold. Unlike the men who surrounded them, this one didn't sport the same protective gear as the others. His face was exposed to the outside air, wearing only a black cap on his head and showing a grey goatee on his face.

  "Captain?" the frightened man said as he turned, surprise filling his eyes as the fear slowly faded.

  At the sight of the new arrival, Ning Shan's killing intent receded, returning to his usual calm as if nothing had happened. He only watched, yet the tension remained. Sera could barely breathe as she glanced in his direction, yet she was glad the situation hadn't devolved further. She had almost expected the man to perish at Ning Shan's hand, damned be the consequences to all of them.

  “Why haven’t you scanned them yet?” the captain said as he looked at his subordinates, a slight hint of anger in his eyes.

  “Captain! These people are obviously suspicious! I was only interrogating them,” the corporal replied, yet it only fuelled the fire in the captain’s eyes.

  "Don't think I don't know what you're doing!" he barked back as the man cowered from his large voice. Yet, Ning Shan could still feel the defiance in the man's body language. He couldn't help but offer a slight smile as he shook his head, only to be picked up by the commanding officer.

  "Is this funny to you?" the captain said, addressing Ning Shan. The captain's gaze was piercing, yet unlike the derision he could feel in the corporal's gaze, Ning Shan only found the hardness of a man of experience. It seemed this man had seen much of the world, which couldn't help but strike Ning Shan's interest.

  "Not at all," Marquez said, trying to smooth the tension in the air. "We've just returned from a long trip on the outside and are still on edge. Forgive us. Speaking of which, Mr. Charles Baxter should have notified you of our arrival. Can I ask what's the reason for detaining us?"

  “The Hero of Londinium?” the captain replied, as he scrutinized the group. “We did receive something like that, but what about it? He may hold a certain prestige among the masses, but this is my checkpoint, and my word here is law. My only concern is the city's safety. The preliminary scan found something foreign about you, which is why you were detained. If you want to enter the city, you must submit yourself to a thorough examination. Whether or not you'll be allowed inside will only be determined afterwards."

  The group turned toward Ning Shan, knowing he was the reason for their predicament, yet he only showed an unconcerned shrug. Sera couldn't help but sigh while the other two frowned deeply. The other man even showed his animosity openly.

  "As for you, you're dismissed. I'll take it from here," the captain said as he turned toward his corporal. "I may allow you a certain degree of freedom, but that doesn't mean you can do as you please. Do not go too far. Remember, the checkpoint's security takes precedence above all else.”

  “Yes, sir!" the corporal said as he struck his heel together, creating a loud sound that echoed in the large hangar. Then, he turned on his heel and left the room through the same entrance he had entered from. Still, Ning Shan could clearly see the dissatisfaction in the man's body language, almost as if he couldn't even bother to hide it.

  "You'll have to forgive us; soldiers' quality isn't what it used to be," the captain lamented, slightly apologetic. "Still, regulations are regulations. I cannot allow you inside until you submit to a full body scan. Do not move.”

  The captain raised his hand, prompting the soldiers next to him to raise their weapons, aiming them straight at their core. Ning Shan's eyes couldn't help but narrow, knowing he probably couldn't avoid the blasts were they to open fire. He could only submit himself to this scan of theirs. His companions also did the same.

  Beginning Full-Body Scan...

  Preventing Subjects' Movements...

  A strong, invisible pressure began to squeeze Ning Shan in place, barely allowing him to breathe. He could only remain still as he felt something crawl over his skin and then dive deep within his body. His vision turned green as a large beam of light fell onto the four of them, bathing them in this strange light. What truly surprised Ning Shan was that he could now see through the bodies of those next to him, almost as if their skin had turned translucent but now tinted green. Seeing human bodies this way was an entirely new experience.

  The light slowly bore deeper, uncovering all his secrets. Everything he was was laid bare for all to see, except for one single thing: the core of his being, where the red planet rotated. Once the light reached his core, it met the field made of tribulation lightning and could go no further.

  The two forces struggled against each other for just a moment, and, as expected, the green light was no match for the residual force of Ning Shan's former world. It was as if it met a stone wall, stopping dead in its tracks. The green light remained for just a moment longer before finally dissipating, and they were finally able to move.

  While Ning Shan only let out a deep breath, the whirling energies within his core finally regained their peace, Sera slumped on the ground, completely out of breath, while the other two also felt a little weak.

  “Nothing to report, it seems...” the captain said as he watched a nearby screen. “Must have been an error... piece of junk.” He then turned toward the group of four. “It seems everything is in order. You're free to go." His gaze then landed on Ning Shan. "Strange... It seems you ain't in our database, but since Mr. Baxter vouched for you, we'll let you go. Better watch yourself, or else..."

  He then raised his hand, prompting his men to holster their weapons. Then, he slowly exited the room, leaving the four of them still shaken by what had just happened. After catching their breaths, the four finally returned to their vehicle as the large hangar opened, showing the way forward.

  "I didn't expect our entry to be this eventful," Marquez said as he shook his head, prompting their vehicle forward before turning toward Ning Shan. "Anyway, now that this is over, welcome to the Cradle: Where everything began, but also where it'll end...”