Outside the secret chamber, Liu Sishan leaned against the wall, nervously clutching a badge as she waited for results.

She had already been waiting for an hour.

Suddenly, the pearl on the badge emitted a faint glow, and an elderly voice sounded, “Sisi?”

“Captain, I’m here,” Liu Sishan immediately replied.

The elder instructed, “From now on, Sisi, you and Manny will covertly protect Zhang Ping. The intelligence he’s provided is critical. However, assessing his reliability is up to you. Bingbing will monitor your mental state, and if it destabilizes, I’ll order Jin Bo to forcibly extract you from Mingzhu City.

Additionally, work with Zhang Ping to identify as many Skyborn Foxes as possible.”

“Captain, what role does Zhang Ping play in all this?” Liu Sishan asked.

The elder responded, “Mingzhu City's situation remains unclear. While Zhang Ping has provided crucial information, it could still be a trap set by the enemy. For now, treat him as an essential informant. If this matter is resolved successfully, rewards will be arranged later.”

“Understood.” Liu Sishan nodded.

Ending the communication, Liu Sishan stowed the badge and returned to the secret chamber.

The restraints binding Zhang Ping were instantly removed. Stretching his limbs, he asked, “Was it verified?”

“Yes, but we can’t confirm whether the Skyborn Fox discovery is a trap deliberately set by the enemy. So, apologies—you’ll remain as an informant. Beyond providing the locations of Skyborn Foxes, there won’t be further engagement for now,” Liu Sishan explained.

Zhang Ping wasn’t dissatisfied with this outcome.

He hadn’t expected much from Liu Sishan or her organization. As long as the Skyborn Foxes in the city were dealt with, his abilities would ensure his future success. There was no need to aim too far.

With no expectations, there was no disappointment.

“For the time being, I’ll protect you from the shadows. If you discover anything, you can contact me at night,” Liu Sishan added.

Zhang Ping chuckled. “Protection with surveillance? Got it. Don’t worry, I’ll cooperate fully. As long as we can resolve the Skyborn Fox issue, everything’s negotiable.”

“Thank you for understanding.” Liu Sishan let out a small sigh of relief.

She had thought Zhang Ping might get angry. After all, most young people would feel annoyed or even furious upon learning they were being monitored.

Zhang Ping’s composure made her develop a favorable impression of him.

“But I have a question. I hope you can answer it,” Zhang Ping said.

Liu Sishan pondered for a moment and agreed, “If I can answer, I won’t hold back.”

“Why can’t Advanced Level Awakeners see through the disguises of lower-level Skyborn Foxes?” Zhang Ping asked bluntly.

This had always puzzled him.

Advanced Level Awakeners were naturally resistant to the abilities of lower-level Awakeners and Mutated Beasts. Each level typically corresponded to opponents of the same rank.

Normally, Advanced Level Awakeners would only face other Advanced Level opponents, not Intermediate or Top Level ones. The former were too weak, while the latter were too strong.

“This anomaly has already been observed. According to the captain’s hypothesis, there might be a King Level Mutated Beast hiding in Mingzhu City,” Liu Sishan answered.

Zhang Ping’s eyes widened in shock. “King Level? Are you joking?”

As far as he knew, humans didn’t have any King Level Awakeners.

A King Level Mutated Beast with intelligence rivaling humans invading Mingzhu City? What could humanity do to counter it?

“I understand your skepticism, but King Levels do exist. After reaching Top Level Awakener...” Liu Sishan began to explain, thinking Zhang Ping was doubting the existence of King Levels.

Before she could finish, Zhang Ping interrupted, “No, I don’t doubt King Levels exist. I just want to know—do we humans have any King Levels?”

“No. Even the captain is only a Top Level Awakener,” Liu Sishan replied, slightly taken aback.

Zhang Ping frowned. “Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals. Even if I find the King Level Skyborn Fox hidden in Mingzhu City, how will you fight it?”

“That’s not your concern. Your task is to locate the Skyborn Foxes. Eliminating them is our responsibility,” Liu Sishan said, frowning slightly. She wasn’t entirely sure either; the captain hadn’t shared any plans beyond identifying the target.

However, her longstanding trust in the captain left no room for doubt.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Ping spoke again. “So, Advanced Level Awakeners can’t detect lower-level Mutated Beasts because the King Level Mutated Beast is influencing them?”

“Mutated Beasts differ from human Awakeners because they possess innate racial abilities. When a King Level emerges, all abilities within its kind are enhanced in its vicinity.

Typically, this enhancement raises their level by one, but mental abilities are an exception. Unless one’s mental energy surpasses the King Level, it’s nearly impossible to break through the illusions, cognitive distortions, and warped perceptions created by psychic Mutated Beasts,” Liu Sishan explained.

Zhang Ping frowned. “So, a psychic King Level Mutated Beast is essentially invincible?”

