The gifts and greeting cards sent over this time were astonishingly numerous, nearly filling a corner of the spacious study.
Having some free time now, Chen Chuan picked them up to look through them one by one. The most prominent was the New Year greeting letter from the Jibei Dao government departments; the gift's packaging was stamped with an insignia of intersecting arcs of light.
This indicated the birthplace of the Skyline project. At present, within the country—or indeed the entire world—only Jibei Dao and Haidong Dao possessed it, and it had already been formally registered. He was confident this insignia would be seen in more center cities in the future.
Aside from that, another gift bearing a striking mark came from the Martial Artists Council. It was quite substantial as well, standing about half the height of a person. After unwrapping it and removing the biological protective film, he found an ornamental New Year display depicting a rising dragon and serpent.
The piece was remarkably lifelike; both dragon and serpent brimmed with spirited vigor, poised as if ready to leap forward, with the faint sounds of a dragon's roar and a serpent's hiss seeming to echo from within.
In truth, this stemmed from a spiritual resonance, something only martial artists could perceive.
Standing before it, Chen Chuan felt his spirit refresh slightly and his thoughts sharpen. It seemed this gift was not a mere decoration, but possessed a mind-invigorating effect. In that case, he might as well keep it right here.
Setting the ornament aside, he returned to sorting through the other greeting cards. Many had been sent by fellow martial artists: Fenghe Shou of Haidong Dao, Chang Shuyu of Shannan Dao, and Xu Mutang of Longyou Dao had all penned New Year letters in their own hands. The latter two in particular specially expressed their gratitude for his assistance.
In addition, the Longyou Dao Government Affairs Department had sent a New Year gift accompanied by a letter congratulating him on Skyline's success and mentioning that they would dispatch a delegation to conduct an inspection after the New Year. It was clear that Longyou Dao had an intense desire to join Skyline.
Beyond government departments, major corporations had sent gifts as well. State-owned enterprises such as Canglong Company, Ocean Exploration Group, and Yuan'an Company had sent lavish presents, and Old Brother Hu Kan from the Ocean Exploration Group had personally written a New Year message on his gift.
And these were merely the domestic ones. There were also gifts from abroad, such as from the Biesa Khanate, the International Joint Investigation Team, and the Norland Flying Wing Magazine, varying in value. This was because Da Shun's New Year festivities held immense global influence, and foreign organizations knew to offer greetings during this season.
Looking through them one after another, Chen Chuan realized that without even noticing, he had interacted with and established ties with so many organizations and institutions.
Just then, he noticed an envelope without a sender's name. Opening it, he found a handwritten letter, and from the handwriting and phrasing of the greetings, he immediately recognized that it came from the siblings He Ruihai and He Zhilan, who lived on Red Crown Island.
Now that the Outer Ocean route was open and most of the archipelago had been formally brought under Da Shun's control, sending mail from the island had become much easier. As for omitting their names, he understood completely—it was to avoid being discovered by the Progenitor Company.
He gave it some thought. This matter had to be addressed eventually, especially since the invitation from the Linakes Federation would likely arrive after the New Year, and he would have to give a response by then.
Setting the letter aside with the intention of replying later, he picked up another parcel. This one was quite unique: there were almost no words, only an art booklet. Opening it revealed a series of vivid hand-drawn pictures.
The brushwork was concise yet lively, and the illustrations flowed coherently from one to the next. The final piece depicted two youths standing side by side atop a mountain summit, behind whom stood a tall, burly figure with disheveled hair.
Though none of the three had defined facial features—only broad smiley faces—he could tell that one of them was himself.
He could not help smiling. At a glance, he knew this had been sent by Chang Ba.
Looking at the drawings, he reminisced about the days he had trained under Teacher He Xiaoxing. Ever since then, he and Chang Ba had exchanged telegrams every year to send their greetings.
Teacher He had reportedly gone away to cultivate, and no one knew where he currently was. Still, Teacher He was also a member of the Purist Faction; sharing the same lineage, they were bound to meet again.
He picked up the booklet and placed it on the desk, planning to examine it more closely later.
As for the remaining letters, most came from old friends and classmates in Center City and Yangzhi.
A particularly meaningful one was a photograph sent from the Lower City. It was a group photo of Lutong Logistics, with Yu Gang, Lu Ke, Lan Xinnan, and others seated right in the middle, recognizable at a glance. Every face beamed with a smile—a heartfelt smile filled with hope.
Over the past two years, Lutong Logistics had developed well. Moreover, to prevent further issues from surfacing in the Lower City, following the promulgation of new laws and regulations, law enforcement departments had moved in and government-authorized autonomous zones had been established. This had greatly bolstered public security there. Even if the dens of vice and filth could not be eradicated overnight, conditions were vastly better than before.
Besides that, another letter filled him with nostalgia. It bore no specific sender's name, only a cursive flourish of a signature that was illegible at first glance, but once opened, he immediately knew: this was from the dormitory supervisor.
