Behind the Scenes

Quite a few members of the assault squad remained on the bridge, but with Sister Huan and her retinue dealt with, the rest had lost all will to fight, each trying to find a way to pull back. However, the Convergence Boundary security forces had no intention of letting them go, snapping tenaciously at their heels. Furthermore, the city patrol team had cleared the obstructions below and blocked the roads leading toward the center city. By then, two small airships had closed in. Their directional machine guns aimed downward, muzzle flashes erupting with a rapid, thudding chatter. Machine-gun rounds plowed through the militants' ranks, churning up showers of pulverized rock and dust wherever they struck. Even those wearing protective suits could not withstand the fire, while those without had their limbs torn apart one after another. Seeing that things were going terribly wrong, several fighters in the field didn't even bother dashing toward the lower sections of the overpass, leaping straight over the guardrails on either side into the sea below. Chen Chuan paid those men no mind, walking straight toward Meng Shu's armored private vehicle. Seeing him approach, the security personnel gathered around looked at him with reverence and parted to make way. Arriving by the car window, he positioned himself so Meng Shu and Yan Yi sitting inside could see him, and said through his boundary credential, "Things are mostly taken care of, but there are still some militants around. Don't come out yet." Meng Shu replied, "Understood." Then she asked, "Chen Chuan, are you alright?" Chen Chuan said, "I'm fine. Oh, and I tested it—the company's product quality is quite good." Seeing no issues here, he turned to walk away, glancing at a certain spot inside the vehicle before leaving. Meng Shu looked toward where his gaze had fallen. In that seemingly empty seat, Aunt Yu's figure slowly faded into view. Prior to this, apart from Meng Shu and Yan Yi, no one had realized she had been along for the ride. Aunt Yu said, "Did Consultant Chen just see me?" The car had one-way glass, making it impossible to see inside from the outside, yet she felt as though Chen Chuan had detected her. Liying said, "Although I used a field to scramble outside senses, Consultant Chen's field is exceptionally forceful. He likely noticed Ms. Yu when he stepped close just now." Aunt Yu remarked with a sigh, "Consultant Chen is formidable indeed. It seems it made no difference whether I came or not." Meng Shu said, "Both Consultant Chen and Aunt Yu are people we can trust." She then cast a look at Yan Yi, who caught her meaning and spoke into her boundary credential to the security captain, "Find a few men to gather up the scattered weapons left by the fighters. Wipe them clean and hand them over to Consultant Chen later." The security captain paused briefly, then barked back with full vigor, "Yes, ma'am!" Chen Chuan had walked over to the guardrail at the edge of the overpass and looked out. Down on the surface of the sea, several speedboats were speeding over, and the people who had dropped into the water were desperately swimming toward them. Farther out along the coastline, several ships were also slowly putting out to sea. By now, the field jamming had been lifted. He contacted the bureau, scanned the vessels out at sea, and sent a message: "Make sure to check those ships." Under the sweeping machine-gun fire of the two airships and the concerted mop-up by the security squads, the attackers on the bridge were eliminated one after another. As for those who had plunged into the sea, they didn't bother chasing them; the Disposal Bureau would naturally dispatch personnel to track them down later. The gunfire around them thinned from a dense barrage to sporadic pops, until finally only an occasional crack echoed out. Armed security operatives paced back and forth across the bridge, delivering coup de grâce shots to neutralize lingering threats while clearing obstructions ahead on the road. Others assisted in carrying away and treating the wounded. Inside the private car, Yan Yi conferred with the security captain and reported, "Miss, we've captured several prisoners. They're all mercenaries, and their identities can't be confirmed just yet." Meng Shu said, "Send them to the Disposal Bureau, and make a donation to the bureau afterward." Yan Yi understood the implication and replied, "Understood, Miss. I'll take care of it." Just then, she received a message from the company inquiring whether they should dispatch additional corporate security personnel to provide backup. She replied that the situation had been resolved and no further personnel were necessary. A short while later, the municipal public maintenance department contacted them regarding compensation for damages. She immediately responded that Convergence Boundary Company would cover all parts of the losses on the bridge for which they were responsible. Most of these public fixtures were covered by public insurance, so Convergence Boundary Company wouldn't actually have to shoulder the burden. As the victims of an assault today, they would instead seek compensation from the insurance company afterward. As for the entanglements involved, the company's team of solicitors would naturally handle them. As for Chen Chuan, he took a walk up and down the motorcade. Seeing nothing else requiring attention, he returned to his own private car. Earlier, he had intended to collect the dropped weapons himself along the way. The others didn't matter, but Sister Huan's twin spikes were quite unique and well worth keeping as collectibles. However, the security personnel had taken the initiative to tidy them up for him, explaining that it was done on instructions from above. While it lacked a bit of ceremony, it saved him the trouble of searching for them. After being held up on the overpass for over an hour, the motorcade set