By the end of May, Chen Chuan had completed his preparations for the assessment. He had already notified his aunt's family in advance, claiming that he would be going out for special training with Cheng Zitong soon and might make a circuit through the wilderness, so sending word back might be difficult.
He had also written several letters ahead of time, which he would entrust to Cheng Zitong to mail out when the time came. This would both set his family's minds at ease and create the false impression that he was staying in one place the entire time.
These letters were not limited to family; they also included acquaintances at the company, classmates he knew from the academy, and even old schoolmates like Ding Jiao. However, to avoid seeming too deliberate, these were merely contingencies and would only be sent if necessary.
He had no choice but to be this cautious. Shen Zheng's experience from back then was a stark warning, especially since Shen Zheng had already earned an unlimited defense license at the time, whereas Chen Chuan had yet to obtain his. Naturally, he needed to be twice as careful.
As for the students he was familiar with, he had already dropped casual hints earlier that he would be training alongside his instructor, giving them a vague impression beforehand. When he brought it up now, it did not seem abrupt in the slightest, and many of them wished him fruitful results from this training stint.
On the night of the thirtieth, around eleven in the evening, Chen Chuan picked up a suitcase, took the boxed Xuejun Saber, and got into Cheng Zitong's car.
The vehicle headed west out of Yangzhi City. After driving for over six hours, they arrived at Shangbu City, southwest of Yangzhi. Situated at the junction of two prefectural circuits, it was an important hub for both land and water transport.
According to the assessment procedure, he needed to make a phone call here. A member of the assessment team would come by to hand him a train ticket, directing him to take the train to the next designated stop.
From this point onward, he would have to make his own way to the examination site.
Stepping out of the car, he said to Cheng Zitong, "Instructor, please head back. From here on, I must walk the path alone."
Cheng Zitong looked at him, remarking with some emotion, "You know, you've grown a bit taller since last year. Time really flies." He walked forward and said, "Focus on the assessment. With me around, you don't need to worry about the school or your family. And out there, be careful in everything you do. I'll be waiting for your news back in Yangzhi." With that, he patted Chen Chuan firmly on the shoulder.
Chen Chuan nodded. "I will keep that in mind."
"I'll be heading back now. Oh, right—I left something for you in the suitcase that might come in handy. Take a look when you have a free moment."
Cheng Zitong waved to him and got back into the car. As the engine rumbled to life, the car drove back the way it came. Chen Chuan watched him leave, adjusted his hat with a touch of his hand, and turned to walk toward the station square not far away.
He checked his wristwatch. Though it was not yet six in the morning, the street was already teeming with crowds carrying bags and bundles of all sizes. Sunlight streamed from behind him across the square, illuminating most of the railway station's thick masonry walls.
He looked around and spotted a row of roadside telephone booths along the edge of the square. Walking over, he found a line with fewer people. Once the person inside stepped out, he went in, lifted the receiver, dropped in a coin, and dialed the number the assessment team had given him earlier. After waiting a brief moment, the call connected.
He said, "I have arrived at the designated station."
A voice on the other end said, "Wait there." Then, with a click, the line went dead.
Chen Chuan stepped out of the booth. Passing a newsstand, he casually bought a newspaper and two story magazines, then sat down on a waiting bench in the square.
Half an hour later, an ordinary-looking man sat down beside him and casually slipped him a train ticket, saying, "Departing at seven-fifty this morning. Call the number below once you arrive. Before you enter the Chaotic Lands, someone will inspect your belongings and check whether anyone is assisting or following you. Any questions?"
Chen Chuan drew out a slip of paper from behind the ticket, which bore a string of numbers. After a moment's thought, he asked, "What should I do if the number is wrong, or if I can't reach anyone once I arrive?"
The man replied, "You can call me back. Arrangements will be made for you. Any lost time won't count against your assessment, but you'll have to cover any extra expenses incurred in the meantime. The assessment team won't be responsible."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Then I have no more questions."
The man rolled up the newspaper in his hand, stood, and walked straight away, quickly disappearing into the crowd.
Chen Chuan did not move immediately. He read the newspaper for a little longer before standing up and entering the station.
Entering the waiting hall, he glanced at the schedule board above, then chose a seat off to the side and sat down. Over an hour later, the loudspeaker announced that his train had arrived at the platform and ticket inspection had begun.
He stood and joined the line, smoothly passing through the ticket barrier. Stepping onto the platform, he saw an entirely black train waiting there. Squeezing past a snack cart, he boarded through the narrow entrance. After walking through just a few carriages, he found his seat, stowed his suitcase and the Xuejun Saber on the luggage rack overhead, and settled in.
It seemed the review board was on a tight budget. He had nearly a full day's ride ahead of him, yet the ticket they gave him was not for a sleeper berth, but a regular seat.
Not that it bothered him. As a fighter with a resilient constitution, his standards in this regard were hardly demanding; he could rest even while standing.
He took out a tube of nutritional paste, tore it open, ate it, and resumed reading his newspaper.
Just then, a short man walked over with a ticket in hand. After checking it, he confirmed he had found his seat. His bag seemed quite heavy, however, and though he stood on tiptoe to push it up several times, it kept sliding back down. With a wry face, he said to Chen Chuan, "Hey buddy, mind giving me a hand?"
Chen Chuan looked up, stood, and with an effortless lift of his arm, shoved the bag into place.
"Thanks, buddy. Man, you're really tall. With a build like that, you do martial arts, right?" The man looked at Chen Chuan with admiration, glanced at the case holding the Xuejun Saber on the luggage rack, and pulled out a cigarette to offer him.
Chen Chuan gestured that he did not smoke and sat back down. The man took no offense. Evidently someone who made friends easily, he began asking where Chen Chuan was headed once seated. Chen Chuan answered noncommittally, leaving the man to carry the conversation alone. He rambled on about how many people were in his family, what business he was traveling to do, and how the roads were never safe and making a living was hard.
