Paradise Bird, also known as the Legion of Liberty, is the largest assembly of renegade Star Martial Warriors from various countries. Most of them had committed numerous crimes in their native lands but successfully evaded local blockades and fled abroad.

Their origins can be traced back seventy years, to human traitors who sided with the Demon Clan during the war. After the Demon Clan retreated, these traitors were nearly exterminated by the human coalition forces, but some escaped to scarcely populated areas and managed to survive, re-emerging sixty years ago.

Due to the international situation at the time, coupled with the devastation left by the departing Demon Clan, nations prioritized reclaiming lost territories and stabilizing domestic conditions. This led to leniency towards these traitors. By the time the various countries became aware of the threat, Paradise Bird had already grown into a terrorist force spanning five continents with fifty thousand members.

However, if these traitors operated openly, the nations of Sky Blue Star would not be afraid. Paradise Bird operates by dividing into smaller units, engaging in terrorist activities across the globe. They are Unpredictable, yet Paradise Bird claims responsibility for nearly eighty percent of global terrorist attacks.

To every country worldwide, Paradise Bird is like cockroaches: see them, spray insecticide; kill one if you see one, exterminate a nest if you find one. But to claim they could eliminate all cockroaches, not even the five great powers combined have any confidence.

Cockroaches aren't strong, but they're disgusting, and they can be found in any dark corner.

The Hellfire Mercenary Corps, active on Middle Eastern battlefields, is merely a mercenary organization. They have no morals, no bottom line, no emotions. Their eyes see only money, which is why they are defined as a terrorist organization.

For a major power like Jade Country, dispatching peacekeeping forces to annihilate a Hellfire group is not difficult. But now that Wang Mingling has joined Paradise Bird, the nature of the situation has changed.

Paradise Bird is notoriously difficult to deal with and extremely vindictive. Seventeen years ago, White Eagle Country's Thunder Shadow Star Martial Squad pursued them for thousands of miles, destroyed a Paradise Bird stronghold, and killed their Number Five leader.

For the next seventeen years, Paradise Bird conducted over a hundred terrorist attacks on White Eagle Country, leaving it utterly exhausted.

Once targeted for revenge by Paradise Bird, not even the five great powers can withstand it. Of course, these powers will not back down; Paradise Bird's revenge always comes at a heavy cost—to kill a thousand enemies, they suffer a loss of two thousand themselves. But the problem isn't the fear of theft; it's the constant threat of it!

"Director, how should we respond?"

"What else can we do? Whether Wang Mingling is Hellfire or Paradise Bird, if he dares cause trouble in Jade Country, we will show no mercy. Paradise Bird has already attempted something once. Although that was just verbal intimidation, joking with Jade Country means facing our wrath."

"This time they even dare to target Eld Di, as if we're easy to push around. From now on, Suzhou City is under full martial law. Recall all field agents and those on leave; everyone must be on high alert. We must ensure the stability of Suzhou City, we must ensure the safe convening of the provincial martial arts tournament, and we must ensure Eld Di's safety."

"What? Has it been confirmed that the provincial martial arts tournament will be held in Suzhou City?" He MingXue asked in a low voice.

"Indeed, the evidence provided by Wang Lan two days ago was very compelling. Since the Demon Clan and Wang Mingling are opposed to holding the provincial martial arts tournament in Suzhou City, we decided to do the exact opposite. Last night, it was decided to hold the Jiang Province provincial martial arts tournament in Suzhou City."

Perhaps because the decision to hold the provincial martial arts tournament in Suzhou City was finalized, both the Demon Clan and Wang Mingling suddenly went quiet. The international bounty on Suzhou City's tycoons was withdrawn, and the underlying turmoil in Suzhou City also dissipated.

Wang Lan returned to school and joined the Suzhou City representatives in the final preparations for the impending provincial martial arts tournament.

Half a month passed unnoticed. During this time, Hu Qing, leading all thirteen bureaus in Suzhou City, conducted a carpet-style sweep of the city's underground mafia organizations.

Those who enter the underworld must eventually pay the price.

There were those who lived in constant fear, and those who were willing to sacrifice everything to bring Hu Qing down. A mafia boss even publicly boasted, "We have a hundred thousand brothers in Suzhou City's underworld. I'd like to ask Hu Qing, do you have that many jail cells?"

But the next day, this mafia boss was personally arrested by Hu Qing. On his way, not a single one of his 'brothers' came to see him off.

As the police's anti-mafia campaign escalated in level and intensity, by the end of April, no significant underground forces remained in Suzhou City. Some young punks who had just entered society and were still at the bottom thought they could seize territory now that the 'tigers' were gone from the mountain. Before they could even celebrate for two days, their newly formed gangs, whatever they were called, were rounded up and taken away.

Wang Lan was occasionally called by Hu Qing to act as a guard or similar role. He almost never had a chance to make a move. He'd just show up, conjure a ball of fire in his palm, and then Hu Qing's officers would start arresting people.

At the Battle of Chibi, Cao Cao's army of three hundred thousand was said to be eight hundred thousand strong. These guys were even more audacious. All their big shots and small fries combined amounted to less than ten thousand, yet they dared to claim a hundred thousand.

By early May, Wang Lan had accumulated 1,800 skill points, just 200 short of the amount needed to complete the linkage of four Star Martial Skills. He had wanted to make one last push, but he couldn't turn back the wheels of time.

The fifty-third provincial martial arts tournament was about to begin.

