Outside Lulan Lake, dawn was breaking as the sky gradually brightened. The off-road vehicle carrying the reporter Hu Ying managed to follow the tracks all the way to this vicinity.
As they passed the area where the two had just clashed, he marveled in astonishment at the exaggerated scenes of devastation, snapping photos and recording footage frantically.
Here, he also spotted a weapon snapped into two pieces thrust into the ground, but there was no sign of the combatants. Continuing along the path of destruction, they tracked all the way to the lakeshore before finally being forced to bring the vehicle to a halt.
A lake breeze swept past, rustling the reeds with a soft whoosh. Hu Ying stood up in the vehicle and looked out, speaking into his boundary credential: "We've been following the trail of combat left by the two fighters, and the direction points straight into the lake ahead. Could it be..."
Even as he spoke, concentric ripples suddenly stirred the water's surface not far ahead, and a figure slowly emerged from within, causing him to cut off mid-sentence.
Step by step, Chen Chuan walked out of the lake water. One hand gripped the Xuejun Saber, while the other carried Xu Xianwen's severed head.
As he ascended onto the lake shore, moisture rapidly evaporated from him, wisps of white vapor rising from his skin.
Morning glow drifted along the horizon, and the early rays of dawn struck the water, bathing half of his body in light. Behind him across the lake, the thick mist was slowly dissipating.
Hu Ying felt a shiver run through his entire body, staring at the sight in sheer awe. Not just him—everyone watching through his boundary credential seemed to forget everything around them, staring unblinkingly at the scene.
Right then, the droning whirl of propellers sounded overhead. A small airship from the Disposal Bureau was flying toward the area, while armored vehicles converged from various directions.
Chen Chuan stepped onto dry ground, his clothes already steamed dry. He looked up and saw a flock of migratory birds flying south across the sky.
Hu Ying shuddered and snapped out of his daze. He wanted to rush over to interview Chen Chuan, but for reasons he couldn't explain, his legs felt as though they were filled with lead. He couldn't take a single step, and though he tried to speak, no words would come.
He screamed in his mind, trying to force his feet forward, but his face flushed red and his body simply refused to obey.
Behind him, the sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. A hand rested on his shoulder, and a voice said, "Reporter Hu, please leave. The Disposal Bureau is handling things from here, and the details cannot be disclosed."
Only then did he find his voice. "I'm a reporter! I have the right to cover—"
Before he could finish, someone caught him at a pressure point on his body, instantly rendering him unable to utter a sound. He was then hauled away by the back of his collar.
"Enforcement Officer Chen!"
Upon seeing Chen Chuan, a reconnaissance officer from the Disposal Bureau rushed over, looked him up and down, and asked, "Enforcement Officer Chen, are you all right?"
As he spoke, his gaze involuntarily darted toward the severed head in Chen Chuan's hand.
"I'm fine," Chen Chuan said. Remembering that Xu Xianwen was still a wanted criminal of the Disposal Bureau, he held the head out. "This is Xu Xianwen. Take him back."
"Right, right! Understood..."
The officer hurriedly caught Xu Xianwen's head with both hands.
Chen Chuan walked forward, heading back to where the two had fought earlier. He picked up the cane sword that had been broken into two pieces from the ground. This was the most collectible trophy he had acquired to date.
Though damaged, it could likely be repaired.
The Bureau offered such services. Even if leaving it broken held greater commemorative value, since he planned to place it in his future collection room, it should at least look intact on the surface.
At that moment, the small airship drew near. Once hovering overhead, a rope ladder was lowered, and Captain Guan climbed down, dropping onto the ground.
He first assigned tasks, instructing his officers to secure the perimeter and clear out any irrelevant personnel, before walking over. "Enforcement Officer Chen, excellent work. I'll report your merits to the Bureau exactly as they are."
Chen Chuan thanked him and asked, "Captain Guan, how are things over at Mount Motie?"
"Don't worry," Captain Guan replied. "We've stationed personnel there, and Mount Motie's security team has retaken control of the perimeter defenses. Even if the Viper Team returned at full strength, they wouldn't stand a chance of breaking in."
"That's good," Chen Chuan said. "Captain Guan, my business here is concluded. According to the task assigned by the Bureau, I should head back now."
"Priority duties come first," Captain Guan said gravely. "I'll arrange a vehicle for you right away."
"Thank you, Captain Guan."
Across on the other side of Lulan Lake, two figures stood atop a thick tree trunk, watching the scene from afar. One of them, a burly man in his thirties wearing a Disposal Bureau uniform, remarked, "Looks like there's no need for us to step in."
The other was a young man in his early twenties who didn't mince words. "As if you could beat Xu Xianwen yourself, Old Wan."
Old Wan didn't take offense. "Isn't Xiao Lu here with me? With you added to the mix, we could've held our own."
"Not necessarily," Xiao Lu countered. "Everyone trained by the Secret Snake Cult is a skilled swimmer. If Xu Xianwen fled into the water just like that, who could catch him? Who would have the confidence to chase him down?"
