"This is our ultimate defense against alien invasions, the famous Blackwind Cannons!" Su Feng introduced proudly.

"Blackwind Cannons? They really are top-grade weapons, aren't they?" Zhang Lie's eyes gleamed. This was the closest he'd ever gotten to such weapons, both in his past life and his current one. Allegedly, at full charge, these weapons could easily kill a monarch-class hunter or an alien battleship.

Su Feng's smile was burnished with pride. After showing Zhang Lie around, he went right to business. "The reason I've called you here today is with regards to the development of these limit fragments, as well as those white-grub cores and growth factors that you've brought up. I've heard that you're publicly selling this valuable military resource!"

"Only in limited quantities," Zhang Lie added.

They were walking toward Su Feng's office.

"Is that so? Good! I've had questions about purchasing more from my superiors, but I've dealt with them all, so you'd better not hide anything from me," Su Feng warned.

"I've been a bit busy with matters in the dimensional world, so I apologize for the delay in handling this matter. Regarding the white-grub cores, I'm happy to provide the military with ten thousand cores for free, but the others will have to be purchased from me. Of course, the military will receive a special discount, but will still be limited in the quantity it can purchase; after all, I only have a finite number of cores left, and I have to keep a few for my dojo," Zhang Lie continued.

Su Feng inclined his head subtly. "It doesn't seem like all that much, but it's likely the best you can do for now. In that case, let's do as you say. What about these growth factors that you've mentioned? Where can they be acquired?"

"In theory, any lifeform similar to these white grubs should produce some limited quantity of growth factors, but the problem is one of scale."

"Do you know if these growth factors can be synthesized or lab-grown?"

"It's not impossible, but it'll require significant research, and I don't have an answer for you at the moment."

"In that case, make this a priority. Access to this breakthrough could significantly enhance mankind's strength relative to the alien races! You're free now, aren't you? Especially after what happened in the Runic Forest."

The commotion that Zhang Lie had caused was apparently significant enough that even Su Feng had heard of it.

"Of course. That's why I'm here to help out today. Has something gone wrong with the foundational breakthrough on your end?"

"Yes, follow me!" Su Feng brought Zhang Lie out of the office and through a pitch-black corridor, with cries and grunts in the distance. Clearly, there were quite a few soldiers training.

"The moment you announced the news of the foundational breakthrough, the military began initial trials for promising recruits, but it seems as though satisfying the third condition regarding adrenaline is particularly difficult for us," Su Feng explained.

Indeed, Zhang Lie recalled that something similar had happened in his past life. After all, soldiers had to face life-threatening danger day in and day out, and their tolerance for such stressful conditions was far superior to those of regular people, even hunters.

"As the hunter who came up with this foundational breakthrough in the first place, I hope you'll be able to resolve this problem," Su Feng told Zhang Lie.

Zhang Lie frowned. "I can give it a try, but there's no guarantee that it'll work. Furthermore, I suggest that this training be included as early as possible in the soldiers' regimen, ideally while they're still new recruits."

The breakthrough success rate for seasoned soldiers had, in his past life, been a staggeringly low 3%. This was mainly because of their frightening analytical abilities on the battlefield, as well as their strong sense of duty, loyalty, and honor. They had long since dedicated their lives to their country.

"I'll take your suggestion into account. Then, the field is yours!" Su Feng glanced curiously at Zhang Lie, who had apparently devised a scheme to fix this problem in a matter of moments. 

Zhang Lie nodded firmly..

"Welcome to the training chamber for the Blackwind special forces." Su Feng pushed the door open, flooding the corridor in bright light. The shouts and grunts that had seemed muted were now far clearer to the ear, and they could both sense fluctuations in genetic energy from a distance.

The training chamber wasn't any different from a dojo's arena. A number of hunters were fighting against each other, with bursts of genetic energy from time to time. The reinforced floor was wet with sweat. Zhang Lie's gaze swept over the gathered soldiers.

"Assemble!" Su Feng shouted, and the sound of fighting stopped immediately. The soldiers hurriedly assembled into a tidy formation and saluted their commander-in-chief.

Zhang Lie gave a nod of approval. From the speed at which the soldiers had reacted, as well as the skills they had displayed in the arena, it was clear that these were all top-tier troops. They were veteran soldiers, all with rather unstable fluctuations in their aura, as though they had just purged their frameworks and started afresh.

"These are the soldiers that you'll be specially responsible for," Su Feng murmured. "These are the best forces I have. No matter what you do, I hope you'll be able to have them all experience the breakthrough!"

Su Feng looked at Zhang Lie with hope and anticipation, multiplying the stress that Zhang Lie felt.

"Commander, the eighty-one soldiers of the Blackwind special forces team, reporting for duty!"

"At rest!   Today's the third day since you all purged your frameworks, but none of you have managed the foundational breakthrough. As a result, I've sent for an external instructor!"

Su Feng glanced at Zhang Lie.

"Commander-in-Chief, we're getting instructed by the Dragonwolf Zhang Lie?" the leader of the special forces team queried, his tone filled with disbelief.

"Yes, he's your new instructor!  Do you have a problem with that?" Su Feng replied.

The soldiers' faces changed. Zhang Lie had become rather famous, but he was still just a youth from the first realm. How could he compare to the years of battlefield experience that they all had? Would they accept a twenty-year-old as their instructor so easily?

"Commander-in-Chief, are you certain about this?" the leader of the team, Lin Yue, queried once more.

"Lin Yue, do you doubt my orders?!"

"No, Commander, but—"

"Enough! Treat Instructor Zhang Lie's orders as if they were my own. All offenders will be subject to martial law! Are there any further questions?"

Su Feng stared at all of them. The other soldiers didn't dare speak up. Zhang Lie glanced at Lin Yue with interest.

"No, Commander!" the soldiers chorused as one, but Lin Yue shot a disdainful glance at Zhang Lie before he answered.

"I'll leave the rest to you. Don't disappoint me!"

Of course, Su Feng saw that glance, but he was sure that Zhang Lie would be able to deal with the rest of the situation on his own.

"No problem. But there might be some friction between us in the beginning, so you'd best be prepared," Zhang Lie replied, smiling.

"As long as you don't kill them, do whatever you want!" Su Feng walked out of the training chamber and the doors sealed shut.

The soldiers, who were standing at attention, immediately turned to Zhang Lie.

"Resume training," Zhang Lie commanded.

"Ah, what's going on with my waist?"

"Did you hear my bones creak just now?"

"For some reason, I can't seem to muster up any strength!"

The soldiers' formation suddenly disintegrated into a disorderly mess, and none of them seemed to pay any attention to Zhang Lie.

"Who does this fellow think he is, ordering us around like that?" someone whispered.

Zhang Lie's face was bland, as though he had expected such a thing to happen.

"Lin Yue!"

"Yes!"

"You're the leader of this team, aren't you?"

"Yes!"

"Who was it that spoke just now? Identify them!"

Lin Yue smirked. "I apologize, Instructor, but I can't!"

Zhang Lie eyed Lin Yue. "You heard Commander Su's orders just now, didn't you?"

"Yes, Instructor!" Lin Yue replied, certain that Zhang Lie wouldn't be able to do anything to him.

Zhang Lie grinned back at him wolfishly. "In that case, we'll start with you. Lin Yue, listen up: you're fired!"

All the soldiers looked toward him. Who was Zhang Lie, to think he could fire someone like Lin Yue so easily? To the gathered soldiers, he seemed to be making a fool of himself.

"Haha, this lad isn't crazy, is he?

"Do you think you can fire our leader just like that? You must be addled!"

Riotous laughter filled the chamber.