Invincibility Begins with Mastery of Fist Techniques-Chapter 225 - 218: The Plan
Another week passed.
As the various measures were slowly rolled out, the cities most affected were undoubtedly those hosting the martial arts events.
The Southern Boxing Three Capitals.
"Have you guys heard of the Southern Fighting Tournament?"
"Isn’t that an underground fighting ring? You can’t get in without connections."
"It’s not that simple anymore. For some reason, tickets are now open to the public. I heard it from someone else, so yesterday, my friends and I got curious and bought tickets to see a match."
"How was it?"
"It was amazing, and terrifying. The power those guys have... it’s just not human. It was the first time I realized just how frightening the legendary Martial Artists truly are."
"That insane? Did you record a video? Let me see."
"No, you have to check your communication and recording devices at the entrance, so I couldn’t film anything. You should go see it yourself. The tickets aren’t expensive, and security is tight. It looks totally legitimate, not like an underground ring at all."
"Really? In that case, I’ll go check it out tonight."
"Trust me, you’ll love this kind of competition."
"..."
Similar conversations could be heard all over the Southern Boxing Three Capitals. The Southern Fighting Tournament’s fame exploded overnight. Compared to ethereal videos, watching the matches live was far more convincing. This caused knowledge of the Martial Arts Realm to once again spread rapidly among the general public, letting many people know that such a group of gifted individuals truly existed.
However, what was somewhat surprising was that in the half-month since the Martial Arts Realm began its changes, neither the Celestial Demons nor the various nations had shown much of a reaction. Everything seemed calm.
But everyone knew...
A storm was coming.
...
...
Starry Sky Country, Nebula Alliance.
Super Warrior Secret Laboratory.
An important experiment was underway.
Scores of researchers in white lab coats bustled about the futuristic laboratory, constantly operating various experimental instruments.
Inside a sealed chamber, a powerfully built man sat as a constant stream of pale red smoke was pumped in from vents around the room.
The man’s eyes were shut tight. His entire body trembled, muscles swelling violently and veins bulging. Sweat pooled on the floor beneath him, his face a mask of agony and ferocity.
His shadow stretched and contorted violently, faintly revealing the agonized, ferocious face of a Celestial Demon. The shadow seemed to want to break out of the chamber and affect the outside world, but it was blocked by beams of strange light flashing from the walls, unable to escape.
"Subject’s heart rate is spiking! Blood oxygen levels are rising! Bodily functions are in disarray! Respond immediately!"
"Subject’s physical energy is increasing! Body’s magnetic field is strengthening! The connection to the Symbiont is growing stronger!"
"Quick! Quick! Quick! Stabilize the subject’s condition! His symbiosis with the Celestial Demon has deepened! As long as he survives, this experiment will be a success! This is a huge breakthrough! A new generation of Symbiont!!"
"..."
While the laboratory was in an uproar, an adjacent observation room remained perfectly calm, its soundproofing clearly top-notch.
A burly man in a military uniform stood before a glass window, his hands clasped behind his back. His gaze was fixed on the tormented man in the sealed chamber.
Beside him stood an elderly white man with graying hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a large beard. Behind them, a young man, also in a military uniform, leaned casually against the wall, silently observing his surroundings.
This was none other than Alex, the young Super Warrior from the Starry Sky Country who had faked his death to escape from Zhang Dongwei during the Kunlun incident.
"Dr. Banno, what are the odds of success for this experiment?"
The burly man at the window—clearly a high-ranking officer in the Starry Sky Country’s military—asked the elderly white man beside him.
"General Norton, this experiment was meticulously planned. The success rate should be over eighty percent. Everything is proceeding normally. The Symbiont is already showing signs of deeper fusion. The only question is how much of an enhancement the fusion will provide."
"This is all thanks to the ’Elixir of Immortality’ that Colonel Alex brought back from Donghua Kunlun. To think that the core drop of liquid, at only one-thousandth of the total volume, could have such an effect even after being diluted ten-thousand-fold. If we can completely analyze its components, we might be able to decipher the secrets of life and understand the mysteries of those peculiar lifeforms!"
Dr. Banno’s eyes gleamed as if he were looking at a masterpiece.
After Alex faked his death to escape, free from the threat of Zhang Dongwei, he had checked out a palace on his way out despite his poor condition. Unexpectedly, he made a real discovery, bringing back a vial of the Elixir of Immortality and delivering it into the hands of the expert team.
"That was a difficult process," General Norton said faintly.
"What does it matter how difficult it was? Science is about making the impossible possible. That is my life’s pursuit. And humanity will usher in a new era because of these discoveries."
A smile touched the corners of Dr. Banno’s mouth.
General Norton’s expression was noncommittal upon hearing this. The expert teams didn’t know the full story.
Without a doubt, the current research carried enormous hidden risks.
’But who would care about that?’
’As long as the benefits are great enough, any risk is worth taking. Isn’t that the very nature of life?’
’The world turned upside down? Humanity destroyed?’
’One’s inner morals?’
General Norton firmly believed one saying.
Human morality only exists because no one has offered the right price to betray it.
No one was an exception.
And the price offered by the Celestial Demons was tempting enough that many "hidden risks" would be ignored.
"Subject’s vital signs are stable! Fusion confirmed complete!"
"Contact established with subject. Conducting sanity assessment... Assessment passed. Confirmed: Subject can manipulate the Celestial Demon’s magnetic field."
"Success! A new Symbiont! It’s not just passive defense anymore—they’ll be able to actively wield the power of their symbiotic Celestial Demon to attack!"
"This is a momentous breakthrough!!"
"..."
Just then, cheers erupted in the laboratory. The experiment appeared to be a success.
A smile tugged at the corner of General Norton’s mouth.
"I hear they’ve been reforming the Martial Arts Realm recently?"
Ignoring the overjoyed and excited Dr. Banno, General Norton turned to ask Alex.
"Yes," Alex said with a nod. "That young Saint Awakening they cultivated is a huge potential threat. You must have seen the video? Triggering a Celestial Phenomenon... for a newcomer to possess such power is incredible. If they manage to cultivate a few more like him, it will be a major problem for us."
"Of course, we can’t let them carry out their plan so easily. This isn’t just about the Celestial Demons; it’s a consensus among all nations."
"Martial Artists are a threat, but they are also easy to deal with."
"They rely on their vitality, willpower, and courage, but a person’s will is precisely the easiest thing to break. If they lose their conviction, they’re no different from ordinary people."
"Since things are out in the open now... well, that means there are more constraints. We can’t handle matters the way we did when they were still in the shadows."
"If young foreign Martial Artists come to their door to issue a challenge, they can’t possibly refuse, can they? And right at this juncture, that young Saint Awakening is still seriously injured and unable to fight. This is the perfect opportunity."
"And it just so happens our new Symbionts are ready. Let the Martial Arts Realm serve as the whetstone for our elites."
"Let them see that the times have changed. Without advanced technology and science, their ancient, backward, laughable willpower won’t accomplish a thing."
