The photographs sent over were arranged in chronological order, with timestamps printed at the bottom. Most had been taken at the laboratory.
Chen Chuan noticed that in most cases, Yu Zhen and Chen Qiyang were not the only ones in the pictures; occasionally, there were group photos with other people, including the head of the laboratory.
It seemed their relationship was genuinely close, so much so that they had entrusted even these photographs into his care.
Miss Gao, on the other hand, was hardly ever seen in the pictures.
He flipped through them one by one. Chen Qiyang usually wore the research institute's uniform—tall, bespectacled, refined, exuding the distinct air of a researcher. Yet in most shots, though a smile rested on his face, an indelible trace of worry lingered in the depths of his eyes.
Yu Zhen, however, looked optimistic and stubborn. She seemed entirely unaffected by the external pressures, her brow and eyes carrying the unmistakable fighting spirit unique to a martial artist.
Chen Chuan looked through all the photographs and sat alone for a quiet moment. Then he rose, carefully put the photos away, and placed them into the drawer.
Just then, a cheer came from outside. He walked over to the window and glanced out to see his younger cousins back from school, circling excitedly around Chaoming.
Even though Chaoming had grown massive, they weren't afraid in the slightest. The pair threw themselves forward, burying themselves in its soft feathers.
After romping with Chaoming for a while, the two even dug out plenty of treats from their bags to feed it.
In truth, by this point only ingredients from the convergence zones could meet Chaoming's nutritional needs. Yet the creature could sense the warmth and anticipation of the two little ones, so even if the food did nothing for it, it still happily munched it all down.
Chen Chuan smiled. Back in his home, the tension that had lingered in his nerves ever since his return from the Federation unconsciously melted away.
He stepped out of the study into the outer room. Seeing that the crates of items brought back had already been moved upstairs, he walked over and opened the door to the collection room.
Swept up by his field, the crates were all moved inside.
Bringing the crates over and opening them, he took out the weapons one by one. After wiping each clean, he personally arranged them upon the empty display racks.
Once they were arranged, he took a few steps back and surveyed them, feeling that something was still missing.
After a moment's thought, he realized what was lacking. He immediately fetched some ritual materials and set up another esoteric ritual imbued with a powerful field influence.
Many of these weapons, after all, had come from martial artists of the Longevity View and Cave Mystery View, and quite a few were boundary-fused weapons. Now, under the effect of the field ritual, the weapons floated into the air one after another from their resting places.
Seeing this scene, Chen Chuan nodded in satisfaction. It felt just like watching the granaries fill to the brim after a bountiful harvest—immensely rewarding.
After admiring it for a good while, he walked out of the collection room, closed the door behind him, and headed down the stairs.
"Cousin!"
Seeing him come down, Nian Lu and Nian Mo scrambled off Chaoming and rushed over. Looking up at Chen Chuan with sparkling eyes, they couldn't help but feel that their older cousin looked even handsomer than before.
Chen Chuan looked at them closely as well. After not seeing them for a year, his younger cousin Nian Mo hadn't changed much, but his little cousin Nian Lu had grown considerably taller.
He reached out to ruffle both their heads, fielding the barrage of questions that spilled out of them one after another.
While they were chatting, the sound of a car arrived outside. It was Nian Fuli returning. A moment later, he walked through the door.
Because of his modest rank, he had no knowledge of affairs in the upper tiers. He only knew that the delegation was expected back around these couple of days, not that it would be today. Once his superiors in City Patrol learned of it, however, they had taken the initiative to give him a half-day off.
Nian Fuli appeared thoroughly accustomed to his current post now. His back was straight as a ramrod, his hair neatly styled, and his uniform pristine without a single crease. Stepping inside, he said, "Xiao Chuan, you're back!"
Chen Chuan smiled. "Uncle, I'm back."
Nian Fuli looked him up and down, nodding involuntarily. "Mm. I've heard about this Federation. They're not very friendly to us Great Shun folks, and by all accounts, things are a total mess over there."
Yu Wan walked out from within and took the hat Nian Fuli took off. Hearing that, she couldn't help asking, "Is it really that chaotic?"
Nian Fuli ran a hand through his hair and waved it off. "No need to worry about Xiao Chuan. He's a martial artist—even if something happens to others, nothing would happen to him. Look, hasn't he returned entirely in one piece?
"Besides, he looks even more dashing than before. The ancients said, 'Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles.' There's wisdom in that."
Yu Wan, who was helping Nian Fuli undo the collar buttons on his uniform, rolled her eyes at him before turning to Chen Chuan. "Look at that. Now that your uncle has become a director-level officer, he's even learned to put on airs with fancy quotes."
Nian Fuli held his head high. "You're never too old to learn. What do you know?"
Chen Chuan chuckled. "Auntie, Uncle, you two aren't old at all."
Over these past few years, he had consistently brought home medicines to strengthen bone and body and preserve youthful vitality.
Though Nian Fuli and Yu Wan had grown older in years, long-term consumption of these tonics made them look considerably younger than before, with hardly a wrinkle visible on their faces.
Nian Fuli in particular: his previously portly build had returned to the condition of a man in his twenties or thirties.
Seeing the whole family gathered, Chen Chuan brought out the gifts he had brought back from the Federation.
