Tracing the strong signal downward, Wu Bei soon discovered that its transmission path was exceptionally long. It had routed through countless boundary points as stepping stones, and in several places, it looped back on itself repeatedly.
Not only that, but certain nodes appeared to feature additional countermeasures. Every time he passed through a boundary point, he had to proceed with utmost caution; otherwise, he risked tripping an early-warning tripwire that might have been left behind.
If the other party noticed him and realized someone was hunting them down, they could simply sever the connection at any boundary point along the chain, and he would never be able to find them again.
Yet if the search dragged on for too long, the chances of being detected would increase accordingly.
So after searching for a while, he said, "Brother Chen, this guy on the other end is extremely skilled, and he's backed by a field entity. He set up a lot of defenses and precautions, so I might need a bit of time." He sighed and added, "If only these boundary points would open up their channels for me to use freely. That would be much faster—just like last time."
He still remembered having the home-field advantage against the Gong family and Xiong Jianyi last time. Back then, with unrestricted access to the boundary points, he had been brimming with confidence and eager to test his mettle against the opposition. Unfortunately, the enemy had deployed field interference back then, leaving him with no chance to show what he could do.
Chen Chuan said, "If that's the case, I'll figure something out." He immediately contacted Ni Xixi through his boundary credential, explained the situation, and requested that the bureau grant him operational access to the boundary points.
Ni Xixi asked, "Brother Chen, can you provide proof that you came under attack?"
Chen Chuan replied, "The boundary credential issued to me by the Disposal Bureau logged the field interference and the strong signal. It can be verified."
"All right, as long as you have that," Ni Xixi said. "I'll sort something out for you. Give me a minute."
Just two minutes later, Ni Xixi returned and informed him, "All set. Can you handle it? If not, I can find someone in the bureau to help you out."
Chen Chuan said, "Thank you, Sister Ni. I should be fine on my end."
"Okay, be careful. Remember to contact me if you need anything."
With authorization secured, Wu Bei felt a surge of energy. Now, instead of having to slip stealthily through each boundary point, he could actually receive system support.
Previously, each node had been like a towering fortress where he had to skirt around sentries to hunt for traces; now, they were practically supply depots opening their doors to him. It was immensely satisfying. Tracing the signal's path downward, it wasn't long before he pinpointed its origin.
"Found it!" he said excitedly. "Brother Chen, I'm sending you the coordinates."
A map of Center City immediately projected onto the light screen of Chen Chuan's boundary credential, marking a single location in red within Shenwei District. As the map zoomed in tier by tier, the final marker settled near a natural green park.
Center City boasted an exceptionally high degree of greenery, and Shenwei District was the greenest of all, home to several sizable urban hills and parks.
In earlier years, it had been a favored haunt of the wealthy, but over time it was superseded by more developed districts. Gradually, these areas devolved into gathering places for gangs and outlaws. This particular location was right there—halfway up one of those hills.
After studying it for a moment, he asked, "So the person is right here?"
Wu Bei explained, "This is only where he initially broadcast his biological field data—the location of his boundary credential. So there's no hundred-percent guarantee that he's there in person."
Chen Chuan hummed in acknowledgment. Picking up the Xuejun Saber, he headed out. "That's fine. We just need to locate the place first."
Once he found the site, if the man was there, he could deal with him on the spot. Even if the man wasn't, traces would remain; at the very least, confirming the boundary credential was there meant uncovering plenty of clues.
He left the building, found a station, and boarded a tram. Forty-five minutes later, he arrived in Shenwei District and stepped out of the station closest to the marked location.
Because of the heavy plant coverage, with thick vegetation blanketing the walls and rooftops, bright beams of light pierced through gaps in the somber walls and interwoven vines. They crisscrossed between the buildings and the rain-dimmed sky above, resembling a massive cage woven from countless searchlights.
Here, the vibrant colors and ever-present, pulsing advertisements actually felt considerably more welcoming.
Rain was still falling outside. The oncoming wind carried a piercing damp chill. Pulling up the rain hood of his overshirt, he walked out of the station, splashing through puddles as he headed toward the designated area, gradually reaching the foot of the dark, shadowed hill.
Wu Bei's voice sounded in his ear: "The target hasn't moved. But Brother Chen, I'm not entirely sure, but there seem to be field wards around the area. If you just walk in, you might trigger them."
Chen Chuan cast a few glances around. "There's probably more than just that."
For someone to set up base here without surrounding defenses was unthinkable. Beyond field alarms, there were likely physical traps as well.
He said, "Brother Wu, since this person is highly skilled, I'm going to turn off my boundary credential and sever communications from here on to avoid interference through the credential or optical projections."
"All right. Be careful, Brother Chen."
Though a bit reluctant, Wu Bei understood the necessity. Their opponent possessed advanced skills; even with access to boundary points, there was no guaranteeing a flaw wouldn't slip through.
Chen Chuan then took out some medicine and swallowed it. The actual amount consumed was minuscule, but to an observer, it appeared as though he had downed the whole dose. This was a performance for certain people in the Disposal Bureau who might be watching him.
