Legacy

After tidying up briefly by the pier, Chen Chuan and Old Feng loaded Luo Qi's body and suitcase into the car and drove away. Less than ten minutes after their departure, another black sedan pulled up. The vehicle stopped outside, and a man wearing a white mask stepped out. He walked to the edge of the pier, cast a few glances around, and saw only extensive marks of destruction across the ground. After a moment of silence, he turned and left. On Chen Chuan's side, Old Feng kept a wary eye on their surroundings during the drive back. Fortunately, the trip passed without incident. Just as they were about to re-enter the city, however, a booming roar rolled in as if from great distance. Both men instinctively turned toward the source of the noise. Old Feng reacted quickly, his voice carrying a mix of wistfulness and exhilaration. "Looks like Old Cao made his move." Chen Chuan asked, "Commissioner, was that artillery?" Old Feng hummed in affirmation. "Do you know why Molan Company withdrew so suddenly? We leaked word earlier that two warships were heading down from the north, one of them a troop transport. The troop transport was real, but there weren't nearly that many soldiers aboard. "Even so, Molan didn't dare gamble. Even if few troops arrived this time, there was no telling if more would follow right behind them. Once encircled by the military, not a single one of them would escape. "So they were guaranteed to run! "Piecing together our earlier intelligence and reports from our insider in Molan Company, we deduced that they would choose to withdraw north, most likely with the aid of flying craft. "To take them down with minimal casualties, we coordinated with the military more than a year ago. We had rail tracks laid all the way to the outer edge of Mount Zhang and moved enough railway guns into position to bombard them. "If the plan worked, the moment those shells slammed into the ground, the vast majority of Molan Company's personnel and key elites would have been wiped out. Even if a few slipped through the net, they wouldn't pose much of a threat." Chen Chuan nodded inwardly. The plan did not seem overly complicated; aside from inter-departmental coordination, it hinged entirely on intelligence. The final step was especially critical. The exact timing of the bombardment had to be pinpoint precise, requiring an accurate report on the ground. That had to be the work of their insider. Yet because of that, it was doubtful that the insider could make it out alive either. Old Feng stepped on the gas and accelerated. "We should have word soon. If the plan succeeded, the mission assigned to us by higher-ups is mostly complete." Chen Chuan glanced at him. Mostly complete—wiping out the core leadership of Molan Company was only mostly complete. It seemed his suspicion was correct: beyond crushing Molan Company, this operation had another vital objective. Inside a garden residence in the southern district of Yangzhi, Uncle Yi had stayed indoors over the past few days, yet the dizzying speed at which outside events unfolded was overwhelming. After returning that day, he received news from the Tribunal and was shocked to learn that Chen Chuan had walked out entirely unscathed, with public opinion swinging completely in his favor. Even then, he had sensed that something was amiss. As a Yangzhi native, he understood all too well the influence Molan Company and the local prominent families wielded over the city. Yet their control over public discourse had collapsed; people could openly revile them in the streets, and Molan Company offered no reaction whatsoever. This was exceedingly abnormal. He knew Molan Company had suffered setbacks since the attack on its headquarters a few years ago, but a starved camel was still bigger than a horse. In Yangzhi at least, it was no exaggeration to say that Molan held sway over the entire sky. That was the exact reason he had backed down outside the Tribunal that day: offending such a colossus for the sake of Chen Chuan alone was simply not worth it. Yet today, hearing that Molan Company had pulled out, how could he fail to realize that an even greater power had moved against Molan? Otherwise, they would never have abandoned a stronghold they had cultivated for so long. And who could accomplish such a feat on Molan's home turf? The only possible answer was the government of the Republic of Great Shun. Frowning deeply, he mused, "If so, with Chen Chuan standing so prominently at the front, has he been tied to the authorities all along, or is it merely a coincidence...?" After some thought, he decided it had to be a coincidence. Chen Chuan had grown up in Yangzhi, and his background was completely clean. Besides, no one would entrust such a pivotal role to a teenage student. "What astonishing luck..." A twinge of regret gnawed at him. Had he known Molan was in such dire straits, why would he have backed down back then? He could have done Chen Chuan a favor at no cost to himself, and the young lady's matter might already be settled by now. "No, there is still a chance..." He picked up a cup of tea from the table and set it before him. There was little hope of persuading Chen Chuan before he graduated from Wuyi. After what happened to Molan Company, the boy might even look down on megacorporations and believe his own path had been vindicated. Young people naturally thought that way. Yet in the end, this world was ruled jointly by megacorporations and the government. Even within the government, without sponsors or connections, one's advancement would be severely limited no matter how capable one was. Once the boy slammed