For several days in a row, information regarding the awards gala streamed continuously to Chen Chuan.
Previously, Chen Chuan had only formulated a rough plan. The exact operation would need to be adjusted based on the situation at the time, keeping uninvolved personnel out of it as much as possible.
The most crucial part of this operation was preventing any leak of information beforehand.
Ren Xinshan had far more experience than him in this regard, so Chen Chuan did not need to worry about it; he only needed to focus on the arrest itself.
On October 13, two days before the awards gala, Zhan Jiyue had gathered all the necessary manpower, every one of them drawn from the Purist Faction.
Some had been secretly transferred by Zhan Jiyue from other branches, none of them knowing beforehand what they were specifically tasked to do. Afterward, he submitted detailed dossiers on every single person to Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan looked over the roster. Old Zhan's network was indeed extensive; he had managed to recruit fifty people in one go, and every one of them was an elite fighter who had participated in national missions.
This immediately gave him far more manpower at his disposal.
Most importantly, it ensured his orders would be carried out at critical moments. It was not that he distrusted the team Ren Xinshan had provided him, but the Security Affairs Department's units possessed their own discipline, and in exceptional circumstances, they might not truly execute his will.
He then instructed Shenyu to draw up a new plan based on the characteristics of these two teams, combined with the intelligence received so far.
Depending on incoming information, the plan had already undergone several revisions, and might even require adjustments right up until the final moment of action. Until then, the final attendee list could not be confirmed.
Before long, the drafting of the new plan was complete.
Chen Chuan pulled it up before him, reviewed it, and said, "Shenyu, record and save this operational plan, and adjust it to the highest clearance level."
"Understood, Commissioner Chen."
Chen Chuan was not worried about the plan leaking.
The Security Affairs Department in Zhongjing held only usage rights for Shenyu; the highest authority rested in the hands of the Government Administration and the Supreme Security Advisory Group.
As a commissioner himself, even if the minister wished to view his classified files, it would require convening a meeting of the administrative commissioners to decide jointly. Thus, he could utilize Shenyu's functions with complete peace of mind.
He looked toward the field screen ahead. Several holographic busts appeared upon it; the database contained no specific information on these individuals.
However, opening the publications of the World Martial Artists Council would reveal every one of them. According to the information Ren Xinshan had sent over not long ago, some among them might also be invited to the banquet.
Apprehending the targets themselves was not difficult; the crux lay in the security personnel and fighters guarding them, as well as these martial artists who might be present.
Because their exact reactions were uncertain, Shenyu reminded him to take special precautions.
He gazed at these figures, his eyes growing profound and distant.
Two days quickly passed, bringing them to October 15, the day of the Qinghu Gala.
The Qinghu Awards were currently the most prestigious artistic accolade within Great Shun, and enjoyed considerable renown internationally as well.
This awards banquet was chosen to be held at the Hanquan Palace, a secondary palace of the Old Dynasty. To ensure the banquet went smoothly, the organizers had spent over half a year preparing, hiring internationally renowned planning teams and designers to design the venue and scenography, as well as organize the awards ceremony.
To create an unprecedented experience, no effort had been spared: airships were used to transport rare specialties and precious treasures from Center Cities and convergence zones across the globe directly to the site. Immense wealth and resources sufficient to sustain a small nation for an entire year were lavished to prop up the evening's gala.
At six in the evening, outside the palace grounds, vintage brocade carpets stretched across the thoroughfares. Dazzling lights hung along both sides like ribbons of rainbow silk. Overhead, swirling auroras streaked through the air while silver stars drifted down like falling petals, dissolving upon the ground into crystalline grains that reflected brilliant, dazzling radiance amid the shifting interplay of light and shadow.
The sheer extravagance of physical luxury, coupled with the ultimate deployment of simulated resources, transformed the entire palace hall grounds into a dreamlike palace.
A succession of top-tier luxury vehicles and custom exotic rides pulled up slowly in the plaza outside the palace grounds. Handsome men and beautiful women stepped out one after another, some dressed in lavish ancient attire, others in foreign formalwear.
Smiling charmingly at the media reporters and flashbulbs, they stepped onto the sumptuous, precious carpets, walking into the dreamlike palace ahead alongside their dance partners under the gaze of thousands.
Those present were not merely domestic film and television stars or singers, but foreign envoys, heads of major corporations, and renowned figures across various industries, alongside quite a few invited political dignitaries—a true convergence of high officials and luminaries.
Song Shicheng entered the venue through a VIP channel with his dance partner. Dressed in a black foreign-style suit, he had a tall, slender build and neatly pressed long hair.
His features were reasonably handsome, though his chin protruded slightly, his eyes were somewhat sunken, and his eyebrows were so faint as to appear almost nonexistent. Despite his gentlemanly attire, an unsettling, gloomy air hung about him.
There appeared to be implant lines traced across his face and neck, but as a member of the Nature faction and a third-limit fighter, he carried no real implants in his body; these were merely cosmetic decorative implants.