Immediately after, he shut off his boundary credential, instantly overlapped with his Second Self, and began heading up the slope.
With the Second Self redirecting the intrusion, any field intrusion hitting his body was diverted into a nonexistent realm, producing no discernible field interaction. He didn't know if this would fool the other party, but it was worth a try—and a good opportunity to test the concept.
There were indeed traps along the way, but frankly speaking, they were far too slow to outpace his reaction speed. Such measures could never stop high-level fighters; they were likely meant only for ordinary beasts.
Steering clear of numerous suspicious spots, he reached the mountainside. Standing there was a sprawling, elongated brick-and-wood structure of considerable size, built between three massive trees. Pliant branches trailed from the trees into the building, seemingly serving as reinforcement.
In front of the house's main entrance stood a wide, long awning sheltering a raised wooden platform. Several staggered lamps mounted beneath the awning's edge brightly illuminated the wooden platform and the curtained doorway.
Inside the house at this moment, Youxing leaned half against the wall, clutching his chest and wheezing heavily. He looked as though he had suddenly shed dozens of jin. Beneath his skin, the sharp contours of muscle and bone stood out distinctly, and blood pooled beneath him. Across his chest and abdomen were wounds that had been torn open anew and were now slowly knitting together.
Having tasted fresh flesh and blood once again, the urban legend had retreated, evidently satisfied for the time being. Yet he knew all too well that unless the problem was dealt with, he would ultimately be devoured alive.
Having endured it twice, however, he had realized the pattern: once his internal injuries healed to a certain threshold, the civet urban legend would deem the sacrifice ripe for another feast.
Therefore, as long as he restrained his healing speed, he could ensure his safety during this interval.
Still, he couldn't be certain how much patience the urban legend possessed. Comparing his understanding with past records, even doing this would only buy him three to five days at most.
He had to resolve the trouble within three to five days.
In truth, he disliked killing people face-to-face. His style revolved around meticulous advance preparation and elaborate planning; he enjoyed the satisfaction of a finished design like assembling building blocks, rather than the technically crude brutality of hand-to-hand combat.
Now, however, he was left with no choice.
Even with that decided, another vexing issue remained: having been attacked, the target would surely hide inside Wuyi and refuse to emerge. How was he supposed to get the job done?
Perhaps he could find an angle through the target's relatives or friends?
Just as he was pondering this, he suddenly sensed an unusual stir outside. His eyes darted outward with sharp vigilance. "Who's there?"
From outside the house came steady footsteps. Through the rain veil swaying in the wind, a figure gradually drew near and stepped onto the wooden platform. The lights beneath the awning fell upon the newcomer's tall, slender build: dressed in a black hooded windbreaker overshirt, holding a long saber in hand.
A long saber pushed forward, gently parting the door curtain. Chen Chuan walked in from outside. Once he came to a stop, he saw vines trailing across the ceiling like tangled electrical cables, converging into a corner of the room. And at first glance, he spotted the civet statue resting in the center of the house.
That confirmed he had found the right target.
His gaze then swept over Youxing, who had already risen to his feet. The man wore canvas trousers and a tattered shirt, blood spattered across his body, with residual wounds visible on his chest and stomach.
The man was lanky and somewhat hunched, his skin pale, his cheeks sunken, and his wet hair plastered flat against his scalp. Both eyes were bloodshot, yet the defined, tight cords of muscle wrapping his frame revealed an extraordinary physical baseline.
Chen Chuan raised a hand and pushed back his hood, revealing his clean-cut face and exceptionally spirited eyes. Rainwater dripped steadily from his overshirt.
He said politely, "A late-night visit—I hope I haven't disturbed the host."
Seeing him, Youxing froze in momentary astonishment. He immediately scanned the visitor with his boundary credential and swept the surroundings of the hill. Shock and suspicion mingled with a sudden swell of wild ecstasy in his chest.
He was shocked that he had actually been tracked down—the other party must have discovered and traced the strong signal planted on the boundary credential. But the ecstasy came from confirming that Chen Chuan had come completely alone.
Now he no longer needed to figure out how to lure his quarry out of Wuyi; he could resolve this matter right here and now.
In a dry, raspy voice, he asked, "Did defeating Tan Wang in the past give you the confidence to dare step into my territory?"
Although the intelligence Zhao Qian provided had been incomplete, the incident with Tan Wang was far too well-known not to uncover, so that detail had not been kept from him.
"You took medicine before coming here, didn't you? Mm, I can smell it. The scent of spilled medicinal powder on you... those specific formulas..."
Youxing wore an expression of smug vindication, a grin spreading across his face. "But you must understand... not all third limits are the same."
Reaching out, he took hold of a long staff propped against the wall. With a sudden twirl, he lowered himself onto one leg into a crouch, his lead foot lightly tapping the floor. Gripping the butt with one hand and the rear section with the other, he leveled the staff diagonally toward Chen Chuan.
Chapter 289