Ambition (End of Volume 3)

October 7, 2056, Saturday. It was the day the Fire Hammer Squad's five members had agreed to meet at the HR Alliance Mall. In the morning, a sleek sports car, exuding an elegant aura, slowly drove into the HR Alliance Mall plaza, stopping directly at the entrance of the HR skyscraper's lobby. Luo Feng and Chen Gu, dressed in simple casual shirts, stepped out. Welcomed by the doorman, they entered the ground floor lobby. "Alright, sir, please wait a moment." As Luo Feng stepped into the lobby, he immediately spotted Xu Xin at the distant bar. Dressed in a white shirt, like a professional woman, she was smiling and chatting with some Warriors. Suddenly, her eyes inadvertently caught sight of a figure approaching the bar. Upon closer inspection, a hint of surprise flashed in Xu Xin's eyes. "Luo Feng," Xu Xin called out with a smile. "Xu Xin," Luo Feng said, smiling as he approached the bar. "Could I get a cup of Pu'er tea? By the way, do you have time? We old classmates could chat." Xu Xin hesitated slightly, then smiled and instructed another server nearby. She then walked out from behind the bar, chuckling, "It's not too busy today, not many customers. Come on, Luo Feng, let's chat over there." At this moment, Chen Gu, sitting on a distant sofa, gave Luo Feng a thumbs-up from afar. In a quiet corner of the bar, Luo Feng and Xu Xin sat opposite each other. "Luo Feng, when did you return from the wilderness? Have you been back long?" Xu Xin sat quietly, holding a cup of tea, the green tea leaves casting a faint green glow through the transparent cup. "I've been back for a while," Luo Feng replied. Xu Xin smiled, unable to help but laugh, "You've been back so long, and you haven't even come to see your old classmate. Are you... looking down on your old classmate? Among all my high school classmates, you're the only one who became a Warrior, Luo Feng. I'm just waiting for the day your name becomes famous so I can go out and brag about you." "Haha, Xu Xin, which university are you at now?" Luo Feng asked. Luo Feng and Xu Xin sat there, chatting casually, discussing their current lives. Although Luo Feng secretly admired Xu Xin, and Xu Xin knew Luo Feng was interested in her, they both consciously avoided that unspoken layer, simply chatting quietly. Luo Feng himself was quite content with the seemingly calm conversation. ... Just then, a young man in a black shirt and black trousers emerged from the elevator. His gaze swept across the room and landed on Xu Xin and Luo Feng in the corner of the bar. "Who is Xiao Xin chatting with?" The young man frowned slightly, looking closely. "It seems to be... Luo Feng, one of the three top students from Xiao Xin's high school?" He was very familiar with the high school Xu Xin attended, and he had seen information on well-known figures like Luo Feng and Zhang Haobai. The young man sneered, "A few days ago, Xiao Xin even mentioned Luo Feng during dinner at home. So, they've reconnected." The young man walked to another part of the bar and sat down silently. ... Luo Feng felt he was having a great time chatting with Xu Xin. Someone at the bar seemed to be calling Xu Xin, so she stood up and apologized, "Luo Feng, I'm sorry, I have to go attend to something." "Go ahead, don't mind me," Luo Feng said with a smile. "Xiao Xin, is this your friend?" A male voice suddenly spoke. Luo Feng turned his head and saw a handsome young man, bearing some resemblance to Xu Xin, standing nearby. He smiled at Xu Xin, then at Luo Feng. Xu Xin exclaimed with surprise, "Brother, you're at the mall today too! Oh, this is my old classmate, Luo Feng. Brother, I need to go, but you can chat with Luo Feng!" "Alright, you go," the young man said, nodding with a smile. He turned to Luo Feng. "Hello, Luo Feng. Let me introduce myself, I'm Xu Gang, Xu Xin's brother." Brother? If he could win Xu Xin's heart, wouldn't this be his brother-in-law? "Hello," Luo Feng stood up and shook his hand. "Hello, Luo Feng," Xu Gang said, sitting down with a smile. "I've long heard of your reputation, Luo Feng. My sister's high school, I heard there were only three advanced students from the Martial Arts Hall, and you were one of them! And I heard from my sister that you're already a formal Warrior?" Luo Feng nodded with a smile. "Ah, truly remarkable, an 18-year-old Warrior," Xu Gang praised, then smiled. "My sister, was she particularly low-key at school?" "She was very low-key, no one could tell how wealthy her family was," Luo Feng also laughed. Indeed, the Xu Xin of back then was a simple, quiet girl. Xu Gang's smile broadened. "Haha, actually, my grandfather was worried that the family's eldest daughter would become spoiled, so he insisted my sister attend a regular school instead of an aristocratic one. He wanted her to experience life among ordinary people up close! It seems my sister performed very well." Luo Feng frowned slightly. Family's eldest daughter? He already knew Xu Xin was the Xu family's eldest daughter. "Didn't my sister tell you about her family's situation?" Xu Gang asked, feigning confusion. "She didn't say, but I know, the Xu family, right?" Luo Feng smiled calmly. "This is one of the twelve major family corporations of the HR Alliance in Huaxia Nation." Luo Feng had already sensed the deeper meaning in Xu Gang's words. Xu Gang wasn't directly stating it, but was subtly leading the conversation to reveal one thing: Xu