Zhongnanhai is China's "White House." Located just west of the magnificent and historic Forbidden City, this complex is the highest political power center in a country with a population of 1.4 billion.
The people who live and work in Zhongnanhai consist of the nation's top leaders and senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party. Therefore, this area is highly secretive, guarded with extremely tight multi-layered security systems, and surrounded by high walls that shield internal activities from the public.
Zhongnanhai is not a tourist area; ordinary citizens cannot enter at all without special authorization.
Among the many important figures sheltered behind Zhongnanhai's walls, there are four great families that represent the highest peak of the power hierarchy in modern China: the Zhao Family, the Su Family, the Ouyang Family, and the Sima Family.
These four families are not new families that emerged after the reform era. Their foundations have been embedded in history for more than a millennium, since the Song Dynasty ruled.
It should be noted that the Song Dynasty was one of the most glorious periods in Chinese civilization, often referred to as the "Chinese Renaissance" by historians.
During this period, China became the most advanced nation in the world in economics, science, and technology. Three of China's Four Great Inventions—the compass, gunpowder, and printing—flourished or began to be widely used during this time.
The magnetic compass began to be used for maritime navigation, gunpowder was developed for military purposes, and the Song government became the first government in world history to officially issue paper money.
These four great families had deep roots since that golden era. They had weathered the rise and fall of dynasties, foreign invasions, revolutions, and ideological transformations, yet continued to survive and adapt. Currently, their influence spread throughout all joints of Chinese power: politics, military, industry, finance, academia—all strategic sectors. One could imagine how deep and strong their foundations were.
Since the Mato dimension appeared and Peaches became a new source of power in the world, these four families moved quickly. They monopolized the supply of Peaches entering China both legally from Japan and illegally through infiltration, and ensured all those Peaches were only distributed among their own family members and trusted loyalists.
Thus, their power over China no longer relied solely on capital and connections, but also superpowers. The knot of their power became increasingly tight and unshakeable.
And Naoki's target tonight was the young lady of the Su Family named Su Ling'er.
Su Ling'er's Peach Blessing was known by the name «Decimal Point».
A simple name, but with a highly revolutionary effect: amplification of another person's Peach Blessing by tenfold!
Tenfold. Not 10%, not double. 10x.
For Naoki with his Peach Blessing, «Pandemonium», which already had extraordinary potential, receiving tenfold amplification would be an unimaginable enhancement.
«Decimal Point» would multiply the effectiveness of every Peach Blessing he copied.
It wasn't impossible that with this combination, Naoki could seize the title of "The Strongest" from Yamashiro Ren, who had thus far been considered the peak of human evolution in this world.
Although Naoki himself didn't particularly care about titles or recognition, the potential of such power was still an irresistible temptation.
"..."
In an invisible state thanks to Spatial Refraction, Naoki stood in perfect balance atop a tall electrical pole outside the Zhongnanhai complex. His red eyes with golden-black cross patterns observed the high walls, armed patrols, and trained tracking dogs.
"In this world there are thousands of people who awakened amplification-type superpowers, but most are only physical enhancements like physique, speed, intelligence, senses, endurance, and healing. Abilities that directly enhance Peach Blessing power—those are far rarer."
"For the Peach Blessing amplification category, there are several hundred people worldwide. On average their abilities only amplify one to two times, and even then with limited duration or side effects. Four to five times amplification is only possessed by a few dozen people in the world. And tenfold amplification... only one person."
"Su Ling'er. The young lady of the Su Family."
"China treats her like a national treasure. Not because she's a great fighter, but because she's a supporter who changes the course of battle just with her presence. On the battlefield, a single Su Ling'er could transform their elite forces into an invincible tremendous power."
This was information Naoki obtained from the flash drive containing Anti-Demon Corps classified data given by Tenka.
To the public, very powerful Peach Blessings were usually kept secret. But for major nations, there were no truly safe secrets. They spied on each other, gathering data about each other's "trump cards." These abilities were deliberately known unofficially by other nations, because they served as deterrents, similar to how nuclear bombs whose existence is known to prevent open aggression.
"Hopefully, Su Ling'er is at home tonight." Naoki prayed inwardly.
He activated «Pandemonium», the Qliphoth Tree diagram appeared briefly behind his back. The Thaumiel slot containing «Ame-no-Mitori» glowed.
His eyes scanned the vast complex before him, searching for visual reference points for teleportation. Maximum distance of 50 kilometers, but he had to see or at least clearly imagine his landing point—otherwise, the risk was his feet could be embedded in concrete floors or his body trapped inside walls.
He teleported as far as the eye could see.
*BUZZ!*
Just as Naoki emerged from the swirl of black portal inside the Zhongnanhai complex, sirens echoed loudly and deafeningly. Security lights blinked red throughout the area. His footsteps hadn't even managed to firmly touch the ground, but the alarm was already sounding to alert all guards:
[INTRUDER DETECTED!]
"What?! I was caught this fast?!" Naoki exclaimed in shock, his heart pounding hard. "Damn! I was careless!"
"How could a nation as large as China with advanced security systems not have emergency countermeasures against intruders with Peach Blessings? They must have installed some kind of sensor that detects anomalies!"
No time for regrets. From all directions, security guards came rushing toward his location. Fierce and trained tracking dogs had been released, running ahead of humans at high speed, barking wildly.
And among them, Naoki saw several women in special uniforms running at speeds exceeding Olympic athletes. In their hands, various manifestations of Peach Blessings began to form—electricity, fire, air crystallization—signs they were ready to neutralize the target.
Not daring to delay a single second, Naoki decided to flee. A black portal with golden edges opened behind him in an instant, and he teleported the farthest distance he could do in one leap, leaving the circle of alarms still screaming and guards who only managed to see a flash of a vanishing figure.
That night, Zhongnanhai was not peaceful.
Intruder reports were sent to various command levels.
The four great families received notifications.
And somewhere inside that complex, in her luxurious and heavily guarded room, Su Ling'er who was reading a book suddenly heard the commotion outside, unaware that a young man from Japan had come all this way just to obtain her DNA.
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