In a lounge to one side of the manor, Chen Chuan finished reading the dossier Director Wu had sent him, arriving at a rough understanding of Meng Huang's underlying motives.
All for the sake of an active conscious entity?
No wonder the man had been so obsessed with securing the status of heir. That was something only an heir or the head of a corporation was qualified to access.
At that thought, Chen Chuan could not help reflecting on whatever was nestled inside the Xuejun Saber. What could it be? In the end, it had actually managed to swallow the extended portion of that other-world entity whole.
Could they be the same kind of thing?
For now, the files offered nothing that resembled it.
He was certain the thing had come from Xiong Jianyi's body. When Gong Zhanyi had taken the risk of harboring a wanted criminal like Xiong Jianyi back then, looking deeper into it, this object had likely been his primary objective.
If so, it might be tied to the Gong family, possibly even involving the Ferris Wheel Company, and there was even a chance it was connected to entities from the other side.
Still, there was no need to dwell on so much right now. Going solely by present circumstances, the thing was beneficial rather than harmful to him, and it remained bound by his will, so he had no reason to worry for the time being.
In truth, even if it really was an entity from the other side, it hardly mattered. He had already dispatched one. Even if problems arose, he could handle them.
After going through the dossier, he noticed a form below that required completion.
It asked him to provide an operation debrief—a detailed description and summary of the combat process and the entity itself, ideally accompanied by boundary credential video footage.
After all, unlike the confrontation with Wei Wusheng where numerous witnesses were present, or the clash with the Viper Team where distinct traces had remained, absolutely nothing was left behind this time. He needed to supply a thorough, detailed account of the entire affair.
This was entirely necessary. Beyond creating an official record for future reference and verifying operational credit, it provided invaluable data for anyone who might encounter such an entity in the future.
Much of what he had studied previously had been compiled and summarized by countless predecessors, many of whom had given their lives in the process. Taking the task seriously, he wrote down the combat progression and the general tactics he had employed.
However, he appended a note at the end explaining that certain choices were personal tactical decisions tailored to his individual traits and should not be imitated by others.
Following the detailed narrative, he found several specific questions to answer. For instance, an assessment of the entity from the other side, inquiring whether it exhibited any noticeable personality traits or preferences.
The question seemed somewhat bizarre at first glance, as if treating the other-world entity as a human being.
Yet having thoroughly read the Disposal Bureau's files, he knew the query was far from pointless.
A theory in the records suggested that if an entity from the other side crossed into this world and achieved parasitical symbiosis, it stood a certain chance of gradually adapting to this world.
The longer it stayed, the more human it would become. It might even learn to think like a human, to the point where distinguishing its true identity would become nearly impossible. Some believed that certain entities from the other side had long since blended into human society.
If that were true, the infiltration of this world by entities from the other side was far more severe than imagined.
Taking the thought further: did these parasitic invasions of humans only begin recently, as the two worlds drew close enough to collide, or had they existed throughout previous Periods of Flux?
In the modern era, people could at least take precautions and make distinctions. In the old era, determining the truth would have been entirely impossible.
Still, such concerns were not his to shoulder; the nations of the world would naturally worry about them. After a moment of thought, he recorded his intuitive impressions directly, leaving final judgments to the higher-ups.
He answered the subsequent questions one by one, pausing briefly only at the last: during combat, did the entity from the other side exhibit any noticeable progression or improvement?
That question was certainly open to interpretation.
Recalling the clash, purely from the perspective of combat technique, Meng Huang's movements had been clumsy. After all, the man was no fighter, and Chen Chuan had hardly granted him room to maneuver.
Yet Chen Chuan had sensed, in subtle, unprompted moments, that his opponent was constantly self-adjusting. Given enough time, he might well have gradually mastered how to unleash his full power.
Consider the implications: if a massive humanoid creature also possessed force-exertion techniques suited to its form, the difficulty of confronting it would multiply exponentially.
It served as a reminder. One could not assume such opponents did not exist. Dealing with massive entities was an entirely different matter, demanding specific techniques and suitable weapons.
With these reflections complete, he finalized his answers, submitted the form, and deleted all the files Director Wu had just sent him.
Rising to his feet, he brewed a cup of tea and stepped onto the balcony, looking out over the landscape. A cool autumn breeze brushed against his cheeks, stirring the ends of his hair.
Beyond the manor, plants of diverse hues swayed, their foliage rolling like waves. Thanks to the manor's elevated vantage point, his gaze stretched across the distant sea to the sprawling, hazy silhouette of Center City. High above, several small, silver-white airships cruised back and forth.
