boyutpedia Chapter 386 News from Abroad
Chapter 386 News from Abroad
Early morning, at the headquarters of NaDuTong, in Chairman Zhao's office.
The corridor lights were still on, the fluorescent tubes emitting a soft hum, which was particularly clear in the quiet morning. The floor, freshly mopped by the cleaning lady, still glistened with water, and there was a faint smell of disinfectant in the air, mixed with the aroma of breakfast being prepared in the cafeteria downstairs, wafting up from the stairwell.
When Nie Lingfeng pushed open the door, he found that several people were already sitting inside.
Zhang Chulan, sporting dark circles under his eyes, lay sprawled on the sofa, looking like he hadn't slept well. His hair was a mess, a tuft sticking up high on the left and flattened on the right—he must have slept face down last night and hadn't turned over since. He wore a wrinkled T-shirt, the collar askew on his shoulder, and was gulping down a cup of strong tea. The tea was so dark it looked almost black, and just looking at it made him feel bitter.
Feng Baobao sat next to him. She was quite energetic, sitting upright with clear, bright eyes, as if she had never experienced staying up all night. She was happily munching on a cucumber, the refreshing scent of which filled the office, creating a strange contrast with the bitter taste of Zhang Chulan's strong tea.
Zhang Lingyu sat upright in a chair on the other side, his back straight as a pine tree, his hands resting on his knees, his eyes closed in meditation. His hair was meticulously combed, his clothes were perfectly smooth without a single wrinkle, and even his breathing was rhythmic—inhale for three seconds, exhale for three seconds, inhale for three seconds, exhale for three seconds. He was the complete opposite of Zhang Chulan.
Wang Zhenqiu sat in the corner with his legs crossed, one leg swinging back and forth, scrolling through something on his phone. He wore a flashy shirt, the top two buttons undone, revealing his collarbone. The light from the phone screen flickered on his face. He occasionally let out a strange "heh heh" laugh, seemingly engrossed in something interesting. After laughing, he would look up at the others, as if checking to see if anyone had noticed him.
"Hey, Brother Nie's here!"
When Zhang Chulan saw Nie Lingfeng enter, he immediately perked up. He sprang up from the sofa—not "stood up," but "jumped up," as if he had a spring under his buttocks—put down his teacup and leaned over, his drowsiness vanishing instantly, his eyes shining like two stars.
"I heard you came out of seclusion? How was it? Did you break through again? How many of my level can you take on now?"
He circled around Nie Lingfeng, as if examining a newly purchased piece of furniture, looking him up and down, left and right, making clicking noises under his breath.
Nie Lingfeng glanced at him and said indifferently, "There are a hundred like you."
"puff--"
Wang Zhenqiu spat out a mouthful of tea, almost spraying it onto Zhang Lingyu across from him. Zhang Lingyu turned her head to dodge, her brows furrowing slightly, but she didn't open her eyes. Wang Zhenqiu wiped his mouth with his sleeve, laughing so hard he almost dropped his phone.
"Hahahaha! Chu Lan, is this all you mean to Brother Nie? A hundred! Let me count for you—one, two, three, four…"
"Hey! Brother Nie, that's going too far!"
Zhang Chulan looked grief-stricken, hands on his hips, chin held high, striking a pose as if he were ready to fight Nie Lingfeng to the death.
"I'm your brother, someone who's been through thick and thin with you. I deserve at least 101 points!"
"Then it's one hundred and one," Nie Lingfeng said without changing his expression. "You have one more than yesterday."
"Yesterday? How much was yesterday?" (Spirit Ring)
"Yesterday was a complete idiot."
"Pfft—" This time it was Lu Linglong. She had just walked to the door when she heard this sentence. She laughed so hard that she bent over, her ponytail swinging back and forth behind her.
Laughter erupted in the office. Zhang Chulan's face flushed with anger, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly, like a fish thrown ashore. He wanted to retort, but facing Nie Lingfeng's expressionless face, all his arguments were like punches hitting cotton, utterly ineffective. Zhang Lingyu's lips curled slightly upward, the curve almost imperceptible, but his eyelids twitched, clearly indicating he wasn't unresponsive.
After finishing the last bite of cucumber, Feng Baobao threw the cucumber end into the trash can, wiped her mouth, and said seriously, "I think a hundred is too few. Chu Lan is quite fast; he's always the first to run in a fight, and he runs very fast. Just running around can wear down a lot of their manpower."
"Sister Bao'er! That's a tactical retreat! Not a run!"
"Oh, a tactical retreat. How long can you run? Can you outrun those monsters?"
"I...I..."
Zhang Chulan opened his mouth, but realized that no matter how he answered, it would be wrong, so he simply closed it, picked up the cup of strong tea and drank it all in one gulp. The bitterness made his face scrunch up.
Chairman Zhao sat behind his desk, watching the group of young people play around, a slight smile appearing on his face. He tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table, a rhythm neither too fast nor too slow, like the composure of an old father watching his children frolic in the living room. But soon, that smile vanished, replaced by a steady, weighty seriousness.
