Decision

In the blink of an eye, a dozen days slipped past, and the calendar turned to mid-May. Inside the martial arts hall, Chen Chuan sat cross-legged on a cushioned mat wearing his teal Wuyi training uniform. He used his breathing technique to guide the mutated tissue within him while calming and centering his mind. Throughout this period, he had remained here consolidating his gains, returning to school only once. He had already given the company advance notice, citing personal cultivation under the guise of an instructor's requirement. As a Wuyi student, such a reason was naturally accepted without question. Only after sitting for roughly three-quarters of an hour did he gradually draw his breathing to a close. He was now beginning to feel firsthand how the secretions stimulated by his mutated internal organs influenced his body. This was, in truth, one of a fighter's sources of power. Managed properly, it could grant even greater strength under certain conditions; the correct approach was not to suppress it, but to master, regulate, and subdue it through self-control. His earlier Spirit-Startling Fist had touched upon this principle, though back then he had not yet developed sufficiently resilient mutated tissue. Even an ordinary person could employ such a technique, but backed by robust mutated tissue, the resulting effect was completely different. To take the simplest example, the mutation Douma had unleashed that day was one application of this self-regulation, though that had been a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble not worth emulating. By contrast, certain historical records from the old era contained exceptionally rich experience in this regard. Religious texts, in particular, detailed the matter at great length. Lately, Chen Chuan had been reading through such materials. Setting aside the mystical and superstitious trappings, their methods for calming the spirit and aligning the internal with the external were genuinely effective. Of course, the crudest and most direct approach was medication. However, stopping the drugs could trigger all sorts of complications and left one heavily reliant on logistical support, so mastering the process oneself remained the superior path. His meditation finished, he stood up and began executing each technique of Orthodox Sanshou in a precise, methodical manner. Outwardly, the routine appeared identical to before, but that was merely on the surface. Inside him, the movement of the mutated tissue was an entirely different matter now. With his internal organs' mutated tissue working in tandem with the previously mutated fascia and bone, the jin behind every technique could be adjusted and varied with far greater subtlety, producing strikes of rich and versatile force. Still, this was only for daily training, intended to stimulate his viscera and foster the growth of the mutated tissue. In actual combat, unless necessary, he would only direct the mutated tissue to concentrate his power and quicken his speed, seeking to finish off the opponent before him as swiftly as possible—whether facing one foe or many. Delivering the same strike now carried several times the destructive force it once had, primarily because both his strength and speed had been substantially enhanced. If he were to face Douma again, even against Douma's fully mutated form, Chen Chuan was confident he could conclude the fight within two or three exchanges. After running through Orthodox Sanshou, he picked up the Xuejun Saber and began practicing his blade forms, likewise aiming to let his mutated tissue adapt as quickly as possible to the weapon's demands. When his training for the day drew to a close, he rinsed off and returned to the second floor. Sitting down at the desk, he reached for the briefcase the review board had given him, drew out the map inside, and spread it wide across the table. His gaze fell first on the location of Yangzhi City, then traveled northward. Beyond Mount Zhang, what met his eyes was a boundless wasteland marking the northernmost reaches of the Great Shun territory. Although Yangzhi City had been established during the Great Expansion, it could hardly be considered Great Shun's frontier. At the northern edge of the wasteland, on its easternmost tip, lay a port city called Hangu City. It was not an ordinary city, but rather a garrison for an undisclosed number of military personnel. Normally, it maintained contact with the mainland only through a railway spanning the wasteland and maritime routes across the northern ocean, sharing almost no connection with Yangzhi City. Yet Chen Chuan knew a military academy was located there. His cousin, Nian Qian, had enlisted and was studying at that academy, making travel back and forth exceptionally difficult; communication was limited to telegrams. Even so, this wasteland was far from empty. It teemed with fugitives fleeing from the interior, smugglers arriving by sea, bandits, members of resistance organizations, and state outlaws. Some had even escaped from megacorporations, bringing proprietary technology and underground channels with them. Others were foreign spies, bounty hunters, and no small number of political exiles from overseas nations. Alongside them lurked various hidden esoteric cults. Banding together, certain factions had established spheres of influence large and small across the wasteland, forming a hub for a global underground intelligence network. Compared to them, the bandit gangs prowling the wilds outside Yangzhi City were minor nuisances. Were it not for the distance of more than two thousand kilometers separating the region from Yangzhi City—a desolate no-man's-land devoid of water and vegetation, compounded by the military's deterrence—their reach would likely have extended into Yangzhi City long ago. His assessment target lay right at the periphery of this very wasteland. Not only was the situation immensely complex, but the round trip alone would require considerable time. In a place like that, conducting any advance reconnaissance was practically out of the question, and no one would be there to help him. Although his remaining time appeared ample on the surface, a portion of it was meant for preparation and extraction, meaning he had little time to waste. He pondered the matter. It was already mid-May. He resolved to spend another half a month consolidating his foundation; after that, he could wait no longer and