Interception

Chen Chuan immediately sensed that something was amiss. "Commissioner Cao, are you assigning only me to go?" he asked. "I will arrange for Old Feng to go with you," Commissioner Cao said. "May I ask why?" Chen Chuan asked. Commissioner Cao said in a deep voice, "Luo Qi likely holds records of his and Molan Company's illicit dealings with government officials over the years. He should also be carrying a substantial amount in gold drafts. Certain people within the government would gladly welcome him in exchange for what he possesses. "Once inside the government, backed by benefactors, it would take only a few years for him to transform into a high-ranking official and sit across the table from us. We must eliminate him before they accept him." Chen Chuan thought it over and nodded. "Understood, Commissioner Cao. I'll head out right away." Commissioner Cao said, "It is two-thirty now. Setting out from the Constabulary Headquarters, you should reach the location in half an hour. Their appointed meeting time is four o'clock, but we cannot rule out their contact arriving early. You may only have half an hour to resolve the matter." Pausing briefly, he added, "As head of the Operations Department, Luo Qi hasn't fought anyone in a long time. His condition won't be much better than Tan Wang's when you fought him, but he has gear and equipment to compensate. If there is anything you need, ask for it now. So long as it aids you in this fight, I will approve it." Chen Chuan understood what he meant: as long as he took care of this, Cao would agree even to excessive requests. "Understood, Commissioner Cao. I'll go make preparations now." "Do what needs to be done," Commissioner Cao said gravely. "There will be no record of this matter afterward." Chen Chuan looked at him and nodded. He then turned and left the conference room. In truth, he didn't care whether there was a record or not. The world was full of restraints—if not one kind, then another. Once one grew strong enough, one could naturally break free of them. Stepping outside, Old Feng was already waiting for him. Accompanied by him, Chen Chuan requested a large quantity of pharmaceuticals from the logistics personnel. This time, he was facing an opponent whose combat strength was truly intact— Ten minutes later, he was in a car speeding toward the north of the city. Along the way, he drank continuously from his canteen while keeping a tight grip on the Xuejun Saber. It wasn't just water inside; he had mixed in a substantial quantity of medicine. Perhaps others would worry about the damage, but— Old Feng watched him with some concern and cautioned, "Student Chen, try to use pharmaceuticals sparingly in the future." Chen Chuan expressed his sincere gratitude. "Thank you, Special Commissioner Feng. I know." Old Feng gave an affirmative grunt and said in a heavy tone, "Even if Luo Qi didn't have those records, we couldn't let him live; he should be eliminated as early as possible. As Molan Company's head of external operations, I have records of everything he's done over the years—including the slaughter of numerous civilians. "Some of it wasn't even company orders, but merely him venting his personal emotions. Someone with no bottom line like that shouldn't exist in this world. We may not embody justice, but we cannot stomach such evil." Chen Chuan nodded and said with conviction, "I will deal with him." Around three-fifteen, the car passed through Wujia Town and gradually neared the docks. "It's just ahead," Old Feng said. "If you head over now, he'll probably think we're the escort sent to meet him. Can you use that to your advantage?" Chen Chuan considered this and said, "I'm afraid not. He likely knows me. Even if I wear a mask now, with his eyesight he could recognize me by my silhouette. There won't be an opportunity for a surprise attack. We can only face him head-on." Old Feng's expression turned solemn. "Then be careful in everything. I'll provide support from the rear. If something feels off, pull back toward the car. If nothing else, my marksmanship is decent enough; I should be able to hold him off for a few shots." "Thank you, Commissioner. When the time comes, I won't hesitate to lean on you." Chen Chuan tossed aside the emptied canteen, put on his face covering and fedora, and fastened his scarf. This was to guard against any toxic mists or chemical agents the man might carry, as such things were often impossible to defend against, though— Then, lifting the already warmed-up Xuejun Saber, he pushed open the car door and stepped out. Glancing at the warm afternoon sunlight, he took a case from Old Feng's hands and strode across the flat, wide concrete pavement toward the container terminal. Defeating Tan Wang last time had— Yet this time, he had only half an hour. Still, if he could win this fight, it should grant him even more time, bringing him one step closer to the twenty-four-hour synchronization. Such opportunities were rare, especially before entering Center City. Opponents one could face head-on with backing and logistical support were few and far between. Thus, the strategy he settled on was trading wounds for wounds, trading a life for a life. He could never hope to outmatch Luo Qi in raw technique; only by meeting offense with offense could he possibly win this battle. He had reviewed Luo Qi's dossier beforehand. The man had not come from Wuyi, but was a talent emerging from orthodox, old-style martial traditions. His