into a few brick walls, he would gain a clearer understanding of reality. When that time came... Right at that moment, a muffled roar like rolling thunder rumbled in from the distance. Because it was so abrupt, the hand holding his teacup shook, spilling a good deal of tea down his chest. "What was that?" Irritation flared first, followed quickly by a solemn expression. "Is that... the sound of artillery shells?" Had the government made its move against Molan Company? As a member of a corporation—even one who had already retired—the thought filled him with an inexplicable unease. He muttered, "Looks like I need to call the young lady..." By this time, Old Feng and Chen Chuan had driven back to the Constabulary Headquarters. After stepping out of the vehicle, Old Feng summoned an officer he knew, gave a few instructions, and led Chen Chuan straight to the tactical briefing room. Commissioner Cao was standing behind the table, waiting for final confirmation of the outcome. When the two entered, the sharp edge in his gaze softened slightly. "Is the man dealt with? Did you bring the item back?" Old Feng raised Luo Qi's suitcase to show him. "Everything is here, unopened. Luo Qi's body was brought back as well; I had Old Zhao handle it." Commissioner Cao nodded. Old Feng said, "Cadet Chen took care of Luo Qi in just over fifteen minutes. No small feat." Commissioner Cao looked at Chen Chuan. "As I promised, I won't put this in the official record, and no one will ever know you killed Luo Qi. But I, Cao, never let anyone work for nothing. I will compensate you afterward. If there's anything you want, you can submit a requisition form later. As long as regulations allow, I'll approve it." Old Feng smiled. "It's rare for Old Cao to be this generous. Think it through carefully—there's no rush." Chen Chuan nodded. "May I ask, Commissioner Cao, do I have any further assignments?" "None for now," Commissioner Cao replied. "You may head back, but do not leave Yangzhi. Once the state conscription concludes, someone will officially notify you." Chen Chuan could guess that whether Molan Company's matter was resolved or not, whatever followed wouldn't require his involvement. He bid the two farewell and left, carrying his Xuejun Saber. Watching him go, Old Feng remarked with feeling, "A fine young man." Then, in a serious tone, he added, "Old Cao, you weren't there, so you don't know—to win that fight, he took quite a few drugs that drained his potential. When clashing with Luo Qi, he put his life on the line without hesitation. It reminded me of when we were young, burning with passion. A young man like that deserves proper compensation." Commissioner Cao replied, "I don't need you to remind me. I will see to it." Old Feng looked at him and asked, "Has it been confirmed?" Commissioner Cao said, "The results are confirmed. The shelling and explosions largely wiped out Molan Company's Blood Molan Guard and biological combat weapons present on the scene. Almost no one survived. Of the two airships, one crashed, while the other—which hadn't yet docked—fled rapidly after witnessing the blast. Its destination is likely the Chaotic Lands." Hearing this outcome, Old Feng let out a great sigh of relief. After a moment's thought, he stepped forward a few paces and asked in a low voice, "Can we secure it?" Commissioner Cao said in a deep voice, "I've already sent people. That thing isn't easily destroyed. If it was carried on their persons this time, we will definitely find it." Old Feng asked, "And you feel at ease staying here?" "I sent Old Hong with a team," Commissioner Cao said. Old Feng nodded. "That's good. The other companies probably haven't caught on yet, right? Once Old Hong brings it back, the dust will have settled." The two waited from dusk into the dead of night, receiving no word throughout the hours. Just as the clock hands neared midnight, hurried footsteps echoed from outside. A burly, solid man entered, carrying a soot-stained metal case that had not been completely wiped clean. Commissioner Cao looked at him. "How did it go? Any trouble on the road?" "None. Smooth trip both ways." The man hoisted the metal case onto the table and said solemnly, "Commissioner, the item should be inside." "Also..." He hesitated. "What is it?" "When we passed through, we noticed the land seemed to have turned red." "Turned red?" Old Feng looked up. "Old Cao, it might be that stuff. I heard Molan Company has been collecting it all along. This was once the ancestral land of the Maka people; if that substance leaked, it could cause such an effect." Commissioner Cao asked, "Is the site cordoned off?" Old Hong answered, "It's cordoned off. Men from the constabulary are patrolling the access roads as well." Commissioner Cao asked no more questions. His gaze fell upon the case. As if he had known the combination beforehand, he stepped forward and slowly turned the dials. After a few minutes, a crisp click sounded, and the case unlocked. He gently lifted the lid. Revealed inside was a square sheet resembling a blueprint, yet its surface held a faint sheen, like a thin, transparent jade tablet. Countless intricate, microscopic diagrams covered it, every detail seemingly requiring a magnifying glass to discern. Just looking at it was enough to make one's head spin. Fixing his eyes on it, he said slowly, "Back then, Tianhe Mining was broken up into more than twenty enterprises. Sun Shang, a business manager at the time, founded Molan Kaolin Company after returning to the country, suspected of having inherited a portion of Tianhe Mining's legacy. Now it seems the rumors were true."