Chen Chuan flipped through more than ten newspaper articles in a row, all of them filled with the arguments between the two sides.
The Conservative Faction had clearly done their homework, doing their utmost to make their voices loud enough to secure more benefits for themselves.
This was something they had no choice but to do. After this campaign, the Progressive Faction had undoubtedly achieved its strategic objectives, and once the fighting was over, a great many Progressive members would surely be promoted for their military merits and take up all the important posts.
The building and running of the convergence zone, however, could never be handed to the military; it would inevitably pass to the various local central cities. These were resources they had to control and keep firmly in hand. With them, they could establish local security forces, train more martial artists, and counter Skyline's expansion.
But even as they kept trumpeting themselves, one fatal flaw remained: the several decisive battles that wiped out the former imperial household had almost nothing to do with the various local central cities.
One article noted that the greatest contributor to this war was none other than the front-line supreme commander, Chen Chuan.
It said that when the former imperial household came to launch its surprise attack, this man had been the first Cave Mystery View martial artist to go to the rescue. On his own he had annihilated the attacking enemy in a single battle, then decisively gone on the offensive, storming straight to where the former imperial household's inner circle was and forcing them to dispatch all their elite forces to come encircle and wipe him out—only for him to crush them head-on once again.
These two battles annihilated the greater part of the former imperial household's main force, and only then could the follow-up advance proceed on the momentum. Without those two battles, the various central cities might well have faced a formidable threat from more than ten Cave Mystery View martial artists. This man had played a truly crucial role, and was undoubtedly the greatest contributor to this war.
Then the writer's pen turned again, stressing that Chen Chuan was one of the promoters of Skyline, and that it was precisely because Skyline served as their backing that they could fight free of worries about the rear and unleash such enormous combat power. Clearly, Skyline was the future of Great Shun.
Chen Chuan nodded when he read this far. Skyline's role could not be underestimated; it was precisely because of Skyline's effect—or, put another way, the Progressive Faction's push—that the former imperial household had been driven to send envoys of its own accord to sue for peace.
Without Skyline's pressure, events would not have moved so quickly afterward. After all, the Cave Mystery View, as the top-tier, strategic-grade force, would never be committed except at a moment of crisis.
And once it was committed, the struggle had reached a life-and-death point. What the former imperial household had ordinarily relied on to hold its territory was still, in the main, a host of Conquest-Nation Generals and local lords.
If one were to name the chief cause of the former imperial household's downfall this time, it was that the commitment of these strategic forces had accomplished nothing at all—and such an outcome was bound to end in defeat.
But he found that after this article, yet another had been pushed up as well, one that lavished praise on him without restraint and dealt mainly with his past experiences and achievements.
And looking at its source, it had actually come from a Conservative Faction media outlet, so he could not help but raise an eyebrow.
This was indeed done deliberately by the Conservative Faction. The main reason was that this time Tianshu had directly chosen Chen Chuan, and given his identity and background, to outsiders it plainly looked as though Tianshu were backing the Progressive Faction.
They absolutely could not let outsiders form such an impression—especially the local conservatives, who had only just recovered a little confidence. They had to strike the same pose of supporting Chen Chuan, so that it would appear his joining this time owed something to their efforts as well.
In the newspapers, though, they focused on promoting an inspirational tale: how in his youth Chen Chuan had won admission to Wuyi, made his way up entirely on his own, and in the end become the front-line supreme commander.
In short, they tried their best to peel him away from any association with the Progressive Faction, insisting solely on him as an individual.
How could Chen Chuan fail to see their intent? It was only that both factions, without any prior agreement, were building him up, and that not one Conservative outlet said a word against him—not the slightest disparagement. The situation was rather delicate. Perhaps this was because he had joined the advisory council, and from it one could also see that the standing of a formal advisor was truly extraordinary.
The airship crossed the convergence zone and set out from Anbei Dao, at last returning to Zhongjing on the fifteenth day.
It arrived right at noon. Outside, the sky stretched clear and boundless, brilliant sunlight pouring down over the land. The huge airship, backed by the azure sky, settled steadily onto the mooring tower.
At that moment Chen Chuan looked through the porthole and saw that beyond the square, a row of cars was parked, along with a dozen or so people in Fighters' Council uniforms standing there, and behind them several figures in white masks and black robes.
A thought turned in his mind; he withdrew his gaze, rose from his seat, draped his overcoat over himself, took up his peaked cap and put it on, picked up the Xuejun Saber, and carried his suitcase out of the cabin hall.
The orderly, seeing him come out, immediately took the suitcase from his hand and followed behind him.
As Chen Chuan came down from the mooring tower, the people of the Fighters' Council all caught sight of him.
The captain at their head said, "That Commissioner Chen has come out. Let's go over." With that, the group, led by him, headed toward the square.
They showed their identity papers to the armed guards on either side and were promptly let through.
