Recent Circumstances

Lu Ke led the way with a welcoming gesture, and Chen Chuan followed him inside the vehicle. Chen Chuan glanced over the interior layout. The functional amenities were quite complete, and the space seemed utilized very efficiently. Mainly, the vehicle body was wide and had a high ceiling, lacking the cramped feeling typical of ordinary motorhomes. "Well, how is it? Not bad, right?" Lu Ke said. "This is the vehicle Senior Sister assigned to Master and me. It was retrofitted by skilled hands in the team, and it's our temporary living quarters—oh, right, she's that former student of Master's I mentioned to you earlier." "It seems your senior sister holds a fairly high position here," Chen Chuan remarked. "After the old team leader passed away, she was the one mainly in charge of security. Later, when Lutong Logistics split up, our branch was the largest and took over most of the remaining business, so she pretty much became one of the leaders of the outfit." Lu Ke invited Chen Chuan to sit on a sofa off to the side, poured him a cup of soda, and casually grabbed a flyer to use as a coaster, setting it on the table. "Try some." He added with a touch of reminiscence, "The only pity is you can't get Yangzhi's Shazhen soda here. I really liked that flavor." Chen Chuan accepted it and took a sip, tasting a crisp sweetness. "Not bad at all," he commented. Lu Ke grinned. "Right?" Chen Chuan set down his cup, glanced at the training gear and several pairs of boxing gloves hanging on the wall, and asked, "Ever since you arrived in Center City, have you always been moving with the convoy?" "Not quite." Lu Ke sat down, poured a cup for himself, gulped down several mouthfuls, and said, "The outfit originally had a stable base, but recently we clashed with another logistics crew, so we moved out from there. Ah, no use dwelling on unhappy things. Let's talk about you, Brother Chen! I saw you in the footage—you were truly incredible!" Looking at Chen Chuan, he said with a hint of disbelief, "Master said you're already a third limit fighter, Brother Chen. Is that really true?" Chen Chuan nodded. "Not for very long." "Really?!" Lu Ke could not help getting excited. He had watched with his own eyes as Chen Chuan went from knowing nothing at all to becoming the formidable fighter he was today, someone far out of reach. Perhaps he had harbored a bit of jealousy in the beginning, but by now it had turned entirely into heartfelt admiration. And looking back on their past friction now, it felt more like a memorable little episode in life. Chen Chuan then asked, "Where is Teacher Yu?" "Master is teaching students." Chen Chuan inquired a bit and learned that this logistics crew wasn't just comprised of workers; their families traveled with them as well. Whether the members' children had talent or not, they would ask Yu Gang to teach them fighting techniques. In an environment like the Lower District, martial prowess was a basic survival skill. If one didn't know basic fighting techniques and couldn't handle a gun, surviving here was practically out of the question. Chen Chuan then asked, "How are Teacher Yu's legs?" Lu Ke's expression dimmed slightly. "Cheap implants work, but at best they only maintain a basic daily life. "Master is a fighter, though. Finding matching implants that allow him to exert his strength is very difficult. They're either prohibitively expensive, or once installed, they can't support his full power. We spent all the money from the Iron Chain Gang, and it was only enough to fit Master with an implant leg that works passably for now." "If Teacher Yu doesn't mind, I can help with this matter," Chen Chuan offered. Lu Ke was tempted, but hesitated. "Master might not agree." Chen Chuan expressed his understanding and said, "Actually, Teacher doesn't need to worry about anything. Consider the money a loan from me to him. I believe that with his capabilities, once he's back to normal, making up this sum will be easy." Lu Ke felt that made sense. He checked the time and said, "Class ends in another ten minutes. Let's finish this bottle of soda, then go find Master." Chen Chuan nodded. As he drank, he glanced down at the flyer under his cup and saw a portrait printed on it. It was a man in his prime with a neatly trimmed beard, a resolute jawline, and eyes that looked exceedingly dependable. The flyer read: "The Lower District deserves its own mayor. I am Meng Xiang, and I will build your happiness and future." Chen Chuan asked, "Do you elect mayors down here?" "Not a chance," Lu Ke replied. "I heard this guy used to be a salesman. Out of nowhere, he got it into his head that he wanted to be the Lower District's mayor. He goes around giving speeches in different sectors every day. Word is he's been beaten up countless times, but after nearly six or seven years, he still refuses to give up. Honestly, I rather admire him for surviving all that trouble." "If it isn't mere coincidence, there must be a compelling reason behind it," Chen Chuan said. "Maybe." Five or six minutes later, Lu Ke led Chen Chuan out of the motorhome and walked toward the longest articulated vehicle in the convoy. This vehicle looked as though it had been converted from large freight trucks and passenger coaches. It was roughly thirty meters long from front to back and about five meters high. Judging by the upper and lower rows of windows and the light shining from within, it appeared to be split into two levels. The two went in through a sliding door on one side. Just inside was a wash area and storage lockers. As Chen Chuan changed his shoes, he noticed