Among these were many items sourced from convergence zones, mostly purchased on the West Coast. Only in the Federation could such things be bought like this; in Great Shun, their illicit circulation was strictly forbidden.
Yet this could be considered a hallmark of the Federation. On the West Coast especially, enormous volumes of convergence zone commodities flowed outward, and underground channels across the world all passed through there, giving rise to a grotesque prosperity that allowed it to stand firmly against the East Coast.
Nian Lu and Nian Mo gathered close, letting out awed gasps with every novelty gift they saw.
Chen Chuan then asked, "What about Cousin Han Cheng? What has he been up to lately?"
Yu Wan replied, "Him? He moved out a while ago. Recently, he rented some airships on his own and went into business transshipping goods to the surrounding rim cities."
Chen Chuan understood. Now that rim cities like Yangzhi City were connected to Skyline, and with transportation flowing smoothly, demand and circulation of goods had surged. Stepping into the market at the right time was indeed a lucrative venture.
Of course, people with good vision were never lacking at any time; the key was whether one could seize the opportunity, and whether one had backing behind them. In the Central City especially, certain businesses couldn't survive without connections and status—others would swallow you whole. For Eldest Cousin Han Cheng, this line of business was actually a perfect fit.
He asked again, "Did Cousin come back last year?"
Nian Fuli knew he was asking about Nian Qian, and answered, "He came back last year, and he has another leave coming this year, so he'll be back as well."
With a smile curling her lips, Yu Wan said, "This year, the whole family can be together again."
It was still early before nightfall. Once the gifts were unpacked, the family sat down around the tea table to chat, mostly listening to Chen Chuan share stories of his time in the Federation. Naturally, he picked only the amusing anecdotes to tell, skipping over the perilous encounters entirely.
He also took out the boundary credential he had used in the Federation and connected it to the villa's field screen, playing scenic videos and photographs recorded along the way.
In Great Shun, from officials to commoners, people rarely had opportunities to travel abroad. Aside from the historical forest of Central Cities and fragmented regional rule, there simply weren't many foreign destinations worth visiting. In the past, Nian Fuli's family had only been able to vacation in the Outer Ocean because of Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan had gathered ample footage on this journey, both shot by himself and captured by others. On his final day aboard, he had even asked the airship technicians to edit it together into a multi-hour scenic film that was richly entertaining and visually stunning.
Because the chosen field screen wrapped almost three hundred and sixty degrees around them, Nian Fuli's family felt as though they had personally journeyed to the Federation themselves.
Beyond the Federation's landscapes, there were scenes Chen Chuan had captured in Kawatua, outside the Astral Throat, and even around the Tianji Sect—magnificent and awe-inspiring temples, fantastic and mysterious caverns, and Tianji Peak piercing into the clouds—drawing constant cries of wonder from the two little ones, Nian Mo and Nian Lu.
By the time the sky grew dark, the family had finally finished watching the scenic feature, still lingering in its wonder and longing for more.
Nian Fuli asked then, "Xiao Chuan, do you have any missions now that you're back?"
Chen Chuan said, "None for the time being. I'll probably rest for a while."
Nian Fuli said, "Oh, right, Xiao Chuan—that senior of yours from Wuyi is really capable. And those other schoolmates you mentioned are very hardworking too; they've helped us handle quite a few cases.
"Lately, a lot of people have been pouring into the Central City from the rim cities, as well as some coming ashore from the Outer Ocean. A few of them are remarkably strong martial artists. Without your seniors, City Patrol really would have had a tough time handling them on our own."
Chen Chuan nodded, knowing he was referring to Lu Fang, as well as Deng Fu, Tai Dongwei, Geng, and the others who had also come from Yangzhi. It seemed arranging for them to work in City Patrol back then had indeed been the right decision.
Yu Wan spoke up at that moment, "You guys, stop chatting for a minute. My soup is ready. Time to eat!"
At the very same time, Guanghe Lake, Liepi Gorge—one of the three major headquarters of Great Shun's Purist Faction.
After undergoing stringent inspections, Mr. Zhuan and Mr. Mask passed through the heavily guarded entrance on the gorge's outer perimeter. They needed to walk a stretch of the path before taking a cable car to reach the interior of the headquarters.
This time, they had originally been carrying out a mission in Chuanxi Dao, where they encountered an exceptionally troublesome strange tale. Even with their capabilities, it had taken them a long time to resolve it.
Only a few days ago had they emerged from that place, but before they could even catch their breath, they had been immediately recalled by headquarters.
Mask spoke up then, "Old Zhuan, something isn't right. Why would they suddenly call us over, and in such a rush? Being all secretive about it too—who knows what they want to say."
Mr. Zhuan said, "I don't know."
Mask said, "If you ask me, either they've got some dirty, grueling chore for us to do, or they want to squeeze something out of us."
Mr. Zhuan said, "What could we possibly know?"
"That's not necessarily true. If you ask me—hey, hey! Wrong way! This way, over here—"
Mr. Zhuan froze slightly and checked his forward stride. Turning around, he walked toward the other corridor as if he hadn't heard a thing.
Just then, however, he looked up and saw a solemn-faced man standing there, seemingly waiting for him. Upon seeing him, Mr. Zhuan's gaze narrowed slightly, and he stopped in his tracks.
Chapter 1340