Chen Chuan glanced at the silver-haired woman before him. She appeared to be an existence akin to Fumu.
Yet to conserve field resources, Fumu typically did not maintain a visible projection. It seemed Vea State possessed abundant field capacity—after all, as one of the Federation's five great states, it concentrated the greatest wealth of resources and stood as the very pinnacle of the Federation.
Still, her materialization might also stem from his standing as a martial artist in the realm of the Longevity View. This was, after all, the City of Fighters, renowned for offering the finest service in the world to martial artists.
He said, "Alula, there is no need to appear before me in person. Standard voice service will suffice."
"Understood," Alula replied. She then added, "If you are unsatisfied with my appearance, I can adjust it for you. I shall trouble you no further. Should you need anything, you may summon me at any time."
With that, she placed her hands over her midriff, curtsied elegantly to him, and vanished into thin air.
"It seems you are not fond of Alula's appearance."
Beside him appeared a mustachioed man of elegant bearing, carrying a walking cane and wearing a top hat. He doffed his hat. "Allow me to introduce myself. Joseph Calvin, internal assistant to the board of Free Stars Academy, at your service. Upon learning of your visit, the academy specifically dispatched me to receive you."
Chen Chuan did not answer at once. Instead, he first glanced at his boundary credential. As the head of this visiting delegation, he could view the content currently displayed on everyone's boundary credentials.
The floating light screens were recommending an array of service offerings to the team members, most prominent among them being all manner of combat tournaments. These dense notices flooded the credentials, each tailored to strike a chord in some member's heart.
More notably, whenever a member showed no interest—glancing once and looking away—the item vanished instantly, replaced by a concentrated feed of whatever had caught their attention.
This demonstrated just how perceptive the local active conscious entity was. Through subtle details, it could thoroughly discern and grasp an individual's preferences; even their personality and precise physical details might be quietly unraveled in the process.
For a visiting diplomatic delegation, this was exceedingly unfriendly.
Chen Chuan tapped his interface, invoking his administrative authority to temporarily block these transmissions. They would only be reopened once their technicians and resonants calibrated and vetted the external data feed.
In an instant, the deluge of messages that had nearly swamped their screens vanished, leaving behind only geographical and scenic information.
Though the promotions were gone, the fleeting glimpse left everyone in awe and amazement. It truly was the City of Fighters. The diverse services here held immense allure for fighters; if one became immersed, it would likely prove as hard to shake as an addiction to drugs.
Chen Chuan turned to Joseph. "Mr. Calvin, what arrangements does your side have in mind?"
Joseph smiled. "It is like this: we shall first arrange for your party to lodge at a hotel adjacent to the academy. Whenever it suits your convenience, or should you have no other scheduled itinerary, we warmly welcome you to join us for a friendly exchange at any time."
Chen Chuan gave a slight nod. "Then we shall trouble you."
Joseph pressed his hat and bowed politely. High above, the immense silhouette of an airship materialized in midair, docking at a nearby mooring tower. He twirled his cane twice with his arm, stepped aside, and gestured. "Everyone, please board the ship."
Chen Chuan and the rest disembarked from the sightseeing ferry and made their way along the mooring tower into the airship. Once the vessel ascended, Joseph stepped aboard as well, guiding them toward the hotel.
Reaching cruising altitude, Chen Chuan looked out through the slanted observation porthole. Aside from the multicolored hot air balloons floating about, he spotted "Strange Pupils," biological surveillance weapons suspended like pairs of giant eyes watching over everything.
Looking down from high above, every street on the ground was patrolled by squads of roughly ten to twenty armed guards marching in unison.
From the insignia on their collars, they belonged to the Blade Armed Forces of the Progenitor Company. Such armed units were popular on both the East and West Coasts of the Federation; when paired with combat organisms, they helped relieve a considerable degree of public security pressure.
Here in Vea Center City, their numbers were visibly greater, and their deployment far more concentrated.
Turning his gaze into the distance, he noticed a spire-topped religious edifice steeped in the style of the Old Era. Perched atop it stood an enormous holy cross, the dark silhouette of its helical design standing out starkly against the sky, prominent even amid the surrounding thicket of high-rises.