the lockers were filled with pairs of small boots lined up neatly. Faint sounds filtered from within, and after rounding a partition, he saw a reasonably spacious training hall. Yu Gang stood in the center. Inside sat thirty to forty children, all seated properly in their places, while one child was demonstrating in front. Yu Gang was using a cane to correct the child's posture. Seeing the two enter, Yu Gang's gaze lingered on Chen Chuan for a moment, but he did not stop his instruction. Neither Chen Chuan nor Lu Ke disturbed the lesson. Stepping aside, Lu Ke pulled two folding chairs and a folding table down from the wall, unfolded the legs, and the two sat off to the side to wait. A little over two minutes later, the class ended. Yu Gang dismissed the children for free practice and walked over. Chen Chuan immediately rose to his feet and greeted, "Teacher Yu." "Sit," Yu Gang said. "How long have you been here?" "Not long. I was just chatting outside with Brother Lu for a bit." Leaning on his cane, Yu Gang slowly sat down. Looking at Chen Chuan, he said, "Lu Ke showed me your footage the other day. A third limit fighter... reaching such an achievement at your age, I haven't seen many like you." Chen Chuan said candidly, "If not for your guidance back then, Teacher Yu, this student wouldn't be where he is today." There was no exaggeration in those words. Taking the first steps was a difficult threshold, let alone for someone like him who had had zero foundation back then. Had it not been for Yu Gang's patient instruction, he might not have turned out as he was today. Even with his Second Self, he might still have achieved something, but he likely would have walked a completely different path. Yu Gang replied, "With your talent, as long as you set your mind on pursuing this path, you would always find your way." Just then, a crisp, youthful shout came from up ahead. One child threw another to the ground, only to amicably help him back up immediately afterward. Chen Chuan glanced over. "It seems you've taught these students well, Teacher." Yu Gang said in a deep voice, "They might train well enough, but that only raises their baseline. Talent is what dictates a fighter's ceiling. That is something many can never attain in an entire lifetime, no matter how much they train." Chen Chuan did not object. That was a fact. Yet even with talent, without abundant resources and the proper guidance of a teacher, one might still fail to make it through. He said, "Times are always advancing. It was indeed like that in the past, but with technology developing now, implants can compensate for certain shortcomings, giving people a chance to push their limits higher." Yu Gang merely shook his head. Lu Ke stepped over and poured tea for both of them. Yu Gang asked, "From the footage that day, it looks like you've joined the Disposal Bureau?" Chen Chuan said, "Students at Wuyi Academy all accept external investment, either from corporations or the government. I was invested in by the Disposal Bureau, so I currently hold a position with them." Yu Gang said gravely, "The Disposal Bureau is fine—far better than some corporations. Corporations seem to offer better compensation, but they demand far more in return." As they spoke, a clamor arose outside, accompanied by the pounding of running footsteps. Yu Gang immediately told Lu Ke, "Go down and check." Lu Ke hurried down. After a moment, he returned and said, "Master, it's the squad responsible for Sector 703. They were ambushed by people from Poison Ant Express." Yu Gang said at once, "Let's go down and see." Chen Chuan had not been here long, yet he had already heard of Poison Ant Express several times. It seemed the rivalry between them was fierce indeed. He stepped down from the vehicle alongside Yu Gang and Lu Ke. In the distance, several trucks and sedans sat parked, their bodies riddled with bullet holes, windows shattered, and every sedan missing its doors. People were being carefully carried out from the vehicles, while those with lighter injuries were having their wounds dressed and treated off to the side. The full-bearded man stood at the front with a grim expression, apparently questioning a lightly injured crew member to gather details. Lu Ke said indignantly, "Poison Ant Express has been picking fights with us nonstop lately. We've backed down so many times and conceded business in plenty of areas, but they still refuse to let us be." Yu Gang stood leaning on his cane and said in a heavy voice, "If one can get a taste of meat, the appetite only grows larger. And if that piece of meat doesn't fight back while constantly tempting them, there's no reason for them not to keep devouring it." Lu Ke said, "Master, if Old Bian were willing to take the lead, we wouldn't back down one bit from fighting Poison Ant." Yu Gang offered no comment on that. Chen Chuan asked, "Who is this Old Bian?" "He's a security consultant Lutong Logistics hired in the past—a third limit fighter who fled down from above. After the logistics outfit splintered, he accepted our employment, but he's barely willing to pull his weight. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been pushed this far." "The injuries on your face, Brother Lu—were they from clashing with them?" Lu Ke looked somewhat sheepish. "I let my guard down that time." Just then, someone shouted, "Sister Nan is back! Sister Nan is back!" Lu Ke perked up. "Senior Sister is back!" Following the direction of his gaze, Chen Chuan saw a convoy of two-wheeled motorbikes emerge from the mouth of the tunnel with a roar, speeding toward their convoy. ... ...