rise to head of operations had mainly been due to his capability rather than raw fighting power alone, and he was infamous for being ruthless, cruel, and without a bottom line. Over the years, he had handled much of Molan Company's dirty work. However, he indeed had no combat record in recent years. Once a fighter neglected active combat—even for just a few days—their condition would deteriorate rapidly. After years without fighting, he certainly couldn't maintain his past peak. Even so, he could compensate for those shortcomings with implants and drugs, so Chen Chuan still needed to exercise utmost caution. Near the edge of the pier, Luo Qi was waiting, slowly smoking a cigarette. Wearing black gloves and a Molan Company uniform, he carried a longsword at his waist, with a metal case resting by his side. A simple underwater rebreather and a diving membrane lay discarded nearby. Noticing Chen Chuan approaching, he cast a glance over from a distance. Chen Chuan had never seen him in person before, but had viewed his photograph. Luo Qi was forty-six years old, yet he appeared only around thirty. He had decent facial features, but there was a sinister glint between his brows, and his face was set in a permanent scowl that radiated gloom. As Chen Chuan walked over carrying the Xuejun Saber and the case, Luo Qi flicked away his cigarette and stood with an easy posture. "You got here fast," he said. "Pressed for time," Chen Chuan replied. Luo Qi's gaze fell on the case he carried. "Did you bring what I asked for?" Chen Chuan set the case down, then planted the Xuejun Saber tip-down into the ground. "No need to pretend, Supervisor Luo. You must—" Luo Qi raised an eyebrow and let out an amused scoff. "Clever." His eyes darted behind Chen Chuan. "What, you came alone?" Chen Chuan looked up at him. "Of course not." "Is that so," Luo Qi said. He rolled his neck and shoulders, fixing his gaze on Chen Chuan. "If someone was coming to eliminate me, it wouldn't just be you few. So I take it someone else is trying to intercept and kill me to keep me out of the government, isn't that right?" Chen Chuan didn't answer. Gripping the hilt of the Xuejun Saber, he stepped forward, and the blade slid slowly out of its scabbard. Time was short; he had no interest in wasting words. Before this, throughout the journey here, he had maintained a continuous rapport with the Xuejun Saber—never putting it down even when meeting Commissioner Cao. By now, he had attuned himself to the point where he could seamlessly channel his saber jin at any instant. Watching him, Luo Qi muttered as if to himself, "The Secret Snake Cult person from Center City was taken down by you, wasn't he? Interesting. Looks like you were already using the drugs the State Administration Bureau gave you back then. You must be the one they're pushing to the forefront, aren't you? Yes, that must be it. Let's see how long the effects of your drugs can last." He reached out and seized the hilt at his hip, unsheathing the longsword with a sharp hiss. The black blade reflected no light under the sun. Chen Chuan advanced slowly and raised the Xuejun Saber. At first, the two only locked eyes, but as he closed to a certain distance, both moved almost simultaneously—and in that fraction of a second, both seemed to vanish from the distance together. Luo Qi gripped his sword with two hands and thrust forward in a straight lunge, while Chen Chuan held his saber in two hands and brought it down in a front-on cleave. Looking at that downward chop, he showed no intention of dodging whatsoever. Seeing that Chen Chuan neither dodged nor deflected, Luo Qi's speed—which had seemed on par with Chen Chuan's—abruptly surged after just two steps as the modified tendons in his feet contracted! Yet at the sight of this, Chen Chuan's expression did not waver, nor did the trajectory of his cleave shift in the slightest. Luo Qi's eyes narrowed. If this continued, his thrust would certainly pierce Chen Chuan's chest. Even if Chen Chuan was wearing a protective suit, Luo Qi was confident he could skewer him clean through. However, if Chen Chuan didn't die instantly, that descending cleave would crash right into him as well. With Luo Qi's keen perception, he could tell at a glance that the saber was no ordinary weapon; it radiated a powerful sense of danger to him. Seeing that Chen Chuan still refused to evade even at the very end, seemingly willing to perish together if necessary, Luo Qi had no choice but to alter his move at the last moment before impact. Snapping his wrist upward, he raised his blade vertically to parry and deflect the chopping saber. Yet because the parry was rushed while Chen Chuan charged forward with indomitable momentum, holding the hilt with both hands and applying full power, Luo Qi felt the sword blade shudder violently, nearly tearing itself from his grip, while a shock of jin drove straight into his body. Chest tightening, he immediately mobilized layers of mutated tissue within him to absorb the force, while relying on the elasticity of his implanted tendons to propel himself several steps backward, seizing the moment to neutralize the jin. Chen Chuan felt a similar jolt of jin travel up through the sword and penetrate into his body, but as his Second Self blurred faintly, he remained completely unaffected. Pivoting at the waist, he whipped his weapon upward in a reverse diagonal slash, sending a streak of saber light sweeping straight for Luo Qi's neck!