Inside was a stack of photographs capturing the interior and exterior of the Class A student dormitories at Wuyi Academy, as well as the academy gates, Chunqiu Lake, the administration building, and even South Hill, where he had once studied under Teacher Cheng and Teacher He.
Holding the photos, he walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down, browsing through them slowly. Looking upon these scenes, many past memories resurfaced, bringing an involuntary smile to his lips.
Although his time in Yangzhi had been fraught with urgency and crisis, it was precisely the trials of that period that had forged who he was today. He was deeply grateful to the people and events that had aided him along the way, making these memories profoundly precious and meaningful.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bursts of fireworks echoed outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Chen Chuan looked up. Dazzling fireworks lit up the sky one after another in an unbroken stream. The multicolored brilliance reflected across the glass panes, one burst dying out as another blossomed, so close and so vibrant.
Watching this display, a faint sense of accomplishment welled within him. The fireworks blooming so brilliantly over Center City owed a part of their existence to his own participation and effort.
Yet he had not forgotten that another world was steadily drawing closer; it was not yet time to truly rest easy.
As these thoughts drifted through his mind, his aunt's voice suddenly came through the boundary credential at his ear: "Chan'er, come down for dinner!"
Then the voices of the two little ones chimed in: "Big Brother! Big Brother, come down and eat!"
He chuckled and replied, "Aunt, I'm coming."
Glancing outside once more, a high-spirited resolve gleamed in his eyes. So long as his strength was sufficient, these fireworks could continue to blossom, shining brighter and brighter. He rose to his feet and headed downstairs.
After a warm, joyous New Year's Eve spent with his family, Chen Chuan began making the rounds among his friends and colleagues in the early days of the new year.
Thanks to him, many old friends and former classmates from Yangzhi had come to Center City in search of opportunities. With many of them currently residing in Center City, gathering together was easy, and they shared multiple meals. During this time, he also made a special trip outside the city to pay New Year visits to Mr. Zhuan and the others.
It was not until mid-month that his visits finally wound down and he found free time. Wasting no further time, after making some brief preparations, on the twentieth day, he bade farewell to his aunt's family. Carrying his suitcase downstairs, he took Chaoming and drove directly toward the convergence zone.
Once outside, he boarded an airship. After a three-day journey, he arrived just before nightfall at the outpost fortress he had visited before. However, the place differed from what he had previously seen; there were signs of expansion all around.
He had previously heard Yao Zhiyi mention that because this was his hunting ground, under orders from the garrison, it had been reorganized and renovated, and small-scale field creatures had been stationed here.
His boundary credential re-established a signal connection here. According to the incoming feed, a rotating garrison squad of twenty soldiers was stationed at this outpost, equipped with considerable heavy firepower. The tradition of exiling serious felons here had not changed; in fact, their numbers had increased, and they were primarily tasked with constructing outer fortifications.
It was apparent that extensive trap trenches and makeshift perimeter nets had already been excavated and erected at the foot of the mountain.
When Chen Chuan stepped off the airship, the squad leader immediately reported to him in person, stating that he was stationed here under superior orders and that Chen Chuan could issue commands to him at any time should anything be needed.
Chen Chuan exchanged a few words with him, and since it was already night, he joined the garrison squad for dinner. In the meantime, he sent Chaoming out to clear away some of the surrounding convergence zone creatures.
Chaoming now fed on high-energy nutrients for every meal, and its mutated tissue had grown exceedingly strong. Not only could it fly, but its size was massive, making it a true aerial beast. Furthermore, protected by a layer of relic defense, the local creatures were no match for it whatsoever.
The squad members were all very curious about him. This was the first time they had ever interacted with a high-ranking military officer like Chen Chuan, let alone a martial artist.
Initially, they were stiff and reserved, but as they ate together, they discovered that Chen Chuan spoke amiably and carried no air of arrogance, so they quickly relaxed.
Through casual conversation, Chen Chuan learned that these soldiers were all young men from the counties and towns around Jibei Dao, and not a single one was an only son—each had at least two brothers. He understood why this was the practice. After a moment's thought, he said to the squad leader, "Lend me your sword for a moment."
Without hesitation, the squad leader unbuckled his sword, rose, walked over to him, and presented it vertically with both hands.
Chen Chuan drew the blade and fixed his gaze upon it. A sudden flicker stirred within his eyes. In an instant, a glimmer of light seemed to awaken along the blade, subtly sharpening its edge.
Sheathing the sword, he tossed it back to the squad leader and said, "If you encounter anything you can't handle, just draw it."
Infused with a wisp of his spiritual power, it would remain effective for half a year to a year without issue, which was more than enough to aid them.
The squad leader looked at the weapon, feeling as though the sword had somehow taken on life. Though he did not understand what had been done, he knew it would surely help them. He immediately saluted. "Thank you, Consultant!"
Chen Chuan had traveled for several days and was in no rush for a single night, so he rested there until morning. Early the next day, after checking his gear, he left the outpost fortress under the watchful eyes of the garrison and strode into the dense forest beyond.
Chapter 1004