The successive defeats of the local fighting gyms, fanned and trumpeted by certain media outlets, had indeed stirred up nationalistic sentiment among a segment of the Federation's populace.
What had been a pure contest of martial skill between gyms had now devolved into a clash of nations and peoples. Historically, the Federation's relationship with Great Shun had been marked far more by prolonged antagonism than by cooperation.
This prompted a number of civilian fighters in the Federation Capital to issue challenges to the Non-Body style dojos. As the news spread through telegraph dispatches and newspapers, it drew the attention of martial artists all across the Federation.
However, the East Bank was far more orderly than the West Bank; martial artists were strictly forbidden from roaming about without rigorous approval from the government and the Council.
Even so, the fallout was undeniable. The Non-Body style dojo maintained branch halls in every Center City, and under the sway of public opinion, these branches were all impacted to varying degrees.
Decades of development had spread the Non-Body style throughout the entire Federation, establishing dojos in almost every Center City and even reaching several peripheral towns. Caught in this surge of public sentiment, outlying areas with slower information flow remained relatively unaffected, but the instructors and disciples in several Center City dojos felt the mounting pressure, and some were forced to leave.
Delegation Leader Xie understood very well that this was a customary tactic of the Strategic Affairs Department. Yet because they possessed home-turf advantage, there was nothing he could do to simply stop whatever they wished to attempt.
Fortunately, he had prepared in advance. He immediately placed calls instructing various Great Shun companies in the Federation to stabilize the dojos under the guise of charitable donations and to immediately recruit fresh personnel from across the land.
Under the Federation's laws governing martial gyms, if the proportion of Federation instructors and students fell below a certain threshold, the gym became vulnerable to regulatory restrictions that could drag it into endless litigation, crippling any hope of normal operation.
Merely parrying blows was not enough; he had to find a way to break their offense. Even if Great Shun's resources could hold the line, the cost was exorbitant and impossible to sustain indefinitely. They could not allow themselves to be drawn into the enemy's chosen battleground and dance to their tune. Instead, they had to make the enemy chase after them and strip away any further opportunities for them to strike.
After thinking the entire board through, he first conferred with the First Delegation, then placed several calls in succession, packing his schedule for the next half-month almost to the brim in a single breath.
Finally, and most importantly, he coordinated with Chen Chuan.
Once finished, he set down the telephone receiver and looked outside. The bait had been cast; now it remained to be seen whether the fish would bite.
Over the next two days, he followed his itinerary to call upon various Federation bureaucrats, actively resolving the troubles surrounding the gyms.
While he was occupied with this, a group of people gathered inside a certain luxury apartment. This was a diplomatic mission hailing from the nation of Aluxun.
In reality, the international positions and public channels of such diplomatic delegations were largely dictated by the regional powers to which they were subservient, forcing them to follow along step by step. Yet their existence remained necessary; when major powers found it inconvenient to take certain actions or voice certain words, these delegations could do so in their stead.
Furthermore, the modern world was by no means entirely devoid of warfare; it was merely that wars between great powers no longer occurred. Conflicts between corporations and between minor nations had never truly subsided, often serving as pressure-release valves and proxy battlegrounds for the great powers and massive conglomerates.
The apartment was modest in size, but it was crammed with biological equipment and all manner of informational tools. Photographs lined the walls, depicting mostly members of the Great Shun delegations. Today, one photograph had been flipped to the very top and pinned firmly in place.
"This man is Xie Xinmin, head of the Great Shun Second Delegation. Based on our inquiries and the intelligence gathered recently, he is very likely aware of the contents of the negotiations."
"So to find the answer, all we need to do is target him? Hm, that certainly lowers the difficulty considerably compared to prying intel from the Federation or the Great Shun First Delegation."
"He has been active outdoors lately. We managed to secure his itinerary."
Someone pinned an itinerary sheet beside the photograph on the wall.
"Judging by his movements over the past few days, he has adhered closely to this schedule. Furthermore, many of these meetings were arranged well in advance, making any sudden change unlikely."
"Then when do we strike?"
"Do not take this lightly. He is guarded at all times by two martial artists. The difficulty remains very high."
This was, after all, the Federation Capital. Kidnapping someone was virtually impossible, and even if they succeeded, extracting him and interrogating him would be out of the question. Thus, they had to rely on unconventional methods.
"Remember, he is merely an ordinary person. As long as someone can safely approach him, we have a chance to glean the answer. But finding the right candidate is difficult; only someone rather exceptional can pull this off."
Someone asked, surprised, "Do you mean exposing our sleeper agent? Is it worth it?"
"The negotiations between the Federation and Great Shun have been dragging on for two full years if you count from the very beginning. After such a prolonged, back-and-forth game of chess, whatever they are negotiating must have monumental ramifications for the future world order.
"Now they have shut out all other nations, leaving the leadership concerned that the two powers might have struck some pact detrimental to everyone else. For the sake of our national security, we must uncover the truth no matter what—even if it demands great sacrifice."
