I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

Just three words.

The atmosphere in the hall seemed to freeze for a moment.

Then, the entire hall erupted in applause and cheers that were ten or even a hundred times louder than before.

Ji Tian leaned against the wall, his lips twitching slightly.

"...Flag. In my past life's online novels, nine out of ten people who said they 'would win' ended up losing."

"There's another one who was saved by his teammates."

He stared expressionlessly at the blond figure bathed in holy light in the crowd.

"However, the 'Way of Heaven' in this world seems to favor him quite a bit. Perhaps the 'Flag' here won't come true?"

Or perhaps—

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

"The more the 'world' favors you, the harder you'll fall."

He didn't say it aloud.

I just silently labeled this hero in my heart:

"The chosen one of destiny needs to be observed; he should not be made an enemy for the time being."

Just then, for some reason, Alex's gaze swept across the crowd and landed on the young man in the gray linen coat by the wall.

It was just a fleeting moment.

They got so fast that no one around them noticed.

But Ji Tian sensed it.

"Oh? The intuition of a chosen one? Not bad."

He didn't avoid the other person's gaze, but simply clapped along with everyone else.

Alex looked away and continued walking toward the counter amidst the applause and cheers.

Ji Tian lowered his eyes, but the thought from earlier was still swirling in his mind.

"The intuition of the chosen one is indeed sharp. This child has a profound foundation, his five senses are all-encompassing, and he is already showing the rudiments of the Dao realm, like 'the cicada sensing the autumn wind before it blows.' If he were placed in the cultivation world, he would at least have the aptitude of a primordial sword embryo."

"However, the look he gave me wasn't hostile or wary; it was more like... the curiosity of a senior looking at a junior?"

"Tsk, pure of heart, untouched by worldly dust, quite the potential for cultivation. It's a pity... he's chosen the wrong path."

He turned slightly to the side, hiding himself even deeper into the shadows of the corner.

At the counter, Alex was talking to the receptionist. His voice wasn't loud, but it was still clear in the noisy lobby, possessing a magnetic quality that made people unconsciously listen attentively.

He placed a piece of parchment on the counter. "Mission: a reconnaissance report from the Demon King's vanguard. We need the latest intelligence."

The receptionist frantically rummaged through something, her face flushed red, clearly somewhat disoriented by the fact that the hero was speaking to her at such close range.

Mason laughed out loud from behind: "Alex, you scared him."

Alex turned around and gave her a helpless glare, signaling her to stop putting pressure on the receptionist, then gave the receptionist an apologetic smile: "Sorry, there's no rush."

The receptionist took a deep breath and finally pulled out a file tied with a red string from the depths of the cabinet, handing it over with both hands: "This, this was just delivered this week, it's about the movements of the demons outside the Western Border."

Alex took the file, but instead of opening it immediately, he turned to look at his teammates behind him.

"Let's find a place to sit down and review the intelligence before deciding on our next step."

Bruno responded in a muffled voice, his eyes already scanning the hall as he began to look for a seat that could accommodate five people.

His gaze fell on the corner where Ji Tian was—there was an empty long table there, just big enough for five people to sit.

"Over there," Bruno pointed.

The four of them followed him in that direction.

Ji Tian leaned against the wall, watching the five shimmering figures move towards him, silently assessing the distance—three meters, two meters, one meter—

Then Alex stopped in front of him.

Ji Tian looked up and met a pair of deep blue eyes.

Alex smiled and asked, "Hello, haven't we met somewhere before?"

Ji Tian fell silent.

"This way of striking up a conversation... is hard to describe."

Ji Tian replied without changing his expression, "No, this is my first time in Kolde City."

Alex looked at him for two seconds and nodded: "Then I might have mistaken you for someone else. Sorry."

Without asking any further questions, he turned and walked towards the long table.

As Mason passed by him, she glanced at Ji Tian again. A hint of curiosity flickered in her fiery red eyes, but she said nothing and sat down with Alex.

Legolas was the last to pass by.

The elf's footsteps were so light they were almost invisible, but his gaze lingered on Ji Tian longer than anyone else's.

Ji Tian felt as if he were being "locked on by divine sense." "The elves' senses are indeed sharp. Has he noticed something?"

But he didn't move, nor did he turn around.

He simply continued to lean against the wall, quietly observing Adventurer E's F-rank quest list, just like any other unremarkable F-rank adventurer:

Rank F missions: Finding a cat, walking a dog, taking care of children...

Rank E Mission: Exterminate Goblins (One Goblin Nest, One Gold Coin)

Rank E Mission: Obtain a Dire Wolf's Tooth (3 silver coins per tooth)

E-level mission...

Five people sat around the long table. Alex unfolded the file, and the other four gathered around to look at it.

