High-level martial arts: Contract cashback, invincible starting from the Zerg.

The apartment's security door slowly opened.

The apartment that came into Chen Feng's view was filled with warm yellow light and the aroma of sweet and sour pork ribs, completely different from the misty rain outside.

Chen Ma, wearing a floral apron, strode out of the kitchen, a spatula still clutched in her hand.

However, when Chen Ma saw Chen Feng outside the door, her eyes instantly reddened: "Xiao Feng? Is it really you?"

Upon hearing Chen Ma's voice, Chen Ba quickly stood up from the sofa, his hand crumpling the evening newspaper in his hand. He muttered something in a deep voice, but his eyes involuntarily swept over Chen Feng outside the door.

"Dad, Mom, it's me."

Just then, a figure walked over to the spacious balcony.

The boy was nearly a head taller than when Chen Feng left home, his shoulders and back were much broader, and a layer of solid and heavy Tia fluctuations surrounded his body. He was already a strong Earth-rank expert!

It was Chen Feng's younger brother, Chen Shuo.

Chen Feng was somewhat surprised that Chen Shuo's combatant rank had risen so quickly.

However, when Chen Feng's gaze swept over Chen Shuo's exposed forearms and legs, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

Several dark silver alloy plates were embedded in Chen Shuo's arm, winding along the muscle texture and extending deep into the sleeve. When Chen Shuo's fingertips curled slightly, Chen Feng could even hear a very faint, gear-like humming sound.

This is not the kind of leveling or progression that normal cultivation could produce; it is the most advanced enhancement technology in the Great Xia Kingdom, which elevates the rank of a combatant by connecting to a core technology.

Chen Feng's Adam's apple bobbed, the joy of the reunion instantly overshadowed by a heavy weight of worry.

He walked toward Chen Shuo, but his voice was very low.

"Xiao Shuo..."

Chen Shuo still had a touch of youthful naiveté in his eyes, but his gaze toward Chen Feng was as cold as ice, directly interrupting Chen Feng's greeting.

His tone was harsh, carrying undisguised resistance and rudeness, like a hedgehog with its quills raised: "Why are you back?"

Facing Chen Feng's questioning at this moment, Chen Shuo's coldness and aloofness were almost overflowing.

The atmosphere in the living room instantly froze.

Seeing that there seemed to be a rift between the two brothers, Chen's mother quickly went to Chen Shuo's side, grabbed his arm, and said, "Shuo, you can't treat your brother like this. We finally get together, why are you saying these things?"

Mr. Chen sighed, folded the newspaper in his hand, and casually tossed it onto the sofa.

The neat and orderly habits I used to have when reading the newspaper are gone.

......

The spring rain outside the window tapped against the apartment windowpane, the pattering sound particularly clear in the quiet uptown night.

Chen Feng lay on the bed in the guest room, his eyes closed but unable to fall asleep. The dark silver alloy plate on Chen Shuo's forearm and the cold, resistant look on his face when he looked up kept flashing through his mind.

When he left home, Chen Shuo was just a kid who couldn't even lead Tia properly. He always followed behind Chen Feng, calling him "brother," his eyes shining like they were filled with stars.

It hadn't been long since they last met, but Chen Shuo had not only risen to the Earth Rank, but his flesh and blood were now embedded with cold machinery.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door twice.

"Come in." Chen Feng sat up.

Mr. Chen pushed open the door, holding a glass of warm water in his hand. The white hair at his temples was particularly noticeable under the warm yellow light.

After turning on the guest room lights, Mr. Chen closed the door behind him, but walked to the window and looked at the rain outside. He remained silent for a while before letting out a heavy sigh.

"You noticed it too, Xiao Shuo... he's different than before."

"Dad, what's with the metal pieces on Chen Shuo's body?"

Mr. Chen's fingertips rubbed against the thermos, his voice hoarse with a hint of exhaustion: "Xiao Shuo wanted to enter Qian Yuan's combat academy back then, but because he was too young, his combat talent hadn't had time to manifest. Even though he practiced until late at night every day, his combat talent just wouldn't improve."

"So... it's a talent enhancement required by the Combat Academy?" Chen Feng's tone had turned cold.

"No, the military not only brought us news of your disappearance, but also a special channel, saying that Chen Shuo could be admitted to the Combat Academy for further studies. Your brother... signed up without thinking. Before leaving, he excitedly told us that once he entered the Combat Academy, the two of us could live a peaceful life."

Chen Feng's fingertips clenched slightly.

He knew, of course, that the Combat Academy was a combat academy directly under the Great Xia Kingdom, with extremely high entry requirements. Given Chen Shuo's combat talent, which had not yet been revealed, it was impossible for him to squeeze in through normal examinations.

"I only heard from your mother later that Chen Shuo found out after he went in that the place was full of geniuses selected from all over the country. He had a weak foundation and poor basic skills, so he couldn't keep up with the pace at all. Until the research institute had a voluntary enhancement project that could lead directly to the Martial God Academy, he ignored our advice and secretly signed the informed consent form."

Just then, lightning flashed outside the window.

The booming sound was like the roar of a giant dragon in the rainy night.

The sound of rain outside the window was like sandpaper grinding against their hearts.

"And then, he became like this."

Mr. Chen's voice fell silent.

"It's said to be a biomechanical core enhancement that can forcibly widen the Tia vein, but it hurts. For the first two weeks after the surgery, Chen Shuo couldn't even get out of bed. He would hide in the bathroom every night and groan. Although he seems fine now, we all know that the enhanced components and the body fused with flesh and blood will cause him so much pain that it will even affect his mind."

Chen Feng took a deep breath.

My heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an icy hand, a suffocating pain.

Chen Feng always thought of himself as the pillar of his family, and that by fighting the Dark Ones and guarding the defense line outside the city, he was protecting his family.

But he never imagined that in the unseen Qian Yuan Shangcheng, his younger brother, who used to chase after him and cry for his older brother when he fell and hurt himself, had already gritted his teeth and shouldered the burden of the family in his own way.

Earth-rank cultivation, an alloy embedded in flesh and blood, and relentless pain day and night—all for the sake of his parents' peace of mind.

He suddenly remembered Chen Shuo's right hand, which had been hanging down the whole time during dinner; he remembered his wrist, which he had deliberately tucked into his sleeve; and he remembered the coldness and aloofness in his tone.

"He also told us not to tell you, that he would handle everything at home." Mr. Chen looked up at Chen Feng, his eyes filled with guilt and helplessness.

"Is there no way to reverse this project?" Chen Feng's voice was hoarse.

Mr. Chen shook his head: "We asked around, and the people at the research institute said that the technology is not mature enough yet. Once it's implanted, it can't be removed and can only be maintained with medication."

Having said all that...

After sitting for a while, Mr. Chen told Chen Feng to get some rest, and then quietly closed the door and left.

Chen Feng lay back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The rain was still falling outside the window, pattering against the glass.

Whether it's the side effects of the enhancement, the military's service agreement, or even that damned residency restriction—Chen Feng will find a way to resolve them.

Because this is his younger brother, the only family member who protects their parents when Chen Feng is not around.

They are also the family members that Chen Feng will protect with all his might throughout his life.