「May 12th, Friday.」

After the last collective training, the final intensive training for the ten-person Suzhou City team concluded. They would rest on the 13th and 14th, and the tournament would officially begin on the 15th.

The venue for the provincial martial arts tournament was the Suzhou City Gymnasium. Starting from the first official match, Jiang Province Television would broadcast the tournament live to the entire country. Indeed, when the news spread that the provincial martial arts tournament would be televised nationally, people all over the country were ecstatic.

The provincial martial arts tournament is akin to the college entrance exam—or perhaps even more attention-grabbing than the regular college entrance exam for ordinary students. This is because it is the 'college entrance exam' for the absolute elite among Star Martial Warrior students.

In past years, the provincial martial arts tournament was held in secret. Besides the participants and their families knowing some details, the general public had no idea who the champion or runner-up was, or who had been directly admitted to the four major Star Martial Academies.

But this year, it was going to be livestreamed! And not just by one or two provinces, but by all twenty-four provinces across the country simultaneously. If you didn't want to watch your own province's tournament, you could watch another's. You could take your pick from any provincial TV station.

As the provincial martial arts tournament drew near, television commercials, online platforms, Zhihu, Tieba—everything was abuzz with excitement.

The topic of the provincial martial arts tournament quietly climbed the trending searches, its ranking soaring upward like a rocket.

"I'm taking a week off! If my boss dares stop me from watching the provincial martial arts tournament, I'll quit to show him!"

"Don't worry, guy upstairs. Your boss might have taken the week off too."

"Work is what I desire, and watching the provincial martial arts tournament is also what I desire. Since I can't have both, I'll sacrifice sleep for the night shift! I've already applied with my supervisor and switched to night shifts for half a month."

"Damn, the person above is hardcore."

Although the provincial martial arts tournament adopted livestreaming, seemingly loosening security, the opposite was true. Precisely because it was being fully livestreamed, security measures were even tighter than before.

To ensure the safety of the provincial martial arts tournament, starting May 12th, the commercial area within the Suzhou City Gymnasium began to be cleared. Shops were closed, businesses suspended operations, and residents were compensated to go on vacation.

Within a one-kilometer radius extending outward from the gymnasium, everyone required a pass to enter. In the commercial zones on the periphery, patrolling officers were everywhere. Even a minor verbal dispute would be swiftly handled by officers rushing to take the individuals away.

Thirteen cities from across the province sent representative teams. Each city's team consisted of ten members, totaling 130 participants. Including coaches, logistics personnel, and liaison staff, each city sent about twenty people. In total, 260 individuals were to stay in the business hotel next to the gymnasium.

Check-ins at the business hotel would begin on the evening of May 13th. From that point on, strict adherence to the regulations set by the Suzhou City organizers was required. No one could leave without permission, and complex, tedious procedures like signing in and out for every entry and exit had to be followed.

Regardless of whether they were representative teams from outside Suzhou City or the local Suzhou City team, everyone had to reside in the business hotel. Not wanting to lose their freedom too soon, Wang Lan and the other nine decided to move into the business hotel on the last possible day, the evening of May 14th.

Ten people, seven rooms. Wang Lan and Xu Xiangwen shared one.

"Suzhou City is Jiang Province's number one city, for crying out loud! Can't they be a bit less stingy? Just giving us rooms like this? Standard twin rooms? A suite wouldn't cost that much, would it? And there's no balcony?" Xu Xiangwen had been grumbling non-stop since entering the room.

"Stop complaining. The Grand Hyatt Hotel isn't bad. Thirty-two floors, four hundred rooms in total. Booking the whole place was just right for our needs."

"The Scenery Hotel across the street has five hundred suites, is several times more upscale than the Grand Hyatt, and it's just as close. Why not choose the Scenery Hotel?" Xu Xiangwen was still somewhat resentful.

"I heard the Grand Hyatt Hotel was free, a gift to Suzhou City for their use, and they're not taking a penny for any expenses. If you were the Suzhou City government, how would you choose?"

Xu Xiangwen listened, then quickly took out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, Old Xu, who's the general manager of the Scenery Hotel next to the gymnasium? Tell him to pack his bags and get lost, now!"

Wang Lan's movement in lifting the blanket faltered, and he looked at Xu Xiangwen with a confused expression.

Is this the real reason for your grudge? Wang Lan shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Why? You tell me why! I ask you, what did he do during the bidding for the provincial martial arts tournament accommodations? Offer a fifty percent discount? Fifty percent discount my ass! Why not offer it for free?"

"Cover their own profits and losses? Bullshit! Of course, they cover their own profits and losses. But an idiot who doesn't even understand the advertising effect of being the athletes' dormitory for the provincial martial arts tournament—do I still expect him to manage my hotel well? Especially since this is the first-ever fully broadcast provincial martial arts tournament, destined to be recorded in history!"

"And most importantly, the hotel that serves as the athletes' dormitory for the first year may very well do so next year too. Unless the Grand Hyatt Hotel goes bankrupt, there won't be a new bidding next year. This tradition will continue on and on."

"Because of that idiot, we've lost a hotel brand that could have become a legacy! Tell him to get lost! The farther, the better—"

Xu Xiangwen's roar was cut off as he ended the call.

"Yo, Xu, what's with the temper?" Gong Feiyu asked, kicking open the door to barge in.

"What else? I'm not satisfied with the room! It's just a twenty-square-meter room with two beds; it's too unsafe. What if Lanzi's primal instincts flare up in the middle of the night and he covets my stunning looks?"

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