High Martial Arts: Slay enemies to become stronger, forge invincibility from billions of corpses.

Song Chen was halfway through her meal when she heard a lively conversation coming from the next table.

Several young martial artists in combat uniforms pushed open the restaurant door and walked in. There were four men and three women, all around twenty years old. Their combat uniforms had the Las Palmas Martial Arts Guild badge on them.

The leader was a short-haired female warrior, tall and slender, with a standard long sword hanging at her waist. Her epaulets indicated that she was at the peak of the second tier.

Standing next to her was a young man of the same rank, carrying a shield and sword, who was making a reservation with the owner.

"Same seats, seven people, double the seafood rice."

The boss clearly recognized them, smiled and nodded in response, then turned and shouted towards the kitchen.

The group of young martial artists pulled out chairs, sat down, and began chatting animatedly.

Song Chen didn't pay attention, but the restaurant wasn't big, so their voices naturally drifted over.

As the short-haired female warrior poured water, she said, "Today's cleanup route starts from the east coast. There are still a few remnants of the Sea Scorpion army there. It is said that they were bombarded by the fleet yesterday and are already half-crippled."

"If we work quickly, we can finish cleaning up before 3 p.m.

Upon hearing this, a female warrior with a ponytail's eyes lit up: "You're done after clearing the east bank?"

"Captain, can we have half a day off tomorrow? I want to go to the South District to buy some things; it's been a long time since I've gone shopping."

The short-haired female warrior chuckled and tapped the ponytail female warrior's hand with her chopsticks: "What are you buying? You haven't finished the snacks you bought last month, have you?"

"That happened last month," the ponytail-wearing female warrior said matter-of-factly.

The short-haired female warrior shook her head helplessly: "Fine, fine, we'll have a holiday after we clear the West Coast tomorrow."

"But then again, this cleanup mission was really easy. In previous years, it would take at least half a month, but this time it'll probably be done in three days. Do you know why?"

"Because the Beast King is dead," the young man with the shield and sword said.

"The four king beasts of the Mediterranean, including the sea scorpion king off the coast of the Canary Islands, are all dead, and most of their beast kings are also dead."

"Without high-level beasts to command them, low-level beasts are like headless flies, making it ten times easier to fight them."

The short-haired female warrior corrected him: "It's not five heads, it's twenty."

"Didn't you see the battle report this morning? Yesterday's ambush off the coast of the Canary Islands wasn't just by a Sea Scorpion King, it was a group of fifteen Tier 6 Beast Kings."

"Fifteen heads?" The ponytail-wearing female warrior's eyes widened.

"Fifteen level-six beasts attacked together, and then they all died?"

"They're all dead. One person killed them all."

The group of young martial artists looked at each other in bewilderment; one of them, who had just taken a sip of water, almost choked.

The young man with the shield and sword put down his cup, his tone almost reverent: "It was that Councilor Song from Great Xia. I saw the battle report data from the European Union yesterday: fifteen Tier 6 beasts, hundreds of Tier 5 beasts, and countless Tier 4 beasts. The whole thing lasted less than twenty minutes. All by himself."

The short-haired female warrior picked up her water glass and took a sip: "I used to think that sixth-level warriors were the pinnacle of humanity, and that everyone else was just at that level no matter how strong they became."

"It now seems that the gap between sixth-order units may be even greater than the gap between first-order and sixth-order units."

The ponytail-wearing female warrior waved her hand: "Captain, what you're saying is too convoluted, I don't understand."

"Anyway, he's amazing, incredibly amazing, invincible, right?"

"Could you use a different word?"

"Absolutely amazing."

The table was filled with laughter.

A bespectacled male martial artist who appeared to be the youngest interjected, "I genuinely believe that Song Chen is no ordinary person."

"One person, without receiving any support or mobilizing any troops, crossed Central Asia and the Mediterranean in two days, killed so many beast kings, and then continued westward."

"He didn't stop for a moment. I think he might be one of those legendary chosen ones. Humanity has waited fifty years and finally found someone who can turn the tide."

"You're talking like you're writing a novel," the ponytail-wearing female warrior laughed.

"I'm serious," the bespectacled martial artist said earnestly.

The short-haired female warrior held her cup, gazing thoughtfully at the table.

"What I'm actually more curious about is what kind of person he is. The news says he's nineteen years old, two years younger than me, and he's already killing a sixth-tier beast king."

"I really want to know what kind of person he is. Is he particularly aloof? After all, he's so strong, he must not talk much usually."

The ponytail-wearing female warrior chuckled: "Maybe she's a repressed pervert, seemingly aloof but actually incredibly gentle inside."

"You're doing it again."

"What's wrong? Can't I even think about it?"

The young man with the shield and sword noticed Song Chen eating alone in the corner.

Song Chen had her back to them, her dark coat concealing her figure.

He gestured with his chin towards Song Chen: "Hey bro over there, judging by your gear, you're just a lone wolf clearing out the enemy. Alone? Want to call you over for a bite?"

The short-haired female warrior followed his gaze.

She sized up Song Chen's back. He was very young, and through his coat, she could vaguely see the muscle contours of his shoulders and arms, the result of long-term knife-wielding training.

She had only ever seen such training marks on veteran martial artists, but that person didn't look very old.

"I'll go ask." She stood up and walked towards Song Chen's table.

When Song Chen walked to the table, he had just put the last bite of rice into his mouth and looked up at her.

The short-haired female warrior stood in front of the table, scrutinizing the young man up close.

He was younger than she had expected, with strong facial features but not fierce-looking; a rather handsome Eastern face.

"Hello," the short-haired female warrior said in a friendly tone.

"We are the third squad of the Las Palmas Warriors Guild's Extermination Team, currently clearing out the remaining monsters on the east coast. Since you're alone, would you be interested in teaming up?"

Song Chen put down his chopsticks and glanced at the group of young people. The oldest was only twenty-three or twenty-four years old, and they were mostly at the second level.

The equipment consisted of standard-issue weapons, and the armbands were brand new, suggesting they were a newly formed unit during the war.

They seemed to be in good spirits, chatting and laughing, and were clearly locals who were familiar with the area.

Without giving it much thought, he nodded: "Okay."

"That's great." The short-haired female warrior reached out her hand to him.

"My name is Rosa Perez, the squad leader. What's your name?"

"Song".

"Just one word?"

"His surname is Song."

Rosa raised an eyebrow and glanced back at her tablemate.

The female warrior with the ponytail shrugged and mouthed, "This person doesn't talk much."

Rosa didn't press the matter. There were too many quiet people among the warriors; during wartime, everyone had stories they didn't want to tell.

She patted Song Chen on the shoulder: "Welcome to the team. Come and sit down, the food hasn't been served yet."

Song Chen, carrying his empty rice bowl and his long knife, sat down at the large table.

The female warrior with the ponytail was the first to approach, her eyes sparkling: "Song? You're from Great Xia?"

"right."

"Wow, a Great Xia person! Then you must know Song Chen, right?" The ponytail-wearing female warrior placed her hands on the table, her face full of gossip.

"That's Councilor Song from Great Xia, the super-powerful guy who single-handedly killed twenty sixth-tier beast kings. Aren't you people from Great Xia especially proud of him?"

Song Chen picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and replied calmly, "I guess we know each other."