In the plaza before the building, rows of black arched gates extended to either side like human ribs.
Joseph introduced it with a smile: "That is Vea Center City's famous 'Blockade Hall.'
"Our Center City is a vital defensive node of the Ring of the World. Because we possess complete, high-level armaments, this facility is also tasked with guarding and incarcerating numerous heinous figures from both the Old and New Eras, as well as... entities from the other side."
Chen Chuan stared at the site. Naturally, he knew of Blockade Hall; Joseph's words held no exaggeration. Many individuals and creatures of immense destructive power from both eras were indeed imprisoned there.
Furthermore, the complex had been developed into a renowned tourist attraction. When he learned the itinerary included Vea State, he had originally planned to visit. He had hardly expected to make indirect contact with it the moment he entered the city.
Joseph continued, "One of its most famous inmates is Emperor Caliopates, former ruler of the West Continent."
Emperor Caliopates...
Chen Chuan recalled the name. He had been an emperor of the old imperial house of the West Continent, dating back roughly three centuries.
"Fifty years ago," Joseph said, "in cooperation with multiple nations of Yono State, the Federation dispatched several Throne martial artists to successfully capture him in an encirclement operation. He is currently held on the fiftieth subterranean level of Blockade Hall, sealed beneath layers of esoteric rituals."
Chen Chuan merely listened to the details; what truly went on inside remained anyone's guess. He had heard, however, that the exhibition hall of Blockade Hall not only displayed detailed dossiers on every inmate, but also showcased artifacts they had once used.
If one paid an exorbitant fee, one could even hold limited conversations with certain prisoners. This exclusive service drew countless high-ranking figures and wealthy elites from across the globe.
Along the route to the hotel, Joseph gave him a thorough introduction to the Center City's principal districts and famous sightseeing spots.
The city was surprisingly orderly, entirely unlike the rough, wild style typically associated with the West Coast Faction.
In all likelihood, this order was maintained through the administration of high-level active conscious entities alongside a vast number of inactive conscious entities.
Directly due east of the Center City stood its largest architectural marvel: the White Rock Causeway Building. Viewed from the sky, it looked like a curved white horseshoe pressed against the eastern edge of the city, spanning three kilometers in length and rising two hundred meters high. Because it was erected upon a high terrace, the site was also known as the Hall of Giants.
Though its exterior appeared identical to mountain rock, the portion resting atop the terrace was entirely artificial—a permanent fortress capable of withstanding the destructive power of a martial artist.
Within the Viewing Hall, a congressman belonging to the West Coast Faction walked along the gallery alongside Ryan Cafferty, one of Vea State's administrators. Beside them stretched towering floor-to-ceiling glass that seemed to run endlessly, looking out over all of Vea Center City. The sprawling metropolis seemed to lie right at their fingertips, beneath their very feet, while they strolled through the clouds.
"We have received a Great Shun visiting delegation. One delegate in particular warrants special attention..."
With a shift of his intent, the congressman transmitted Chen Chuan's information to Cafferty. "We would like your administrative office to invite him to take part in our internal testing, or perhaps see if he can be persuaded to attempt the Ascending Stairway."
Cafferty was dressed in a white formal suit. Wearing gold-rimmed spectacles, he exuded the aura of an elite, yet the muscles straining against his shirt and jacket revealed a fighter of formidable martial prowess.
With a faint air of amusement, he said, "Invite him? Out of retaliation?"
"Retaliation? No." The congressman hesitated, his footsteps pausing briefly. "This man may be a variable."
"A variable?"
Cafferty's expression tightened. If it involved matters of that nature, then indeed...
After a moment's consideration, he said, "As a martial artist, I believe there are certain things he will find hard to refuse. Only, some of our tests..." He paused momentarily before speaking with solemn resolve: "Very well. I will attempt to invite him."
The congressman gave him a nod and extended his hand. "For the routine congressional session in the New Year, I hope you will attend as an observer, Ryan. That, after all, is the duty of a Center City administrator."
Cafferty smiled and shook his hand. "I shall be there."
Chapter 1102