Within half an hour of Chen Chuan's return, the security personnel outside the estate received their promised rewards, and those who had distinguished themselves were granted promotions. This immediately boosted their enthusiasm for work even further.
After all, besides tangible perks, salary raises and promotions brought psychological gratification, which was far more invigorating than any injected drug.
Moreover, thanks to Chen Chuan's meticulous arrangements this time, everyone had responded swiftly when the attack occurred, reaching the fortified fire points almost immediately. The outer perimeter had been left entirely to the biological weapons, resulting in zero human casualties by the end of the incident. This sent their morale soaring, leaving them feeling ready to repel another sudden assault at any moment.
Chen Chuan walked out of the main residence, nodded to the security guard saluting him at the entrance, and returned to his own villa. Setting aside the broken weapon, he scrolled through the contacts on his boundary credential and found Zou Handan of the Secret Snake Cult. Once connected, he said, "Mr. Zou, thank you for the support and information you provided earlier."
Because the Viper Team had split off from the Secret Snake Cult, the simplest way to understand them—aside from pulling files from the Disposal Bureau—was to ask the Secret Snake Cult directly. Of course, while the cult offered surface-level information for free, anything deeper had to be purchased. Naturally, Chen Chuan didn't need to pay for this out of his own pocket; the Disposal Bureau covered the cost.
This included the earlier advice on handling the compromised provisions and daily supplies shipped up the mountain, which had also been solved using methods provided by the Secret Snake Cult.
On the other end, Zou Handan said, "You're far too polite, Mr. Chen. We only hope you'll bring more business our way in the future."
Chen Chuan replied, "I will when the opportunity arises."
He had looked into it before: the Secret Snake Cult offered quite a few services for third limit fighters as well. Beyond higher-grade medicinal snakes for strengthening muscles and bones, they provided ritual services to purge lingering toxins and external contaminations after ingesting special medicines. This was well in keeping with their identity as an esoteric cult, and he would pay them a visit if the need arose.
Having conveyed his thanks, he ended the call, tidied up a bit, took a shower, and changed into casual clothes. Sitting down, he brewed a cup of green tea and sipped it slowly.
This clash against several third limit fighters had truly pushed the intensity to the maximum. Had he not possessed detailed intelligence and arranged his tactics soundly, it would never have gone so smoothly.
Furthermore, had Xu Xianwen stayed with his team members, Chen Chuan would have been forced into a defensive stand; how many he could have taken down would have been uncertain, but Xu Xianwen most likely would have escaped unscathed.
Then again, one became a team leader to enjoy the perks of leadership. When things needed doing, they were naturally handed down to subordinates; why would a leader charge onto the front lines personally? Otherwise, what was the point of being leader?
A man like Xu Xianwen, who had already amassed a fortune, was certainly formidable, but one could not view him as a pure fighter. The moment he sensed something amiss, rather than seeking every means to accomplish the mission, he retreated immediately—and stayed on the retreat ever since.
Chen Chuan had gained quite a lot from this battle. The invaluable combat experience went without saying, but through this clash, he had also completely mastered the fruits of his recent cultivation, and he had acquired another way to observe his opponents.
Most importantly, his Second Self had once again seen a significant improvement. The overlap time alone had now reached nine days, and the Second Self's strength was steadily approaching the level he had attained during his Second Limit period.
At the same time, he also felt that the closer the Second Self came to the strength of his true self, the slower its advancement became.
However, once strength reached a certain level, even a minuscule improvement offered tremendous assistance. He was in no rush; as long as he continued along this path, it would gradually rise in due time.
Having just emerged from a high-intensity battle, he did not conduct any further training today, deciding instead to rest. Just as he leisurely finished his cup of tea, a call suddenly came through from Ni Xixi.
"Brother Chen, well done! Now the Bureau doesn't even need to form an extermination squad for the Viper Team—you took care of the whole lot on your own. The Bureau's definitely going to award you a citation and give you a raise."
Chen Chuan said, "I think so too."
Ni Xixi chuckled for a moment before continuing, "Just letting you know, the Bureau has made a decision. Your position remains the same, but your rank will be raised by one grade. Normally, it would take at least a year to advance, but Director Wu made the final call directly this time. After all, you handled this matter brilliantly."
Chen Chuan nodded. "Please thank Director Wu on my behalf, Sister Ni."
"Will do. But once you're back, you should still thank Director Wu in person. Alright, now that I've passed along the news, get some good rest."
Chen Chuan thanked her and ended the call. He then picked up a folder of materials, walked over to the window, and slowly flipped through it against the backdrop of the red maple forest outside.
A leisurely afternoon slipped by. When evening arrived, a message from Yan Yi came through the boundary credential: "Mr. Chen, there is an urgent matter we'd like to discuss with you."
He said, "I'll be right over."
