Borrowing Authority, Poised to Strike

Seeing the martial artist's towering figure emerge from behind the curtain, the supervisor of the ritual hastily bowed. "Mr. Connolly." Connolly's expression darkened even further when he caught sight of the mangled heap of flesh and blood outside. He glanced over at the sacrificial materials in the distance. A pulse of mental power swept across them, instantly dazing everyone. They collapsed to the ground, lifeless. The supervisor spared them only a cursory look. Throughout the entire ritual, these ritual materials were the least valuable elements. Yet never in his wildest dreams had he imagined an infiltrator could have concealed themselves among them. Moreover, the infiltrator's objective was difficult to determine for the time being. He asked, "Sir, do you think it might be someone from the Strategic Affairs Department?" Connolly said coldly, "It could also be someone from the Great Shun General Affairs Bureau." He did not yet know what had transpired recently, but he was aware that the sect had previously set its sights on someone from Great Shun. The intruder just now had been of Eastern Continent descent, making an origin from the General Affairs Bureau plausible. Yet this was merely a suspicion; the Primitive Sect had no shortage of adversaries, and without concrete evidence, he could not draw a definitive conclusion. "The Great Shun General Affairs Bureau—" The supervisor frowned. "Could it be to assassinate Ms. Fiontrell...?" Then he recalled something, his expression shifting slightly as he murmured in uncertainty, "Could it be for the fissure located here?" The more he thought about the intruder's actions, the more probable it seemed. Fissures were things that nations across the world guarded against with great vigilance. Hidden underground, perhaps no one would say anything, but once brought out into the open, it would immediately draw international scrutiny. Mr. Connolly had considered this possibility as well, yet he remained utterly indifferent. He said coldly, "Even if they know, so what?" He spoke with supreme confidence. The sect had committed vast resources to open and maintain this fissure, paying an immense price in political influence and security measures. This was Federation territory, where the movements of Great Shun personnel were heavily restricted. Even if people from the Great Shun General Affairs Bureau learned of the fissure, what could they do? Lodge a complaint and report it to the Federation? He sneered. Going through official channels with the Federation government would yield no results. From top to bottom, officials would cover and make excuses for them. Even if it were truly exposed, they could simply use the Federation government to grant the fissure temporary legal validity. Still, as the primary guardian of this place, he remained cautious. He first instructed the supervisor to dispatch a telegram to the sect's inner circle detailing the situation, then ordered the entrances and exits sealed immediately just in case. *** Back in the banquet hall, Chen Chuan's gaze shifted slightly. Just moments earlier, he had sensed that seed unleash a measure of its power before extinguishing itself. This meant it had encountered an obstacle. For the seed to be forced into such an option, it had likely encountered power at the level of a martial artist. Yet all he needed was confirmation that a fissure truly existed there. In fact, the presence of a martial artist only further proved that he had found the right place. He excused himself to Delegation Leader Xie first, then stepped out of the banquet hall and instructed the telegraph operator in his vehicle to send a telegram to the International Investigation Delegation. Skarson was currently overseeing enforcement matters regarding the New Light Cult and could not possibly arrive in time. Thus, Chen Chuan had no intention of troubling him, opting instead to contact the delegation member stationed in the Federation's capital. Nearly every major national capital hosted an Investigation Delegation presence, so going directly to this representative was the simplest path. Using an excuse to take his leave early, he returned to the car and drove away from the banquet hall's vicinity, pulling up in the parking lot of a theater. After a wait of roughly half an hour, a man in his fifties arrived. He wore an understated yet elegant suit, sported a monocle, and carried a walking stick, presenting the demeanor of a scholar. Approaching the car, the door swung open from within. He removed his top hat, bowed slightly, and stepped inside. Facing Chen Chuan, who sat opposite him, he offered a greeting: "Mr. Chen, I am Elverston Darrow, inspector for the Investigation Delegation stationed in the Linakes Federation. "I handle foreign security affairs within Federation territory. First, allow me to thank you for placing your trust in the International Investigation Delegation, Mr. Chen. Regarding what you mentioned in your telegram about discovering a fissure, could you provide more details?" Chen Chuan said, "Outside the Federation capital, on the Daluo Peninsula of Lake Chickland, there is a fissure. "I previously checked Federation archives and several Investigation Delegation reports. Outside of Center Cities, no group or organization is permitted to possess a fissure, meaning it should be illegal." Lake Chickland, the Daluo Peninsula? Darrow's expression hardened. He knew that location well, and he knew it fell under the Primitive Sect's sphere of influence. A flurry of thoughts crossed his mind as he asked slowly, "Mr. Chen, do you... have conclusive evidence?" Chen Chuan said, "The evidence is right there. If I hadn't found it, I wouldn't have come to speak with you, Mr. Darrow." Darrow pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "Section Chief Chen, it is impossible for the International Investigation