would have to depart for the examination as soon as possible. Having made up his mind, he packed away the map, locked the dossier in the safe, went downstairs, and set off for the academy on his bicycle. In less than half an hour, he was back at school. After parking his bicycle, he headed toward the dormitories. As he stepped onto the stairs, however, he noticed someone waiting there. Catching sight of him, her eyes brightened, and she walked over with a greeting. "Junior Chen, long time no see." Chen Chuan recognized her as Min Lan, the senior who had previously treated him to a meal in hopes of recruiting him into her commission firm. Later, when he joined Ren Shu's company, she had not contacted him again. He replied, "Senior Min, it has been a while." Min Lan smiled. "Junior, I came specifically to look for you today. I'll only take a few minutes of your time, if that's convenient?" Chen Chuan was in no rush for a brief moment, and seeing that she had been waiting for him—likely trying to catch him for more than a day or two, given his recent absence—he said, "Then let's speak by the lake, Senior." Guests could not be received in the men's dormitory, especially someone who had graduated long ago, so finding another spot was the only sensible choice. Min Lan readily agreed. The two descended the steps, crossed the open ground in front of the dormitory building, and arrived beside Spring and Autumn Lake, strolling along the lakeside footpath. Looking at the green willows and the shimmering water, Min Lan murmured, "After being away from the academy for so long, I still miss life here sometimes. As long as your ability is sufficient, you can focus entirely on training without so many bothersome worries." After her sigh of nostalgia, she turned toward Chen Chuan. "I know this is presumptuous of me, but the company I work for is currently facing a difficult problem and searching everywhere for a solution. "I know your time is tight, Junior, so I'll keep it brief. This difficulty stems from a major commission involving several companies. It concerns a secret cult from which we need to retrieve an item. We previously sent in quite a few people, but every time, they disappeared or lost contact under bizarre circumstances. "Last time, our company paid a steep price to turn one of their members, but she went missing that very night. Their response was terrifyingly swift. None of the other companies have made any headway either, leading us to believe the fault doesn't lie with us, but with some method the cult possesses. "Considering they are an illicit cult, they might possess something defying common sense, so we could only consult experts in this field. Yet so far, no one has been able to offer a sensible explanation. "I remembered that you frequently handle urban legends, Junior Chen, and thought you might know something about such matters, so I came especially to ask for your advice. If you could help us resolve this, that would be ideal, and we would gladly offer compensation that satisfies you." Chen Chuan considered this, then shook his head. "Urban legends are urban legends, and cults are cults. The two cannot be lumped together." Min Lan's eyes lit up slightly. "Does that mean you know about cults, Junior Chen?" Chen Chuan replied, "The flying head creature I dealt with had a Flying Head Cult with a very long history behind it. If you ask whether I know anything, yes, I know a little, but only that much. Different cults have different natures. Unless it is confirmed to be tied to an urban legend, I cannot offer any meaningful answer." "I see." Min Lan nodded and thought for a moment. "Then we'll first need to determine what kind of cult this is." She extended her hand and shook his. "Sorry to have troubled you, Junior. Regardless, thank you for today." After parting ways with her, Chen Chuan turned the thought over in his mind. When it came to cults, Bureau Director Lei of the Esoteric Cult Examination Bureau certainly knew about such things, but Chen Chuan could hardly trouble someone of that stature over this. Furthermore, if word got out, other companies would catch the scent and come swarming. Most importantly, he needed to prepare for his assessment and had no time to spare. He could only wish his senior good luck. Glancing ahead, he saw that he had already drawn near the administrative office building. Instead of heading back to the dormitory, he simply made his way inside. Entering the building, he arrived at Cheng Zitong's office to find the door open and two people conversing with his mentor. Chen Chuan waited outside for a short while, stepping inside only after the two visitors—clearly people from outside the school—had departed. Cheng Zitong asked, "Have you been waiting long?" Chen Chuan replied, "Not long, I just arrived." Cheng Zitong shook his head. "Every year there are connected people like that trying to push things into the academy. Well, forget about them. Chuan, what brings you here?" Chen Chuan closed the door behind him, walked back over, and said solemnly, "Instructor, I plan to set out at the end of this month." "So soon?" Cheng Zitong's expression grew serious as he looked at him. "It seems you've made up your mind. Do you need anything? I can prepare it for you." Chen Chuan said, "The assessment rules impose strict limits on weapons, carried items, and the methods used to deal with the target. I can only bring the supplies and necessities required for traveling to the wasteland." He understood the reasoning behind this well enough. In a territory like that, almost anything could be acquired; without restrictions, examinees would resort to all manner of unimaginable maneuvers. He even suspected that proctors might be watching from the shadows. Cheng Zitong thought it over and said, "Let me prepare those for you." He opened a drawer and handed him a form. "This is a travel authorization. Sign it while you're here. "I can't say for sure when you'll return. All I can do on this end to cover for you is use the excuse of taking you out for private training. That way, I won't remain at the school during that period either. If you need to place a call, dial this number..." Cheng Zitong gave him a telephone number and concluded with a final caution: "Before you set out, you can show your face at the school once more. But during this period, try not to get involved in anything else. No matter who calls on you, pay them no heed."