He sighed with admiration. "This Brother Chen really has guts. If it were me, I definitely would've given up once he reached the lake. Who'd dare dive straight underwater after him like that?"
Old Wan said, "A talent the Bureau is grooming so heavily is bound to be cut from different cloth."
Xiao Lu replied, "We fighters let our strength do the talking. Since he has the ability, he deserves the rewards. I have no complaints."
Meanwhile, Chen Chuan rode the vehicle dispatched by the Disposal Bureau back to the Meng estate. The security personnel were still holding their original posts. The members of the Viper Team had all been either gunned down or captured. As Chen Chuan walked past, the guards suppressed their excitement and saluted him one after another.
He nodded in acknowledgment and made his way to the entrance of the underground shelter. Using a backup boundary credential, he contacted the occupants inside: "The attackers have been dealt with. You can come out now."
Having said that, he provided a prearranged passphrase.
This was the secret code agreed upon between him and Meng Shu. Messages transmitted via boundary credentials could be forged, so only a verbal code could verify his true identity.
After waiting a moment, he heard the sound of heavy metal doors being pushed open from within.
Perhaps spurred by his focus, a faint thrum stirred between his brows. Intangibly, he sensed the condition of every person behind the wall. Aside from Meng Shu, who seemed to be wearing something that made her presence feel elusive and ethereal, everyone else could be clearly perceived.
This was an ability that had surfaced during his battle with Xu Xianwen—seemingly a form of mental perception. However, it was quite likely an inherent attribute of a third-limit fighter.
The door opened from inside, and Meng Shu and Yan Yi stepped out, flanked by three female security guards. Because their boundary credentials had maintained external communications, they had already known of Xu Xianwen's death. Even so, they had strictly adhered to the agreement and remained inside the shelter until Chen Chuan's signal.
Yan Yi believed that once a plan was set, it had to be followed through to the letter. It was the best way to prevent unforeseen accidents; all too often, failure struck when one was closest to success.
Meng Shu agreed with this perspective, as she was always receptive to sound advice. Looking intently at Chen Chuan, she said earnestly, "Thank you."
Chen Chuan smiled faintly. "Just doing my duty."
Yan Yi chimed in, "Miss, Mr. Chen, let's talk in the parlor." Meng Shu gave a light nod.
Once the group reached the living room, the three female guards withdrew outside. Yan Yi spoke up: "Mr. Chen, according to the intel we've gathered, the Viper Team was likely the strongest armed force under Meng Huang's control. Now that you've eliminated them, Meng Huang temporarily lacks the capacity to threaten us, and the tide has begun turning in our favor."
On the surface, the Viper Team had no direct ties to Meng Huang, and no concrete evidence could connect them to him. Yet everyone knew they had been dispatched by his hand. Their annihilation was an undeniable, heavy blow to him.
The fence-sitters would naturally reason: if your greatest muscle could be wiped out by Meng Shu, could Meng Shu eliminate Meng Huang himself next?
And how many people would remain aligned with someone who couldn't even guarantee his own life?
Even putting that aside, surviving proved Meng Shu had the ability to protect herself. As long as the contest for succession remained undecided, there was no reason to rush to take sides; they could afford to wait and watch.
Just then, a notification arrived on Yan Yi's boundary credential. After reviewing it for a moment, she smiled at Meng Shu and said, "Miss, it's several members of the Meng family. They're reaching out to make overtures of goodwill."
Meng Shu replied, "Give them an appropriate reply on my behalf."
"Of course. They still have their uses," Yan Yi said. She looked toward Chen Chuan. "And naturally, all of this is thanks to Mr. Chen's martial might."
Ultimately, it all stemmed from the deterrence of martial prowess.
Possessing overwhelming force equated to possessing authority and influence.
She felt that hiring Chen Chuan had been an extraordinarily wise decision. She was truly fortunate that such a formidable fighter happened to be Miss's classmate, making it possible to enlist his help in the first place.
Chen Chuan, however, knew matters were unlikely to be so simple. If Meng Huang was genuinely communicating with whatever entity lay on the other side, this ordeal was far from over.
However, the task assigned to him by the Disposal Bureau was to handle security here. In the absence of further instructions, he would not take unnecessary actions.
Meng Shu then said, "Sister Yan, as for everyone responsible for defense today, reward those who deserve rewards and promote those who deserve promotions."
"Right away, Miss," Yan Yi said. It was something she naturally had in mind, but hearing it directly from Meng Shu carried an entirely different weight.
Meng Shu looked at Chen Chuan again. "I recall you also brought in companions to assist this time. I would like to express my gratitude to them as well."
Chen Chuan nodded in agreement.
Meng Shu immediately transferred a sum of funds to Chen Chuan's account via her boundary credential. As for Chen Chuan himself, she would also issue a sizable separate bonus in the company's name as rightful compensation for a security consultant, though that went without saying.
Chapter 388