He tapped the table; the sound wasn't loud, but it was enough to quiet everyone down.
"Alright, let's get down to business."
The laughter stopped abruptly. Zhang Chulan's playful expression vanished, Wang Zhenqiu put down his phone, Zhang Lingyu opened her eyes, and Feng Baobao stopped trying to get a second cucumber.
Everyone looked at Chairman Zhao. The room was so quiet that the ticking of the clock on the wall could be heard.
Chairman Zhao took a document out of the drawer and placed it on the table. The document was a size larger than a regular A4 sheet of paper, with a kraft paper cover. The company's red emblem was printed in the upper left corner, and the word "Top Secret" was marked in large, bright red font in the upper right corner, making it very eye-catching.
He didn't open the folder immediately. Instead, he placed his hands flat on the folder and remained silent for two seconds. This was a habitual pause—he did this whenever he was about to announce important news. It was as if he was giving the listener time to prepare, and also as if he was mentally confirming the information one last time.
Then, he looked up, his expression turning serious.
"A major event occurred in the international community of supernatural beings last night."
He spoke slower than usual, and each word seemed to have been carefully considered before being uttered.
"Something's happened on Nathan Island."
The moment those four words were uttered, the atmosphere in the office instantly became heavy.
Zhang Chulan leaned forward slightly, Wang Zhenqiu lowered his crossed legs, and Zhang Lingyu's brows furrowed slightly. Even Feng Baobao stopped chewing—she pulled out another carrot from somewhere, took a bite, and then stopped moving, her mouth full of carrot, her eyes fixed on Chairman Zhao.
Nathan Island, located in the central Pacific Ocean, is an independent kingdom of Inhumans, unrecognized by any nation. Inhabited by Inhumans from all over the world, they follow ancient laws and are ruled by King Nathan. Nathan Island remains neutral and mysterious, not involved in international conflicts within the Inhuman community. It serves as a refuge for many desperate Inhumans and is recognized globally as a "lawless land."
"What exactly happened?" Wang Zhenqiu's playful tone vanished, replaced by a serious one. His voice was a half-tone lower than before, and his speech was faster, showing his current focus.
Chairman Zhao opened the document. The first page was a photograph—a satellite image of an island shrouded in mist, with a dense cluster of buildings in its center and surrounded by lush forests. The edges of the photograph were marked with latitude, longitude, and the time of capture, accurate to the second.
"Qu Tong, the president of the Yaoxing Society, has sent people to challenge King Nasen for the throne."
"Qu Tong?!"
Zhang Chulan suddenly stood up, his chair sliding back with a piercing creak. His expression changed drastically, not with fear, but with shock—a shock that was both unexpected and yet perfectly logical.
"She's gone mad?! The challenge for the throne on Nathan Island is no joke!"
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. Qu Tong, the president of Yaoxing Society, this woman had always remained hidden behind a fog. Her purpose, her plans, her trump cards—no one truly understood them. But everyone knew—she was not simple. Every action she took had a deeper purpose. Every step she took was meticulously calculated.
"She's not crazy."
Chairman Zhao shook his head and pointed to the photo, where Qu Tong's name and a question mark were marked.
"According to intelligence, the challenger she sent is her right-hand man. This person is extremely powerful and well-versed in the ancient rules of Nathan Island, and launched the challenge in a legitimate name. According to the rules of Nathan Island, once a challenge for the throne is launched, a 'war-opening ceremony' must be held, at which time all superhumans from around the world can freely land on the island to participate in this battle for the throne."
"In other words—"
Nie Lingfeng spoke slowly. His voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the office could hear it clearly, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread outwards.
"Nathan Island has now become an open battlefield."
"That's right." Chairman Zhao nodded. "After the news spread, major forces around the world have already made their move. Behemoth in the United States, various organizations in Europe, independent cultivators in Southeast Asia, and those top experts who work alone... are all heading to Nathan Island. According to the intelligence we currently have, at least the following forces have confirmed their participation—"
He held up his fingers and listed them one by one:
"Behemoth, the official Inhuman organization of the United States. Well-equipped, tactically advanced, and extremely ambitious. Their goal is not only to participate in the struggle for the throne, but also to take the opportunity to establish a long-term base on Nathan Island and control the island's Inhuman resources."
"Paradise, a resistance organization native to Nathan Island. Composed of a group of extraordinary individuals who refuse to submit to King Nathan, they are familiar with the terrain and ruthless in their methods. Their feud with King Nathan has lasted for many years, and they cannot stand idly by in this challenge to the throne."
"The DC Resistance is an international Inhuman resistance organization. Its members are diverse and its ideologies are radical, advocating the overthrow of the old order in the Inhuman world. Why they are on Nathan Island is currently unclear, but one thing is certain—they are not here for sightseeing."
"In addition, there are a large number of scattered individuals from various countries, as well as some well-known lone masters—such as 'The Drunkard' Ruan Feng, 'The Glutton' Baron, and... some mysterious figures whose identities we cannot even confirm."