Seeing that Chen Chuan had come down from the tower and was walking toward his official car, the captain quickened his pace and went up to him, calling out:
"Commissioner Chen, good day!"
Chen Chuan paused for a moment and looked over.
The captain stepped forward, took off his cap, and bowed slightly to him.
"Commissioner Chen, good day. I am Peng Jinghui, a councilor of the Fighters' Council. We would like to talk with you about the matter of the fighters' security agreement. I wonder if it's convenient for you? If it is, we would like to ask you to step aside somewhere so that we might discuss it in detail."
With that, he moved half a step to the side and gestured toward the sedan behind him.
Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "Councilor Peng, I'm in a hurry at the moment. If there's something you need, you can say it here first."
Peng Jinghui did not insist. "Commissioner Chen, in that case I'll speak plainly, and I ask your pardon for anything that gives offense."
His expression turned a shade more serious.
"After you broke through the layer limit, the security agreements you signed in the past all lapsed. Ever since you returned from the Linakes Federation, you have remained in a state with no agreement binding you.
This is a grave threat both to the nation and to every country in the world. In view of your having commanded a great army in the convergence zone, the Council, under the wartime regulations, has made no demands of you.
But now the war has ended, you no longer hold the post of front-line commander, and you have returned to Zhongjing. For the sake of Zhongjing's security, we hope you will sign the agreement as soon as possible, so that there may be a guarantee of safety for Great Shun and for every country in the world."
Chen Chuan looked at him and said, "Councilor Peng, I've heard your request, but forgive me—I have no time at the moment."
Peng Jinghui took a step forward. "Mr. Chen, signing the agreement won't take much of your time. Half a day is enough.
Unless..."
His gaze sharpened. "You don't want to sign the agreement yourself." He stared at Chen Chuan. "In that case the Council will have no choice but to assess your personal mental condition, and the harm you might pose to the nation.
Such an assessment would be submitted to the executive government as an important reference. I should think that would be no good thing for your future promotions and commendations. Surely that is not what you wish to see?"
As he said this, the Council members behind him visibly tensed; even he himself felt his heart pound, and the hand inside his glove trembled faintly.
This was a Cave Mystery View martial artist who was currently bound by nothing at all. As members of the Council, they well knew what sort of destructive power the man before them possessed. Had this not been Zhongjing, under the protection of the upper-tier forces, then in any other setting he could never have spoken such faintly forceful words to this man's face.
Chen Chuan, however, did nothing to them. He merely said in an even tone, "Mm, I understand, Councilor Peng. This is your Council's authority. If there's nothing else, we'll leave it here for now."
"Wait, please!"
Peng Jinghui came two steps closer. "Commissioner Chen, have you forgotten? Unless there are special circumstances, martial artists who have not signed a security agreement are forbidden to enter Zhongjing."
If he gave notice to his superiors at that very moment, he could at once have Zhongjing's powerful martial artists and active conscious entities step forward to block Chen Chuan from entering the city—though to do so would blow the matter wide open, and it would be very hard to bring it to a close afterward.
And he knew even more clearly that the two sides were not on equal footing. Even if they did stop Chen Chuan, then to appease him they might in the end kick Peng himself out of the Council. But he was a man loyal to his duty, who held the importance of the agreement as nothing short of paramount, and for it he was willing to stake his own future.
Chen Chuan pressed the brim of his cap and said, "Councilor Peng, I am now on my way to take up my post at the Supreme Security Advisory Group. Are you certain you want to stop me?"
Peng Jinghui's expression could not help but shift. "The Supreme Security Advisory Group? Take up a post? What do you mean?"
"It seems you didn't know."
Chen Chuan did not believe the Council had truly received no word at all of his becoming an advisor—yet they had still sent people over. He did not know whether members of the advisory council were required to sign an agreement; but even if they were not, if he were to sign one of his own accord, that would be another matter entirely.
By now Peng Jinghui had guessed at something, and the other several members of the Fighters' Council exchanged glances, all of them somewhat uneasy.
For the Council's power to restrict the various martial artists derived entirely from the authorization of the Supreme Advisory Council; so they had absolutely no standing to restrict a member of the advisory council, reserve members included.
Peng Jinghui persisted all the same. "We have received no notice from above. I must confirm this. Until then, you still may not enter Zhongjing."
Chen Chuan looked at him and grunted an acknowledgment. "No wonder they sent you, Councilor Peng. You are a most conscientious man, but there is no need." With that, he looked off toward a certain direction.
Peng Jinghui sensed something and turned to look. He saw a tall, powerfully built figure striding over from the far end of the square, while streaks of information flashed across his boundary credential, and his face went deathly white.
Mr. Fan came up to them. He did not so much as glance at the others, but spoke to Chen Chuan:
"The formal advisors of the advisory council sign no security agreement of any kind. The only thing that can bind us is ourselves.
Advisor Chen, come with me. The other advisors have been waiting for you a long while."
Chapter 1472