"When do we carry out the operation?"
The man in charge looked around at everyone present.
"Today."
The delegation's motorcade was traveling along the road. Delegation Leader Xie was on his way to meet an influential public figure whose thinking was relatively open-minded and who controlled several media outlets. If this individual was willing to speak on their behalf, it would effectively ease the current tensions.
Partway through the journey, the telegraph operator received an encrypted wire from the covert department. After reading it, Xie instructed the operator to send a reply, but he did not alter his itinerary on account of the warning.
Just as the vehicle rounded an architecturally curved street corner, a custom bullet ripped through the air, piercing straight through the bulletproof glass in an instant.
Yet before the crack of gunfire could even ring out, Wang Tongshan, seated beside Delegation Leader Xie, reached out and snatched the bullet from the air a mere half-foot from Xie's body.
At the same time, Ka Zhijie materialized at the sniper's vantage point in an instant, knocking the man unconscious before he could even register what was happening. Ka then glanced in every direction.
His martial artist field and keen sensory faculties took in the entire perimeter at once. Several other snipers posed potential threats further down the street. However, their placement seemed deliberately designed to lure him away.
Yet even knowing this, he could not simply turn a blind eye.
Right after catching the bullet, Wang Tongshan suddenly sensed an impending threat. In that very instant, he struck out with an open palm. The car door warped violently and flew outward, slamming into something unseen. The bent and twisted metal outlined the entity's shape in midair, and the jin infused within the door instantly hurled it aside.
*No, there's another one!*
Wang planted his feet and leaped backward, clearing the roof of the car. Reaching downward, he intercepted and caught an entity that was about to slip in through the window.
The creature was blended entirely into the surrounding air, appearing as a transparent mass. Yet through the tactile sensation in his grip, he could tell it was shaped like a swimming fish, complete with four limbs and a tail.
*Some kind of altered organism?*
The Federation Capital maintained strict controls over altered organisms, let alone such extraordinarily dangerous specimens. For two of them to appear at once made him suspect they had been smuggled in by an external delegation.
If that was the case, the assailants were likely backed by a corporation or a foreign government.
*Attacking Delegation Leader Xie... are they trying to derail the negotiations?*
Thoughts raced through his mind, but the creature in his grip suddenly transformed from solid flesh into a viscous fluid, oozing down to the ground. Translucent droplets struck the pavement, kicking up small puffs of dust.
Realizing the creature could not be preserved, he glanced in the other direction; the one crushed by the car door had likewise dissolved away.
He then looked toward Ka Zhijie, who was standing atop a nearby building and gave him a nod from afar.
Wang stepped back to Delegation Leader Xie's side. "Leader, the danger has been neutralized. Shall we proceed with the itinerary?"
Delegation Leader Xie replied, "The Federation's city security forces should be arriving shortly. Let us wait here a moment."
Ten minutes later, the nearest city security unit arrived at the scene.
"My apologies! We arrived late."
The man approaching was Bayelo, Deputy Director of the Federation Capital's City Security Bureau—a plump, energetic middle-aged man.
Having dealt with the delegation on multiple prior occasions, he hurried over to Delegation Leader Xie after stepping out of his vehicle, offering profuse apologies.
"I am terribly sorry that such an incident occurred, Delegation Leader Xie. Are you all unharmed?"
Delegation Leader Xie began, "We are unharmed. Hm?"
At that moment, Xie suddenly noticed that the brass buttons on his cuffs and collar were glowing with a faint glimmer. This indicated that the man before him carried something capable of influencing his person.
Standing beside him, Wang Tongshan caught sight of the phenomenon. His eyes narrowed, and he immediately stepped forward to bar Bayelo's advance. Yet upon seeing him approach, Bayelo did not stop; instead, he surged forward even faster. At the same time, a brilliant flare of light burst from his body, dazzling the entire street in an instant.
Wang Tongshan reacted with blinding speed, interposing himself before Delegation Leader Xie the very moment the light flared.
When the glare subsided and he lowered his arm, he found that the spot where Bayelo had stood was reduced to nothing more than a patch of scorched charcoal. The surrounding bystanders were all dazed and disoriented, and Delegation Leader Xie also appeared somewhat lost in a trance.
Wang's expression changed. He quickly supported Xie into the vehicle while pulling a medical kit from the onboard compartment.
Yet his hands suddenly paused.
The vacant look in Delegation Leader Xie's eyes had already vanished, replaced by clear lucidity, and he gave Wang a subtle nod.
Understanding dawned on Wang instantly. He resumed opening the kit, taking out one container of medicine after another as if in urgent treatment.
Several kilometers away, two men dressed in formal suits removed a multifaceted mirror from a stand. After inspecting it, looks of delight surfaced on their faces, and they swiftly departed the scene with the device in hand.
Chapter 1184