Chapter 28: Storm Brewing — The Yamaguchi-gumi Block the Way

The Great Z Mountain Range? At its summit lies a Hall of Fortunes, a place filled with countless opportunities?

Staring at the information glowing on his phone’s screen, Wang Fan's eyes flashed with a sharp brilliance. His hurried steps on the street came to an abrupt halt as he pondered deeply. What he lacked now was precisely a stroke of fortune—a chance to break through the limits of his physical body and spirit, to forge a flawless foundation.

Sometimes, fate truly delivers what one desires!

A faint smile curled on Wang Fan's lips. With that smile, he opened the satellite map app and searched directly for the Great Z Mountain Range. Upon locating it in the eastern outskirts of Z City, he reached up to adjust the cap on his head, then turned toward the east. “Hall of Fortunes, Wang Fan is coming. Wait for me!”

He set off towards the outskirts of the city.

This time, Wang Fan traveled on foot, relying solely on his own strength rather than taking a ride. With his refined energy at its peak and his body perfected, Wang Fan's running speed now rivaled that of a supercar. As he sprinted, the only sound in his ears was the rushing wind, a constant whisper stirred by his passage.

His figure flashed through countless cameras across Z City, moving with an extraordinary speed that soon caught the attention of the police. The officers quickly compiled video footage of Wang Fan and sent it to Chief Zhao Dong.

After viewing the video, Zhao Dong immediately recognized the young man in the cap, advancing like a bolt of lightning, as the cultivator he had seen before—a practitioner whose abilities were far from ordinary.

Upon investigating the direction in which the cultivator was heading, Zhao Dong realized he was likely bound for the Great Z Mountain Range.

The police had already registered the existence of the Hall of Fortunes atop the mountain. Only yesterday had its reality been confirmed. It was discovered because someone had entered the hall and, a few days prior, let slip the secret while drunk, revealing that treasures could be found there.

When the secret was revealed, a journalist happened to be present in the same establishment and recorded the story. It was soon published in the newspaper as a sensational tidbit.

Initially, most people believed the so-called Hall of Fortunes was nothing more than a myth. Gradually, however, more people ventured to the mountain’s summit and found the hall. Photos of the hall circulated online, and word of its existence spread among the populace. Countless cultivators, even military forces, were stirred into action, eager to seize their share of fortune.

Everything was documented at the police station. Zhao Dong knew that today, the city’s armed police had mobilized en masse, all heading to the Great Z Mountain Range to try their luck.

At first, Chief Zhao Dong believed the armed police would surely succeed, as cultivators had not yet grown strong enough. But now, uncertainty crept in. Powerful practitioners capable of running at supercar speeds—extraordinary individuals with terrifying abilities—were on the move.

After some hesitation, Chief Zhao Dong reviewed the footage once more before deciding to call Xie Yue, captain of the armed police unit, instructing him to be wary of a cultivator wearing a cap. His tone was grave, warning that even firearms might not suffice.

Chief Zhao Dong’s seriousness heightened Xie Yue’s vigilance to the utmost.

The Great Z Mountain Range was neither impoverished nor menacing, nor could it be called picturesque. Its peaks were ordinary, unremarkable, devoid of any special meaning.

The plants and trees on the mountain were equally mundane, but the advent of the Golden Era had bestowed an air of mystery upon this otherwise ordinary range. At its summit stood a unique and magnificent hall, drawing countless people to its doors.

Among those who arrived were Xie Yue’s armed police unit and the 113th Special Forces dispatched by Z City’s military district. All official personnel carried firearms.

Besides these units, there were solitary cultivators, groups of three or five, and practitioners surrounded by bodyguards.

For example, Zhao Fan was a cultivator protected by bodyguards.

Zhao Qi now wielded a long rifle, flanked by four bodyguards in a four-to-one formation, heading toward the summit.

Time passed swiftly. Wang Fan took only several dozen minutes to leave the city and arrive at the foot of the Great Z Mountain Range. Not a single bead of sweat marked his brow.

For Wang Fan, whose body had reached perfection and whose refined energy was at its peak, this brief run barely depleted his stamina.

At the foot of the mountain, Wang Fan raised an eyebrow, noticing the multitude of vehicles parked—those of the armed police, special forces, private cars, and luxury vehicles.

A spark flashed in Wang Fan’s eyes. He murmured, “It seems I’m not the only one who’s noticed the Hall of Fortunes. There are many clever people in the cities of China.”

With this thought, he began his ascent, moving swiftly as though the steep path posed no obstacle at all.

On the mountain road, Wang Fan overtook many people, forging ahead until he was stopped by a human wall—dozens of men in black, dressed like bodyguards, shielding a young man playing games on a PS4, blocking the path.

Wang Fan frowned. “Move aside!”

His voice was powerful and resonant, echoing along the mountain road, causing the surrounding flora to rustle in response.

“Move aside?” The lead bodyguard glanced back with a cold sneer, then continued walking indifferently. The other bodyguards were even more obstinate, each moving slowly with no intention of yielding the path.

“What’s the meaning of this? This road doesn’t belong to you. You’re guarding your master and blocking the entire way—surely that’s unreasonable,” Wang Fan said, brow furrowed.

“Well, the road’s so narrow, there’s nothing we can do.”

“You probably don’t know who our master is—the younger brother of the Yamaguchi-gumi boss from Japan, and also the head of the Z City branch in China. Just wait behind us. Once we’re past, you can go.”

The lead bodyguard’s words were domineering and full of swagger.