Delegation to launch an operation based solely on one person's word. This is especially true given that we are in the Federation capital, and Lake Chickland serves as the nexus where many of the Federation's Center Cities converge, entailing substantial economic and political interests. Even if we wished to act, we would need prior review by the Federation. Without undeniable proof—" He offered an apologetic tone. "I am sorry." Chen Chuan's expression did not waver. "I understand your difficulties. I don't need the International Investigation Delegation to take concrete action. All I need from you is the authority of assisting the investigation. I will investigate this matter, and once it is clarified, I will handle the resolution." Darrow was taken aback. He studied Chen Chuan, well aware that Chen Chuan had previously been granted authorization to assist an investigation. Yet granting an investigative credential was easy; should issues arise afterward, their delegation would have to answer for it. Moreover, that had been on the West Coast. On the East Coast, the circumstances were entirely different. As a member of the International Investigation Delegation stationed right here in the Federation capital, how could he have failed to keep an eye on the Primitive Sect? However, the Primitive Sect was deeply entangled with the East Coast Faction. He could never hope to challenge them alone. As long as things did not go too far and remained hidden from public view, turning a blind eye was honestly the safest path. Forcing the matter into the open would end poorly for everyone. He still remembered how Skarson had nearly been killed. He sighed. "Mr. Chen, our duty is indeed to prevent the infiltration of forces from the other side, but that must not become a weapon for political struggles. We have our own considerations regarding how to proceed. Truly, I apologize, but I cannot hand this investigative credential to you." Chen Chuan gave a slight nod. "I understand your approach, sir. I have cooperated with your delegation several times, and I know that sometimes matters cannot be handled too roughly. At times, forced by practical realities, compromises must be made. Indeed, it would be inappropriate for you to be dragged into this, Mr. Darrow." Darrow could not help feeling a pang of shame. He ought to have thrown himself selflessly into this cause; that was the very purpose of their delegation's existence. Yet not everyone was a Skarson. He could not bring himself to act that way; there were simply too many factors he had to weigh. He said, "Section Chief Chen, thank you for your understanding." Chen Chuan replied, "Mr. Darrow, there's no need to thank me. I haven't finished speaking. I approached you out of respect for your organization, so I extended the courtesy of informing you first. Since you disagree, I will send a telegram to your delegation's leader, Mr. Meteora, shortly." Hearing this, Darrow was stunned, his expression turning anxious. "Mr. Chen, you—" Yet meeting Chen Chuan's calm gaze, he swallowed his words and let out a heavy sigh. He knew very well what kind of person his delegation leader was. Toward someone like Chen Chuan, who had rendered immense service to the delegation, the leader consistently extended full trust. Thus, once the telegram was sent, approval would unquestionably follow. If he didn't agree, he wouldn't be the leader they so revered and supported. Furthermore, if Chen Chuan bypassed him to send the telegram and an investigation truly uncovered severe problems, Darrow, as the stationed officer, would still bear the blame. A bitter smile crossed his face as he said resignedly, "Mr. Chen, there is no need for you to send it. I will transmit the telegram myself." Chen Chuan said, "Then I will await your response, Mr. Darrow. Do you need to use our radio station?" Darrow did not stand on ceremony. "I will borrow it, then." Chen Chuan gestured to the telegraph operator, then pushed open the car door and stepped out, looking toward the direction of Lake Chickland. After a wait of over twenty minutes, Mr. Darrow pushed the door open, stepped down, and handed him a decoded telegram. "Mr. Chen, the leader has replied. He agreed." Chen Chuan took it and glanced over the text. Meteora approved his involvement in assisting the investigation and expressed gratitude for his contributions to the delegation's work. With that, the authority was in hand. Yet even at this stage, the preparations were not yet complete. To conduct an operation on Federation soil, particularly near the Federation capital, proceeding without advance notice to the Federation government was unthinkable. Doing so would inevitably invite armed intervention. Thus, official procedures still had to be observed. As for whether word might leak during the process, doing so would actually cause the other side to drop their guard. Once official channels were engaged, the Primitive Sect would attempt to leverage its influence to meddle with normal decision-making. Besides, an established fissure could not possibly be dismantled in a short span of time. Even in the worst-case scenario, if the Primitive Sect truly spared no expense to eliminate the fissure, Chen Chuan would still have achieved his objective. Reaching out, he tapped his boundary credential and established contact with Delegation Leader Xie. Once connected, he laid out the specific circumstances and his own views. After listening, Delegation Leader Xie said, "Section Chief Chen, I support your operation this time. On the Federation's side, I will help submit the operational report. But be prepared: they will certainly stall and obstruct, and there may be no conclusion for a very long time." Chen Chuan said calmly, "I have already taken that into account. Reporting to them is merely extending them courtesy. If they are unwilling to deal with it, we will handle it ourselves."