Led by a waiter, he arrived at a carpeted VIP lounge furnished with daybeds, where seven or eight youths were seated. One of them raised a hand in greeting.
"Brother Song's here! Over here."
Song Shicheng gave a subtle signal to his partner, who released her hold on his arm and stepped aside to another area.
He walked over and took a seat among those beckoning him.
Someone poured him a drink and asked curiously, "Brother Song, heard you went out to Haixi Dao to handle business recently. What's the deal—things still not sorted out over there?"
Song Shicheng took a sip from his glass and replied offhandedly, "Nothing much. Just a little trouble."
The speaker exchanged glances with his companion, leaned in close, and whispered, "Brother Song, when are we going to do another run?"
Song Shicheng had seemed a bit distracted, but at those words, interest immediately sparked in his eyes. "What, you guys scouted a new target?"
The man's boundary credential flashed, transmitting a packet of information and photos to Song Shicheng.
"This—the legendary Glacier Queen's Corpse, excavated recently in the far north of Haixi Dao. I figured you probably hadn't heard about it yet, Brother Song."
Once Song Shicheng saw it, his eyes were instantly glued to the image.
It was a female corpse encased inside a glacial mountain. Her closed eyes gave the impression of slumber, framed by long eyelashes, and she wore tasseled foreign garments. Most remarkably, her proportions were colossal—compared against reference objects on the ground, she was at least seventy to eighty meters tall.
The others present caught sight of it as well, unable to hold back expressions of awe. Someone whistled. "If this thing gets blown up, the fireworks would be gorgeous."
The young men present all showed excited looks, nodding in unanimous agreement.
Within their circle, some were simply obsessed with demolitions and explosives, while others were driven purely by a lust for destruction. The more beautiful and exquisite something was, the more desperately they craved to destroy it with their own hands. In that instant of ruin, some could feel an exhilaration seeping from their very bones.
"If you're up for it, Brother Song, want us boys to go play with it together one of these days?"
Song Shicheng stared at the frozen corpse, hesitating for a moment. "In a few days."
Seeing that something seemed to weigh on his mind, someone immediately shifted the topic. Just then, another patted his neighbor's shoulder. "Look, Zhu Er has arrived."
The group turned their heads and saw Second Young Master Zhu entering the hall with a radiant woman wearing a backless gown and her hair swept up in a high chignon.
The woman wore a midnight-blue chiffon gown woven with intertwining strands of shimmering crystal filaments. The hem swayed gently with her steps, every subtle turn casting faint, fleeting star trails that softly faded across the floor.
Most eye-catching was the pendant resting on her chest: a pale glazed gemstone that seemed to seal fine silver sand within. As she moved, it shimmered with irregular watery ripples of light, like moonlight reflected on a tranquil night lake, rippling at the slightest touch.
As the two advanced along the walkway scattered with gleaming crystals, it was as if they had descended from the Milky Way into the mortal realm, instantly commanding the spotlight of the entire venue.
"Damn, Zhu Er still knows how to put on a show."
"That necklace is Moon Jade, isn't it? That didn't come cheap. I only saw it at the Norland Jiaming Auction a while back—who would've thought it ended up in Zhu Er's hands."
"Isn't that woman a singer named Ying-something Bai? Looks like Zhu Er's found himself a new favorite."
"Heh, Zhu Er always loves this sort of thing. Wrapped the whole plate of dumplings just for this saucer of vinegar."
As Zhu Er and his companion walked past, people on both sides rose to applaud. Everyone knew Zhu Er was the central figure and chief organizer of tonight's awards gala and ball.
Zhu Er thoroughly relished such occasions, occasionally nodding and waving back to the guests.
At this very moment, outside Hanquan Palace, Chen Chuan sat inside a dedicated vehicle, his eyes reflecting the brilliantly lit old palace before him.
As the scale of the operation had continually escalated, Ren Xinshan had assigned Chen Chuan an additional twelve resonators on top of the original team. This brought the total under his command to thirty resonators. With the Security Affairs Department's resonance nest coordinating with them, it was enough to paralyze the entire venue's information field in an instant.
In addition, over a hundred interns mobilized from Wuyi Academy—all members of the Purist Faction or state-sponsored students—would be responsible for maintaining order along the outermost perimeter and preventing uninvolved individuals from approaching.
The awards ceremony was scheduled to begin at eight o'clock, while the operation was set for eight-twenty.
The field screen before Chen Chuan displayed the interior situation. He watched as several individuals entered the venue and walked straight toward a specific section without glancing aside.
The aura of fighters radiating from these individuals was extraordinarily pronounced. Most took up positions around the old palace, while others patrolled a designated zone. He knew that some prominent government dignitary must have arrived.
Just then, a message came from a resonator: "Commissioner, all primary targets have entered the venue."
Chen Chuan said, "Understood." He glanced down at his watch, which read 7:50. "All units, stand by. Await my command."
Chapter 1368