Mason's voice drifted over, "The vanguard has advanced thirty miles eastward, faster than expected."

Legolas said calmly, "This means that the Demon King's army's supply lines have caught up, otherwise they wouldn't have risked advancing."

Bruno slammed his hand on the table. "Forget about supplies! If one comes, cut it down; if two come, cut them both down!"

"Bruno, keep your voice down," Anna whispered. "Don't disturb others."

Bruno chuckled and lowered his voice, but his thick hands were still tapping on the table in a kind of excited rhythm.

Ji Tian listened from the corner, without making any attempt to eavesdrop or avoid the conversation.

He turned his head and his gaze fell on Alex's profile.

The hero was looking down at the map, his golden eyelashes casting a small shadow on his cheekbone. His expression was focused, his brow slightly furrowed, and his fingers moved slowly across the map, as if measuring some unseen distance.

"This person is truly serious about their work."

"It's not a statue that's been put on display, nor a mascot that just shouts slogans."

"He really intends to go to the front lines, he really intends to fight the Demon King."

Ji Tian withdrew his gaze and looked out the window.

As darkness fell, the streets of Kolde were dotted with lights. In the distance, torches on the city walls stretched out in a line, like a winding fire dragon coiled at the edge of the city.

"interesting."

He leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Let's see how far this chosen one can go."

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a commotion came from the other side of the long table.

Alex stood up, put the file away, and tucked it into his pocket. He looked around the hall, his gaze finally settling on Ji Tian.

This time, he didn't just glance at it and look away.

He walked straight over.

Ji Tian straightened up and looked at him calmly.

Alex stopped in front of him, less than two steps apart.

"Are you a new adventurer?" Alex asked, his gaze falling on the bronze F-rank nameplate on Ji Tian's waist.

"Yes."

"one person?"

"one person."

Alex nodded, then remained silent for a moment, as if considering something.

He finally spoke earnestly, "The western border is very dangerous, especially recently, as the Demon King's vanguard is pushing eastward. If you're traveling alone, it's best not to venture too far from the city."

Ji Tian looked at him but did not answer immediately.

"Is this a reminder? Or a test?"

"No, it's a reminder. What's in his eyes...worry?"

"This child's character is indeed quite good."

"Understood," Ji Tian replied, then added almost involuntarily, "Fellow Daoist, please also take care."

Alex paused for a moment, then said, "...Fellow Daoist?"

Ji Tian's expression also froze for a moment.

Without batting an eye, he fabricated a story, saying, "...it's the dialect of our village, meaning 'friend'."

Alex nodded, seemingly understanding, "Oh! Your village dialect is quite interesting."

Alex smiled and turned to leave. But after taking two steps, he stopped and looked back at Ji Tian.

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Li Feiyu".

"Li...Fei...Yu," Alex repeated, as if memorizing the name. "My name is Alex. If you need any help, you can come to us."

He pointed to the long table. Mason was yawning on the table, Bruno was talking to Legolas, and Anna was organizing the holy scriptures.

"We will stay in Kold for now and set off again after the intelligence is confirmed."

Ji Tian nodded: "Okay."

Alex gave him one last look, then turned and walked back to the long table.

Mason looked up and asked lazily, "What were you saying to that new guy?"

"It's nothing," Alex said, sitting down. "Just reminding him to be careful."

Mason yawned. "You're still the same as always, meddling in other people's business. That's an F-rank newbie, he probably won't even leave the city walls yet, what's there to worry about?"

"Not necessarily." Legolas suddenly spoke, his voice very soft, but the other three all looked at him.

The elf's gaze passed over Alex's shoulder and landed on the gray figure in the corner.

"That person is not like an ordinary F-rank."

Mason raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

Legolas was silent for a moment, then finally concluded:

"His breathing is so steady."

"Steady breathing?" Bruno scratched his head. "What's so special about that—"

"I observed him for fifteen minutes, and his breathing rate hasn't changed since we came in. Not even once."

The long table fell silent for a moment.

"Could it be a coincidence?" Anna asked tentatively.

Legolas continued, "And then there's his posture. When he leans against the wall, his weight is always balanced between his feet, perfectly symmetrical. This isn't a posture that an ordinary person can maintain."

Mason's expression turned serious: "You mean, he's trained?"

Legolas shook his head. "I don't know, but there's something about him... I can't quite put my finger on it."

Alex listened to his teammates' discussion without interrupting.

He just stared thoughtfully at the young man named "Li Feiyu" in the corner.

"Forget it," he finally concluded, "whoever he is, as long as he's not an enemy, it's fine."

He lowered his head and unfolded the map again.

"Now, let's get down to business..."

……