Leaving the villa, he entered the living room of the main house and found Meng Shu and Yan Yi sitting there. Yan Yi's expression was especially grave.
He asked, "What is it?"
Yan Yi stood up and said, "Mr. Chen, a message just came from Lord Meng. He wants to see Miss Meng tomorrow, though he didn't specify what it's regarding."
Chen Chuan's gaze shifted slightly. "Is it definitely him?"
Yan Yi nodded solemnly. "It is indeed Lord Meng. Although he didn't reach out directly, the message was conveyed by the person closest to him, using the private signal reserved exclusively for Miss Meng. It's just..."
At this juncture, her inclination was actually to sit tight. As long as Meng Huang had no way to deal with them, the longer time dragged on, the more advantageous it would be for their side; they could simply wait for the situation to develop.
As the helmsman of the company, Meng Lai could not fail to understand this. Yet summoning them now indicated one unmistakable thing...
"Lord Meng may be planning to intervene in this matter," she said, furrowing her brows. "However, this goes against Lord Meng's consistent way of handling things. We can't be sure what his intentions are..."
This could be a good thing, but the worst-case scenario could not be ruled out either.
Meng Shu looked toward Chen Chuan. Since she had entrusted all security matters fully to Chen Chuan, she maintained absolute trust in him; if Chen Chuan decided against going, she would not go either.
Although such a decision might destabilize her standing as successor, she remembered precisely what her grandfather, Meng Lai, had once told her: at crucial junctures, if she truly didn't know which choice to make, she should place her trust in the most dependable person available. Their judgment was often more reliable than her own inclinations.
Chen Chuan considered it. The circumstances were complicated, and he needed to consult with the Bureau on this matter. Moreover, he sensed that since the Meng family's helmsman had made this move, he must have anticipated this as well.
He said, "I'll step out for a moment."
Meng Shu and Yan Yi understood what he meant and nodded.
After leaving the main residence, Chen Chuan contacted the Bureau and reported the intelligence. Before long, a notification came back:
"Enforcement Officer Chen, please locate a secure boundary point nearby."
Chen Chuan checked his surroundings. There was a boundary point right below the estate, at the very spot where the Viper Team had placed their field-interference organism. He walked directly out of the estate, reached the boundary point, and stepped onto it. Once the connection to the Bureau was re-established, a massive light screen unfolded, revealing the figures of Director Wu and Deputy Director Fang.
Deputy Director Fang said, "Enforcement Officer Chen, we received your report. Since the situation could change at any moment, we'll keep this brief."
His tone grew emphatic. "After our discussion, we believe Meng Shu should go."
Director Wu said, "In supporting Meng Shu as successor, securing the succession rights is paramount. You did exceptionally well earlier. Right now, everyone knows Meng Huang has suffered a severe blow; aside from his die-hard loyalists, everyone else is bound to adopt a wait-and-see attitude. For Meng Lai to summon Meng Shu at this particular moment is already a sign of favoring her to a certain degree. This will bolster Meng Shu's status and prestige within the Meng family and the company."
He paused briefly. "If we're not mistaken, he is likely coordinating moves with us."
Chen Chuan considered this. All of this was predicated on Meng Lai truly thinking this way. Was that really the case?
He asked, "Can we confirm that Meng Lai isn't being controlled?"
Deputy Director Fang replied, "We also suspected that possibility earlier, but after verifying the matter, we were able to rule it out. However, Meng Lai is very likely aware of Meng Huang's situation. For the sake of the company's overall interests, he made a compromise—ceding certain powers to Meng Huang while simultaneously propping up another successor to steady the rest of the company and the family, preventing them from leaning entirely toward Meng Huang."
Director Wu said, "Enforcement Officer Chen, now that you've wiped out the Viper Team, Meng Huang has very little armed force left at his disposal, so we can afford to take risks. This move is worth trying."
He added in a heavy voice, "However, this still depends on Meng Shu's own wishes. You can share our analysis with her, because this matter is not without danger."
Deputy Director Fang said, "Because we have yet to obtain definitive proof of Meng Huang colluding with the other side, we cannot make a move against him just yet. But judging from our profile of Meng Huang, this development could provoke him. If he reacts rashly, there's a strong possibility it will expose the forces behind him."
Director Wu added, "We have also made corresponding preparations. Currently, we are maintaining close surveillance over several key targets, including Meng Huang's residence, Convergence Boundary, and the Ferris Wheel Company. If Meng Shu decides to go, we will dispatch a team to follow behind you; at the very least, you won't need to worry about anything on the road. But once you arrive at Meng Lai's estate, you will have to adapt to circumstances on your own. His estate has an extremely high security clearance that we cannot enter. If an emergency arises, we authorize you to use drastic measures."
Chen Chuan pondered for a moment and nodded. "Since the Bureau has made these arrangements, I will explain everything clearly to Meng Shu."
Chapter 389