He chattered incessantly, though his eyes darted around from time to time. Chen Chuan showed no annoyance, simply continuing to read his paper.
Presently, several rough-looking men walked down the aisle. Seeing him talking here, they glanced at Chen Chuan opposite him, hesitated, muttered a few words under their breath, and moved on.
The man seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
A little later, with several blasts of the whistle, the train beneath them finally began to roll forward. The man fell silent as well, gazing out at the passing scenery.
Just three stops later, it seemed the man had reached his destination. He briskly put on his hat, hopped up to yank down his bag, and murmured before leaving, "Thanks, buddy."
Chen Chuan looked up at him and nodded.
As the train rumbled from station to station, the passengers across from him changed continuously, and the sky outside turned from bright to dim, then sank into total darkness.
Seeing that it was late enough, Chen Chuan went to the restroom for a quick wash, then returned to his seat and closed his eyes to rest.
By now, he had also realized that mutating his internal organs was not a simple matter of fusing the two together. The mutated tissue was like a second set of organs that could take turns resting alongside his original ones.
While one set slept, the other could remain active. These were tissues and organs born purely to adapt to combat.
Consequently, at the slightest unusual movement nearby or the appearance of anything discordant with the surroundings, his senses would immediately sound the alarm, allowing him to react swiftly.
Perhaps because he looked formidable and carried the invisible presence natural to a fighter, even in a bustling, diverse environment like a train, no foolish troublemakers crossed him. Even obvious pickpockets consciously kept their distance upon seeing him—they clearly knew how to read people.
He understood that many of these people likely shared his destination and were also heading to the Chaotic Lands—for going there required, first and foremost, the martial strength to protect oneself.
Past six in the morning, the train finally reached the last stop of his journey. The grinding screech of wheel axles against the rails gradually faded as the train slowed to a halt. The steam valves opened, releasing residual steam from the exhaust pipes in a long hiss, and the sounds of the surrounding world became distinct.
Chen Chuan retrieved his luggage, slung the case containing the Xuejun Saber over his shoulder, and disembarked. Stepping out of the station, he was met by a blast of chilly wind. Patches of snow lingered on the ground, and many people around him were bundled in heavy coats. He, however, found the temperature quite comfortable, though he took out a scarf and wrapped it around his neck to avoid standing out too much.
The travelers coming and going here walked in a hurry, rarely lingering together in groups. On either side of the station stood armed security personnel with sharp eyes, scanning the crowd on the square from time to time.
After looking around, he found a telephone booth along the edge of the square, dropped in a coin, and dialed the number the man had given him. Once connected, he said, "I have arrived at the station," and read out the code on the slip of paper.
A woman's raspy, smoker's voice came through: "Be right there."
He waited less than a quarter of an hour before a modified off-road vehicle drove up and halted a short distance before him. The person in the driver's seat jerked her head toward him. "Get in."
Chen Chuan saw that she was a woman in her late twenties, dressed in a short jacket with goggles resting on her forehead. At first glance, she was quite attractive, though weathered lines marked the corners of her eyes. Her gaze was exceptionally sharp—she clearly was not someone to be crossed.
He walked over, opened the door, and got in. Once he sat down, she spoke first. "So you're young brother Chen for this assessment?"
Chen Chuan nodded and asked, "May I ask your name?"
"No need for formalities. Surname Hu, Hu Xian."
Chen Chuan said, "So it is Ms. Hu. Thank you for picking me up. Are you a member of the review board as well?"
Hu Xian said nonchalantly, "That's right, I'm an examiner. I'm also responsible for providing you with intelligence, weapons, and logistical support. And of course..." She glanced in the rearview mirror. "...collecting your corpses."
As she spoke, she stared at Chen Chuan, seemingly trying to read something from his expression. But his gaze remained calm. She said, "I can see you've got experience. Still, every year students end up crippled or killed during their assessments here. I hope you won't become one of them—saves me the trouble."
Chen Chuan asked, "Have you been here long, Ms. Hu?"
"It's just a job. Nobody wants to come to this godforsaken place, and I don't have connections, so I couldn't transfer back even if I wanted to. Besides, I've been here so long that every time the higher-ups get a new boss, they think I'm doing great. They take a look at my file—'Hey, an old hand who's never slipped up! Fine, you stay right where you are.'"
Hu Xian mocked herself with a few dry laughs and stepped hard on the gas. The off-road vehicle sped along, stopping some ten minutes later in front of an old-style inn. She led Chen Chuan inside, took a key from the pretty woman at the reception desk, and tossed it to him.
"I run this inn—it's my private business. First three days are on the house; after that, you pay. If you need anything, tell Old Wan, the bearded guy guarding the entrance. Don't let his rough looks fool you; he's meticulous as they come. How do they put it? 'He can gallop a horse on his arm and embroider with his fingertips.' You can leave anything to him."
Chen Chuan followed her up to the second floor and entered a suite. Thick carpet covered the living room floor beneath a chandelier, a long raw-wood table stood in the center, and a dartboard hung on the wall.
Hu Xian walked over and pushed open the window. "The view here isn't bad, and it catches the sunlight. If you don't like it, you can switch, but this is as good as it gets around here. This room's already the best one."
Chen Chuan took a look and nodded. "No need to switch." He set down his suitcase and gestured toward it. "Do you need to inspect it? The man who briefed me said there was a procedure for that."
Hu Xian glanced at it and said dismissively, "No need. How much could you possibly bring? And what isn't available in a place like this? Wait here." She turned and left, returning shortly afterward to toss a stack of booklets onto his table. "Your assessment targets."
Chapter 146