One King Level was equivalent to an army of King Levels—it seemed absurdly unfair.

“Not exactly. Psychic abilities don’t directly harm targets. If they actively attack someone stronger than themselves, their abilities can be exposed,” Liu Sishan shook her head.

Zhang Ping mused, “That’s why stronger individuals are less likely to be attacked by Skyborn Foxes.”

“Not necessarily. If the Patrol Squad has been completely replaced by Skyborn Foxes, then their captain, Lin Kedi—a Top Level Awakener—has likely already fallen,” Liu Sishan pointed out.

Zhang Ping took a deep breath, stood up, and said, “Alright, no more questions for now. I’ll ask if anything comes up. How do I leave this place?”

“I’ll contact you tonight,” Liu Sishan nodded.

In the next instant, Zhang Ping felt an invisible force pulling him upward. In a flash, he was propelled through a dark tunnel and emerged in the small park.

Blinking, he looked down at the ground. It was just ordinary soil—nothing out of the ordinary.

Psychic abilities?

Zhang Ping speculated that the secret chamber itself was a space created by psychic powers, and the entire park was filled with hidden passages leading to it.

Back at Iron Soul, Zhang Ping climbed through the window into his room and sat on the bed, reflecting on the night’s events.

First, his safety was slightly more secure.

Although Liu Sishan’s protection came with surveillance, he had a clear conscience and wasn’t afraid of being watched.

Second, he could use Liu Sishan to pass information to her organization, which would handle eliminating the Skyborn Foxes.

Finally, he had a clearer picture of the enemy.

“King Level.”

Zhang Ping sighed. The organization backing Liu Sishan likely had only Top Level Awakeners at best.

He didn’t know what cards they had up their sleeve, but it felt precarious.

Not enough firepower on their human side.

If there were no King Level allies, then the best option would be to gather hundreds or even thousands of Top Level Awakeners to take down the enemy’s King Level.

The Next Day.

Zhang Ping rose as usual and, under Liu Tiefeng’s supervision, continued practicing the art of Doughsmithing.

Any craft, unless assisted by supernatural powers, requires repeated practice to refine the technique to a level rivaling such powers. Achieving this is no easy feat.

Zhang Ping discovered that the kneading exercises in Doughsmithing Art offered unexpected benefits. His hands became increasingly sensitive to the materials he worked with, and the full-body effort required to knead the dough provided physical training comparable to push-ups.

Not only could he hone his skills, but he also improved his physical fitness—what wasn’t to love? Moreover, the repetitive motions allowed him to multitask, deepening his control over the fire element within his body. It was like killing three birds with one stone.

When the kneading practice ended, Zhang Ping moved on to learning about the various materials and their functions.

On the third floor of the workshop, the materials room was packed with all sorts of strange items. There were minerals, plants, and most abundantly, body parts from Mutated Beasts.

Liu Tiefeng pulled out a material resembling a dog’s paw and began, “This material comes from a Mutated Beast known as the Carrion Hound. Mingzhu City practices cremation, so there aren’t any Carrion Hounds around here. However, outside the city, there are many villages. Some of them still follow ancient traditions of burial, and that’s where you might encounter Carrion Hounds.”

“There are villages outside Mingzhu City?” Zhang Ping asked in surprise.

He had always assumed that Mingzhu City was a lonely bastion in a wasteland spanning thousands of miles.

“Heh, of course there are,” Liu Tiefeng chuckled. “But those villages are often isolated, backward, and xenophobic. Some even worship Mutated Beasts as gods. If you ever encounter one of these villages in the wilderness, it’s best to steer clear. Otherwise, you might find yourself enslaved or sacrificed.”

Zhang Ping fell into thought, analyzing aloud, “So, most of the villagers could be considered enemies?”

“Heh, they don’t even qualify as humans,” Liu Tiefeng said, exhaling a puff of smoke. “Adventurers often call them Barbarians. Sometimes, the most dangerous thing in the wilderness isn’t the Mutated Beasts—it’s these Barbarians. If you ever become an Adventurer, your seniors will surely warn you about them.”

There were tales of naive Awakeners who had tried to communicate with the Barbarians, only to end up as their sacrifices. Even the companions who attempted rescue missions had met their demise at the hands of these Barbarians.

The customs of the Barbarians were entirely different from the civilized inhabitants of Mingzhu City. They had their own logic and saw outsiders as less than human.

“Alright, enough about that tangent. Let’s get back to the Carrion Hound,” Liu Tiefeng said, shifting back to the lesson. “Their claws naturally possess an ‘Earth Countering’ attribute. This attribute cannot withstand smelting, so the claws must be ground into powder and mixed with Fire Oil during the weapon cooling process. This technique allows you to craft weapons with a certain level of resistance to earth-elemental energy.”

With that, he tossed the Carrion Hound’s claw to Zhang Ping.