out once more toward Convergence Boundary Company. Having just been ambushed, they deliberately slowed their pace and stepped up vigilance, taking another hour or so to reach the headquarters in Shenwei District. Chen Chuan didn't need to attend the succession ceremony, so he didn't accompany her the entire time. He merely watched Meng Shu's address to all corporate staff through his boundary credential, and later joined the meeting of senior corporate executives in his capacity as Chief Security Consultant. By the time the day came to an end and every procedure was completed, Meng Shu had officially taken the helm of Convergence Boundary Company. Though she lacked Meng Lai's prestige and experience, relying on Liying's counsel and decisions along with the support and cooperation of the Meng family members was enough to keep the company operating smoothly. With that, Chen Chuan's mission drew to a close. Although he still held the title of Chief Security Consultant for Convergence Boundary, he no longer had to remain on site, as the company's daily security would be handled internally. Parting ways with Meng Shu and leaving the company, Director Wu contacted him on his way back to Wuyi to debrief on the situation. Only then did he learn that there had been two hired third limit fighters beneath the overpass who had blocked the Disposal Bureau's rescue personnel. However, their actions had been relatively measured and caused little harm. Once the situation on the bridge turned south, they immediately surrendered and were arrested, claiming merely to be hired hands who knew nothing about the specific circumstances. In reality, how could the two of them not have known? They must have had at least some inkling, or they wouldn't have participated in the first place. This was likely something they had consulted solicitors about beforehand, as such claims could help exonerate them. Chen Chuan couldn't bother himself with such matters; he only wanted to know their origins. To mobilize seven or eight third limit fighters all at once was definitely not something a minor faction could pull off. Director Wu said, "Judging from current leads, the entity behind this group is very likely Ferris Wheel Company." "Ferris Wheel Company?" Chen Chuan nodded. He had already suspected as much. "As for the first fighter you killed, even though his head was gone, cross-referencing records and questioning the captives indicates he was likely Jiang Huowang from the outer ocean. "He was a disciple of Langtao Arena, a prestigious combat arena in the outer ocean. Langtao Arena has branches across the outer ocean islands, and Ferris Wheel Company exclusively hires its internal security personnel from them. "In addition, while many of the fighters you killed appeared to be Great Shun locals on the surface, tracing their lineage back a few generations reveals that they all possess varying degrees of outer ocean ancestry. "One or two might be a coincidence, but having so many gathered with similar backgrounds makes it clear this was no accident." Chen Chuan said, "I remember Meng Huang had trade partnerships with the outer ocean islands and Ferris Wheel Company. Was their attack on the motorcade intended to eliminate Meng Shu? "Even if they succeeded, Meng Huang's faction has been purged. As long as Meng Lai remains, Convergence Boundary Company would never do business with them again." Director Wu said, "We couldn't get much out of the prisoners. The employer only instructed them to coordinate in assaulting the motorcade. But after analyzing the intelligence from before and after, it's very likely this operation was targeted at you, Enforcement Officer Chen." Chen Chuan's gaze shifted slightly. He pondered for a moment. "Because I eliminated Meng Huang earlier and ruined their plans?" While seeking revenge for that seemed reasonable enough—after all, inhabitants of many outer ocean island nations tended to be narrow-minded, with some acting quite radically—it felt like an overreaction for a corporation like Ferris Wheel to specifically target him and mobilize so many resources and personnel over such a matter. There might be other reasons at play. Director Wu said, "We are continuing to investigate this matter. But if our inference is correct, there's no guarantee they won't try a second time. You must stay vigilant, Enforcement Officer Chen." Chen Chuan nodded. Since the other side had committed so heavily upfront, there was indeed no guaranteeing they wouldn't attempt something similar again. He said, "Director Wu, I'll be careful." He thought for a moment, then asked, "Will the bureau launch an investigation into Ferris Wheel Company next?" "An investigation will certainly take place, but it will be difficult to produce any results under present circumstances," Director Wu said slowly. "Unless the higher-ups make up their minds." Chen Chuan understood. Ferris Wheel Company likewise had Great Shun capital involved. So leave aside the fact that they lacked direct evidence; even if they had it, it would only end up before the Tribunal. And battles between teams of solicitors rarely yielded substantial results. Toppling a sizeable corporation was no simple feat. It required the power of the government or other corporations, as well as the right opportunity. Even when action had been taken against Molan Company back then, it was because its main forces had already pulled out of Center City. Director Wu then added in a somber voice, "Furthermore, we've learned that Ferris Wheel Company has been applying to join the 'Corporate United Syndicate.' "An evaluation panel and representatives from several corporations have already set out and will likely arrive in Jibei Circuit soon to conduct evaluations and inspections on them. This kind of confrontation with the government and aggressive outward expansion, far from being a negative mark, will actually count in their favor." …… ……