Xin was the Xu family's eldest daughter! "Oh, you know," Xu Gang said with a sigh. "Actually, big families have their own troubles, too. For example, marriage, sometimes it can't be as one wishes. Just like my sister, many excellent young men are pursuing her now. For instance, Wang Xingping from Jingdu City, and a 21-year-old intermediate Warlord-level Warrior from our Jiangnan City, 'Guo Hai'." Luo Feng was startled. Others pursuing Xu Xin? "That Guo Hai, he's just thick-skinned," Xu Gang scoffed, shaking his head. "He's just a Warlord-level Warrior, what does he think he is? My Xu family has some standing in the world; how could we easily marry off the family's eldest daughter to a Warrior whose life is constantly at risk? Who knows, this Warrior might die in the wilderness any day." Luo Feng frowned. "Luo Feng, don't you agree with what I'm saying? Warriors walk on the edge of life and death, they could die at any moment. How could my family let the family's eldest daughter marry a Warrior, right?" Xu Gang asked with a smile. Seeing Luo Feng's expression, he quickly added, "Oh, don't misunderstand. I'm not talking about you." Luo Feng was in a very bad mood. Not talking about him? Xu Gang, of all things, brought this up, clearly telling him that his Xu family's eldest daughter could never marry a Warrior who might die at any moment. So, Luo Feng, don't get ahead of yourself. "Actually," Xu Gang sighed, "comparatively, I prefer Wang Xingping. Wang Xingping is the direct eldest young master of the Wang family in Jingdu City. The Wang family also controls immense wealth. He just needs to sign documents and issue commands from home every day, and many Warriors will serve him, without him having to risk his life." "As a brother, of course, I hope my sister can live a stable life," Xu Gang lamented. "Compared to a Warrior, a wealthy family's young master like him, with my sister, that's a suitable match." "Warriors?" "Families like the Wang family and my Xu family, which of them doesn't have a group of Warlord-level Warriors under their command? Not to mention countless Soldier-level Warriors," Xu Gang said with a dismissive smile. His tone clearly showed his disregard for Warriors, and he was particularly disdainful of Soldier-level Warriors. He had the capital for it! The HR Alliance, one of the twelve major family corporations in Huaxia Nation, indeed controlled a large number of Warlord-level Warriors and countless Soldier-level Warriors. "Luo Feng!" a voice called from afar. Luo Feng turned to see Captain Gao Feng and the Wei brothers had arrived and were sitting with Chen Gu. Luo Feng smiled and called back, "Captain, I'm coming." "Young Master Xu Gang," Luo Feng said, looking at Xu Gang with a smile. "Hmm?" Xu Gang showed a hint of a smile. After saying so much, Xu Gang believed his meaning should be clear to the other party: his family didn't even think much of a 21-year-old intermediate Warlord-level Warrior. Luo Feng, a newcomer who had just become a Warrior, should know his place and stop bothering his sister. "Young Master Xu Gang, your Xu family is truly impressive, able to control a group of Warlord-level Warriors," Luo Feng said with a faint smile. "However, I wonder if your Xu family can command a War God-level expert to come and go at your beck and call?" Xu Gang was stunned. War God-level experts? How many were there in Jiangnan City? His Xu family did have War God-level experts, but they were only 'lured' and 'coaxed' with vast sums of money and connections. "I wonder if your Xu family can even meet with beings beyond War God-level?" Luo Feng continued. Xu Gang's face turned grim. Beings beyond War God-level, like the world's strongest individual, Hong, and others, were existences that even national armies had to treat as equals. His family corporation, even if they wanted to meet these top-tier powerhouses, didn't have the qualifications. Let alone compare themselves to such experts. Compared to peak existences like Hong and Lei Shen, the Xu family was an ant! "Young Master Xu Gang, we can be considered friends, so let me give you a piece of advice... don't look down on Warriors." Luo Feng looked at Xu Gang. If Xu Gang didn't give him face, why should he give face to Xu Gang? With that, Luo Feng turned and walked away. ... The air conditioning in the lobby was cool, and the music flowed gently like a stream. But Luo Feng's heart was burning with suppressed anger. "Families like the Wang family and my Xu family, which of them doesn't have a group of Warlord-level Warriors under their command? Not to mention countless Soldier-level Warriors." Xu Gang's words echoed repeatedly in Luo Feng's mind. "Xu Gang!" "You said all that just to make me back off and stop pursuing your sister, didn't you?" Luo Feng's gaze was icy. "Don't worry, I, Luo Feng, will definitely reach the pinnacle of Warrior power in this life! A powerhouse that even government armies will treat as an equal! By then, I'll make your Xu family welcome me with smiles and deference!" Of course, he would pursue Xu Xin... But he would also make the Xu family welcome him with smiles, lowering their stance to warmly receive him! "Warriors are the ultimate power in this world!" "So-called family corporations are nothing but scum before the most powerful Warriors!" At this moment! On this morning of October 7, 2056! Luo Feng's first encounter with Xu Gang finally ignited his ambition!