After a long while, an alert chimed on his boundary credential. He answered, and Director Wu's voice came through. "Enforcement Officer Chen, I've reviewed your report. The matter has been officially archived. Once everything wraps up, the bureau will process your commendation and rewards.
"Additionally, Enforcement Officer Chen, I must ask you something. You have signed the non-disclosure agreement. Have you decided whether to participate in the Ring of the World defense plan?"
Chen Chuan said, "Of course."
Even if he did not actively seek them out, those things would still cross into this world. He had a premonition that such occurrences would only become more frequent. There was no avoiding them. Rather than evade, it was far better to confront them head-on.
Director Wu said, "If you agree, you will need to participate in at least one defense operation before the end of this year. It will benefit you, and it will make it easier for you to apply for special medicine."
Chen Chuan understood. Though he was not lacking special medicine at the moment, one could never have too much of it. Even if he did not use it himself, such medicine served as high-value currency among fighters, far more effective than ordinary money.
He considered it for a moment, then asked, "Once I go there, is my only task to guard against things from the other side?"
Director Wu replied in a low, somber voice, "More often than not, what you must guard against are the people from our own world."
After ending the call, Chen Chuan lingered on the balcony for a long time, finishing another cup of tea before heading back inside.
The rest of the day passed without incident, though he knew the calm was only on the surface. Within Convergence Boundary Company, a purge of Meng Huang's faction was inevitable, and members of the Meng family would likely be caught up in it as well. None of that, however, concerned him.
The following day, led by a servant, Chen Chuan went to see Meng Shu. Noticing she looked visibly more relaxed than yesterday, he said, "It seems your affairs are settled?"
Meng Shu replied, "Grandfather said he will officially announce his resignation from all corporate posts before the end of the month, stepping away from company management entirely and handing control over to me."
Chen Chuan said, "It seems Old Mr. Meng keeps his word."
Meng Shu looked at him and said earnestly, "Chen Chuan, my promise remains unchanged as well."
Chen Chuan met her gaze and nodded.
Yan Yi stepped forward then, handing him an envelope. "Mr. Chen, the young mistress found this and made sure to prepare it for you."
"What is this?"
Meng Shu explained, "Transaction records between Meng Huang and certain island nations overseas, along with a shipment of goods currently stored on an island awaiting trade. This was disclosed to us by one of his subordinates. We believe it will be useful to the Disposal Bureau."
Chen Chuan understood her intention. If the company handed this directly to the bureau, it would merely serve as an ordinary handover to demonstrate corporate goodwill. But if he submitted it, it would credit his personal record while conveying the company's cooperation just the same.
Without false modesty, he accepted it. "I will deliver it to the bureau."
Yan Yi added, "The young mistress has also decided that the quota of special medicine originally allocated to Meng Huang will be placed at your disposal as well, Mr. Chen."
Chen Chuan asked, "Do you not plan on recruiting other fighters?"
Yan Yi replied, "Facts have proven that none of them are as dependable as Mr. Chen. Besides, the company still holds resources controlled by the board of directors, which are sufficient for now."
Meng Shu spoke up, "Chen Chuan, you have been out here for a long time. Go back and get some rest. Here at the manor, we have Aunt Yu and the security forces directly under Grandfather's command, so there shouldn't be any issues for the time being."
Chen Chuan recognized she was giving him time off. He had indeed been away for a while and had matters of his own to handle. He contacted the Disposal Bureau, which promptly approved the break; so long as Meng Shu did not travel and no internal threats remained, staying within the manor in Bainiao District posed virtually no risk.
With clearance granted, he handed over his security responsibilities and boarded a dedicated car Yan Yi had arranged, heading back toward the main urban area of Center City.
On the road back, an alert appeared on his boundary credential. First came a personal bonus of six hundred thousand from Meng Shu, followed by notice that the residence granted by the company had already been transferred to his name, requiring only his signature for confirmation.
He checked the details. The residence was located in Wuding District, not far from the academy and very close to the martial arts hall where he had previously sparred with disciples from the martial arts families—a mere five or six minutes by car.
In Center City, the most prestigious residential area was undeniably Bainiao District, followed by Shangqiu in Weiguang District, and Mount Motie in the south of the city. Shangqiu was primarily home to high-ranking government officials, while Mount Motie was an enclave for celebrities and high society.
While the location of this residence could not be considered top-tier, the surrounding neighborhood was populated by prominent fighters. Likely for that very reason, the residence's layout was designed around the habits and needs of a martial practitioner, which suited his preferences perfectly.
After a moment's consideration, he signed his name on the boundary credential, then instructed the driver to head toward the residence to take a look once they came down off the elevated bridge.
Chapter 400